Star Wars’ Strongest Jedi Of All Time Is Not Up For Debate

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Star Wars fans have argued who the strongest Jedi of all time is for many years, but there is really no competition, as one stands high above everyone else. After Return of the Jedi was released in 1983, it was pretty clear to fans that Luke Skywalker was undoubtedly the strongest Jedi to have ever lived, as he defeated the Sith and did something no other Jedi had ever been able to do. However, the prequel trilogy then showed just how powerful Luke’s father, Anakin, was, so fans of that trilogy then began arguing that Anakin was much stronger than Luke.

The question of who the most powerful Jedi is has been debated for years, and the answer depends on what sources you include. If you only consider official Star Wars stories (canon), Anakin Skywalker is the strongest. But if you also include the older stories previously known as the Expanded Universe (now called Legends), then Luke Skywalker takes the title.

Both characters are incredibly powerful throughout the established story, and it’s clear they possess exceptional abilities. However, based on the official canon, Anakin seems to have a slight advantage for several reasons.

Why Anakin Is the Strongest Jedi in Canon

As far as canon goes, Anakin is the strongest Jedi of all time, and it is not even close. Luke’s post-Return of the Jedi powers have been briefly explored in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, but the most powerful feat Luke has achieved is probably his Force projection in The Last Jedi, which was a great feat of strength, but Anakin one-upped him in The Clone Wars.

While Anakin, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan were on Mortis, Anakin was able to control the Son and the Daughter at the same time. The Ones (The Father, the Son, and the Daughter) were genuine representations of the Force itself, so Anakin being able to control both the representation of the Light Side and the Dark Side proved that he had immeasurable power.

That event also confirmed to the Force that Anakin was the Chosen One. Being the Chosen One doesn’t automatically mean someone is strong; anyone could fulfill that role as long as they restored balance to the Force. But Anakin was different – he was conceived by the Force itself, born without a father, and his Force sensitivity, measured by his Midichlorian count, was off the charts – the highest ever seen.

Midichlorians don’t necessarily represent how powerful someone is, but they do indicate their potential. So, scientifically, in the world of Star Wars, Anakin had the potential to become the greatest and most powerful Force user of all time.

Now, Anakin was in his prime when he turned into Darth Vader. The period of time that he was Vader prior to getting his limbs chopped off on Mustafar was the most powerful version of Anakin ever. He technically wasn’t a Jedi at that time, but he was still the same person in the same body, so that power still has to be taken into account.

The battle on Mortis clearly demonstrates Anakin Skywalker’s incredible power, making a strong case for him being the most powerful Jedi ever. Another example, though perhaps less conclusive, is his assault on the Jedi Temple during Order 66. While he had the 501st Legion assisting him and wasn’t facing the absolute strongest Jedi Masters, he systematically defeated Jedi, often battling groups of four or five simultaneously.

It’s easy to overlook how significant Anakin’s victory over Count Dooku on the Invisible Hand really was. Dooku was considered one of the greatest lightsaber fighters ever, having battled Yoda to a standstill in Attack of the Clones and previously defeated both Anakin and Obi-Wan.

Anakin defeating Dooku in Revenge of the Sith was a remarkable achievement, considering Dooku was known as one of the most skilled lightsaber duelists.

Luke Skywalker has become even more powerful in recent Disney+ shows like The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. The same is true for his father, Anakin Skywalker.

For instance, in Ahsoka, Anakin was able to appear to Ahsoka in the World Between Worlds and physically cross lightsabers with her. He was also able to appear as a Force ghost in that show, as well as in Return of the Jedi, seemingly with no training. There have been indications that Obi-Wan taught Anakin how to be a Force ghost after Anakin died in Return of the Jedi, but that has never actually been confirmed. 

A truly shocking moment in Obi-Wan Kenobi was when Darth Vader stopped an escaping ship in mid-air and forcefully brought it down. Even though Vader’s suit was limiting Anakin’s abilities at the time, he was able to accomplish this feat – something almost no Jedi could do, even at their peak. It really highlighted the immense power Anakin still possessed despite his limitations.

Many sources within Star Wars canon demonstrate Anakin Skywalker was the most powerful Jedi ever. Throughout the prequel films, official novels, and The Clone Wars series, he accomplished incredible feats unmatched by most Force users. However, if you include the older Expanded Universe stories (now called Legends), Luke Skywalker surpasses Anakin in power.

How Luke is the Strongest Jedi in Star Wars Legends

Following the release of Return of the Jedi, fans began writing their own Star Wars adventures. These stories, collectively known as the Expanded Universe, sometimes portrayed Luke Skywalker with incredibly powerful, almost god-like abilities.

Luke Skywalker showed incredible power throughout the Star Wars Legends stories, and some instances clearly demonstrate he was the most powerful being the galaxy had ever seen.

In the New Jedi Order novels, during the fight against the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, Luke Skywalker performed an incredible feat: he moved a singularity – the core of a black hole with infinite gravity and density. This act completely drained his energy, but he successfully manipulated something that defies the laws of physics.

Many Star Wars fans, even if they haven’t consumed much Legends content, have likely heard of Abeloth. For reference, Abeloth was a ridiculously overpowered entity connected to the Mortis gods, and she is essentially unstoppable. In the Fate of the Jedi novels, Luke faces off against Abeloth in an entirely different realm called the Beyond Shadows. 

To get to the Beyond Shadows, Luke had to separate himself from his physical body, which takes a lot of power in itself. While there, he, along with Darth Krayt (it is a long story, but they teamed up to fight Abeloth), fought and defeated Abeloth, though it almost killed him. Still, Luke doing that is far more impressive than anything anyone has ever done in canon.

In the Legends continuity, Luke Skywalker demonstrated incredible power in The Swarm War. He used the Force to anchor himself to the ground, becoming completely unmovable. The story explained that he rooted himself so firmly that not even a black hole could displace him.

There are other instances in Legends where Luke displayed god-like powers, and all of his feats could never be noted in one place, as there are too many. Therefore, the consensus is clear; in canon, Anakin Skywalker is the strongest Jedi to have ever lived. In Legends, though, his son, Luke Skywalker, surpasses him.

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2026-02-06 09:11