Star Wars: 10 Most Powerful Things Luke Skywalker Ever Did
5. Defeated Darth Vader - Return Of The Jedi
But it's one thing to out-fly Darth Vader when you have the Kessel Run guy on your side, it's quite another to fight him one-on-one while said Kessel Run guy is off frolicking about with muppets in the woods. Especially when you consider how it went for Luke LAST time he squared up with Vader with no backup.
But of course, Vader laid out the difference between Luke in Empire and Luke in Return perfectly in that previous confrontation. Luke wasn't a Jedi yet when they last fought. That has definitely changed.
The fight is one of the absolute best in film history, a duel of two equally matched warriors, as well as a battle for Luke's soul. Sure, Vader is a bad guy who needs to go down, but on the other hand, that's exactly what the Emperor wants him to do. Can he defeat Vader in a way that preserves his morals in the process?
Fortunately, the answer is a solid yes.
Sure Luke was still no match for the Emperor, but when it came to the fight that mattered most to his narrative, Luke managed to come out on top.