Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi are two of Star Wars’ most powerful Jedi and two of Star Wars’ best characters—but who was really more skilled? Anakin/Darth Vader and Obi-Wan have now had multiple showdowns in Star Wars movies and TV shows, including in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Anakin/Vader’s strength and raw power are undeniable, especially given he is the Chosen One, yet Obi-Wan has almost always come out on top.
Obi-Wan clearly beat out Vader in Revenge of the Sith, given he left him nearly for ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, so much so that he had actually believed Anakin was ᴅᴇᴀᴅ after Mustafar. In Obi-Wan Kenobi, Vader bested Obi-Wan initially, but in the end, he was defeated by Obi-Wan once more. Even in A New Hope, Vader doesn’t really kill Obi-Wan; Obi-Wan becomes one with the Force before he is struck down. With Anakin’s raw power and Obi-Wan’s fairly consistent winning record, the question remains: who was more skilled between Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader?
Anakin Was Undeniably More Powerful—But Power Doesn’t Equal Skill
As The Chosen One, Anakin Had Immense Raw Power
Anakin Skywalker was not only one of the most powerful Jedi, but also, as Darth Vader, he became one of Star Wars’ most powerful Sith. While Obi-Wan may have been strong in the Force in his own right, he certainly doesn’t beat Anakin/Vader in terms of power. Power doesn’t automatically equate to skill, though. While Anakin may have Obi-Wan beat in terms of power, Obi-Wan was always more skilled than Anakin.
In part, this may have been due to the timing of Anakin’s fall to the dark side. Yes, Anakin had completed his Jedi training by the time he became Darth Vader, but Obi-Wan had many more years under his belt as a Jedi. Once Anakin became Darth Vader, his skills also changed, if not outright halted, because of the limitations of his suit. Vader obviously continued to be a formidable opponent, but he had to adapt to the restrictive and painful Vader suit.
While Anakin may have Obi-Wan beat in terms of power, Obi-Wan was always more skilled than Anakin.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Was More Disciplined
Obi-Wan Kenobi Was Known For Being A Reliable, Level-Headed Jedi
Even with Obi-Wan’s longer time as a Jedi aside, Obi-Wan was simply more disciplined than Anakin in terms of personality. Whereas Anakin was pᴀssionate and would act first and think later, Obi-Wan was almost always calm, rational, and focused. He was in fact known in the Jedi Order for his discipline and wisdom, with even other members of the Jedi Council looking to him for answers at times.
That dynamic was even clear with Obi-Wan’s own former Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn. Qui-Gon’s nature was much more like Anakin’s than Obi-Wan’s, and he was often stubborn and willing to break the rules if he felt that was the right thing to do. In contrast, Obi-Wan was dedicated to the Jedi way. While that doesn’t necessarily mean a greater level of skill, in Obi-Wan’s case it did, as he was able to remain focused and dedicated to developing his skills and trusting in the Force.
Obi-Wan’s Lightsaber Skills And Fighting Style Were Greater Than Anakin’s
Because He Was More Disciplined, Obi-Wan Was The Better Duelist
This discipline that Obi-Wan had translated directly to his skills with a lightsaber and in battle. Too often, Anakin ran head-first into a fight without a clear plan, which led to his capture more than once and was the reason he lost his hand to Count Dooku. The same was true of his battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar. Obi-Wan explicitly warned Anakin not to try jumping when Obi-Wan had the high ground. Anakin was, in his own words, unable to be rational, however, and it cost him all his remaining flesh limbs and nearly his life.
Obi-Wan’s levelheadedness and skill in battle are in turn why he was able to defeat Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace before he was even really a full-fledged Jedi. They are also why he defeated both General Grievous and Anakin/Vader single-handedly in Revenge of the Sith. In all three cases, more than just raw power (although Obi-Wan had plenty of that as well), Obi-Wan was strategic, which was a major factor in his victory.
Obi-Wan was strategic, which was a major factor in his victory.
It’s also notable that the Duel of the Fates fight in The Phantom Menace and the Mustafar battle in Revenge of the Sith are considered two of Star Wars’ best lightsaber duels. Both battles involved Obi-Wan, suggesting that his lightsaber skills are better than most. Of course, lightsaber skills are not the only important skill set in Star Wars.
Anakin Was Skilled In Certain Ways, But He Was Never More Skilled Than Obi-Wan
Anakin Was An Incredible Pilot And Possessed Other Skills
Obi-Wan didn’t have the upper hand on every single Jedi/Force skill. Anakin was unquestionably the better pilot, for example, and he had mastered some incredible Force powers that Obi-Wan doesn’t seem to have ever had, including when he was able to transfer the Daughter’s remaining life essence into Ahsoka in the Mortis Gods arc in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. In that sense, there isn’t a straightforward answer.
There’s also been some discourse regarding how Star Wars measures training and skill. On the YouTube channel Star Wars Theory, guest Nick Gillard explained that, in his view, George Lucas had imagined a scale of 10—although, no one ever reached 10. With training, one could move incrementally up that scale. However, as has long been shown in Star Wars regarding the dark side of the Force’s impact on power, the dark side would automatically advance someone up that scale.
Based on that scale, Anakin and Obi-Wan would actually have been somewhat evenly matched in terms of skill during their battle on Mustafar, each landing somewhere around a 9. The limitations of the dark side were still at play, though. Anakin may have gotten that boost, but he was still acting from a place of hate, anger, and aggression, all of which reduced his rationality, causing him to make foolish moves such as the jump toward Obi-Wan when he had the high ground.
Anakin may have gotten that boost, but he was still acting from a place of hate, anger, and aggression, all of which reduced his rationality.
Comparisons between Obi-Wan and Anakin ultimately cannot be black-and-white, which is why they had such incredible battles throughout Star Wars. Anakin possessed immense power, especially once he joined the dark side (before he needed the Darth Vader suit), but Obi-Wan remains one of the most disciplined Jedi in all of Star Wars. Even so, Obi-Wan Kenobi remained more skilled than Anakin Skywalker, made clear by his consistent victories.
