Best Lightsaber fight in the Star Wars movies?[SPOILERS for episode 3]

[Michael Tree]

Because this was not just a battle -- this was about something much, much larger. Luke's anger, the uncovered relationship between Vader & Luke, the sadness, the hope, the desperation, the inconclusiveness of the issue. This was not simply a couple of guys fighting ; this was epic drama!

I most like the Luke/Vader fight in RotJ for the same reason. It's not just pretty choreography, but a dramatic battle between titans, one of whom slowly turns to the dark side during it. I still get chills when I watch Luke go berserk on a prone and defeated Vader, hitting and hitting as vader wheezes and is cut apart and the emperor cackles.

For pure fight choreography, however, the best is the duel in Ep.I.

 

[Agamon]

It's close. Ray Park's athleticism and Darth Maul's lightstaff made the TPM fight truly awesome, but the fights in Sith were all very impressive, topped off by the final Obi-Wan/Vader duel, which was incredible, and gets the nod from me.

 

[driver8]

Id have to vote for two as well- Luke vs Vader in ROTJ since its a climax long in the making, and it was so simply amazing to see Vader getting beaten and see what consequnences that might have had for Luke with the dark side.

For sheer butt kicking tho- Darth Maul vs Qui Gon and Obi Wan. It was the first really athletic type fight, and had that great break in the middle becasue of the energy shields. And cmon Darth Maul double bladed saber was coolness personified.

 

[Viking Bastard]

Luke vs. Vader in JEDI. Hands down. Best fight ever.

 

[Tonguez]

Luke Skywalker versus Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back.

Why?

Because this was not just a battle -- this was about something much, much larger. Luke's anger, the uncovered relationship between Vader & Luke, the sadness, the hope, the desperation, the inconclusiveness of the issue. This was not simply a couple of guys fighting ; this was epic drama!

Absolutely - that fight has the status of LEGEND

the others are just flashy sworsmanship

 

[Brakkart]

Anyway, I still think that Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon versus Darth Maul is still the best lightsaber duel. It's the one redeeming quality to the Phantom Menace.

I'd say the Pod Race (as shown in the extended version on the DVD) is a pretty good redeeming feature of TPM as well myself.

And my vote would go for Qui-Gon vs Maul in the desert on Tattoine, you don't get to see much of the fight but what is seen is very good, with Qui-Gon clearly struggling with both the surprise of the sudden attack and the sheer aggression of Darth Maul. Since that wasn't on the list though, I cast my vote for Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan vs Maul on Naboo. I do like in that fight, how despite both sides utterly despising the other, they are civilised enough to pause before attacking to remove their outer robes. Very nice touch I think.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

My favorite will always be the one between Luke and Vader in RotJ. It's not as flashy and special effect filled as the ones in the prequels, but I remember watching in and really feeling how conflicted Luke must have been.

I agree. I still get swept up in the emotion and the power of when Luke cries, "Nooooo!" and nearly gives into the dark side and defeats Vader...then the classic look at his hand and the realization that he is this close to becoming his Father. So finally understanding his Masters teaching from the cave he throws his weapon away and the fate of the Emperor is sealed. I think both Vader/Luke fights are 1 and 2. Maul vs Jinn & Kenobi lacks the emotional investment of later battles, even if it is the most pretty.

 

[Psion]

I'd say the Pod Race (as shown in the extended version on the DVD) is a pretty good redeeming feature of TPM as well myself.

Yup. I've often said that Ep I is a watchable movie if you skip from where the Jedi escape the Trade Federation ship to where they arrive Tatooine, it's a watchable movie, whereas in Ep II, the badness is sprinkled throughout the movie...

 

[Henry]

I voted the Darth Maul duel in Ep I; truly a masterful duel, involving plenty of acrobatics, force power, and surprises. The scene with the interleaved ray shields, where Qui-Gonn meditates and Maul paces, was probably the best examples of the Emptiness and Rage powers from the WEG RPG that I've ever seen.


Regarding the Grievous/Obi-Wan fight:

I have a friend who's a big fan of the RPG and who knows all the Lightsaber Forms by heart, including who usually uses what form. (Form I, Form II... etc. on up to Form VII, which is Mace's supposed "deadly" form, the only known practicioner.) When Grievous noted, "I have been trained by Count Dooku in your Lightsaber techniques!" and begins spinning all four of them in his actuators and looking like a cuisinart, I leaned over to my friend in the movie and asked him, "What form do you think THAT one is?"

 

[Ibram]

For me the fight between Vader and Obi-Wan at the end or RotS wins out... but thats probably because I've been waiting for that fight ever since my uncle told me that Vader got that way after a fight with Obi-Wan (I probably heard that when i was 8 or 9)

Style wise I'd have to say that Obi-Wan/Qui-gon/Maul at the end of TPM is the best of the series. None of the fights in AotC were as interesting, and the many of the fights in RotS were just plain dull.