The Acolyte has introduced a terrifying new Sith Lord, officially called “The Stranger,” whose lightsaber form is the reason he’s 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 his standard weapon’s hilt. He also demonstrated a terrifying Force power, successfully getting into the minds of his 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 Sith Lord Uses The Lightsaber Form Named Juyo

There are seven lightsaber forms in canon, and Qimir – officially named “The Stranger” by Lucasfilm – uses Form VII, Juyo. According to several sources, this may well be one of the oldest lightsaber forms, but it became incredibly controversial and was discontinued. Unlike other forms, Juyo encourages a lightsaber-wielder to tap into their emotions, channeling anger into relentless and aggressive attacks. Juyo was actually banned by the Jedi, although it returned during the prequel era, when Mace Windu rediscovered it and modified it to create his own variant, named Vaapad.

As noted by Jarrod the Dark Jedi on Twitter, Juyo is defined by its aggression and apparent unpredictability. There are still sequences of movements in Juyo, but the lightsaber-wielder switches between them abruptly, meaning it can look clumsier than most forms but compensates for this with sheer savagery. This form is perfect for taking on multiple enemies at once, because the abruptness will make it harder for them to predict the Sith’s actions and coordinate ther own attacks. The sudden strikes are difficult to defend against, because it’s hard to predict where the lightsaber will be at a given moment.

The Stranger Is Also Skilled In Unconventional Combat Techniques

But The Acolyte‘s Sith Lord is also trained in two unusual techniques. He uses a new lightsaber type, with a detachable second hilt in his main blade that conceals a shorter, dagger-like weapon. He then moves to a modified version of Jar’Kai (the technique developed for using two blades), and the different lengths allow him 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. He doesn’t always take advantage of the opportunity he’s given when his enemies’ lightsabers short out for a few moments; often he’s already committed to his attacks. At the least, though, he 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, he 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 he’s sacrificed it as he 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 he integrates his Force powers into his 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. He’s 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 he creates through his Force powers.

There’s one shocking moment in which Qimir goes a step further, though; having impaled one enemy on his lightsaber, he 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 he is 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.