The Jedi of Star Wars are like the knights or samurai of the future (but also somehow in the past). Many regard them as heroes who defend the galaxy against the evil Sith with their trusty glowing blades. They have a strong connection to the Force and can use it to manipulate the world around them. To be a true Jedi, you must follow a strict code that eschews strong feelings and personal attachment.
Even though the Jedi can be a flawed group, we all have our favorites. Although all the Jedi have their strong points, some are more powerful than others. I have a theory that Jedi only get stronger with the next generation because the Force keeps building. Some Jedi have to walk, so others can run. So, going off of canon Jedi, I have compiled a list of the most powerful folks to wield a lightsaber.
15. Grogu
Grogu isn’t technically a Jedi, I know. He trained only for a short time, then went rogue. But he is very powerful in the Force. Since we do not know much about Grogu and Yoda, it may be that they are all this strongly connected to the Force, especially at a young age. Either way, Grogu could rank higher on the list if he ever goes back to training.
14. Aayla Secura
Aayla Secura is a Twi’lek Jedi Master featured in the prequel movies and The Clone Wars. Her powers with the Force may not be extraordinary, but her overall skills as a warrior are. Sadly, she led a group of troopers when Order 66 occurred and the brainwashed clones murdered her.
13. Kit Fisto
Kit Fisto had a lot of skill with a lightsaber. Because of his genetics, not only could he fight well on land, but he could also take that same skill underwater. However, his connection to the Force didn’t seem much higher than the average Jedi.
12. Plo Koon
Plo Koon is another Jedi Master who sadly died during Order 66. Like several of the other Jedi, he was a skilled warrior and pilot. Unlike the others, Pl Koon seemed to have a stronger connection to the telekinetic abilities. Too bad we didn’t get to see more of his skills.
11. Ezra Bridger
Ezra Bridger is considered to be a prodigy in the Force. He’s a character that we have now seen in the animated Rebels show and the live-action Ahsoka where he had some impressive moves. His training hasn’t been consistent, otherwise, he would probably be higher on the list. Something unique about Ezra and the Force is that it allows him to connect with animals. Just that power alone could do great things.
10. Count Dooku
Before Dooku fell to the dark side, he was one of the best Jedi with a lightsaber. He matched Mace Windu in ability and only Yoda could defeat him. But he went Sith and ruined his chances of being higher on the list.
9. Quinlan Vos
Quinlan Vos had a lot of skill with a lightsaber. But his power ranking more lies with his Force ability. Not only could he use Force telekinesis, but he connected to the Force on a deeper level, where he could feel a person’s thoughts or emotions from an object they had touched. Using this, he could track people with ease. Also, he used the Force to hide that he had turned to the dark side. But his betrayal of the Jedi code forced him lower on the list.
8. Ahsoka Tano
Trained in the Force by her two dads, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano is very powerful in the Force. She uses the Force to increase her agility during duels (that she does with two blades) and can use telekinesis with skill, including using a Force choke.
The Force even came to her through visions of the future and this allows her to communicate telepathically with other Force-sensitive beings. If she had stayed with the Jedi longer (and I support her decision in every way), and if Order 66 never happened, she may have surpassed more Jedi on the list.
7. Mace Windu
Besides just being cool (and having the only purple lightsaber), Mace Windu is one of the top Jedi duelists of all time. A powerful handle on Force telekinesis, Windu also mastered the Jedi mind trick. Maybe because of his ability to see the future, he never trusted Anakin fully, knowing he would eventually fall to the dark side. Although Windu is exceptional, he just doesn’t reach the same level as the other Jedi on the list.
6. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi (a.k.a. Ben Kenobi or Daddy-Wan Kenobi) is the grand-padawan of Count Dooku, the padawan of Qui-Gon Jinn. He trained both Anakin Skywalker and Anakin’s son, Luke. But Kenobi was more than a trainer. He used the Force (and his silver tongue) to mind-trick people and help negotiations during the war.
Also, he used his deep connection to the Force to lift large objects. With his power and lightsaber dueling abilities, he even defeated Darth Vader (not Anakin because those two would never fight). I also stand by the theory that Vader didn’t kill Kenobi. Kenobi just stopped existing since he was sick of dealing with Skywalker-related drama. One man (even a master Jedi) can only take so much.
5. Ben Solo
Before Ben Solo thought his Uncle Luke Skywalker was out to kill him, he was on the path to becoming an ultra-powerful Jedi. As the child of Leia Skywalker, the Force was strong in Ben. Lucky for him, Luke was there to teach him. Ben’s power could have met that of Luke’s, but egos and daddy issues got in the way, as they tend to do in Star Wars. Although Kylo Ren is still powerful, his chaotic anger never equaled what his power good have been if he stayed on the path of the Jedi.
4. Anakin Skywalker
Many great Jedi believed Anakin Skywalker was the chosen one to bring balance to the Force. His connection to the Force and skill with a lightsaber exceeds most Jedi. Watching Anakin duel is a thing of beauty, especially when he combines his physical skills and the Force.
If the Jedi understood Anakin’s raw power more, or if he had more hugs from Obi-Wan, he could have outranked all the other Jedi. However, his emotions and power were not channeled correctly (I could literally write a Ted Talk on this), and we got Darth Vader instead of an ultimate Jedi.
3. Yoda
Yoda is a lean, green Force machine. The oldest and wisest of the Jedi, Yoda has had 900 years to hone the Force to his needs. Whether it is lightsaber battles, telekineses, or feeling the will of the Force, he’s got it all on lockdown. He trained many of the legendary Jedi, including Dooku and Luke Skywalker. Yet even with his advanced age, his ability didn’t eclipse some younger Jedi.
2. Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker was born to be a Jedi (like his father before him). The son of “the chosen one” and trained by two Jedi greats, Luke easily found his feet as an amazing Jedi. It is like the power of those before him, added to his strengths and abilities.
After training others, Luke found ancient Jedi texts to further his own knowledge. As we saw when he used a Force projection (also called Similfuturus) to travel through space. This is honestly one of the coolest moments in Star Wars history.
1. Rey Skywalker
Much like Luke Skywalker, Rey was born to be a glowing center in the Force. It makes sense that she would take the Skywalker last name. As the daughter of a clone of Darth Sidious/Sheev Palpatine and trained by Luke Skywalker for a short time, Rey had the basic skills to become one of the greatest Jedi ever.
With only a short training window and being a young age during that time, Rey still performed amazing feats with the Force. Her Force telekinesis outperformed many Jedi before her. And her power connected with Ben Solo/Kylo Ren to create a legendary Force Dyad. We only saw some of Rey’s power, so with her, the sky is the limit.
(feature image: Walt Disney Pictures Studios)
