Besides Luke & Obi, These Three Jedi Pushed Vader the Furthest (Canon)

Who else has ever pushed Darth Vader to his limits in a lightsaber duel? We’ve seen Obi-Wan Kenobi do it multiple times, and we all remember how Luke Skywalker—his own son—defeated him in Return of the Jedi.

But let me tell you something—you might not realize there were other Jedi in Star Wars canon who came dangerously close to taking Vader down. Some even nearly ended his life.

Here are three Jedi who pushed Vader further than you ever knew.

Kirak Infil’a

The first Jedi I have to bring up is Kirak Infil’a, the one who nearly destroyed Vader’s mechanical body.

In the Darth Vader (2017) comic series, specifically in issues #2, #3, and #4, we see exactly why Vader was hunting Kirak Infil’a. But let’s get straight to what really happened when they fought.

In Darth Vader #3, we see Vader tracking Infil’a to the Mid-Rim River Moon of Al’doleem. At this point, Infil’a had taken the Barash Vow, meaning he had cut himself off from the Jedi Order, living in isolation as a form of penance. But that didn’t mean he was rusty—his lightsaber skills were still top-tier.

While Infil’a practices his lightsaber techniques with his droid, Arex, Darth Vader arrives on the scene, wasting no time in making his move. He immediately attempts to end the fight before it even begins with a Force choke, but Infil’a effortlessly breaks free with a single motion, barely acknowledging the attack. Instead of striking back right away, he challenges Vader to prove himself first—by climbing Passvaal Mountain. Only if Vader reaches the top will Infil’a grant him a duel.

We see Darth Vader making his way up the mountain, tearing through creatures along the way. Once he finally reaches the summit, he wastes no time—using the Force to hurl boulders at Infil’a, knocking him to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Vader rips apart the Jedi’s droid, Arex, and steals its electrostaff, preparing to face Infil’a in combat.

Then, the real fight begins.

Infil’a dominates Vader with speed and precision, barely breaking a sweat. At one point, he even mocks Vader, taunting, “How did you end the Jedi? It seems impossible. You are weak.”

And then comes the worst moment for Vader. Infil’a gathers the Force and blasts Vader off the cliff with a devastating Force push. We see Vader falling, disappearing into the depths below.

From Infil’a’s perspective, that was the end. Vader was dead.

But we all know Vader doesn’t die that easily.

After his brutal defeat, Vader returned for revenge—this time, with a purpose. His mission wasn’t just to kill Kirak Infil’a, but to claim the Jedi’s lightsaber. Failing wasn’t an option; without that weapon, he couldn’t face his master, Emperor Palpatine.

When Vader returned for the second duel, it became clear once again that he was no match for Infil’a in a straight fight. But this wasn’t Anakin Skywalker anymore—Vader had no intention of fighting fair.

After recovering from his brutal defeat, Vader wasn’t about to let Kirak Infil’a slip away. Now fully repaired, he tracked the Jedi to Am’balaar City, where Infil’a was preparing to leave. But before he could escape, he sensed Vader’s presence looming over the city’s massive dam.

Infil’a rushed outside to confront Vader while the citizens—Mareena and her husband, Jogg—watched in confusion. Telling Mareena to keep working on his ship, Infil’a leaped to the top of the dam, where the second duel began.

From the start, Infil’a had the upper hand, using the Force to shove Vader back. As the fight escalated, Am’balaar City’s security forces arrived, opening fire on both combatants. Vader, showing no hesitation, used the Force to choke the officers and hurl them off the dam. Infil’a, unwilling to let innocent lives be lost, caught them with the Force—just as Vader had planned.

Seizing the moment, Vader struck. He used the Force to rupture one of the massive water tanks below, sending a flood rushing toward the city. Infil’a had no choice but to divert his attention, holding back the water to save the people. But while he was distracted, Vader used the Force to rip his lightsaber from his grasp and choke him into submission.

As Infil’a struggled, he pleaded for Vader to spare the innocent citizens. But Vader showed no mercy. He shattered more water tanks, worsening the flood, before executing Infil’a and tossing his lifeless body into the rising waters.

Cere Junda

The second Jedi who really made Vader struggle during their lightsaber duel is something we can’t ignore. If you have played Jedi: Survivor, you would understand that from the beginning of the game, we are introduced to Cere Junda, a former Jedi and survivor of Order 66. However, after the event, she shuts herself off from the Force, and for most of the story, we don’t see her using it at all.

When the Empire invades Jedha, Cere is forced to step back into her role as a Jedi to protect the hidden Jedi Archives. But the real challenge begins when Darth Vader arrives, personally hunting her down. Unlike many Jedi who fall to fear in his presence, Cere stands her ground. The duel is unlike any other we’ve seen because, for the first time in a long while, Vader isn’t in complete control.

Cere is relentless, using a combination of raw power and strategic thinking to press Vader into a real fight. She isn’t just blocking his attacks—she’s actively pushing him back, even staggering him multiple times. At one point, she lands a direct hit, visibly damaging his armor. More impressively, she uses the Force to bring down massive debris, momentarily pinning Vader beneath rubble.

For a brief moment, it looks like she might actually win.

But Vader, as always, refuses to go down. With an explosion of dark side energy, he tears through the rubble, launching into an aggressive counterattack. Cere, already exhausted from the fight, struggles to keep up as Vader overwhelms her with raw power. In the final moments, she makes one last stand, but Vader’s precision and relentless strikes finally take her down.

If she had just a moment more, just a little more luck, she could have landed a final strike—her lightsaber was inches away from piercing Vader.

Despite her defeat, Cere proved something crucial—Vader wasn’t invincible. She made him struggle, forced him onto the defensive, and came closer than most to actually taking him down.

Ahsoka Tano

We all remember the moment in Star Wars Rebels, Season 2, Twilight of the Apprentice, when Ahsoka and Vader finally came face to face in the Sith Temple on Malachor.

As Vader loomed over Ezra, ready to strike, it was clear just how unstoppable he was. The fight against Ezra barely even counted—Vader was toying with him. And just as he was about to finish Ezra off, Ahsoka intervened. 

The duel between Ahsoka and Vader was quick but intense. She had fought dark side users before—Maul, the Inquisitors—but this was different. This wasn’t just another Sith. This was Anakin Skywalker, the one who had trained her, the person she once trusted more than anyone. And now, he was the monster standing in front of her.

Despite her skill, Ahsoka struggled against Vader’s overwhelming strength. He overpowered her, sending her flying off the edge of the temple with a force push, seemingly ending the fight. But Ahsoka wasn’t done yet. Just when Vader thought she was gone, she returned with a surprise attack, catching him off guard. In a moment of sheer speed and precision, she struck him so hard that it shattered part of his mask, revealing the face underneath.

And then came the moment that changed everything—Vader looked at her, his voice breaking between the mechanical rasp and the familiar tone of Anakin Skywalker. “Ahsoka…”

For a brief second, she hesitated. But so did Vader. That single cut had done more than damage his helmet—it cracked through the darkness, even if just for a moment.

Then, Ahsoka pushed even further. In a final act of defiance, she destroyed the ground beneath Vader’s feet, sending him plummeting below.