13 Star Wars Moments That Gave You All the Feels
The "Star Wars" franchise really knows how to wrangle strong emotional reactions out of its fans. One minute, we're mourning the death of an Ewok, the next we're cheering as a band of heroes takes down their second Death Star. These are the "Star Wars" moments that always have us cheering loudly or sobbing into Kleenex. Sometimes both at once.
The Deaths of Chirrut Imwe Baze Malbus
As seen in: "Rogue One - A Star Wars Story" There's a moment during the climax of "Rogue One" where it becomes painfully apparent that our heroes aren't actually going to survive their battle with the Empire on Scarif. That comes as Chirrut Imwe makes his heroic sacrifice and shares a tearful farewell with BFF Baze Malbus. We never know whether to cheer Baze on as he makes his final stand or spiral deep into depression as this bromance is shattered forever.
Anakin Slaughters the Younglings
As seen in: "Revenge of the Sith" "Revenge of the Sith" went to some pretty dark places, and none darker than when Anakin murdered an entire room full of Jedi toddlers. There was really no going back for the character at that point. At least he had the decency to shed a tear before committing wholesale Youngling slaughter.
The Death Star Explodes
As seen in: "Star Wars" & "Return of the Jedi" As far as cinematic experiences go, nothing can quite top the moment when Luke completes his desperate trench run and destroys the Death Star just in time. You can't really blame George Lucas for wanting to recreate that moment again in "Return of the Jedi." And, hey, it's still incredibly thrilling watching Lando and Nien Nunb make a beeline out of the second Death Star right before it goes kablammo.
Yoda's First Lightsaber Battle
As seen in: "Attack of the Clones" "Attack of the Clones" may have had fans crying for all the wrong reasons, but it did have one bright spot in the form of the final Yoda/Count Dooku showdown. For the first time, we saw the full fury of this tiny, Jedi Master -- and it did not disappoint. Because mid-air flips.
RIP, Darth Vader's Personal Star Destroyer
As seen in: "Return of the Jedi" Apart from the Death Star, there's no greater symbol of the Empire's military might than the Executor, Darth Vader's personal Super Star Destroyer. Yet even that enormous battleship was brought low by one quick-thinking pilot who decided to go down swinging. The sight of this ship crashing into the Death Star marks the exact point where the tide of war shifted permanently against the Empire.
The Death of Han Solo
As seen in: "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" We probably should have seen this coming, given Harrison Ford's infamous desire to have his iconic character killed off. But that didn't make it hurt any less when Han reunited with his estranged son and got a lightsaber through the chest for his troubles. In an instant, the childhood idol of millions was cast aside, forever denying us the opportunity for a full-fledged Original Trilogy reunion.
Han Shoots First
As seen in: "Star Wars" Han Solo is the coolest customer in the entire galaxy, and no moment better showcases his ability to stay swagger-y under pressure than his showdown with Greedo in Mos Eisley Cantina. No matter how much the Special Editions might have mucked about with this scene, it remains one of the all-time great "Star Wars" moments.
When You Realized the Prequels Sucked
As seen in: "The Phantom Menace" Everyone's mileage may have varied, but for every Original Trilogy fan, there was inevitably a moment while watching "Phantom Menace" for the first time where it became painfully apparent that the new movies weren't going to live up to the old. Maybe it was the debut of Jar Jar, or the obnoxious Battle Droids. Whatever the case, this film had fans crying so loud they drowned out Alderaan's planet-wide death rattle.
The Ewoks Die
As seen in: "Return of the Jedi" It takes a special kind of evil to murder teddy bears, even if those teddy bears are pelting your army with rocks, spears and giant death traps. At no point did the Battle of Endor seems more desperate and futile than this shot of one heroic Ewok mourning his fallen brother.
Luke Discovers Vader Is His Father
As seen in: "The Empire Strikes Back" We don't know if there can ever be a cinematic twist that tops this moment. Luke's tortured face in this shot perfectly captures the look of confusion and shock fans were experiencing in the theater. It was a twist worth stewing over for three years.
Vader's March of Death
As seen in: "Rogue One - A Star Wars Story" "Rogue One" had already cemented itself as a worthy "Star Wars" prequel by the time the Battle of Scarif ended. Having Darth Vader join the fray was just icing on the cake. The final showdown between Vader and the Rebels perfectly captured everything that makes Vader such an imposing badass.
Vader Makes His Choice
As seen in: "Return of the Jedi" Say what you will about "Return of the Jedi" in comparison to the rest of the Original Trilogy, but it plays host to some of the greatest moments in "Star Wars" history. Case in point: The scene where Vader finally makes his choice to cast off the Dark Side and save his son from the Emperor's wrath. In one fell swoop, the Dark Lord of the Sith found his redemption.
Yoda Forces the X-Wing Out of the Swamp
As seen in: "The Empire Strikes Back" "Empire" showed us that Yoda is far more than a kooky old hermit living in the galaxy's most backwater mud hole. He's also a great teacher and philosopher. Yoda calmly doing the impossible and telling Luke "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter," will always give us the chills.
