7 'Star Wars' Fights Where Having The High Ground Didn't Matter

Star Wars

Feb 20

In Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Anakin Skywalker lost all four limbs, all because Obi-Wan Kenobi had a little height advantage. But was this really a big moment of hubris on Anakin’s part? Have we seen Jedi win fights from the short side of the Force before? Let's have a look at some lightsaber duels where the high ground didn’t matter.

7. Darth Vader Vs Luke Skywalker - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Vader isn’t actively trying to kill Luke Skywalker in this battle, but if the high ground is so important, then why does Vader relinquish it so many times? When Luke arrives to face Vader for the first time, the Dark Lord is standing on top of lit steps, but he waits for Luke to get on the same level before attacking. At another moment in the battle, he kicks Luke down some stairs and then joins him at the bottom.

Yes, this was filmed 25 years before the high ground was conceived. So was it a coincidence that Vader told Luke he was ‘impressive’ just as he jumped into tubes hanging from the ceiling? This is then immediately followed up with the line, ‘Obi-Wan has taught you well.’ Daddy Vader loves it when his son finds the high ground.

6. Count Dooku Vs Yoda - Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones

Count Dooku was supposed to be one of the best dualists in the Jedi Order before he turned to the dark side. He is confronted by Yoda who is 2' 2" tall. Christopher Lee/Count Dooku was 6' 5" inches. Dooku always had the high ground in this fight, but the elderly master clearly had the upper hand. Darth Tyrannus ran away as fast as he could.

5. Ahsoka Vs Maul - Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Darth Maul laid a trap for Anakin Skywalker but got his apprentice instead. Obi-Wan and Anakin were busy rescuing Palpatine, as the episode is set at the same time as Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Maul tried to tell Ahsoka that Anakin was being groomed to become Darth Sidious’ apprentice, but she didn’t believe him. Lightsabers were lit, Maul’s double-edged against Ahsoka’s dual wielding. The fight went up into the rafters. As the Force users jumped from girder to girder. Maul ended up higher on a beam that was bent at an angle. Maul backed Ahsoka off the edge, but she escaped the trap, switching their positions, and using his own saber to cut him off the end. Maul fell, but she used the force to catch him and saved his life. Unlike Anakin, Ahsoka found a way to negate the ‘high ground’ advantage.

4. Yoda Vs Palpatine - Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Yoda battles Sheev in the senate chamber. The Dark Lord quickly gains the high ground, climbing up the pods above the Jedi Master. Despite being able to rain booths down on Yoda’s head, he still isn’t able to kill the little green guy. On Mustafar, Obi-Wan shouts to Anakin that he has the high ground as if it’s a battle-ending move. It wasn’t for Sheev. Yoda acknowledged after the fight that Palpatine was ‘too powerful’ for him, but Yoda was still able to make it out of the battle alive. Even with the high-ground advantage.

3. General Grievous Vs Kenobi – Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith has some epic lightsaber duels, in particular, Obi-Wan versus General Grievous. By this point, Obi-Wan has faced off against Grievous NINE times over various media. The final time they meet the Jedi needs all his experience and knowledge to beat him. Does he go for the high ground? No. The complete opposite.

Obi-Wan loses his lightsaber (again) but uses the Force to grab a blaster. While dangling from a platform, he shoots the General in the heart.

2. Maul Vs Pre Vizsla - Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Darth Maul comes to Mandalore to claim the throne and the Darksaber. The resulting duel between Pre Vizsla, (voiced by Jon Favreau) the head of The Death Watch, and the deposed Sith Lord was one of the best in the series. Pre Vizsla has a massive high-ground advantage of a jet pack. Despite being able to fly around the throne room, Maul still disarms him and kills him with the Darksaber.

1. Obi-Wan Kenobi & Qui-Gon Jinn Vs Darth Maul – Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

The most iconic duel in the Star Wars Saga. Qui-Gon Jinn is unceremoniously skewered through the chest (although this wasn’t a problem for Sabine Wren) leaving Obi-Wan Kenobi to face off against Darth Maul. Kenobi ends up lightsaberless and dangling down a shaft. Maul stands above him showering sparks from random weapon strikes. He most definitely has the higher ground. That’s not a problem for the apprentice. Obi-Wan uses the force to retrieve Qui-Gon’s weapon, jumps up, and slices Maul in half. Maul somehow survives this and is brought back in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but Kenobi wins the fight.

Taking out enemies from below is Obi-Wan’s go-to move. Maybe that’s the real reason why that force jump worked out so badly for Anakin Skywalker because Obi-Wan Kenobi has used it so many times, he knows how to defend against it.

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