Top 6 Lightsaber Duels

Happy almost-fall folks!

It's Doug with Indy Lightsaber Academy. And today we're going to list my top 6 lightsaber duels in the franchise. I'm limiting the list to only the movies. As covering everything would take a lot more time. And keep in mind that this list is more about how "influential" a fight was, as opposed to just my favorites.

What am I basing my choices on?

• How important was this duel to the franchise or story?
• What impact did it have at the time/film industry?
• What did it do different? (also see innovation)
• Fight choreography (both fantasy and reality)
• Is it fun to watch?

I'll give each duel a score or a rating in these categories to mildly explain why it is where it is. However the score may or may not actually reflect where on the list it is. 

6. Obi-Wan vs Darth Vader (A New Hope)

You can hardly start off a list of lightsaber duels and NOT include the original.  This is what started it all. Sure the posters featured Luke proudly holding up his lightsaber alongside Princess Leia. But what we got was a semi-bored actor in his 60s squaring off against a Scottish body builder. That's not to say it doesn't have any strong points. One could definitely argue that this is the most realistic fight in the series. 

The fight choreography while not bad, does leave something to be desired. Just imagine if you took away the glowing swords, how interesting would this fight really be?

However much it lacks in gusto and panache, it makes up for in story. You definitely get the feeling that these two have a history. And boy is that history deep. Their 2 minute conversation about evil and who was teaching who has been expanded upon in hundreds of hours mixed media (tv shows, movies, books...etc).

Despite how the fight has aged or what's came after it. This is the duel that introduced millions to lightsaber combat and what would become the most iconic part of the movies. It's for that reason that this duel could be anywhere on this list.

Importance: 5/5

Impact: 3/5

Innovation: 3/5

Choreography: 3/5

Fun: 2/5

Conclusion:

The first and most realistic lightsaber duel still holds up despite obvious shortcomings. 

5. Luke vs Kylo Ren - The Last Jedi

This won't be the first time you disagree with something on this list. But I feel this fight doesn't get enough credit. We get to see Luke with a lightsaber after 30 years, and isn't that what most of us wanted?

For those who might argue "but this isn't a real lightsaber duel! Luke wasn't even there!".  Tell that to Kylo. Luke was able to beat him in a lightsaber duel without even being on the same planet. And to that end, imagine how difficult it must have been to do that?
We can barely make the Mars rover go straight for an extended period of time without it being news. Imagine taking an image of yourself and projecting it across the galaxy and winning a lightsaber duel.

All that adds up to a pretty baller move by Luke. Sure it wasn't exactly what we were expecting. But no one predicted that Luke would get into a non-lightsaber fight and then die light years away.

Importance: 5/5

Impact: 3/5

Innovation: 5/5

Choreography: 3/5

Fun: 4/5

Conclusion:

Hands down the most creative duel in the series that rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way.

4. Obi-Wan vs Anakin - Revenge of the Sith

Go ahead, say this fight is over stylized and gratuitous. Perhaps you might comment on the dialogue and acting choices. You might even remember the fight between these two in ANH for contrast. But DANG is it a lot of lightsabering.

This fight makes the list because of what it did for fight choreography and lightsaber combat. It's flashy and over done, but through sheer force of will it did something different. Hayden and Ewan put everything they had into the fight and it shows. This fight took the mic and dropped it. Many movies after this tried to pick it up.

If you were able to watch this duel and then not imagine yourself swinging around a saber, I question why you are even reading this.  Even if you're not into this fight, you can't deny that it was the apex of "flippy sh*t" that eventually subsided.

Importance: 3/5

Impact: 4/5

Innovation: 3/5

Choreography: 5/5

Fun: 4/5

Conclusion:

The longest duel in the series that took choreography to the next level (maybe too far).

3. Kylo & Rey vs Praetorian Guard

You want to complain? This isn't even a true lightsaber duel. In fact no lightsabers touch in real time in The Last Jedi. So why is this on the list?

First, it's a darn good fight. Second, it showcases the happy medium of flash and semi-realism the ST started in TFA. Plus you get to see lightsabers take on almost 5 different unique weapons all at once. Needless to say this fight was unique.

But you might say "The choreography was crap! Half the time the guards are doing next to nothing and waiting their turn!".

....Yeah well

So get off your high horse and appreciate that we got to see 2 people with lightsabers take on 8 armored guards that mostly looked good. Seriously, I'm confused on what people enjoy in life. Film choreography is just that, a practiced routine that presents itself the best way to an audience. It's supposed to be enjoyed. To pick apart each duel for errors is like giving your children a Power Point presentation on "5 Reasons Why Santa Doesn't Exist".

Importance: 4/5

Impact: 3/5

Innovation: 5/5

Choreography: 4/5

Fun: 5/5

2. Luke vs. Darth Vader - The Empire Strikes Back

Do you remember when Obi-Wan gave Luke his dad's lightsaber in ANH? Well he FINALLY gets around to using it. Aside from a little practice on board the Falcon, Luke and Han were tied for lightsaber use up until this point.

What can I say about this fight? It's well acted, it's decently choreographed. And it ended with Luke basically losing. This is the duel I imagine when I think about the OT or just lightsaber duels in general. 

I would also credit this fight/movie as the point where a lot of the lasting lightsaber tropes and mechanics were established. In ANH, it was pretty unclear what a saber did exactly. But in ESB we get to see a lightsaber used in all kinds of different ways and applications.

Importance: 5/5

Impact: 4/5

Innovation: 3/5

Choreography: 4/5

Fun: 4/5

Conclusion:

Probably the best mix of story, choreography and visuals. 

1. Obi-Wan & Qui-Gon vs Darth Maul

Yeah, you're seeing it. I'm placing a duel from THE PREQUELS in the number one position. Go ahead fight me.

Listen I have all the usual objections to TPM. But the prequels are what we like to call a mixed bag. None more so than TPM. While it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of trade routes and local Naboo  (Naboonian?) politics. This movie delivered on a lot of levels. WE SAW JEDI KNIGHTS IN ACTION. Seriously, if you were to take just the Jedi scenes in the movie, isn't that what we wanted?

This movie created everything that still is "Jedi". It took stilted and stiff fight choreography to something more visually pleasing and elegant. Where as we once had to go off an old Obi-Wan's word that the Jedi were the protectors of peace and justice, now we can see it. 

Seriously, what do people want?

You can tell George Lucas REALLY tried to please fans (or someone did). I mean lets go through it

• introduction of the double lightsaber
• brand new fighting style
• two Jedi fighting at once
• use of force powers
• Darth Maul

And that's why this duel is #1. It may not be MY favorite fight or yours. But very little of what came after truly raised the bar like this did.

Conclusion:

The lightsaber fully realized and utilized- but too much?

Lighty? What are you doing here?

I trust that people will see my reasoning and realize that if you objectively look at the merits of each duel within the time it came out....

Wait, what? Who? I don't like this.

Oh god.

May the force not be with Kirster

bye folks