In any film in the Star Wars series, the highlight of any action sequence has to be the Lightsaber duel. The Lightsaber duel is perhaps the perfect avatar of the franchise. It represents the battle between good and evil, the light side and dark side of the Force, and the Jedi and the Sith.
Though the days of Obi-Wan and Vader have passed, the new trilogy brought to us by Disney has no shortage of sensational saber-swinging. Relying on a few hours of binging Disney+, we've called forth ten Lightsaber battles that summon forth the Jedi in us all.
Luke's Confrontation with Ben (The Last Jedi)
Though it's not necessarily a full duel, it is a key moment in The Last Jedi as well as the catalyst that pushed Ben Solo over the edge and onto the dark side. It was Luke's temporary distrust of Ben's will and power that had him ready to put the Lightsaber to his sleeping apprentice's throat.
Sabers ignite, blades clash and spark, and we see the sacred Jedi temple crumble in Ben's wrath. Though it lacks some of the incredible choreography that most other battles have, we can't deny that this is a crucial moment in the film.
Rey's Anger at Luke (The Last Jedi)
Similar to the previous entry, as well as being from the same film, though this confrontation lacks the dynamic saber usage, the amount of shock felt when Rey pulls her Jedi weapon on Master Luke is certainly palpable. That being said, there might have been an easier way to get information out of him.
Though there is no neon-colored dance of Lightsabers in this sequence, we are treated to a satisfying staff battle between Luke and Rey before she pulls out her saber. Guess it pays to be proficient in other weapons should you lose one. He's no Darth Maul, though.
Luke and Leia's Training (The Rise of Skywalker)
Though not a battle of good versus evil, it's still enjoyable to see a friendly sparring match between two of the series's most beloved characters. The fact that one of them is none other than Princess Leia is an extra scoop of ice cream on the Star Wars sundae that is The Rise of Skywalker.
We've known Leia has always been Force-sensitive for some time now, but this is the first time we've ever seen her hold the Jedi's weapon of choice. This sequence not only reminds us that the Force is strong with all the Skywalkers but the strong bond between Luke and Leia as well.
Luke and Ren on Crait (The Last Jedi)
"Always two there are, master and apprentice." Just as Darth Vader squared off with Obi-Wan Kenobi in A New Hope, so did Kylo Ren and Luke Skywalker in The Last Jedi. The final confrontation takes place on the emergency base on Crait as a distraction while the Resistance escapes.
You could spread the emotional tension with a paper-knife as the two meet on the field of battle. Throw that in with the Matrix-esque fluid fighting style from Luke and the slice-dice-serve-on-rice rage that drives Ren into a saber-slashing fury, and you've got a prime-time match on your hands.
Finn Fights for Rey (The Force Awakens)
The Lightsaber Duel in The Force Awakens is definitely one of the most visually pleasing that the series has ever known. So wonderful, in fact, we have to split it in half. When Finn and Rey are cornered by an injured and angry Kylo Ren, Finn must summon the force in himself and duel Ren for Luke's lost Lightsaber.
The dark, snowy woods of Illum are hauntingly illuminated by the humming neon of their lightsabers as Finn and Ren cross blades and fight. Although Ren eventually gets the upper hand, the battle is far from lost when Rey regains consciousness.
Rey Defends Finn (The Force Awakens)
With Finn defeated, all it takes is a Force pull to assure Kylo Ren's victory. Unfortunately for the emo kid of the galaxy far, far away, Rey's not one to go down easily. When she summons the Lightsaber with the power of the force, it's time for round two of the Illum brawl.
Sabers slash the air, sparks fly, and Kylo's blade singes through the snowbanks, all in a display of visual wizardry only found in the realm of Star Wars. This scene is only magnified in awesomeness when we're reminded that this was the first time Rey has ever picked up a Lightsaber in her life. The Force is indeed strong with this one.
Rey Fights Herself (The Rise of Skywalker)
No one entry in the Star Wars franchise embodies the eternal (or internal) struggle between good and evil than The Rise of Skywalker. Without going into heavy spoilers, Rey's dormant dark side comes out to play while on the search for a Sith artifact. Needless to say, things get incredibly intense.
Who knew Rey had skills Maul and Dooku could be proud of. Just as gifted as she is with the Force like a Jedi, we'd hate to think of what a powerhouse she'd be as a Sith. No wonder her constant clashes with Kylo Ren are always so fiery and satisfying.
Duel on Kef Bir (Rise of Skywalker)
Unless you weren't able to tell from the trailers, the battle on Kef Bir between Rey and Kylo Ren is easily one of the most action-packed scenes in the film. Water is crashing all around them as they duel in the shadow of the second Death Star's ruins, making for a very visual and symbolic sequence.
Unfortunately, we can't go into too much detail without venturing into spoiler territory, but trust us when we say that this battle is only half of the action to come. Much more than Rey's skills with the saber is required to win the war against the dark side.
The Emporer's Return (The Rise of Skywalker)
Mild spoilers on this one, but as predicted when the first trailer for The Rise of Skywalker first dropped way back when, Emporer Palpatine has indeed returned, and Rey must duke it out with the supreme lord of the Sith in this final chapter of the epic space-opera.
Though his form is more than a little physically and biologically altered, the Emporer returns to finish off the last of the Jedi and attempt to spread his evil across the galaxy. With Force Lightning and all the trimmings, Rey has quite the impressive battle to fight in this flick.
Throne Room Blitz (The Last Jedi)
The Last Jedi is without a doubt the awkward member of the new trilogy, but even the most hardnosed Star Wars junkie can't deny how absolutely epic the battle with Snoke's Praetorian Guard was. Seeing both Rey and Ren join forces to defeat a common enemy wasn't just unexpected, it was thrilling.
This scene is easily one of the best, if not the best, choreographed fight scenes in Star Wars history. The guards are armed with a menagerie of samurai-inspired weapons definitely put up a monster challenge for the two leads. With furious combat and blades going left and right, we have to give this our top spot.