Sai tok

"&hellip;Luke, you could have killed her. Cut her in two&hellip;"

- Mara Jade to Luke Skywalker

In lightsaber combat, a sai tok, frowned upon by the Jedi because of its Sith-like nature, was the act of cutting an opponent in half, usually separating his or her legs from the torso at the waist.

Notable uses
"Hey! She halved Quanto!"

- Gudb, surprised that Nomi Sunrider killed Quanto

Before even beginning any formal Jedi training, Nomi Sunrider took up her newly-deceased husband's lightsaber, and literally "halved" the space pirate Quanto, as described by his companion Gudb. Sunrider's use of sai tok was unique in that she cleaved Quanto lengthwise rather than through the waist.

The Sith Lord Darth Maul performed this maneuver when defeating Mighella, Dathomiri Nightsister and bodyguard of Black Sun lord Alexi Garyn.

In an impressive display of lightsaber technique, Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi used sai tok to defeat Maul during the Second Battle of Theed.



Jedi Master Quinlan Vos also killed both the dark side Master Volfe Karkko, and the Dark Jedi Kadrian Sey in this manner.

Kit Fisto used this move to destroy Grievous' repair droid A-4D on Vassek <ref name=Clone Wars: Lair of Grievous<ref

In 10 ABY, Dark Jedi Vill Goir died from a sai tok strike, severed from left shoulder to right torso, delivered by Jedi Kam Solusar during their duel on the planet Ossus.

During their final duel on board the Death Star, Obi-Wan Kenobi would have received a sai tok from Darth Vader had Kenobi's body not disappeared into the Force upon his death.

A year later, while confronting Dark Jedi Krdys Mordi on New Alderaan in defense of Master Luke Skywalker, Jem Ysanna killed Mordi through use of sai tok.

During that same battle, Princess Leia Organa Solo also performed a sai tok maneuver against Executor Tedryn-Sha, slicing him from his left shoulder down to his right waist.

An Unidentified Aqualish Sith received a sai tok strike from Master Wolf Sazen in 137 ABY.

Survival cases
In rare instances, it is possible however for the recipient of sai tok to survive, either by use of the Force or some other means. An example would be the Dark Jedi Maw, who received a sai tok from Jedi Master Qu Rahn. Maw managed to survive this usually fatal attack by drawing on his anger through the dark side of the Force. His new disfigurement consequently made him a prime candidate for a completely unique form of lightsaber combat: Trispzest. Another non-canon example has Darth Maul surviving somehow, having his missing legs replaced by mechanical ones. The canon of this story has yet to be addressed.

Appearances

 * Tales of the Jedi: The Saga of Nomi Sunrider
 * Star Wars: Darth Maul
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
 * Star Wars Republic: Darkness
 * Jedi: Count Dooku
 * Lair of Grievous
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
 * Dark Empire II
 * Sacrifice
 * Star Wars Legacy 2: Broken, Part 2