May the 4th is here, and it's a day for Star Wars fans to be reminded why this franchise is among the very best out there. Since its premiere in 1977, this cinematic universe has gone through the highest of highs and lowest of lows to deliver awesome stories from a galaxy far, far away. And in all that time, there have been so many moments that left fans either stunned, with their jaws on the floor, cheering loudly, or all of them at once. We take a look at those that clearly stood out over the years and those that left the best impressions on fans.
8 greatest Star Wars moments every fan must know, ranked
8. Duel of the Fates
Even with many misses, there are some things the Prequel Trilogy got right during the early 2000s. While some may say that Ewan McGregor's portrayal of a young Obi-Wan Kenobi stands out, or the rise of Shiv Palpatine from a lowly senator to emperor of the whole galaxy is one to look out for, the reason that had fans tremendously hyped early on was because of Darth Maul.
Back before The Phantom Menace was shown, interest in the new Sith lord was over the moon because of how awesome he looked. Of course, this interest will culminate in an epic lightsaber duel between Kenobi, Maul, and Qui-Gon Jinn, ultimately leading to the latter's demise. And even though the whole film didn't live up to everybody's standards, similar to how the entire Prequel Trilogy performed, that whole scene showed what can truly be done in a Star Wars fight scene involving the Force and lightsabers, a notion that wasn't seen before during the original films.
7. Battle of Scarif
Throughout its existence, Star Wars has featured a number of epic battles, mostly involving Imperial forces against the Rebels. While some fans may prefer Clones attacking large swarms of droids, or the Resistance making one last stand against the First Order, the heated battle between Alliance forces against the Empire stationed on Scarif in Rogue One takes the cake here.
With the Death Star's plans on the line, several Rebel Alliance officers have decided to go against the council and help Jyn Erso's team on Scarif. What follows is a grittier and more realistic live-action battle that hasn't been seen in the Original and Prequel trilogies before. The end result is a final act that holds fans to the edge of their seats as Erso's team slowly fall, but succeeds in getting the plans to the rebels. Of course, the cherry on top of the sundae here is Darth Vader's appearance near the end where he mutilates an Alderaan squad right before Princess Leia's ship can leave. All in all, this Star Wars at its best if given the chance to break free from its formulaic battles.
6. Han Solo and Leia
There are a lot of memorable scenes Star Wars fans will hold on to when it comes to Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa. While that may be true, the one that defines their relationship and their respective characters the most was when the smuggler was about to be encased in a slab of carbonite, prompting the princess to reveal her true feelings for him.
Just as Solo was about to be lowered down into the chamber, Leia says she loves him. Staying true to his character, the smuggler replies with a cool I know, just before he would be imprisoned inside his carbonite cell while Darth Vader and Boba Fett are watching. This remains to be one of Star Wars' greatest moments as it rewards fans who have stuck through the time Han and Leia spent together without betraying who they really are, all within a scene that doesn't even take a lot of time.
5. Maul vs. Ahsoka
During its early stages, Star Wars: The Clone Wars was always seen more as a children's show and not as an opportunity to expand the franchise to new horizons. Thankfully, Dave Filoni's love for the entire franchise stayed true, allowing him to convincingly bridge the gap between the Prequel Trilogy and other parts of the timeline.
Although Filoni has transitioned to the Mandoverse, his work on Clone Wars and Rebels will always hold a special place in the hearts of Star Wars fans everywhere. The coup de grâce here is no other than the final battle between Maul and Ahsoka in the last season of Clone Wars. In it, we see how Filoni has effectively weaved the series' ending to the start of Revenge of the Sith, tying any loose end that could have unraveled the whole story. Along the way, we see one of Star Wars' best battles between the former Sith lord and Anakin Skywalker's ex-apprentice, which cements the series' place in the franchise's history. Without a doubt, this moment is one that truly paid off after seven seasons of the animated series.
4. The Mandalorian meets Grogu
Before The Mandalorian first came out, all fans knew about the series was that it would be something different from previous Star Wars projects. With the absence of Jedis or Sith lords here, the first episode's ending turned the tables around to give the entire Star Wars cinematic universe a fresh new lease of life by having Din Djarin meet Grogu for the first time.
This meeting, however, has been used by Star Wars to great effect as it has snowballed into the Mandoverse, a part of the timeline after Return of the Jedi and before The Force Awakens that connects The Mandalorian to other projects. These include The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, Rebels, and the future film where events during this period will culminate in a grand fashion. With all these epic plans underway, seeing how one tiny meeting between a bounty hunter and a youngling could have caused all these things is amazing.
3. Luke Skywalker blows up the first Death Star
All throughout the runtime of A New Hope, the tension caused by the imminent arrival of the Death Star didn't make things easy for viewers as the fate of the Rebel Alliance was precariously on the balance. And even though they were seriously undermanned and overwhelmed by the station's firepower, not to mention having a certain Sith Lord on the Empire's side, it only took the joint efforts of both Luke Skywalker and Han Solo to clear the field and take out the Death Star.
This moment gave fans an immense sense of relief as the rebels stave off a mightier force with only a few fighters. Thanks to Luke and Han's heroics, the Rebel Alliance gained the momentum it needed to face the evil Empire and eventually defeat them in the end.
2. I am your father
Right on top of this list is no other than the time Darth Vader admitted that he is Anakin Skywalker, the father Luke thought to have died during the Clone Wars. In a twist no one ever saw coming during the 80s, the revelation of Luke's parentage sent the whole world into a frenzy as more questions arose due to this new discovery. At a time when spoilers were almost non-existent, that specific moment in The Empire Strikes Back accomplished its job of elevating what was supposed to be a simple space adventure movie into a full-blown saga that had everyone invested.
With Star Wars releasing a new slate of films in the coming years, there'll be new moments fans can look forward to. In the meantime, those listed above will hold their ground in the hearts and minds of those who love this cinematic universe.
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