Fight Night - October 8, 2016

Geonosis Arena

Duelers from long ago and rookies in their first and second Duels converged for Fight Night, the annual October Duel where twelve friends step into the arena and treat each other horribly.

It was a blast!

Sakina, playing her first Duel since the 2015 Championship, had the honor of picking the #1 chair.  Thus it was her responsibility to pick the board we played on.  She pulled the Geonosis Arena envelope.  A strong murmur carried over the table as the fears and history of carnage on this dusty looking playing surface came racing back into Duelers' minds.  Sakina also got the first crack at characters, and she pulled Darth Maul.  Daniel immediately became frightened, having been destroyed first in a Duel when Sakina had the horn rimmed Sith Lord!

Padme was already dead before we took the group photo!

Chris got the game started, not just by being the first to roll, but the first to defect!  He used "Children of the Force" to run Luke and Leia from behind the columns and over to the dark side.  That got Jonathan's Han Solo squawking, which didn't prevent a second defection.  JD's Anakin swung a light saber at him before Wrathing over to the dark side too!  That made it eight on four as the remaining light side characters tried to figure out what the heck happened.  Padme was the first character to die during that chaos.

Luke (the rookie Dueler, not the character) was piloting Obi-Wan and decided he wanted an honorable death and began to rally the last of his side to press into the dark side.  He started lashing out at anyone he could get his light saber on, and poor Sakina started taking some big hits, especially after Luke moved everyone around the board up to three spaces.  Not long after Daniel's Greedo popped a shot on Obi-Wan to bring Luke into last place in his debut 12-Way.  Sakina barely survived her assault by the aligned Jedi, but saw no mercy after she retreated deep into the Sith ranks.  Stephen/Emperor and Curtis/Dooku put her out of her misery.  It was a rough night for Sakina, as her bad character placement and unlucky cards ruined her return.

Rob's Zam had snuck down behind the columns to fire off a round or two at Jonathan's Han, and he talked Brannon/Mace into joining him on the fun.  That ended Jonathan's night in tenth, but not before Chewey Bowcasted Daniel's Boba Fett.  It looked like Liz/Yoda or Brannon/Mace would die next, but Chris, Rob and Daniel sensed they were on the outs within the large dark side alliance.  After Liz Force Rebounded JD's Anakin for five points of damage, they enacted a devious plan.  Boba threw a Thermal on Anakin, and then Rob/Jango Wrist Cabled him for two more points.  Chris/Luke put the final hit on JD who was stunned in ninth place.  He left to get a carbonated beverage and cool off before coming back to see the finale.  Chris/Luke also ended the night of JD's brother-in-law, as Mace was also weak.

Chris, right after they did him dirty.

With seven to go it looked like the alliance would target Yoda next, but Curtis/Dooku, Stevie/Vader, and Stephen/Emperor pulled off a vicious back stab, pinning Rob's Jango on the back row and ending the Fett's life in an unceremonious seventh place.  It was a fitting fate after Rob did JD so dirty.  That left Chris/Luke and Daniel/Boba reeling - they realized they were on the outs.  They attempted to feign loyalty by going after Liz/Yoda, but Curtis pulled off another one of his patented Dooku Force Pushes.  This time, he threw Stevie's Vader at Luke, and then Stephen played "You Will Die" on him.  All that was left to do was for Stevie to play "All Too Easy" and the fully healthy Luke Skywalker was out in sixth.  All Chris could do was sit back, lick his wounds, and file the experience in his mental Rolodex of revenge!

All eyes on Stephen

That left five players on the board:  Liz/Yoda, Daniel/Boba, Stephen/Emperor, Curtis/Dooku, and Stevie/Vader.  Liz dug her heals in and Force Pushed Vader back out of there, but despite a strong final stand, Daniel's Boba Fett shot her and she placed fifth.  That's a heck of a sophomore effort from Liz, though!  She has the makings of a strong Dueler!

What happened next was pretty fantastic.  As the four remaining Duelers looked around the table at each other, Curtis suggested they all go after Stevie's Darth Vader, since he was still quite healthy as he loomed on the board.  But Stevie stepped up his social game and instead focused the attention back at Curtis, suggesting his equally if not more powerful Count Dooku was the true menace remaining!  Daniel too began to observe the same thing, and all three pleaded their case to Stephen's Emperor...who was the ACTUAL character in charge at that point!  Stephen pretended to be more confused on what to do than he really was, and the infighting commenced.  Stevie couldn't withstand it as his Vader bowed out in fourth.  You have to tip your cap to Stevie, though, he played a great Duel!

Only one of these guys isn't worried.
Guess which one!

With three left Curtis/Dooku and Daniel/Boba were both bloodied but standing.  Each had a minor character in tow, which included Greedo.  I don't know why, but I always laugh when Greedo goes deep into a Duel.  The comedic effect of it gets me every time.  I digress...Curtis was essentially playing for second place, so he went after Boba.  But after a Taunt and a Give Orders, he mismanaged his character placement, leaving Dooku open for an attack by Greedo.  Sure enough, Daniel finally pulled the "Desperate Shot" card, and Greedo fired it off at Dooku.  Curtis would die in third.  That was a good rebound Duel for Curtis, who has suffered from a string of mediocre finishes as of late.  And how about Greedo!  He killed two main characters!!!

With two left history was about to occur.  Emperor Palpatine was one of only two characters never to have won a 12-Way Duel in our Waco league, but Stephen's masterful performance was about to change that.  Daniel fired off a few attacks, but Stephen finally redrew another Force Lightning, which he used to fry Boba in second.  Daniel was happy, though!  That was his best-ever career finish, and with the worst ranked character in our game no less!  And we have to give it up for Stephen!  He's won two of the last three Duels and made history with Palpatine!!!  He's finished in the top five of his last four Duels - outstanding.

Final order of finish:

12.  Luke/Obi-Wan Kenobi
11.  Sakina/Darth Maul
10.  Jonathan/Han Solo
9.  JD/Anakin Skywalker
8.  Brannon/Mace Windu
7.  Rob/Jango Fett
6.  Chris/Luke Skywalker
5.  Liz/Yoda
4.  Stevie/Darth Vader
3.  Curtis/Count Dooku
2.  Daniel/Boba Fett
1.  Stephen/Emperor Palpatine

Thanks to everyone for a great Fight Night!  And for those of you who weren't there...we finished in three hours!  See - it can be done.  The stats are updated, feel free to peruse them at your leisure.  Stay tuned for details on the upcoming November Duel - Thanksdueling!  It's the last match of the year before the 2016 Championship in December, where the top twelve ranked Duelers square off for the Superbowl of 12-Way Duels.  Boom.