Overview:

Ataru, the fourth of the seven lightsaber forms, is a purely aggressive style. It is known as the Way of the Hawk-Bat, and is also considered the "Aggression Form." Ataru is advantageous against multiple melee user opponents but nearly useless unless mastered to blaster-fire. The form itself is reliant on Force-assisted movements and excellent arrays of acrobatics and fancy twirling maneuvers. It is a complicated form to practice and to follow in combat. It is aggressive naturally, and thus, is opposed greatly by Form III, Soresu. 

Origin: Ataru originated from the lack of offensive capabilities in Soresu. It is a combination of Forms I and II in a way; the precision and grace of Makashi (II) and the control and complacency of Shii-Cho (I). It was developed by the Jedi Order on Ossus during the Mandalorian Wars as an experimental form to give Jedi an edge over their Sith counterparts. Ultimately, it serves to overwhelm a single individual and intimidate a crowd of beings. It is the fourth iteration of lightsaber combat hence, the given term of Form IV. Ataru, today, is practiced by combat specialists such as Guardians and the more powerful Jedi, including Consulars. The late Grand Master Yoda was a prominent figure who mastered Ataru to the highest degree. 

Movements and Practice: Form IV, Ataru, incorporates very complex movements such as front and back somersaults and twirls, bringing all gestures together into agile flips. There is much flourishing of the lightsaber blade and overwhelming and precise strikes. The most vital factor of usage with Ataru is constant movement. If the practitioner is to slow down or stop moving, they risk being subject to being struck down by their opponent. The focus is to overwhelm a single opponent and to serve as intimidation when fighting multiple opponents. A significant piece to the unique form is it incorporates the Force, ultimately aiding to the agility. The energy of the Force-sensitive is increased and heightened when dueling that gives them the burst of power needed to duel effectively and emerge victoriously. A Master of Ataru, such as Grandmaster Yoda, can master it to such a degree that it can be used at any time, even when facing blaster fire. 

Strengths and Weaknesses: While Ataru has proven to be efficient in duels, it is exclusively offensive. If one obtains mastery of Form IV, they are considered a worthy opponent by many to the point of being feared for their skill in lightsaber combat by opposing guilds. The form is effective against a single opponent, however, it’s weaker against a wide variety of opponents due to the high energy requirement. Not even the best masters of Ataru can keep up their energy long enough to sustain against multiple opponents of high dueling ability and/or ranged enemies. Ataru is weak against those who have attained mastery of Form III, Soresu. The reasoning being, it’s simply too exhausting to maintain a duel between the overbearing patience of the Soresu practitioner. Due to the weakness of high energy consumption, Ataru users must be precise and swift in combat, resulting in shorter stamina.