When it comes to worlds set in a galaxy far, far away, fans look forward to fights and battles full of weapons from the furthest reaches of the universe. The world of Star Wars is one such world, full of epic showdowns with one of the most popular weapons of all time, lightsabers.
Lightsabers have become such an icon of Star Wars, that fans love seeing them in action, and watching the heroes go up against the villains and heroes in unique duels and showdowns. Here are ten of the greatest duels of the Star Wars franchise.
Mandalorian Vs Moff Gideon (The Mandalorian)
While most of the duels found in the Star Wars universe revolve around lightsabers and the force, there are a few rare duels that involve blasters and other forms of weaponry, making for interesting battles and fights that make Star Wars what it is.
In the final episode of The Mandalorian, fans were treated to fan-favorite Mando facing off against Moff Gideon in a high flying showdown. Although brief and not a typical duel, the fight stretches the meaning behind the term duel, making for quite the fight.
Rey Vs Kylo Ren (The Force Awakens)
If there's anything the new Star Wars trilogy has given us, it's effects that have both improved and reinvented the way fans see Star Wars. With incredible visuals improving upon the first trilogy, CG has helped to make the new films memorable and stunning.
One major improvement is the lightsaber fights, shown when Rey fights Kylo Ren in the final battle of Force Awakens. With the hero and villain leaping and lunging and the lightsabers practically flying off the screen, it makes for a truly epic and amazing duel.
Obi-Wan Vs Darth Vader (A New Hope)
While audiences today are bombarded with crazy and insane fight scenes with multiple cuts and CG, many tend to forget how fight scenes used to be done. A New Hope is a key example of such a film, containing a memorable yet slow duel.
When Obi-Wan and Darth Vader face off aboard the death star, the fight scene doesn't seem to be that intriguing, given that it's not fast-paced like the other films. However, the almost chess-like movements combined with amazing effects make the very first Star Wars duel memorable.
Ahsoka Vs Darth Vader (Rebels)
There are moments in every movie and show that fans dread or fear. A moment that either makes or breaks both the world and their hearts. When fans first saw Anakin and Ahsoka Tano becoming friends in Clone Wars, many hoped it would be a relationship spanning the entire franchise.
The hope faded when Ahsoka and Anakin met again, only this time as Ahsoka and Darth Vader. In a duel that shattered fans' hearts and captivated their minds, it's a battle between friends that many hoped would never come about.
Darth Maul & Savage Opress Vs Darth Sidious (Clone Wars)
Throughout the Star Wars saga, fans have seen heroes battle villains and heroes go up against hero. Yet, for all the duels and battles, there are so few encounters with the dark side facing down each other, much less two powerhouses like Darth Maul and Darth Sidious.
When Maul returned in Clone Wars, fans were unprepared for him and his apprentice, Savage Opress, to face off against Sidious in a sith on sith battle. With stunning visuals, the fight cements Sidious as a force to be reckoned with.
Duel Of Fates (The Phantom Menace)
It goes without saying that music is key to making any movie come to life. Without music guiding or helping a film along, a movie can be lifeless and flat, without any emotion or tension to carry it, such as John Williams's iconic Duel of Fates.
With Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jin battling against the villainous Darth Maul armed with his double-bladed saber and both epic and moving Duel of Fates blaring in the background, it's a duel where the music is front and center, bringing the scene to life.
Anakin Vs Obi-Wan (Revenge Of The Sith)
Following the jaw-dropping reveal of who Vader really was, fans wondered and speculated for years about the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan, wondering how their friendship ended and how Anakin became Vader. Years later, Lucas answered the question with the prequels and a duel unlike any other.
When the moment arrived, fans were unprepared for the duel, watching in awe through teary eyes and Anakin and Obi-Wan battled through Mustafar, ending in a bloody conclusion in a duel that wasn't just between friends, but brothers as well.
Maul Vs Obi-Wan (Star Wars Rebels)
No film is ever simply defined by one example or genre and yet most of the time, these examples or influences never show through. Sometimes though, fans are treated to a tribute of the ideas and genres that brought their favorites to life.
In Star Wars Rebels, fans watch Obi-Wan and Darth Maul face each other for the last time in a much simpler duel, yet one that dives deep into the westerns and samurai flicks that inspired Lucas to bring Star Wars to life, creating a unique duel.
Darth Vader Vs Luke (Empire Strikes Back)
A fight in a film isn't always meant to be simply a fight to draw in the audiences and keep them awake during the movie. A fight is meant to propel the story forward, leading the audience towards a climax that changes everything.
When audiences sat down to watch Empire Strikes Back, no one was expecting the duel between Luke and Vader, full of lightsaber and Force wielding, yet no one could have expected where it was leading: to one of the biggest reveals in cinematic history that changed everything.
Ahsoka Vs Darth Maul (Clone Wars)
The industry of film is forever changing, with new ideas and effects being added to the industry each day. As such, filmmakers like Clone Wars mastermind Dave Filoni wonder how far they can go with CG and motion capture.
When Maul and Ahsoka battle in the final season of Clone Wars, Filoni recruited actors Ray Park and Lauren Mary Kim to perform motion capture for the fight, creating a fluid and versatile duel unlike any seen before and dropping fans jaws with a beautiful and epic duel for the ages.