From Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan’s ultimately fatal encounter with Darth Maul on Naboo to Obi-Wan’s standoff with the four-armed General Grievous on Utapau, the Star Wars prequel trilogy offered plenty of exciting lightsaber duels. While the original trilogy only offered one-on-one confrontations, the duels in the prequels ranged from a Jedi Master and his padawan battling a Sith apprentice to a single Sith Lord decimating four top-ranking Jedi Knights in one fell swoop.
Arguably the greatest duel in the trilogy is the one that brings the tragedy of Anakin Skywalker to a head. After Emperor Palpatine has turned Anakin to the Sith and named him Darth Vader, his former master Obi-Wan confronts him on Mustafar and makes a last-ditch effort to bring him back to the light or, if push comes to shove, kill him.
It’s The Culmination Of The Entire Trilogy
The crux of the entire prequel trilogy is the tragedy of Anakin Skywalker. The wayward Jedi apprentice prophesized to be the “Chosen One” who will bring balance to the Force turns out to be the Sith’s greatest asset: an unstoppable evil warrior determined to bring down the Jedi Order.
Obi-Wan’s final confrontation with Anakin before he goes full Vader is the culmination of this arc. As much as Anakin’s downfall is his own doing, Obi-Wan feels responsible for failing to keep him on a righteous path.
Ewan McGregor & Hayden Christensen Played Their Characters’ Tragic Dynamic Beautifully
While Hayden Christensen’s acting was a little wooden in Attack of the Clones (and the material he was given to work with didn’t help), one thing he nailed from the offset was his on-screen chemistry with Ewan McGregor.
Christensen’s performance vastly improved in Revenge of the Sith as Anakin got closer to the dark side, and in his final duel with Obi-Wan, he and McGregor played the tragedy of their characters’ dynamic beautifully.
The Choreography Is Breathtaking
While the prequel trilogy’s lightsaber duels with Count Dooku and Palpatine were let down by the limited physicality of the actors playing them, the duel between the young, virile Anakin and Obi-Wan is a masterclass in futuristic, magic-assisted swordplay. Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, and their dedicated stunt team were fully committed to getting the intensity of this duel spot-on.
Admittedly, the choreography of The Phantom Menace’s “Duel of the Fates” is equally breathtaking, especially with martial artist Ray Park’s ability to wield Maul’s double-bladed lightsaber at seemingly inhuman speeds.
“Battle Of The Heroes” Is One Of John Williams’ Greatest Compositions
As usual, John Williams composed a breathtaking piece of music to bring the Mustafar duel to life. “Battle of the Heroes” is one of Williams’ all-time greatest compositions — in terms of the prequel trilogy’s most memorable tracks, it’s second only to “Duel of the Fates.”
George Lucas wanted Williams to give each prequel movie its own catchy theme. For Revenge of the Sith, he tasked the composer with writing a piece that would capture two former friends turning on each other — and Williams delivered.
The Volcanic Backdrop Of Mustafar Visualizes The Explosive Emotions At Play
Setting is crucial to any great lightsaber duel. Luke and Vader’s climactic confrontation is unforgettable for a number of reasons, but the Emperor’s grand throne room is a big part of it.
Arguably the greatest pairing of a lightsaber duel and a setting is Anakin and Obi-Wan’s own climactic confrontation on Mustafar. The planet’s volcanic backdrops perfectly visualize the explosive emotions at play. The clearest example of this is when Obi-Wan and Anakin lock horns mid-battle with a huge burst of lava right behind them.
It’s A Crucial Moment In Anakin’s Transformation Into Darth Vader
George Lucas dropped a number of unresolved storylines from the previous movies, like the mysteries of Kamino, in order to refocus Revenge of the Sith on Anakin’s journey toward the dark side. There are several key moments that contribute to that transformation in the movie, like helping Palpatine kill Mace Windu and slaughtering the Jedi younglings.
One of the most crucial junctures in Anakin’s transformation into Vader is his lightsaber duel with Obi-Wan on Mustafar. It reaffirms his newfound hatred for the Jedi and allows him to pledge himself fully to Palpatine’s mentorship.
A Master Fighting His Fallen Apprentice Is Like A Greek Tragedy
It’s easy to scoff when parallels are drawn between the Star Wars prequels and, say, Greek tragedies or Shakespeare. How can a movie with Jar Jar Binks in it be anything close to the work of the Bard?
But, in broad strokes, the themes that these movies deal with are in line with classical tragedies. A teacher fighting a student who has turned evil carries a lot of emotional weight.
The End Of The Duel Is Genuinely Shocking
From the Order 66 massacre to General Grievous’ exploding heart, the violence in Revenge of the Sith is surprisingly brutal. The most shockingly violent moment of all is the end of Obi-Wan and Anakin’s duel on Mustafar.
Obi-Wan takes the high ground, Anakin still tries to launch an overhead attack, and his former master lops off most of his limbs. Anakin then rolls down toward the flowing lava and catches on fire. He’s graphically burned alive while lunging at Kenobi with his one remaining limb and growling, “I HATE YOU!!” This scene is genuinely pretty disturbing, especially for young viewers.
It Set The Stage For Their Already-Iconic Rematch On The Death Star
After the duel on Mustafar, the next time Anakin and Obi-Wan come face-to-face is on the Death Star in the original 1977 movie. This is about to change with the upcoming Disney+ series promising a rematch, but in the current canon, the Death Star is their only rematch after Mustafar.
Like all the best moments in the prequel trilogy, the Mustafar duel retroactively enhanced the emotional foundation of an already-iconic scene from the original movies.
Star Wars Fans Waited Years To See It – And It Didn’t Disappoint
Anakin’s final showdown with his master before being encased in the Vader suit for the rest of his tortured life was one of the most highly anticipated moments in the prequel trilogy.
Expectations for this conflict only got higher when Obi-Wan and Anakin’s master-padawan relationship evolved into real brotherhood throughout Episodes II and III. Star Wars fans had waited years to see a fallen Anakin take on Obi-Wan in lightsaber combat, and the Mustafar sequence certainly didn’t disappoint.