Ever since the first Jedi was introduced to the world in 1977 with Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, we have been fascinated with the stories of the Jedi Knights, Masters, and Padawans. There are plenty of powerful aspects to a Jedi Knight beyond raw power. The order emphasized compassion, spirituality, ability in the force, and proficiency with a bade. The greatest members were well-tempered and wise, though there were plenty of reckless Jedi in the ranks.
The ancient religion of guardians, formed to uphold the balance of the Force and maintain peace and order in the galaxy, has many powerful members, and none of them are powerful in one aspect alone. These are our top picks for the most powerful Jedi in the Star Wars universe, ranked from weakest to strongest.
15. Sabine Wren
If the Force was measured in tenacity alone, Sabine Wren would appear much higher on this list. Unfortunately for the Mandalorian, it’s not, and though she definitely has heart, Sabine hasn’t shown much in the way of tangible force connection. Sabine has had two powerful teachers during her stint as a padawan learning under both Kanan Jarrus and Ahsoka Tano. Jarrus always assumed it was her Mandalorian stubbornness that held Sabine back, But Ahsoka saw it as one of her strengths.
Her status as one of very few Mandalorian Jedi could make her just as impressive as the original wielder of the Dark Saber. Time will tell if Sabine ever manages to let the Force flow through her, but her big heart and drive to do right lands her a place as a true Jedi.
14. Grogu
Grogu may be just out of his infancy, but that doesn’t mean the 50-year-old isn’t one of the most powerful force users of the last myriad. Though he is just a little guy, Grogu has already shown incredible control of the Force when those he loves are in danger. The child has stopped a charging Mudhorn, choked grown adults, and even created some incredibly durable force barriers. Season three of The Mandalorian sees Grogu hold off an explosion created in the wake of a falling spaceship.
When the fully trained (well, mostly trained) Kanan Jarrus tried a similar move in a much less dangerous location, the older Jedi paid the ultimate price for his heroism. Grogu just needed a little nap afterward. With Grogu officially abandoning his training with Luke and being fully inducted into Din Djarin’s family, his fate as a Jedi is uncertain. But for a brief moment, we could see a future for the fallen Jedi order that involved Din Grogu as one of the most powerful Jedi of all time.
13. Luminara Unduli
Jedi Master Luminara Unduli lived in strict adherence to the Jedi code. She was one of the first Jedi to touch ground during the Clone Wars and frequently butt-heads with non-traditional members of the order. She was seen as a model Jedi for her near-perfect emotional control as well as her Force abilities and physical discipline, skills perfectly showcased by her floor-length “battle dress.” Luminara believed in the Jedi, even after her Padawan betrayed the order.
Despite her rigidity, she was powerful, wise, and well-liked by her peers. Her popularity would lead to the death of countless Jedi, however. Unduli was murdered by the Empire and her body was used to lure survivors into a trap. It’s Luminara’s dedication to the order, her wisdom, and her skills that put her on this list, even if her end was detrimental to those she loved.
12. Ezra Bridger
Ezra Bridger may be M.I.A. but that doesn’t mean he can’t be one of the strongest Jedi of all time. He might not be the most impressive duelist, or as wise as some of his predecessors, but Bridger has a connection to the Force that isn’t rivaled by many of his peers. His empath skills have allowed him to partially possess enemies, communicate with animals, and even summon a pod of purrgil to help him defeat Thrawn and send a fleet of Starships deep into the unknown recess of space.
Ezra may not have had access to the Jedi archives, but he learned from a number of Masters. From Kanan Jarrus and Ahsoka Tano to the Force creature Bendu and Darth Maul, Ezra’s education in the ways of the Force is unlike any Jedi we’ve seen so far. No doubt his more than ten-year absence has seen Ezra Bridger progress into a much more powerful Jedi than we last saw.
11. Quinlan Vos
Quinlan Vos is a Jedi anachronism. He breaks rules, ignores tenants, and generally handles problems his way. Unlike Anakin Skywalker, Quinlan never relied on reckless violence to stand apart, instead, it was his incredibly open mind. He constantly questioned the Jedi order and bent rules to suit his needs. He left the order to assassinate Count Dooku during the war, falling in with Dooku’s former apprentice Asajj Ventress, and embracing the Dark side to complete his mission.
Even after failing in his mission and losing his mind to torture wasn’t enough to stop Quinlan. He was able to restore his sanity and, though he first tried to sabotage the Jedi, return to the light side after his ordeal. Even after his betrayal, Obi-Wan advocated for his reinstatement into the Jedi Order, his faith was well-founded and Vos stayed loyal to the Republic until it fell. The Jedi master survived Order 66, escaping into the galaxy after the end of the war.
10. Cal Kestis
Though Cal Kestis stopped using the Force after the fall of the Republic and the death of his Master, Jaro Topal, his ten-year training hiatus hardly seems to have set him back. His ability to quickly recall all of his suppressed Force training speaks volumes about his strength and his connection with the Force. While his dueling abilities may not be up to those of Mace Windu, Cal has survived encounters with Darth Vader and the Inquisitorius. By the events of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Cal has honed his skills and added several Inquisitors to his kill count.
As with any Jedi, Cal’s ability to dispatch his enemies doesn’t define him as a G.O.A.T. Instead it is his pragmatism, compassion, and selflessness that makes him the creme de la creme. Cal‘s willingness to question Jedi tradition and forge a new path for the order moving forward shows Cal’s wisdom, the hallmark of a great Jedi Master.
9. Kanan Jarrus
Strength comes in many forms, and while Kanan Jarrus may not match the others on this list in terms of skill, his legacy is one of greatness. After surviving order 66, Kanan hid his Jedi origin, eventually falling in with the Rebellion after meeting Hera Syndulla. He struggled with his legacy before finally embracing his destiny and training Ezra Bridger.
Kanan gave everything he had for those he loved, time and time again. He lost his eyesight and learned to see through the Force and held back an explosion in a bid to save his friends, giving his life and teaching Ezra the importance of sacrifice as he did. If that wasn’t enough his spirit returned after his death and continued to guide Ezra until his former Padawan learned his final lessons.
8. Rey Skywalker
Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker has essentially illuminated any argument against Rey’s phenomenal powers. Though she may be one of the most contentious Jedi additions in the history of Star Wars lore, the self-proclaimed Skywalker is undoubtedly one of the most powerful Jedi to appear in the franchise. Just like Anakin Skywalker, Rey was created by Sith to join the ranks of the Dark Side — but unlike Skywalker, Rey was able to best the darkness within her and stand as a paragon of justice.
With an aptitude rarely seen, she easily picked up many Force techniques, all of which were amplified by her Dyad connection to Kylo Ren. Rey consistently sacrifices her well-being for those she loves, has overcome her temptations repeatedly, and shows a loyalty paralleled only by Luke Skywalker. With the next batch of Star Wars media rumored to focus on her attempts to rebuild the Jedi order, there’s no doubt Rey will only continue to inch up this list.
7.Qui-Gon Jinn
Qui-Gon Jinn easily could have taken a seat on the Jedi Council, but the maverick Jedi was too busy defying what he saw as pedantic bureaucracy. He was talented in the Force and a skilled duelist, but Jinn’s best quality was his ability to see through the cloud plaguing the order. He trusted deeply in the Force but felt it wasn’t a Jedi’s place to use it to see the future, and instead, they should focus their attention on the now.
Jinn embraced connections with others, allowing him to see the damage caused by the Jedi’s placement on Coruscant, and driving him to take Padawans that would otherwise have been passed over. In the end, it was Qui-Gon’s willingness to operate as he saw fit that would be his undoing, but we have to wonder if things would have turned out differently if he had been Anakin’s master in Obi-Wan’s stead.
6. Anakin Skywalker
Despite being a child of immaculate Force conception, Anakin Skywalker doesn’t take the top spot on this list. The first Jedi in the Skywalker lineage may be brave and loyal, a brilliant duelist, and an excellent tactician but he lacks the discipline required to make him a great Jedi. Anakin’s power was vast, allowing him to prevent ships from taking off, sweep the floor with the Father and Daughter (beings made entirely of the Force), and take down hordes of enemies with ease.
While Anakin is undoubtedly one of the most Force-powerful Jedi of all time, his struggle with the dark side and his emotions preclude him from topping the charts. Anakin is frequently selfish and reckless, putting his own needs above those of others. His love for those he cares for runs so deep it blinds him, and he’s quick to anger. Though he had the potential to be the very best, Anakin’s worst enemy —himself — always prevented him from achieving greatness.
5. Ahsoka Tano
Ahsoka Tano — much like Grogu — has left the ranks of the Jedi, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have the potential to be one of the Jedi greats. As a Padawan learner, Ahsoka had the benefit of having two wildly different masters. Frequently passed between Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, she learned to break rules and follow her instincts from Skywalker and to focus, strategize, and sass from Kenobi. Her promotion to Padawan during the height of the Clone Wars allowed her to shadow multiple Jedi Masters outside of her own, exposing her to many different interpretations of Jedi practice.
By the end of the Clone Wars she was easily slicing through starships, and though she left the order, she never laid down her sabers. After devoting her life the the rebellion as “Fulcrum” Ahsoka became a pivotal master for many potential Jedi, from Ezra Bridger to Sabine Wren. Star Wars: Ahsoka has shown her to be a powerful fighter and Force wielder as well as wise, and if she and Sabine manage to find Ezra again, Ahsoka has the potential to restore some semblance of the Jedi order and take her place as a Jedi Master.
4. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi, the first Jedi introduced in 1977 is without a doubt a shining example of what a great Jedi should be. One of the premier generals during the Clone Wars, Obi-wan defeated the best the Separatists had to offer on multiple occasions. Anakin said it best, “Obi-Wan is a great mentor. As wise as Master Yoda and as powerful as Master Windu.” Even becoming disenfranchised with the order after the fall of the New Republic and losing his connection to the Force wasn’t enough to degrade Obi-Wan’s abilities.
Obi-Wan would have made an incredible council member if he had ever been able to actually sit in that iconic room. As it stands, he trained three of the Jedi on this list at one point or another and was one of the only rebels to come against Vader multiple times and live to talk about it. Though his former friend may struck him down, Kenobi got the last laugh by guiding Luke to Yoda and ensuring he could complete his training and become the chosen one.
3. Mace Windu
Mace Windu’s untimely death in episode three may have prevented us from ever fully appreciating his true skill, but those familiar with The Clone Wars animated series have seen just how powerful the Jedi Master was. Windu was easily able to beat the bounty hunter Jango Fett, who had held his own against Kenobi well, and take down the Sith Lord Palpatine. Widely regarded as an excellent duelist, Mace set himself apart from his peers not only in his saber work but in his power set. In the book series Shatterpoint it’s revealed that Mace had several abilities that hadn’t been seen in generations, and it was he who crushed Grevious’s chest and gave him that signature cough.
Despite his great skill, Mace Windu was unable to stop Palpatine’s rise to power. His long history with Skywalker prevented him from seeing the danger the other Jedi posed until it was too late. If Anakin hadn’t turned on his former friend, there is a real chance that Windu would have gone down as the greatest of all time.
2. Yoda
With a deep connection to the Force and enough wisdom to fill the swamps of Dagobah, Yoda is easily one of the most powerful Jedi of all. A paragon of the Jedi order, Yoda guided thousands of younglings as a master and served as a pivotal member of the Jedi council for hundreds of years. In the aftermath of the war, Yoda blamed himself and the Jedi order for the bloodshed saying, “In our arrogance, join the conflict swiftly, we did. Fear, anger, hate… consumed by the dark side of the Force, the Jedi were.”
It’s Yoda’s dependence on perceiving the future that prevents him from taking the top spot. There are many things that make a powerful Jedi and though our favorite green bouncy ball might check many boxes, he doesn’t hit them all. Even 20 years alone in a swamp wasn’t enough time for Yoda to uncover why the order had failed, or stop trying to look into the future.
1. Luke Skywalker
By the end of the original Star Wars trilogy, Luke Skywalker is without a doubt the M.V.P. of Jedi, despite his failure to rebuild the Order. His sense may have dulled a bit in his golden years, but Luke’s intuition shows his deep connection with the Force. Despite starting his training at almost 20, he can sense his friend’s desperation from across the galaxy, and even more impressive, sense what’s left of Anakin trapped inside of Lord Vader. Rather than try to face Palpatine in combat, he trusts his intuition and coaxes his father back from the Darkside.
Just five years after the Empire has fallen, Luke is easily sheering his way through dozens of enemies. By the time he fights Kylo Ren in The Last Jedi, he has transcended the masters before him, elevating his force ghost into a tangible astral projection capable of appearing across the universe. Within the novels, Luke has even piloted the Millennium Falcon remotely when Leia was in danger.
Published: Sep 6, 2023 04:26 pm