So, I don’t know if you’ve been keeping up with the nerd news lately, but it was just recently announced that J.J. Abrams will be directing the 7th installment of the ever-growing Star Wars franchise.
And while I’m still unsure about how I feel about a 7th installment, I feel slightly better now that I know a reputable and mostly trusting director is at the helm. I’m more concerned on who is going to write the thing, because the story is what worries me the most. The cinematography of the prequel movies was great (although at some points, they should have eased up on the green screen…) but the stories are what made them so bad. So I hope that whomever they get to write the screenplay will impress me as much as J.J. Abrams as director.
Moving on though, because they just recently announced that there was a director, I thought a good Tuesday Top Ten would be remembering some of my favorite Star Wars moments. Enjoy!
Top Ten Star Wars Moments
10. “I have a bad feeling about this”
One of the best moments from any Star Wars film is when a character says that line “I have a bad feeling about this”. Its an iconic quote from the movies, one that I’ve always loved and always get a kick out of hearing. I love hearing Indiana Jones say it on the ride in Disneyland and I loved when Rex on the old Star Tours ride said it and C3PO says it in the current version. Its been in several TV shows and video games. Every once in awhile it sneaks up on your, in other movies, paying homage to one of the most popular franchises of all time. Its a comfort thing, a line that always appears and is one line you’ll never forget.
9. The opening scene of a New Hope
Now, I wasn’t even alive when the first Star Wars hit the movie theaters so I can only imagine what this scene was like for people seeing it back then. But I can remember as a kid, watching this movie for the first time and being pretty impressed by the opening scene. There is something seriously badass about watching the Star Destroyer loom over you as it passes across the screen. Its HUGE and IMPRESSIVE and it gives you the chills. I can’t wait until A New Hope hits the theaters again because I need to experience this scene on the big screen.
8. “Impressive. Most impressive.”
Okay, for those of you who may not know what I’m talking about, this is the part where Darth Vader and Luke are battling it out in Empire Strikes Back. Luke jumps out of the machine that’ll turn him to carbonite and avoids being captured. Darth Vader says “Impressive.” The part that I love about this, and its mostly because of my boyfriend, but after that, Luke shimmies up, maybe a foot and Vader goes “Most impressive.” I don’t know if Darth is talking about jumping or what, but the way it is portrayed is that Vader is mildly impressed with Luke jumping a good 10 feet, and VERY impressed by his ability to shimmy a foot or two. Its not even a part that would normally get much attention but every time I watch it, my boyfriend cracks up, so I look forward to this part.
7. Darth Vader defeating Emperor Palpatine
While I think its a *little* bit cheesy that this scary, intimidating villain turns out to be a softie in disguise, I do like that he is the one who defeats the Emperor and ends the power of the Sith (I mean, until you read books and you realize that this is NEVER going to happen…). To be quite honest, Vader is the one who kind of started the madness in the first place so it seemed only fitting that he would be the one to end it. And it WAS kind of cool to watch Vader, Anakin Skywalker, defend his son. Even though I had spent the entire trilogy wanting Luke to beat the Emperor, it worked that Vader did it, out of love for Luke’s mother. And hey, the Emperor was defeated! Yay! That’s a HUGE moment on its own!
6. “Aren’t you a little short to be a storm trooper”
Oh, Princess Leia, your sarcasm is just way too much to handle sometimes. She is captured, by the EVIL Darth Vader and has totally watched them BLOW up her entire home planet. It would be more than normal if she was falling apart, or even showing the tiniest bit of stress. Anybody would. But she’s not just anybody, she’s Princess Leia. Obviously a Stormtrooper coming into her cell is NOT a good thing and yet she immediately has a sarcastic remark ready for him. Its hilarious and it sums up Princess Leia pretty damn well.
5. Obi Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader light saber fight
All the non-believers hate this first lightsaber fight because they’ve seen the super special effects fight that have taken place in the prequel movies. And those are great and all but there is nothing like the first fight that takes place in the Star Wars movies. No one had seen a weapon like lightsabers before; it was like a classic sword fight but, like, 1000 times better. It’s also kind of scary too right…I mean, you could seriously chop off your fingers accidentally and that would be a HUGE problem. Think about it, Alec Guinness was not exactly a young man when he filmed Star Wars and he makes that fight look so super badass. I love it.
4. “Great, kid. Don’t get cocky.”
I want to marry Harrison Ford…preferably the way he looks as Han Solo…or Indiana Jones. But mostly as Han Solo. I think that was one of the first times as a kid that I was like WHOA, that guy is hot…or as much as you could think someone is hot when you’re five. I just love this particular part in the movie because it just makes me laugh. You meet Luke Skywalker before Han Solo and you love him totally right off the bat, the innocent, full of heart farm boy. And he’s in his first “battle” and he’s like a little kid that’s accomplished something “I got him!” and seasoned adult, Han Solo, just kind of rolled his eyes and says “Don’t get cocky, kid” and its just hilarious.
3. Luke, I am your Father
Come on, how could this NOT be in the top ten of bet Star Wars moments ever! It was a lot different for me, when I first watched it because I already knew that Darth Vader was Luke’s father. But I can only imagine what kind of crazy, insane revelation this was in 1980. Star Wars had grown into a MEGA phenomenon and everyone had been DYING for this movie (it had been three years) and a bomp dropper like this is amazing. And Luke’s reaction is awesome. I think the best part about this too is how little people knew about this too. I mean, not even Mark Hamill knew this news, not even David Prowse (who actually played Darth), knew this. It was all filmed with a different script, a different secret revealed. Fantastic.
2. Luke blowing up the Death Star
Little farm boy Luke Skywalker, who literally found out that he’s of Jedi blood and about the rebellion and all that, climbs into an X-Wing fighter and takes down the DEATH STAR! The most badass space station capable of destroying an entire planet, and little Luke takes it down, and without using his scope! He just FEELS the force and blows that ship UP. It is one of the most epic moments in Star Wars history. True, they start rebuilding the Death Star and Lando and Wedge have to go blow it up again in Return of the Jedi but the epicness of Luke destroying the Death Star in a New Hope is just unparalleled. It shows Luke’s capabilities and his right to be a Jedi Knight. Its a pivotal moment for him, a moment where he changes from farm boy to warrior.
1. Han Solo and Princess Leia-I Love You
I know. So cheesy. Incredibly cheesy. Well, I am a girl and I am a nerd so it only makes sense that this moment would be the best moment for me. I mean, come on, Princess Leia and Han Solo are one of the most badass fictional couples ever. (I made a list once, check it out here). So when Leia finally blurts out “I love you”, I was cheering…and Han Solo, like the sexy badass that he is, just says “I know”. I KNOW. So awesome. So fantastically awesome. Han Solo can’t say “I love you too”, he’s too badass for that, so he says “I know” and its sexy and romantic and fitting and awesome. I dreamed for YEARS about saying I love you to a guy and having him say I know like that. (Side note: my boyfriend totally did this. He’s a keeper). Totally the best moment of the entire Star Wars saga.
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What about you guys huh? What are some of your favorite Star Wars moments? How do you feel about J.J. Abrams directing Episode 7? As always, let me know in the comments!
pretty good top 10. thank you for not putting anything from the prequeis. oh! seeing the opening scene of new hope in the theaters was amazing. i saw it at manns chinese theater in hollywood when it first came out. honorable mention: chewbacca, great in all three movies. too many things too list
I honestly can’t think of anything from the prequels that could even be close to the top ten. The only thing is “I have a bad feeling about this” moments. But that encompasses all things Star Wars, because that phrase is in the books, the movies, the cartoons, the comics, the video games, etc. etc.
I wish I could have seen what that scene would have been like! I’ll just have to wait until they release it in a couple years.
Chewbacca is awesome. It was VERY hard to narrow this down to ten. I don’t think I could do it for Harry Potter
I know it’s silly, but one of my favorite moments is when there is a little droid scooting along and Chewbacca roars at it and scares it, causing it to beep and scoot in fright! The droids in the original three are so human-like and provided a lot of comic relief.
Cool list. My top ten would definitely include the Medal Ceremony from the end of Episode IV. You’re on SUCH a high after the Death Star blows up, and then, you get “The Force” theme, played with so much confidence and bravado! So great.
I so agree with that, except that Chewie never got a medal and that’s messed up haha