The Best of Star Wars

Is Star Wars Day a legitimate holiday?  No.  Not in the slightest.  What it is, is a chance for Star Wars fans of all ages to celebrate George Lucas’s space epic together.  That’s what matters.  It doesn’t matter if you’re 5 years old or 50, if you love Star Wars, why not celebrate it?  With the recent release of Star Wars: Episode VII on Blu-Ray, Star Wars fever is in the air.  I should know, I’ve been happily suffering from Star Wars fever my entire life.  I know for a fact that there are millions of people out there who feel the same way I do.  I’ve already done a post on why I love Star Wars, so feel free to check that out.  I still plan on doing my final country for The Best Martial Arts Movies, but today, it’s all about Star Wars.  For this special edition of The Best, I will be talking about my favorite moments from the entire Star Wars Saga.  That includes all 7 movies.  This is The Best of Star Wars.

Lightsaber Duels

If there is a weapon more iconic than a Jedi’s lightsaber, I have not seen it.  Used by both the Jedi and the Sith, the lightsaber became iconic with the first duel between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader in the original film.  While the fight choreography is dated by today’s standards, it’s still impressive.  The choreography improved with each subsequent entry into the Saga.  Say what you will about the Prequel Trilogy, the lightsaber duels in those movies were phenomenally choreographed showing the Jedi at their best.  While those were great, I prefer the fights from Episodes IV-VII.  Why?  There’s a lot more emotional weight to those fights.  They were personal.  The lightsaber is so iconic that there have been multiple people on YouTube crafting their own unique lightsaber duels.

The Millenium Falcon

Ah, the Millenium Falcon:  Han Solo’s ship and the one that made the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs, NOT 14.  Once owned by Lando Calrissian, this YT-Model Corellian vessel became the most memorable ship in the entire Star Wars universe.  There’s not much more I can say about it.  Every time this ship is on screen, you become entranced by it.  It’s that awesome.  It’s just as bad-ass in Episode VII.

Darth Vader

You’re going to be seeing the word “iconic” thrown around here a lot.  Darth Vader is as iconic a villain as they come.  His first appearance sent chills down people’s spines.  This was a guy who really meant business and was willing to do whatever it took to get it done.  He was certainly not above killing his subordinates who failed him.  That’s why he was a Dark Lord of the Sith.  It wasn’t until Empire Strikes Back that we find out who he really is.  It was one of those “holy shit” moments.  From that moment on, the stakes were even higher, because this wasn’t just Luke vs. Darth Vader, it was Luke vs. his father.  It doesn’t get more personal than that.

The Battle of Endor

I have yet to see a space battle done as well as this.  From the moment the Millenium Falcon and the Rebels emerge from hyperspace, it’s a straight-on fight to the finish.  It’s not just the space battle that was phenomenal it was the fight on the moon itself.  The Battle of Endor is one of the most memorable battle sequences of any movie to date.  Revenge of the Sith opened up with an epic space battle, but it just wasn’t quite the same.

Luke Confronts Vader(Non-violent)

I think this scene is one of the most important moments in Star Wars.  At this point, Luke knows that Vader is his father.  Luke believes that Anakin is still in there somewhere, buried beneath the anger and the hate.  This is where they talk and Luke tries to convince Vader to let go of his hate.  I think towards the end of the scene, you can tell that Luke somehow got through to him, even though you don’t realize it until Vader saves Luke from The Emperor.  It’s moments like these that really make Star Wars as special and significant as it is.  It’s not all about the fights and the blasters, but there’s something deep and personal about these stories that resonate with audiences.

Order 66

This is probably one of the most haunting moments in the entire series.  Revenge of the Sith is when it all falls apart for the Old Republic.  The moment Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader, is when everything goes to Hell.  Because of the shrewd planning by Darth Sidious, the Jedi never had a chance.  Not even Master Yoda was able to defeat The Emperor.  That just shows you how powerful and ruthless that Palpatine was.  While people may have really come down hard on the Prequel Trilogy, most agree that Revenge of the Sith was pretty good.  This was the story that everybody wanted to see, and we got it.  While it’s not perfect, it definitely sheds light on why there are so few Jedi left in the galaxy.

Yoda

Star Wars is rife with unique and interesting characters.  One of the most unique characters to show up was the old Jedi Master Yoda.  Why is he memorable?  Aside from the way he talks, he’s not human.  His first appearance was in Empire Strikes Back.  He was a puppet, yet people fell in love with this character because despite his size, he was immensely powerful.  I would imagine after training Jedi for 900 years, that would earn you that description.  The most amazing thing about this puppet was how they made him feel like a real person.  Frank Oz’s performance is one for the record books.  This is one of the most extraordinary creations in cinema.

Han And Chewbacca in Episode VII

I loved Episode VII, and so did a lot of people.  Is there really anything iconic in the film?  This scene when Chewie and Han first board the Falcon for the first time in the film.  This was one of the most anticipated scenes in the film.  I remember seeing and hearing people’s reaction on opening night.  The reaction was amazing.

Star Wars is loaded with incredible moments.  The games, the books, the comics, there is an enormous universe to explore, even though the Expanded Universe has been set aside for the new trilogy.  The character moments from the Original Trilogy are just amazing.  The music is epic and the effects were unlike anything anybody had seen before.  Star Wars, in a word, is awesome.  Even the Prequels had their moments.  Anyway, those are my favorite moments from Star Wars.  This is Major Tom, signing off, and remember:  May the 4th be with you. Alwayth.

 

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