Star Wars: Every Lightsaber Duel Ranked Worst To Best
4. Luke Skywalker Vs Darth Vader (Round One) - The Empire Strikes Back
The most iconic duel in the entire franchise, Luke and Vader's first fight is where the duel solidified itself as the most exciting part of the series. Obi-Wan and Vader may have kicked things off in A New Hope, but it was here that the duel was fully formed.
All told, it's a very one-sided affair. Having only just returned from training with Yoda on Dagobah, Luke is way out of his league when it comes to facing the imposing Dark Lord. Vader tosses him around, swiftly evades his strikes and eventually takes his hand, ending the fight in particularly brutal fashion.
That being said, Luke is smart enough to stay alive, tricking his father and keeping himself from succumbing to his much more powerful opponent.
The final revelation - now stuff of cinematic legend - only manages to make the fight even more emotional and harsh, beating Luke down not only physically, but emotionally, too.