Summary
- General Grievous impresses with his unique fighting style using four lightsabers at once.
- Maul vs. Ahsoka showcases a motion-captured, energetic, complex, and impactful duel.
- Ben Kenobi vs. Maul in Rebels is a mental game leading to a tragic ending in a final confrontation.
Throughout the Star Wars film series, Lightsaber battles have continued to dazzle fans ever since the original film burst onto the screen in 1977. The movies have always prided themselves on pushing the envelope in terms of effects, direction, and choreography.
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It's no wonder then, that once the franchise made the jump to animation, the Lightsaber duels would again impress fans for a variety of reasons. From the various Clone Wars animated series to Rebels and beyond, here are some of the best Lightsaber battles seen thus far in Star Wars Animation.
6 General Grievous vs. Jedi
The Cyborg General Makes His Startling Debut
- Series: Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003)
- Episode: 20
Never before had a character made such a strong impression on the Star Wars fanbase until General Grievous exploded onto the scene in 2004. Not only was it rare for a non-Jedi to use a lightsaber, but it was unheard of for that user to be an absolute menace with one, or in Grievous' case, four at a time.
Grievous takes on several Jedi at once, putting up a wall of lightsaber blades, and even moving fast enough to evade their force blasts. As is the case with all of Genndy Tartakovsky's work, the animation of the action is spectacular and is fully able to convey the speed and aggression of Grievous' fighting style against his Jedi victims.
5 Maul vs. Ahsoka
Former Students Battle on Mandalore
- Series: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
- Episode: 131
The Clone Wars show had plenty of decent lightsaber fights, but none have managed to have as much of an impact as the one between Maul and Ahsoka in season 7. What makes this fight so great is that it was accomplished via motion capture, with Ray Park returning to do the fight choreography as Maul once again.
Both character's movements are incredibly lifelike and visceral, whilst also being aided by traditional animation. What results is a wonderfully energetic, complex, and tangible fight that puts even some live-action duels to shame.
4 Ben Kenobi vs. Maul
A Final Ending for Lifelong Enemies
- Series: Star Wars: Rebels
- Episode: 57
One of the big questions in Star Wars after Darth Maul was brought back was how his story would evolve and whether he would live to see the Original Trilogy unfold. Rebels finally answers this question, bringing the former Sith Lord to a tragic end in a final confrontation with his bitter enemy, Obi-Wan Kenobi, now just old Ben.
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The unique thing about this fight is that it's almost entirely a mental game; with shifts in positioning and telegraphing guard styles. There are only three blows in total, but Maul's fate was sealed well before his saber crossed with Kenobi's.
3 Anakin Skywalker vs. Asajj Ventress
A Savage Battle Between Two Acolytes of the Force
- Series: Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003)
- Episode: 19
The first real Lightsaber duel of the 2003 Clone Wars series, Anakin versus Asajj Ventress, is an exhaustive and layered battle that progresses from deep within the jungle to the very top of Yavin 4's distinctive pyramid. Anakin is fighting a two-front war; one side is the double-bladed Ventress, but on the other is Anakin's volatile emotions that threaten to consume him.
The duel sees both combatants use their force abilities to enhance their speed and acrobatics, as well as manipulate the environment to their advantage until the fight reaches a breathtaking crescendo beneath a blood-red gas giant in the night sky.
2 Maul & Savage Oppress vs Darth Sidious
The Emperor Comes to Tie-Up Loose Ends
- Series: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
- Episode: 104
While the Ahsoka vs Maul fight in season 7 of The Clone Wars is the best in the series, the battle between the Zabraak twins and Darth Sidious is a close second. This fight is extremely well animated, with Palpatine's fluid dual-bladed fighting style proving to be more than a match for either of his opponents.
Indeed, Darth Sidious is the main attraction here, though Maul and Savage Oppress are no slouches. This, however, is not an even fight, as Sidious systematically takes the two brothers apart single-handedly, proving yet again why he is the true lord of the Sith.
1 Ahsoka vs. Darth Vader
Master and the Apprentice Meet One Last Time
- Series: Star Wars: Rebels
- Episode: 27
Much like Obi-Wan's fight with Vader in his own live-action series, the fight between Ahsoka and her former master is an emotionally charged affair that serves as closure for the two characters. In terms of the actual fighting itself, it plays second fiddle to the emotional resonance that this meeting has, though it is still interesting to see the two characters' unique styles clash.
Ahsoka sees Vader for what he is, the monster that killed her friend and teacher, Anakin Skywalker. Similarly to Obi-Wan, Ahsoka is able to expose Vader's face, giving fans of the franchise one of its best moments ever, and a chilling reminder of how far Anakin had fallen.