40 Years Later, This Is Still the Best Luke Skywalker Scene in Star Wars

The iconic stature achieved by Luke Skywalker has transcended a single movie in the Star Wars franchise. The famous Jedi Knight, portrayed by Mark Hamill, headlined the original trilogy of the 1970s and 1980s and returned as a supporting character in the sequel films released in the 2010s. Outside of the Star Wars movie saga, Luke’s presence permeates George Lucas’s franchise, appearing in TV series, comic books, and more. Luke’s unparalleled bravery, integrity, and prowess with a lightsaber forged his place at the heart of Star Wars. The character’s multitude of scenes across his six appearances in main saga films put his esteemed qualities on full display, and there remains one that defines him the best.

Luke’s best scene in the beloved franchise occurs in 1983’s Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Near the end of the film, Luke faces his father Darth Vader for the final time, encountering the Sith Lord along with Emperor Palpatine on the Death Star. During this sequence, Luke’s powerful words and actions manage to turn Vader against Palpatine. Culminating with Vader’s redemption and death after killing Palpatine, the scene in Return of the Jedi defines what makes Luke a legendary Star Wars character.

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What Makes Luke Skywalker’s Pivotal Return of the Jedi Scene So Perfect

The moment Darth Vader sacrifices himself to kill Emperor Palpatine and save Luke is undoubtedly a fantastic Vader scene, but the buildup comprises an even better Luke scene. After exchanging words and dueling with Vader — almost to the point of killing his father — Luke faces Palpatine, who asks him to take Vader’s place at his side. Luke’s defining moment arrives when he responds, “You failed, your highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me.” Palpatine then unleashes an onslaught of Force lightning at Luke, while a badly injured Vader watches. Luke begs Vader to help him as he inches closer to death. Luke’s suffering at the hands of Palpatine combined with the Jedi’s relentless refusal to give in to the evil of the Dark Side prompts Vader to make his fateful choice.

Luke’s epic scenes with Vader and Palpatine are so good because it shows what makes him a great character. Luke breaks through Vader’s heartless shell in a way no one else has before. By refusing to give into his hatred, Luke proves that the strength of his mind equals that of his skill in combat. Following their tense encounter in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back during which Vader revealed that he is Luke’s father, this final interaction between the two produced an amazing payoff. Moreover, the sequence is expertly performed by Hamill, Emperor Palpatine actor Ian McDiarmid, and Darth Vader voice actor James Earl Jones. With dim lighting, an imposing musical score, and exceptionally high tension, Return of the Jedi‘s climactic scene is a true marvel of filmmaking.

How Luke Skywalker’s Best Scene Shaped the Next Generation of Star Wars

The climactic sequence involving Luke, Darth Vader, and Emperor Palpatine in Return of the Jedi greatly impacted subsequent Star Wars’ properties. Return of the Jedi completed the original Star Wars trilogy, and the saga would not return until 1999’s Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, beginning the prequel trilogy. Despite the next batch of movies taking place earlier in the timeline, Luke’s conclusive face-off with Vader and Palpatine laid the proper groundwork for the prequel films’ story. Chronicling Anakin Skywalker’s rise and fall to the Dark Side, The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith directly led to the specific moment when Vader would achieve redemption out of love for his son.

The context provided by the prequel movies makes Luke’s Return of the Jedi scene so much better. Having seen the first three movies in the Star Wars timeline, Luke’s plea to turn his father away from the Dark Side feels earned to a higher degree, as the series of events effectively serves as the culmination of the entire prequel trilogy. Additionally, observing how Anakin/Vader’s arc concludes in Return of the Jedi, and Luke’s essential role in it, renders the hero-turned-villain’s prequel arc more fascinating to watch unfold. A truly iconic scene that has been remembered for over 40 years, Luke’s final showdown with Vader will be revered for many more decades to come.

All Star Wars titles, including Return of the Jedi, are available to stream on Disney+.

What is your favorite Luke Skywalker scene? Let us know in the comments below!