Jun
9
10. VICTORY AT LAST
Episode VI
Director: Richard Marquand
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
The fall of the Empire and redemption of Anakin Skywalker is what all six movies have been building up to and the conclusion is a defining moment in the saga. Vader defeats his demons by saving Luke and destroying the Emperor, Lando makes up for his misgivings by leading the Rebel aerial attack, while Han and his lady team up with some fairly annoying furry midgets to get the job done on the ground. It all ends with a big group hug, Luke didn’t sleep with his sister, Anakin is now a ghost and C-3PO is the Ewok god – the circle is complete.
9. ORDER 66
Episode III
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman
The moment when every single Jedi becomes an enemy of the Republic – you knew it was coming but nothing can quite prepare us for the carnage that follows and the sheer amount of death and destruction that is reaped by the newly dubbed ‘Darth Vader’. The Star Wars movies are often at their best when the Empire has the upper hand and here it is in complete control. Younglings are slaughtered, Wookiees executed and even powerful Jedi Master Yoda falls at the hands of Emperor Palpatine. A dark day for the Jedi but this only serves to make the inevitable Rebel comeback all the sweeter.
8. THE RANCOR
Episode VI
Director: Richard Marquand
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
In a botched attempt to free Han, Luke ends up squaring off against the mound of muscle that lurks beneath Jabba’s throne room. Luke faced some serious challenges in his journey thus far but defeating such an ominous foe so early on in the movie proved that he was more than ready for what lay ahead. Crushing the Rancor’s skull under the weight of its own retaining gate was a nice touch and sent the depraved audience into frenzy – still you’ve got to feel sorry for that poor Rancor Keeper. Don’t cry big guy you can always look after Salacious Crumb.
7. DARTH MAUL VERSUS THE JEDI
Episode I
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Ray Park
After watching The Phantom Menace for the very first time, many fans thought that it had no redeemable qualities. But for all the Jar Jar Binks and Pod Races, George Lucas did at least deliver not only one of Star Wars’ coolest ever characters in Darth Maul, but then placed him in one of the most exciting showdowns of the entire saga. Darth Maul disposes of Qui-Gon Jinn as if he were nothing at all, only to go out like a complete punk to Obi-Wan Kenobi, ending up exactly like his Lightsaber – in two separate halves.
6. BATTLE OF HOTH
Episode V
Director: Irvin Kershner
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Though Star Wars showcases some spectacular space battles, the franchise’s best combat sequence has got to be the one that plays out on the ice planet. With the Rebels of Echo Base believing they are safe from the steely grip of the Empire, guess who shows up to spoil the party? But it seems gigantic AT-ATs and the Imperial Death Squadron are no match for a length of rope, as Luke Skywalker figures out how to topple the mechanical dogs of wars and allows his cronies to escape with their lives, just.
5. VADER’S INTRODUCTION
Episode IV
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, David Prowse, Hayden Christensen
This might be considered cheating but Palpatine’s apprentice gets two introductions – the second being in Episode III – and they’re both good for different reasons. The first (or second depending on what order you watch the movies) comes in ROTS when we see Vader being assembled and see him rise for the first time, his humanity gone and a monster born – how unfortunate, then, that it has to be spoilt by the Simpsons-esque “Noooooooooooooo!” that follows. His next introduction is his finest: Vader, now a seasoned Sith, boards Leia Organa’s ship, ravaging everything and everyone in his path – now that’s badass.
4. HAN SHOOTS FIRST
Episode IV
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Despite George Lucas’s best efforts to try and ruin one of Star Wars’ best scenes by having Greedo fire the first shot, every Star Wars fan will know that Solo doesn’t need an invitation to smoke this Kermit wannabe if it means getting him out of sticky situation, and this acts as the perfect introduction to Star Wars’ most charismatic mercenary. This one act helps to establish Han’s character more than any galactic dogfight ever could. The scene also gives us our first glimpse of Mos Eisley, which is filled with some of the most intriguing creatures in the entire saga. Want to stay out of trouble? Then steer clear of the cantina.
3. THE TRENCH RUN
Episode IV
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
A lesson for us all: don’t rely on technology to get the job done when the Force is much stronger. This is the moment Luke begins to master his Force powers and just in time to take the shot that destroys the Death Star and sticks a rather large thorn in the side of the Empire. Many still laugh at the fact that the most powerful space station ever created could be destroyed with a single shot, but surely it’s funnier to watch Darth Vader bouncing around like a charged power ball when coming under fire from the Falcon. Those Imperial engineers have a lot to answer for.
2. HAN’S CAPTURE
Episode V
Director: Irvin Kershner
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
This isn’t high on the list because Han gets captured (indeed, it’s in spite of that), and nor is it so admired because Boba Fett actually gets involved. No, there is one reason and one reason only that this scene from Empire Strikes Back features so prominently – Harrison Ford. When Leia proclaims her love for Han, the actor improvises a line so perfectly befitting his character it’s a wonder it wasn’t in the script to begin with. One of the coolest moments in sci-fi cinema.
1. “I AM YOUR FATHER”
Episode V
Director: Irvin Kershner
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
This one line turned the entire Star Wars saga on its head and was one of the best twists in sci-fi history. Spoken strategically by the dark lord of the Sith in an attempt to recruit Luke to the dark side, Hamill puts in an emotional performance worthy of an Olivier. Well, kind of. First daddy cuts your hand off and then tries to turn you into the maniacal dictator of the entire galaxy – Vader sure has a lot to learn about parenting. Nevertheless these five words help shape events leading into the final act and set Darth Vader on the path to eventual redemption, fulfilling the prophecy and bringing balance to the Force.
Ahhh, I’m glad to see you didn’t include the Ewoks making a stand during the Battle of Endor. A wise choice.
Dammit. I knew we’d forget one…
The bike chase on Endor? Surely one of the greatest moments in the entire trilogy.
C’mon, where is Yoda bouncing around in all his glory with saber in hand?
This is a really great top ten list Aaron, all solid picks. I would have to say that the trench run is #1 in my book, I mean that’s the climax of the movie and the destruction of the Death Star. It’s a movie classic! Anyone can post their own list to our site http://www.toptentopten.com/. The coolest feature is you can let other people vote on the rankings of your list.
I was expecting the moment of Vader’s redemption in ROTS – truly, the climactic moment of the entire saga. Luke’s down for the count under the Emperor’s lightning, Palpatine’s grinning like a madman, it’s all up to Anakin. He slowly looks back and forth between the two, torn, trying to decide which path to finally follow. Then picking the Emperor up over his head he hurls his “father” down the shaft to his doom, saving his own son.
I remember first seeing that in the theatre and the crowd went WILD! Never heard anything like it before or since…
“Luke, I am your father” excellent choice for #1. 3 years prior, you could hear a gasp from the crowd in the theatre as that revelation was made (poor audiences today – no chance for that kind of reveal any more).
I think I would remove the Rancor battle and put Vader’s Redemption at #2, dropping everything else down a notch. I do think I might put the speeder bike chase in instead of Greedo, though. That’s a close call.
Interesting – nothing from Attack of the Clones… If you had to pick a scene from that movie, I’d go with either Anakin’s emotional confession to Padme about killing the sandpeople or the final Jedi Battle in the arena.
No offense, it’s a great list, but how could you leave off either specifically Vader’s redemption or Yoda v. Dooku? Both great Star Wars moments in my book.
Remove 10,8,5,4 and include in any order
Yoda vs Dooku
Vader vs Luke ROTJ
Speeder Bike Chase as some others have mentioned
Podrace in EP1
Maybe replace one of the above with….
The Clone War Begins
Ob1 meeting Anakin for the first time
Ob1 vs Anakin ep3
or how about Anakin and the younglings in episode 3 (that is unforggetable)
My favorite moment is when the two Ewoks are running away and get blasted by the AT-ST. This of course results in the death of one while the other cries. I can watch that all day long. Sometimes I even watch it in reverse while I shout, “Oh, they’re gonna get away!” Then I put it back on normal play and watch then run forward to destruction. If I’m feeling really giddy, I watch it in slow motion. Good times.
http://www.hooverae.com/upload/pics/ewok_dead.jpg
Why only two prequel moments? Yet another display of prequel hate…. And people call themselves Star Wars fans…
Honorable mentions in my opinion (and not in a specific order):
1. Yoda when he first draws his lightsaber
2. The Battle of Geonosis
3. Obi- Wan vs. Anakin
4. Luke removing Vader’s helmet
5. Speeder Bike chase
Binks promoted to General. So good they named him twice.
I do agree with Barry about Vader’s Redemption making the final cut.
But there is another Yoda moment that I think should have made the cut instead of Greedo, and I’m not talking about Yoda with a Lightsaber.
I’m talking about the moment when Luke realizes that the clumsy, silly and vulnerable creature in front of him is the Jedi Master he was looking for, and that the little creature had lured him and made his evaluation of him without Luke even realizing it. What a surprise we all had!
(that’s another great moment that was ruined for future generations with the prequels)
One forgot the most intriging of them was Leia in the bikini sitting next to Jabba the Hutt and choking him. sort of miminc Padme being chained and whips the cat that scratched her.
[...] Ten Of The Best… Star Wars moments | SciFiNow [...]
A fantastic list! I agree with Barry completely. I just have to add the Obi Wan/ Anakin fight at the end of ROTS. That is the best lightsaber action ever!
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What about the spaceships and the musical set-pieces that made Star Wars so great?
I would want to include:
TESB: The Falcon being chased through the asteroid field by TIE fighters. The first time I saw this I ducked a few times. The music is brilliant, relentless and wonderfully orchestrated.
TESB: The first appearance of Vader’s Super Stardestroyer, casting shadows over the other ships in the fleet – and (I think) the first time we hear the Imperial March.
I am also fond of the fight between Obi Wan and Boba Fett in Ep.2 – great moodiness with all that water everywhere.
All good stuff, but everyone seems to have forgotten the moment which knocked everyone for six in the cinema back in the late seventies. It’s the reason why Samuel L Jackson wanted to be in the prequels. The music has played, the credits have rolled and we see a ship flying away from us, shooting left and right. Then an absolutely ENORMOUS spaceship rolls over our heads, seemingly going on forever. That star destroyer moment made me realise it was going to be the best film I ever saw (at the tender age of nine) and, even now, I have to say that Star Wars is still my number one movie.
Kenobi sacrifices himself!! Nobody even mentioned it??!! Come on!! Here’s why it’s great:
1. He’s teaching Luke that physical death of the body is not the end of life (this is proven by the fact that he communicates with Luke during the attack on the Death Star)–and also ( a HUGE principal of the Jedi teachings ) that the protection and salvation of many is the most important thing, even more so than one’s own life.
2. He’s teaching a final lesson to Vader/Anakin (his former apprentice) and that is that slaying your foe in battle is not nessecarily a true victory.
3. He’s facilitating the escape of the millenium falcon (yeah, I know they were tracked anyway. If old Ben hadn’t let himself be stricken down the others would have had too much hesitation and may not have gotten away at all.
So basically if Obi-wan never let himself be killed by Vader, the rebels don’t escape, nobody blows up the death star, Vader is never redeemed, no balance returning to the force, Luke never goes to Degobah, no Star Wars….all you get is 3 mediocre prequels because nothing else would happen. Obi-wan says to tell you you’re welcome!
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