My Best Scenes of Each Star Wars Movie
These are, in my opinion, the best scenes from each Star Wars movie. Eleven movies, eleven scenes (yes, even for The Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker). And we’re doing them in chronological, not release date, order.
The Phantom Menace: Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan versus Darth Maul. Besides being a beautifully choreographed fight scene with quite possibly the most haunting Star Wars theme since the Imperial March, this scene really demonstrated how much the Action genre had evolved since the 80’s, when the last Star Wars movie was released. In the Original Trilogy, lightsaber duels were much slower paced, but more tense as they were a personal struggle between two characters. In the Prequels, lightsaber duels were more like a dance, an explosion of emotions that were happening all at once and they were flying around so quickly that it demanded repeat viewings. This lightsaber duel set the standard, and in my opinion, is pretty much AT THE VERY LEAST the second best lightsaber duel in the prequels, if not the whole saga.
Attack of the Clones: “Begun the Clone War has.” The weakest and least of the Prequels, and until either Last Jedi or Force Awakens, the worst Star Wars movie. That said, this scene is one for the ages. Obi-Wan reflects on how without the timely arrival of the Clone Army, the day would have been lost. “Without the clones, it would not have been a victory.” Then Yoda, in all his wisdom, drops the bombshell. “The shroud of the Dark Side has fallen. Begun the Clone War has.” The scene then shifts to this airstrip where the Senators of the Galaxy oversee an innumerable amount of Clone Troopers boarding war ships, off to fight in different worlds. Suddenly the Imperial March starts blaring, and you know: peace is truly over. You’re not seeing something awesome or heroic, you’re seeing the start of something truly awful. Fans of the Original Trilogy would immediately recognize this moment as the beginning of the end for the Republic, and the seed of the Galactic Empire. It’s a truly haunting moment, and one I rewatch on YouTube thousands of times without ever getting tired of it.
Revenge of the Sith: Order 66. I’ll be honest and say this is one of my all time favorite movies, and I can easily do a Top 5 Scenes from this movie alone. That said, my number one HAS to be Order 66; it’s a terribly haunting sequence that gets sadder the more you know of the Star Wars lore. It’s the moment the Jedi are destroyed, it’s the moment that the days of the Republic truly end for good, and it’s the moment where everything permanently changes for…everybody. If you’ve only seen the movies, you’re still watching a series of events where brave Jedi are being slaughtered by the Clones they had been leading into battle. If you’re a fan of the Clone Wars series, you’re in tears because you’re seeing this vast array of characters you’ve come to know and love be killed. Regardless, there’s something truly heartbreaking about just how these Jedi spend their final moments: completely blindsided, confused, and in Ki Adi Mundi’s case, probably heartbroken at being killed by the soldiers just moments ago they were trusting with their lives. Speaking of, I gotta give it to George Lucas and how much focus he placed on Ki Adi Mundi’s death: how within seconds the Master Jedi goes from leading his soldiers to victory, to getting gunned down like a without being able to put up much of a fight. There’s also that two second gap where Jedi Knight Aayla Secura notices her troopers readying their weapons, but she doesn’t react quick enough before they kill her. It’s a fantastic scene, and one I am just itching to talk more in depth about in the future.
Solo: Han versus Beckett. Solo was the first Star Wars movie ever to flop, and I can honestly see why. It’s ultimately a story we never wanted or needed, and not even told exceptionally well, all things considered. But it does have scenes that service, and in my opinion, the scene of Han shooting Beckett is the best one. It’s a very understated scene; Han is standing several feet away from the man who double crossed him and sold him out, his blaster at the ready, finger on the trigger. Beckett starts goading him, admonishing the younger man for not realizing how everyone is out only for themselves. Certain of Han’s softness, Beckett reaches for his own blaster, practically telegraphing his intent to shoot Han down. Right in the middle of his breaking speech, however, Han Solo shoots Beckett, proving to the older man that the greenhorn he had met at Mimban was gone and was replaced by a rougher, wiser, but harder man. Moments later, Han Solo watches the love of his youth abandon him for good, realizing the harsh truth of Beckett’s words that everyone was out only for themselves. But then Chewie places a hand on Han’s shoulder, reminding the younger human that he’s NOT alone in this crazy Galaxy, and that he had a friend for life. It was this moment where Han Solo’s character arc truly began, an arc that would see itself evolve and be resolved throughout the Original Trilogy, where Han goes from smuggler to hero.
Rogue One: Vader versus Rebels. Pretty much the most spectacular scene to come out of Disney’s Star Wars. In all honesty, what else can I even say about this scene? That it’s equal parts awesome and terrifying? That even if you hated Rogue One, this scene alone almost made the movie better? That it left you wanting more? Or that it’s a return to form for Darth Vader, who was sorely missed in cinema and was in dire, DIRE need of a scene that reminded movie viewers just why he is one of the most iconic villains in cinema history? One man with a laser sword versus half a dozen soldiers armed with laser blasters; they never stood a chance!
A New Hope: Binary Sunset. You know this scene. You’ve seen it referenced, parodied, paid tribute to, and even imitated but NEVER duplicated. It’d take me a whole essay to explain the absolute brilliance of this scene, but to keep it short: it’s an amalgamation of familiar emotions summarized into less than a minute. It shows Luke’s dilemma of wanting adventure, but being bound by duty to his family. In spite of how badly he wants adventure, something more than his farm life, he hesitantly chooses to stay with his family instead. ‘course that’s not what ends up happening, but Luke doesn’t know that yet!
The Empire Strikes Back: “No, I am your father.” You know this scene. You knew this scene would make this list. It’s the most often quoted, often referenced, often parodied scene in all Star Wars. But something that’s often overlooked is precisely what makes this scene so brilliant. The twist that Darth Vader is Luke’s father, by itself, isn’t that important; what’s important is how this twist affects Luke himself. All his life Luke thought his father, Anakin Skywalker, was a pilot for a private freighter, until he learned he was actually a brave and powerful Jedi Knight. He’s also given the impression that Darth Vader was responsible for the death of Anakin, which causes Luke to despise Darth Vader as well as the Dark Side of the Force. But then Vader drops this bombshell, and in SECONDS everything Luke thought was true is shattered. Luke is forced to recognize that:
1- His father is still alive.
2- His father is the most evil man in the Galaxy besides the Emperor.
3- Luke’s been lied to all his life. The man he looked up to and idolized is in actuality his mortal enemy, and the man he’s hated for three years is actually his own father.
And you know what? I gotta give it to Mark Hamill here; he REALLY brought it in terms of acting! The way his face contorts in this mixture of unbridled rage and overwhelming sorrow, hate and terror, as he screams “That’s impossible!” it’s the type of acting that ought to be taught in classes!
Return of the Jedi: Anakin’s Last Moment. It may be the least of the OT movies, but that doesn’t mean Return of the Jedi is lacking in emotion and depth. Further, in my opinion, this is the movie that benefits most from adding the context of the Prequel Trilogy, as it really adds to Vader’s redemption. In the original trilogy, it’s sad to see Darth Vader die. But add in the story of the Prequels and how far Anakin fell? Tears, ladies and gentlemen. Full on waterworks. For a brief moment, Anakin Skywalker was back, and he got to die in the arms of his loving son. Born into slavery, raised in slavery, living in slavery for all his life, Anakin managed to die in the presence of a loved one. This is also a great callback to Shmi’s death in Attack of the Clones, who also died in the arms of Anakin, and in fact adds a dramatic and poignant irony to Anakin’s death as well. A fantastic end to one of cinema’s most underrated character arcs…
…so THANKS FOR RUINING IT, DISNEY!!!
The Force Awakens: Rey meets Luke. In the year 2015 this was one of only two scenes we Star Wars fans wanted, and it was the only one we ever got. Anyway, the short version is that this is a scene that really hypes you up for Episode 8; it’s Rey and Luke Skywalker, face to face. No words are said, but none are needed. The music, the ambiance, their faces tell you EVERYTHING you need to know about the significance of this moment. And just as the music dies down and the camera goes up and we get an aerial view of our characters, the scene ends. Brilliant, beautiful, a memorable ending to what can charitably be called an entertaining sequel to an otherwise legendary trilogy (or two sets of trilogies) of movies…
….aaaaand then The Last Jedi made it retroactively insignificant. So thanks, Rian.
The Last Jedi: Rose meets Finn. You know, I may hate The Last Jedi, but I’ve never hated Rose Tico. Did I think she was badly written? Yes. Poorly costumed? Kind of. Badly acted? NEVER! Loan “Kelly Marie” Tran didn’t have much to work with, but when she did, she BROUGHT IT! And this scene really shows off not only her acting chops, but also told the audience EVERYTHING they needed to know about Rose. Ya know what? I gotta gush about Kelly Marie’s acting now, because it is key to what makes this scene so great. We first see Rose crying her eyes out, clutching a strangely familiar pendant; already the audience is clued in that she likely lost someone special to her. When she sees Finn she immediately dries her tears, letting audiences know that she’s not someone to show off her emotions. Then she actually MEETS Finn, and Rose is so adorable the way she gushes over him! Ah, but then she sees his packed bag, realizing he’s planning on leaving the Resistance. Little by little her face falls, and you can just HEAR her admiration for Finn dying by the millisecond! Then, with a stone cold face, she tasers the man she was admiring not ten seconds ago and drags him back to her superiors! Bravo, Loan, you were BRILLIANT! Hollywood, cast this woman in lead roles!
Rise of Skywalker: Luke’s Ghost. A scene that doesn’t even BEGIN to make up to what was done to Luke in The Last Jedi, but at least it gave me what I wanted Luke to be since 2015: wiser, older, helping the new generation out by imparting some lessons. Also, seeing him lift that X-Wing out of the ocean so effortlessly, grinning like a fool? Classic! ‘course it also makes his last scene in The Last Jedi so much worse because now we know he COULD have actually gone to Crait by himself and simply chose not to, but I digress. A last hurrah for my childhood hero; all I ever wanted.
