10 Strongest & Most Powerful Jedi of All Time

The Jedi are a powerful and memorable aspect of the Star Wars film series. We may think of their use of the Force or lightsaber fighting as indicators of their strengths and abilities.

We can still see Yoda levitating Luke’s X-Wing fighter out of the swamps of Dagobah. Or, we may think of Luke Skywalker battling Darth Vader. These moments captivate us and remind us how strong the Jedi are.

Yet, who is the strongest Jedi? Below is an updated top ten ranking, with the most venerable Jedi taking the number one spot.

10. Mace Windu

Jedi are known for being both skilled warriors and diplomats. These two qualities place Mace Windu in the top ten list.

As a Jedi General of the Grand Army of the Republic, Mace Windu displayed his military skills. As a top member of the Jedi High Council during the Galactic Republic, he also showed his diplomatic abilities.

Mace Windu may be best remembered for demonstrating his fighting skills when he killed Jango Fett and defeated Darth Sidious in combat. Windu also out-dueled Sith Lord Count Dooku (although Dooku did escape).

Windu’s individual fights define his abilities, but so does his leadership of the Jedi during the Battle of Geonosis. For a long time, Windu was Grand Master of the Jedi Order.

However, Windu was slow to move against the designs of Palpatine. He also lost his life because he was unable to prevent Anakin’s turn to the Dark Side. 

9. Ki-Adi Mundi

The Jedi-general Ki-Adi Mundi also makes the list because of his military and political skills.

Ki-Adi Mundi fought in the Clone Wars, leading the charge against battle droid armies and almost dying in a duel with General Grievous. 

Mundi was a general in charge of a large clone battalion who led several campaigns on multiple planets and a mission to rescue Jedi Master Quinlan Vos from Count Dooku.

The Jedi Council also held Mundi in high regard. He was one of the few Jedi to sit on the Council before becoming a Jedi Master.

8. Ahsoka Tano

Ahsoka Tano earns the eighth spot on the strongest Jedi list because of her skills as a Jedi. Ahsoka had lightsaber duels with the likes of Asajj Ventress, Darth Vader, and Darth Maul. She also helped jumpstart the Rebel Alliance.  

Her quick development from Padawan to being central to the Jedi order is most impressive. She trained under Anakin Skywalker and became a skilled fighter while accompanying Anakin during the Clone Wars.

When Ahsoka left the Jedi, we can see her strength of character. She was falsely accused of an attack on the Jedi Temple, but she did not seek revenge or turn to the Dark Side. 

Instead, she continued to fight for freedom and joined the Rebels to help stop the Empire. 

As we saw in The Mandalorian, she also helped Grogu by teaching him a crucial lesson about free will. By declining to train Grogu and helping him become more independent, Ahsoka Tano contributed to the next generation of Jedi.

7. Qui-Gon Jinn

Qui-Gon Jinn is the seventh strongest Jedi because of his fighting ability and leadership. When Qui-Gon fought Darth Maul, he was willing to sacrifice himself for the greater cause of the Jedi.

He had trained Obi-Wan Kenobi and recognized him as a Jedi who would be essential to the Republic. When Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon fought Darth Maul, they both demonstrated their strength in battle (more on Kenobi below). 

Qui-Gon took a risk when he single-handedly continued the battle against Maul. When he fell in battle, he passed his leadership onto Kenobi, who quickly avenged his death and helped lead the Jedi.

Qui-Gon was not done leading either. He returned as a Force Ghost to help steer the Jedi through the Clone Wars. He also helped guide Yoda to Dagobah to preserve the Jedi Order.

6. Ben Solo/Kylo Ren

Ben Solo/Kylo Ren makes the list because of his ultimate contribution to the Jedi. He also demonstrated his considerable lightsaber fighting skills.

The best moment of his fighting prowess is when Rey and he take on Supreme Leader Snoke’s Praetorian Guards. Ben may have contributed the most to defeating these eight highly lethal guards.

Ben’s greatest contributions came when he swung to the Light Side. The first was when he killed Supreme Leader Snoke. The second was defeating the guards, and the third, and more lasting, was how he aided Rey’s defeat of the Emperor once and for all.

Ben sacrificed himself to save Rey and the Jedi. Rey would have died and the Jedi with her if Ben had not given his life to revive her.

Of course, as Kylo Ren, he actively sought to end the Resistance. He spent just as much time working against Rey and Luke. He also killed his father, Han Solo.

While we recognize Ben’s strength as a Jedi, these drawbacks prevent a higher ranking.

5. Anakin Skywalker

Anakin Skywalker, like Ben Solo, had a mixed record, to say the least. But like Ben, Anakin secures the number five spot because of his character’s development and ultimate contributions to the Jedi.

Anakin rose from slavery on the desert sands of Tatooine. As a boy, he had strong powers of the Force. Qui-Gon Jinn discovered him, and Anakin became known as the Chosen One.

When he trained under Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin’s powers grew considerably and he surpassed other Jedi. Anakin’s Force power grew because he had the highest midi-chlorian count of all time.

As a military leader, Anakin served as a general of the Republic during the Clone Wars. 

The Clone Wars television series captures his leadership and warrior abilities. This series reflects his strength of character and Jedi skills.

He was also a very skilled pilot and lightsaber fighter. Anakin may be best remembered for defeating Count Dooku in combat (and executing him).

Like Ben Solo, Anakin was prone to anger and the Dark Side. Hence, as we know, he succumbed to both and became Darth Vader.

Yet, the prequel movies would not have been possible without Anakin Skywalker. Darth Vader’s redemption would not have happened either. In the end, Anakin gave up his life to save Luke and the Jedi.

4. Obi-Wan Kenobi

Obi-Wan proved his battle skills and wisdom many times over. As the apprentice of Qui-Gon Jinn, Kenobi defeated Darth Maul single-handedly. Obi-Wan also defeated General Grievous in battle.

As seen in the recent Kenobi series, Obi-Wan even defeated Darth Vader in combat. On that note, Obi-Wan was strong enough to have his own television show created about him!

We should also remember Obi-Wan served as a general in the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars. He was instrumental in fighting the Separatist Droid Army. 

Kenobi was also an advisor and sage, training Anakin and Luke Skywalker. Of course, Anakin turned to the Dark Side, which diminishes his record, but Obi-Wan rebounded with Luke.

As a Force Ghost, Obi-Wan played an instrumental role in guiding Luke. For example, Obi-Wan helped Luke focus on the Force to blow up the Death Star, and he appeared to Luke when in the frozen Hoth wasteland to guide him to Yoda.

Both in life and as a Force Ghost, Obi-Wan helped direct the course of the Jedi and the Star Wars movies.

3. Rey Skywalker

Rey Skywalker’s surprising evolution into the Jedi Order makes her the third most powerful Jedi. From scrounging for a living as a scavenger on Jakku to facing down the Emperor, Rey’s trajectory is impressive.

Rey learned to control the Force without any formal training. Once she did train with Luke Skywalker, she advanced quickly and proved her strength in combat and use of the Force.

Beforehand, Rey undertook the mission of preventing Kylo Ren from taking over the galaxy. She ably fought Kylo in a lightsaber duel without the training Kylo had. Rey eventually defeated him and slashed his face.

Rey also flew the Millenium Falcon without flight training. She resisted Kylo Ren’s interrogation. She possessed top-tier physical and mental capabilities.

Rey drew on inner strength to keep the Dark Side of the Force at bay and bring Ben to the Light Side. It was Rey who did ultimately defeat the Emperor’s clone and the Sith, but it was with the Force of all the Jedi behind her.

Still, Rey played one of the most crucial roles in preserving the Jedi and reviving a galaxy of peace. 

2. Luke Skywalker

Similar to Rey, Luke Skywalker rose from Tatooine to become one of the strongest Jedi. His development over time is one reflection of his strength.

First, Luke was a skilled X-Wing pilot and key leader of the Rebel Alliance. He developed military qualities that distinguish him.

Second, like Rey, Luke did not train as a traditional Jedi. The Great Jedi Purge had eliminated almost all of the Jedi, so he could not become a Padawan.

Instead, Luke trained briefly under Obi-Wan but then had to find the strength to carry on without Obi-Wan’s direction (beyond appearing as a Force Ghost).

Luke did train briefly with Yoda on Dagobah. But he did not complete his training and went to face Darth Vader for a real-life Jedi trial.

Third, with the help of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke blew up the first Death Star.

Fourth, fifth, and sixth, while he advanced to becoming Jedi Master, Luke also faced down the Emperor, defeated Darth Vader in combat, and convinced his father to join him on the Light Side of the Force. 

Luke’s ability to resist the will and persuasion of the Emperor reflects a mental strength. He was also able to withstand the Force Lightning that Palpatine struck him with (for a time).

That’s quite an evolution, but there is more.

After the Empire fell, Luke founded the New Jedi Order and started a training school for Jedi–the first of its kind since the Purge. From an initial group of 12 students, the Jedi Order grew and became central to the New Republic. 

There are some shortcomings here, though. Namely, how Luke failed to prevent Ben Solo’s path to the Dark Side and Luke’s attempt to kill Ben beforehand. Key reasons why Luke is not ranked number one.

Still, we should remember that Luke ultimately trained Rey, confronted Kylo Ren in Force-projected form on Crait, and passed on to become one with the Force so that Rey could complete her rise and bring peace to the galaxy.

1. Yoda

You may have guessed it–the strongest Jedi is Yoda! There are so many reasons why Yoda earns the top spot that we should list them out.

1. In terms of diplomacy and politics, Yoda was a well-respected member of the Jedi Council for hundreds of years. He became Grand Master of the Order of the Jedi High Council and held that position longer than any other Jedi.
2. Yoda was an excellent fighter, possibly the best. He proved that “Size Matters Not,” as he would say. Yoda’s fight with Count Dooku in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a great example.
   Yoda absorbed and deflected this powerful Sith Lord’s Force Lightning. Yoda then defeated Dooku in a lightsaber duel, forcing the latter to flee.
   Yoda also confronted and fought Darth Sidious in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. While Yoda did not prevail in this fight, he came very close and had the foresight to escape so that he could live to train Luke Skywalker.
3. Yoda was Grand Master of the Jedi and trained many Jedi beyond Luke Skywalker. Among the most notable that Yoda trained include Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi Mundi, and Ahsoka Tano. Yoda’s largest strength may be his teaching ability. 
4. Yoda was resourceful. He survived Order 66 by hiding out on Dagobah. 
5. Yoda repeatedly comes out first or second in most website rankings. As one list stated, “Jedi Master Yoda is [simply] the most powerful of them all.”

Yoda led the Jedi Order in the prequel movies, guided Luke in the original trilogy, and helped Rey learn the ways of the Jedi in the sequels.

Without Yoda, the Jedi Order would not have survived, and the film series would not have been as successful.