Star Wars: The Top 15 Live-Action Lightsaber Battles Ranked From Worst To Best

A core aspect of Star Wars has always been lightsaber duels. From humble beginnings in A New Hope to the modern duels in the Disney+ live-action Star Wars TV shows, lightsaber duels have changed and developed in many ways over the years. Which of these lightsaber duels, in Star Wars’ nearly 50-year history, is the best?

Good essay

In order to determine this, it’s important to look at all the aspects of a great lightsaber duel, and how they stack up against each other. Fight choreography is, of course, incredibly important, but so is the narrative significance, setting, score and cinematography. Considering all of that, here are the top 15 live-action lightsaber battles, ranked from worst to best.

You are watching: Star Wars: The Top 15 Live-Action Lightsaber Battles Ranked From Worst To Best

15 Obi-Wan & Anakin Vs Count Dooku

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Onboard the Invisible Hand, the Separatist capital ship over Coruscant, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi challenge Count Dooku to a duel in order to rescue Chancellor Palpatine. This duel features some really fast, intense, and well-executed choreography, in a setting that, while a bit bland, has a lot of charm to it with the Battle of Coruscant going on behind Palpatine’s chair. Most significantly, however, Anakin decapitates an unarmed Dooku, contributing to his fall to the dark side.

14 Obi-Wan Vs Darth Vader On A Rocky Moon

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

Despite some low points, many fans can agree that if the Obi-Wan Kenobi series delivered on anything, it was the final duel between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader on a barren, rocky moon. This confrontation features some solid choreography, and some fun cinematography, but the lack of brighter lighting really brings it down. Where this duel absolutely excels is in its emotional and storytelling moments. Its ending in particular is cemented as one of the most emotionally poignant moments in recent Star Wars history, with Kenobi abandoning a damaged Vader.

13 Ahsoka Tano Vs Baylan Skoll On Seatos

Ahsoka (2023)

Another now-iconic modern lightsaber duel is between Ahsoka Tano and Baylan Skoll over the map to Peridea in Ahsoka. This duel is notable for its unique setting, on a cliff’s edge surrounded by projections of the map to Peridea. Baylan Skoll’s fight choreography also stands out here, as he fights like he’s wielding a broadsword, a very different style than Star Wars usually aims for. Most of all, this fight stands out because of its stakes, and the fact that Ahsoka is seemingly “killed” at its end, with Baylan forcing Tano off of the cliff.

12 Kylo Ren & Rey Vs Snoke’s Praetorian Guards

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

Despite receiving a visceral reaction from many fans, few can deny or doubt that the visuals from Star Wars: The Last Jedi are stunning. One of the most prominent examples of this is during Rey and Kylo Ren’s team-up duel against Snoke’s Praetorian guards. The red background, and gorgeous costumes and cinematography all elevate this fight to the next level as it comes to lightsaber duel visuals. The choreography of this fight is generally very tight and innovative as well, aside from a few rather noticeable gaffs that stick out. Nonetheless, this is an unorthodox and conceptually wonderful battle.

11 Obi-Wan Kenobi Vs General Grievous

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

One of the absolute highlights of the Star Wars prequels are their innovative lightsaber duels, and like the last entry on this list, Obi-Wan Kenobi vs General Grievous is incredibly unique. The cyborg Separatist wielding four lightsabers, and gradually losing his arms to Kenobi, is a wonderful structure for a fight, made even more interesting by Grievous being completely CGI. Absolutely nobody else wields lightsabers like he does. Though this fight is charming, fun, and innovative, it does end rather quickly and suffers from not being as emotionally significant as others on this list.

10 Rey Vs Kylo Ren On Kijimi

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

In Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Rey and Kylo Ren face off once again – from separate locations. That’s what places this somewhat short and insignificant duel above others behind it: its creativity. Rey and Ren had formed a Force Dyad in the previous film, which this movie then dials up by having the two duel over vast amounts of space. Rey fights from Ren’s quarters on a Star Destroyer, while Ren fights from the streets of Kijimi. This cool setting, with great acting and a fun concept to underline it all, makes this little duel great.

9 Luke Skywalker Vs Kylo Ren

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

The grand finale setpiece of The Last Jedi, Luke Skywalker’s non-fight with Kylo Ren on Crait is a superb piece of filmmaking. Luke Skywalker’s triumphant entrance builds up to the confrontation beautifully. In a unique twist, Luke isn’t really there, and he’s playing with Kylo Ren’s rage and hatred of him to distract the newly christened Supreme Leader. As alluded to earlier, neither of them ever lands a blow on the other, with the fight being literally Ren fighting a “ghost.”

See more : Who are Devin Haney Parents? Meet Bill Haney

The cinematography of this sequence is stunning, with twilight skies above the two combatants, and gorgeous wide-angled shots making this feel like a duel between samurai. Both Mark Hamill and Adam Driver give incredible performances here too, their deep and complicated relationship displayed visually. Despite its beauty, this still technically isn’t a real lightsaber duel, and can only be ranked so high, after all.

8 The Stranger Vs Jecki Lon & Sol

The Acolyte (2024)

This year, The Acolyte showcased a return to prequel-era lightsaber choreography in many ways, especially the incredible fights in episode 5, “Night.” One section, a duel between the Sith Lord “The Stranger,” Jedi Master Sol, and his Padawan Jecki Lon, stands out, though. As the Stranger threatens the life of Mae Aniseya, Jecki and Sol engage in some very well-choreographed combat with him.

Related The Acolyte Episode 5 Had The Best Lightsaber Fights I’ve Seen Since Revenge of The Sith

The Acolyte episode 5’s action-packed story delivered lightsaber fights in spades – the best ones I have seen since the iconic Battle of Heroes.

Teams of two fighting one threat is always interesting choreography-wise, and it absolutely is here as well. Jecki and Sol trade off having moments fighting The Stranger, all while mixing in martial-arts moves instead of strictly lightsaber combat, due to The Stranger’s cortosis helmet. Unfortunately, despite its positives, this duel is not nearly as well lit or shot as it could have been, leading to sometimes lackluster visual depictions of a cool setting with great costumes, strong choreography, and high emotional stakes.

7 Anakin Skywalker Vs Obi-Wan Kenobi (The Battle of the Heroes)

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

In terms of iconic Star Wars lightsaber duels, it’s likely that the Battle of the Heroes is the most, perhaps second to only one other in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker are finally at each other’s throats on the fiery volcanic world of Mustafar. This is some of the best fight choreography in the entire saga, and the imagery is immediately noticeable to anyone who even remotely knows Star Wars.

The longest swordfight in cinematic history, the Battle of the Heroes is marked by its incredible score, solid performances, and absolutely iconic ending as well. For all that this duel does perfectly, however, it is hurt by its long duration, and it can feel too busy at points. This detracts from the incredibly emotional stakes of the duel, which are very high, as this marks the true creation of Darth Vader. Still, in a certain type of maximalist way, the Battle of the Heroes is fantastic.

6 Finn & Rey Vs Kylo Ren On Starkiller Base

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

The duel on Starkiller Base was the big culmination of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and it absolutely feels like that. The setting, lighting, and cinematography are all beautifully done, and they elevate the duel to some really incredible heights. This duel is technically a 2-v-1, but also not at the same time, giving it distinct phases where both Finn and later Rey are fighting Kylo Ren.

One of the most talked about aspects of this fight is the battle’s choreography. The three characters involved are all from very different backgrounds and have different amounts of experience fighting with lightsabers, and their fighting styles communicate this. Kylo Ren is a rageful and skilled duelist, Finn has been trained in combat with a stormtrooper baton, and Rey has experience with a staff, affecting how they use their lightsabers. This duel isn’t perfect, but is a refreshingly simple yet good bit of lightsaber combat with some fun emotional stakes for Rey, Finn, and Kylo.

5 The Stranger Vs Sol

The Acolyte (2024)

The final episode of The Acolyte gave us an incredible duel between Master Sol and The Stranger on the planet Brendok. This duel is unique, in that it’s more stylized than the rest of these duels. There is even a semi-slow-motion shot in the center of the duel, featuring wire work and some really Hong Kong-style fighting cinematography. The emotional aspects of this duel are fantastic, too.

Sol is fighting a literal manifestation of the mistakes of his past, a Sith connected to him through a little girl he chose not to save years before. The choreography reflects this, with Sol on his back foot, facing an enemy that feels like a dark mirror of himself fighting-style-wise. Most importantly, this duel leads into the final confrontation Osha has with Sol, making it incredibly significant for the series’ plot. All in all, despite some lacking elements in the setting, The Stranger vs Sol is a top-notch Star Wars television lightsaber duel.

4 Rey Vs Kylo Ren On Kef Bir

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

See more : Who are Faye Brookes Parents? Meet Carl Barber and Inger Barber

The final duel of the sequel trilogy, Rey fighting Kylo Ren on Kef Bir, the ocean moon of Endor, is probably the best that the trilogy has to offer. The fight choreography is not overly focused on realism like in The Force Awakens, but maintains a bit of that film’s focus on fighting style differences. Kylo Ren and Rey have such unique styles that eventually change as their emotional states begin to shift over the course of this fight.

Most of all, however, this duel’s aesthetic decisions elevate it. There is a distinct lack of epic music throughout this sequence, highlighting the somewhat sad nature of the conflict. Rey is descending, and Kylo is just confused and looking for her. Even the setting reflects this, with the raging sea embodying the tempestuous emotions within each combatant. That makes this an incredibly fitting location for Kylo Ren to finally cross over into the light side of the Force once more, after he is saved from a fatal wound by Rey, the same one who gave him the wound minutes before.

3 Luke Skywalker Vs Darth Vader On Bespin

The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The Empire Strikes Back is the film that truly established Star Wars as a cinematic powerhouse with staying power, and for good reasons. One of those reasons is the incredible duel at the end of the film, the long-awaited confrontation between Luke Skywalker and his father, Darth Vader. Firstly, the location for this fight is stunning. The orange and blue lighting, fog, and industrial components are all so unsettling, intriguing, and beautiful to look at, with an emphasis on silhouette at the fight’s beginning.

Related The Empire Strikes Back Ending, Explained

The Empire Strikes Back has one of the most iconic downer endings in blockbuster history, as the dark Star Wars sequel leaves loose ends unresolved.

Even without immense emotional stakes, the choreography, cinematography, editing, score, and location would make this duel one of the best. Luckily, the emotional stakes of this fight, particularly its ending, have almost never been more intense. This duel reflects all of Luke’s struggles throughout the film, manifested in a single scenario, and its ending is one of the most iconic moments in all of cinematic history.

2 Luke Skywalker Vs Darth Vader On The Second Death Star

Return of the Jedi (1983)

The final confrontation of the original trilogy, Luke and Vader’s second duel on the second Death Star, is arguably the most emotional sequence in the entire Star Wars saga. With remarkable choreography, reflecting both characters’ skills and reluctance to fight, everything is spurred on and shifted by different events throughout the fight. Like all good movie battles, this one also has distinct sequences in fun and intriguing locations, making it an absolute joy to watch.

The acting on Mark Hamill’s behalf is stunningly good, with Luke’s ending to this fight arguably being the philosophical centerpiece to the entirety of the Star Wars mythos. Despite being an engaging, fun, and energetic battle, this fight highlights that battle is not always good, and beautifully does so. The score is remarkable, the cinematography is solid, and the emotional stakes have never been higher. Luke teeters on the edge of the dark side and chooses not to fall. Narratively, this is the best that Star Wars has to offer, and only one other has outdone it.

1 Qui-Gon Jinn & Obi-Wan Kenobi Vs Darth Maul (The Duel of the Fates)

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)

Unsurprisingly, the Duel of the Fates fight between Qui-Gon Jinn, his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Maul is the best lightsaber duel in all of Star Wars. The choreography is the best that it has ever been, and like the previous few duels, this fight has several different segments that contribute to the battle’s geography, stakes, and combat nature. The setting of this duel is dynamic, fantastical, and interesting.

The acting in this sequence is the best in the film, with some of the fastest swordfight choreography ever seen. Darth Maul’s double-bladed lightsaber adds so much to this, making a 2-v-1 into something much more interesting than usual, as the two blades can combat two opponents at once. Narratively, this fight also shines, with it being called the Duel of the “Fates” because it decided the fate of Anakin Skywalker. The outcome determining the rest of the Skywalker saga makes this fight not only perfectly done in every way, but essential to the overall story of Star Wars.