Luke Skywalker may be Star Wars‘ greatest hero, but the Jedi Master has had surprisingly few lightsaber duels in canon. In part, that’s because Lucasfilm has been surprisingly reluctant to explore the original trilogy era; the focus has really been on the prequel era, the Clone Wars, and the Dark Times of the Empire’s reign. The OT part of the Star Wars timeline has largely been left to the comics, and even Marvel has been surprisingly reluctant to show Luke dueling other lightsaber-wielders.
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For many viewers, Luke’s cameo in The Mandalorian Season 2 scratched that Skywalker itch. But, although that certainly showed off Luke’s power, it still doesn’t qualify for this list. That’s because Luke was going up against droids, not fellow lightsaber duelists; he dealt with them with effortless ease, showing just how outmatched they were. In terms of full lightsaber fights, there have only been a handful; and these are the best.
5. Luke Skywalker Versus Exim Panshard
Let’s start with Exim Panshard, an ancient Sith Viceroy whose spirit possessed his mask for millennia. Most of the duels in this list will come from visual mediums, simply because those are naturally more captivating; but this is an exception, seen in Adam Christopher’s phenomenal book Shadow of the Sith. Essentially a prologue to the sequel trilogy, this focuses on Luke Skywalker’s quest for the Sith planet Exegol. The Jedi Master unwittingly stumbles on a dark conspiracy, and he comes incredibly close to uncovering Palpatine’s resurrection.
Naturally, Palpatine had contingencies in place for such an event. He gives the mask and lightsaber of Exim Panshard to a member of the Acolytes of the Beyond, a Sith-adjacent cult he frequently used. Under the mask’s influence, this Acolyte clashed with Luke in a couple of spectacular duels. It’s the closest we’ve ever come to seeing Luke Skywalker in a full-on lightsaber duel with a Sith Lord who isn’t Darth Vader, and Christopher’s skillful writing makes it incredibly enjoyable. Shadow of the Sith is an absolute must-read for any Luke Skywalker fan.
4. Luke Skywalker Versus the Knights of Ren
Another prologue to the sequel trilogy, Charles Soule and Will Sliney’s The Rise of Kylo Ren is exactly what it says in the title: the origin story of Kylo Ren, revealing how Ben Solo fell to the dark side (or, rather, how he was trapped by it). The second issue features a flashback, revealing how Luke and his apprentice Ben first encountered the Knights of Ren while investigating a High Republic Jedi Temple. The Knights of Ren aim to raid the temple’s treasures for themselves, and foolishly believe they can cross blades with Luke Skywalker.
Sliney’s art beautifully captures the fight, as Luke single-handedly takes on the entire Knights of Ren. The issue shows just how powerful Luke really is, as he effortlessly dismantles his opponents, taking on both red lightsabers and more exotic weapons, and revealing just how amateurish the Knights of Ren really are. Years later, Ben would demolish the Knights with just as much ease.
3. Luke Skywalker Versus Kylo Ren
Yes, I know this one’s arguable; Luke’s duel with Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a little more complicated, because the two are fighting from different sides of the galaxy. Luke is actually projecting himself from the distant planet Ahch-To, deliberately sacrificing himself to run interference for Leia and the Resistance. The cinematography is absolutely stunning, not least because it deliberately drops visual clues all the way through.
What is truly striking, though, is just how formidable a duelist Luke really is. Kylo Ren would inevitably learn the truth the moment their lightsaber blades came into contact, so Luke settles for ducking and dodging, evading every single blow with the same kind of effortless ease we saw in The Rise of Kylo Ren. This is Luke as a true Jedi Master, one who does not need to attack to defeat you. No other Jedi Master has ever performed a feat like this, and it’s truly impressive, even if it did cost Luke his life.
2. Luke Skywalker Versus Darth Vader (Round 1)
We’re now moving to the classics, though. The first lightsaber duel between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker doesn’t stand out because of Luke’s skill; he’s a neophyte at this point in the timeline, foolish to think he could possibly stand against Darth Vader. The Sith Lord initially gives Luke the chance to show what he can do, and is impressed enough at Obi-Wan’s teachings to decide Luke would make a good apprentice. He then tricks Luke into the carbonite trap – but this is where Vader has underestimated his son, because Luke is not so easily captured.
This duel matters, though, because of the emotion. Vader batters Luke down, showcasing his own skill and irresistible force, before confronting him with the shocking truth that he is Luke’s father. There’s a sense in which this was the moment that made Star Wars; it changed the franchise forever, transforming it into a generational saga. No list of Luke’s best lightsaber fights would be complete without this, for all Luke is lacking in skill in it.
1. Luke Skywalker Versus Darth Vader (Round 2)
First place can only go to the most important lightsaber duel in Star Wars history, the epic battle between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker on the Second Death Star. Luke is much more skilled now, and he and Vader soon prove to be evenly matched, both resorting to using the environment against one another. Luke’s goal throughout is very different, though; not to defeat Vader, but to redeem him. This changes his whole fighting style, because he’s initially fighting not to kill but simply to play for time.
Everything changes when Leia’s existence is uncovered. Luke briefly tips toward the dark side, lashing out with uncharacteristic aggression rather than restraint, and he actually manages to defeat Darth Vader – even chopping the Chosen One’s hand off. It’s a shocking moment, a warning that Luke could so easily become everything he stands against, because that blow mirrors Vader’s own strike against Luke in The Empire Strikes Back. In the end, though, Luke realizes what’s happening and steps back from the brink – revealing not just that he’s a skilled duelist, but that he is Star Wars’ greatest redeemer.
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