All Star Wars Lightsaber Duels Ranked

Continuing in my Star Wars themed month ... Light-Saber Duels! It’s a more suitable weapon for a more civilized age, and probably the greatest fictional weapon in the history of Sci-Fi cinema. Even when a light-saber duel has problems going against it, they can always be exciting, riveting, and make for great spectacles. As of now, there have been a total of 20 different light-saber duels featured in the theatrical Star Wars movies, which dose include the animated Clone Wars movie. So, before we see what kind of epic clashes await us in future films, here are all 20 movie duels ranked by my own feelings of least loved to best loved. 

#20 Facing Her Demons (The Rise of Skywalker)
(Light Rey vs. Dark Rey)

While on a quest to find answers about her parentage, Rey discovers that she is in fact a descendant of Emperor Palpatine. Her doubts of this revelation soon take the form of her inner demon, and engages her in a shadow duel ... a very short and unremarkable one at that. This scene had so much potential to be an epic highlight, but it's rushed through in a mater of seconds, without leaving any real impression. What could have been a haunting confrontation with her inner demons was reduced to empty trailer fodder, and it doesn't hold a candle stick to a similar force vision duel that will be coming up.

#19 Cleaning up the Mess (The Clone Wars: Movie)

(Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Asajj Ventress)

After Anakin Skywalker rescues the son of Jabba the Hutt, his master Obi-Wan Kenobi is left behind to deal with the kidnapper ... the dark Jedi Asajj Ventress. With animation, there's almost no limit to what can be achieved in staging a fight ... this duel between Obi-Wan and Ventress unfortunately is nothing particularly special. The fighting choreography is sloppy, stiff, and the fight itself is noticeably lacking any real tension. Never the less, Asajj Ventress is still a worthy foe, and it’s always a thrill when she’s on screen, even if it’s a small thrill like in this case.

#18 Desert Ambush (The Phantom Menace)

(Darth Maul vs. Qui-Gon Jin)

While Jedi master Qui-Gon Jin is leaving the desert planet Tatooine with the young Anakin Skywalker, both are suddenly attacked by the mysterious hooded Sith assassin Darth Maul. Not much to say about this one, the action music was kind of cool, but for Darth Mauls very first battle, you’d except something a little more impressive, and the fight itself was really too short to leave much of an impression. Still, a fight with Maul is going to leave me happy regardless of it's short length.  

#17 Girls Night Out ... Fighting! (The Clone Wars: Movie)

(Ahsoka vs. Ventress)

Anakin Skywalker and his young apprentice Ahsoka are trying to reunite a kidnapped alien infant with its father, but unfortunately the Dark Jedi Ventress is on their tail. She get’s the jump on the young Ahsoka while she and her master try to escape on a platform. This might just be the shortest duel in the whole series, but it’s the novelty of seeing two females with light-sabers in combat that rank it higher than the previous fights. Seriously, before this we’ve never seen a female character in a light-saber duel before, let alone two. Plus, it's Ahsoka's only duel in the film series, and that alone has some novelty.   

   

#16 Resisting Arrest (Revenge of the Sith)

(Mace Windu vs. The Emperor)

When the Emperor is revealed to be a dreaded Sith Lord, Jedi Master Mace Windu attempts to take him into custody, but with no such luck. While there’s never been a light-saber duel that didn’t thrill me on some level, I will occasionally have some small issues, and this fight has some little things going against it. The whole scene just comes off as awkwardly staged, and plagued with digital fight choreography that’s way too over the top for its own good. Thankfully, it’s not without some cool moments, the two characters shattering a class window with their swords was sweet, and naturally it’s hard not to get a little excited seeing Samuel L. Jackson in a light-saber duel.  

#15 “We Meet Again ... At Last” (A New Hope)

(Darth Vader vs. Ben Kenobi)

During a mission to rescue the kidnapped Princess Lea, an aged Ben Kenobi finds himself facing his old apprentice turned evil ... Darth Vader. This was the very first light-saber duel in Star Wars history, but that’s really its only novelty. The fight itself really isn’t that exciting, and it’s stuck in one boring location with sub-par fighting choreography. However, the back and forth between aged master and apprentice is good, as it draws you into the story rather than a flashy spectacle, and it will always have marks for being the very first of its kind. 

#14 Three Against the Count (Attack of the Clones)

(Count Dukoo vs. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and Yoda)

After a massive battle, the evil Count Dukoo attempts to escape, only to be confronted by the two Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. Despite being out numbered, the count fights them off with ease, until Jedi master Yoda comes to put him in his place. For a climactic final battle, this duel always came off as a little too subdued, and mostly unimpressive. Most of it takes place in this really boring hanger, the lighting gets too dark at times, and there are several annoying close-ups of the characters swinging their light-sabers around in slow-motion. Yet, no light-saber duel is without its highlights, and this time it comes from the novelty of seeing Yoda sword fighting for the first time, which admittedly comes off as unintentionally hilarious at times. Still, seeing Yoda with a light-saber ... that was a novelty I never thought I'd see in a movie, and it wouldn't be the last.  

#13 Vision in the Cave (The Empire Strikes Back)

(Luke Skywalker vs. Ghostly Darth Vader)

Jedi training for Luke Skywalker takes a sudden dark turn when his master instructs him to inter a cave of darkness and evil. While there he fights what he assumes to be Darth Vader, only to realize that he was actually fighting his future self if he ever turned evil. Now this is a very different kind of fight scene, it’s not a spectacle or even that long, but it’s always been a memorable scene that’s stuck with me. I love the atmosphere, the build-up, and especially that haunting image of Luke’s face under Darth Vader’s helmet. This scene probably doesn’t even belong on my list, but it’s always been a favorite, and it deserves to be among the best duels of the series, just for completely different reasons.

   

#12 Man Against Machine (Revenge of the Sith)

(General Grievous vs. Obi-Wan Kenobi)

Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi is on the hunt for General Grievous and aims to challenge him to single combat in an effort to end a galactic war. I’m not overly fond of seeing an actor fight a CGI monster that isn’t really there on the set, and the sword duel itself has way too many close up’s that make it hard to tell what your even looking at ... but with all that said, this is still an awesome fight scene. It’s cool to see a villain with four laser swords, and I love the way this duel changes its location, and fighting style. At first it’s a light-saber duel in a hanger bay, which transitions into a car chase through a cave, which then leads to a fist fight on a landing platform, so I definitely give this duel points for creativity. 

#11 Duel through the Force Plain (The Rise of Skywalker)
(Kylo Ren vs Rey)

After making a strong connecting through the Force, Kylo Ren once again tries to win Rey over to his side. When Rey refuses, the two begin to spar in one of the franchises most unique duels. The two are in different locations, yet can still effect the matter surrounding them, and thus can transfer blows through their weapons. This scene was highly original, beautifully filmed, and a great example of creativity beating out repetition.

#10 Rumble in the Desert (The Clone Wars: Movie)

(Anakin Skywalker vs. Count Dukoo)

On his way to Jabba’s palace to return his kidnapped son, Anakin Skywalker is attacked by his greatest enemy Count Dooku, and here in the barren desert of Tatooine they engage in one more duel. Of the three theatrical confrontations between Anakin Skywalker and Count Dooku, this one fits right in as the middle best. This time the duel is a lot more inventive then your usual clash of light-sabers, because both fight with different force capabilities. Dukoo unleashes lightning energy, Anakin uses wind energy, their powers collide creating a sand storm, so it’s like a battle of the elements, and the whole scene is just shot very well. I love the build-up to this fight, the back and forth exchanges between hero and villain are good, and the music is riveting. This may not be a classic duel like some of the other’s I’ve listed, but it’s become a small, yet personal favorite of mine.   


#9 Kylo Ren's Final Rag (The Rise of Skywalker)
(Rey vs. Kylo Ren)

At the end of their journey, Rey get's into one last duel with her arch nemesis Kylo Ren, and the two engage on a path-way that's right in the center of a ragging ocean. While it's an awesome location, I admittedly find the duel itself a little underwhelming for a trilogies final light-saber duel. The choreography isn't impressive enough, nor is the emotional conflict stirring enough, but ... it's still a cool battle on it's own, with a great location. It also builds to a satisfying payoff, in which Kylo Ren figuratively dies, and the real Ben Solo is born a-new. This fight could have ranked higher if it was boasted by a riveting music score, and that's something that's always enhanced the epic size of these final duels ... while this duel is curiously set to a silent music track, which is certainly atmospheric, but not very epic. Despite being an underwhelming final battle, it's still a riveting little sequence in of itself, and worthy of kicking off my top favorites.       

#8 Rematch with Dukoo (Revenge of the Sith)

(Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Count Dukoo)

While rescuing the kidnapped Chancellor, the Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker find themselves once again confronted by their old foe Count Dukoo. This is more of what I wanted from the climax of “Attack of the Clones”, no slow-motion close up’s, both hero’s fight at once, and the pace is consistently quick, with just enough back and forth banter between the hero’s and villain. The setting is also a lot cooler, as we can see a space battle raging outside the windows, and the room provides a lot of objects for the characters to move around on. 

 #7 Facing his Failure (The Last Jedi) 

(Luke Skywalker vs. Kylo Ren)

For me, the best duels are less about spectacle, and more about character interaction, which is why one of the big show-stoppers for me is when Luke Skywalker confronts his fallen apprentice Kylo Ren. Like everything in this film, the scene was shot, lit, and acted beautifully. I especially love that this confrontation was more of an emotional conversation then it was a strait-up fight, and that’s when I feel “Star Wars” is doing something special. It was also a daring move to feature a light-saber duel without the blades colliding once, and yet, it still features terrific staging, agility, and leaves me just satisfied enough. The twist of Luke being a force projection the whole time was brilliant, and a great example of a Jedi resolving a conflict through non-violent means. 

#6 Clash of the Elder Masters (Revenge of the Sith)

(Yoda vs. The Emperor)

When the Emperor’s evil plans come to fruition, Jedi master Yoda makes one desperate last stand to slay his enemy once and for all. Okay, so this is yet another over the top fight scene ... but ask me if I care, because I think this is one of the most epic battles from the saga. Yoda and the Emperor were always the two elder masters that never fought, yet they were the most powerful, and here they are, dueling in this awesome laser-sword spectacle. The shot of them fighting on the lift as it raised-up into the massive chamber room is something I’ll never forget. The music was great, the setting was awesome, and like I said, it was just a thrill to finally see these two titans clash. 

#5 The Truth is Out (The Empire Strikes Back)

(Darth Vader vs. Luke Skywalker)

When Luke ventures to Cloud City in an effort to rescue his captured friends, he lands right into a trap set by Darth Vader. The two clash, Vader reveals his true identity to his son, and movie history is made. Oh ... this is the classic duel that every fan just goes nuts over, and yes it’s an iconic scene that disserves to be immortalized among some of the greatest sword fights in film history. So, why is it only at #5 ... because this is my own personal list, and there just happen to be five other duels that I like a pinch more. With that said, this is still an awesome scene. I’ll always remember that silhouette of Darth Vader in the dark steamy chamber room, as it’s the perfect way to build-up your show down between the hero and villain. I also love how the locations change in this fight, and with each new room the fighting stile also changes a little. However, I feel that the real novelty of this confrontation comes from the surprise twist at the end, which has become such common knowledge that it just doesn’t leave as big an impact on me as I wish it could.

#4 Brothers in Arms (Revenge of the Sith)    

(Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Darth Skywalker)

When Anakin Skywalker betrays his allies, commits mass genocide and takes the name Darth Vader, it forces his old master and friend Obi-Wan Kenobi to challenge him to a climactic final showdown. Let’s first get the negatives out of the way, the dialogue is corny at times, the lava planet can get really distracting, the fighting choreography looks more like a dance, and it always bugged me that they both have the same color light-saber. With all that said, this is still a pretty darn cool scene. It’s faced paced, I love how the characters move through the different locations, and the musical score is nothing short of epic. It’s a flawed, but deeply thrilling final battle to conclude the prequel trilogy. In many respects, this fight did feel like the grand light-saber duel to beat all duels ... and it almost did, had it not been for those little shortcomings.   

#3 Sword Fight in the Snow (The Force Awakens)

(Kylo Ren vs Finn and Rey)

In this installment of the "Star Wars" saga, a band of hero's launch an attack on the First Order's secret dooms day weapon, which was built within a snowy planet. Two of our hero's Ray and Finn try to escape, but are confronted by Kylo Ren ... the grand son of Darth Vader. This is one of the more tense duels, with less over blown choreography, and more relentless, gritty fighting. The location is also very original, as it's the first duel in the snowy woods, and its also set on a planet that's slowly falling apart around them. For me, there's something special about a sword fight that's staged in a nature setting as opposed to metal interiors, and it invokes a sense of a classic Samurai movie. It was a thrilling battle, and a fitting first duel for the new trilogy.

   

#2 Tag Team against Maul (The Phantom Menace)

(Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn vs. Darth Maul)

During the climactic final battle to reclaim the planet Naboo, our two Jedi hero’s Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn are forced into one final confrontation with the sinister Darth Maul. While “The Phantom Menace” is often regarded as a film with mixed qualities, it certainly isn't without it's high-marks if left on the franchise. Chief among them being this spectacular climactic light-saber duel. You got John Williams epic Duel of the Fates musical score, a villain with a double bladed light-saber, a tragic hero death, Ray Parks awesome fighting choreography, a really cool interior design to set the fight in, and it’s the very first duel to feature more than two Jedi in a battle. Even if you’re not interested in the story or the characters, it’s hard to avoid getting sucked into the sheer spectacle of this climax, which still holds up as one of the greatest action scenes in all of Star Wars. 

     

#1 Battling their Fate (Return of the Jedi)

(Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader)

During the final battle of Endor, Luke Skywalker confronts the evil emperor, and makes a final stand against his father Darth Vader, in an effort to free his soul from the shackles of the dark side. This will always stand out to me as the great classic Star Wars light-saber duel that just can’t be beat. I know most people prefer their duel from “The Empire Strikes Back”, but this is my personal favorite, and just seems to hit all the high notes. While other duels have obviously been thrilling, this one just feels more powerful. It’s not your standard good vs. evil ... it’s also a hero vs. his fate, and a father vs. his son. We see a hero loosing himself to darkness in an effort to bring peace, and an evil villain giving up his life in a noble sacrifice, which just makes this battle so much more compelling and epic than any other duel. I love that this fight features a lot of quiet moments, where the characters talk back and forth, rather than another rushed duel with over the top fighting choreography. The music is beautifully haunting, and the visuals are fantastic, not just on a technical level, but for symbolism, most notably that shot of Luke’s face that’s half way in shadow and light. It’s my favorite scene from the whole Star Wars series, and by extent, my favorite light-saber duel of them all.        

Thanks for reading my countdown ... and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!