While ESPN might not be your first go-to source for Star Wars lore, when it comes to the sport of kendo lightsaber dueling they appear to have an inside scoop. A new special, airing just before J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens debuts in theaters, aims to revisit the history of the franchise's lightsaber duels, explore the inspiration behind the fights, and track the evolution of the iconic scenes over the course of the movies. Who knows, we might even glimpse never-before-seen shots of lightsaber combat from the new film!

What we do know is that franchise star Mark Hamill will be hosting the ESPN special. That alone should act as a draw to fans since we've seen very, very little of Hamill as pertains to Star Wars: The Force Awakens. While I don't expect Hamill to drop any big reveals during the special, it'll do my sense of nostalgia some good to see him back in the frame of Star Wars.


Watch the announcement for ESPN's Star Wars: Evolution of the Lightsaber Duel special below:

Though this teaser announcement doesn't reveal too much in the way of new footage for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I'm curious to see how Abrams and the cast have upped the ante for duels in this film. The characters themselves seem far below the rank of Jedi Master or Sith Lord, so it would make sense if their styles were less refined and acrobatic, and more clumsy and broad. How they handle the lightsaber duels will be an interesting aspect of the film that can get a lot of story across without the need for exposition. Make sure to tune in!


For more of our coverage on Star Wars: The Force Awakens, be sure to check out some recent stories provided at the links below:

Look for the special to air December 15th at 7pm on ESPN.


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