Has Anyone Else in Canon Defeated Darth Vader Besides Luke Skywalker?

In “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi,” we witness the mighty Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader, being defeated by Luke Skywalker for the only time on screen.

Interestingly, this isn’t Vader’s only brush with defeat. 

There are several instances in the Star Wars canon where Vader nearly meets his end, though these moments haven’t made their way onto our screens. 

Let’s take a closer look at the characters who have come close to sending Vader to his grave.

Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Rematch

Ten years after the fall of the Republic. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi has been hiding on Tatooine, secretly watching over young Luke Skywalker. He’s also avoiding the Inquisitors, who are hunting down the Jedi. 

Amidst this, Obi-Wan undertakes a daring mission to rescue young Leia from kidnappers. This act exposes him, and soon, Darth Vader starts searching for him, leading to a showdown.

When Obi-Wan rescues Leia, he’s stunned to learn that Darth Vader is actually his old friend, Anakin. 

Caught between fighting and fleeing, Obi-Wan ends up facing Vader with no clear way out. 

With unexpected help from an Imperial General, Obi-Wan narrowly escapes, but Leia is taken by the enemy.

Leia is captured again, this time by the Third Sister, and taken to the Sith Inquisitors’ base. Obi-Wan manages to rescue her, but Vader is close behind. 

Realizing Vader is only after him, Obi-Wan lets his friends escape while he faces Vader alone. Their battle is fierce, with both showing their skills with the Force and lightsabers. 

Vader seems to have the upper hand until Obi-Wan uses a clever trick. He uses the Force to throw rocks at Vader, then damages Vader’s armor with his lightsaber. 

This weakens Vader, allowing Obi-Wan to strike a critical blow and destroyed Vader’s helmet.

After the fight, Obi-Wan leaves Darth Vader behind, coming to the painful realization that Anakin is now Darth Vader, not the friend he once knew.

Obi-Wan then said “Then my friend is truly dead… Goodbye… Darth”

Palpatine Challange Darth Vader in a Duel

In Issue #25 of Star Wars 2020, we witness a groundbreaking duel between Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader on Coruscant

Perched atop a towering building, Emperor Palpatine turns to Vader with a command: “Fight me.” 

This duel unfolds on Coruscant, shortly after the events of ‘Revenge of the Sith.’

Vader ignites his red lightsaber swiftly, but Palpatine wastes no time in closing the distance. 

Palpatine launches an aggressive assault, overwhelming Vader with a flurry of strikes that leave him struggling to defend himself. 

Eventually, Vader’s concentration falters. Palpatine disarms him, seizing Vader’s lightsaber and using the Force to push him to the ground. 

Standing with a lightsaber in each hand, Palpatine delivers a scornful critique: “You fight like a Jedi.” 

Palpatine then demonstrates his mastery of the Force by hurling an object directly at Vader’s face, sending him to his knees. 

Palpatine seizes this moment to teach Vader a harsh lesson: a Sith’s true power comes from harnessing the dark side of the Force, not just from lightsaber skills. 

This encounter not only demonstrates Palpatine’s overwhelming strength in political maneuvering but also his superior combat skills, significantly outclassing Darth Vader.

Cere Junda: Almost Succeed to end Darth Vader

Cere Junda, a Force-sensitive Jedi Master, and her padawan, Cal Kestis, find themselves in a precarious situation in ‘Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.’ 

In a tense moment, Junda is inputting contact codes into the BD-1 droid.  

Her instincts alert her to an impending threat. She turns towards the door just as it begins to creep open, revealing Darth Vader on the other side.

The fight begins after Darth Vader walks through the door.

The ensuing battle was intense, neither combatant gaining a clear upper hand. Junda proved to be a formidable opponent, her skills honed and resilient. 

In a bold move, Junda uses her mastery of the Force, she hurls fiery projectiles at Vader, though he forcefully repels them and stands his ground.

In a decisive moment, Junda gathers all her strength for a final assault. She employs a powerful Force push, pinning Vader against a corner. 

Leaping forward, lightsaber aimed for a lethal blow, she almost secures her victory. However, in a split-second miscalculation, her attack misses its mark, leaving her vulnerable. 

Vader seizes this opening, counterattacking without a moment’s hesitation, bringing the duel to a tragic end.

Kirak Infil’a: A Former Jedi Master Nearly Gets to Darth Vader

Our story unfolds in the aftermath of Anakin Skywalker’s defeat at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the fiery world of Mustafar, where Obi-Wan seizes Anakin’s lightsaber. 

Now, Vader needs a new one, a crimson one, because he’s a Sith Lord.

Emperor Palpatine directs Vader to the River Moon of Al’doleem to confront Jedi Master Kirak Infil’a, who has chosen a life of isolation.

When Vader meets Infil’a, he tries to use the Force to choke him, but Infil’a uses Force power and pushes Vader away. 

Infil’a tells Vader he’s not with the Jedi Order anymore because he’s on a Barash Vow. This means he promised to stay away from the Jedi until he decides to return. Infil’a also says he knows many Jedi were killed when Order 66 happened, and Infil’a senses Vader had something to do with it.

Infil’a issues a challenge to Vader, not immediately, but atop a mountain where a decisive duel could take place.

Vader’s journey to the summit is fraught with obstacles, yet he perseveres, reaching Infil’a without the aid of a lightsaber. 

Infil’a is very strong, he then pushes Vader so hard that Vader falls off the mountain.

This fall damages Vader’s suit, but he doesn’t give up. He uses parts from the droid he destroyed to fix his leg and climbs the mountain again to fight Infil’a.

With relentless determination, Vader climbs the mountain once more to face Infil’a. 

Their second confrontation, however, ends similarly, with Vader overpowered and beaten. The arrival of security forces momentarily distracts Infil’a, providing Vader with a strategic advantage. 

Seizing an opportunity amidst the chaos, Vader uses the Force to dispatch the guards, catching Infil’a off guard. 

He then forcefully pushes a security guard off a cliff. Shocked by Vader’s ruthless actions, Infil’a halts the combat and uses his telekinesis to rescue the guards.

But then, Vader makes things worse by breaking the dam, causing a huge flood onto the city. 

Infil’a attempts to counteract the disaster, striving to save the city from the flood. 

Distracted, Infil’a becomes vulnerable, allowing Vader to steal his lightsaber and immobilize him with a Force choke, lifting Infil’a into the air.

Infil’a with his power, won’t let Darth Vader get his purpose to success. Infil’a trying to stop the flood over the city.

Vader forces Infil’a to witness the city’s destruction. In a desperate plea, Infil’a asks Vader to end his life in exchange for the citizens’ safety. 

With the power of the Force Choke, Vader swiftly ends the Jedi warrior’s life.

After that, Vader continued his destruction, flooding the entire city and casting the Jedi’s body into the waters.