Ahsoka Tano vs Darth Vader | Lightsaber Duel Analysis 

Just realized I wrote VERSE and not VS. I need to sleep more.

Hearing Anakin's voice but knowing it's Vader who's talking really nails in that Anakin is dead. And that just breaks me.

"I'm no Jedi" No Ahsoka... You were better

He told Ezra, “Then you will die braver than most”. That is the most Vader saying ever.

just the way lanter's voice brutally emphasizes each word to leave no doubt about vader's intentions: "Then. You. Will. Die." ugh. brilliantly heartbreaking.

The same scar can be seen at the end of The Return Of The Jedi, under Vader’s eye when his helmet is removed by Luke

Darn right Anakin got "Kenobied". I've become a verb!

This battle is one of my favorites. Having talked to the voice of Ahsoka, Ashley Eckstein, she says that it was a very emotional scene for her as well. That line, I am no Jedi, is incredible.

Jedi and sith are immune to fall damage, change my mind

If you'll notice in the beginning, the animators used the exact same camera perspective for Ahsoka returning to Anakin/Vader's life as she did when she left it. The last shot we got of Ahsoka in Clone Wars was of her back to Anakin, walking away from him & the Jedi Temple, while the camera looked over Anakin's left shoulder. The first time Vader gets an actual face-to-face personal encounter with Ahsoka again is here, with the camera looking on from the same over the left shoulder perspective. Here, we see Ahsoka walking back into his life-- from the front coming closer instead of with her back turned walking away --while looking over his left shoulder again. It's a great 'visual rhyme', I believe it's called.

“Before he got Kenobied” greatest line!!! So sad about this fight though, I feel so bad for Ashoka in this fight that must’ve hurt so much for her cause she and anakin were close as master and apprentice. But hey we’re close to season seven of the clone wars the trailers look good!!!

This Whole Situation Is Heartbreaking,the Duel is the catalyst,when Ahsoka cut Vader's helmet,and I heard that"Ahsoka" I actually got chills,Goosebumps,this whole sequence is so well done. This is also one of my favorite duels,Cause of the obvious,this duel falls right after Anakin\Vader vs Obi In my book,Then Vader vs Luke on bespin,then Deathstar,then Rey vs Kylo On Deathstar wreckage

Fun fact in universe this duel was foretold by vader in the 2017 darth vader comic

Vader Comic 2017. During his vision, one of those vision includes the glimpse of this fight

Welcome to another lightsaber duel video! This was a fun one to talk about. AHSOKA VS VADER in Rebels! That show is incredible IMO. Since this is animation, I mostly focus on whats going on in the minds of each individual, but overall this flight is flashy, over the top, and amazing. Watch Rebels! Please LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE to stay up to date on my content! -ATAT

Hearing Matt Lanters voice gives me chills and breaks my heart everytime I watch this scene. The best of Rebels I’m my oppinion

I agree, this is Vader fighting himself. I also agree that had Ezra not pulled Ahsoka into the realm outside of time and space Vader would have killed her right then and there. I don't necessarily think it would have been a decapitation but certainly she would have been cut to pieces in some way. My jaw was on the floor for a few months lol IMO, the only thing that beats this is the comic when Boba Fett gives Vader the name of the rebel pilot who blew up the Death Star, thus informing him that he has a surviving child. I would LOVE to see THAT entire arc animated, from when Vader sees Anakin's saber for the first time after loosing it to Obi-Wan up unto when he starts cracking the windows on his Star Destroyer reacting to the news that he has a son.

I always found interested how Vader show mercy to Ahsoka at first, than instead of killing her like the others he was hunting around the time. We know Vader is ruthless killing machine. but showing mercy to a jedi is not Vader's Character. In the case, being Ahsoka, someone Vader's Past and close to him. really awaked something deep down inside Vader.

I respectfully have to disagree on one point, which is who was winning. Vader was dominating the entire fight. The only point where they might be even was during the start. Don’t get me wrong, Ahsoka is likely in the same area as Vader, but I wouldn’t give her quite as much praise as you did. She was contending with Maul earlier in the episode, which is incredible, but even Maul admitted he can’t beat Vader alone. If Rebels Ahsoka and Rebels Maul are relatively equal, then Ahsoka just doesn’t have enough to win. She puts up a good fight, but Vader is a far greater duelist than I think you give him credit for. If Vader didn’t have to pull himself away to get the Holocron, he would’ve just dropped down to where Ahsoka had fallen and finished her. She was knocked out or at least dazed when she fell. Vader had essentially already won. Ahsoka got one shot in while his back was turned. Again, I love Ahsoka and think she’s definitely one of the more powerful Star Wars Characters, but I just think she can’t win against Vader. Sorry I went off on a tangent. I just love to powerscale.

When Vader states that revenge is not the jedi way, he’s repeating a line from the clone wars told to him.

I feel that you’re very accurate in your analysis while obi wan was trying to stall to see if anakin would calm down and come back like a father or master would, Ahsoka was trying to beat some sense him like a sister or sibling would because you notice the only hits that connected were hits or force pushes. however, being organic you can only go for so long before giving out and seeing that nothing she was doing was working she was gonna try to take him with her.

I love how you brought up how they used the special effects from ROTJ for Vader's scream. I can't help but wonder if there's a special significance to Ahsoka breaking Vader's mask for his overall story arc. It reminds me of the end of ROTJ when Vader asks Luke to take his mask off so he can look at him with his own eyes. He could have been remembering this time when, for a brief moment, he was forced to look Ahsoka in the eyes, instead of hiding behind the dark filter of his mask. I feel like he might have been conflicted about fighting Ahsoka. First he tried to get her to cooperate, and then he pushed her away with the force instead of killing her. He may have been hoping she would just run away. It wasn't until the moment when she said she would never leave him that he had to make a final choice. He wouldn't be able to let her go without confronting the Emperor and/or returning to the light. He wasn't ready or was too afraid of what it would mean to come back to Ahsoka, but I bet he never forgot the moment when he had to make that choice. And maybe part of his redemption with saving Luke was Anakin being determined to not make the same mistake twice.

I can see how ahsoka has grown so good, she was already skilled as a padawan but I think it is because of that she fought maul she learned a bit about how the sith will fight when outskilled. She is still a total badass

Anakins voice and Vader’s when he says “then you will die” sent chills down my back, chills of nostalgia and fear. I also teared up during that scene because to me, anakin and ahsoka were like brother and sister, inseparable and had a natural bond. I almost cried as much as when ahsoka left the order.

Anakin still hasn't the mastered the high ground

I dont think ashoka has ever been afraid of vader..mostly cuz she sees anakin and shes not afraid of anakin..if anything she probaly pities who hes become,rather then being afraid of what hes become.

And I'm crying again. Such a great duel, especially for those who love the pair! This analysis was amazing, thank you for making this video, and I truly hope, even if we heard her voice in IX, that Ahsoka isn't dead, but she's in the WBW with Ben :D

I absolutely love this lightsaber duel analysis series! There’s so much work and time put into these videos and it’s amazing.

The content this channel has been pumping out since The Rise of Skywalker is just 🤯🤯🤯! This channel has gone light speed into my top two channels right there with Star Wars Explained. You are doing God’s work my friend. Keep up the great work! Can’t wait for Vader vs. Luke in Cloud City, Anakin vs Obi-Wan on Mustafar, and Kylo vs. Rey on the Death Star ruins!

I really love this scene. It makes it even more special knowing that they used Matt Lanter's voice for when Vader says "Ahsoka" and "Then you will die." Really brings back the nostalgia from the Clone Wars

There’s a comic that shows that Vader sees a vision of him meeting Ahsoka there

Probably the best lightsaber duel in all of star wars animation. 😃

My heart breaks when I watch this one. They are brother and sister here, with all of the attending guilt. The hardest thing to do is forgive yourself when you actions have caused so much pain.

I really hope we get a duel like this in the Kenobi show between Obi-Wan and Vader

When Ashoka says “I am no Jedi” it reminds of the scene in Lord of the Rings when Eowyn says “I am no man”.

Great analysis as always, well done! As for their confrontation being "foretold", I believe Vader finds out about it during his experience in the force realm at the end of the Vader comic. During that part he experiences glimpses of his past and future, and one of the panels shows his confrontation with Ahsoka on Malachor with the accompanying dialogue "it was foretold that you would be here"

This whole scene just guts me, especially when the two are just staring at each other.

What's even more sad is that it was Anakin's idea for her to use two sabers for better defence - little did they know it was a defence to be used against him 🥺😪

This is seriously one of my all time favorite duels of the saga. Shows how far ahsoka has come as a swordsman and how overpowering Vader is. But Im not sure how I feel about Ezra saving ahsoka. In my head canon, the outcome of the duel is the same with or without the world between worlds. I like to think that ahsoka wouldn't have gotten decapitated and would have fallen with vader. Vader would assume she's dead, and being so beat up, he just leaves without finding a body. That's just what I like to believe. I don't like the outcome of the duel being changed by time travel. But either way, still an awesome fight!!

I thought I read or watched an interview with Dave Faloni that there was never a moment where Ashoka could turn Vader to the light and every conversation between them was a lie to try and kill her. When he calls out to her after she cut his mask it was a trap for her. Then again I could be misremembering it.

His slice of his helmet looks like the scar on anakin's face

You are correct. Ahsoka would have died if it was not for Ezra. But as you said fate had other ideas.

I love how Ahsoka went from being an annoying and unwanted character to one of the most beloved.

This is proof Ahsoka Tano is one of the most powerful jedi. She's able to fight Darth Vader.. Darth-fucking-Vader. She has proving herself stronger than the likes of even Anakin.

Ahsoka is probably my favorite in Star Wars, I never had a favorite until I’ve met her

I love this series of yours, and I think part of the reason why is the attention to detail you adhere to, not just in an obvious sense, but in terms of deeper meaning and substance in these lightsaber duels as well. Props. :)

I think its tragic & brilliant at the same time. I dont know how to explain what im trying to put out but its like a duel of duality type theme going on if that makes sense. Their combative style & their mental state. Both are able to close off their feelings to the point where they are willing to kill each other despite their history. Anakin's voice in sync with Vader's as he says her name & Ahsoka saying she will not leave him this time was emotionally heartbreaking yet beautiful imo. Good analysis video i always wanted to know what forms of combative styles are being used. Seems like Vader was comfortable with form 5 but relied mostly on his strength?

I've seen this comment somewhere already, but I think Vader conversing with Ahsoka before the duel started was a genuine attempt by him to not fight. The fact he shuts off his blade before he says "we need not be adversaries...", plus Ahsoka igniting her sabers first before Vader does, seems to reinforce the idea that he was reluctant to fight her, considering how events in The Clone Wars played out. Great analysis too man 👌

Ahsoka is by far my favourite star wars character. I think lots of people underestimate her but she is literally the apprentice of the chosen one

Truly heartbreaking, but so good. I needed to see this duel and interaction after seeing Ahsoka leave in CW Season 5.

when you realize ahsoka is dead in the rise of skywalker because rey hears her force ghost voice

I love the narrative and choreographed tension of this fight. It really amazed me to think about this fight in terms of Vader fighting his past, along with all that Anakin stood for. Thank you for this amazing video.

When an animation has a better fight choreography than you'd expect, and it ends with a heart breaking dialog. "I'm not leaving you again." "Then, you will DIE." Me: *"That's deep, bruh."*

You guys really need to do the last Obi-Wan vs Maul duel, It’s really beautiful. Also Obi-Wan vs Anakin on mustafar, because it’s probably the most significant lightsaber duel of all time.

4:45 Probably the first opponent Vader has ever fought that wasn't afraid.

When she cuts his mask you can see his eye brows but he had no eyebrows in return of the Jedi

it wasn't sheev that told Vader to face ahsoka there. Vader saw his fight with ahsoka when he acessesed the dark side force realm after he beat momin in Vader #25 by Charles soule. Also the Tros visual dictionary says that the malachor super weapon was created by a Sith named Darth Tannis so she might be the voice of the holocron now .

Really great fight analysis! This is probably my favorite duel in all of Star Wars, right up there with Anakin vs. Obi-Wan in RotS. I also didn't realize they used the same soundbite from RotJ when Ahsoka slashes his mask open; awesome detail. Thanks for making this!

Ahsoka is such a tragic character. I'd love to see her story on the big screen.

I love this fight! Thank you for the interesting take on Vader and Ahsoka's battle. And just to add my two cents to the discussion, I feel like people saying Ahsoka should have died during her fight with Vader are completely missing the point. She is a character that has grown beyond the role of Anakin's apprentice; it's like saying that just because Luke completed his hero's journey there is no reason for him to do anything else and should get killed in the next installment... (oh wait a second... ). There is more storytelling potential with her being alive than with her dying during that fight. She would have just become another victim of Vader, it would be a hollow death since it would simply be another victory on Vader's account that he'd probably forget about soon enough while, in my opinion at least, a more interesting turn is that of Vader being haunted by her sudden and inexplicable disappearance, that she somehow was the only one to get away, and that neither of them obtained the satisfactory resolution they wanted from that encounter. It's not a definitive ending but it's one that the two won't be able to forget. Plus, her journey would have ultimately amounted to a foot note in detriment of the time dedicated to developing her character throughout the course of TCW had she been offed then . Asides from the oh how tragic, Anakin killed his former apprentice and friend in cold blood look how evil he is now and how far he has fallen as if similar themes in regards to Vader have never been done or explored before, what else can be gained from her death truly? There are many plots that can be done with and because of her still.

Significant indeed!

This was one of the best scenes in Rebels.

You have the best comments no one is screaming first or second

I get real emotional every time I watch this battle

Yes! Best RU-vid star wars series! Nice video!

It was revealed in the darth Vader comics that he said “it was foretold that you would be here” is because when making his castle on mustafar he went into a sort of time portal where he sees the Vader vs Asoka duel. But great video keep up the good work

“Before he got Kenobied”. More accurately, "before he and everyone else got screwed by Episode 9". After all, it's that clusterfuck of a trilogy that undoes so much of what we believed to be true by the end of The Return of the Jedi. As one who was just old enough to see A New Hope on its release in 1977, I don't regard the latest trilogy as Star Wars. It's just Disney making a colossal hash of things while trying to make good on the money they spent buying Lucas Films. (Can you believe with all Disney's money they couldn't find decent storytellers, script writers and actors? Absolutely incredible). Anakin didn't lose his 'Chosen One' destiny when Kenobi cut him down, in fact one might argue that happening was necessary to him fulfilling his destiny. Becoming Vader is how he was able to destroy his Sith Master, Darth Sidious, AND return to the light side and so destroying the other Sith, Darth Vader. I also say that because the whole "high ground" thing always struck me as ridiculous in light of having seen Anakin leap a few HUNDRED METRES from the structure going over the lava fall as part of their duel barely a few minutes earlier. We knew he was going to lose, and end up in the suit, but doing so in a way that didn't add up with what we'd just seen always struck me as at least very poor continuity/attention to detail if not simply lazy storytelling.

Great analysis im pretty sure that Vader was using Form 7 during this battle which is very offensive and aggressive but open to force attacks hence why Ahsoka was able to force push him in the beginning and ofc the whole Vader dominating the whole fight but Ahsoka is powerful but Dave Filoni states Ahsoka would have gotten destroyed without Ezra intervening also Vader is canonically noted as the strongest lightsaber duelist in all of Star Wars more powerful than Sidious as a lightsaber duelist

1:40 Sidious does not tell Vader to go to Malachor, he knows that he is destined to fight Ahsoka from the the final issue of the 2017 Vader comic series, in which he envisions battling her after defeating Darth Momin.

Fantatsic analysis, this was exceptionally well done! But I just wanted to point out that the "it was for told you would be here" line is actually due to Vader having various visions of the past and future when he attempts to resurrect Padme in Marvel's Darth Vader Issue #25.

Quite the Ahsoka fan, eh? She’s awesome and the fact that she didn’t die immediately to Vader is a feat, but she at no point had any sort of upper hand except for the strike to his face while he was distracted. She wasn’t “easily” doing anything and they weren’t evenly match. She was just surviving as long as she could, though inevitable defeat was marching toward her.

I loved the references to KotOR and KotOR II in this episode. Everything from Malachor to the ancient Jedi and Sith to the temple itself just gave me a sense of nostalgia.

You should look through the Clone wars and find some obscure duels. Kit Fisto vs Grievous is one of my personal favorites.

I think vader was definitely conflicted in this duel which is why he starts off kind of slow. Vader tellingly Ashoka revenge is not the Jedi way is something Anakin taught her during the clone wars. This is getting closer to Ahsoka learning the truth. The first part of the duel I think is meant to show how strong ahsoka has become. But then we go to the wide shot vader is dominating her. Another interesting thing is this parallels when ahsoka was on the run and this might be over analyzing but stay w me for a sec. I’m the clone wars Anakin reaches for ahsoka trying to tell her to just come with him so she’ll be safe she jumps leaving a shot of a worried Anakin. Then you have vader literally pushing her away looking down at her. I think that’s a subtle reference to the relationship they once shared. This is one of the best duels in Star Wars

I don’t get why people hate on Ashoka. She’s become a great character and it seems ppl are just bias about it all.

I just want to let you know how much I and many others, appreciate these videos and the effort you put into them. Thank you so much!

Ahsoka fought Maul, Vader and Palpatine in one day. And survived!

“Then you will die!” That line breaks me every time I hear it.

I have to disagree with you that she was winning most of the fight, although she is a fantastic fighter, and she put up a fight better than pretty much any Jedi against Vader in cannon arguably. I feel like as soon as Vader started to push Ahsoka out of the temple it went from stale mate to Vader being completely in control, from that moment on you can see vader is pushing her back and is constantly on the offense, Ahsoka is using her nimblness to evade and yet vader is still able defend himself while still offensively advancing applying pressure with little to no decline in his pace. At certain points it looks like she's struggling to hold back his unrelenting advance. Pause on frames when she's outside and look at her face, that looks like someone who's being pushed to the limit and struggling to keep up. All in all it was an amazing fight. Again Ahsoka is an amazing character and is extremely skilled, it is remarkable she fought him for that long.

2 years later, first time seeing this. Honestly a great analysis!

This should've been the whole episode instead they squeezed it in to Maul's return and compacted it even further to be about 5 minutes of screen time.

This was one of the best breakdowns of a fight I've ever seen, thank you.

I don’t think she is falling, as the cards show she was going down steps

I remember how my spine chilled when I heard Matt Lanter say "Ahsoka". Right in the feels.

Wasn’t it foretold that Ahsoka would be there in a Vader comic?

YAS, fam!!!! ⚔️🛡🛡⚔️. In honor of the clone wars trailer release and poster, this video is for me, as well as others! 🥰🥰🥰⚔️⚔️⚔️👏👏👏👏. That long time of planning indeed has paid off, paid off big time in a great way. :)). Can’t wait for season 7 in a month! They are indeed equal, and the choreography in the shows/movies are as fluid to each other. Not so early, but late, still good content on this page/analysis.

I think it was even more impacting because Vader is still getting used to fighting in his suit, and isnt that complete "Dark Lord" we see in the movies. He is still very Rash, very arrogant, and let's his anger show in his strikes. Compare the amount of strength he need with both hands to defeat Ahsoka, as opposed to Cal Kestis and Cere. Just goes to show how much he trained, and overcame. I honestly disagree that Ahsoka controlled the beginning though. I really feel like Vader had everything under control, and he couldve easily killed Kana, Ahsoka, Obviously Ezra, and even Maul. The reason he left Ahsoka after knocking her out was to get the holocron and stop the jedi from escaping.

Long have I waited....

You can't tell me Ahsoka is more skilled than Vader

this part broke my heart, i shed a tear for sure

So technically theirs two timelines. One where Ashoka lives and one where she dies. The multiverse confirmed.

Favorite duel ever

Wait so in the part of the episode where we see Ahsoka collapse, is she dying there or collapsing from exhaustion or something? And when we see Ezra pull Ahsoka in the world between worlds, is what we see with Vader almost killing her what would've happened, or just a possible outcome?

That was a f@#$ing awesome analysis of the duel

CAN ANYONE PLEASE EXPLAINE TO ME WHAT THE HELL DOES DARTH VADER FALL INTO AT THE END OF THE FIGHT ?!!

This was very well done, props to Ahsoka, the only other one imho that could go toe-to-toe with Vader outside of Luke Skywalker.

Fucked up power scaling, Vader should ragdoll her in the first minute.

This channel deserves to blow up this year.

I don’t think Ahsoka was someone who Vader could “barely contend with”, I think he just underestimated her. I mean, he did win after all

My opinion is that when Ahsoka force pushed Vader back at the end, she stabbed the floor to make him fall through because she knew Anakin was in there and could be saved, so she was willing to sacrifice herself to save him from the explosion.