Top 5 – Lightsaber Battles

In honor of STAR WARS DAY, let’s look at the best lightsaber battles in the series.  These will be based on context, the actual fight, and awesomeness.

You can watch all the fights by clicking on the match-up.

5 – LUKE SKYWALKER VS DARTH VADER (Empire Strikes Back)

What hurts this fight from being the best is that the best part of the scene is after the fight is over and is so iconic, it overshadows the actual fight.  This is the first time we really see Luke wielding a lightsaber and using what Yoda taught him in Dagobah.  There is great tension through out the scene and this is a memorable one because evil wins.  Vader handedly defeats Luke, crushing him physically and emotionally.  It’s a wakeup call to Luke, who was warned by Yoda that he wasn’t ready yet. It took the series to whole new heights and was the perfect set-up for the finale.

4 – OBI WAN KENOBI VS ANAKIN SKYWALKER (Revenge of the Sith)

We sat through nearly three movies for this scene and this scene alone.  The whole reason why we watched the prequels was to see Anakin Skywalker become Darth Vader and see the battle between two former friends.  It has great saber play, explosive (literally) sets and it ends in the most graphic sequence of the Star Wars, as Anankin ends up a legless, burnt mess.  The nearly nine minute fight is a thrilling conclusion to an otherwise boring series.

3 – REY VS KYLO REN (The Force Awakens)

The Force Awakens brought the Star Wars franchise back to its roots.  It was a rousing space adventure that brought back characters of old, while ushering in a batch of new ones, including our newest hero, Rey, and newest villain, Kylo Ren.  After the egregious action done by Ren just the scene before, we had no idea what was next for the Rebellion, especially after Ren knocks out Finn.  But, when we see the lightsaber wiggle and fly into the hands of Rey, the audience roars with cheers.  We see how powerful Rey is and a new rivalry being formed.  This scene in the birth of our new hero and sets up a battle for movies to come.

2 – LUKE SKYWALKER VS DARTH VADER (Return of the Jedi)

By far the best lightsaber fight of the original trilogy, this is a great saber fight and mental fight.  This is the closest we see Luke turn to the dark side.  We see him struggle to stay good as The Emperor goads him and Vader gets personal, bringing up Obi-Wan and Leia.  Him and Vader go back and forth with sabers, in the definitive battle between good and evil.  And in the end, Luke gets his revenge from Empire and good prevails.  It is also the fight with the most stakes involved, on personal levels and galactic ones as well. It is an epic, dramatic finale to the original series.

1 –QUI-GON JINN AND OBI WAN KENOBI VS DARTH MAUL (The Phantom Menace)

After rewatching this fight, it is easily the best in the franchise.  The first handicap match in the Star Wars series also features the first real death by lightsaber (Obi-Wan in New Hope does not count).  From the moment the doors open up and a horned Darth Maul stares down Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan, you know you’re in for something epic.  There is jumping, flipping, and excellent saber play, along with the infamous legendary double-sided lightsaber and a guy getting cut in half.  It also features John Williams’ pulsating and operatic “Duel of the Fates”, which is some of the legendary composer’s best work.  This is the best scene in the prequel trilogy and the greatest lightsaber battle in any Star Wars film.

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