10 Most Powerful Force Users In Star Wars, Ranked

In 1977, director George Lucas unleashed the "Star Wars" franchise on the world with the film that would come to be known as "A New Hope," and popular culture has never been the same since. The franchise is one of the largest and most successful ever, with films, TV shows, video games, toys, and so much more. For years, artists and writers came together to create a widespread world of planets, cultures, characters, and everything that makes "Star Wars" such a memorable franchise. When Lucas sold "Star Wars" to Disney, everything changed.

Disney scrapped much of the Expanded Universe in favor of a tighter canon, leaving many powerful Force users in the dust. As a result, some of the most powerful beings in the galaxy far, far away are no longer part of "Star Wars" canon. While that's not great for the fans who enjoyed the books, comics, and games for decades, it does make it easier to identify which Force users are the strongest. Just looking at Disney's canon, there are some impressive characters with amazing capabilities.

Determining who's the most powerful Force user in "Star Wars" is somewhat subjective. While some may favor Anakin Skywalker over another Jedi or Sith, others may not. The ten Force users gathered here are undeniably powerful, and they've been ranked based on their abilities, exploits, and accomplishments, as seen throughout the material that makes up "Star Wars" canon. So, without further ado, here are the 10 most powerful Force users in "Star Wars," ranked.

Ahsoka Tano first appeared in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," and it took some time for the fandom to appreciate all she had to offer. She has a detailed history, having trained as the one and only Padawan of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. He initially didn't want to teach a young Padawan, but he came to realize her strength as he imparted his knowledge and abilities to his pupil. It took time, but Ahsoka became an incredibly gifted Jedi with numerous accomplishments under her belt.

Ahsoka eventually left the Jedi Order after it abandoned her when she was framed for a terrorist bombing. She never returned and lost the opportunity when the Jedi Order fell after Order 66 and the Great Jedi Purge. Sadly, it was her former master who brought about many of the deaths ordered by his master, Darth Sidious, otherwise known as Emperor Palpatine. Ahsoka survived the Purge and went on to become one of the leading players that established the Rebel Alliance.

In terms of ability, Ahsoka is highly skilled in Form V: Shien/Djem, favoring a reverse grip that's helped her kill numerous members of Death Watch. She typically fights with two sabers and she even defeated a "resurrected" Darth Maul. Ahsoka's strength with the Force is considerably high, as she possesses the rare ability to turn off an opponent's lightsaber to disarm them. She did this numerous times throughout the Clone Wars and deftly slew an Inquisitor without a weapon of her own in a few seconds.

Qui-Gon Jinn is an interesting Jedi, favoring an understanding of the Living Force that often clashed with his superiors in the Jedi Council. His Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, believed his defiance in this regard kept him off the Council. In addition to training someone who would become one of the greatest Jedi of all time, Qui-Gon's understanding of the Force itself unlocked an ability that had an incredible impact on the entire "Star Wars" franchise.

While George Lucas decided to kill Qui-Gon in "The Phantom Menace," his impact can still be felt long after his death. It was Qui-Gon who studied the Force and learned the secrets of becoming a Force Spirit. Initially, he couldn't manifest fully, but he was able to guide Jedi Grand Master Yoda in unlocking this ability. Yoda taught this to Obi-Wan, who taught it to others, making Qui-Gon's Force abilities some of the most important to the franchise as a whole. That said, Qui-Gon's adherence to prophecy ultimately doomed the Jedi Order.

His belief that Anakin Skywalker was the Chosen One brought about the Order's downfall, though a balance was brought about by his actions. Before he died after his fight with Darth Maul, Qui-Gon insisted Obi-Wan train Anakin in the ways of the Force, and he followed his master's final request, setting the stage for the events that play out across the entire Skywalker Saga. Regardless, Qui-Gon's knowledge of the Force makes him one of the most powerful Jedi of his era.

There isn't much known about Darth Plagueis in canon because, sadly, Disney relegated James Luceno's masterful novel, "Star Wars: Darth Plagueis," to Legends. While this makes the Sith Lord's history unofficial, there's much that can be gleaned from "Revenge of the Sith" and other materials, including a brief unspoken cameo at the end of "Star Wars: Acolyte," which brought him into live-action, albeit via CGI. What is known is that Darth Plagueis was Palpatine's Sith master and he taught him everything he knew.

It's expected that a Sith Acolyte will kill their master, and Sidious followed this tradition, slaying Plagueis in his sleep in accordance with the Rule of Two. Before his death, Plagueis wanted nothing more than immortality, believing he could achieve this through dark science. He researched bioengineering and the influence of midi-chlorians with the goal of creating life. This knowledge passed to Plagueis' protege, and it was he who was responsible for the creation of Anakin Skywalker's virgin birth.

Darth Plagueis trained the most insidious being in "Star Wars" canon, and in doing so, his actions ultimately brought about the downfall of the Jedi Order and the establishment of the Galactic Empire. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the Force, particularly the dark side. His legacy is seen in his acolyte, who recalled the tale of "The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise." His lightsaber abilities are unknown, but he passed on his knowledge to his pupil, suggesting his power with the Force was immense.

Jedi Master Mace Windu was one of the most skilled members of the Jedi High Council, managing to create his own lightsaber form, Vapaad, to suit his unique style and abilities. Mace is also the only Jedi with a purple lightsaber in "Star Wars," making him distinctive. He easily killed Jango Fett without breaking a sweat at the First Battle of Geonosis, and he was a powerful member of the Republic Military during the Clone Wars. He fought Mother Talzin on Zardossa Stix, whom Darth Sidious knew to be a great and powerful enemy.

Mace's power is on full display toward the end of the Galactic Republic when he and other Jedi Masters confront the Chancellor in his office to arrest him. Revealing himself to be a Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious launches himself at the Jedi, slaying three in a matter of seconds. Only Mace remains alive to combat the threat, and he holds his own for some time, ultimately forcing his enemy onto the ground while holding his lightsaber to his throat.

Anakin Skywalker intervenes, insisting Sidious be sent to trial, but, after some goading, he turns to the dark side of the Force. In doing so, Anakin slices off Mace's right arm, and Sidious casts Force Lightning to ensure the Jedi Master's demise, screaming out, "Unlimited power!" Had Anakin not intervened and turned to the dark side, it's highly likely that Mace would have stopped the Sith right then and there.

The Mortis Gods, also known as The Ones, were introduced in "The Clone Wars" and had minor appearances in "Star Wars: Rebels" and "Ahsoka." They're not typical Force users in "Star Wars" but are nonetheless some of the most powerful beings in the franchise. There were three of them: The Daughter, aligned with the light side of the Force; the Son, aligned with the dark side of the Force; and the Father, who represented the balance between the two.

As long as the Father lived, the Son and Daughter were immortal, but a visit by three Jedi changed all that. The Mortis Gods resided on the planet of Mortis, where Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka Tano visited. During their time there, the Father tried to convince Anakin to take over his role as the balance in the Force, but the Son prevented this. He killed Ahsoka, but she was brought back via the Daughter's lifeforce, leaving the Father to sacrifice himself so Anakin could kill the Son.

These beings were physical manifestations of the Force itself, so they were incredibly powerful. Had Anakin not intervened, they would sit atop the ranking as the most powerful Force users in the franchise, but their fate was sealed when the Jedi visited Mortis. Their reach was vast, marking the entrance to the World Between Worlds, and there's a giant stone carving of the Father that's visible in "Ahsoka," though it's on the planet Peridea.

For much of the franchise's history, Luke Skywalker was the most powerful Force user in "Star Wars." He rose from nothing to become a great and powerful Jedi. In "Return of the Jedi," Luke enters the Emperor's throne room, and when he leaves, the Emperor is dead, and he drags the nearly lifeless body of Darth Vader to an awaiting ship. On top of that, Luke is largely self-taught, having received only minimal instruction from Obi-Wan Kenobi before he manages to destroy the Death Star.

Granted, Luke had a lot of help along the way, including training with Yoda on Dagobah, but his strength made him a dominant force in the galaxy. It's likely Darth Sidious delayed his return until Luke's passing, so even his greatest enemy feared him years after they faced one another. After cutting himself off from the Force, Luke used what he learned from the Sacred Jedi Texts to cast a Similfuturus (Force Projection) of himself across the galaxy, giving the Resistance the time they needed to escape from the First Order.

Luke dies doing this, as the strain was too great for his physical form. Still, he was able to do it, and that's not something an average Jedi could do, much less one raised and taught by the Jedi Order throughout the Galactic Republic period. Luke's many exploits point to his immense power. In fact, some would argue that he's the Chosen One rather than his father, even if canon suggests otherwise.

Anakin Skywalker was the Chosen One, so many believe him to be the most powerful Force user in the franchise. While this could have been the case, the circumstances of his downfall diminished his abilities. Anakin was borne of the Force, created via the machinations of Darth Sidious, and he possessed the highest midi-chlorian count ever. He was also quick to learn new abilities and was easily one of the greatest lightsaber combatants in history.

Anakin was manipulated into joining the dark side of the Force, taking the name Darth Vader from his new master, and he went on a campaign of death and destruction. He did this to save his beloved Padmé, but in the end, he was the cause of her demise. In his fight with Obi-Wan Kenobi, he loses his remaining limbs and is burned to a crisp beside a river of lava on Mustafar. His hatred keeps him alive, and Darth Sidious uses cybernetics to bring him back to fighting form.

Had the fight gone the other way and Vader remained intact, he likely would have become the most powerful Force user of all time. Unfortunately for him, he remained in constant pain and required machines to keep him alive, significantly limiting his abilities. He couldn't cast Force Lightning because of this, and while he remained incredibly powerful with the lightsaber skills to back him up, he never became the man he should have had he not fallen to the dark side.

Obi-Wan Kenobi trained under Qui-Gon Jinn, and he went on to train Anakin Skywalker. After witnessing his master take a killing blow at the hands of Darth Maul, he bisected him and ultimately killed him years later. He later used his knowledge to train his Padawan in the ways of the Force as well as lightsaber combat. Throughout the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan repeatedly found himself in desperate situations he was able to pull himself out of, and he fought numerous Sith during this time.

When he first appears in the franchise, he's old and slow, dying quickly in his fight with Darth Vader. This was part of his plan, however, as he explains to his former pupil, "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." From the grave, Obi-Wan continues to teach Luke and helps guide him on the path to victory. Years before, he faced a newly-dubbed Darth Vader, defeating him in an extended lightsaber battle on the planet Mustafar.

The two meet again years later, and when Obi-Wan regains his strength, he easily defeats Vader once more, sending dozens of large boulders to smash against him before slashing open his mask, revealing the man inside. His many exploits as a Jedi prove his standing as one of the most powerful Force users in history, and his legacy (as shown in Luke and many others) is undeniable. He doesn't often get the respect he deserves, but few Jedi or Sith could hold a candle to Obi-Wan.

You don't go from Senator of Naboo to the Emperor of the galaxy without a great deal of power at your disposal, and Darth Sidious had it in spades. He learned much from his master, Darth Plagueis, and he used that knowledge to control the Force itself to create his future acolyte, Darth Vader. Throughout his time in the Galactic Republic, Sidious managed to keep his true identity concealed from the entirety of the Jedi Order, and he worked closely alongside its greatest minds without revealing himself.

Sidious knew how to play the long game, controlling both sides of the Clone Wars to establish a great military force he used to annihilate the Jedi Order. He turned its most prominent young member into his disciple, destroying the Jedi from within. He was also one of the greatest lightsaber combatants of all time, mastering Form VII. On top of that, he could easily project lethal Force Lightning with seemingly limitless power, destroying ships in orbit with his immense ability.

Darth Sidious even survived his own death, keeping his dark spirit alive so it could inhabit the body of a clone before a more permanent situation presented itself. These acts are almost unmatched in "Star Wars" canon, and they show that Darth Sidious is truly the most powerful Sith to exist. They're also only a taste of what Sidious was capable of, but, despite his immense power, he knew when he was outmatched and fought only when necessary.

There have only been four Jedi Grand Masters, and Yoda was the last of them. Yoda sums up his abilities rather succinctly when speaking to Luke Skywalker in "The Empire Strikes Back," saying, "For 800 years have I trained Jedi." Most Jedi live nowhere near that long, and such longevity enabled Yoda to master the Force in ways few could even hope to achieve. Despite his size and use of a cane, he was also one of the deadliest lightsaber combatants in the franchise.

When facing Darth Tyranus, he simply holds up his hand, redirecting and absorbing his Force Lightning before saying, "Much to learn, you still have." Seeing as he was Yoda's former Padawan, it was folly to aggressively face his former master. Yoda even struck fear in Darth Sidious, who attempted to flee instead of facing him. While Sidious won that battle, Yoda likely would have prevailed had they faced one another again. Yoda's final trainee, Luke, went on to defeat the Sith, at least for a time.

After his death, Yoda became a Force Spirit and continued to assist the good people of the galaxy. He demonstrated his strength, even in death, by summoning lightning to destroy the Jedi Tree as one final lesson to his former Padawan, which isn't something any other Force Spirit has shown an ability to replicate. Yoda's strength stems from his will and adherence to the light side of the Force. During his lifetime, he trained untold hundreds of Jedi, none of whom ever came close to his level of power or ability.