History Main / MasterSwordsman

** The Saber that features in Fate/Stay Night, in particular, is noted to be the best of the entire Saber Class. Seeing as she is actually [[spoiler: the verses' version of Arthur Pendragon]], this makes sense. This is further confirmed in ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'', where it is implied that [[spoiler:Arturia qualifies for the Grand Saber class, which is ''[[NotHyperbole literally the greatest Saver to ever exist]]'']].

** Jaime Lannister himself is famed as possibly the best swordsman in Westeros in his prime. However, he may ultimately be a deconstruction of the idea, [[spoiler:due to losing his sword hand and consequently undergoing an identity crisis, as so much of his life and personality revolved around his skill in battle he doesn't know how to cope without it.]]

** Jaime Lannister and Ned Stark both display high skill in swordsmanship, and are able to match each other blow for blow. Also, Barristan is impressed by Ned's skill. Jaime is ironically one of the few remaining knights of the Kingsguard who actually ''earned'' that position and ''isn't'' just a Lannister political appointee. However, after the loss of his hand, he's no longer as competent a swordsman as he once was.

** As of Season 6, [[spoiler: Jon Snow seems to be shaping up to become one of Westeros' most legendary swordfighters, slaughtering his way through three of the four major onscreen battles in the series, killing a white walker in single combat, and being called out by Ramsay Bolton as a living legend in the North.]]

* ''Fanfic/ItsAboutTheBones'': Harrow is a stick with no muscle and less weight, so she had to compensate by become ''the best'' with the sword.

* Nightcrawler from ''Franchise/XMen''. Even in his original run was known for his mastery of European fencing, and his prehensile tail (which is as strong as his other limbs) allow him to ''[[DualWielding triple]]'' ''[[DualWielding wield]]'' swords. Combined with his teleportation, he's a LightningBruiser of deadly steel.

** Harry, who's being trained by Fandral and to an extent by Sif, is one by Book III. As the Lady Knight (the best swordswoman in the setting, who trained ''them'') notes, he has all the necessary attributes: height, strength, speed, balance, spatial awareness, lethally fast reflexes, NervesOfSteel, and a talent for improvising. As for talent, she explicitly to none other than ''[[Series/Merlin2008 Arthur Pendragon]]'' - and he was, by her extremely high standards, ''brilliant''. By her reckoning, he'd have technical mastery by 17 (human standards) and 30 (Asgardian standards. Given that at the time, he's nigh-flawlessly impersonating [[spoiler: Obi-Wan Kenobi]] at the time, well enough to duel [[spoiler: Anakin Skywalker]] to a standstill, all of which somehow ItMakesSenseInContext, you can see her point.

** Harry, who's being trained by Fandral and to an extent by Sif, is developing into one in his own right in the sequel. As the Lady Knight notes, even without his powers, he has all the necessary attributes: height, strength, speed, balance, spatial awareness, lethally fast reflexes, NervesOfSteel, and a talent for improvising. For talent, she explicitly compares him to an old friend of hers - [[Series/Merlin2008 Arthur Pendragon]]. Who was, by her extremely high standards, ''brilliant''. Sif reckons that he can achieve mastery by his early twenties - by human standards - and by his first century, even Asgardian masters would really rather not pick that fight. The Lady Knight corrects that assessment, pointing out that he's a powerful telepath and if that's factored into his training, he'd have technical mastery by 17 (human standards) and 30 (Asgardian standards). And that's by the standards of the best swordswoman of all time.

** Taigen is one by reputation, but he is outclassed by Miss. He just seemed to be an up-and-coming swordsman because he was a decently talented fighter training at a dojo whose style was trash.

* Camillo Agrippa was an Italian polymath of the Renaissance and a renowned fencing theorist. His ''Treatise on the Science of Arms with Philosophical Dialogue'' made radical changes to the fencing of his time, including the focus of turning the rapier into a thrusting weapon. His work is considered the foundation for Jeronimo Sanchez's ''Destreza''.
* Gerard Thibault d'Anvers was a Dutch fencer who wrote a highly detailed fechtbuch about his unorthodox style of swordsmanship. He was also a [[GeniusBruiser brilliant mathematician]] and wrote that a knowledge of geometry is essential for true fencing mastery. Oh, and he wrote books on [[HermeticMagic ritual magic]] too.

* Ridolfo Capo Ferro was an Italian fencing master probably best known today for getting name-dropped in ''Film/ThePrincessBride''. Oddly enough, Capoferro is well regarded today but was largely ignored during the Renaissance when he was active.

** Zuko is also a great swordsman, being trained to use twin dao swords by Master Piandao. He used this skill in his alter ego as the Blue Spirit and once dueled the hook sword-wielding bandit Jet to a draw.

* In ''VideoGame/QuestForGlory1'', the fresh-off-the-correspondence-course would-be Hero, at least when classed as a fighter, has the opportunity of learning from the Baron's Swordmaster. The Hero fights with a sword and shield, while the Swordmaster fights with just the sword (and insinuates that the Hero is inferior for using a shield...[[JerkAss several times]]). By the end of the game, after both training and practical experience, the Hero is able to defeat the Swordmaster, who claims that he slipped, that it didn't count, and that he's still superior, before he runs away, never to be seen again. Throughout the course of the series, the Fighter (and later Paladin) Hero continues to improve and is eventually a world-class Swordmaster...who is still outshone by Elsa Von Spielburg in the fifth game.

[[folder:Web Original]]

* Master Piandao of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. {{Backstory}} has him retiring from the Fire Nation Army when he grew sick of war. The Firelord sent a hundred soldiers to force him to rejoin or kill him. He sent them all back, and the Firelord decided to not force the issue again.

* In ''Fanfic/SurvivorsOfTheCalamity'', Link has all of his skills from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', and due to an AgeLift also has a couple decades more experience as a fighter. Indeed, his official title is “Master.”

** Genji's older brother Hanzo was one of these back in the past, and was apparently so skilled that he could [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter match and probably defeat]] Genji's current cyborg self. However, after nearly killing Genji on orders from the clan (which resulted in Genji needing to become a cyborg to survive), Hanzo hung up the sword and took up [[ArcherArchetype the bow and arrow]].

* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsCloneWars'':
** Obi-Wan later matches the MultiArmedAndDangerous General Grievous (an infamous Jedi-killer) multiple times, fights evenly with an older and more powerful Darth Maul, and routs both Maul and Savage at the same time with two sabers, removing Savage's arm and sending them running for their lives.
** Anakin shows that he's matured into a juggernaut capable of matching Dooku for periods and curbstomping almost everyone else.

* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': Dooku repeatedly handles Anakin and Obi-Wan comfortably enough and pretty much anyone else who comes up against him, even when blinded and outnumbered three to one.

** In a flashback, Ser Arthur Dayne is shown to be quite proficient at DualWielding, cutting down several Northern men-at-arms with ease and almost killing Ned Stark, who was saved by his friend stabbing Dayne in the back.

* Don Cabellero, a CaptainErsatz of Franchise/{{Zorro}} in Creator/DCComics western titles.

* ''Franchise/{{Zorro}}'' is a master swordsman in all his incarnations and movies. It's helped in both the [[Film/TheMarkOfZorro1920 1920]] and [[Film/TheMarkOfZorro1940 1940]] versions of ''The Mark of Zorro'', where he's played by Creator/DouglasFairbanks and Tyrone Power, respectively, both of whom were expert fencers.

* Franchise/{{Zorro}}, of course. In ''The Curse of Capistrano'', he easily is the best swordsman in the area, and later works only cement his status as a Master Swordsman.

** The Shimousa pseudo-singularity focuses on this, as the primary antagonists are the Seven Heroic Spirit Swordmasters, seven peerless Japanese bladewielders. Albeit, [[NonindicativeName most of them don't actually use a sword]]. Musashi, the most famous swords[[HistoricalGenderFlip(wo)]]man in all of Japan, ends up getting her DayInTheLimelight in this arc as well.

* ''Literature/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'' has Eclair Seatto, the best swordswoman in Melromarc, who, when recruited to train the Cardinal Heroes on how to use their swords properly easily defeats them in sparring in spite of her vastly inferior stats.

* Master Piandao of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. {{Backstory}} has him retiring from the Fire Nation Army when he grew sick of war. The Firelord sent a hundred soldiers to force him to rejoin or kill him. He sent them all back.
** Zuko is also a great swordsman being trained to use twin dao swords. He used this skill in his alter ego as the Blue Spirit and once dueled the hook sword-wielding bandit Jet to a draw.

* ''Webcomic/{{CHEVALIER}}'' in this romantic fantasy-adventure Chevalier is a master swords-mouse. [[http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/Chevalier Here]]

** The Sequel Trilogy: Luke delivers a CurbStompBattle to Kylo Ren in ''Film/TheLastJedi'', dancing around him effortlessly without even landing a blow, although it's PlayedWIth with the revelation that [[spoiler:Luke was using AstralProjection the whole time]], technically rendering the whole thing moot... but a mark of true mastery is not even needing to parry, let alone land a blow. Kylo is himself deadly with a lightsaber, taking on [[spoiler:all of the Knights of Ren]] singlehandedly. Rey is also no slouch, as she quickly adapts to the lightsaber to defeat the wounded Kylo in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', tag-teams Snoke's imperial guards with Kylo in ''Film/TheLastJedi'', and displays roughly comparable skills to Kylo during their duel in ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker''.

* ''Fanfic/DungeonKeeperAmi'' has [[IronLady Commander]] [[ActionGirl Cathy]], a mercenary hired by [[ADungeonIsYou Keeper]] [[BadPowersGoodPeople Mercury]] to train her troops [[spoiler:and later Mercury herself]].
** [[spoiler:The Avatar]] counts as well. While a lot of his powers come from the stamina and endurance the Light gives him, most of his real power comes down to well-trained reflexes, natural dexterity, experience, and pure skill.

*** Despite Shinobu being appointed as Hashira after her sister's death, Kanae Kocho's style of combat was actually called [[PetalPower Flower Breathing]] and was more focused on weaving and spinning than Shinobu's more straightforward lunging and stabbing and more in line with the style she derived hers from, namely Water Breathing. These techniques are still practiced by the Kocho sisters' ward and adoptive sister, Kanao Tsuyuri.