The Inquisitors appear as menacing antagonists in several Star Wars projects. These Dark siders surely helped the Empire hunt down the Jedi, who survived Order 66.
We also know that they used to be Jedi, chosen by the Emperor to be corrupted and trained. Using the Dark side and being connected to the Force gives them an advantage.
These fallen Jedi, yet not Sith Lords, were always brought up as one of the best tools of the Empire. Were they, though?
How strong are the Inquisitors, and are they as vicious as their reputation? Let’s dive deeper into the canon to find out more.
How Strong Were the Inquisitors?
Order 66 is still one of the saddest moments in the history of the Jedi Order and Star Wars in general. Thousands of Jedi were killed by their own clone army and Anakin Skywalker. Even the younglings were not spared.
With that being said, we never got to know the exact count of the Jedi who were killed. We can only speculate that around 9,900 Jedi were wiped out during the Great Jedi Purge and Order 66. However, this information was never explicitly confirmed in canon.
Once the Republic fell, approximately 100 Jedi were able to flee for their lives, running away and hiding. To erase what was left of the Jedi Order, the Emperor created a group of Inquisitors.
They were trained by Lord Vader to hunt the Jedi and everyone who helped them. The saddest part is knowing that the Inquisitors were Jedi themselves. However, it is important to remember that none of them were true Masters. Keep that information in mind for future reference.
The Inquisitors were able to wield the double-bladed lightsabers and manipulate Force. Even their appearance was menacing and intimidating. Still, no one should judge the book by its cover.
Source: Giphy
Throughout several projects, we see the Inquisitors hunting Force-sensitive individuals. What is strange, though, is that we don’t necessarily see their success.
Have they killed at least one Jedi? We shall find out today.
Kanan vs. Grand Inquisitor
Grand Inquisitor possesses the most menacing reputation and appearance. In his past, he guarded the Jedi Temple until he realized that the Jedi Council was “corrupt”. He was present during the interrogation of Ahsoka Tano, which led to her leaving the Order.
The guard was greatly dissatisfied with the Jedi and was partially corrupted even before the fall of the Republic.
“The Grand Inquisitor. He had skills. He was trained, at some point. Who is he?”
“A Jedi, once. Resentful that someone with his skill was not allowed access to the higher councils, the greater secrets of the Order.”
―Darth Vader and Darth Sidious
The Grand Inquisitor made his first appearance in Star Wars: Rebels and became one of the most recognizable antagonists in the franchise.
Surprisingly, his reputation precedes actual deeds and sounds better in theory!
Was he that strong or simply feared because of his title?
From the canon, we know that the Grand Inquisitor used the body of Jedi Master Luminara Unduli to lure other Jedi.
Pure souls thought that Luminara was still alive.
If you thought that the Grand Inquisitor killed the Jedi master, it’s not exactly how it happened. Luminara was executed by the Empire.
The Grand Inquisitor simply used her remains as a trap.
The only person we actually saw him kill is Yeleb, the Protector. This man guarded his village with everything he had, using a green lightsaber.
The Grand Inquisitor was hunting Kanan Jarrus at the time, a Jedi who managed to escape the Empire. Yeleb lied about not seeing Jarrus and dueled with the Dark sider to his death.
The Grand Inquisitor killed the “Jedi” only to find out that Yeleb simply pretended to be a Master!
Eventually, the Grand Inquisitor managed to find Kanan, only to lose the duel. Kanan injured him, while the Grand Inquisitor decided to fall to his death. After all, he didn’t want to face the wrath of Darth Vader.
However, we can’t blame him, as who would want Darth Vader to hunt them down?
Overall, the Grand Inquisitor was perceived as the strongest among the group. However, he was bested in the duel against a Jedi.
Not so strong after all…
Cal Kestis vs. the Ninth Sister
Cal Kestis is a fan favorite from the popular game Jedi: Fallen Order. He is a Force-sensitive individual who was not necessarily trained to be a Jedi. Still, he is skilled enough in the Force and lightsaber Forms to hold his own.
Throughout the game, we see this Jedi being hunted by several Inquisitors, including the Second Sister and the Ninth Sister.
During their encounters, we notice that Cal possesses raw power. However, his overall skills as a Jedi are still unrefined. This becomes especially visible during his duels with the Second Sister.
Did he manage to defeat her? Yes, he could only do so after several unsuccessful attempts. Besides, she wasn’t killed.
Cal’s greatest achievement, though, is killing the Ninth Siter. When the two engaged in the duel, Cal slashed the Inquisitor’s left leg and arm.
The true beauty of lightsabers, Star Wars, and cut-off limbs…
As a result of the heated duel, the Jedi defeated the Inquisitor. Still, she was hardly the strongest one of the bunch. The result of the battle might have been completely different if Cal had faced the Grand Inquisitor or even the Second Sister.
He would most probably be no match for a highly trained Dark sider.
Ahsoka Tano vs. The Inquisitors (Seventh Sister & Fifth Brother)
In Star Wars: Rebels, we see Inquisitors always chasing Kanan and Ezra. We have already discussed how Kanan was able to defeat the Grand Inquisitor. However, Ezra is a different case. He was not as skilled as the master, leaving him smaller chances of escaping Inquisitors.
During one such encounter, both had to face the Seventh Sister and the Fifth Brother. Ezra tried to hold them down, yet he lacked skills and training.
We see the Inquisitors confidently overpowering undertrained Jedi.
That is until a true Master shows up!
Ahsoka Tano is undeniably one of the greatest Jedi. She was trained by Anakin Skywalker and partially by Obi-Wan Kenobi. These two war heroes ensured that every ounce of her power was used in practice.
Ahsoka managed to overpower both Inquisitors. It didn’t come easy for her, yet she still succeeded.
It’s safe to say that Inquisitors cannot match the power of a true and trained Jedi Master.
They can hardly compete with Padawans!
Darth Vader vs. the Third Sister
An honorable mention on our list goes to the duel between Darth Vader and the Third Sister.
Spoilers for Obi-Wan Kenobi: Episode 5
From the Obi-Wan Kenobi show, we learned the complicated history of Reva. She was the survivor of Order 66 and a youngling. Reva was physically and mentally traumatized when Anakin Skywalker marched with a clone army to kill all the Jedi.
She miraculously survived the attack even after being stabbed. However, we can hardly say that she completed her Jedi training. Instead, she pretended to serve Darth Vader even if it meant hunting other Jedi.
Nothing stopped her from getting her revenge.
“Revenge does wonders for the will to live, don’t you think?”
-Grand Inquisitor
From her rank as the Third Sister, we can roughly tell that she is skilled and powerful in the Force.
Is she a match for a Jedi, though?
We haven’t seen her fight against a proper Jedi. Her brief encounters with Obi-Wan can hardly count as duels. That’s why we can use Darth Vader as an example.
Even before falling into the Dark side, Anakin Skywalker was arguably one of the strongest Jedi. In his prime, he would develop incredible powers, according to George Lucas himself.
Is it fair to compare him with the Third Sister? No, yet who cares about fairness when it comes to power?
In episode five of the show, we see the duel between Darth Vader and Reva. However, the only thing this duel proves is how powerful the Sith Lord truly is.
You can find out how an Inquisitor differs from a Sith here.
He barely lifts a finger to defeat Reva, who is claimed to be a very powerful Inquisitor. Vader stops her lightsaber without looking and toys with her as if she is no threat. The Chosen One relies solely on the Force without needing to use his lightsaber. Clearly, Reva is no match for him.
It’s safe to say that Reva remains a youngling even after so many years of training.
All the encounters, especially this one, lead us to a general conclusion. Inquisitors are only made to look cool. When faced with real danger and strong opponents, they fold like a house of cards.
It is funny, though, how some of them (Grand Inquisitor and the Third Sister) survived being stabbed with lightsabers. Maybe that’s how the Emperor chose them — durability and this unique skill!
Even the strongest Jedi Masters like Qui-Gon Jinn would be jealous!
Source: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
Bottom Line: The True Power of the Inquisitors
Inquisitors are feared throughout the galaxy. At least we are told so as the audience. What do we see in practice? Almost every single protagonist and even antagonist has successfully defeated Inquisitors.
| Jedi | Inquisitor | Who won? |
|---|---|---|
| Kanan | Grand Inquisitor | Kanan |
| Yeleb (fake Jedi) | Grand Inquisitor | Grand Inquisitor |
| Ahsoka Tano | Seventh Sister & Fifth Brother | Ahsoka Tano |
| Cal Kestis | Second Sister | Draw (Both won several times) |
| Cal Kestis | Ninth Sister | Cal Kestis |
| Third Sister (ex-Jedi and Inquisitor) | Darth Vader (Sith Lord) | Darth Vader |
| Ezra Bridger | Seventh Sister & Fifth Brother | Assumption: Ezra would probably lose if not for Ahsoka |
Overall, the actual reputation of the Inquisitors is much more effective than the former Jedi themselves. They look imposing and scary — normal people would be terrified.
However, Jedi hunters are surprisingly useless when dueling with the actual Jedi. Their only matches are poorly trained padawans, fake Jedi, and younglings.
As such, they’re not as strong as the Emperor hoped they would be!
You can find out why Palpatine chose to use them in the first place here.
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