Continuing from my last article on the Disney Star Wars trilogy, I’ve decided to look back over my 10 favorite moments in the Star Wars original trilogy.
Presented in chronological order rather than any best of ranking. Each scene is great for its own merits. You’ll find tons of classic scenes missing, but these are my choices.
Cantina Scene
Does it get anymore iconic than the Cantina scene? Otherworldly creature designs and an upbeat jazzy tune provide an amazing contrast. It’s nothing like our world, and yet the setting and how it plays out is instantly familiar. A bar fight breaks out, seen in a million films, and ends with a lightsaber slicing an arm clean off.
We then meet Han Solo in the perfect introduction to our heroic scoundrel. The negotiations with between Han and Obiwan are played straight, with the highlight coming the moment the heroes are out of the scene.
“17 Thousand! Those guys must really be desperate. This could save my neck.” – Han
Han then goes on to kill Greedo. Whether he shoots first or second, it’s the way he calmly walks out afterward that makes the scene work. Tossing a coin to the bartender. “Sorry for the mess.”
The Destruction of Alderaan
Peter Cushing kills it in this scene. “You don’t know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life.” He’s calm, controlled, and perfectly evil. As he threatens Leia with the death of her home planet, he towers over her. Closing in on her space. You can feel the threat he exudes and Leia “gives in.”
“Continue with the operation. You may fire when ready…You’re far too trusting.” Tarkin immediately calls for the planet’s obliteration, and the scene rushes to conclusion. The pacing of each edit is perfect. Flipping between Tarkin’s cold action and Leia’s anger and fear. Then a few quick shots of button pushes and a lever pull results in unbelievable destruction.
The speed of Alderaan’s destruction is important to the scene. Everything builds to this moment, and it’s over in a blink. The destruction of a planet should take time, but that’s the power of the Death Star. The threat it imposes is immediately understood by everybody watching. It shouldn’t be possible, and that’s what makes it work so beautifully.
Discussing the Force on the Millennium Falcon
I wanted to include a quiet scene from A New Hope, one that focuses on building character without any action beats to accentuate it. I considered the scene of Luke staring at the two setting suns, but I prefer this one set on the Millennium Falcon. The character interaction makes it a stand out.
We open with Obiwan sensing the destruction of Alderaan. Alec Guiness downplays the moment and it works perfectly. We know the impact it must have on Obiwan, we can feel it in his performance, while he hides it from the others. Subtle work from a great performer.
Then we’re treated to R2-D2 and Chewie’s holo-chess match. A great special effect sequence that supports the characters. We see R2’s feisty attitude, C-3PO conflict between rules and fear of conflict, Chewie’s humorous confidence, and Han’s laid back realism. “Cause a droid don’t pull people’s arms out of their sockets when they lose.”
Finally it ends with a discussion of the Force as Obiwan instructs Luke. We get three different viewpoints, all supporting the characters involved. Obiwan is the true believer, teaching what the Force is. Luke’s the eager young pupil willing to learn, calling out Han’s cynicism. “You don’t believe in the Force do you?” Han’s response is completely within character. “There’s no mystical energy field that controls my destiny. It’s all a lot of simple tricks and non-sense.” He assumes the world is as fake as his bravado.
Battle of Hoth
My favorite epic ship battle in Star Wars doesn’t take place in space. The attack on Hoth is by far the coolest action set piece in the original trilogy. Hard to trump the Trench run, but Empire Strikes Back opens with a scene just as intense. Star Destroyers close in while Rebel ships escape one by one. Then the greatest tank design of all time appears, the AT AT.
These lumbering quadrupede tanks make no sense. Their main guns can only fire forward, and their legs are easily tripped up by ropes. The design is flawed, but it doesn’t matter. The overwhelming firepower of the AT AT tanks rips through the Rebel ground forces. We see guns and snow speeders annihilated. The Empire’s an effective enemy force.
In the end, the Rebels complete their retreat, but not without suffering great loses. Despite destroying some of the AT ATs and their ships escaping, there’s no victory here. The Empire destroyed the base, killed dozens if not hundreds, and scattered their forces
Luke meets Yoda
Dagobah’s a dark and scary planet. Menacing fog covers everything, while strange creature noises fill the air. Slow and eerie music plays over everything. We’re expecting something bad to happen, then we meet a strange little creature who appears more goofy than important.
“Help you I can, hmmm” – Yoda
“I don’t think so. I’m looking for a great warrior” – Luke
“Great warrior, hmmm. Wars not make one great” – Yoda
This initial exchange perfectly establishes Yoda’s character, while not betraying his identity to Luke or the audience. Yoda’s laughing at Luke, and acting silly, but he drops an important piece of wisdom “Wars not make one great.”
It’s a clever introduction that deeply subverts audience expectations. Like Luke we assume that Yoda will be physically strong. He’s a warrior, and we’re meant to picture Conan the Barbarian. What we get is a little creature that Luke dismisses. Appearances are deceiving, and size doesn’t matter next to knowledge and skill.
Character, theme, visuals and music meld together wonderfully. Yet, the best part for me is Yoda smacking R2 with his cane while fighting over a light. I love Yoda’s cane smacks.
Yoda explains the Force
“Size matters not….for my ally is the Force. Life creates it. Makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us. Binds us. Luminous beings are we. Not this crude matter.” – Yoda
Luke fails to overcome his preconceived notions of how the world works. Yoda tries to explain the truth of their universe to him. He’s talking about the beauty of life. “Life creates it. Makes it grow.” There’s power in creation, rather than destruction.
Of course Luke doesn’t understand. His world’s been filled with violence, destruction, that’s the power he’s used to. It takes a demonstration of the Force to finally convince Luke. Seeing is believing, but Yoda didn’t want that to be the case. It goes against the lesson he was trying to teach. He wanted to create new understanding in Luke, without forcibly destroying the old.
“I don’t believe it” – Luke
“That is why you fail” – Yoda
Han Frozen in Carbonite
Empire Strikes Back is a dark film. Lucas was making adventure stories for children, but like many 80s classics this one didn’t hold back on adult themes and scenes. The stand out for me was Han Solo frozen in carbonite by Darth Vader.
Our roguish hero is captured, tortured for information, and then used as a guinea pig to test carbonite freezing. The dark setting is interrupted with flashing lights and ominous fog. Our villain casually gives the order and Han’s encased in metal. His tortured expression and clawing hands tell you everything about how painful the freezing process must be. It’s still disturbing, but when you’re six that’s nightmare material.
Watching the film again, the highlight is Han’s exchange with Leia before the freezing.
“I love you” – Leia
“I know” – Han
Simple, but effective character dialogue. Leia admits her feelings, which she’s half-heartedly denied throughout the film. The response from Han is appropriately non-committal. He doesn’t say he loves her, he says “I know.” Their relationship remains incomplete, a cliff hanger in a film full of them.
I am your Father
There are very few film scenes more iconic than Darth Vader telling Luke Skywalker they are father and son. It’s a massive story spoiler, but is overwhelmingly part of popular culture. It’s possible to have never seen the movies and you’ll still know about this plot point.
Popular doesn’t always mean good, but in this case its place in pop culture is absolutely deserved. After an intense lightsaber battle, Darth Vader lops off Luke’s hand, sending his lightsaber tumbling into an impossible abyss. Defenseless Luke crawls onto a precarious ledge over the drop, while Vader urges him to join the dark side.
Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father – Darth Vader
He told me enough. He told me you killed him – Luke
No. I am your father – Darth Vader
It’s a great reveal, followed by Luke throwing himself into the void rather than join the man who’s terrorized the galaxy for his entire life. It’s Mark Hamill’s acting that makes the scene work. On paper it’s a good, but the raw emotion Hamill brings to the scene pushes it beyond merely being good. The audience is right there with his shock and horror. Together we can’t believe it.
Luke confront Jabba the Hutt
The door to Jabba’s palace opens. A dark hooded figure walks in. The guard’s try to stop him, but are easily pushed aside with a force choke. It’s Luke Skywalker, but not the same Luke we saw defeated at the end of Empire Strikes Back. He’s powerful, confident, and acts more like Vader than a wide-eyed hero of the light side.
Luke provides Jabba with an ultimatum, then attempts to kill him with a blaster. Jabba’s not an innocent, so there’s hardly any concern about Luke being a villain. We know he’s there to save his friend from a murderous gangster. Despite this, we know from his behavior Luke’s been changed by experiences. The naïve farm boy is gone.
It’s a simple scene, but it does a lot of heavy character lifting for Luke. This setup informs his arc throughout the rest of Return of the Jedi. We needed to see who he’s become, so we understand his journey. Luke’s confrontation with Vader and the Emperor wouldn’t work if this scene hadn’t establish his dark side.
Ps. The Rancor battle that follows is great too. Special Effects hold up and it’s still delightfully terrifying in that special 80s way.
Luke defeats Darth Vader
The culmination of three films made over nearly a decade. Luke’s fight with Vader is the highlight of the Star Wars trilogy. More than any other scene or situation in series, I’ve always loved this one. The lightsaber choreography is excellent, and serves the story perfectly.
The Emperor constantly goads Luke into fighting Vader. Telling him to give into his anger and hatred. Allow the dark side to strengthen him. Eventually lightsabers cross. We get a quick exchange, before Luke regains control and chooses to hide. “I will not fight you.” It’s only when Vader threatens Leia that Luke strikes him again, and defeats Vader.
Luke struggles with the temptation of power. Anger makes him strong, but it he knows the price of the dark side. The strongest example is the monster his father became. The lightsaber’s a cool weapon, but it’s a tool of violence. Every time Luke gives into anger, he ignites his weapon and attacks. Making his choice, Luke does the right thing, and tosses the lightsaber aside.
That act of defiance pulls the last shred of decency Darth Vader has to the surface. He kills the Emperor to save Luke. If Luke kept fighting, Vader would have fought back. Violence begets violence. It’s all the dark side has. Luke shows there’s another path than the one the Emperor presented. Luke’s a rebel through and through.