Luke Skywalker turned a Sith technique to his advantage when he redeemed Darth Vader

Luke Skywalker’s duel with Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi is one of those Star Wars Saga’s most important sequences for many reasons, including Luke’s use of a technique usually associated with the Sith. Return of the Jedi Seeing the completion of Luke Skywalker’s path to Jedi Knighthood and the cathartic redemption of Darth Vader, who turns to Emperor Palpatine to save his son, arguably become Anakin Skywalker once more. Luke Skywalker’s final duel with Darth Vader is as much ideological as it is physical, with Luke fighting with his principles as much as his lightsaber and Force powers.

Luke Skywalker was conflicted in his duel with Vader because he was told by his Jedi mentors that killing him was the only way to victory, but Luke refused to kill his father. Darth Vader sought to turn Luke to the dark side and overthrow the Emperor with Luke as his apprentice. Palpatine believed he would win no matter what, either gain a new Sith apprentice or be rid of one of his greatest threats. Luke almost succumbs to the dark side during the duel, but interestingly, he uses a technique usually associated with the Sith before his enraged onslaught.

The Sith excelled in undermining their opponents

One element of lightsaber combat that the Sith Lords favor in the Star Wars Legend’s continuation is known as Dun Möch. simply, Dun Möch is the tactic of using intimidation and distractions to keep an opponent off-balance, cause them to doubt themselves, or even tempt them to fall to the dark side of the Force.. Dun Möch is included in most of these Star Wars Saga films, but it’s not the same thing as simple barbs traded during a lightsaber duel. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader’s dialogue in A new hope is not quite as qualified as Dun Möch.

Darth Vader’s attempts to tempt Luke to embrace the dark side in The empire strikes back is a definitive example of Dun Möch. Count Dooku’s intimidation tactics in his duels with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones are another prime example of Dun Möch. Of course, Dun Möch is not always applicable in every duel. Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s duel with Darth Maul was largely free of dialogue, as Maul was unfamiliar with his opponents. While Dun Möch is generally thought of as a Sith technique, it can be used by Jedi.

Luke Skywalker inverted Dun Möch in Return of the Jedi

Dun Möch can backfire on its users Under certain circumstances. Count Dooku’s taunts during his final duel with Anakin Skywalker worked too well, as they encouraged Skywalker to tap into the dark side, giving him an edge against the Sith Lord that resulted in Dooku’s dismemberment and execution. Imperial dark side user Desann used a carefully planned example of Dun Möch on Kyle Katarn, trying to persuade him to lead the Imperial Remnant to the Valley of the Jedi on Ruusan, but it also caused Katarn to become a Jedi once again and defeat Desann.

Darth Vader’s use of Dun Möch on Luke Skywalker in The Empire strikes backCombined with Luke’s effort to redeem his father, led Luke to deploy his own version of the technique against Vader. Rather than trying to keep Vader off-balance for an easier kill or attempting to turn him to the dark side, however, Luke encouraged Vader to abandon the corrosive dark side and become the good man he used to be. Luke acknowledged Darth Vader’s internal conflict and stoked the fires of what remained of Anakin Skywalker, contributing to Darth Vader’s redemption.

Darth Vader’s redemption is even more impressive than it seems

Luke Skywalker’s use of Dun Möch against Darth Vader is impressive for multiple reasons. The most obvious, of course, is redeeming a Sith Lord who was seemingly too far gone to return to the Jedi he used to be, but it’s equally impressive on a less personal level. Luke Skywalker Taking a traditionally Sith-related technique and turning it into a Jedi tactic. Luke would continue to use this Jedi variation of Dun Möch after the events of Return of the JediBelieving that those who fall to the dark side are not exempt from rejecting his influence.