6. Luke Skywalker Vs. Darth Vader - The Empire Strikes Back
The original trilogy largely eschewed the flashy acrobatic light saber duels of the prequels. Special effects artists had to animate the light saber's glowing effect frame by frame so meticulous thought had to go into every thrust and parry. This resulted in battles where each movement became a story beat and the action became married to the drama of the narrative. In this entry into the Ultimate Throwdown list, the heroic Luke Skywalker rushes headlong into a trap set by the evil Sith Lord Darth Vader. The neophyte Jedi finds he's no match for master of the darkside. The audience senses the outclassed Luke's desperation as each of his attacks misses the mark. Vader toys mercilessly with his prey. Eventually, Vader severs Luke's hand and drops an atomic bomb of a twist right on his head by telling him "I am your father." Luke and Vader's duel earns its place as an ultimate throwdown by climaxing with the greatest moment in the entire Star Wars saga.