The Rise Of Skywalker is nearly in cinemas, so it’s the perfect time to reflect back on one of the most popular and influential film sagas of our lifetime.
Here are our top ten moments from the series so far:
10. Darth Maul (The Phantom Menace)
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The final battle between Qui‐Gon Jinn and Darth Maul remains ridiculously cool from The Phantom Menace.
Darth Maul’s red, double‐bladed lightsaber is a thing of beauty, and while the fight may lack some grace, it’s a gleefully fun sequence.
9. Throne Room Battle (The Last Jedi)
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Talking about grace in battle, The Last Jedi, while being divisive amongst fans, features some of the best fight choreography in the saga.
The Throne Room battle remains one of the best scenes in the film, fusing kinetic action and emotional stakes seamlessly.
The visual boldness and director Rian Johnson’s personal flair really lifts this scene from good to mind‐blowing.
8. ‘Chewie, we’re home’ (The Force Awakens)
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The Force Awakens somehow managed to do the impossible; bring the saga back with great success, setting up the new story-line and cram it full of great, emotionally resonant moments.
While you could easily accuse director J.J. Abrams of succumbing to fan service, the moment Harrison Ford’s Han Solo and his companion Chewbacca step back onto The Millenium Falcon, thousands of fans were in tears, us included.
It’s a powerful moment, which just feels right in every single way. It’s like a cinematic sigh of relief and Harrison’s delivery just brings it home. We’re all home.
7. The Ultimate Sacrifice (Rogue One)
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The last act of Rogue One is pretty flawless, and the ending simply jaw‐dropping.
After a small group of rebels steal the plans for the Death Star (leading to the events of A New Hope), they are ultimately forced to give their own lives for the greater good as the planet they are on is destroyed.
Star Wars has always been about personal sacrifice and death, giving your life (or hand) for the greater good, and Rogue One beautifully demonstrates this.
6. ‘Do or do not, there is no try’ (The Empire Strikes Back)
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You couldn’t do this top ten without Yoda! The little green alien is one of the most adorable, wise and popular Star Wars characters, but he’s much more than a pile of green wrinkles.
The scene takes place on the planet Dagobah, where Yoda is training Luke to use the Force. Yoda instructs Luke to just do, rather than try, and it would be an understatement to say fans have taken a liking to the phrase.
After failing to lift his ship from the swamp, Luke feels defeated, but Yoda demonstrates just how powerful the Force can be, lifting the ship. A powerful demonstration of not only Yoda’s powers, but of how strong the Force really is.
5. ‘I am your father’ (The Empire Strikes Back)
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One of the defining moments of the entire saga, and one of the greatest twists in film history, this is the one moment everyone knows.
Whether you have seen Star Wars or not, you will still be familiar with this moment. It needs no explanation, it’s simply iconic.
4. Battle Of Hoth (The Empire Strikes Back)
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The ice planet Hoth is a nice change of scenery right at the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back. A New Hope takes place largely inside spaceships, as well as Luke’s home planet Tatooine.
The battle in itself is an exciting one, mainly because we saw some AT‐ATs in action.
The battle is a crushing defeat for the Rebels, but it raises the stakes and kicks things off with a bang.
3. Luke Destroys The Death Star (A New Hope)
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This is the culmination of everything in A New Hope, and one of the most exciting moments. The CGI might be a little dated now, but it remains a wonderfully realised piece of action.
Luke uses the Force for the first time, destroying the Death Star and saving the galaxy (for now, at least) and this is everything Star Wars is about.
It’s about heroes and the fate of the galaxy, one man doing the impossible and if not fully reaching, at least touching his full potential.
2. ‘I Love You. I Know.’ (The Empire Strikes Back)
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This moment makes our hearts ache every time. Han Solo is about to be frozen in carbonite, while Leia can only watch on hopelessly.
The two have been bickering for two films and the chemistry between Han and Leia is palpable. It’s hard not to root for this couple, and this is truly a heart‐breaking moment.
It gets even better, if a little bittersweet, in the light of The Force Awakens and the couple’s future.
1. Binary Sunset And Luke’s Death (A New Hope,The Last Jedi)
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Yes, we may have cheated here a little, but hear us out. The binary sunset scene in A New Hope is widely regarded as one of the best Star Wars moments, and we’re not going to argue that.
We are going to argue that the scene becomes even better when coupled with the moment Luke passes away in The Last Jedi, which also features a binary sunset.
Both scenes are powerful and they provide a beautiful beginning and ending to Luke Skywalker’s story. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker will be released in UK cinemas 19th December.
