3 Famous Lightsaber Duels

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The Star Wars saga has often been referred to as a “space western,” however it is the lightsaber duel, rather than the shootouts, that has best captured the imagination of fans. There have been many lightsaber battles over the course of the nine movie saga and everyone has their favorite. Perhaps one of these three famous lightsaber duels is yours.

Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Anakin Skywalker

One of the great mysteries of the original trilogy was why Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan became enemies and how Anakin got the injuries that resulted in him having to wear the iconic Vader suit to stay alive. Obi-Wan and Anakin’s epic duel on the volcanic planet of Mustafar finally answered those questions. The pair fought over a lake of boiling lava until Obi-Wan infamously gained the high ground. When Anakin attempted to leap past Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan cut off one of Anakin’s arms and both his legs, leaving him lying helplessly near the boiling lava. The heat from the lava eventually caught Anakin’s clothing on fire, badly burning him. After lamenting Anakin joining the Sith instead of destroying them, Obi-Wan left Anakin to his fate. Anakin survived long enough for Sidious to rescue him and have him put in the Vader suit.

Qui-Gon Jinn & Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Darth Maul

In spite of only being the apprentice, Darth Maul was one of the prequel trilogies’ most memorable characters. Darth Maul brought a level of athleticism to the art of lightsaber fighting not previously seen in the saga. Utilizing his double-bladed lightsaber, Darth Maul fought both Jedi, eventually separating the pair, during the climactic battle of “The Phantom Menace.” As John William’s “Duel of the Fates” perfectly scored the battle, Maul killed Qui-Gon and nearly defeated Obi-Wan. However, in an act of desperation, Obi-Wan launched himself over Maul, landing behind him and slicing him cleanly in two with Qui-Gon’s fallen saber.

Yoda vs. Count Dooku

Fans never got to see Yoda take up a lightsaber in the original trilogy. A lightsaber duel would have been hard to pull off with Yoda’s original puppet form. CGI allowed Yoda to have more freedom of movement in “Attack of the Clones,” which made his much-anticipated battle with Count Dooku possible. Yoda made up for his lack of size with dazzling speed and acrobatics and battled Dooku to the point where he gave up and ran away.

These are just a few of the many iconic lightsaber battles that have fueled the imagination of fans and sparked countless debates over the decades. If you’re a fan of the Star Wars saga, chances are you have a favorite.