Darth Vader's Best Lightsaber Battle Was Not Authorized By Star Wars
The entire Darth Vader story is full of drama, romance, betrayal, and, of course, lightsaber duels. Throughout his time in the "Star Wars" spotlight, the Dark Lord of the Sith ignites his red lightsaber against all kinds of enemies, from hopeless soldiers to Jedi Knights — coming out on top more often than not. While many of these clashes are remarkable and stand out as key moments in the Skywalker saga, Vader's best duel arguably isn't even one that comes directly from the folks at Lucasfilm.
Stemming from the mind of FXitinPost, a reimagining of Vader's fateful duel on the first Death Star against Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) reached YouTube in May 2019. Unlike the official one seen in "Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope," which is a rather slow and methodical affair, this duel is far more hard-hitting, quicker, and inventively shot. Their sabers cross throughout the Death Star's halls, tearing up their surroundings and keeping both of them on their toes. In the end, just like in the actual film, Vader seemingly gets the best of his old master, taking his life right before Luke Skywalker's (Mark Hamill) eyes.
At the time of publication, FXitinPost's take on Vader and Kenobi's Death Star duel has amassed nearly 49 million views and earned mountains of praise from "Star Wars" fans online. Still, as cool as it is, narratively speaking, it doesn't quite fit the tone of Vader and Kenobi's "A New Hope" meeting.
As cool as this duel reimagining is, it doesn't fit A New Hope
When comparing the "Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope" duel between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi to others, it very much stands out. Confrontations such as the one between Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) on Mustafar, or between Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver, who has confirmed whether he'll ever return to the role) on Starkiller Base are fast, action-packed, and full of big moments. Vader and Kenobi's duel doesn't deliver much in those regards, which is why the FXitinPost reimagining is so strong. It brings it closer to the style of most other "Star Wars" lightsaber duels.
At the same time, just because the original duel isn't structurally similar doesn't mean it's bad. Kenobi's goal on the Death Star isn't to take his old pupil to task in a fight, finally destroying the monster he unwittingly allowed to exist decades earlier. He wants to use Vader's hatred of him to keep him occupied, thus allowing Luke Skywalker and his friends to escape. He takes the occasional swing, blocks some of Vader's, and talks a little trash here and there to maintain his attention. Then, when his allies approach the Millennium Falcon, Kenobi sacrifices himself so that Luke and the Rebellion can live on.
All in all, the fan-made Darth Vader versus Ben Kenobi duel is a feast for the eyes and quite impressively made. However, there's no denying that the actual "A New Hope" duel is among the best. Still, it's not the best lightsaber fight in all of "Star Wars," which only lasts about 40 seconds.