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Darth Vader Respect Thread (Part 3)

This is the third part of my Darth Vader respect thread, which I created due to the content of my previous blogs being too long. The first and the second part can be found here and here. I also made a respect thread for Canon Vader which can be found at this link.

Respect Darth Vader:

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For the best viewing quality, switch to blog format.

Telekinesis

Telekinesis is an ability that allows a Force user to manipulate the environment and other people with the power of the mind.

Vader lifts up and throws an Y-Wing with ease:

19 BBY Vader brings down a cathedral while severely injured. It should also be noted that Vader did this while his life support system was compromised due to his chest panel and his helmet being destroyed, meaning he had to use much of his power just to stay alive:

https://www.writeurl.com/text/rvb0ygxrkq8rbi2mpjll/tbx5mtcnyw794ac39nsk

The cathedral was also stated to house a labyrinth underneath, suggesting the overall structure was quite large:

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Indeed, Haden Blackman, the comic's author, has confirmed that Vader collapsed the entire cathedral, and that it was a massive building:

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Basically, Vader performed this feat while he was hugely hindered due to his suit's main life support systems being destroyed, and as such this would be a low showing even for a fresh 19 BBY Vader.

Vader uses Force Crush on a flying Tie fighter, a feat he accomplished with ease and years before his prime:

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As of Anh, Vader demonstrates enough power to completely disintegrate a stormtrooper's body, leaving nothing in its place, a feat he accomplished with ease:

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He sends a group of Jedi flying with a Force Wave, likely killing them:

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Vader crushes rubble with casual ease (credit to WollfMyth209):

He chokes Antinnis Tremayne, one of the most powerful Inquisitors (credit to WollfMyth209):

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Vader ragdolls three of Sa Cuis' clones at once and effortlessly tears through their Force defences.

"Get clear," said Vader, and stabbed his Force reach through the shield of the Cuis clones, seizing their throats and crushing them. One yielded and Vader moved in fast, taking three strides forward and slashing his saber down to fell the clone.

Two were left, plus Sheyvan. He was still alive. Vader could feel him yet not see him. Lekauf's men fired rapid bursts of flame at the last two Cuis clones standing, pinning them against the port bulkhead as Vader moved in and they struggled to maintain the protective bubble around them. Smoke rolled from every surface. The shuttle's interior was made from fire-resistant materials, but the temperature in the confined space was now getting unbearable.

Nele fired another burst of burning gas at the Dark Jedi. Then one of the Cuis clones made a massive effort and sent the ball of flame back at Vader.

Vader's suit could withstand nearly every assault. But Lekauf, a man trained to react without pausing to debate, flung himself in front of him and took the brunt of the flame. He fell, gasping, as the clones closed in on the Dark Jedi and Vader burst apart their Force shields with pure focused rage.

Credit to Azronger

--Two-Edged Sword

He chokes Jedi Master Rahm Kota and throws him toward his stormtroopers:

Before anyone else could react, Kota whisked the lightsaber from Starkiller's belt and launched himself at the Dark Lord. Vader raised a hand and caught the general telekinetically about the throat. Kota dropped the lightsaber and desperately clutched at the invisible fingers choking him, but the pressure only increased. When his resistance was crushed, Vader threw him bodily toward the stormtroopers and turned his attention elsewhere.

-- The Force Unleashed

He hurls a stone table at Starkiller, sending him crashing through three pillars and proceeds to toss him toward an icy cliff:

Before Starkiller could reach out for where his lightsaber lay fallen on the ground, the stone conference table lifted into the air and hurled itself at him. Crashing through three of the pillars and catching him squarely in the chest, it drove him out into the snow. Ignoring everyone else in the room, Vader strode heavily after him, lightsaber raised.

--

Vader casually tossed him toward the icy cliff. He slid across the ground, clutching weakly at the snow, and then spilled over the edge. The world turned for a moment and he thought he might have fainted as he fell. The bottom of the cliff was thousands of meters below, impossibly distant. It didn't seem to be coining closer, which puzzled him momentarily.

-- The Force Unleashed

He hurls missiles at Starkiller from all sides:

He staggered backward and found himself at the center of a telekinetic storm. His Master seized on his momentary weakness and hurled missiles at him from all sides, hoping to keep him off his guard. For a moment, it worked. Then the apprentice straightened and, with a sweep of his left arm, blew the missiles away. He blocked a savage slash that would have cut him in two and another that would have lifted his head clean from his shoulders.

-- The Force Unleashed

Years before his prime, he briefly chokes Starkiller:

"You can teach me nothing," Darth Vader's leaden voice intoned. One black glove clenched, and for a moment the apprentice's throat closed tight. He beat back the telekinetic attack with one of his own, shoving his Master in the chest with the force of a small explosion, throwing Darth Vader backward across the room.

-- The Force Unleashed

Vader appears to match Galen Marek in power in their telekinetic battle, seemingly choking him at times, though Starkiller did the same as well:

And there were ways to fight that didn't involve lightsabers. Loose objects, accelerated to killing speeds by the Force, became projectiles that converged from all directions. Invisible fists clutched for throats or punched with the power of pile drivers. Floors tipped underfoot; severed beams stabbed like javelins; overloaded circuits exploded.

-- The Force Unleashed

Vader throws one of Starkiller's lightsabers off target, sending the latter flying and simultaneously buckling a platform:

Vader made no move to defend himself when Starkiller reached the very top of the cloning tower. Determined to prove him wrong, Starkiller didn't waste time announcing his intentions. He just lunged. Only at the very last moment did Vader raise his blade to block the blow, and even then the move seemed almost casual, disinterested. Starkiller struck again, with both lightsabers. Vader blocked one blade and used telekinesis to throw the other off target. The platform buckled and twisted, sending Starkiller flying.

-- The Force Unleashed 2

Vader hurls Juno Eclipse far away out of a window:

Then he pushed her in exactly the same way Starkiller had pushed the stormtroopers. She felt as though the world moved out from under her, sucking all the air away with it. The lightsaber fell from her hand, and suddenly she was flying. Her head snapped forward, and the rain boiled around her. The air itself seemed to hurt, she was moving so fast. Vader receded into the distance with uncanny speed.

How far he pushed her, she couldn't tell. It seemed to last forever, but she knew she had to hit the ground sometime. She hoped it wouldn't be soon. Landing was going to hurt. Something slammed into her from behind. It did hurt.

-- The Force Unleashed 2

He throws wrecked platforms and cloning tubes at Starkiller :

Vader threw wrecked platforms and cloning rubes at him, while he scored three slashes to the Dark Lord's cape in return. They circledthe top of the cloning tower, striking and assessing, then striking again. Starkiller swore that he would not give in to anger or frustration. If that was what Darth Vader wanted, he wasn't going to get it. The only emotion he would give in to was love.

-- The Force Unleashed 2

He easily collapses four massive platforms. He then levitates another platform high in the air, while simultaneously shattering all the cloning tubes on it, and brings it down:

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He pushes Starkiller and proceeds to hurl a lightning pylon at him:

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Vader disarms Starkiller with TK:

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Years before his prime, Vader dominates TFU 2 Starkiller while the latter was enraged. The game guide also corroborates this by stating that Vader was too powerful for Starkiller. This is easily one of, if not Vader's most impressive feat:

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You grab your sabers and attack, but Vader is too powerful. He tosses you away like a rag doll.

-- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II: Prima Official Game Guide

Vader slams Juno down onto the ground. In a rage, you pick your lightsabers and leap between Vader and Juno!

Credit to Azronger

-- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II: Prima Official Game Guide

Other examples of Vader dominating both Galen and the cloned Starkiller in the Wii version of the games. Noting that in the video below, Vader holds Starkiller in his Force Grip for over 20 seconds while the latter was enraged (credit to Azronger):

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https://youtu.be/cfv-dH40fwY?t=722

Crushing/exploding a huge wooden structure with apparent ease and decades before his prime (credit to Azronger):

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Blasting Starkiller against a nearby structure with great force (credit to Azronger):

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Vader appears to disintegrate a sizeable portion of a huge observation tower, a feat he performed with ease (Credit to Silver2467):

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Note: the following three feats from Empire At War are scripted gameplay, and thus their validity is questionable. Credit to Wolfrazer for the screenshots.

Vader destroys an Ion Cannon:

He destroys a building:

Lifting and crushing a 27 meters long Mobile Proton Torpedo Launcher-2a:

Size: 27 meters long

-- Star Wars Databank: MPTL-2a mobile proton torpedo launcher

Vader pins Aurra Sing to the floor:

At the last instant the Dark Lord thrust both hands downward toward the spinning bounty hunter. A profound surge in the Force rippled through the room. Guards posted at a distance in the hallway nearby were nearly knocked off their feet by it. But the strength of the emanation had not been directed at them.

Casually, as if inspecting a new exhibit that had been donated to the Imperial Museum, Vader walked around the now motionless figure on the floor. Aurra Sing lay on her back, unable to move. It was as if a giant weight pressed her down. Seething in impotent rage, she watched the Dark Lord pass through her field of vision and beyond.

-- Coruscant Nights II: Streets Of Shadows

He sends his attacker flying ten meters away:

Eppon leaped to his feet and threw himself at Vader. He slammed into the Dark Lord with the sound of a mountain falling. Vader took half a step back to keep his balance, then lifted Eppon up over his head. Eppon tried to clasp his opponent, but Vader’s armor covered every inch of his skin. With the help of the dark side of the Force, Vader sent Eppon crashing into the egg chamber, ten meters away.

-- Galaxy Of Fear: Army Of Terror

Vader seals two heavy doors shut:

They turned back around to see that Vader had momentarily focused his attention on them. He had used the Force to shut them in. “You will not escape me this time. When I have finished with this creature, I will deal with you.”

They watched Vader stride toward Eppon, who was just climbing out of the wreckage of the egg chamber. Eppon tried to grab Vader, but the Dark Lord slashed with his lightsaber, cutting off Eppon’s right arm just above the elbow. Eppon howled in pain and backed away a step. Even as he did, his right arm quivered and shifted, and a new arm quickly grew to replace the one he’d lost.

“What shall we do?” Deevee moaned. “Whoever wins this fight will turn on us next.”

Zak was still pounding on the door in frustration.

To his surprise, someone on the outside pounded back. “Let us in!”

It was Han Solo.

“Vader sealed the door. We can’t get out!” Zak called back.

-- Galaxy Of Fear: Army Of Terror

He causes a door to explode inward. Even though he was seemingly amped, I still consider this a legitimate feat, because he has done better things without help:

The Dark Lord reached out with the Force. Ripples of dark-side energy rolled toward the building and, though he couldn't see it with his eyes, Vader felt the door with the Force. It was right in front of him.

Still using the Force, Vader tried to push the door open, but it would not move. Behind his black mask, the Dark Lord frowned. He didn't know whether the door was locked or just frozen shut with age. He didn't care.

Gathering the dark side around him, Vader shoved with his mind, and the hidden door exploded inward.

-- Galaxy Of Fear: Clones

Choking Xizor from across the galaxy:

Xizor turned toward the hologram of the dark-caped figure-an intimidatingly life-sized image, transmitted from the Devastator, Lord Vader's personal flagship. Standing against Vader-even in this insubstantial form-was like facing radiation hard enough to strip flesh from bone. Not for the first time Xizor felt an invisible hand settle around his throat. His own willpower kept the breath sliding in and out of his lungs.

-- Bounty Hunter Wars

Vader uses TK to destroy some hidden weapons:

Angrily, Vader waved one hand across the room. One by one, the hidden weapons exploded and sputtered as if struck by invisible lightning. The blaster fire stopped.

The Dark Lord walked over to the wall and studied one of the small openings. Inside, the remains of a ruined blaster smoldered. By the looks of the device, the blaster weapons were as old as the building itself.

-- Galaxy of Fear: Clones

He shatters a mirror made of aluminized densecris, a substance deemed unbreakable:

Vader inhaled, holding the dry and slightly bitter air for as long as his scarred lungs could manage it. When he allowed the breath to be drawn from him by the respirator, he thrust his right hand toward a nearby mirror. The aluminized densecris shattered into a thousand pieces, struck by the dark side as if by a metal fist.

Vader was aware of the "unbreakable" substance splintering and falling, tinkling onto the floor, myriad reflections sparkling in the light as they seemed to move in slow motion.

-- Death Star

Ripping platforms apart, and then attacking Roan Shryne with waves of debris from all directions while simply standing with his hands crossed:

Before Shryne could begin to make sense of it, he heard a creaking sound from below, and something flew at him from one of the ramps. Only a last-instant turn of his sword kept the object from striking him in the head. It was a plank-ripped from a ramp they had taken to the bridge. Shryne gazed in awe at unreadable Vader, then began to race toward him, blade held high over his right shoulder. He didn't make half the distance when a storm of similar planks and lengths of handrail came whirling at him. Vader was using his dark side abilities to dismantle the ramps!

Surrendering to the guidance of the Force, Shryne swung his lightsaber in a flurry of deflecting maneuvers-side-to-side, overhead, low down, behind his back-but the floorboards were coming in larger and larger pieces, from all directions, and faster than he could parry them. The butt end of a board struck him on the outer left thigh. The face of a wide plank slammed him across the shoulders. Wooden pegs flew at his face; other speared into his arms.

Then a short support post hit him squarely in the forehead, knocking the wind out of him and dropping him to his knees. Blood running into his eyes, he fought to remain conscious, extending the lightsaber in one shaking hand while clamping the other on the bridge's handrail. Five meters away Vader stood, his hands crossed in front of him, lightsaber hanging on his belt. Shryne tried to keep him in focus.

Another board, whirling end-over-end, came out of nowhere, hitting him in the kidneys. Reflexively the hand that was grasping the railing went to the small of his back, and he lost balance. Trying but failing to catch himself, he fell through space.Give in the wooden floor saved his life, but at the expense of all the bones in his left arm and shoulder.Above him Vader jumped from the bridge, dropping to the floor with a grace he hadn't displayed before and alighting just meters away.

-- Dark Lord: The Rise Of Darth Vader

He collapses a stone ceiling on Luke:

Using the Force, Vader dropped a stone ceiling on Luke Skywalker, pinning him to the temple floor, while Leia Organa watched helplessly.

-- The Rise And Fall Of Darth Vader

Vader and his clone throw empty cargo containers, pieces of equipment, and parts of a ship at one another:

The two Vaders were still fighting. It was as if a storm had erupted inside the room. Both were using the dark side to hurl empty cargo containers, pieces of equipment, even parts of the ship, at one another. The force of their battle would soon bring the building down.

-- Galaxy Of Fear: Clones

He chokes Grand Inquisitor Malorum:

Ferus and Trever tried to pull back amidst shards of glass and looked straight up into the black breath mask of Darth Vader. Malorum was hanging in the air, a victim of Vader's wrath, his face almost purple.

-- Last Of The Jedi: Underworld

He chokes Ferus Olin:

Ferus felt the dark side of the Force fill the air, choking him. And suddenly his body was wrenched forward, and he hung in the air like a puppet. He looked down at Vader's helmet.

"I am bored," Darth Vader said. He placed his glowing lightsaber against Ferus's neck.

-- Last Of The Jedi: Secret Weapon

He chokes Olin again and slams him against a wall, knocking him out:

Vader came out of nowhere, raising a gloved hand. Ferus felt himself liftedup, over Vader's head. He couldn't breathe.

"You should know before you die that your dream is dead," Vader said.

"Don't you know I can bow anyone to my will?"

Ferus was slammed against the wall. He felt himself losing consciousness.

-- Last Of The Jedi: Reckoning

He pins Jax Pavan to a wall:

Jax opened his mouth to speak when a force like a giant invisible fist struck him and hurled him back against the wall. He was pinned there, spitted, while every nerve ending in his body exploded and burst into flame. A scream was wrenched from his throat before he could stop it.

-- Coruscant Nights III: Patterns Of The Force

Dominating Jax Pavan in the latter's prime.

The grip on Jax’s throat tightened. The coldness of interstellar space invaded his core. If he could see Vader’s face—Anakin’s face—what would it reveal? Anger? Hurt? Torment?

“Let me make this clear,” Vader said. “Anakin Skywalker is dead. Burned to a cinder and blown away by the winds of betrayal.”

Jax dared to laugh. It sounded thin and wheezing. “Betrayed? You? No. You were the betrayer. You betrayed the Jedi Order. You betrayed us all. You betrayed yourself.”

The grip tightened more now. Jax gasped, the bay area growing dark. Vader’s tone remained amused, but with an edge to it.

-- The Last Jedi

He lifts and destroys a huge robot:

He blows through a durasteel door:

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He brutally pushes a man to a wall:

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He hurls everything in the Jedi Council room, including furniture:

He lifts a huge boulder and kills some people with it, a feat he accomplished a few months after Mustafar:

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He collapses a ceiling with utter ease:

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He uses TK to crush the heart of a Jedi:

Slaps a huge monster with a tree:

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Pushes aside multiple large creatures:

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Sending a vast number of soldiers flying across a hangar. They are more or less 30 on panel, but considering that he presumably used a Force Wave on them, he likely hurled a dozen or two more of them:

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Hurling a dozen beasts with a Force Wave:

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He seemingly uses some form of telekinetic saber combat by throwing his turned off lightsaber intro the mouth of a beast and then igniting it with the Force:

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Another possible showing of telekinetic saber combat (with a regular blade, but it hardly makes some difference), which he uses to kill a Gamorrean. He also hurls an enemy against a wall with enough power to kill him while chocking a Bothan, seemingly without gesturing:

Vader collapses a gargantuan tree. The feat is made more impressive by comparison with the smaller trees in the same scan, which are dwarfed in size by the one Vader brought down:

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Vader hurls a V-Wing at some soldiers, causing it to explode, a feat he accomplished with no apparent strain and decades before his prime:

While being shot at, he casually brings down an enormous mining vehicle just a few months after Mustafar, seemingly with enough force to create an explosion. First scan is for scale perspective:

Some examples of Vader using Saber Throw:

He chokes Sha Koon, Jedi Knight and niece of Plo Koon, while dueling her and while injured:

He slams Tark to the ceiling:

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Combat skill

Accolades

Nick Gillard considers Vader to be a tier 9 duelist:

-- https://www.writeurl.com/text/czgi2te8v6mqi9njh6e1/1hv4z9a1h6xa80wj2lbq/0q35lakabi12025vdiu2

Darth Vader is one of the greatest Imperial duelists of all time:

The Imperial Knights wear specially crafted armor that uses materials found in the armor of one of the greatest Imperial duelists of all time, Darth Vader

Credit to Intrepid37

-- Legacy Era Campaign Guide

Vader is an incredibly skilled duelist:

As a teenager, the apprentice was already more powerful than many Jedi Knights had been during the Clone Wars, and it was only Darth Vader's incredible power and skill that allowed him to defeat the boy in combat.

-- The Force Unleashed Campaign Guide

Both Vader and Karness Muur claim that Celeste Morne can't win against Vader, implying she is inferior to him dueling:

Karness Muur: "No? You cannot hope to survive this fight..unless you give in to me...accept my power."

--

"You reek of despair...defeat. Give up, Celeste Morne. You cannot win."

Darth Vader: "Give up. You cannot defeat me

-- Dark Times 12: Vector, Part 6

He is a master of lightsaber combat:

He is a master of the lightsaber, wielding the lightning blade with blinding speed.

-- Lightsaber Dueling Pack: Darth Vader

He honed his lightsaber skills over time:

He honed his lightsaber skills, wielding the blade with blinding speed.

-- The Essential Guide To Characters

Vader's fighting style is described as unpredictable, and it is also stated to borrow elements from ALL combat techniques. In addition, Olee Starstone felt as if she were fighting a droid programmed to counter all her best moves:

His style borrowed elements from all techniques of combat, even from the highest, most dangerous levels, and his moves were crisp and unpredictable.

--

She felt as if she were fighting a droid, although a droid programmed to counter all her best stratagems. Ducking out from under a broad sweep of the crimson blade, she somersaulted to safety.

-- Dark Lord: The Rise Of Darth Vader

Vader is considered by Roan Shryne to be more dangerous than Grievous:

“Normally, I’d agree,” Shryne cut in. “But someone new has been added to the mix. A Lord Vader.” When Garrulan didn’t react to the name, he continued. “A sort of black-armored version of Grievous, only more dangerous, and apparently in charge of doing Palpatine’s dirty work.”

-- Dark Lord: The Rise Of Darth Vader

Vader's skill with a lightsaber is unparalleled, thus placing him above the likes of Darth Sidious, Starkiller and Ben Kenobi:

Darth Vader is the embodiment of all evil. Under the guidance of Emperor Palpatine-aka Darth Sidious- Lord Vader controls the Galactic Empire with an iron fist. He's an unparalleled lightsaber combatant and an even more capable Force wielder.

-- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II: Prima Official Game Guide

No one was a match for the lightsaber skills of the dark lord of the Sith.

-- Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: The Shadow Syndicate

As of Anh, his dueling prowess is superior to that of Ben Kenobi:

As the blade of the Dark Lord's lightsaber reduced his fomer Jedi Master to nothingness, Vader's relationship with Obi-Wan Kenobi seemed to have come full circle from Mustafar. The Dark Lord's victory proved that he was now the master, both of the lightsaber and the Force itself.

-- Star Wars Fact File 1 (Relaunched)

He became a far more formidable opponent in the years between ANH and TESB:

Within the armoed forces Vader now holds absolute power over the higher Imperial officers who scorned him earlier in his career. This situation reflects Vader's greater mastery over himself and over the Force in the time since the Battle of Yavin, an improvement that is readily apparent in his lightsaber style during the duel with Luke Skywalker on Bespin. Vader has largely freed himself of pain through the Force in the years since the Battle of Yavin and, by practice with living opponents both willing and unwilling, he has advanced his lightsaber technique. Baron Orman Tagge serves as testament to Vader's technique by this era, precisely blinded in both eyes by Vader's blade in a duel. Vader is thus a far more formidable foe on Bespin than he was against Ben Kenobi on the Death Star.

-- Insider #62

He was more skilled than ever in ROTJ:

Darth Vader presses forward... strong, skillful, sure! Exhibiting more deadly invincibility than ever!

Credit to Azronger

-- Return of the Jedi Comic

He was stated by Palpatine as the greatest Jedi killer of all times. Given that this would include the likes of Darth Maul, General Grievous and Tulak Hord, it is a very impressive accolade:

Of all the monsters I have created, I still regard Darth Vader as something of a minor masterpiece. No, he was not an entirely alchemical creation, but he was my monster nevertheless. Even though he failed to live up to his full potential, there was much pleasure in transforming Anakin Skywalker from a bright-eyed, tousle-headed youth into the greatest Jedi killer of all time. Yes, he ultimately turned against his Master, as monsters sometimes do, but that was my fault, not his. Given the opportunity to create Vader again, I would, and with zeal.

-- Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide To The Force

According to Luke Skywalker, Vader would slap Lumiya down for presumption if he was alive, suggesting the latter is inferior to him in both skill and power:

Luke frowned over that one. "Lady has to be Lumiya. She used to style herself the Dark Lady of the Sith ... after Emperor Palpatine and my father were no longer around to slap her down for presumption."

Credit to WollfMyth209

-- Legacy of the Force: Exile

He is one of the deadliest Sith apprentices in history:

Darth Vader was one of the most deadly Sith apprentices ever.

-- Star Wars: Sith Wars

According to Galen Marek, Vader's skill is enough to overwhelm even extraordinary Jedi Knights:

He had fended off many wild, slashing attacks that would have overwhelmed even an extraordinary Jedi Knight.

-- The Force Unleashed

He is an expert lightsaber combatant:

Darth Vader has strong Force powers, which make him an expert pilot and lightsaber combatant.

-- Beware The Sith

Nick Rostu claims that Kar Vastor would stand no chance in a fight against Vader, whereas Mace Windu viewed himself as unable to beat former even on his best day:

It didn't matter. There was no doubt in Nick's mind that, were Kar Vastor somehow to be pitted against Darth Vader, the feral Balawai renegade wouldn't stand a chance.

-- Coruscant Nights I:Jedi Twilight

Vastor was younger, stronger, faster, and immensely more powerful, and he wielded weapons that could not be harmed by the Jedi blade. Mace couldn't win such a battle on his best day, and this day was far from his best: he was exhausted, badly wounded, and heartsick.

-- Shatterpoint

According to Nick Rostu, only Vader could have killed the Jedi Nick knew, including Mace Windu:

"You knew Old Republic Jedi?"

"Met a few. Only really knew one. Dead now, of course."

"Of course."

"Way I heard it, Vader killed him personally."

Luke let his eyes close. "Vader? You're sure?"

"Had to be. Nobody but Vader would have had a chance."

-- Luke Skywalker And The Shadows Of Mindor

By the time of ANH, Vader is the deadliest warrior of his generation:

By the time the Emperor assigns him to assist Grand Moff Tarkin in the construction of the Death Star battle station, Vader is the deadliest warrior of his generation, shielded by imposing armor, steeled by countless combats, and empowered by the dark side of the Force.

-- Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Revised Core Rulebook

Feats

Despite the fact that he is still not used to his suit, Vader kills Jedi Master Bol Chatak:

Chatak held her blue blade at shoulder height. "My only intent is to take you out of the hunt." Vader's angled his blade to point toward the ground. "You won't be the first Jedi I've killed." Their blades met with an explosion of light. Fearing that the prisoners would use the distraction to scatter, Salvo's men hurried in to form a cordon around them. Pressed in among everyone,

Shryne lost sight of Chatak and Vader, but he could tell from the angry clashes of their blades that the duel was fast and furious. Momentarily immobilized, he allowed himself to be swept up in the surge of the crowd, so that he might be raised up over the heads of those in front of him. For a moment he was.

Just long enough to glimpse Chatak, all grace and speed, working her way into her opponent's space. Her moves were broad and circular, and the lightsaber seemed an extension of her. Vader, by contrast, was clumsy, and his strikes were mostly vertical. He was, however, a full head taller than Chatak and incredibly powerful. At various times his stances and techniques mimicked those of Ataru and Soresu, but Vader appeared to lack a style of his own, and executed his moves stiffly. With a whirling motion Chatak got far enough inside Vader's long reach to inflict a forearm wound. But Vader scarcely reacted to the hit, and instead of seeing cauterized flesh, Shryne saw sparks and smoke fountain through Vader's slashed glove. Then he lost sight of them again. Wedged into the crowd, he wondered if he could use the Force to call one of the trooper's blaster rifles into his grip. At the same time he hoped that Starstone had abandoned her lightsaber at the landing platform, and wouldn't attempt to join her Master against Vader.

We need to learn what happened to the Jedi, he tried to send to her. Our time for dealing with Vader will come. Be patient. He wondered if he was right. Maybe he should attempt to reach Chatak, weapon or no. Maybe his life was meant to end here, on Murkhana. He looked to the Force for guidance, and the Force restrained him.

A pained cry cut through the chaos, and the crowd of prisoners parted just long enough for Shryne to see Chatak down on her knees in front of Vader, her sword arm amputated at the elbow. Vader had simply beaten her into submission , and now, with a flick of his bloodshine blade, he decapitated her.

-- Dark Lord: The Rise Of Darth Vader

Vader easily defeats two skilled Jedi Knights, who were using radically different lightsaber styles in an attempt to unbalance him, while toying with them. He then proceeds to defeat Olee Starstone:

And so Forte and Kulka went in as a team, each of them employing a radically different lightsaber style, determined to off-balance Vader.

But Vader merely stood like a statue, his blade angled toward the ground until the very instant the two Jedi unleashed their assault. Then, as the three blades joined in scatterings of dazzling light and grating static sounds, he moved. Forte and Kulka were skilled duelists, but Vader was not only faster than Starstone remembered him being on Murkhana against Master Chatak, but also more agile. He employed his awesome power to put a quick end to the fancy twirling of his opponents, who fell back against the hammering blows of Vader's bloodshine blade.

Time and again the two Jedi Knights attempted to alter their style, but Vader had an answer for every lunge, parry, and riposte. His style borrowed elements from all techniques of combat, even from the highest, most dangerous levels, and his moves were crisp and unpredictable. In addition, his remarkable foresight allowed him to anticipate Forte's and Kulka's strategies and maneuvers, his blade always one step ahead of theirs, notwithstanding the two-handed grip he employed. Toying with the Jedi, he grazed Forte on the left shoulder, then on the right thigh; Kulka, he pierced lightly in the abdomen, then shaved away the flesh on the right side of the Ho'Din's face.

Seeing the two Jedi Knights drop to their knees, wincing in pain, Padawan Klossi Anno broke from where she was helping Jambe and Nam engage the stormtroopers and got to Vader one step ahead of Starstone. Sidestepping, Vader slashed her across the back, sending her sprawling across the balcony; then he whirled on Forte and Kulka just as they were clambering to their feet and decapitated them. From behind Vader came Jambe and Nam, neither of whom was an experienced fighter and both of whom Vader immediately eliminated from the fight, amputating Jambe's right arm, and Nam's right leg.

To her horror, Starstone realized she was suddenly alone with Vader, who immediately signaled his stormtroopers to leave her to him, and to devote themselves to slaughtering the few Wookiees who remained on the tier. "Now you, Padawan," he said, as he began to circle her. Calling on the Force, Starstone fell on him in a fury, striking wildly and repeatedly, and with aver. Moments into her attack she understood that Vader was merely allowing her to vent, as the Temple's swordmaster had often done with students, allowing them to believe that they were driving him back, when in fact he was simply encouraging them to wear themselves out before disarming them in one rapid motion.

So she retreated, altering her strategy and calming herself. Vader is so tall, so imposing... But perhaps I can get under or inside his guard as Master Chatak did "Your thoughts give you away, Padawan," he said in a flash. "You mustn't take the time to think. You must act on impulse. Instead of repressing youranger, call on it! Make use of it to defeat me."

Starstone feigned an attack, then sidestepped and slashed at him. Shifting to a one-handed hold on his lightsaber, he parried her blade and lunged forward. She snapped aside in the nick of time, but he kept coming at her, answering her increasingly frantic strikes with harsher ones and driving her inexorably toward the rim of the balcony. He flicked his blade, precisely, economically, forcing her back and back...She felt as if she were fighting a droid, although a droid programmed to counter all her best stratagems. Ducking out from under a broad sweep of the crimson blade, she somersaulted to safety.

But only for a moment.

-- Dark Lord: The Rise Of Darth Vader

He engages and kills Wookies in battle, leaving more than a score of bodies in his wake:

Counterattacking, Vader strode through fountaining flames to take the fight to the Wookiees. Crimson blade slashing left and right, he parried blaster bolts and amputated limbs and heads. Caterwauling and howling, showing their fangs and waving their long arms about, the Wookiees tried to hold their positions, but they had never faced anything like him, even in the darkest depths of Kashyyyk's primeval forest. As tall as some of them, Vader waded in, his lightsaber cleaving intricately carved war shields, sending blasters and bow-casters flying, setting fire to shaggy coats, leaving more than a score of bodies in his wake.

-- Dark Lord: The Rise Of Darth Vader

He duels evenly with Roan Shryne, who was stated as a master swordsman, a feat he accomplished decades pre prime, and before he started fully tapping into the dark side's power:

Lightsaber grasped in both hands, Vader took a single forward step andperformed a lightning-fast underhand sweep that almost knocked Forte's lightsaber from Shryne's grip.Spinning, Shryne regained his balance andraced forward, feinting a diagonal slash from the left, then twisting the blade around to the right and surging forward. The blade might have gotten past Vader's guard, but instead it glanced off the back of his upraised left hand, smoke curling from the black glove. Shryne countered quickly with an upsweep to Vader's neck, but Vader spun to the right, his blade held straight out in front of him as he completed a circle, nearly cutting Shryne in half.

Folding himself at the waist, Shryne skittered backward, parrying a rapid series of curt but powerful slashes. Backflipping out of range, he twistedhis body to the right, set the blade over his right shoulder, and rushed forward, hammering away. Vader deflected the blows without altering his stance or giving ground, but in the process left his lower trunk and legs unprotected. In a blink Shryne dropped into a crouch and pivoted through a turn.

For an instant it seemed that the blade was going to pass clear through Vader's knees, but Vader leapt high, half twisting in midair and coming down behind Shryne. Shryne rolled as Vader's crimson shaft struck the floor at the spot he had just vacated. Scrambling to his feet, Shryne hurled himself forward, catching Vader in the right forearm. Snarling, Vader took his left hand from the lightsaber hilt to dampensparking at the site of what should have been a wound. Astonishment eclipsed Shryne's follow-up attack.

Vader was a good distance away, one hand and one knee pressed to the floor, his blade angled away from him. Slowly he stood to his full height, leaves falling around him, black cloak flapping in the downdrafts. Then, with determined strides, he advanced on Shryne, sweeping his blade from side to side. "I wouldn't have it any other way." Shryne took a quick look around.

With most of the tier behind him blown away, and gaping holes elsewhere, he began to back toward the hollowed trunk of the tree.

"Almost seems like your own people are trying to kill you, Vader," he said.

"Maybe they don't like the idea of a Sith influencing the Emperor."

Vader continued his resolute march. "Trust me, Shryne, the Emperor couldn't be more pleased."Shryne cast a quick glance over his shoulder. They were entering an enormous interior space of wooden ramps, walkways, bridges, and concourses. "He doesn't have enough experience with your kind."

"And you do?"

"Enough to know that you'll turn on him eventually." Vader loosed what could have been a laugh. "What makes you think the Emperor won't turn on me first?"

"Like he turned on the Jedi," Shryne said. "Although I suspect that was mostly your doing." Five meters away, Vader stopped short. "Mine?"

"You convinced him that with you by his side, he could get away with just about anything." Again, Vader's exhalation approximated a laugh. "It's thinking like that that blinded the Jedi to their fate." He raised his sword. "Now it's time for you to join them."

Vader closed the distance between them in a heartbeat, slashing left and right with potent vertical strokes, narrowly missing Shryne time and again, but destroying everything touched by the blade.

No whirling now; no windmilling or deft lunges. He simply used his bulk and size to remain wedded to the floor. It was an old style, the very opposite of what was said to have been Dooku's style, and Shryne had no defense against it. If I could see his face, his eyes, Shryne found time to think. If he could knock that outsize helmet from Vader's head.

If he could lance his lightsaber through the control panel on Vader's chest That was the key! That was the reason for Vader's antique style-to protect his center, as Grievous had been forced to do. If he could only get to that control panel...

--

Shryne’s slashing strike to Vader’s lower left leg, owing as much to luck as to skill, released another shower of sparks.

Vader’s enraged response was Shryne’s only assurance that he was fighting a living being. Whatever had happened to Vader, by accident or volition, he had to be more flesh-and-blood than cyborg, or he wouldn’t have raged or been able to call on the Force with such intensity.

High up in the smoke-filled latticelike room, they stood facing each other on a suspension bridge that linked two fully enclosed walkways, the gloom cut by shafts of explosive light from the continuing attack on Kachirho.

Shryne’s determination to thrust his lightsaber into the control box Vader wore on his chest had forced the Sith to adopt a more defensive style that had left his limbs vulnerable. Throughout the fight that had taken them up the room’s wooden ramps, Vader had kept his crimson blade straight out in front of him, manipulating it deftly with wrists only, elbows pressed tightly to his sides. Only when Shryne left him no choice did he shuffle his feet or leap.

“Artificial limbs and body armor seem a curious choice for a Sith,” Shryne said, poised for Vader’s riposte to his lucky strike. “Belittling to the dark side.”

Vader adjusted his grip on the sword and advanced. “No more than throwing in with smugglers denigrates the Force, Shryne.”

“Ah, but I saw the light. Maybe it’s time you did.”

“You have it backward.”

Shryne was steeling himself for a lunging attack when, abruptly, Vader halted and withdrew the blade into the lightsaber’s hilt.

Before Shryne could begin to make sense of it, he heard a creaking sound from below, and something flew at him from one of the ramps. Only a last-instant turn of his sword kept the object from striking him in the head.

It was a plank—ripped from a ramp they had taken to the bridge.

-- Dark Lord: The Rise Of Darth Vader

As tenuous as his contact with the Force sometimes was, Shryne was still a master with a sword, and almost thirty years of training had honed his instincts and turned his body into an instrument of tremendous speed and power.

-- Dark Lord: Rise of Darth Vader

A far from prime Vader defeats Sa Cuis, one of the Emperor's Hands:

Your hatred will make you strong.

Vader slipped along the passageway that connected Arkanian Micro's management suite to the large courtyard at the center of the facility. It was a square of perfectly manicured lawn fringed with identical trees whose crowns were clipped into precise cube shapes. A fountain formed of a single spout of water bubbling over a pyramid of smooth stones provided soothing ambient sound.

The last thing Vader wanted was to be soothed. He sought his hatred again. Palpatine had sent men to kill him. However inevitable that was, however much the malice was intricately bound up with and inseparable from his Master's wish to see him succeed, he had to focus on the motivating strength of pure loathing.

He paused and activated his lightsaber, listening. He sensed the Dark Jedi coming long before he heard him.Vader felt a presence slipping through doors and drawing closer. A sensation of melting ice shivered down what remained of his back, and he seized it: a little precious sliver of fear to be picked up and used. No-caution. His armor was not indestructible, and he was facing a Jedi this time.

And he was still less than he had been when he was wholly flesh and blood.

Vader stepped out onto the lawn, clear of the trees, and waited like bait.

He didn't have to wait long. He knew the man was there, watching him, for nearly a minute before he moved from a doorway out into the sunlight. Suddenly, to Vader's right, another door opened and two women came out chatting with flimsi cups in their hands. They both looked at Vader, and then at his lightsaber, and rushed back inside, slamming the door after them.That second was enough. The Dark Jedi took his lightsaber hilt in both hands and jerked his arms apart, releasing two beams, a red one in his left hand and a white one in the other. Vader had a brief thought that it was a marvelous piece of theatrics until the man came at him whirling the sabers slowly like a juggler preparing to perform with clubs. And the white blade whisked so close to his helmet that he had his own lightsaber raised and blocking it before he even had time to think."Cuis, Lord Vader," said the man. "Nothing personal, believe me."

Vader matched him step for step in the standoff as they circled each other. Nothing personal. Perhaps Cuis thought that an ice-cold act would intimidate him. But it was anger and all the other brutal emotions that would win the fight.

Vader lunged.

My Master wants me dead.

He brought his saber down hard in a straight arc and Cuis blocked it with both of his, rasping them straight down its length as if sharpening a metal blade. Vader withdrew and sliced upward, then feinted to the left, wrong-footing the Jedi, who leapt back against the trunk of one of the trees. Vader made a double lunge on his right leg, dipping under the swirling twin beams.

He needed to force Cuis into a confined space to deny him the advantage of two lightsabers. There had once been a boy called Anakin who could have done that with sheer technique, but he was forgotten, and the transformed man that was Vader opted for sheer power and began a fast, furious slashing assault, slicing through a tree trunk as Cuis dodged behind it.My Master forced me to live and now he wants me dead. The trunk creaked and toppled and Cuisdeflected the weight of branches with the Force. It bought Vader a second. He used it to send Cuis's white beam spinning into the fountain, clattering down the wet stones. As Cuis's remaining lightsaber flew from his left to his right hand, Vader intercepted it, jerking it high into the air and using the Force to throw it to the other side of the courtyard, out of reach.

Cuis leapt high and saved his legs form a savage low sweep, but his opponent had him backed up almost into the angle of the walls. Vader couldn't match Cuis's agility, so instead he reached out with his left hand: the Force seized Cuis's throat.

It gave Vader a familiar and painful jolt of recognition. He shut out what he knew was a memory. Instead he concentrated on using a wholly unexpected surge of rage and hatred to flood the gap it left and overwhelm it. Cuis staggered back against the wall, struggling against Vader's remote, crushing grip with his own Force power. Then he sank to his knees, shaking with the effort. Vader forced him lower, and lower.

He could have killed him in that instant.

He relaxed his grip enough to let Cuis suck in a rattling gasp of air and held him there, suddenly aware of faces that appeared at a window and then bobbed down again-harmless, shocked, terrified women's faces. Office workers. Hatred worked for him now, telling him he needed not to think about-not recall-the look on their faces."Go on," said Cuis. He was barely audible. "Finish it."

"Who sent you?" I know. But I want to hear. "Tell me."

"Kill me."

"Join me." Vader squeezed, still a meter away. "And you can live."

Cuis stared back at him with unnaturally black eyes, panting, contemptuous. He had no fear, none at all.

"That's not how I work. I have my code."

"Name him."

Cuis simply looked back at him.

Vader throttled him to the point of unconsciousness and loosened his grip again. "Last chance."

"No.""Name him, and join me."

There was no answer this time. Cuis simply stared. He wouldn't be broken. Vader clamped and relaxed, clamped and relaxed, taking Cuis to the point of death each time, but he got nowhere.

Good man.

He let go completely and Cuis pitched forward, taking huge gulps of air with the sucking wheeze of a dying old man.

A door opposite him flew open. "Lord Vader!" Lekauf came running out, blaster drawn, but Vader held up his hand and stopped him a little more insistently than perhaps he should have. Lekauf bounced back with a gruntas if he'd run into a wall, which in effect he had. But Vader didn't want Cuis dead right then. He was still savoring rage, seeing how it had swept through him and given him the power to defeat a faster Jedi and keep the memories locked deep within. He shut down his energy blade with a flick of his thumb.

Lekauf picked himself up. "There might still be others, sir."

"There aren't," said Vader, and he stepped forward and held his arm out to Cuis. The assassin didn't take it. Vader could have raised him with the Force alone, but he didn't. He took hold of his tunic and lifted him to his feet, holding him steady."You'll never betray the man who sent you after me, will you?"

Cuis never took his eyes off Vader's mask. But it wasn't horror on his face. It was simply disdain. It was a novelty for Vader, who had grown used to the awe his appearance alone inspired in everyone else."Get one of those technicians," he said.

Credit to Azronger

--In His Image

Sparring with the Cuis clones, who had the original Sa Cuis' skill:

For a dead man, Sa Cuis still had a fine lightsaber technique. Lord Vader swung his blade and the two beams of red energy rasped off each other.

Cuis - one of his clones, anyway - circled and Vader matched him, keeping a constant distance between them. He had no intention of killing the assassin again. Arkanian Micro had spent more than a year creating this clone of the Dark Jedi and it would have been wasteful to destroy him or any of his five brothers simply to prove superiority.

Besides, they were men. Vader tried not to lose sight of that. If he had wanted mindless predictability, he would have commissioned droids for the Imperial Army.

He was aware of two people watching the duel intently from the dais set a little above the training-hall floor; his master Emperor Palpatine and one of his aides, Lieutenant Erv Lekauf. Part of his mind could sense Lekauf's discomfort at being so close to the Emperor without Vader beside him.

"Enough," said Vader, and shut down his lightsaber. The Cuis clone snapped his blade off too but watched Vader cautiously until he stood back to allow the clones to continue their lightsaber drill with the instructor. Vader was satisfied. The clones had retained all the speed and sharp reflexes of the unfortunate Emperor's Hand whose genome was now theirs. He hoped they had somehow inherited his extraordinary loyalty, too.

Credit to Azronger

--Two-Edged Sword

Stomping PROXY, who could hold his own against pre prime Galen Marek, while the droid was using its most dangerous combat module:

As though from a position high above, he watched his Master spin around to face Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The Dark Lord froze. In that moment of hesitation the long-dead Jedi Master attacked, his face a mask of determination. At the very last moment Vader parried, then parried again. He took a step backward, toward the cliff’s edge, and then rallied. With two sweeping strokes, so fast they blurred in the cold air, he disarmed Kenobi and slashed him in half.

-- The Force Unleashed

Vader personally trained High Inquisitor Tremayne in lightsaber combat.

"...And the truth is," the courier said during the private meeting, "that Palpatine himself is interested in weeding out the corruption that has begun to rot the Jedi ranks. And you, Tremayne, have been chosen to help him. Palpatine is quite convinced of your ability, your integrity and your loyalty. You shall train under his premier agent, Darth Vader..."

...Vader, standing like an obsidian statue in the main entrance chamber to one of his many private fortresses, welcoming Tremayne like a son. "The Jedi order is fading, Tremayne," Vader had told him, "and they are reluctant to allow newcomers like yourself to reach the full extent of their potential."I will teach you, Tremayne," Vader said, gently. "I will teach you all you will need to know to restore the Jedi Knights to their former glory. You will seek out the traitors, and together we will restore the concepts of order and justice to the galaxy..."

Credit to Azronger

--Dark Vendetta

Comfortably defeating Boba Fett while holding back. This is an impressive feat, because Boba, as a teenager, was capable of giving a decent fight to the likes of Rots Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of the top duelists in the Jedi Order.

I'd also recommend reading this blog for an in-depth analysis of the context behind the fight.

He easily beats an assassin skilled enough to easily kill a huge beast:

Vader contends with eight Jedi on Kessel, killing four of them before being defeated, a feat he accomplished before getting accustomed to his suit, one month after Mustafar

It should also be noted that one of the Jedi he killed was one of the greatest Morgukai warriors. Here's a more in-depth analysis on why this makes the feat more impressive:

https://comicvine.gamespot.com/forums/battles-7/ahsoka-tano-rebels-vs-quinlan-vos-legends-1848912/?page=1#js-message-17924716

I also recommend reading this blog post for more details on the Kessel fight:

https://comicvine.gamespot.com/forums/gen-discussion-1/vaders-battles-the-kessel-conclave-2096215/

1 BBY Vader defeats a company of stormtroopers:

No Caption Provided

A company consists of 128 troopers, led by a captain:

Company (128 troopers): A company consists of four platoons, led by a captain.

-- The Essential Guide To Warfare

Vader personally battled against the Empire's most dangerous enemies, such as individuals and organizations too powerful or too well-defended for the Imperial military alone to defeat:

Aiding the Emperor in his monumental responsibilities is his apprentice and confidant, the formidable Lord Vader-a tragic hero who serves as the Emperor's strength when diplomacy fails. Vader personally battles against the Empire's most dangerous enemies-those individuals and organizations too powerful or too well-defended for the Imperial military alone to overcome. And as a price for his noble efforts, Lord Vader must suffer eternal confinement within his life-sustaining armor, without which he would surely perish within moments.

-- Hero's Guide

During the events of Battlefront 2, Vader was capable of cutting through armies of Rebel soldiers:

Last year's Battlefront II offered a fine combination of Lord Vader's speed, stealth and ruthlessness -- not to mention the opportunity to cut through armies of Rebel soldiers with your red blade of death.

Credit to WollfMyth209

-- Insider 88

Vader frequently trained with droids programmed with the knowledge and skills of a dozen martial artists:

He left his lightsaber clipped to his belt. Ordinarily he would have used it to practice on the dueling droids that had been specially designed and constructed to test his mettle. Programmed with the knowledge and skills of a dozen different martial artists, and armed with deadly cutting or impact weapons, they were formidable opponents indeed, and had been an integral part of Sith training since time immemorial. But not everything was about the lightsaber. There were other attributes, other weapons in his arsenal, that needed exercising as well.

-- Death Star

It was a well known fact that Darth Vader used a number of different droids to maintain his lightsaber skills.

-- Star Wars Fact File 8 (Relaunched)

He outclasses Aurra Sing, who was one of the galaxy's deadliest fighters, in unarmed combat while holding back and decades before his prime:

It took only a few steps. A little of the Force per-fectly in tune with bands of lithe muscle. In a second one out-thrust fist would be in his face and she would see what that composite armor was made of. She knew of no one who had ever seen what lay beneath that mask. She intended to be the first. Her fist never made contact. Raising his right hand and bringing it around in a swift arc, Vader blocked the blow and sent the body behind it flying across the room. As she flew, a startled but still wholly self-aware Sing tucked and rolled. She hit the opposite wall hard, bounced off, landed on her feet, and imme-diately came at him again.

"The reflexes of an animal," Vader murmured. His lightsaber hung at his waist. He ignored it, his fingers going nowhere near the weapon. "That's what the Empire needs: a few more well-trained, domesticated animals."

"Domesticated? I'll show you who's domesticated!" She leapt high, kicking out, and in midthrust somehow bent sideways to kick harder with her other leg.

In a movement preternaturally fast, but which some-how looked almost languid, Vader ducked, reached up, and with one gloved hand lightly tapped her in the middle of her back. A serious thrust catching her in that position could have broken her spine. The Dark Lord's touch was more of a caress. He was let-ting her know what he could have done. Landing in a crouch, a feral expression on her face, she raced at him again, low this time. Her speed was startling: a droid would have been hard-pressed to match her acceleration. She dropped low to the floor and swung her right leg around in a powerful circle sweep. Her intent was to take his legs out from under him.

She might as well have been trying to cut down a bronzewood tree. At the last instant the Dark Lord thrust both hands downward toward the spinning bounty hunter. A profound surge in the Force rippled through the room. Guards posted at a distance in the hallway nearby were nearly knocked off their feet by it. But the strength of the emanation had not been directed at them. Casually, as if inspecting a new exhibit that had been donated to the Imperial Museum, Vader walked around the now motionless figure on the floor. Aurra Sing lay on her back, unable to move. It was as if a giant weight pressed her down. Seething in impotent rage, she watched the Dark Lord pass through her field of vision and beyond.

-- Coruscant Nights II: Street Of Shadows

Vader duels evenly with Ben Kenobi, who was a formidable Soresu practitioner even in his elder years, in a brief duel:

Vader raised his weapon to attack, and Obi-Wan matched his pose.

"When I left you, I was but the learner; now I am the Master."

"Only a master of evil, Darth." With that, Obi-Wan stepped in and cut.

Vader blocked the attack easily. Obi-Wan attacked again, and again, Vader blocked each strike.

If the old man thought he could rattle him by attacking instead of defending, he was mistaken. Vader riposted, sped up his timing, and took the initiative, forcing the erstwhile Jedi to defend.

He still had some skill, his old Master did, but he was out of practice. Vader could feel it through the Force.

Obi-Wan twirled and blocked a slash, then wove a defensive pattern with his blade. The Force was still with the old Jedi; he was able to anticipate Vader's strikes and block or parry them. But after a quick exchange, Vader felt the energy shift in his favor. "Your powers are weak, old man."

Vader knew that Obi-Wan was taunting him by using the Sith honorific, but he would not allow himself to be baited. Obi-Wan lunged again, attacking, but Vader was ready. Their sabers clashed, sparks spewed, the stink of ozone wafted over them, but Vader stood his ground. The blades slid along each other's length, then stopped, bound together in the magnetic handle guards, the men face-to-face.

Vader shoved, hard, and they broke the clash. Obi-Wan retreated a step.

Another exchange - four, five, six attacks and blocks - and Vader knew the old man was weakening. The Force might be strong in Obi-Wan, but the dark side was stronger in Vader. It let him anticipate his adversary's strikes and counter them almost before they began.

Obi-Wan knew it, too. He began a retreat, backing away, his lightsaber itself seeming weaker as he moved.

Vader backed Obi-Wan past an open blast door leading to the forward dock where the Rebel freighter was being held under guard. The old man was obviously tiring.

But just as he was ready to deliver the final strike, Obi-Wan managed a fast series of attacks, and Vader had to move quickly to avoid the strikes. Even as old and weak as Obi-Wan was, his technique was accomplished enough that a foolish move on Vader's part could still be fatal.

Vader heard someone call from the dock: "Ben?" It was a young man's voice. Still he could not risk a look in that direction. But Obi-Wan glanced away, quickly, then looked back at Vader. Then he did the last thing Vader could have possibly imagined -

He smiled. It was an expression not the least worried; almost beatific, in fact. Then, still smiling, Obi-Wan lifted his lightsaber so that the tip pointed straight up at the ceiling.

The action was so totally unexpected that Vader paused for an instant in shock. Not even the Force had lent him prescience concerning this. His former Master had left himself wide open. Was it a trap?

It didn't matter. If it was, Obi-Wan wasn't fast enough, or strong enough, to spring it in time. Vader shifted his lightsaber and cut from the right, hard, aiming for the neck -

His lightsaber sheared through the old man as if the latter were no denser than the air itself, and Obi-Wan collapsed.

-- Death Star

The battle between them, fought as much with the two sides of the Force as with clashing lightsabers, was brief.

-- Star Wars Fact File 3

Their fight was brief and intense.

-- Star Wars Fact File 50 (Relaunched)

Vader defeats the Dark Apprentice in a sparring duel, leaving him smoking and with cuts on his cheek and arm (credit to Azronger):

https://www.writeurl.com/text/tvdcaq0w48jwmhnrpfgr/yuljvefdgkkl29hd3k9y

Noting that the clone was stated to be more powerful than Galen Marek ever was, which would include the latter in his Oneness state:

"You are already more powerful than he ever was."

-- The Force Unleashed 2

Vader stalemates/defeats Starkiller, who was an even deadlier combatant than Galen:

Vader made no move to defend himself when Starkiller reached the very top of the cloning tower. Determined to prove him wrong, Starkiller didn't waste time announcing his intentions. He just lunged. Only at the very last moment did Vader raise his blade to block the blow, and even then the move seemed almost casual, disinterested. Starkiller struck again, with both lightsabers. Vader blocked one blade and used telekinesis to throw the other off target. The platform buckled and twisted, sending Starkiller flying.

He rolled and leapt, and came up swinging. Covered in blood-the blood of his fellow clones-and knowing Juno was close, he fought his former Master with single-minded focus. Vader was still testing him; he sensed that more and more keenly, with every passing moment, but to what purpose he still couldn't tell. Vader himself fought more cautiously than he had on the Death Star, the last time they had dueled in earnest. His armor seemed to have improved, too; it was less vulnerable to lightning than it had been just days before.

Vader threw wrecked platforms and cloning rubes at him, while he scored three slashes to the Dark Lord's cape in return. They circled the top of the cloning tower, striking and assessing, then striking again.

Starkiller swore that he would not give in to anger or frustration. If that was what Darth Vader wanted, he wasn't going to get it. The only emotion he would give in to was love.

Finally, Starkiller saw an opportunity. They were exchanging rapid blows along the edge of the buckled platform, blades swinging so fast they were visible only as blurs. Vader's defenses were impenetrable; his lightsaber seemed to arrive a split second before Starkiller's, every time. He may have defeated Vader before, but Vader had learned from that mistake. He knew the measure of his former apprentice now.

But the same was true in reverse. And when Vader forced Starkiller onto his back foot and raised his lightsaber to strike him down, Starkiller fired a lightning blast into the side of Vader's armor that was so concentrated, even the new insulation couldn't absorb it.

The Dark Lord stiffened, betrayed by his extensive prosthetics. The distraction lasted only a moment, but it was enough. Starkiller knocked his blade out of the way and moved in to strike.

Juno lying limp in his arms.

The vision struck him as powerfully as a physical blow. When he tried to push it aside, it returned with even more power.

Juno-dead.

He reeled in shock. Was this what would happen if he killed Vader? He had no choice but to believe so. But if he didn't kill Vader, how would he ever get to her?

The Dark Lord took advantage of his momentary confusion. He delivered a telekinetic shove that threw Starkiller backward off the platform and down to the lower levels of the ruined cloning tower. The blow and the fall had the welcome effect of clearing his mind.

--

Starkiller ran past Darth Vader to where Juno lay broken on the edge of the cloning spire's roof. Horror and self-reproach filled his mind. He hadn't seen her crawling for the lightsaber; he hadn't sensed her desperate plan until the very last moment-and it was his alarm that had alerted Vader, he was sure of it. He and his former Master had reacted at the same rime. If Starkiller had moved an instant faster, had a fraction more of a second to think the problem through, he would have pushed Vader just as Vader had pushed Juno, impaling him on the blade before it was whisked away. Instead, he had thought only of saving Juno-a plan, he feared, that might always have been doomed to failure.

He stopped her before she flew off the edge of the roof, at least, but the grisly crunch of bones when she landed was unmistakable. Her head was bent at an impossible angle, and her eyes didn't track him as he ran toward her.

"Juno!"

A black-gloved hand grabbed his shoulder. He pulled away, howling with rage. His fallen lightsabers snapped into his hands and came instantly to life. With both blades moving in tandem, he struck out at his former Master using all his strength, all his rage, all his grief.

Darth Vader blocked the blow, but only just. Starkiller pushed, and the Dark Lord stumbled backward.

Instead of pursuing the attack, Starkiller went to go to Juno, but once again Darth Vader stood in his path.

"Get out of my way. "

"Your feelings for her are not real, " Vader said, nor moving.

"They are real to me. "

Starkiller attacked the Dark Lord again, but this time he was the one driven back.

--

Starkiller knew nothing about the Dark Lord's origins, but he knew what he had become. More monolith than man, his shadow bestrode the Empire, casting darkness wherever it fell. But what was the source of that scourge? What twisted psychology had brought him to where he stood now-risking his life to prevent the clone of his failed apprentice from coming near the body of the woman he had loved?

Sudden understanding burst in Starkiller's mind. This was what Darth Vader had wanted all along. He had been right to fear that Juno was in danger, but not just from clones like him-from Vader, who would use her death to destabilize Starkiller and lead him headlong back to the dark side via anger and despair. Where Starkiller had seen hope, where Starkiller had been willing to sacrifice his own destiny to give the woman he had loved a chance to live, his former Master had seen only opportunity for betrayal- for without Juno, what did Starkiller have left to live and fight for? He had no family, friends, or allies. Juno was always intended to be the catalyst for his downfall. Her precipitous attack had merely brought the critical moment forward.

Starkiller saw things very differently. It wasn't Juno who had to die to complete Starkiller's training. It was Darth Vader himself, and he had brought this moment upon himself. Had he been content to let Starkiller go, none of this would have happened. Were he dead or freely searching for Juno, either way, he would never have willingly come back to Kamino. He would have gone anywhere else, and never returned.

Darth Vader simply wouldn't let go. The massive cloning exercise itself was proof of that. He had raised Starkiller to be a monster, and he would let nothing get in the way of achieving that outcome. Not even Starkiller's own death. Even if it took a thousand reincarnations and the death of trillions of innocent people, Darth Vader would not give up. His persistence, his unwillingness to accept defeat, was both his greatest strength and his greatest weakness.

All the clones were destroyed. As far as Starkiller knew, he was the last one left-so that was one vision averted, at least. No matter what happened, no version of him would hill foul of Darth Vader's vile plan now.

They fought like the Sith Lords of old, raging back and forth across the roof of the spire, uncaring what happened around them.

Starkiller maintained his efforts to get to Juno, and Darth Vader did everything in his power to stop him. Neither would capitulate.

Neither would be the first to break. Their wills were locked.

They broke apart, lightsabers hissing in the ceaseless rain. Lightning split the sky into a thousand jagged shapes. Thunder rolled.

Neither had noticed the battle fading around them.

"Let me go, " Starkiller said, sounding much calmer than he felt. His heart was pounding, and his lungs burned. "You've taken everything from me. You must see that I will never serve you now. "

"You are wrong. I have given you everything. "

"This?" He gestured at Juno's inert form. He couldn't tell if she was breathing, but he still held out a distant hope. "You have done nothing for me. "

"It is our destiny to destroy the Emperor. You and me, together. "

There it was, Starkiller thought. That promise again. Surely Darth Vader could see that it meant nothing now, after so many times offered in the past, and none of them fulfilled?

Unless... A deeper layer of understanding presented itself. Unless Darth Vader felt exactly the same as he did.

What lengths had the Emperor, Darth Vader's Master, gone to in order to create him? And how far would Darth Vader go to get revenge? To attain his own destiny as a Sith?

"The Rebels want to destroy the Emperor, " Starkiller said. "Why not work with them rather th-?"

Vader attacked before he could finish the sentence, a blistering combination of blows that left Starkiller on his back foot. Clearly he had hit a very deep nerve. For a fleeting moment, the plan had seemed almost inspired. With Darth Vader on Kota's side, what couldn't the Alliance accomplish?

But it was a dream. The Rebels would never trust the Emperor's apprentice, and Vader was making it very clear that he wanted no part of it either. The vehemence of his response left no doubt about that.

Starkiller found himself backed up almost to the edge of the cloning spire's roof. One more step, and he would fall, and to fall would give Vader the high ground. That might not result in his death, but it would certainly end the fight.

It needed to end now, or else it might never end.

Blow after blow rained on him, forcing him back. There had to be a way to free himself and avenge Juno at the same time... but a stalemate seemed unavoidable. Any move he made was sure to lead him to an indefensible position.

Then it occurred to him. An indefensible position was exactly what he needed.

He lunged. Darth Vader saw him coming and swiped with unbearable strength, sending Starkiller's left lightsaber flying in pieces.

Starkiller lunged again, and his right lightsaber joined his left. He fell back, beaten, and stared up at his former Master.

"This is your last chance, " Vader said, standing over him with the unwavering tip of his lightsaber pointed directly at Starkiller's chest.

Starkiller stared up at the black mask, sure of two things. Vader didn't want to kill him, but not out of mercy or sympathy for his lot.

The Dark Lord had invested far too much time and energy in re-creating his former apprentice, and he wouldn't want to throw all that away. Not when he seemed on the verge of victory.

Juno was dead or dying. Starkiller was disarmed and helpless.

Any rational being would at least consider Vader's offer.

The second thing Starkiller knew was: The best way to beat Darth Vader is to let him think he's won.

Thinking of Wedge Antilles, he said, "I make my own chances. "

With both hands he sent a wave of lightning into the sparking gash Juno had made in Vader's chest plate.

The Dark Lord staggered backward, transfixed by the unexpected retaliation. Starkiller leapt to his feet and followed him, keeping up the lightning attack and using telekinesis to rip Vader's lightsaber from his temporarily weakened fingers. Sheers of energy spread out across the wet rooftop. Smoke and steam rose up in a tortured spiral. The grating whine of Vader's respirator rook on a desperate edge.

He went down on one knee. Starkiller stood over him. Vader's lightsaber swept into his former apprentice's hand. The blade came to rest at his throat.

-- The Force Unleashed 2

It should be noted that, according to Sam Witwer (Starkiller's voice actor), Vader allowed his apprentice to win, thus proving that he was holding back the whole time:

This is all part of the plan. "Yeah, yeah, you know, he caught me off guard once. I'll let him beat me this time so he takes me captive."

-- Far, Far Away: Episode VIII: Sam Witwer

(1:21:45 - 1:22:20)

He kills Ferus Olin:

Vader swung his blade down. Ferus met it solidly. There was a dull hum as the red and blue blades clashed. "Your technique has become lazy," Vader observed. He parried a blow, almost as an afterthought. Ferus didn't reply. He was breathing heavily, gasping with each lunge and thrust.

Vader deflected every strike with little more than a flick of the wrist. "And you've gotten complacent," Ferus said, slashing diagonally. Vader retreated a step, and the lightsaber hummed through empty air. "You think no one can match you, right? Same old Anakin."

"Anakin is dead! " Vader roared, and struck with his full power.

Time to end this game. But Ferus somehow evaded the blow—and then danced away from thenext one, and the next. The blue blade whirled and spiraled through the air, matching Vader strike for strike, blow for blow. It was that name. That was the only explanation. Even the sound of it had somehow thrown him off balance.

This was unacceptable.

"You move well for a fat old man," Vader granted.

He was more powerful by far, but the plastoid armor made for awkward maneuvering. And he would never reclaim the physical grace he'd had as Anakin. Vader shook off the thought, disgusted with himself. Anakin had nothing that he wanted, nothing. He let the disgust grow. This was what he needed. Not grace, not that foul Jedi concentration.

Anger. Darkness. Control.

Ferus leapt through the air, driving the lightsaber down in a chopping motion as he arced toward the ground. The blade came within centimeters of Vader's face plate. Sweat poured down Ferus's face with the effort of continuing the fight. And yet still, he lived.

"No older than you, Anakin," he gasped.

And it was true. They'd once been the same age, young and stupid, easily manipulated by their Jedi Masters. Now Vader was Master of all—and Ferus was this weak, stooped thing. Is this what Anakin would have grown into, had he stayed in that frail, human body?

This sagging bag of loose flesh? Vader was furious with himself for entertaining the thought. It didn't matter what Anakin would have become. Anakin was nothing—didn't exist, had never existed.

"There is no Anakin," Vader said.

"And yet here he is in front of me," Ferus countered. "The same cocky, deceitful, defiant, scared little boy you always were. You killed Obi-Wan because he saw the fear behind the mask. You killed Padmé because she saw the monster."

Rage blotted out Vader's vision, turning the world to darkness—everything disappeared but Ferus's disgusting, knowing smile. Ferus was the one who had never changed, was still the same insufferable child he'd always been.

Vader should have done the galaxy a favor and snuffed him out at the Academy. Better late than never.

Ferus advanced with a dizzying series of strikes and parries. "You can kill me if you want. But you will never kill Anakin. I suspect someday, he'll kill you."

"Someday, perhaps." Vader flicked a gloved hand, and Ferus's lightsaber flew across the hall. "But unfortunately for you, that day is not today." He plunged his blade through Ferus's heart, and watched with pleasure as Anakin's long-lasting enemy dropped to the ground, the life draining from his eyes.

-- Rebel Force: Uprising

He contends with Sha Koon after being weakened by an electric net, and just a month after Mustafar, before beating her via Force abuse:

Defeating the Dark Woman while the latter was using the environment to her advantage:

Stomping Burr Danid, the best Royal Guard-in-training, who was trained in the Echani arts, and thus knew Battle Precognition, a technique that allows one to anticipate an enemy's moves (credit to Azronger):

"It is the way of the Echani to be able to read their opponents - to know where an opponent is going to strike before it connects, anticipate it, and then strike against them. Echani battles are fought several minutes in advance - in many ways, it is much like the game of dejarik played in the core systems. The most advanced among the Echani are able to predict the course of battles by months, and the most revered are said to be able to predict the paths of wars."

-- Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 2

Stomping Kir Kanos, who was also trained in the Echani arts (credit to Azronger):

Vader comfortably outduels Celeste Morne, who was skilled enough to hold off Vong armored Darth Krayt. Noting that this happened three months after ROTS:

Killing two Tuk'atas (credit to Wolfrazer):

Vader fights an enraged Drake Lo'gaan, and holds an edge over him (credit to WollfMyth209):

ANH Vader holds his own against a resurrected Darth Maul, though he ultimately loses the duel, only killing Maul due to the latter's distraction:

It should be noted that Maul was resurrected and prepared/powered up specifically to fight Vader, indicating he was stronger than his Clone Wars iteration:

No Caption Provided

During a training session, Vader duels a droid programmed with the knowledge of a hundred swordmasters and a dozen different fighting styles, and defeats it so easily that he muses he would have to order improved versions of it:

Darth Vader held his lightsaber firmly, wrists locked, and watched the killer droid circle to its left. The droid was a new model, one of a dozen identical units constructed to his personal specifications. Like Vader, it also held a lightsaber. It was tall, spindly, looked something like the general-purpose Asps to be found all over the Empire, but with a number of special modifications. The unit was faster than an ordinary man, stronger, programmed with the knowledge of a hundred sword masters and a dozen different fighting styles. Against a normal person, the droid would be unbeatable and deadly-The droid stepped in fast and cut at Vader's head. Vader blocked, and the droid chopped again, circling the humming blade in a second cut at Vader's side. Fast, but again a block-The droid's third attack came from the opposite side as its blade flashed in a large half circle-Vader parried and riposted, angling a slash at thedroid's head - The droid blocked and slid back a meter, out of range, blade held over its head, point angled down.

The slight ache in Vader's shoulder where Luke had cut through his armor during their fight was definitely better. He hardly felt any soreness at all with that series. He moved in, swung a feint at the droid's neck, twisted his wrists, and pivoted the lightsaber for a sec-ond feint at the same side, then a third feint, a jab at the midsection. The droid stepped back and crossblocked the finalfeint-Vader V-stepped to his left, cocked his blade over hisleft shoulder, and hacked forty-five degrees at the base of the metal neck-The droid's block was a quarter second slow. Strong as it was, it was not strong enough to offset the power and momentum of Vader's strike.

The blades met, hissed and sparked, but Vader's sword shoved the droid's blade to the side. It tried to backpedal-Too late. The lightsaber hit midway between the droid's neck and shoulder joint, sheared through the exoframe and halfway through the chest. Circuitrysparked, shorted out. Sparks and acrid smoke erupted from the droid's body. It dropped the lightsaber as its hand controls died. Fell to its knees. Vader cocked the weapon over his right shoulderand swung in a flat horizontal arc-The lightsaber sliced through the droid's neck and took its head off. The head fell, bounced, and the droid's decapitated body fell backward.

Vader stood over the downed droid. Soon he would have to order another dozen of them produced-this was the eighth one of the originals; he had but four left. And the next batch would need to be improved. It was getting too easy.

-- Shadows Of The Empire

Vader easily defeats Luke on Bespin while holding back:

-- https://www.writeurl.com/text/bv6iurw0bb4prak2ky0x/cbuxqt7pk5hf3vfe6z6z/pd1kuhtjem3bx57qfj22

Noting that, according to Vader, Luke at this point was already a better duelist than ANH Kenobi:

“You have been learning, you’re young and quick, you offer me better sport than the old man.”

-- The Empire Strikes Back Radio Drama

Vader duels ROTJ Luke as an equal, in spite of being emotionally conflicted, and in spite of his son's anger empowering him for most of the duel:

--https://www.writeurl.com/text/1ns91jqkikgklln4boqt/l9job0ajxxysupro0z45

--https://www.writeurl.com/text/6os1t63z33bgte1uqhrm/bt2lwyyfpwtl0a30dvre/et7k3u3jqh0cmzi8r31b

By the time of the Battle of Endor, Luke Skywalker has studied some lightsaber technique from Obi-Wan's journal and greatly advanced his abilities. Without a Master, such advancement would have been impossible for most, but Skywalker's unparalleled aptitude makes him a match for Darth Vader in their fateful duel onboard the second Death Star. Both are limited, Vader by his cybernetic body parts and Skywalker by his relative lack of experience dueling. But Skywalker's skill at blaster deflection is highly refined, and his lightsaber technique so superb that he is able to duel the Dark Lord on even footing - and finally able to defeat a man who is a powerful living product of the ancient Jedi sword traditions from time immemorial. Such an achievement with little formal training is a testament to Skywalker's innate abilities and instinctive skill. Tremendously strong with the Force, Skywalker never crosses the line into Sith hatefulness and ceases his attack immediately upon rendering his foe helpless - an even more impressive demonstration of self-mastery than his lightsaber skills.

-- Insider 62: Fightsaber

In his final assault on Vader, Luke Skywalker mirrors Vader's own Form V technique and responds with a furious demonstration of Form V's raw strength. An observing Jedi Master would be astonished at such instantaneous learning in battle.

-- Insider 62: Fightsaber

In his duel against Darth Vader on Bespin, Luke reveals himself as an extraordinarily gifted artist with the blade who has largely taught himself.

-- Insider 62: Fightsaber

The fight this time was far more balanced. Vader discovered that Luke was his match, and, once again, the Sith Lord found his thoughts straying to an alliance between them against the Emperor.

Luke had indeed grown powerful since Bespin, and he was an equal match for his father.

-- The Official Star Wars Fact File #111

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