Lightsaber fights have become an iconic part of Star Wars, but Star Wars movies and TV shows have proven that they are so much more than just thrilling spectacles. Lightsaber duels have been in Star Wars from the very beginning, starting with Obi-Wan and Darth Vader’s confrontation in A New Hope. Of course, they have come a long way since then in terms of visual effects and choreography.
Some of Star Wars’ best lightsaber duels have actually been quite elaborate, at times almost seeming more like dances than all-out brawls. However, this isn’t about the coolest lightsaber duels in Star Wars, nor is it about the best duels overall. Rather, these 12 lightsaber duels in Star Wars represent the most important duels, narratively, throughout the Star Wars timeline.
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12
The Siege Of Mandalore Duel Between Ahsoka Tano And Darth Maul
Darth Maul Was Shockingly Telling The Truth About All Of It
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Although Ahsoka Tano was a relatively late addition to Star Wars, at least in terms of the prequel trilogy era, she has become a crucial character. Even with her only appearing in TV shows (so far), Ahsoka has had a massive influence on the events in Star Wars, ranging from the Clone Wars era to the New Republic. It should come as little surprise, then, that her lightsaber duel with Darth Maul ranks among the most important in Star Wars.
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In Star Wars: The Clone Wars, just before Order 66 is executed, Ahsoka and Darth Maul have a confrontation during the Siege of Mandalore that ends in what is arguably the most epic lightsaber duel in Star Wars’ animated shows. What is perhaps most surprising about this event is that, in the end, Maul was actually telling the truth. During their battle, Maul laid out Palpatine’s plan, particularly regarding Anakin, and, shockingly, he was entirely truthful.
11
Ahsoka Tano And Anakin Skywalker’s World Between Worlds Battle
The Emotional Weight Of This Event Was Massive
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Yet another Ahsoka Tano lightsaber fight, the confrontation and duel between Ahsoka and Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in the World Between Worlds was a pivotal moment in both Ahsoka’s story and Anakin Skywalker’s Star Wars timeline as well. The Ahsoka show thrilled viewers by including the return of Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker both as a Force ghost and in the World Between Worlds scenes.
In the latter, Ahsoka comes face-to-face with the difficult realities of her past, including Anakin’s fall to the dark side. The two also have a lightsaber battle at this point, in part reflecting Ahsoka’s own conflict over all that transpired and her (largely misplaced) feelings of culpability. Most importantly, Anakin also teaches Ahsoka one final lesson during this event: Live or die? It is through this lesson that Ahsoka truly learns to let go and becomes a true Jedi.
It is through this lesson that Ahsoka truly learns to let go and becomes a true Jedi.
10
Darth Vader And Ahsoka Tano’s Malachor Duel
This Scene Was A Crucial Part Of Anakin And Ahsoka’s Arcs
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Finally, in terms of Ahsoka’s lightsaber duels, the fight between Ahsoka and Darth Vader on Malachor in Star Wars Rebels is massively important. During this fight—which takes place long before the World Between Worlds duel—Ahsoka has to fully face what Anakin has become. This comes on the heels of Ahsoka fainting following the revelation that Anakin was still alive and was now Darth Vader.
This scene was so crucial narratively because it is the first time Ahsoka and Anakin have spoken since The Clone Wars, and, with lines like, “I won’t leave you. Not this time,” Ahsoka’s feelings of guilt and grief are clear. In this episode of Rebels, it also seems as though Ahsoka gets through to Anakin momentarily. In the end, though, the dark side wins, and Ahsoka only survives this moment because Ezra saves her via the World Between Worlds.
9
Darth Vader And Obi-Wan’s Obi-Wan Kenobi Fight
The Heartbreaking Showdown Surprisingly Gave Obi-Wan Closure
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Just as Ahsoka was a thrilling return for many beloved Star Wars characters and actors, so too was Obi-Wan Kenobi. In that show, not only does Hayden Christensen return as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, but also, Ewan McGregor returns as Obi-Wan Kenobi. The show, which takes place 10 years after Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, also shows the two having more than one confrontation during this era. One of the most pivotal is Vader and Obi-Wan’s final showdown.
Echoing the Malachor scene in Rebels, this battle between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader is in large part a way for Obi-Wan to come to terms with what has become of Anakin. This includes an odd and almost touching moment in which Anakin tells Obi-Wan that he did not become Darth Vader as a result of his failure. This is precisely what Obi-Wan needed to hear, as he had been holding onto that guilt and grief for 10 years.
8
Anakin, Obi-Wan, And Count Dooku’s Revenge Of The Sith Battle
This Was A Major Turning Point In Anakin’s Journey
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There were a host of crucial fights in the prequel trilogy movies, one of which was the fight between Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Count Dooku in Revenge of the Sith. This was the second time the trio had battled it out in the prequels, following their confrontation in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, when Count Dooku cut off Anakin’s hand. This fight ends up being precisely what Palpatine says it is: an opportunity for revenge.
Although he is hesitant to do so, with Palpatine’s encouragement egging him on, Anakin decapitates Count Dooku at the end of this fight, which becomes a key step in his fall to the dark side. Anakin knows this is wrong, yet he kills Count Dooku anyway. His guilt over this, in addition to him taking several steps closer to the dark because of it, is a key aspect of his eventual turn to the dark side.
7
Mace Windu And Palpatine’s Duel
The Conclusion Of This Battle Sealed The Fate Of The Galaxy
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Yet another important Revenge of the Sith duel was that of Palpatine and Mace Windu in Palpatine’s office. This was just before Anakin fell to the dark side and Order 66 was executed, and it in many ways set those events in motion. Mace Windu, along with a group of other Jedi, came to arrest Palpatine following Anakin’s revelation that Palpatine was a Sith Lord.
After Palpatine kills the other Jedi, though, Mace Windu feels Palpatine must be killed rather than captured. It is then that Anakin walks in, seeing what is about to take place. He ultimately sides with Palpatine, cutting off Mace’s arm and thereby helping Palpatine kill Mace Windu, which becomes one of the defining moments in Anakin’s fall to the dark side.
6
The Duel Of The Fates
This Fight Has Become Truly Iconic
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The Duel of the Fates lightsaber battle in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is undoubtedly a fan favorite. This fight takes place between Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Maul, and Qui-Gon Jinn, and, in addition to the brilliant choreography, the incredible musical score that accompanies this fight has become iconic in the franchise. This duel is also critical in terms of the larger Star Wars story, though.
In this fight, Qui-Gon Jinn sadly loses his life. This isn’t just a tragedy for Obi-Wan, who has just lost his beloved master, though. This is also the moment that requires Obi-Wan, not Qui-Gon, be the one to train Anakin. While Obi-Wan can’t be blamed for Anakin’s fall to the dark side, at least not entirely, this does have a major influence on Anakin’s trajectory, including his fall.
5
Darth Vader And Luke Skywalker’s Empire Strikes Back Battle
These Scenes Changed Hollywood
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The Empire Strikes Back is largely considered one of Star Wars’ best movies, and that’s for good reason. This movie not only defined Star Wars in many ways but also had a huge influence on Hollywood as well. Perhaps the most well-known scene in the entire movie is that in which Darth Vader reveals that he is really Luke’s father.
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This moment came following a heated lightsaber battle between the two, which makes this yet another crucial lightsaber battle in the Star Wars timeline. In fact, this fight is especially interesting because (despite cutting off Luke’s hand), it doesn’t seem as though Vader really wants to kill his son. Rather, he wants Luke to join him. This is consistent with what has since been shown in Star Wars stories concerning the major effect it had on Vader to learn his child lived.
4
Master Yoda And Palpatine’s Revenge Of The Sith Duel
The Great Jedi Master And Powerful Sith Lord Had A Major Showdown
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Also among the critical lightsaber duels in Revenge of the Sith is the fight between Master Yoda and Palpatine. When Obi-Wan and Yoda came back together as two of very few survivors of Order 66, they hatched a plan wherein Yoda would go confront Palpatine on Coruscant and Obi-Wan would—begrudgingly—go to Mustafar to kill Anakin. Sadly, Yoda was ultimately unsuccessful, which allowed Palpatine to dominate the galaxy for the next two decades.
Sadly, Yoda was ultimately unsuccessful, which allowed Palpatine to dominate the galaxy for the next two decades.
Yet, this was still one of the most important fights in Star Wars. For one, this was a showdown between one of Star Wars’ most powerful Jedi and the Sith Lord who has defined the Skywalker Saga. This also felt pivotal because it was in some ways what the prequel trilogy was building to all along. Yes, we knew Anakin would fall to the dark side, but this battle represented the culmination of the tensions that had been building throughout the prequels.
3
Obi-Wan And Darth Vader’s Fight In A New Hope
This Was Sadly The End For Obi-Wan (In A Way)
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As mentioned, Darth Vader and Obi-Wan’s fight was the first major lightsaber duel in Star Wars, and it remains a critical one. In this battle, Obi-Wan and Vader must face one another one last time, as this duel sadly ends in Obi-Wan’s death. It wouldn’t be entirely accurate to say that Vader kills him, though. Vader does strike him down in a sense, but Obi-Wan was already disappearing into the Force.
This is also a majorly important duel because, as promised, when he was struck down, Obi-Wan became more powerful than Vader could imagine. That is, Obi-Wan became a Force ghost as a result of this fight. He was then able to continue on in the original trilogy, even following his death, as he had accessed one of the most powerful Force powers in Star Wars.
2
Anakin And Obi-Wan’s Mustafar Battle
This Duel Would Change Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader Forever
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The lightsaber duel between Anakin/Vader and Obi-Wan on Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith remains one of the most important in the franchise. In addition to this fight being visually stunning, it really came to define the rest of Darth Vader’s life. During this fight, Obi-Wan may not have killed Vader, but he certainly damaged him in a way that was permanent and that seriously limited his strength and abilities.
In fact, in some ways, Obi-Wan saved the galaxy in this fight, because it’s difficult to say how powerful and dangerous Vader would have become had he not been so severely injured and restricted to the iconic Darth Vader suit. Along with the importance in Vader’s story given his injuries, the Mustafar duel also represents the true end of Obi-Wan and Anakin’s brotherhood. It is therefore imbued with emotional weight as well as physical ramifications for Vader.
The Mustafar duel also represents the true end of Obi-Wan and Anakin’s brotherhood.
1
Luke Skywalker And Darth Vader’s Final Lightsaber Battle
Darth Vader Fulfilled The Prophecy And Saved The Galaxy
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Finally, the single most important lightsaber duel in Star Wars is the fight between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi. This fight saw father and son going toe-to-toe, although it’s clear it was really Luke, not Vader, who was out for blood during this battle. In fact, Vader enrages Luke by mentioning trying to turn Leia, so much so that Luke nearly loses himself to the dark side.
In the end, though, Vader ends up protecting Luke and killing Palpatine, thereby fulfilling the Chosen One prophecy. This also leads to Anakin Skywalker’s return to the light side of the Force, completing Anakin/Darth Vader’s redemption arc. While there have clearly been a number of critical lightsaber duels in Star Wars, this is the most important of them all.
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