Darth Vader may be the most iconic Star Wars character of all, but Lucasfilm has actually been wary of overusing him. This is largely because Darth Vader immediately ups the stakes; he’s the Chosen One, after all, which means precious few Jedi can – and should – survive an encounter with Darth Vader. When it comes to non-Force-sensitives, the Dark Lord of the Sith is a juggernaut, as he proved in his incredible Rogue One cameo.
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Incredibly, Darth Vader has only had nine full-on lightsaber duels in the various Star Wars films and TV shows. With one notable exception, these tend to be the handful of examples where Jedi managed to survive his wrath, too – simply because he’s usually going up against a show’s heroes. In this ranking, I’m going to consider fight choreography, Vader’s skill, and the overall drama of the duel.
9. Obi-Wan Kenobi: Darth Vader Versus Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi shows two duels between Vader and Obi-Wan, and the first is barely a duel; Obi-Wan’s expecting a fight, but Vader simply wants to dominate him. The Dark Lord of the Sith gets payback by demonstrating his power in the Force, tearing through Obi-Wan’s fragile Force defenses and torturing him. It’s barely a duel, which is why this comes so low down on this list, but it’s a phenomenal moment all the same.
8. Star Wars Rebels: Darth Vader Versus Ezra and Kanan
Star Wars animation tends to double down on Darth Vader’s “cool factor,” showing just how powerful he really is. Star Wars Rebels is the perfect example, with Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger clashing with the Sith Lord – and barely escaping with their lives. Kanan hasn’t really been trained since he survived Order 66, and neither he nor his student are in Vader’s league. The Sith effortlessly disarms Kanan, nearly kills Ezra with his own lightsaber, and is only delayed when the rest of the rebel crew help out.
7. Star Wars: Darth Vader Versus Obi-Wan Kenobi
The first lightsaber duel in Star Wars history is, unfortunately, the least impressive in terms of overall choreography. And yet, for all that’s the case, there’s a raw physicality to A New Hope‘s lightsaber duel that’s often missing in lightsaber duels. The two combatants are using their weight and force as much as their weapons, trying to push and shove against one another, and you can see the seeds of everything that would follow in this one fight. I’ll always love the fact this first ever lightsaber duel is, in functional terms, just a distraction – Obi-Wan’s way of keeping Darth Vader busy while the real heroes slip away.
6. Obi-Wan Kenobi: Darth Vader Versus Obi-Wan (Episode 6)
Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the most frustrating Disney+ Star Wars TV shows. The final fight has stunning choreography, but it also falls flat because of poor lighting, which makes it almost impossible to see how things are playing out at times. I only really came to appreciate the choreography at Star Wars Celebration 2023, when the full fight was shown on a full-size film screen in a darkened room. Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor are both absolutely phenomenal, making this one of the best lightsaber duels in Star Wars history. It’s just a shame it’s so hard to see.
5. Star Wars Rebels: Darth Vader Versus Ahsoka Tano
It had to happen. When Anakin Skywalker’s former apprentice returned in Star Wars Rebels, everyone knew it could only lead up to one thing: a duel between Darth Vader and Ahsoka Tano. Fought on the Sith planet of Mustafar, this ultimate grudge match is a breathtaking, well-choreographed battle that’s almost as personal as Vader’s Revenge of the Sith duel with Obi-Wan. What’s most shocking, though, is how little Ahsoka still means to Vader at this point in his life; he even abandons the duel at one point, simply because he has another agenda in play. Ahsoka would have died if not for Ezra’s intervention from the World Between Worlds.
4. The Empire Strikes Back: Darth Vader Versus Luke Skywalker
Darth Vader’s first duel with Luke Skywalker is the stuff of legend. At first, the Dark Lord of the Sith toys with Luke; encouraging him to take the offensive, defending himself with minimal effort. He only really commits to his own attacks when Luke avoids the carbonite trap, and then we see that Darth Vader does not play fair. Vader doesn’t care about winning lightsaber duels; he simply wants to overwhelm his opponents, dominating them through the dark side. In Luke’s case, he uses telekinesis to defeat him, proving he’s so much more powerful than Luke imagined.
3. Maul – Shadow Lord: Obi-Wan Kenobi Versus Darth Maul
Maul – Shadow Lord ends with the Vader versus Maul duel I’d dreamed of for 27 years, since Darth Maul made his debut. Incredibly, it was everything I could have hoped for, and so much more; the fight choreography is stunning, while the flow of battle demonstrates exactly why Palpatine wanted the Chosen One. This isn’t just Vader versus Maul, of course; he’s up again Maul, Padawan Devon Izara, and Master Eeko-Dio Daki, who strike an uneasy truce against the Dark Lord of the Sith. The three-on-one dynamic means the show has to embrace some of the most incredible choreography to date, and Vader dominates effortlessly.
2. Return of the Jedi: Darth Vader Vs. Luke Skywalker (Round Two)
Luke Skywalker’s rematch with Darth Vader is a very different affair. The duel opens with a fight that’s more philosophical than it is physical; Vader and Luke are battling for control of the environment, even as each pushes their philosophical point. It only gets serious when Vader threatens Luke’s loved ones, prompting his son to lash out. And then, at last, Darth Vader meets his match; Luke briefly surrenders to the dark side, beating Vader down with the same ferocity we normally associate with the Sith himself. It’s a stunning reversal, with Luke triumphant.
1. Revenge of the Sith: Darth Vader Versus Obi-Wan Kenobi
But first place here has to go to what is undoubtedly the best lightsaber duel in the history of Star Wars: Anakin Skywalker versus Obi-Wan Kenobi in Revenge of the Sith. He may not be wearing the famous Darth Vader suit yes, but Anakin has already been rechristened Darth Vader, meaning this definitely counts. What’s more, it’s a stunningly well-choreographed duel, with both Christensen and McGregor demonstrating their skill and talent. The scene is absolutely breathtaking, and will surely remain unmatched, not least because the stakes are so personal: this is two brothers fighting to the death, a personal duel rather than a Jedi versus Sith scrap. It’s literally art in motion.
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