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Having been exposed to Star Wars since my early childhood, I have always found myself mesmerized by its thoughtfully crafted lightsaber fights. I considered myself a big fan of duels and duelists. It was extremely easy to admire Dooku's style and precision, the relentless pressure of Anakin and Mace. But only after starting HEMA did I realize that there is one more insanely skilled lightsaber fighter I've never even considered particularly outstanding before.

Rewatching Revenge of the Sith now, I was surprised to realize that I had remembered Obi-Wan as merely an alright fighter — nothing more. In reality, however, he is one of the finest swordsmen in the saga (perhaps even the greatest by the time of Episode III if we consider only lightsaber fighting skills, without Force sensitivity and mastery of the Force). And yet, it is remarkably easy to overlook him.

That is entirely understandable. His style is highly defensive, practical, and unpretentious — perfectly matching the reserved and humble person he is. It's this defensive nature and the lack of Anakin's dramatic flair that make it difficult for the viewers without specialized knowledge to appreciate just how skilled he truly is. Even the most effective defense tends to appear less impressive than an attack (though in reality a good defense demands greater mastery than a good offense — and what a master of defense he is!)

Additionally, he was not yet such an exceptional swordsman in the second episode. Strikingly, in the time between Episodes II and III his skill grew far more dramatically than Anakin’s.

When you think about it, his perceived mediocrity is probably the point. Obi-Wan was never the most naturally gifted. He was, however, the most diligent learner. He strove to improve himself selflessly, and unlike many other characters in Star Wars, his pride never stood in the way of his growth. He constantly learned.

My first fencing instructor used to say that styles like Obi-Wan’s always take longer to develop. While you are still learning them, you will often appear far weaker than a fighter who favors a more aggressive approach. But if you have the patience to truly master such a style, the reward is immense. That is likely what happened in Obi-Wan's case. And if so, it is hardly surprising that Sidious, whose attention was focused entirely on gifted Anakin, failed to notice just how formidable an opponent Obi-Wan had become in his shadow. He underestimated him, and that proved to be his fatal mistake.

Perhaps that is it.

You do not have to be born the Chosen One to make a difference.

Persevere. Learn. Improve.

Even when it seems that you lack talent. Learn and remember that everyone has a different curve of progress. Keep learning while evil (or, for most of us, something far less dramatic) deems you unworthy of notice. Continue improving when no one expects anything of you.