Top 10 Star Wars Duels

With The Force Awakens a handful of days away, we’re going to be fuelling your hype by reliving some of the most iconic moments in the franchise. While the prequels might have been awful, there were a few awesome battles that had us rooting for the good guys. Let’s take a look at some of the best duels in the series so far.

Duel of Cloud City – We start with probably the most intense fight of the series. The first battle between Luke and Vader. It’s safe to say that the Sith Lord brutalizes the young Jedi, and it is within this battle that Luke learns his father’s true fate. The fight takes place in Cloud City, while Luke’s sister Leia and a team of rebels fight their way to the Millennium Falcon.

Count Dooku v Everyone – In The Clone Wars, as Count Dooku escapes from the battle raging on Geonosis, Obi Wan, Yoda and Anakin face off against the infamous Count Dooku, played by the late Christopher Lee. What ensues is 15 minutes of poignant dialogue, and Dooku wiping the floor with a Padawan and two Jedi adepts. It is also the first time we see Yoda literally leap into action. But despite the efforts of the Jedi, the Count still escapes.

Grievous v Obi Wan – Perhaps the longest and most long-winded fight in Revenge of the Sith, the throw-down between the cyborg and the Jedi Knight was a key sequence in the film. When Grievous reveals his four-armed glory, with added lightsabers, fans knew they were in for a show. Amid the weird chemistry the General and Obi Wan have, the fight is actually rather gritty, as it eventually boils down to a fist fight between the two sword users. Obi Wan finished the fight with a few laser blasts into the General’s opened chest, blowing him up from the inside.

Yoda v Palpatine – While Anakin lays waste to the Jedi Temple, Yoda and Palpatine hash it out in the Senate court rooms. The fight is intense, and the last time we see Yoda do any fighting. While he may not have won, he certainly gives the old Lord a run for his money. The fight concludes with Yoda running through vents in order to escape the wrath of the new Emperor.

Mace Windu v Jango Fett – The original donor for the Clones may not have had a lightsaber, but he put up a decent fight against Mace Windu in The Clone Wars. They clash in the middle of the battle in the Colosseum, as Clones and CIS swarm the arena. Mace ends the fight with Jango’s head rolling along the sand, unaware that Jango’s son Bobba was watching from the wings…

Ben Kenobi v Darth Vader – The first time we see Vader’s lightsaber, and unfortunately the last time we see Ben’s. While the fight may be slow and rely mostly on dialogue, it’s the last time we see these two broken friends interact. We see a disappointed master talk down to his once-aspiring apprentice for the last time, with the words “if you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you could ever imagine,” resonating with fans since its release in the late 70s.

Anakin v Count Dooku – Taking place at the beginning of Revenge of the Sith, we see how Palpatine is slowly influencing Anakin’s judgement. Anakin kills Dooku at the Chancellor’s command: “do it”. From then on, we see the young Jedi turn into the powerful apprentice he was destined to be.

Luke v Darth Vader (final fight) – In the last few scenes of Return of the Jedi, we see Luke battle both Vader and Palpatine, and the rage that Luke is capable of exuding. He strikes down Vader in hatred and anger, and declines the Emperor’s invitation to rule at his side. Vader helps his son overthrow the Emperor, to save Luke from the Dark Lord’s torture, and inadvertently saves the galaxy.

Duel of Heroes – Anakin has turned to the Dark Side, and is convinced that none other than his master, Obi Wan, has set out a plot against him. Inconsolable, they clash on the volcanic planet Mustafar, after Anakin Force chokes Padme. The battle is long and emotional, as Obi Wan is forced to battle his own Padawan. The fight ends with Anakin being badly burned, and shows why he was made into Darth Vader. The words “You were my brother, Anakin,” had many welling up at the big screen.

Duel of Fates – Of course, what else could have the top spot? The lengthy set piece with Phantom Menace antagonist Darth Maul, Jedi Master Qui Gon Jinn and a young Obi Wan Kenobi. In what many judge as a ‘meh’ beginning to the prequels, this particular piece is a personal favourite. The dual bladed saber Darth Maul wields is awe-inspiring, and the stunts are top notch. Accompanied by John Williams, it’s an iconic moment in the franchise.

We hope that with the new dawn of Star Wars films just over the horizon, there will be many more memorable moments and iconic battles between Dark and Light. But for now, there is only hype.