Every Star Wars Lightsaber Duel Ranked From Worst To Best

Coming at the tail end of the original trilogy, Luke and Vader's final battle, from Return of the Jedi is an emotionally-charged climax to the trilogy as a whole.

It’s their first time coming face to face since their last get-together, which saw Luke ultimately failing, getting his hand chopped off, and learning who his daddy was. That was all around, not a great time for Master Skywalker. But here, having completed his training, a more competent and force-savvy Luke faces off against Vader in The Emperor's Throne Room.

Though easy to forget now, back in 1983, there was genuine concern that Luke Skywalker would be turned to the dark side, and this scene is rife with that tension. When Luke bests his father in the fight, by utilizing his anger and the dark side of the force, there's a moment of a genuine fear.

Thus, when Luke tosses his lightsaber away, refusing to fight The Emperor, it is the boldest move he could make, and it ultimately is what saves his father.