The most recent Andor, has been quite economical with lightsaber fights, giving fans a reason to frown. Despite that, the Disney+ show has had some of the best dialogue and sub-plots, resulting in a renewal for Season 2.
For those seeking to see more lightsaber duels, the comics have plenty. After all, this is a franchise where even the most minor disagreements are settled with fights. But which are the best-ever lightsaber fights on the pages?
Eldra Kaitis Vs Maul
Darth Maul and Eldra Kaitis cross their lightsabers in one of the best Star Wars moons, Drazkel. The fight happens in Darth Maul #5 and ends with a victory for Maul.
Readers get to see Maul fighting with much zeal because he is hoping to become emperor and has a thirst for Jedi blood. Though he is eager to prove a point, the fight is a fairly matched one for the most part. Both he and Kaitis play to their strengths, with the latter demonstrating her slyness by opting for tricks rather than direct attack. That's because she knows she is inexperienced. Consequently, there are enough incredible scenes to satisfy fans, notably one where Kaitis aims for a rock, causing an entire edifice to fall on Maul. Regrettably, he still manages to emerge from the rubble before destroying her lightsaber and stabbing her.
Vader Vs Kirak Infil’a
In Darth Vader Vol. 2 #3, Vader heads to the river moon of Al’doleem to execute the Jedi Master Kirak Infil’a, who had fled the Jedi Purge years earlier. It ends with a victory for Vader, and he also makes to steel the Jedi Master’s lightsaber.
Vader proves himself as one of the most skilled fighters in Star Wars by coming out on top, despite Kirak throwing everything at him. From unleashing the dam's floodwaters to sending wild beasts and battle droids, Kirak leaves nothing to chance. Jedi fans also get a sense of false victor when Vader is thrown off a mountain, but the joy is all short-lived. The villain quickly comes back and cuts Kirak down, marking an end to the battle.
The Nar Shaddaa Gladiatorial Brawl
Grakkus the Hutt forces Luke Skywalker to participate in a gladiatorial battle after his forces capture the Jedi in Nar Shaddaa, aka, the “Smuggler’s Moon.” Luckily, Han, Leia, and Chewbacca arrive in Star Wars (2015) #12 and rescue him.
It’s a perfect fight because of the numbers, not just for the fighters but for the lightsabers too. That's because Solo and his crew grab different versions of lightsabers from Grakkus's collection and use them to fight, thus enabling readers to witness most of their favorite weapons in action. Even better is that this is not just a crowd fight in its entirety. Even before Luke’s friends arrive, he still gets to do a lot of work by facing off against Kongo the Disemboweler as well as several Imperial soldiers.
Kylo Ren Vs A Zello Beast
Kylo Ren manages to kill the serpent-like creature known as the Zello Beast after a fight in Age of Resistance: Kylo Ren. The creature, which has indestructible skin, first appeared during the Clone Wars.
It’s a major victory for Kylo becomes he does something others couldn’t. Previously, Anakin, Windu, and Vader had all tried to kill the same beast and failed. But Kylo's victory doesn’t necessarily come because Kylo has the best lightsabers. He uses skill by diving into its mouth and cutting it from the inside rather than going for the skin as those before him had done.
Luke Vs Boba Fett
In Star Wars (2015) #4, Luke gets ambushed by one of the deadliest Star Wars bounty hunters, Boba Fett, when he goes to check out the ruins of his old home in Tattoine. Boba blinds Luke with a flash grenade, forcing him to fight without seeing, but he still manages to win.
Fights where chances look slim for the hero only for them to come out on top in the end are always entertaining. Such occurrences have played out multiple times in movies and they do so again, with Luke getting pistol-whipped, kicked, and punched. His odds are also minimized by the fact that he is not only unable to see but also quite inexperienced at this point since he hadn’t used his lightsaber much outside sparring sessions. But thanks to his hearing sense, his form improves in the later stages, forcing Boba to retreat.
Vader Vs The Rebel Battalion
After Vader’s ship gets shot down on Planet Vogas Vros in Darth Vader (2015) #13, rebel forces surround him and order him to surrender. He refuses, claiming that the only thing that’s surrounding him is fear and dead men. The villain then charges.
One-man army scenarios often appear unrealistic but if the fighter in question has proven himself in the past, fans get to enjoy it more. Seeing one person cuts through hordes of fighters is breathtaking. However, it should be noted that Vader doesn’t rely on a lightsaber the entire fight. He improvises a lot, going as far as to use the blaster array of his damaged TIE Advanced x1 as a weapon.
The Jedi Temple Fight On Planet Ossus
In Star Wars: Legacy #1, Dark Jedi and Stormtroopers attack a Jedi temple on Planet Ossus. This results in a lengthy battle that ends with numerous causalities on both sides.
The fight packs in heroic and emotional moments, making it impossible to forget. While Kol Skywalker’s death is heartbreaking, watching his son, Cade, come back and fight, even after being asked to flee, is inspiring. There are plenty of lightsabers on display, giving readers an amazing color show.
Exar Kun Vs Vodo-Siosk Baas
In Tales Of The Jedi – The Sith War #3, Exar Kun shows up to free his ally, Ulic Qel-Droma, after he gets captured in Coruscant. On the Senate floor, he kills the Supreme Master before facing off against his former master, Vodo-Siosk Baas,
In the duel, Kun wins because of intelligence rather than skill. Since he is the one who taught him, Baas outsmarts him for the most part only for Kun to reveal that he made some modifications to his weapon, and it’s now a double-bladed lightsaber. Well, throughout the history of the franchises, such blades have proven difficult to defend against and Baas struggles too, leading to his death.
Vader Gets Ambushed
Vader also gets ambushed after the Great Jedi Purge, when one of them lures him to an isolated territory only for others to appear. They almost kill him but the new Sith Lord survives after calling for reinforcements.
Though the Jedi lose, it’s proven that such a strategy is what’s needed for anyone that seeks to defeat Vader. The villain ends up taking more blows than he has ever had to in his life and all that triggers glee among fans that hate the character. But since he’s such an important antagonist, the writers were never going to let him lose.
Darth Vader Vs Lord Momin
After years of preserving his consciousness in a mask, Darth Momin opens a portal to get back his old body in Darth Vader (2017) #23. He then attacks an exhausted Vader, who had just fought an army of Mustafarians.
Though Momin loses, he deserves to be lauded for severely wounding Vader too. He even slices off his sword arm, proving that he means business. Regrettably, Momin’s nature as a blabbermouth ends up being undoing. He spends too much time gloating rather than fighting, allowing Vader to slam a stone slab onto him, thus killing him.
