Everyone has their own favorite element ofStar Wars.
Some fans may like droids best, while others prefer cataloging the many varieties of spaceships.
Some of us, though, are really in it for the lightsaber battles.
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When Vader says that revenge is not the Jedi way, Ahsoka proclaims, I am no Jedi!
like the true badass she is before igniting her white lightsabers and launching into the fight.
Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Darth Vader, A New Hope
Is this the most dazzling lightsaber fight in theStar Warscanon?
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No, of course not.
But as the first lightsaber battle we ever saw, it deserves a place on the list.
Obi-Wan smiles a small self-satisfied grin and basically surrenders, pulling his weapon to him and leaving himself defenseless.
Darth Vader (David Prowse) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) in ‘Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope’.Lucasfilm
In his shock, Luke fires at Vader and the stormtroopers until Obi-Wans ghostly voice tells him to run.
The main element ofThe Rise of Skywalkerthat feels truly new is the evolving dynamic between Rey and Kylo Ren.
Emotions surge asPalpatines fascist coup materializes, producing some of the trilogys best acting.
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Exhibit A: Samuel L. Jacksons facial expressions during Mace Windus confrontation with him.
Here is Vader in his majestically villainous glory, just mowing through Rebel soldiers.
Yoda vs. Palpatine, Revenge of the Sith
On the one hand, this fight probably shouldnt exist.
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The Force flows through both of them, allowing their bodies to jump and flip at inhuman angles.
Eventually Palpatine does forgo his lightsaber altogether in favor of using the Senate itself as his weapon.
In the end this battle comes down to choices.
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Tell your sister you were right.
And with that, the tragic saga of Anakin Skywalker reaches its poignant ending.
Hearing the word sparks something within Rey.
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She attacks with a new ferocity as the already injured Kylo starts to falter.
Eventually, Rey slices Kylos face and chest with a blow that sends him sprawling to the ground.
Shes the new heir to the Jedi legacy.
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He can overcome impossible odds.
Not this time, though.
Its the climactic battle on the lava fields of Mustafar that finally provides the answer.
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It wasnt supposed to go like this.
For pure OMG moments, few battles match it.
In the end, this battle proves it.
All props to Darth Maul actor Ray Park, whose acrobatic physicality also propelled Toad through the firstX-Menmovie.
In retrospect, Mauls death definitely feels like a waste.
None of the subsequent prequel villains (Count Dooku, General Grievous, etc.)
lived up to the imposing aesthetic of the red-and-black makeup or the spinning two-sided weapon.
[This article has been updated to includeThe Rise of Skywalker.]
