High ground in Star Wars
In Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace near the end, we see Obi-Wan Kenobi fight Darth Maul. Darth Maul has the high ground, but Obi-Wan wins the battle.
Later, in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith when Anakin Skywalker fights Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan is the one who has the high ground. He explicitly states that him having the high ground is a huge advantage and that Anakin has no chance. Anakin tries to jump over him but fails.
Why is the high ground treated differently in these two movies, especially having Obi-Wan be in both situations (having both high and low ground) and winning in both?
Best Answer
There might be a conclusion here, that Obi-Wan knows how someone can jump from the lower ground to kill someone who is at higher ground, so he knows how to protect yourself from that move as well.
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Who says Anakin I have the high ground?
Obi-Wan : It's over Anakin, I have the high ground.Why is the high ground so powerful?
Holding the high ground offers an elevated vantage point with a wide field of view, enabling surveillance of the surrounding landscape, in contrast to valleys which offer a limited field of view.Did Darth Maul have the high ground?
In this battle, Maul had the high ground, and as Obi-Wan was hanging from a shaft overlooking an endless pit of darkness, he quietly gathered his strength and used the Force to leap out of the pit, shocking his adversary and defeating him.Does Obi-Wan actually say I have the high ground?
The fighting continues again until OBI-WAN jumps toward the safety of the black sandy edge of the lava river. He yells at Anakin. OBI-WAN: It's over, Anakin. I have the high ground.The FALL of Anakin Skywalker: FIGHT with Obi-Wan Kenobi
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Answer 2
In real-world combat, having the high ground can give a tactical advantage, particularly in melee combat. Taking a position on the top of a hill has been used historically by armies and castle/fort construction, due in part to this advantage (other less applicable advantages are a greater practical range for bows, and improved visibility).
When attacking uphill, you have the added effort of having to run up a hill at the same time as needing to fight. It also means that (depending on the slope gradient), when you reach striking distance, your opponent's easiest(most comfortable) target would be your head & torso, while your most comfortable target would be less critical, like his feet and legs.
Out of universe, another possible reason for the inclusion of this line could be that several years earlier Hayden Christensen starred in a TV series called "Higher Ground" and this was a little nod to that, as well as being a plausible tactic.
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