I love rewatching Star Wars duels—it’s like every time I notice something new. Take the duel between Maul, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan in The Phantom Menace—the more I watch it, the more I pick up on the subtle dynamics of the fight.
And honestly, that’s the same feeling I get with the Mustafar showdown between Obi-Wan and Anakin (or Darth Vader, depending on how you see him at that point).
But this time, something really hit me: just how insanely powerful Anakin was during that duel. It’s honestly mind-blowing when you take a closer look.
Anakin on Mustafar Was Far Stronger Than Obi-Wan
Here are the details I want to talk about. During the duel on Mustafar, in the control room, there’s a moment where Obi-Wan kicks Anakin, causing him to drop his lightsaber.
Obi-Wan immediately moves in for the strike, but Anakin, lying on the ground, uses the Force to pull his lightsaber back and blocks the attack—with just one hand.
Seriously, imagine that. Blocking a lightsaber strike while flat on the ground with only one hand? That’s insane.
Being on the ground already puts you at a huge disadvantage, and one-handed blocking should barely hold up against someone like Obi-Wan. But Anakin blocks the slash with ease.
Anakin’s incredible strength is on full display throughout the battle on Mustafar. Before this moment, we see just how physically powerful he’s become.
He uses one hand to choke Obi-Wan while holding Obi-Wan’s lightsaber with the other. Anakin nearly overpowers him completely until Obi-Wan kicks him to break free.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen just how ridiculously strong Anakin is. Think back to his duel with Count Dooku in Revenge of the Sith. There’s a moment where you can actually see Dooku struggling to block Anakin’s lightsaber strikes.
And we’re talking about Dooku here—a Sith Lord with decades of experience. But against Anakin’s raw power and relentless aggression, even he didn’t stand a chance.
By the end of the fight, Anakin completely overpowers him, leaving Dooku stunned and helpless.
The Power Held by the Chosen One
This might just be one of the best examples of how insanely strong Anakin really was. In Star Wars: Clone Wars Volume 7: When They Were Brothers, we see Obi-Wan and Anakin sent on a mission to Maramere in the Karthakk sector.
Things take a wild turn when they confront Durge, the terrifying Gen’Dai bounty hunter.
At one point, Durge sets a trap for the Jedi by planting a bomb. The explosion goes off, and Obi-Wan pushes Anakin out of harm’s way, saving him from the blast.
But in doing so, Obi-Wan leaves himself open to Durge, who takes full advantage, landing a brutal attack and nearly knocking Obi-Wan unconscious.
That’s when Anakin steps in. Shaking off the effects of the explosion, he uses the Force to lift the debris from the blast and hurls it straight at Durge.
The sheer power of the attack catches Durge off guard, leaving the nearly unstoppable bounty hunter completely vulnerable.