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We all know the scene in ROTS where the Jedi are getting purged in the Temple and the clones surround them as seen here:

Pic
My question is why the rebels couldn't do the same thing with Vader. Is he exceptionally good with the light saber or are the rebels just not on an equal scale to the clone troopers?

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    We're lead to assume that Vader is just a bad *ss that he would use his precognition to avoid ever getting in that situation. The Jedis were being blocked by Palpatine. – Mark Rogers Jan 09 '17 at 15:30
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    When in Star Wars did the rebels get an opportunity to ambush Vader and overwhelm him with their greater numbers? – Valorum Jan 09 '17 at 15:36
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    @Valorum - SPOILER ALERT: End of Rogue One. – DVK-on-Ahch-To Jan 09 '17 at 15:37
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    @Valorum Smaller SPOILER ALERT: every time he isn't in a TIE fighter. Seriously, the people playing him in Battlefront are essentially performing the role faithfully - guy just walks into danger. –  Jan 09 '17 at 15:40
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    @DVK-in-Florida - At the end of Rogue One it's a very cramped and claustrophobic fight within a small corridor. I hardly see that there's scope to suround him – Valorum Jan 09 '17 at 15:46
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    @Valorum You don't need to surround him so much as shoot so much that he can't block it all. Just ask Jedi Master Sooki-Ess De'th. –  Jan 09 '17 at 15:51
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    @Terriblefan - I blame Windu for that one. Who the hell decided that a fish-faced guy with no lightsaber skills (and who's obviously from a water planet) should try to apprehend Dooku. – Valorum Jan 09 '17 at 15:54
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    @Valorum Vader Down? – Jason Baker Jan 09 '17 at 16:06
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    @JasonBaker - A prime example of why you don't bring grenades when fighting a Sith/Magneto http://pm1.narvii.com/5976/786298f29370bc2f7f35e045d4e52791082f91af_hq.jpg – Valorum Jan 09 '17 at 16:20
  • I'd say two reasons: the dark side is far stronger than the light, and the most rebels have never seen a Jedi (or at least not encountered one for 17 years). They simply don't know how to fight him, and have no time to come up with tactics. – Tim Jan 09 '17 at 20:01
  • ...because that's not exactly how you kill a jedi/sith/guy-with-a-stick/force user. Do you wanna know how to kill a force user? – xDaizu Jan 10 '17 at 07:16
  • Because the concept of 'Order 66' is nonsensical rubbish that was thought up much later than the (original) Star Wars movies were made. – mrr Jan 10 '17 at 21:11
  • @MilesRout Because, judging by the original movies, it should be much easier to kill Jedi? –  Jan 10 '17 at 22:41

2 Answers2

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  1. Tactics (Element of surprise).

    Jedi had no idea they were going to be attacked. When they did know (Yoda), they were successful.

  2. Tactics (Vader is rarely in bad tactical situation)

    As commenters noted, Vader is almost never seen in canon in a dire tactical situation like the video in OP's question. He doesn't get surrounded. The only major fight we see (Rogue One), he faces people in narrow corridors, where the numerical superiority is significantly diminished.

    Whether that's due to luck, or deliberate avoidance of bad tactical position due to Force precognition, isn't known.

  3. The Force access.

    All throughout prequel timeline it's stressed that Sidious diminished Jedi's ability to sense the Force.

    Vader doesn't suffer from that handicap.

  4. Vader is Anakin Skywalker++.

    One of the strongest Force Users ever even back as a Jedi, with Midichlo&^n count dialed up to 11. The Chosen One. Then, trained by the best defensive swordsman in the Order (Obi-Wan, according to Novelization). Then, trained on top of that as a Sith by Sidious, who bested even Yoda in combat.

  5. The Dark Side is stronger. He has access to skills Jedi did not.

    Remember, even as a Jedi, he bested - in direct combat - Darth Tyrannus, once he opened himself up to the Dark Side (novelization to ROTS covers that in detail). Dooku happened to be one of the best fighters in the order even before becoming a Sith, and who bested Obi-Wan in combat, easily, twice.

  6. Compassion.

    Jedi Generals were likely hesitant to kill clone troopers they were fighting side by side in. Vader has no special affinity for the Rebels.

  7. Yes, Rebels are inferior.

    Some Rebels are amazing fighters, but most are not. Clones were all cloned from Jango Fett and trained to an amazing extent. And Rebels have virtually no armor, as opposed to clones.

    I don't think that would have mattered to Vader either way, to be honest (witness Yoda and Obi-Wan surviving O66 attacks), but it may be a minor factor as well.

DVK-on-Ahch-To
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    Additionally, Vader has an "OH S*%^!" factor that goes to 11. Most of the Jedi Masters could do what he does, but only he does so in a way that makes most of the rebels run away screaming -- instead of turning around and shooting at him until he dies. –  Jan 09 '17 at 15:43
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    One point though in the comics (canon) there is seemingly a scene where vader IS surrounded by rebels.....armed with blasters and even anti tank weapons...........and HE tells them to lie down their weapons or die.....and they do the later – Thomas Jan 09 '17 at 17:31
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    @DVK-in-exile - Canon, the novelization is not. – Adamant Jan 09 '17 at 17:53
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    @Adamant - actually, it is 100% canon under Disney, with exception of specific facts contradicted by the film. Blame @Richard – DVK-on-Ahch-To Jan 09 '17 at 17:55
  • @DVK-in-exile - I read the tweets and so forth myself, and the implication seems to me to be that it is only canon when it accords with the film. – Adamant Jan 09 '17 at 17:56
  • @DVK- in-exile - https://mobile.twitter.com/pablohidalgo/status/712038897065304067, https://twitter.com/delreystarwars/status/461579307341840384. "Maybe it happened, maybe it didn't." – Adamant Jan 09 '17 at 17:58
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    @Thomas: Yes. He was a badass, and had a reputation. Sure, there was a chance for the Rebels to take him down, but they were also in a bad tactical situation - close-quarters is no place to use anti-material weaponry, when you surround a target your backstop (if you miss) is your buddies, and Vader had enough of a rep that even if they were *sure* they could take him down, the knew they'd take hideous losses. He bluffed(ish) and it worked. – Jeff Jan 09 '17 at 18:17
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    I'm pretty sure I also read that the clone troopers lacked malice when attacking, causing it to be difficult to sense their intent prior to the attack, as a side effect of the indoctrination required to make them act on order 66. The Jedi thus couldn't sense a warning prior to a surprise attack as they usually would. However, I can't recall where I had read this. – dsollen Jan 09 '17 at 20:39
  • Vader also has the jedi ability to absorb energy. – Marshall Tigerus Jan 10 '17 at 16:46
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    Let us continue this discussion in chat. – Rand al'Thor Jan 10 '17 at 17:52
  • "The Dark Side is stronger." Yoda disagrees. – Jay Jan 10 '17 at 20:35
  • The Dark Side is stronger in combat. Otherwise Yoda would not be in hiding. The Light Side is "stronger" overall because good guys are fated to win in the end and bad guys are fated to lose. Dark Side = quick and easy power with immediate victory, Light Side = victorious destiny eventually. – TVann Jan 10 '17 at 22:38
  • @DVK-in-Florida You have a typo in #4 – Machavity Jan 11 '17 at 00:35
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  • Pretty sure Yoda explicitely states that the dark side is not stronger, only easier.
    • – Parrotmaster Jan 11 '17 at 08:39