Anakin Skywalker vs. Darth Vader: Who Would Win in a Fight?

While we all know that Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader are just one person, we know that they tend to have different habits and specialties when it comes to fighting. Anakin was a true Jedi Knight before he fell to the dark side, whereas Vader was a fearsome and ruthless enforcer that showed no mercy toward his enemies. So, in a fight between Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader, who would win?

Anakin Skywalker should be able to defeat Darth Vader in a fight. That’s because Anakin is faster and more mobile than Vader. Although Vader has incredible Force abilities and bloodlust on his side, Anakin’s raw potential with the Force was always superior compared to Darth Vader.

Of course, this battle should be impossible unless they happen to meet on a different timeline. Nevertheless, this hypothetical fictional encounter should go in Anakin’s favor because he was always faster and more mobile than the machine-like Vader. So, with that said, let’s look at this battle in greater detail to understand why Anakin is stronger than the Darth Vader version of himself.

Physical attributes

Anakin was known as a gifted Jedi during his time with the Jedi Order because he had physical attributes that allowed him to move faster than most other Jedi. He was known for being able to use mobile attacks that tended to overwhelm his opponents with a combination of speed, precision, and ferocity.

He was also very young during the Clone Wars, as he was still just in his early 20s, making him capable of performing attacks that require a combination of mobility, athleticism, and boundless stamina.

When he lost his limbs and got burned on Mustafar, Darth Vader lost a good part of his mobility because his limbs had to be replaced by cybernetic prosthetics. He was also forced to wear a life-support suit his entire life because he could no longer live under normal circumstances.

But while he wasn’t as agile and mobile as he used to be, he more than made up for it with powerful attacks augmented by his cybernetic limbs. That’s why Vader’s strikes had more power and force behind them.

While we do know that Darth Vader is physically stronger than Anakin, his physical strength wouldn’t mean a thing if he couldn’t keep up with Anakin’s speed and mobility. One opening is what Anakin needs against a cybernetic monster like Vader.

Anakin 1, Vader 0

Lightsaber combat

During his time with the Jedi Order, Anakin was known as one of the best duelists in the entire galaxy. He was skilled in the use of Form V: Djem So, which required him to switch from a defensive stance to an all-out flurry on offense after a successful defensive stand. Combined with his mobility and quickness, Anakin’s abilities in Djem So were almost unparalleled because he could easily overwhelm his opponents in a few moves.

While Darth Vader may have lost a good part of his speed and mobility, he still used the same Djem So form that Anakin favored. However, instead of using acrobatic, mobile, and flashy moves, he became more efficient and calculating in the way that he went about his attacks.

Vader still used the same fundamentals of Djem So, which is to defend and counter, but he favored a simpler style of attacking his opponents as opposed to using flashy and quick moves.

On paper, Anakin looks like the better duelist when it comes to the use of Form V: Djem So. However, Darth Vader’s abilities as a lightsaber duelist were more fundamentally sound. He didn’t have Anakin’s flair and mobility, but Vader was more calculating and efficient in terms of his approach. As such, we can’t give this round to either of them.

Anakin 1, Vader 0

Powers and abilities

The problem with Anakin was that as strong as he was in the Force, he lagged behind in terms of his Force training because he focused more on his lightsaber skills.

There were a lot of instances wherein he showcased his power in the Force, especially when he used his abilities to control both the Son and the Daughter over at Mortis. However, that was because the Force was strong on that planet. In any other case, Anakin was not more skilled than the likes of Yoda, Mace Windu, or Obi-Wan Kenobi in the use of the Force.

Darth Vader learned to change his approach after he almost died on Mustafar. Due to the limitations of his body, he had to hone his abilities with the Force, and that was when he used his anger and hatred to fuel his powers.

Vader became a much stronger Force user because he could destroy entire rooms with his telekinetic powers and could block lightsaber attacks and blaster bolts with nothing but the Force. And he was strong enough in the Force that he could pull down an entire shuttle to prevent it from taking flight and subsequently ripped the ship apart using the Force.

The truth is that Anakin’s Force feats are nothing compared to what Darth Vader has displayed in the storyline of Star Wars. His negative emotions fuel Vader, so he became stronger in the Force.

Anakin 1, Vader 1

Potential

Anakin was born with the highest potential in the Force, which was why Qui-Gon Jinn thought that he was supposedly the Chosen One that was supposed to bring balance back to the Force. His Midi-chlorian count was higher than anything ever recorded in the history of the Jedi, proving that he had the highest potential ever.

That means he was on track to becoming the strongest Force user of all time before falling to the dark side and losing to Obi-Wan Kenobi during the Duel on Mustafar.

While Anakin had the highest potential in the Force, his potential was reduced when he lost his limbs and became more machine than man. His weaker body limited his potential and prevented him from becoming the strongest Force user ever.

Nevertheless, although it was diminished, Darth Vader could still reach his potential. Still, as strong as he was, he couldn’t reach a level that would have allowed him to defeat and overthrow Emperor Palpatine, who was still stronger than him during the reign of the Empire.

Anakin had the potential to become the greatest of all time, as Palpatine admitted the same during the events of ‘Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.’ On the other hand, Vader reached his full potential, but his ceiling was far below what Anakin could have accomplished.

Anakin 2, Vader 1

Feats

Not a lot of Jedi had the same feats that Anakin had, especially because he was one of the greatest heroes of the Republic during the Clone Wars. Anakin fought and defeated many powerful enemies during the Clone Wars and was notable for being the only one who bested the notoriously powerful Count Dooku in a lightsaber duel. And considering that not even Obi-Wan Kenobi could defeat Dooku, it is safe to say that Anakin was already incredibly powerful during the ‘Revenge of the Sith events.’

Darth Vader’s feats were incredible if we only count the ones he accomplished after becoming a cybernetic monster. During the time of the Empire, he defeated a lot of different opponents, including the likes of Jedi Masters Cere Junda and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

He also hunted down and killed numerous surviving Jedi during the Imperial era and was so powerful that not even the powerful Inquisitors were willing to try to betray him. And let’s not forget that Vader pulled an entire ship down with nothing but the Force.

As impressive as Darth Vader’s feats were during the reign of the Empire, he didn’t face someone as strong as Count Dooku if we aren’t counting his time as Anakin Skywalker. But we can’t say that Anakin’s feats were more impressive than Vader’s own feats.

Anakin 2, Vader 1

Anakin Skywalker vs. Darth Vader: Who wins?

When it comes down to it, this fight should be very close because Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader each had their own strengths and weaknesses.

Anakin was always the faster and more agile and mobile fighter, and we know that Vader has power and strength on his side. But while Vader had more raw power in the Force, Anakin always had the greater potential and was supposed to be stronger than anyone in the history of the galaxy. That’s why Anakin gets the slight edge in this battle.

Who do you think would win in this fight? Let us know in the comments!