Fight scene deep dive!
Jim is a decent enough fighter, enough to take down some baddies here and there and not get killed, but not quite good enough in the earlier seasons to take down more skilled combatants like Nomura or Angor, or multiple attackers (unless small like goblins) on his own. I think the skill is probably there but he just doesn't have the confidence, flow or peripheral awareness to do it. He's too unsure of himself and it affects his fighting. Cue season 3. He's been training with Strickler and Nomura and while his technical fighting skills are improving, he's still afraid to just let go. Now, I've never fought or even touched a sword, but I feel like there is something instinctual to it on a deep level. A centering and then spreading of awareness, that needs to take place, and an ability to see your opponents next move. This is what Jim is holding back on, not giving in to. Not until Strickler gives him gravesand. And there it is, Jim's stranglehold on his deeper instincts letting go, and hooooooo boy is it a thing of beauty.
Look at his initial defensive awareness: attention split between both opponents, sword holding off whoever he's not focused on, and he doesn't let his attention linger on one or the other for too long. Compare to just two episodes earlier when the gumm-gumms attack the warehouse and Jim gets a bit overwhelmed and unsure.
Nomura moves first and Strickler soon after and he is ready for it. He flows from blocking Nomura's first blade to sweeping around to disarm Strickler. Then he follows through that swing to counter Nomura's second blade which has him set up to evade Strickler's kick by BALANCING UPSIDE DOWN ON THE FREAKING TIP OF DAYLIGHT and then using the momentum of uncurling his body to launch himself behind Strickler, grabbing him by the head on his way over and sending him sprawling to the ground as he lands on one foot and shifts that momentum forward onto his other foot as he swings through to block Nomura's leap. He absorbs that hit with his legs and that puts him into position for a powerful kick that sends her flying.
I've put a slow motion clip of that in because that move is freaking insane. You can see that he's shifted his attention to Strickler as he's got Nomura in a place she can't immediately attack from. He just launches himself up into what amounts to some cross between a headstand and a front flip with his grip on the hilt and the tip on the ground as his only base of support. Then arrests his forward momentum with nothing but core control, curling up and then unwinding as he hits the balance point. The control and power needed to do something like that is mind blowing. He effectively takes Strickler out of the fight momentarily, and that landing, rolling from one foot and onto the other, up into the hit, absorbing the energy and unloading like a coiled spring to take out Nomura. *chef's kiss*
Now that 6th sense awareness, he shifts attention back to Strickler, effectively dodging the first blades and easily catching the last. Jim goes on the offensive attack, and this is where Strickler starts to look a bit alarmed, that just maybe, Jim without inhibition might actually follow through with his earlier threats. When Jim can't push through Strickler's hold however, he rolls himself into Strickler, unbalancing him, breaking his hold, and using the momentum of the push and twist to flip Strickler and yeet him across the room and into the wall. Just like that, Strickler is out of the fight.
All that's left is Nomura. He dodges her attacks and uses the power of his push up out of that roll to backhand her with his shield and send her sprawling. Then Jim comes for her and you can see the worry on her face as he does. Maybe this wasn't their best idea? Jim pins her to the wall with his shield edge in her throat, and Nomura looks truly afraid until Blinky interrupts and Jim reluctantly backs off.
I've said it before, but I'll say it again. The people who choreographed the fight scenes in Trollhunters are mad geniuses. The storyboard artists and animators really pushed the envelope when it came to Jim's bigger fights, so much cool stuff happening! They really deserve all the praise they can get. For a long time I really disliked this episode. Not because it was bad, but because it is where we lose Anton. Now, however, it is one of my favorite of season 3, and that's all due to Jim's fight scenes, especially this one. Bravo Dreamworks!