the Acolyte lightsaber
There have been quite a few iconic lightsaber battles in the Star Wars universe, and the upcoming Disney+ series The Acolyte is looking to top them all. At least, that’s what series star Dafne Keen indicated when she spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the legendary battle between Darth Maul, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace.

Beating Darth Maul In Phantom Menace


When asked if The Acolyte lightsaber fights will meet or exceed that battle, Keen replied “Yeah, that was a very frequent conversation we had,” adding, “It was very much: We want to top the Darth Maul fight — the most iconic fight, I think, in the Star Wars cinematic universe.”

That’s certainly a high bar for The Acolyte to cross considering the Darth Maul fight has a lot going for it. Although Maul is a character we barely know when he confronts Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, his double red lightsaber reveal was instantly iconic.

Plus there’s the fact that the scene is scored by one of John Williams’ finest Star Wars efforts, “Duel of the Fates.”

Unbelievable Choreography


Part of what makes the Darth Maul battle so great is the martial arts choreography employed by Ray Park, who plays Maul in the live-action films.

From what we’ve seen from The Acolyte so far, it certainly looks like the show is taking cues from that type of lightsaber fighting, so we could be in for a very special battle when the show hits our small screens.

So far, the best live-action battle we’ve seen in the Disney+ shows is Vader vs Obi-Wan in Obi-Wan Kenobi, which was definitely the best part of that series.

A Lot To Live Up To

darth maul vs obi wan
If The Acolyte is following in the footsteps of the Maul lightsaber battle from The Phantom Menace, it has the right idea. Darth Maul has been part of not just one, but four of the best lightsaber duels in the entire Star Wars franchise.

Along with Maul’s debut in The Phantom Menace, many fans count his final confrontation with Obi-Wan in Star Wars: Rebels, his final battle with Ahsoka in The Clone Wars, and his battle alongside his brother against Palpatine amongst the best lightsaber duels ever put to screen.

The Acolyte And The High Republic Era


The Acolyte also takes place in a part of Star Wars history that we haven’t seen on screen before – The High Republic Era.

This unexplored part of Star Wars lore could open up the opportunity for some very unique The Acolyte lightsaber fighting styles. It definitely seems like Dafne Keen’s character, Jedi Jecki Lon, will be a big part of the battles we’ll see in the show.

Force-Fu And More


Keen’s comments and enthusiasm definitely help build up hype for The Acolyte, especially after creator and showrunner Leslye Headland revealed that Carrie-Ann Moss’s Jedi Master Indara will utilize some Force-fu when she fights.

The show seems to offer a diverse array of fighting styles and some unique fight scenes compared to some of the other Disney+ shows.

The Acolyte On June 4th


Along with Keen and Moss, the show also boasts a great cast that includes Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Charlie Barnett, and Jodie Turner-Smith.

We’ll get to find out if The Acolyte will enter the iconic lightsaber battle list soon enough, as the show hits streaming soon. Make sure to catch the premiere on June 4.