The 12 Best Jedi In The Star Wars Universe, Ranked
There are few cinematic creations more recognizable than the Jedi. Who among us hasn't walked up to an automatic door and "used the Force" to open it? George Lucas created an entire intergalactic order of noble warriors who are known for both their mastery of lightsabers and their various Force abilities. The most advanced of the bunch can even appear as ghosts to haunt — ahem, help —their allies after death.
Countless Jedi have appeared in the Skywalker Saga, the animated and live-action Star Wars television series, the video games, the comics, and the books. If we tried to rank every single one, it would take longer than washing off the stench of steaming Tauntaun guts. Still, some Jedi clearly stand above others, and there's no time like the present to rank our 12 favorites. In order to do so, we didn't look solely at power or strength, but also each individual's mastery over the Force, their lightsaber skills, and the breadth of their wisdom overall. Wth that, let's Force jump into it.
12. Ezra Bridger
When he was introduced in "Star Wars: Rebels," Ezra Bridger exhibited strong connections to the Force connections even before he trained with Kanan Jarrus. Rising from his humble beginnings as a small-time thief, Ezra went on to fight alongside the Rebellion and helped restore peace after the Clone Wars. He even faced off against villains such as Grand Admiral Thrawn and Darth Vader.
From an early age, Ezra was in tune with the Force. He could sense danger, evade his enemies, and quickly learned complex Jedi abilities like Force jumping. He also mastered a unique fighting technique that combined a blaster with a lightsaber, a combo that you absolutely don't want to be on the receiving end of. However, the main Force power that sets Ezra apart is his ability to tame animals, which he used to communicate with everything from Loth-cats to the whale-like purgill.
Ezra wasn't perfect, of course. Like many Jedi, he was tempted by the dark side more than a few times. Every time, however, he chose the light, and his powerful message during a seemingly hopeless battle inspired the Rebellion to keep fighting. While his fate is unknown — for now, anyway — Ezra remains a leader, a fighter, and a hero.
11. Kanan Jarrus
Against all odds, Kanan Jarrus, formerly known as Caleb Dume, survived the massacre of Order 66. Afterwards, he turned away from his Jedi upbringing for years, hiding his identity to prevent capture and opting to wield a blaster instead of a lightsaber. However, the walls that Kanan built to block out the Force began to break down when he met Ezra. While he was still opposed to going full Jedi, Kanan mentored Ezra and refined his own powers in the process. During a duel with Darth Maul, Kanan lost his sight, but eventually learned how to see again using the Force. That's what marks Kanan as worthy of a spot on this list: After all the chaos and violence that he witnessed, he still chose to return to the Jedi's path.
As a child, Kanan was taught by the best that the Jedi Temple had to offer, including Grand Master Yoda. He was a master fighter, a proficient gunslinger, and his Force abilities were off the charts. Kanan could use the Force to lift large objects without exhausting himself, and saved his family by blocking an explosion while pushing their ship out of harm's way. His sacrifice is one of the most tragic moments in Star Wars history, but at least he died a legend.
10. Count Dooku
Count Dooku had succumbed to the dark side by the time that he made his debut in "Attack of the Clones," but he wasn't always evil. Once a promising Jedi Knight — he was even Qui-Gon Jinn's master — Dooku's lightsaber skills were rivaled only by those of Yoda and Mace Windu. However, Palpatine (Darth Sidious) eventually turned him, and Darth Tyranus was born from the ashes of the former Jedi's future.
Count Dooku was a master duelist, as we see in "Attack of the Clones" when Dooku takes on Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, defeating both of them in mere minutes. He then duels Yoda and holds his own, escaping before a true winner could emerge. Dooku's skills only increased once he turned to the dark side, but that's basically cheating, so he's knocked down a few pegs in our ranking.
9. Ben Solo
As the son of Leia Organa and the nephew of Luke Skywalker, the Force was strong with Ben Solo, who audiences know better as the villainous Kylo Ren. In fact, while training under Luke, his natural aptitude for the Force proved so strong — and the lure of the dark side powerful — that his abilities frightened his master. So, one ill-fated night, Luke briefly debated killing his nephew. This betrayal pushed Ben all the way to the dark side, and the arms of the waiting Supreme Leader Snoke. Soon, everything that Luke feared came true. Ben Solo was no more, and Kylo Ren was born.
Thanks to his Skywalker blood, Ben's natural abilities exceeded those of most other Padawans, and his powers only grew once he became Kylo Ren. Not only was he a fearsome, if undisciplined, fighter, but Kylo's use of telepathy to interrogate and mentally torture his victims was almost unmatched. Fortunately for the galaxy, Rey turned Ben back to the light, and together they defeated Emperor Palpatine once and for all. The main knock against him? Well, he's not really a Jedi — he never graduated from Luke's academy, and he spent most of his life fighting for the Sith. At least he redeemed himself in the end; for our purposes, that's close enough.
8. Qui-Gon Jinn
Qui-Gon Jinn trained Obi-Wan Kenobi, and was the first to see the potential in young Anakin Skywalker. For a Jedi, however, his methods were notably unorthodox. Unlike his peers, Qui-Gon didn't believe in absolutes, and his unconventional views often brought him into conflict with the rest of the Jedi council. Unfortunately, Qui-Gon's story was cut short when Darth Maul killed him at the end of "The Phantom Menace." His dying wish, that Obi-Wan would train Anakin, has led some fans to argue that the fall of the Republic and everything else that followed was all Qui-Gon's fault.
Thanks to his time under Dooku's tutelage, Qui-Gon was just as skilled as any Jedi with a lightsaber the Force, but there was one area in which he bettered almost all those who came before. He was the first Jedi to become "one with the Force," allowing his consciousness to live on after his physical death; it was Qui-Gon's spirit who passed on this skill to both Yoda and Obi-Wan. If Qui-Gon's unwavering belief in Anakin hadn't resulted in the rise of Darth Vader, he'd be higher up on the list. Oh well. Despite what they'd have you believe, no Jedi is perfect.
7. Rey
Rey was abandoned on the harsh desert planet of Jakku at a young age, where she learned many survival skills, including how to pilot ships, repair vehicles and droids, and scavenge scraps of old technology that she could trade for food. Once Rey happened upon BB-8 and Finn, however, her life changed. She quickly discovered she had Force abilities — ones that she'd probably been using all along without realizing it — and even managed to take down a wounded Kylo Ren in a lightsaber duel. Once Rey found a reluctant mentor in Luke Skywalker, her powers only increased. Little surprise there; in "The Rise of Skywalker," the revelation that she's Palpatine's descendant explains both Rey's innate Force abilities and her attraction to the dark side.
Rey's connection to the Force is incredibly strong. During her first confrontation with Kylo Ren, she resists his mental probes, unlocks some of Kylo's tucked-away memories, and uses the Force to pull a lightsaber into her hands. In "The Last Jedi," Rey is even more skilled, moving a pile of heavy boulders with nothing but her mind. She also has a strong connection with Kylo Ren: The two feed off each other, each growing stronger thanks to the so-called "Force Dyad." Rey has an innate understanding of how to use the Force to heal deadly wounds (a very convenient plot device), and can harness Force lightning. If she'd had just a little more training, there's no doubt that she'd be one of the best Jedi of them all.
6. Ahsoka Tano
At the onset of the Clone Wars, Ahsoka Tano became Anakin Skywalker's Padawan, and while their relationship got off to a rocky start, the two eventually became fast friends. Stubborn and feisty, Ahsoka has gone up against an absolute murderer's row of opponents; she's faced General Grievous, the bounty hunter Cad Bane, Darth Maul, and Darth Vader and lived to tell the tales. Talk about a trial by fire!
Ahsoka is like a Jedi empath, able to sense living things' feelings and thoughts. She also mastered both standard and reverse-grip lightsaber fighting styles, but is best known for wielding dual blades. Her quick reflexes make it easy for her to find her foes' weak spots, and she can create barriers out of the Force to block enemy attacks. In the end, though, it's Ahsoka's heart that makes her special. After being treated unfairly, she had the courage to put down her lightsaber and walk away from the Jedi Temple; that kind of resolve should scare the Sith out of any potential opponent.
5. Mace Windu
Mace Windu was a well-respected and high-ranking member of the Jedi Council who served as a diplomat, advisor, and general in the Clone Wars. One of the first to suspect Palpatine's devious motives, Windu confronted the Sith and nearly defeated him. In the process, he revealed Palpatine's true identity: Darth Sidious, who had been playing both sides of the Clone Wars against each other in his bid for power. It was only the interference of that pesky Anakin Skywalker that stopped Windu from stopping the Empire before it even got started; unfortunately, Anakin's meddling resulted in Mace's (alleged) death.
Windu's fellow Jedi widely considered him to be one of the greatest duelists of all time. As revealed in the role-playing game supplement "Knights of Fate," Windu invented and mastered the Vapaad fighting form, which asked Jedi to channel their anger in order to achieve benevolent goals — for warriors constantly struggling to deny their emotions and defy the dark side, you can only imagine how dangerous that must've been. But Windu was more than up for the challenge —when faced off against Jengo Fett, his combat prowess served him well, and he easily beheaded the feared bounty hunter. He was also the only Jedi to wield a purple lightsaber. Why? Because Samuel L. Jackson wanted one, that's why. If that's not enough to qualify him for this list on its own, we don't know what is.
4. Anakin Skywalker
Look, you know how this one goes. Conceived without a father, Anakin was born with a higher midi-chlorian count than any known Jedi, leading Qui-Gon to believe that Anakin was the prophesied "chosen one." According to no less of an authority than George Lucas, he was right, although things didn't quite play out like the Jedi Master expected.
After Qui-Gon's death, Anakin trained under Obi-Wan Kenobi and, although reckless, became a skilled Jedi Knight. His downfall began when he fell in love with Padme, as Jedi aren't supposed to have attachments. His fear of losing Padme and his disillusionment with the Jedi Order allowed Darth Sidious to turn him to the dark side, transforming Anakin into Darth Vader. And so, one of the most powerful Jedi became one of the most fearsome Sith of all time.
During the Clone Wars, Anakin was a legendary fighter who won nearly every battle he was in, but he was also a bit of a hothead and prone to arrogance. He proved himself Darth Tyranus' superior at the beginning of "Revenge of the Sith," and only lost to Obi-Wan Kenobi during their duel on Mustafar because he gave into his rage and ego. Their rematch in "Obi-Wan Kenobi" proved that he still had a lot to learn, but by the time that the events of "A New Hope" began, the learner truly had surpassed his master. Had he not fallen to the dark side — which is, admittedly, a pretty big caveat — Anakin would have easily claimed the title of the galaxy's top Jedi.
3. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the most legendary Jedi in "Star Wars" lore. He trained Anakin and Luke Skywalker. He defeated some of the toughest enemies in the galaxy, including Darth Maul, General Grievous, and his former Padawan and best friend, Anakin Skywalker. For decades, he was the only real Jedi we'd ever seen on screen.
Not that he had an easy time of it, of course. After Order 66 and the creation of Darth Vader, Obi-Wan went into hiding, watching over a young Luke and Leia from afar — and, in at least one case, not-so-far. Once Luke came of age, Obi-Wan trained him in the ways of the Jedi. A rematch with Darth Vader led to Obi-Wan becoming one with the Force, but that wasn't the end of his story. His spirit helped Luke destroy the Death Star, guided young Skywalker to Yoda, and ultimately played a key part in the Empire's demise.
Obi-Wan Kenobi took a level-headed, defensive approach to lightsaber duels, although he was capable of unleashing strong attacks when needed. He fought General Grievous seven times, and survived each encounter with barely a scratch. But violence wasn't Obi-Wan's main way of getting things done; he preferred to use diplomacy (and mind tricks) whenever possible. In fact, his ability to persuade his enemies during the Clone Wars earned him the nickname "The Negotiator." Many of the Jedi on this list have similar abilities, but Obi-Wan's control over his emotions, his measured nature, and the impact he had on the outcome of the Galactic Civil War earn him a higher rank than almost all the rest.
2. Luke Skywalker
As the son of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala, the Force was naturally strong with Luke. After briefly training with Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke used the Force to make an impossible shot and destroy the Death Star, marking the beginning of the end for the Empire. A little later, Luke continued his training under Jedi Grand Master Yoda, and eventually defeated his father, restoring balance to the galaxy ... until the arrival of the sequel trilogy, anyway.
What's remarkable about Luke's power is that he was almost completely self-taught. Compared to the training most Jedi underwent, his time with Obi-Wan and Yoda was remarkably brief, and he spent much of the period between "Return of the Jedi" and "The Force Awakens" searching out old Jedi artifacts and increasing his knowledge of the Force on his own volition.
And yet, even without much of a formal education, Luke's lightsaber skills were nigh-incomparable. He single-handedly defeated the Dark Troopers and the Knights of Ren, and held his own against Darth Vader multiple times. In the end, though, it was putting down his blade that allowed Luke to defeat his father, turning Anakin back to the light. Even after cutting himself off from the Force for years, Luke was able to Force project himself across the galaxy to fight Kylo Ren, where his pacifism once more ended up winning the day. Luke's power and the legend he became to both the Rebellion and the rest of the galaxy made him the second most powerful Jedi. The first is, of course...
1. Yoda
All of the Jedi on this list are impressive, but in our opinion, only one proves without a doubt that "size matters not." Yoda survived nine centuries' worth of galactic battles, saw the fall of the Jedi Order, and trained generations of Padawans. No wonder he was named Grand Master, a title granted only to the oldest and wisest members of the Jedi Council. He led thousands of clones in battle, fought both Darth Sidious and Count Dooku to a standstill, and returned as a Force ghost in "The Last Jedi" to impart further wisdom to a disillusioned Luke Skywalker.
For the most part, Yoda was unwavering in his belief in the light side of the Force, but, as seen in season 6 of the "Clone Wars," he also studied and understood the trappings of the dark side. Additionally, his Force powers were unmatched. He could use the Force to do almost anything, including absorbing Darth Sidious' lightning and redirecting it as an offensive attack. Honestly, Yoda's power is enough to earn him the number one spot here, but it's his wisdom that really makes Yoda the best. No other Jedi had a deeper understanding of the ways of the Force. That's why Yoda was, and always will be, the Grand Master of them all.