The lightsaber duels in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith are some of the most impressive in the entire franchise, and Samuel L. Jackson has explained why. Lightsaber duels are a key element of Star Wars’ enduring popularity – there’s nothing quite like the thrill of these fight scenes. The brightly colored lightsaber blades, the symbolism, the sound effects, and the emotional stakes are always so high. They allow us to learn more about the characters and their relationships with one another.

Despite the prevalence of lightsaber duels in Star Wars, each era has its own unique style. In the original trilogy, lightsaber duels were, comparatively, at least, relatively tame, limited by special effects and the franchise’s still unfolding worldbuilding. Understandably, the sequel trilogy followed in the footsteps of the original trilogy to ensure continuity. The prequel trilogy, however, changed everything; the Jedi were suddenly more agile, physically powerful, and acrobatic than ever before, making these duels more energetic and fast-paced.

Lightsaber Choreography Is Clearly Like Nothing Else

Learning lightsaber choreography was likely demanding for all the actors in Star Wars, regardless of which trilogy they featured in. Samuel L. Jackson, however, who portrayed Jedi Council leader Mace Windu in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, revealed in 2018 just how intense the prequel trilogy’s lightsaber training could be.

“… The majority of fighting is choreographed. Lightsaber battles? It takes a long time to learn those, or it did when I was doing them. The last one I had with the Emperor was 99 moves through three rooms, backwards for me. So, two weeks in sneakers and shorts, two weeks in boots, another week in Jedi robe/boots/lightsaber, before we actually sH๏τ it. So, it was pretty intense.”

It’s no surprise the training for this particular duel took so long and needed to be done in phases – there was so much movement, and so many tiny details to remember. Getting a duel like this, between two incredibly accomplished fighters and Force-wielders right, was paramount to Revenge of the Sith’s success. There’s no doubt Samuel L. Jackson’s dedication paid off, even if he did have to do everything backwards.

Mace Windu’s Palpatine Duel Was Unforgettable

Mace Windu’s lightsaber duel with Palpatine was unforgettable. Not only did it showcase how powerful both Palpatine and Mace Windu were – Windu nearly defeating Palpatine was an incredible feat of strength – but it also served as a turning point in the film and Anakin Skywalker’s journey. Without the complex choreography of that duel, the entire sequence would have felt much less pivotal. It was a point of no return for Mace and Anakin, and the frenetic, high-energy moves reflect that. Mace was fighting for the survival of the Jedi, after all.

Of course, it also helped that we’d barely seen Mace Windu’s purple lightsaber in action before, either – he briefly used it in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, and the color is so striking, especially when wielded against Palpatine’s blood-red lightsaber. The combination of the characters, the emotional stakes, the Jedi’s trauma, Anakin’s downfall, and Mace Windu’s tragic yet perhaps inevitable death all combine to make the duel between Palpatine and Mace Windu one of the most compelling in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, and even the entire franchise.