Luke Vs. Anakin Skywalker: Who Would Really Win In A Lightsaber Duel?

The "Star Wars" saga is full of what-ifs. What if Ben Quadinaros' power couplings hadn't failed him at the big Boonta Eve Classic? What if Max Rebo always had the same number of limbs? What if Admiral Ozzel had come out of lightspeed just a little bit farther out from the Hoth system? These are the big questions plaguing "Star Wars" fans, but there are also some smaller, more niche debates, like who would win in a fight between a prime Luke Skywalker and a prime Anakin.

While we've seen Luke fight Anakin twice in the movies, those duels aren't what we're talking about here. Everyone knows that while immensely strong in the dark side of the Force, Darth Vader is far less nimble and versatile of a fighter because of the injuries he sustains on Mustafar. Yes, he beats Luke in "The Empire Strikes Back," but his son hasn't even finished his basic training at that point. And yes, Luke beats Vader on the second Death Star in "Return of the Jedi," but it's pretty clear in that fight that the elder Skywalker is conflicted by compassion.

I've written hundreds of articles about every distant corner of the "Star Wars" universe, and I've been a fan since before I can reasonably remember. I've covered the shows, the comics, ancient Force gods, Glup Shitto, and even the trading cards. So today, let's answer this debate once and for all: Who would win in a lightsaber duel between Luke and Anakin Skywalker?

First, it's important to set the stage for our battle. Both combatants must be at the height of their powers for this to be a fair experiment. For Anakin, that puts him right at the end of the Clone Wars. He regularly embraces dark side techniques for a little extra punch during the war, especially in its final days, but he also benefits from not having been de-armed, de-legged, and toasted like a Crème brûlée.

The peak of Luke Skywalker's powers is a bit harder to nail down because realistically, it takes place outside of the main movies and shows that we've seen so far. The closest we've gotten is probably his cameo at the end of "The Mandalorian" Season 2, which shows off his saber skills and Force powers via Luke decimating a platoon of dark trooper droids. Age and training-wise, this version of Luke is pretty evenly matched against prime Anakin, but realistically, his actual peak probably comes several years later.

We see glimpses of Luke's days as a master in the novels and comics, where he fights off fearsome foes like the Knights of Ren and the possessed warrior Kiza. And while we're going to keep this conversation centered on the current "Star Wars" canon, Luke's list of heroic deeds in the old Expanded Universe is hard to ignore.

For the purpose of this experiment, let's pick a neutral site for our duel — a place that Luke and Anakin both know well. Tatooine is the natural choice, as it's where they both grew up. But because Anakin hates sand so much, we'll move the fight out of the Jundland Wastes and onto the streets of Mos Eisley. That way, our combatants will have more tools to take advantage of, as well as the high ground of the rooftops — a key piece of any lightsaber duel.

The modern canon hasn't said as much as the EU about lightsaber forms, but according to the Legends timeline, both Luke and Anakin are practitioners of Form V, specifically the Djem So subvariant. Since that style — an aggressive form built around counterattacks and overhead blows — is still apparent in the movies, we're going to use it as a piece of our experiment, even though the exact details of some lightsaber forms remain in canonical limbo.

Though they both employ the same core style, Anakin is still likely to be the more aggro fighter. His lightsaber attacks would be a whirlwind, forcing Luke onto the backfoot. However, we also know that a prime Luke has far greater patience than his father, which is what ended up being Anakin's undoing during his duel with Obi-Wan on Mustafar. It's easy to imagine Luke using some Force moves to create a bit of space in the fight, tossing stray objects around or leaping away to a higher vantage point, as he does during the "Return of the Jedi" duel. But would that be enough to hold back the laser tornado that is Anakin Skywalker?

Honestly, when I started writing this article, I was firmly in the camp that Anakin would win. His saber skills are simply more impressive than Luke's, as the younger Skywalker's biggest strength has always been his attunement to the force. Plus, while Luke learns a lot from Yoda, Obi-Wan, and the ancient Jedi text, none of that can prepare you for a straight-up swordfight the way that years of sparring and direct combat instruction can.

And yet, the more I've thought about it, the more certain I've become that Luke would come out the victor. Yes, Anakin would be the more aggressive fighter. He always is. But that's also his great weakness. He loses to Dooku in "Attack of the Clones" because he can't control himself. He loses to Obi-Wan in "Revenge of the Sith" for the same reason. At his peak, Luke is a master of patience, and his comfort in fighting in Form V would allow him to keep up with the worst of his father's furious attacks. At some point, Anakin would make a mistake — he always does — and a prime Luke would absolutely be able to take advantage of it.

The matter of duel experience is still relevant, of course. "The Mandalorian" showrunner Jon Favreau has said that Anakin would beat Luke in a fight for that very reason, and there's some merit to the thought. If you run the scenario 10 times, Anakin probably wins three or four off of pure aggression and skill. But if there's one thing "Star Wars" has taught me, it's that balance is the most important part of winning a lightsaber fight.