Anakin Skywalker and Asajj Ventress fought many times during Star Wars: The Clone Wars, however, their first duel will always be the most memorable. In fact, their first clash is one every Star Wars fan needs to see.
From 2003-2005, Genndy Tartakovsky, the man to thank for iconic hits like Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack, developed the first animated iteration of the Clone Wars. Finally, fans received a glimpse into the fabled conflict first mentioned in New Hope.
Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars came out a year after Attack of the Clones and held Star Wars fans over until Revenge of the Sith arrived in 2005. The series, comprised of 25 short episodes, bridged the two movies and introduced fans to some incredible villains like the Sith assassin Asajj Ventress and Durge, whose regenerative abilities put Wolverine to shame! The series, enhanced by Tartakovsky’s popular minimalist style, also made villains like General Grievous ten times more terrifying than their live-action counterparts. Seriously, Grievous is a slasher villain in this show!
Tartakovsky’s art worked amazingly well with lightsaber combat. The swordsmanship in the series is spectacular; each duel is well-layered with slick fineness and explosive energy — no duel moreso than Anakin vs. Asajj Ventress.
Anakin Skywalker vs. Asajj Ventress is the perfect lightsaber duel
Season 2 of Star Wars: The Clone Wars delivers a three-episode arc that features a prolonged showdown between Padawan Anakin Skywalker and Sith apprentice Asajj Ventress. The two clash on Yavin 4 after the latter brutally eliminates the Clone squadron accompanying the Jedi. She even destroys Anakin’s astromech droid! The planet’s dense forests and jungles serve as the perfect location for what ensues.
After the swift slaughter of the troopers, Ventress walks through fire and reveals herself. “I am going to make you pay for what you’ve done,” Anakin coldly states. “Come, Padawan. Your fall will be my ascension to the Sith.” Let the epic duel begin!
The two charge and immediately ditch their robes. They exchange swift strikes and Force pushes, with Anakin forced to dodge and chop multiple chunks of wood thrown his way. Just when the Padawan disarms his foe, she retreats up to the trees. He follows. In these significant moments, the music cuts, and all the viewer is left with is eerie near-silence, hearing only the natural sounds of the environment. When the two Force-wielders clash, it’s energic and powerful. However, the moments when Ventress is hiding and stalking Anakin help this fight stand out from other lightsaber duels. Truly, nobody in animation uses near-silence like Genndy Tartakovsky.
The momentum consistently shifts between Anakin and Ventress. It’s also evident early on that the Padawan is using a traditional, fluid, and acrobatic Jedi style against his foe. However, as the battle rages on, Anakin’s strikes grow more singular and wild. The animators beautifully portray his anger gradually rising as the fight progresses, and it’s amazing.
The showdown eventually reaches an ancient Sith temple (not before Anakin has to endure stones getting flung directly into his torso and face — ouch.) After an epic staredown, rain begins pouring, and the sound of the droplets hitting the lightsabers is just great.
By the time the duel reaches inside the temple, it’s less Anakin and more Vader that Ventress is up against. She is forced on the backfoot by the aggressive Padawan. The Sith apprentice gets overwhelmed to the point of needing to contend with a massive stone column getting Force pushed her way. Things become even more dire for Ventress when she tries to Force push a charging Anakin away; the Padawan simply tanks it like an absolute juggernaut.
The duel’s climax takes place atop the temple, with a red moon in the background. Ventress remains on the backfoot and Anakin presses forward with powerful lunging strikes. Although Asajj is able to disarm him, Anakin simply grabs her wrist with his robotic hand — and squeezes until she drops her saber. The Padawan then attacks with her own weapon until Ventress is on her knees, barely able to defend. Anakin’s strikes are so powerful that the earth beneath their feet literally crumbles. After each attack, blue and green flashes of Qui-Gon Jinn, Yoda, and Obi-Wan are seen watching on. Quickly, the ground is torn apart and Ventress falls into the void. Anakin roars and tosses her weapon into the abyss.
This is arguably the greatest conclusion to any lightsaber duel portrayed in the Star Wars franchise. This fight has everything: well-timed Force pushes, using it to hurl hefty objects, utilizing the environment to one’s advantage, kicks to the face, fancy swordsmanship, everything.
The duel also accomplished the story it needed to tell: throughout Anakin Skywalker’s rise, there was a darkness growing in him, and it only needed to be tugged at for it to explode. And it did it in less than ten minutes. Bravo, Tartakovsky. Bravo.
