Grab a Lightsaber! The Best Fighters in Star Wars

Originally published September 14, 2026. This article covers the best fighters in Star Wars movies and TV, from Jedi to the Sith and everyone in between.

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It’s a Rancor-eat-Rancor galaxy out there. That’s why some fighting skills are always a good idea when traversing the planetary systems of Star Wars™. Throughout Star Wars films and television, there’s a wide range of abilities on display. With Darth Sidious, we see raw, evil power. On the other hand, Rebels like Leia Organa and Han Solo show how ingenuity and grit can save the day.

But when all is said and done, Star Wars shines brightest in hand-to-hand combat. From Jedi Lightsaber styles to more nefarious techniques, these are the best fighters in Star Wars media. May the Force be with you.

• Anakin Skywalker
• Luke Skywalker
• The Mandalorian
• Ahsoka Tano
• Yoda
• Mace Windu
• Rey
• Maul
• General Grievous
• Rotta the Hutt
• Cad Bane
• Obi-Wan Kenobi

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Anakin Skywalker

• On-Screen Debut: The Phantom Menace™
• Weapon of Choice: Lightsaber

Our first entry is a dual winner: You’ve got Anakin Skywalker, the prophesied Chosen One, and Darth Vader, the bane of the Jedi Order. Through the twisted threads of tragedy, both of these personas live within one man.

Since his Padawan days, Anakin relied on pure instinct, which puzzled the other Jedi around him. Very few people in the galaxy have ever been so in tune with the Force. During his later years, as Darth Vader, a cloud of fear and despair followed him wherever he went. Nobody dared to cross Vader. Both of these legends pushed the Force to its limits in new, astounding ways.

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Luke Skywalker

• On-Screen Debut: A New Hope™
• Weapon of Choice: Lightsaber

It runs in the family! Like his father, Luke Skywalker taps into the Force itself to enhance his fighting skills. And that’s saying a lot already, since Luke was trained by some impressive Jedi Masters in the ways of the Lightsaber.

Plus, he took care of that entire squadron of Dark Troopers by himself. You can’t say Luke just sat on his laurels as a Skywalker — he trained endlessly in a dying art and did everything in his power to keep the ways of the Jedi alive.

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The Mandalorian

• On-Screen Debut: The Mandalorian™
• Weapons of Choice: Blaster, Flamethrower, Jetpack, Darksaber

Din Djarin, AKA The Mandalorian, expanded upon his culture’s infamous combat skills with the burst of a jetpack and the sting of a blaster. From Mando, we learned the fanatical history behind those helmets and also the symbolic weight of a Mandalorian’s armor. The Mandalorian is easily one of the most versatile fighters in the known galaxy.

Honorable Mention: All Mandalorians are, by nature, exceptional fighters. From royal resistance leaders like Bo-Katan Kryze to other bounty hunters like Boba Fett and Jango Fett, Mandalorian armor is a powerful symbol wherever it appears in the galaxy.

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Ahsoka Tano

• On-Screen Debut: The Clone Wars™
• Weapon of Choice: A Pair of Lightsabers

As the former Padawan of Anakin, Ahsoka Tano was destined to walk a unique path. She even earned the nickname Snips because of her fierce attitude. With age, however, that attitude shifted into a singular wisdom rarely seen within Force-wielders.

Years into her training, Ahsoka grew disillusioned with the Jedi. After all, she entered the Order during the Clone Wars, a tumultuous time for anyone in the galaxy. Though the decision was difficult, Ahsoka left the Jedi Order. As a result, her relationship to the Force became unbound from the strict Jedi teachings, giving her a more nuanced understanding of everything around her — including how to hold her own in any duel.

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Yoda

• On-Screen Debut: The Empire Strikes Back™
• Weapon of Choice: Lightsaber

When audiences first met Yoda, he was in exile on Dagobah as a feeble old man. However, during the Clone Wars, we got to see why Yoda was considered such a skilled Jedi. His small frame allowed him to fight with more agility than any of his opponents, leaping and flipping through the air with acrobatic ease.

Nobody wants to be on the wrong side of that little guy’s yells.

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Mace Windu

• On-Screen Debut: The Phantom Menace
• Weapon of Choice: Lightsaber

It’s a known fact that Mace Windu is one of the few people to have ever bested Darth Sidious in a duel. Much like Ahsoka Tano, Master Windu operates with a more pragmatic approach to the Force — hence his rare Lightsaber color. However, as an established member of the Jedi Council, Windu did everything in his immense power to uphold the ideals of the Jedi Order, right until his very last breath.

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Rey

• On-Screen Debut: The Force Awakens™
• Weapon of Choice: Lightsaber, Force lightning

Compared to the elegance of Jedi before her, Rey’s style is far more brutal. Given the time in which she was trained, an age when the Jedi were all but erased, she had to forge her own unorthodox fighting style with limited training from Master Luke. Rey, due in part to her own insidious origins, allows herself to use the dark side of the Force. It’s not always pretty but it sure is effective.

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Maul

• On-Screen Debut: The Phantom Menace
• Weapon of Choice: Dual-Lightsaber

Maul has faced some of the most formidable fighters in the known galaxy and somehow lived to tell the tale. Well, until he became consumed by revenge and hunted down Obi-Wan Kenobi. The reclusive Jedi proved to be Maul’s undoing in the end. But before that, starting in The Phantom Menace, Maul established himself as a trailblazing Lightsaber wielder by using a dual-sided Lightsaber.

Honorable Mention: Maul’s fellow Dathomorian Asajj Ventress was also a Sith Apprentice. Both had ties to the Nightsisters and Nightbrothers, giving their fighting styles a ruthless (and sometimes magickal) edge.

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General Grievous

• On-Screen Debut: Revenge of the Sith™
• Weapon of Choice: Multiple Lightsabers

A grudge against the Jedi can really take you far in this galaxy. More machine than man, General Grievous led the Separatists during the Clone Wars. With his multiple mechanical arms, Lightsabers could spin and circle in inhuman ways. His fast-paced, chaotic fighting style was a challenge even for Obi-Wan.

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Rotta the Hutt

• First Appearance: The Mandalorian and Grogu™
• Weapon of Choice: Axes

Bet you didn’t expect a Hutt to make this list. In The Mandalorian and Grogu, we met Jabba the Hutt’s son, Rotta, all grown-up. He was working in a combat arena on the planet Shakari when he reluctantly joined forces with Din Djarin. Despite the general reputation of Hutts as sluggish and gluttonous, Rotta proved that there are rippling muscles underneath those slimy rolls. Every fight he entered had Rotta slithering and sliding past his opponents, using his body’s weight to his advantage. Good job, Stinky!

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Cad Bane

• On-Screen Debut: The Clone Wars
• Weapon of Choice: Blaster

Clad in a wide-brimmed hat and a long trench coat, Cad Bane was an imposing figure. He operated from the shadows, only letting himself be seen by his targets when it was far too late. Of all the underworld’s treacherous mercenaries, Bane’s sharpshooting was nearly unrivaled. The only thing more dangerous than his blaster was his willingness to take any job if the price was good enough.

Honorable Mention: Cad Bane’s treacherous colleagues, bounty hunters like IG-88, Aurra Sing, and Embo, are all capable of cutting down an enemy faster than you can say, “How much?”

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Obi-Wan Kenobi

• On-Screen Debut: A New Hope
• Weapon of Choice: Lightsaber

Finally, there’s Obi-Wan Kenobi. Legendary in his loyalty and respected for his thoughtful patience, Obi-Wan is the product of an impressive Jedi lineage. His own talented Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, was trained by the formidable Count Dooku in the ways of the Lightsaber. Dooku, in turn, was once Yoda’s apprentice. That’s enough right there to count as a top contender but Obi-Wan also brings true balance in all things he does. He’s adept at using defense as an offense and using an opponent’s own mind against them. Few can say they’ve bested both Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader.

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Simply put, the galaxy is full of many fascinating individuals who are suited for combat. And if you take into consideration the power of Legends, with Sith figures like Darth Revan, Nihilus, and Malgus, the possibilities are endless.

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fighter? Join the conversation with other Star Wars fans, meet us over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup — don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!