Shaak Ti VS Depa Billaba

 
MARTIAL ARTS
Jedi master Shaak Ti was a very high level duelist, possessing great renown among the order and backing this up with considerable skill. She was a master of form two Makeshie and form four Ataru, creating a high pace and acrobatic form that was still very precise and accurate. Although she certainly hasn't had the most experience in such arenas, master Ti has still been involved in her own fare share of duels. She battled and defeated one of Dooku's dark acolytes Artel Darc and held her own against a small army of magnaguards during the battle of Coruscant. Although Grievous defeated her on Hypori, this was the first time any Jedi has faced the killer and lived to tell about it, not to mention the fact that all the Jedi involved in the fight were on there last bit of energy. Noticeably, master Ti also managed to stalemate Anakin Skywalker in a duel, and considering that Count Dooku, Cin Dralig and many others are among Anakins kills, that is no mean feat. Shaak Tis final battle was against Vaders secret apprentice Starkiller on the planet Felucia. Although she was an excellent duelist and presented a major challenge, Starkiller eventually overpowered and defeated her. All things considered, master Ti isn't the best duelist of her era, but anything less than a top tier is within her skill range to defeat.

Trained by Mace Windu, usually considered to be among the best duelists of the age, Depa Billaba was a very skilled master of the blade, out classing a good majority of her peers. Billaba was trained in a variation of form seven lightsaber combat known as Vappad. Created by Master Windu, Vappad worked by allowing Jedi to give in to there enjoyment of battle, creating an advanced and varied form that was almost unique for its day. Although it did work best against dark siders and aggressive warriors, Vappad primarily draws from ones inner darkness, meaning it still works almost as effectively against calm light siders and droids. On the topic of Depa Billabas skill with the form, I am of the opinion that she is the second greatest master of the form (after Mace Windu himself), as even when fallen to the dark side she retained her competency with the form to a much MUCH higher degree then the other Vappad master of the era, Sora Bulq. Billabas absolute mastery of the blade was self evident, considering her reputation and the fact she would have to have a working knowledge of all seven classic forms to master Vappad. That being said, her one dule was against her former master Windu, which is NOT  a proper judge of there skill, as if two Vappad masters are even CLOSE to equals, there duel will simply become a super conductive loop of Dark side energy.

This is, by far and away, going to be the most difficult area to call. Both of these are incredibly varied duelists, with Shaak Ti wielding a hybrid form and Billaba wielding the almost unique Vappad form. Simerly, they have both been depicted taking on and surviving encounters with top tier duelists, and even though Depas duel with Windu doesn't really qualify, by all appearances she is more than capable of taking on more average warriors of such skill. I cant even call it based on experience as, although Shaak Ti has been depicted in more lightsaber duels, this does not mean Depa is a novice in such areas, and as a master of Vappad, she has almost certainly been involved in, at the very least, incredibly heated sparring matches with Windu and Bulq. In the end, I see no choice but to call them equals in martial arts.    

FORCE POWERS
As A Togruta, master Ti had a deep connection with the living force and nature. She was easily at her most powerful on jungle planets such as Felucia, where she could use her powers to control wildlife, massive creatures and even affect things on a planetary scale if she stayed there long enough. This was not to say she was useless in a more common setting, far from it. She was still capable of self augmentation, tuteminues and crater creating force pushes.

Depa Billaba was by far and away best known among the fanbase for her skill with a blade. However, the Jedi council new her best as an insightful and spiritual being, often considered THE expert in such areas. However, you cant meditate an enemy to death, and her deeper spiritual connection to the force has not been shown to give her any powers beyond the norm, aside from the speed to match the superhuman pace of her master.

Unlike the first edge, this one is relatively clear. Depa Billaba is certainly no novice with the force, but Shaak Ti has MUCH more practical knowledge and abilities with it then Billaba, giving her a (possibly) decisive edge.

PHYSICAL SKILLS
A Togruta female roughly in her sixties, Shaak Ti still remained in excellent condition. Unlike average beings, light side users can remain in there physical prime well into what others would consider "old age", with Qui-gon Jinn being able to keep pace with Darth Maul being a good example. In addition to this, master Ti's montrolls provide her with echolocation, giving her an edge in personal combat.

Depa Billaba was a Chalactan female and one of the youngest members of Jedi council, still in her physical prime by the time of order 66. Chalactans are one of the many near human species inhabiting the galaxy, and don't appear to have any physical advantages over your average person, beyond there natural spiritual outlook and again , you cant meditate you enemy to death.

True, Shaak Ti is almost a good twenty years older at her time of death then Billaba. However, she remains as physically adept as Billaba, and when you add in her montrails, Shaak Ti gets the physical edge.

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT
Master Shaak Ti was equipped with a standard Jedi lightsaber, with no additional advantages beyond her familiarity with her own design. It was powered by a single blue lightsaber crystal.

Depa Billaba, as with many Jedi of the age, originally wielded a standard Jedi lightsaber with a yellow or Red blade, later changing to a green blade after the return of the Sith.

Both master Billaba and Ti, amazingly, wield nothing besides standard Jedi lightsabers. I need to pick peopole with more varied armament.


THE VERDICT
I think it goes without saying that, whoever wins this, it is going to be a spectacular duel between to closely matched ladies of war. If I am completely honest, the physical difference between these two is negligible (Ti's echolocation is matched by even a Jedi knights level of force sense) and the difference in armement is literally non existent. However, although neither can really claim any advantage with the blade, Ti is the clearly superior force user, having a much wider array of more impressive abilities. This turns the match from Consular vs Guardian (force vs dueling) to a much less unsure ending (force AND dueling vs dueling). Thus, I declare Shaak Ti the hard fought winner and still the holder of the title Lady of war.