Between Jedi, Sith, and those “in the middle,” the Star Wars saga is full of masters and apprentices. “Always two there are. No more, no less. A master and an apprentice.” This may be the code of the Sith, but it also applies to the Jedi and most other Force wielders. Those with knowledge will always wish to pass on what they have learned, and there will always be Force-sensitive students eager to understand what has awakened inside them.
However, not all master and apprentice relationships in Star Wars are created equal. Some character dynamics aren’t as interesting as others, and since Jedi can always fall to the dark side, some master and apprentice relationships end disastrously. On the other hand, many master and apprentice duos end with both characters becoming more powerful than they could possibly imagine. 31 masters and apprentices have appeared in the Star Wars movies and TV shows so far, and their respective strengths and weaknesses reveal how they rank from worst to best.
31 Asajj Ventress & Savage Oppress
A short-lived master and apprenticeship, Asajj Ventress and Savage Oppress quickly turned on each other in their fight with Dooku. Savage became a monster of Ventress’ making, and in Count Dooku’s words, “A failed apprentice makes for a foolish master.”
30 The Son & Anakin Skywalker
In another brief yet fascinating partnership, Anakin Skywalker teamed up with the Son on Mortis after learning of his fate as Darth Vader. The way the Son manipulates Anakin with the truth is impressive, and it would have been interesting to see more of the two as master and apprentice.
29 Dooku & Savage Oppress
The longest of the short-lived duos, Dooku demonstrated his teaching style through training Savage. Dooku’s ideology mirrors Yoda’s in many ways, emphasizing that a task is impossible only if someone believes it is. While their dynamic never had a chance to be fleshed out, Dooku and Savage were an interesting pair that could have “done great things together.”
28 Luke Skywalker & Ben Solo
Although Luke Skywalker and Ben Solo’s relationship was expanded in the books and comics, it is virtually non-existent in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. The only flashbacks to their time as master and apprentice show their falling out, while they are bitter enemies in the present. A future Star Wars movie or TV show may expand on Luke and Ben’s history, but until then, there isn’t much to their master/apprentice dynamic.
27 Luminara Unduli & Barriss Offee
At first glance, Luminara Unduli and Barris Offee seemed like the ideal master and apprentice in Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 2. Luminara was a wise and composed Jedi Master, while Barris was a respectful and highly competent Padawan. Unfortunately, Barris’s eventual turn to the dark side proves that their bond wasn’t strong enough that Barris felt she could turn to her master for guidance. Luminara told Anakin that she was ready to let go of her Padawan if necessary, but this detachment created more problems than it solved.
26 Kit Fisto & Nahdar Vebb
Kit Fisto and Nahdar Vebb only had one episode as master and apprentice, which unfortunately did not end well. Master Fisto couldn’t complete Nahdar’s training because of the Clone Wars, leaving his Padawan to face the Jedi trials without his master’s guidance. He quickly discovered that Nahdar had changed in their time apart, becoming more violent and failing to restrain his power. This ultimately cost Nahdar his life, trying to match Grievous’ power with his own as his master watched helplessly.
25 Dooku & Asajj Ventress
The Rule of Two may have restricted the Sith to two at a time, but that didn’t stop Dooku from training Ventress as his apprentice. However, Darth Sidious surmised Dooku’s plans when Ventress became too powerful, ordering his apprentice to prove his loyalty by killing her. Dooku and Ventress’ dynamic arguably became more interesting after he betrayed her, as her previous loyalty didn’t leave much room for conflict.
24 Dooku & Grievous
Grievous was not Dooku’s formal apprentice, but Dooku did train him in the Jedi arts. Dooku actively tested Grievous during the Clone Wars, and Grievous’ willingness to talk back made their scenes more interesting. Grievous was the one who remained loyal to Dooku until the end of the war, even though it ultimately cost him his life.
23 Snoke & Kylo Ren
Supreme Leader Snoke and Kylo Ren’s master/apprentice relationship was engaging but cut short (literally). The movies never had a chance to explore their history, and they only shared a handful of scenes before Snoke was killed off in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. This could have grown into something more unique, but as it stands, Snoke and Kylo Ren’s dynamic mostly feels like a carbon copy of Palpatine and Darth Vader.
22 Luke Skywalker & Rey
Luke was not at all what Rey or the audience expected, begrudgingly agreeing to train her after a pep talk from R2-D2. The final version of The Last Jedi only contains two of Luke’s three lessons, the point of which was to teach Rey why the galaxy didn’t need the Jedi. Rey learned more about the nature of the Force, but otherwise, she grasped its power quickly. She was the one who ended up having to teach Luke, and his death left the rest of Rey’s training up to Leia.
21 Luke Skywalker & Leia Organa
Based on the flashback in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Luke was a much better master to Leia than he was to Rey or Ben. His sister managed to best him in combat and would have made a powerful Jedi, only surrendering her saber when she believed it would save Ben. This is the only time Luke and Leia have appeared as master and apprentice onscreen, but future stories may expand her Jedi training.
20 Palpatine & Maul
Maul was the perfect tool to carry out Palpatine’s plans, making them a strong duo in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Even when they became enemies, their history as master and apprentice played an important role, with Maul’s fear and hatred towards Palpatine adding more tension to their duel.
19 Palpatine & Dooku
Dooku became Palpatine’s apprentice late in life and played a more public role than Maul. This made the two feel like they were on equal footing in their conversations, though Palpatine wasn’t afraid to put Dooku in his place when necessary. Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi made their master/apprentice relationship more compelling by revealing how Dooku pledged himself to the dark side after being manipulated by Palpatine. It makes Dooku’s fall and eventual death more tragic after seeing the man he was before meeting Palpatine.
18 Yoda & Dooku
Yoda and Dooku’s time as master and apprentice is never shown in the movies and TV shows, but that doesn’t make their scenes together any less compelling. Their first confrontation in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones illustrated an unspoken history between the two, and while both men are composed, the little bits of emotion are telling. No matter how old and powerful they are, it’s clear that Yoda and Dooku are still master and Padawan at heart.
17 Maul & Ezra Bridger
Ezra Bridger never pledged himself as Maul’s apprentice, but that didn’t stop the former Sith from seeing him as such. Maul always had something to teach Ezra, and despite his misgivings, Ezra could never hide his eagerness to learn. Their dynamic makes it hard not to view them as master and apprentice when they’re onscreen together.
16 Bendu & Kanan Jarrus
The Bendu was a reluctant teacher at best but still aided Kanan Jarrus in finding his way again. Kanan learned to forge a deeper connection to the Force to work through his blindness, though Bendu’s desire to remain neutral eventually put the two at odds. Despite this, Bendu made for a captivating teacher and always offered unique insight whenever Kanan dropped by for a visit.
15 Kanan Jarrus & Sabine Wren
Kanan Jarrus trained Sabine Wren in lightsaber combat in lightsaber combat, hoping she would wield the Darksaber and lead Mandalore against the Empire. Their training got off to a rocky start, but the two resolved their conflict and engaged in a final duel, where Sabine finally admitted why she left her home. They may not have been master and apprentice for long, but Kanan and Sabine helped one another overcome their most challenging obstacles.
14 Depa Billaba & Caleb Dume/Kanan Jarrus
Before he was known as Kanan Jarrus, Caleb Dume was the Padawan learner of Jedi High Council member Depa Billaba. Their relationship was initially explored in Star Wars: Kanan – The Last Padawan by Greg Weisman and Pepe Larraz, but the first few issues were retconned by Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 1, episode 1 “Aftermath.” Depa and Caleb appeared to make a good team, and she sacrificed herself so that he could escape Order 66, but this is as far as their development goes in the movies or TV shows.
13 Ahsoka Tano & Sabine Wren
The latest master and apprentice duo to appear onscreen, the series premiere of Ahsoka revealed that Ahsoka trained Sabine after Star Wars Rebels. Not much is known about Sabine’s training apart from being a difficult student and that Ahsoka ended it. While there is much animosity between the two in Ahsoka, it’s clear that it comes from a place of sadness and regret, hinting at the strong bond they once shared. The remaining Ahsoka episodes may reveal more about their past and how they fare as master and apprentice going forward.
12 Dooku & Qui-Gon Jinn
Qui-Gon Jinn was killed off before the movies introduced Dooku, but Tales of the Jedi finally showed what they were like as master and apprentice. Dooku tended to act rashly to solve a problem as he saw fit, making Qui-Gon’s compassion and quick thinking invaluable in their partnership. The two shared a strong bond long after they had left their roles as master and student behind, though Dooku had already allied himself with the Sith Lord responsible for Qui-Gon’s death.
