The best lightsaber duels in Star Wars history, ranked for May the 4th (including Ahsoka vs. Darth Vader)

Fans of Star Wars all like the iconic franchise for different reasons.

For some, it’s the X-Wings and Tie Fighters and dogfights in space. For others, it was the cool, handsome and cocky Han Solo that drew us in – or the beeps and boops from R2-D2, growls from Chewbacca, the heroics of Luke, or the leadership of Leia. And for others, it was the mystique of the Force, the battle between light and dark, mind tricks, wizardry and, as Han says, hokey religions.

And a lot of us remember the first time we saw a lightsaber ignite. Whether it was Luke waving his father’s lightsaber around in old Ben Kenobi’s cave, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan drawing theirs to discard some Trade Federation droids, or Kylo Ren using his crossguard saber to intimidate a band of Resistance fighters.

In the movies and television shows, lightsaber duels – or, in the case of The Last Jedi, fights involving lightsabers – are some of the coolest and consequential moments in Star Wars. It’s where fates are altered, destinies are changed, challenges are overcome, and bonds either grow stronger or completely break. These scenes can be awesome and fantastic, and also heartbreaking and emotional. The best ones are both.

In celebration of May the Fourth, what follows here is a completely unscientific and unofficial ranking of the best lightsaber duels on-screen in Star Wars.