Though much of Star Wars The Force Awakens' plot is still under lock and key, one thing's for sure, there will be lightsaber battles.
The epic duels are perhaps the saga's most iconic image. From Vader and Luke squaring off in Return of the Jedi to Anakin and Obi-Wan's heartbreaking showdown at the end of Revenge of the Sith, each of these moments serve as huge milestones in the journey of each of the participants.
In an interview with Empire magazine (via starwarsnewsnet), director JJ Abrams explained how the new film's battles will differ from the previous installments. He told the mag that The Force Awakens' lightsaber fights are heavily inspired by the original trilogy.
"When you look at Star Wars and Empire, they are very different lightsaber battles, but for me they felt more powerful because they were not quite as slick. I was hoping to go for something much more primitive, aggressive and rougher, a throwback to the kind of heart-stopping lightsaber fights I remembered being so enthralled by as a kid." Said Abrams.
According to him, the lightsaber battles in the prequel trilogy were "increasingly spectacular and stylised, almost like dance choreography".
From the trailers and teaser clips, we already know that we're in for at least two lightsaber showdowns, both of which feature John Boyega's Finn.
The first sees him dueling against a shock baton wielding Stormtrooper while the other is the much talked about meeting with main villain Kylo Ren set against a snowy forest backdrop.
As for Luke Skywalker, Abrams assures fans that the character will be making an appearance in the film.
"I love that anyone cares," Abrams says about the Jedi's absence. "It was always the thought to keep our powder dry but it wasn't to make people crazy. We did it because it was appropriate for the story."
