After Order 66, Darth Vader hunted down many of the Jedi who had managed to survive. Vader ruthlessly pursued those he considered to be his ultimate enemies, and he did it effectively.
Why was Vader so good at defeating Jedi? He developed several advantages based on his Force power that made it easier for him to do so.
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Vader and the Jedi
Most Jedi were killed with the issuance of Order 66, and the remaining Jedi died during the Great Jedi Purge that began after the Clone Wars.
Vader was in charge of the Inquisitors who hunted down the Jedi and personally led missions to destroy them.
Vader is estimated to have killed at least 22 Jedi during the Purge and at least 5 more afterward.
Yet, that number is probably higher, given the unconfirmed number of younglings and Padawans Vader killed at the Jedi Temple and varying counts from canon to Legends.
Vader even killed 3 of the inquisitors for not carrying out the hunt of the Jedi effectively enough.
Vader was thus very effective at killing Jedi, including well-known ones like Mace Windu, Shaak Ti, and Obi-Wan.
He also killed important Jedi who could have aided the Rebellion, such as the Jedi archives caretaker Jocasta Nu, skilled fighter Kirak Infil’a, and Cere Junda, who came close to defeating Vader.
It seems that any Jedi within his grasp was destined to fall.
Aligned with the Emperor, Vader made it his mission to defeat the Jedi and personally concluded the almost 20-year Purge with the Duel on Cophrigin V.
Why Was Darth Vader So Good at Defeating Jedi?
In the Duel on Cophrigin V, Vader faced a formidable opponent in Jedi Master An’ya Kuro, who almost defeated him.
Vader was surprised by Kuro’s dueling skills but ultimately won out against her.
This video provides several reasons why Vader was so good at defeating Jedi like Kuro, starting with his knowledge of Jedi “combat techniques and Force abilities.”
As a former Jedi, Vader understood how they approached battles and used the Force and “fatal Jedi vulnerabilities” to defeat them.
As one fan posted, since “Vader was one of the greatest Jedi,” he knew which Jedi were “likely to be more dangerous and how to deal with them.”
Yet, since the most powerful Jedi were hiding (Yoda and Obi-Wan) or killed (Mace Windu), Vader knew he mostly faced less-skilled opponents.
The above video introduces how Vader struck terror into his remaining opponents, which also gave him an advantage.
This terror most likely originated in how Vader wiped out a group of Jedi who had plotted a trap for him. In the Dark Horse comics, Vader draws on his anger for the Jedi and decimates seven Jedi leaders who thought they could collectively defeat him.
His anger was thus an advantage as was the ensuing terror of being hunted by “death.”
Vader could also use the Force to get into the heads of the Jedi and read their thoughts.
In Return of the Jedi, Vader demonstrated his mind probe ability with Luke to find out about his sister Leia.
Vader used this advantage not only to intimidate opponents but also to develop the best way to beat them in battle or to diminish Jedi connections to the light side of the Force to make them easier to defeat.
Vader’s Good at Defeating Jedi
In essence, Vader’s strength in the dark side allowed him to develop these multiple advantages to defeat the Jedi so easily.
He not only knew their fighting techniques and vulnerabilities but also could use terror and anger to overwhelm the Jedi.
In addition, he had a way of tapping into Jedi thoughts to undermine and readily defeat them.
Todd Wahlstrom is a creative and analytical freelance writer and life-long Star Wars fan. He has covered such topics as Darth Vader, the Jedi, Boba Fett, and AT-AT Walkers. Todd has published a non-fiction book, holds a Ph.D. in history, and enjoys hiking, running, and reading about science.