The 10 Most Iconic Master & Apprentice Teams In Star Wars’ 47-Year History

In the nearly five decades since Star Wars was first released, there have been a number of incredible master and apprentice teams; however, these 10 duos are the most iconic of them all. Star Wars movies and TV shows have introduced countless master and apprentice pairs, as both the Jedi and the Sith follow this structure. Because of this, the very best duos span the full Star Wars timeline, with a fair mix of characters from Star Wars’ best movies and Star Wars’ best TV shows.

The best master and apprentice teams also aren’t limited to the light side of the Force. While many of the duos do include Star Wars’ most powerful Jedi, some Sith master and apprentice teams also make the cut. Across the dark and the light side of the Force, these 10 master and apprentice duos are the very best.

10

Count Dooku & Asajj Ventress

Master And Apprentice Were A Great Team…Until Dooku’s Betrayal

In Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress began as an incredible Sith master and apprentice duo. Although Dooku was also serving as Palpatine’s apprentice, he managed to take on his own apprentices, both Ventress and General Grievous, under the guise of having assassins rather than apprentices. Initially, both Grievous and Ventress were intimidating, formidable opponents working fiercely on the side of the Separatists in the Clone Wars. Ventress and Dooku worked particularly well, as Ventress was such a powerful dark side Force-user.

However, Count Dooku began to grow tired of Ventress, believing she was failing him, and ultimately he dropped her. This was a brutal loss for Ventress, who had long experienced betrayal, neglect, and abandonment. It seems this turn may have been best for her, though, given that Ventress returned in The Bad Batch season 3. She now has an unclear Star Wars future ahead, which would have looked very different had she stayed with Dooku.

9

Leia Organa & Rey

Leia’s Jedi Path Didn’t Get Enough Screen Time

Rey and Leia shared sadly little screen time as master and apprentice in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Although the sequel trilogy received considerable criticism, The Rise of Skywalker undoubtedly receiving the most extensive backlash of the three movies, the reveal that Leia had become Rey’s Jedi Master following Luke’s death in Star Wars: The Last Jedi was an interesting twist. Particularly because Leia’s Force sensitivity and Jedi abilities had been frequently referenced or nodded towards throughout Star Wars but never fully explored, this was a promising change.

Rey and Leia were also well-matched in many ways. Both characters are calm, wise, strong, and selfless, making them an ideal master and apprentice pair. Unfortunately, their time together was cut massively short, at least in terms of what was shown on screen. Carrie Fisher’s tragic passing mid-production for The Rise of Skywalker meant that her scenes could only be put together piecemeal, which left little room for a fuller narrative.

8

Darth Sidious & Count Dooku

Together, Sidious And Dooku Ruled The Clone Wars

Like master, like apprentice apparently, given that just as Count Dooku had betrayed his own apprentice, his master, Darth Sidious, betrayed him. In part, this is just the way of the Sith; the apprentice is always seeking to usurp the master and, at least in Palpatine’s case, the master seeks to replace the apprentice with a stronger, more promising Sith learner. Although this master and apprentice duo do fall apart in light of Palpatine’s betrayal (which ends with Anakin decapitating Dooku while Palpatine watches in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, the power of the team is undeniable.

Count Dooku and Darth Sidious essentially controlled the entire Clone Wars. Although Palpatine presented himself as the Chancellor of the Republic Senate with the goal of protecting democracy and helping the Republic win the war, he was really playing both sides. Manipulating the Separatists and the Republic into perpetuating the war required help, though. That was where Dooku came in. Dooku acted more or less as a figurehead in the Separatist side of the Clone Wars. Although he appeared to be leading the Separatists, he was acting under Palpatine—or, Darth Sidious—the whole time.

7

Baylan Skoll & Shin Hati

Baylan And Shin Represent A New Era Of Force-Users

Although one of the newest master and apprentice duos in Star Wars, Shin Hati and Baylan Skoll are high on the list. Introduced in Ahsoka as villains, Baylan and Shin are extremely unique in the franchise. While the two clearly use the dark side, they don’t fit the bill for the Sith. Instead, they seem to fall somewhere outside the binary of Jedi and Sith. Shin was also immediately accepted as a beloved character and a thrilling new Force-user, with many hoping she ultimately aligns with Ahsoka Tano and Sabine Wren.

Even more interesting, Baylan Skoll maintains a deep respect for the Jedi, given his lamentation that killing Ahsoka would mean one less Jedi in the galaxy. Although Ahsoka season 2 is in the works, the future of this master and apprentice team remains uncertain. In the Ahsoka season 1 finale, Baylan was on a mystery mission that seemed to involve the Mortis Gods. However, tragically, the actor portraying Baylan passed away following the show’s first season. Now, it isn’t clear how the show will move forward.

6

Kanan Jarrus & Ezra Bridger

This Order 66 Survivor Proved To Be The Perfect Jedi Master

Star Wars: Rebels introduced a number of amazing new characters, but two of the best were Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger. Kanan Jarrus was one of the few Jedi who survived Order 66, and despite the terrible loss of the Jedi, he remained dedicated to the light side of the Force and the Jedi way. When he encountered Ezra Bridger, a troublesome kid who was clearly powerful with the Force, he took him on as his apprentice.

Kanan went on to demonstrate that he was one of the best Jedi Masters in Star Wars. In addition to being a powerful Force-user, he was patient, compassionate, and wise. Essentially, he was everything a Jedi Master should be. Moreover, he proved that attachments don’t have to be the downfall of a Jedi—he was very much in love with Hera Syndulla, and it never compromised his dedication to the light side. Sadly, Kanan died saving his friends in Rebels, but the master and apprentice relationship between Ezra and Kanan was incredible to see.

5

Qui-Gon Jinn & Obi-Wan Kenobi

The Prequel Trilogy’s Original Master And Apprentice Were A Great Duo

In Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn were the first Jedi Master and Padawan duo introduced, and they were immediately charming. Qui-Gon came across as a Jedi Master who possessed great wisdom and strength but also was a bit of a troublemaker. Obi-Wan perfectly offset that by being an anxious rule follower with a penchant for throwing in a sarcastic comment at the opportune moment.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were also simply a great demonstration of the power of the Force. They were both brave and powerful warriors, skilled with both the Force and their lightsabers. In fact, their battle with Darth Maul toward the end of The Phantom Menace is largely considered one of the best lightsaber battles in Star Wars, and not just because it was set to the iconic song “Duel of the Fates.” Although Qui-Gon died in The Phantom Menace, the two nevertheless rank highly among Star Wars’ master and apprentice teams.

4

Yoda & Luke Skywalker

Yoda And Luke’s Time On Dagobah Was Star Wars’ First True Jedi Training

Although Obi-Wan Kenobi trained Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force in A New Hope, their time together was limited. Moreover, screen time of Luke actually training in the Force throughout A New Hope was brief, limited mostly to Luke testing his Force intuition with a training droid. That changed in The Empire Strikes Back when Luke committed to completing his Jedi training by seeking out Master Yoda on Dagobah.

Master Yoda and Luke’s training in The Empire Strikes Back was therefore the first true Jedi training depicted in Star Wars, and it was also foundational for the nature of the Force. During Luke’s time on Dagobah, Yoda outlined aspects of the Force, particularly the dangers of the dark side, that went on to inform the prequel trilogy and the whole of Star Wars. In particular, Yoda highlights “anger, fear, aggression” as elements of the dark side. Ultimately, this ended up foreshadowing the events of the prequels and the downfall of Luke’s own father, Anakin Skywalker.

3

Darth Sidious & Darth Vader

Palpatine And Vader’s Power Can’t Be Denied

Despite being the greatest evils in the galaxy for decades, Darth Sidious and Darth Vader are undeniably an incredible master and apprentice duo. Darth Sidious’ plot to tempt Anakin to the dark side was painstaking and hard-won, but it certainly paid off, with Darth Vader becoming one of Star Wars’ most powerful Sith alongside Sidious. It was also no easy feat to take over the Republic, build up an Empire, and maintain control for nearly 20 years. While Palpatine laid much of the foundation, he couldn’t have succeeded without Vader’s help.

In fact, Vader was, as Darth Maul explained in The Clone Wars, the key to all of it. His fall and his willingness to destroy the Jedi and assist with Order 66 were pivotal for Palpatine’s successful grab for power. Although Vader eventually betrayed Sidious, killing him to save his son, it can’t negate what they managed to accomplish together. Thus far, no other Star Wars Sith master and apprentice team has come close to the power of Sidious and Vader.

2

Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano

One Of Star Wars’ Best Master And Apprentice Teams Had A Brutal End

Audiences had divided responses to the introduction of Ahsoka Tano as Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie. The prequel trilogy hadn’t referenced any such Padawan, and many bristled at her more sarcastic, snappy attitude (which prompted Anakin to nickname her “Snips”). However, that original mixed reception quickly dissipated, with Ahsoka becoming one of Star Wars’ most beloved characters.

Anakin and Ahsoka ultimately proved to be an incredible, well-matched pair. As much as Ahsoka was sarcastic and tended to undermine authority, she was a great fit for Anakin. In fact, those were Anakin’s very own weaknesses he needed to work on; these flaws in Ahsoka helped him improve those problems within himself. Ahsoka and Anakin were also similarly bold, passionate, and powerful, which made them remarkably entertaining to see in action together. Sadly, Anakin’s fall to the dark side shattered this relationship, but throughout The Clone Wars, they proved themselves to be one of Star Wars’ best duos.

1

Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker

The Best Star Wars Duo Reflects A Major Star Wars Tragedy

The absolute best Star Wars master and apprentice team was Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. They became infamous throughout the Clone Wars era as the most powerful Jedi duo and an almost unbeatable Force to be reckoned with, leading countless battles. In addition to their power and skill, though, they also had one of the most touching, charming friendships in all of Star Wars.

Despite meeting on rocky ground, Obi-Wan and Anakin truly became brothers throughout the prequels, and it was clear that genuine love had grown there. In fact, Obi-Wan said as much during the devastating scene in which Obi-Wan leaves Anakin to burn on Mustafar following Anakin’s turn to the dark side. Although Star Wars has introduced numerous incredible master and apprentice teams, both Jedi and Sith, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker simply can’t be beat.

ALL STAR WARS MOVIES AND TV SHOWS ARE AVAILABLE TO STREAM ON DISNEY+