The Sith Lord Uses The Lightsaber Form Named Juyo
The Acolyte has introduced a terrifying new Sith Lord, officially called "The Stranger," whose Lightsaber form is the reason they're such a threat to the Jedi. The Acolyte episode 5 was essentially a Jedi bloodbath, as Manny Jacinto's Qimir was finally unmasked as the show's mysterious Sith Lord. The Jedi struggled to adapt, not helped by the Sith Lord's unique combat style.
The Sith Lord wielded a new Lightsaber, with a shorter second blade concealed within their standard weapon's hilt. They also demonstrated a terrifying Force power, successfully getting into the minds of their enemies and taking advantage of their weaknesses. This was complemented by a brutal lightsaber form, one that deployed forbidden combat techniques. Here's all you need to know about the Sith Lord's lightsaber form and combat style.
The Stranger Is Also Skilled In Unconventional Combat Techniques
But The Acolyte's Sith Lord is also trained in two unusual techniques. They uses a new lightsaber type, with a detachable second hilt in their main blade that conceals a shorter, dagger-like weapon. They then moves to a modified version of Jar'Kai (the technique developed for using two blades), and the different lengths allow them to switch between attack and defense at speed. As Jecki Lon learned to her cost, the shorter blade is particularly brutal in close combat.
Qimir is also skilled in a lightsaber technique called Trakata, in which a lightsaber-wielder actually switches their lightsaber off during combat to wrong-foot an opponent. This, too, was forbidden by the Jedi; it was seen as deceitful and manipulative, thoroughly dishonorable. Naturally, a Sith Lord isn't particularly concerned with that.
The Sith Lord's Cortosis Armor Is Vital To His Survival
Both Juyo and Trakata share the same weakness, though; they are high-risk combat strategies that can create openings. Juyo is best at attack, not defense, while a practitioner of Trakata literally leaves themselves vulnerable for a heartbeat because their lightsaber has been switched off. Qimir compensates for this by wearing a gauntlet and helmet composed of cortosis ore, which disrupts lightsaber blades when they impact it - switching them off.
The Stranger tends to use cortosis purely as a substitute for defense, rather than offense. They doesn't always take advantage of the opportunity they're given when their enemies' lightsabers short out for a few moments; often they're already committed to their attacks. At the least, though, they does use the moments of confusion as a chance to turn a group duel into a one-on-one battle, overwhelming opponents whose comrades are suddenly forced to draw back.
Qimir Also Knows At Least Two Other Lightsaber Forms
Juyo is a complicated form, and practitioners need to build up their skill in at least two other forms before trying to master it. In Qimir's case, they seems to show some knowledge of Shien, a variant of Form V that was preferred by Anakin Skywalker. This is noted for its aggression; in fact, some Jedi disliked it because they considered it to skirt close to the dark side. It's easily adapted for Jar'Kai, which is why Form V is used by Ahsoka - whose two lightsabers feel like a light-side mirror of the Stranger's.
It's difficult to say what Qimir's second lightsaber form is, although Darth Jarod speculates it could be Makashi - the dueling form used by Count Dooku. Makashi had fallen out of favor by the time of The Acolyte, because the Jedi hadn't really needed to go blade-to-blade with others for centuries. At the same time, though, the Stranger's combat lacks the elegance of Makashi; it's possible they's sacrificed it as they focused on something more savage and destructive.
Qiimir Uses The Force In A More Aggressive Way Than The Jedi Are Used To
There's one other unique aspect of Qimir's lightsaber form; the way they integrates their Force powers into their attacks. Jedi traditionally protect themselves from Force influence while they're locked in combat, but Qimir's mastery of the Force is unlike anything the Jedi have ever seen before. They're able to get inside their minds, twisting and manipulating them, and this shakes their confidence and concentration. The Stranger takes full advantage of the openings they creates through their Force powers.
There's one shocking moment in which Qimir goes a step further, though; having impaled one enemy on their lightsaber, they uses telekinesis to pull another enemy's body on to it, killing two Jedi for the price of one. It's a measure of how in control they are at that moment, because such approaches shouldn't be possible; a Jedi should be able to sense the use of the Force and protect themselves from it. By that point in The Acolyte's battle, though, Qimir had already shaken that particular Jedi so much their defenses were completely down, and they paid the price.
