When fans think of STAR WARS one of the first things that inevitably springs to mind are lightsaber battles. Whether it's the rage fueled duel on Mustafar between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker in REVENGE OF THE SITH or the jerky, awkward fight between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader in A NEW HOPE, lightsaber battles are a staple of the STAR WARS franchise. It's something fans have come to expect and I'd argue that for all the prequels' faults, the best lightsaber battles of the entire saga happened in those films. (Duel of the Fates anyone?)
Stunt coordinator Nick Gillard was there every step of the way for THE PHANTOM MENACE, ATTACK OF THE CLONES, and REVENGE OF THE SITH. The man coordinated every single lightsaber battle across all three films. However, as spectacular as those lightsaber battles were, according to Gillard, audiences never got a chance to see the best one ever. Why? Because The Beard himself, George Lucas, pulled the kyber crystal at the last moment.
In a recent interview, Gillard stated the lightsaber battle in question was meant to happen in REVENGE OF THE SITH. At one point in the film, Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan is escaping from General Grievous only to encounter several of the villain's bodyguards sporting double-sided weapons with electrical tips. The original scene called for Kenobi to face off against the henchmen in a fight that Nick Gillard called the most complicated he'd ever done. In fact the scene stayed in the film so long that McGregor trained for several weeks in preparation. Much to the chagrin of both Ewan McGregor and Nick Gillard, George Lucas instead decided to have Obi-Wan use the Force to drop a container on the henchmen. Ah what might have been!
Although Nick Gillard has since gone on to work on a number of other film and television shows, such as Black Mirror and The White Princess, he did not return for the sequel trilogy. Personally, I think that was a missed opportunity for Disney and company. As much as I love the new films, I believe the lightsaber battles have been one of the weakest parts of the new trilogy. Here's hoping that trend changes with STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER.
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER blasts its way into theaters December 20.