50 Greatest Star Wars Moments
20. Princess Leia Kills Jabba the Hutt
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
Princess Leia is a slave to Han Solo’s old crime boss Jabba the Hutt, a physical and metaphorical giant slug, at the beginning of Return of the Jedi. She seethes, waiting for her moment to strike, so when Luke Skywalker intervenes (complete with a new hand and lightsaber), it allows Leia to break free and get her revenge. She strangles Jabba with the chains that imprison her and manages to make a break for it with Luke and the droids.
Jabba the Hutt is a great character, and a marvel of the team of seven puppeteers that brought him to life. Had he not been so hideous and disgusting, mentioned throughout the previous films as a mercenary lord, built up and portrayed in such a way, he wouldn’t have been the enemy he is. And had the end of The Empire Strikes Back not left our heroes in such misery – such a disorganised, hopeless state – Leia wouldn’t be in such a pit of impossibility. Everything must come together to make it all work.
One thing we can all agree upon is that Leia’s slave costume went a bit far (and it’s something that actress Carrie Fisher despised throughout her life). Jabba’s death, however, does signal an attempt by George Lucas to show a literal choking of the patriarchy and uprising of females subjected to sexual objectification. It also helps to show how Luke’s reappearance manages to bring everyone together, his new green lightsaber a rallying cry to the scattered remains of the rebellion. (KJ)
19. The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
Palpatine continues to manipulate Anakin Skywalker’s loyalties by preying on his deepest fears, that his vision of Padmé dying in childbirth will come true. To tempt Anakin towards the Dark Side of the Force, at the Coruscant opera house Palpatine tells Anakin the Sith legend “The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise”, a story with interesting implications for those seeking power.
It is among the best dialogue exchanges in all of Star Wars, never mind the prequels, and the perfect opportunity for the classically-trained Ian McDiarmid to radiate gravitas and ooze repressed menace. This is the point when Palpatine has truly ensnared Anakin – though the young Jedi doesn’t know it yet – by playing on his insecurities and saying without saying that embracing the Dark Side is the only way to get what he wants, because the lesson of power over death will only come “Not from a jedi”.
It’s a fairly quiet moment for such a bombastic, action-packed movie, but by digging into Palpatine’s unique brand of manipulation and letting McDiarmid do his thing, it puts a dark spell on us as much as it does on Anakin. (SSP)
18. Luke Skywalker Destroys the Death Star
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
At the conclusion of the iconic and technologically revolutionary Death Star trench run in A New Hope, Luke is left with only one pursuer, Darth Vader. But as Vader mouths “I have you now”, Han Solo swoops in to save the day, blowing up Vader’s partner TIE Fighter spacecraft and distracting the Sith for just long enough that Luke can fire the fatal shot that explodes the Death Star (with the help of The Force, of course). The Death Star explodes into sparkles of light that mimic the glow of the universe, and balance seems to finally be possible for all of the galaxy.
For all of the visual effects and the action set pieces, Star Wars importantly never misses the opportunity to remind us that its story is about characters and the choices they make. Here, even as the technology has wowed us and Han Solo’s return has given us a reason to cheer, we see Luke “let go” and witness him properly connect with the Force for the first time. The voice of old Ben, Obi-Wan Kenobi, enters his mind, and with the calm stillness of the great Jedi before him – the same stillness Obi-Wan displayed in death – he strikes the deadly blow. Then, the Death Star explodes and we are once again left gobsmacked by the quality of the visual effects, and have once again been given reason to celebrate.
Every movie needs its big finale, the heroes beating the villains. In this case, we witness a small nobody from a planet in the furthest reaches of the galaxy burn an empire to the ground. We know the Empire will be back, but Luke has played his part. We, the normal people of the world, can empathise with Luke’s simple life and aspire to achieve what he does. He makes the right choices and so can we. (JW)
17. Luke Skywalker Gives In To Hate
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
As Luke Skywalker comes to the end of his Jedi training, it has become devastatingly clear that to complete his training, Luke must confront his father, Darth Vader, again. Luke believes that in his disastrous last encounter he sensed the remnants of good within his father, but his mentors believe that to bring balance to the Force, Luke must destroy Darth Vader. After allowing himself to be captured, Luke feels further pressure pushing him towards his destiny as the Emperor taunts him. The failure of the Rebel Alliance and the potential death of all his friends is flaunted in his face in an attempt to rile Luke’s fear and anger – sure pathways to the Dark Side. Luke eventually is enraged enough to try and strike at the Emperor, but Darth Vader stands in his way. As they duel, Luke’s compassion for his father prevents him from truly engaging in the fight; he attempts to abstain and hide. As Vader prowls for his prey in a game of cat and mouse, he exploits the force to use Luke’s feelings against him, but instead makes a fortuitous discovery – a sister? The offspring of Skywalker has a twin sister. In what was probably a throwaway taunt, Vader alludes to turning Luke’s sister to the dark side instead. Luke succumbs to his rage, attacking Vader with an unbelievable fury. Vader, the previously undisputed master of the Force cannot handle this onslaught. The roles from their previous encounter are drastically reversed, and it is Vader lying defenceless on the ground, now having lost one of his hands.
In a trilogy of outstanding Hollywood blockbusters, Return of the Jedi is sometimes outshone by its siblings. It is this moment, however, that is the most significant in Luke’s journey through this trilogy. As Luke has strengthened his power in the Force, it has often been shown that his feelings have left him vulnerable, particularly to the dark side. However, the feelings that often get Luke into trouble are the compassion and love he has for his friends; despite the danger they put him in, these are emotions that make Luke admirable. They are why he is so popular and beloved as a character. It his heart that makes him so aspirational. Despite the fact Luke is undeniably succumbing to his hate, it is difficult not to empathise with him. Luke is valiantly defending his family whilst finally getting out of the shadow of his father. Luke’s unchecked fury is simple vindication. The score during this moment complements Luke’s wild emotional release and is just as iconic as other classic pieces such as the Imperial March and the theme of the Force.
It has been demonstrated that Luke’s key traits of his character are heart and optimism – the fact that he can see the good in the most hopeless of cases. These traits make it necessary for Luke to face Vader one last time to finally become a Jedi. Like his father before him, it is his compassion for his loved ones that is his weakness, or at least the fear and anger they inspire through his anxieties. It is the intensity of his love that puts him right within the grip of the dark side. The conclusion of this sequence compounds the truth of Luke’s character throughout the Skywalker Saga – he is a being of the light side. It is the love for his family that causes Luke to bear arms, it is the same love that eventually stays his hand. Despite the chaotic events of the Sequel Trilogy, Luke will always be the saga’s representation of mercy. (KD)
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16. Darth Vader Kills Obi-Wan Kenobi
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
“If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”
What was intended as a quick drop-off of some secret plans on the planet Alderaan is transformed into a daring rescue and escape from the Death Star. Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi sneaks on board with the rest of the Millennium Falcon’s motley crew to do his part for the mission (deactivating the space station’s tractor beam), and despite all his Jedi mind tricks, his presence hasn’t gone totally unnoticed. Whilst investigating the strange “Falcon”, Darth Vader detects a disturbance in the Force – such a disturbance that cuts off his words and causes him to turn on his tail. Despite Obi-Wan’s frail appearance, he still manages to rattle Vader’s cage. Inevitably, the pair cross paths, and to buy time for the Millennium Falcon’s escape, Kenobi readily accepts Vader’s challenge to a duel. Blue and Red lightsabers illuminate the fighting ring. Vader is overjoyed by the prospect of not only destroying the final Jedi but finally killing his hated old master. Vader has the obvious upper hand, but Obi-Wan remains unfazed by his taunts and instead enigmatically quips, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.” Indeed, in a moment of meditation, he allows Vader to give the fatal blow, allowing him to transcend from his mortal cage. Not even his body remains.
Before the reveal of the relationship between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker in this movie’s sequel, Obi Wan Kenobi’s death was this franchise’s original shocking twist. Obi-Wan, in the guise of a mysterious mystic, is so charismatic that we are just as dismayed as Luke when he allows himself to be killed by Vader. One of the reasons the original Star Wars trilogy is such a success is because of how heartfelt an homage it is to old Hollywood and its tropes. In this case, Obi-Wan is the archetypal beloved mentor whose wisdom is indispensable for the success of the team – a character greatly relied upon and keenly missed. The nature of Kenobi’s death not only resembles the supernatural, but his arc is comparable to that of epic religious tales. Not only is it his noble sacrifice in death that renders Obi-Wan as Christ-like; it is also his transformation into an omnipresent being that continues to dispense wisdom to the hero.
The casting of Alec Guinness was a stroke of genius. His highly emotive performance spoke volumes of the guilt, torment and trauma his character experienced from the death of Anakin Skywalker and the birth of Darth Vader. This was the springboard for the rich story of the Prequel Trilogy. Previously, Obi-Wan was distraught and heartbroken by Anakin/Vader’s betrayal and seduction to the dark side of the Force. Obi-Wan interpreted this as his failure of his mentorship and friendship. After meeting Luke and sensing his power, Obi-Wan’s hope is renewed. When facing Vader, Kenobi is finally at peace – he has faith in the Force and has the clarity of mind to understand what he must do. This is one of the moments that prove that in terms of lore, story and character, Star Wars is the gift that keeps on giving. (KD)
