Darth Sidious is the ultimate villain in Star Wars. He has appeared in all three movie trilogies and has been a powerful enemy to more than three generations of Jedi. Palpatine's Force powers are immense, and his lightsaber skills are almost second to none.
Many great Jedi, such as Yoda and Windu, have challenged him and failed. In many ways, Sidious is the most formidable challenge a Knight of the Order can face, and only a select few from Star Wars: Legends have the skills to meet him in a battle and survive. Here are the ten most powerful of them.
10 Revan
Revan was both a Sith and a Jedi. His journey to the dark side and back granted him with formidable powers that gave him the capabilities to challenge some of the most powerful Force-users in the galaxy's history. The Revanchist's exceptional mastery in lightsaber combat and his formidable telekinesis that he used both as means of attack and defense would have made Sidious forget his evil laugh and summon his full strengths to survive.
Art by DarthPonda
9 Nomi Sunrider
One of the greatest female Jedi who ever lived, Nomi Sunrider, played a vital role in the Great Sith War's successful conclusion. A ferocious duellist able to perform battle meditation and the unique act to sever dark-side users' connection with the Force, Nomi forever remained a highly admired Order member. Regardless of Palpatine's superior wisdom and sheer strength, Sunrider's ability to negate the Sith's link to the mystical power would be a terrifying challenge for Sidious.
8 Satele Shan
An impressively dominant Jedi Knight on the battlefield, Satele Shan had her fair share of Sith duels and encounters and survived them all, emerging victorious from many of them. The battles she led against Darth Malgus, and the Eternal Empire developed her innate might with the Force.
She was capable of using blast waves so powerful that they could instantly strike down her Sith foes. The Jedi's foresight, telepathy, and battle meditation, coupled with her devastating lightsaber attacks, would be enough to threaten Sidious in a fight.
7 Bastila Shan
Before Satele, Bastila covered the family name in glory. She fought side-by-side with Revan, an alliance that resulted in the formation of one of the most incredible Force-sensitive power couples in the Jedi Order history. Together they defeated the Empire, led by Revan's former apprentice Malak. A specialist in telepathy, battle mediation, and Force Stun as well as a tremendously talented duelist, Bastila could fight against multiple Force-users and survive, so a one-on-one battle with Sidious is definitely within the range of her abilities.
Art by CorbinHunter
6 Meetra Surik
Meetra Surik, better known as the Jedi Exile, contributed to the galaxy's salvation by having a vital role in the downfall of the Sith Triumvirate. She had the unique ability to draw energy from the death of nearby life forms and was proficient in rare techniques such as Force Enlightenment. Avictor of duels in which she fought against formidable opponents like Darth Sion and Darth Nihilus, Surik was not just a powerful Force-user but also a master of several forms of lightsaber combat, and Sidious would have to work very hard to beat her.
Art by Zackarra
5 Mara Jade Skywalker
At the height of her powers, Luke Skywalker's wife was an incredibly powerful Jedi Master. Not only was Mara Jade one of the most diversely skilled individuals in the history of the galaxy, but she was also a powerful lightsaber duellist and an experienced practitioner of Force Lightning.
More importantly, Mara was Palpatine's student and served him for long years before changing her allegiance. No Jedi would be better acquainted with Sidious's weaknesses and strengths, making it inevitable that Mara would pose a severe threat to him.
Art by AnthonyFoty
4 Kyle Katarn
Kyle Katarn was such a talented lightsaber wielder that he reached the rare Battlemaster rank in the Jedi Order. Combining several fighting styles to create a unique, personal one, Katarn could single-handedly defeat several dark-side users at once. His self-control and discipline allowed him to use both dark side (Force Lightning, Force Choke) and light side skills (Force Shield, Force Absorb). Even powerful villains like Darth Caedus acknowledged Katarn's Force and close combat mastery. Against him, Sidious would be in for a tough fight.
Art by thegameworld
3 Galen Malek
Galen Marek might have served Vader and the Sith cause for a long time, but in the end, he proved himself to be a supporter of the Jedi cause. Arguably Darth Vader's most powerful student, Starkiller, genuinely tested the limits of what is possible for one man to achieve through the Force.
From moving Star Destroyers through his telekinesis to his unrivaled reverse grip fighting style, Malek proved to be equal or superior to Darth Sidious during his training when he fought a program version of the mighty Sith.
2 Cade Skywalker
Cade Skywalker had unique Force abilities that turned him into a high-level target for all Sith cause sympathizers. Despite all of their efforts and Cade's temporary succumbing to the dark side, Luke and Anakin's descendant ended his Jedi path serving the light. Under no circumstances would Palpatine ever want to face Cade's insanely potent telekinesis that allowed him to crash starships, phenomenal lightsaber skills, or his unnatural ability to revive the dead.
Art by J-Garou
1 Thon
A unique Force-user and a Jedi Knight, Thon proved that a Master shouldn't necessarily be a humanoid. The teacher of many apprentices, Thon's naturally protected body alone made him a ferocious foe. Proficient in the use of battle mediation and Force Waves, he defeated numerous Sith and was said to have knowledge in the light side of the Force that was only comparable to that of Master Yoda. Such a level of wisdom and knowledge is more than enough to make Sidious reconsider a battle with Thon.