Why Luke vs Vader in The Empire Strikes Back Remains the Ultimate Lightsaber Duel!

[@lucaisgarden7005]

The "You are not a Jedi yet" is my favorite moment in all of Star Wars. The writing, delivery, set piece and acting were perfect.

[@livingthepast]

It is incredible! It is such a foreboding line and the excitement of that moment is simply epic.

[@IronicTonic8]

It's easily the best duel, always has been. Empire is also the best movie. It's the heart and soul of the original trilogy and the reason why the original trilogy has stood the test of time.

[@livingthepast]

Yeah, Empire's importance to all of the Star Wars films is hard to put into words. It wields such an influence over things.

[@lhohenstreet]

Empire Strikes Back is the best movie in the series, and it's moments like this duel that elevate it to that status.

[@elichilton7031]

Of all the lightsabre duels, I would agree that this is the best one, in terms of all the ways listed in your most excellent video. Phantom Menace is probably the coolest lightsabre duel, Revenge of the Sith is the most athletic and dynamic, New Hope has the fundamental one setting down the "rules" of a sabre duel. But the Empire duel has the highest dramatic stakes of them all. Thanks for the analysis and May the Force be with You.

[@livingthepast]

Wow, thanks! I agree with your thoughts about Phantom Menace, Revenge of the Sith, and A New Hope.

[@evanthompson6503]

Wow, i think you helped me realize why i like this duel more than Ep. 3 Anikan v. Obi Wan. Without all the sound effects throughout most of the duel, you feel like you’re watching a highlight video or something. Yet in Luke v. Vader, you’re much more engaged i feel. Not to say Duel of the Heroes was a bad duel by any means, i just love this one so much more. Even Duel of the Fates, and Ep. 6 Luke and Vader probably top it for me

[@livingthepast]

Thanks! Yeah, I love them all so much, but Empire takes it for me. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@carter76]

For all its many flaws, contradictions and downright silliness, we can’t stop ourselves from returning to Star Wars time and again, and it’s because of scenes like this one. Fantastic breakdown!

[@livingthepast]

Thanks bro!!! Good to hear from you.

[@yunehversomi1458]

I love the many ways that scene makes Vader feel more powerful and in charge. His posture, his verbalizing, his expressionless mask compared to Luke’s very human expressions. You really get a sense of how much one is exerting and struggling more than the other.

[@livingthepast]

Great point!

[@gwp4eva]

ROTJ is the best OT duel. i would argue that the emotional stakes are on par if not greater than in Empire, this time with equally marched combatants.
plus, that John Williams score when Luke snaps is haunting

[@livingthepast]

I can't argue with that. Return was a close second for me.

[@RunOfTheHind]

I'd take the OG saber fights over the acrobatic nonsense that came after any day. They looked to me how knights would duel! The ones after were just another way Lucas mucked up his own creation as he didn't understand it...or forgot what it was about. Also, "The force is with you, young Skywalker...but you are not a Jedi yet" is one of the coolest moments in the whole franchise.

[@livingthepast]

Love that quote!!!

[@carlhassler4321]

I prefer the acrobatic nonsense that followed. I love the prequels because they convey the story Lucad wanted to tell but couldn't, due to limitations.

[@Halbared]

For me, my fave is the Vader-Ben fight from Star Wars; based on kendo, it makes the most sense for a lightsabre scrap. It has a manoeuvre that is logical for a weapon that works like a torch, which I've not seen replicated. Makes me think Alec Guinness put thought into it. It's hard to choose between Luke-Vader 1 and 2, the emotions are all over, plus the style changes. Thank goodness there were only three films so the fights didn't degenerate into baton-twirling nonsense. :D
But really all the fights from Star Wars, Empire and Jedi are hard to rank. All the duels have emotional depth, story came first then, the fight is a by-product of the story, so we care.

[@livingthepast]

Well said! As I sat down to make a ranking, I had a hard time deciding between the films. The duel in Star Wars (Episode IV for the younger folk) has such a special place in my heart.

[@Agentshadowolf]

The duel between anakin and obi in Episode 3 is by far the best one and its not even close, the darth maul fight in episode 1 was 2nd and the Episode 6 fight between Vader and Luke is 3rd best.

[@DarthRobby]

Truth. The stakes were so high.

[@MaloMonster]

Great video, I think you sort of influenced my opinion! I do think that the empire strikes back is the strongest movie overall, but I thought Return of the Jedi was the best lightsaber battle. But when you mentioned the fact that it is truly an underdog, tension-filled, on the edge of your seat moment of this film, I couldn't help but agree with you that it makes this fight just that much better.

[@livingthepast]

Glad I could convert you!!!! Thanks for watching/commenting.

[@evyllsummer]

Yeah, this is the one. My dream is to create a room with the exact lighting and appearance of the carbonite chamber here…

[@livingthepast]

Haha! That would be epic!

[@evyllsummer]

Hopefully we’ll buy a house in a couple of years, then I’ll bargain for a “geek room”, then it’s ON…;)

[@livingthepast]

I'll be waiting for that invite!!!!

[@evyllsummer]

Deal, my friend!

[@atypical_blk_guy]

For me Vader and Agent Smith are the greatest antagonists ever.

[@livingthepast]

Smith is a really great antagonist. His motivations are so interesting/complex.

[@franklininspace5342]

What do you think of incorporating Legends prequel era novels inside the scope of the first trilogy? For example, introducing someone to A New Hope, then they read the novel Kenobi by John Jackson Miller. There you get the flashback shortly after Luke was dropped off in this tale that encompasses Obi-Wan's early beginnings in exile. Then you watch Empire Strikes Back followed by Yoda: Dark Rendezvous by Sean Stewart. There you get a tale of not only Yoda but a tease of someone named Count Dooku and their assassin Asajj Ventress set in the back drop during the Clone Wars. Finally, you watch Return of the Jedi and then read Darth Plagueis by James Luceno. There you see how the Emperor came to meet his Sith master and begin his machinations.

[@livingthepast]

Love this idea! I think this is ideal if you are a Star Wars fan.

[@franklininspace5342]

@@livingthepast Side note, did you do a retrospective podcast looking back at Unmistakably Star Wars and how you currently interact in that fandom? I know in 2019 I took a step back on how I engaged in the material (Legends and Canon). Like Mark Hamill said in an interview back in the early 2000's, where he compared the stories to ice cream and didn't want to fatigue his interest by eating ice cream all the time.

[@livingthepast]

We talked about it a little on the Patreon side of things, but never out on the main feed or on TH-cam. We have talked a little about revisiting the show.

[@franklininspace5342]

@@livingthepast Ah okay. I hope you do at some point as I can imagine it was a different experience to what you are working on now. Plus, the landscape changed so much in the fandom from the bubble from 2014-2019ish. Side note, it was fun writing occasional articles.

[@carlhassler4321]

Is this limited to the cinema only? Some of your statements deal with movies, but others simply say, "best ever." I would put the Vader/Ahsoka duel in the Rebels episode Twilight of the Apprentice up against any Star Wars duel.

[@livingthepast]

Vader/Ahsoka is amazing. But I was dealing mainly with film. In saying that, I would still put The Empire Strikes Back duel above any Star Wars duel.