The Duel Between Anakin And Obi-Wan In 'Revenge Of The Sith' Was Originally Much Longer
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A well-crafted swordfight should flow like a dance. Many elements in this type of choreography must be present for a fight scene to shine at its brightest. Actors train hard for these sequences, at the end of which, many times, pieces are omitted during the editing process. In addition, camera placement and lighting must be considered. The actors endure strength, agility, and dance training to name a few, not to mention countless hours of practice go into these scenes alone. Per the YouTube channel Star Wars Analyst, the duel fans see in Revenge of the Sith between Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi was a long-awaited battle, not to mention “the longest swordfight in cinematic history.” However, when this film opened in 2005, many fans felt somewhat jilted.
It is interesting to note that while this onscreen lightsaber battle is the longest swordfight on record in a film, it was originally much longer. Many of the deleted scenes from the fight with Obi-Wan showcase the full extent of Darth Vader’s abilities. An example is when he holds a stunt actress in a Force choke, reminiscent of what he does in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi with Reva. So later, when he asks about Padme, and Palpatine states, “In your anger, you killed her,” the context makes even more sense.
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Other deleted pieces include Anakin using the Force to throw the surrounding environment at Obi-Wan. This is a Vader trademark. We see him do this again in the Kenobi series with Obi-Wan in a rock-covered environment where he essentially throws everything from pebbles to boulders at Obi-Wan until he buries him. Deleted scenes from Revenge of the Sith demonstrate this as another Anakin tendency as he throws anything and everything at his master, including the lava river itself.
Anakin’s need to prove himself and his arrogance is ultimately his downfall. Kenobi tells Anakin this in a flashback from the Disney+ series, adding that it will lead to his undoing, which fans know to be true. In the battle in Revenge of the Sith, Lucas shows fans elaborately on these character traits in Anakin. Viewers see Anakin enjoy spinning in the air as a child padawan, pointing out that “that’s a good trick.” In the battle of the third movie Anakin and Obi-Wan spin and twist, intertwining at times during their duel. This element, combined with the intricate lightsaber battle, symbolizes their brotherhood, adding a layer of depth to the sorrow of the character losses witnessed thus far in the franchise.
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The scene could have ended in Anakin’s favor as he floated along the lava river, He could have thrown lava via the Force until he melted his former master, but his jealousy over Obi-Wan’s achievement in killing Darth Maul (he didn’t, but of course, that is not known at this point), that pesky need to prove himself, and of course his arrogance set him up for failure. Kenobi had the high ground. Rather than use his own skillset, Anakin attempted to use his former master’s own move; he flipped over him to defeat him. Fans know how well that worked out for him.
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Source(s): Star Wars Analyst