My vote for the 10 greatest Star Wars moments ever

To mark the release of the 10th Star Wars film ("Solo") on in a few weeks, I've decided to summon the "Force" (i.e. my inner Star Wars nerd) to come up with my picks for the franchise's 10 greatest film moments. If nothing else, I'm sure this will spark some spirited debate amid fellow Star Wars aficionados (or, as some call us, geeks who never grew up) and provide a welcome break for anyone tired of my political diatribes.

While you'll find that, not surprisingly, most of these moments come from the original trilogy (1977-83), you may be disappointed, or even shocked, to see that the dreaded prequels (1999-2005) were not completely shut out (relax, Jar Jar Binks didn't make the cut). And a spoiler alert: My top three moments all come from "The Empire Strikes Back," widely considered by critics and hard-core fans alike the greatest movie in the history of the franchise. Arguing that the top three from the entire series all come from one film (and the darkest film at that) certainly won't go over well with some, but hey, if you don't like it, come up with your own list! ☺

You'll also find that although Star Wars is largely about, well, war,  I focused less than might have been expected on the the battles, lightsaber duels and accompanying special effects that largely provided the thrill-ride engine of the franchise. I always found its heart and soul in the modern mythology it crafted around its characters and their shared heroes' journey, and my list focuses mostly on that aspect of the movies.

So without further delay, strike the drum roll, and let the John Williams fanfare begin. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....

10. "And I will not be the last Jedi" ("The Last Jedi" 2017)

No film in the history of the franchise has left true fans as conflicted as Episode VIII, and if you don't believe me on that, just check out the Rotten Tomatoes scores. So it's fitting I start my list with a moment that seems to contradict the movie's very title. Critics mostly loved "Last Jedi," fans largely lamented it. I felt the same conflict. Upon seeing it the first time, I came away somewhat disappointed. But as Obi-Wan Kenobi taught us all a long time ago, "your eyes can deceive you." When I viewed it a second time (and trusted my feelings), I found a depth in the movie that had initially escaped me. That depth was best captured in the climactic showdown between Luke Skywalker and Kylo Ren, which is more a battle of wits and words than lightsabers. The circle is made complete, and Luke schools and humbles Kylo in much the same fashion Yoda did to him all those years earlier (more on that later).

9. "You were my brother, Anakin!" ("Revenge of the Sith" 2005)

I easily could have excluded the prequels altogether, with nary a complaint, but I decided this was the one scene that belonged. "Revenge of the Sith," despite problems of its own, did as much as could be expected to pick up the pieces from the disappointments of "Phantom Menace" (sterile and flat) and "Attack of the Clones" (whiny and sappy), thanks in large part to the dramatic flourish of Obi-Wan Kenobi's anguished outburst at having lost his beloved protege to the dark side of the Force. Obi-Wan's victory in the lightsaber duel is indeed pyrrhic as he comes to terms with his failure as Anakin's Skywalker's Jedi master. It was a shame that Ewan McGregor (as well as Natalie Portman) was not given the opportunity to realize his extensive acting talents in these movies, but this scene at least gave us a glimpse. 

8. The death of Han Solo ("The Force Awakens" 2015)

I admit that this scene initially left me disappointed, and it was one of the few criticisms I had with the splendid "The Force Awakens." It was not the fact that our favorite Corellian smuggler finally bit the dust; I had seen that coming since Harrison Ford had tried and failed to get George Lucas to kill off his character way back in "Return of the Jedi." I knew Han Solo would die in this movie; I had just expected him to go out in his own brash, fearless way, at the time and place of his choosing, much as Obi-Wan had gone out in "A New Hope," maybe with a grin and a wink. I had expected more grandeur and symbolism to accompany the passing of such a pivotal and beloved character. But in time, I came to appreciate this scene on its own terms. We got to see the once-selfish smuggler evolve into a loving father who tried, and ultimately failed, to save his son from darkness. Watching the odds finally catch up with Han in such an unexpectedly gut-wrenching way cements this as one of the franchise's most memorable moments. 

7. "Tell your sister you were right" ("Return of the Jedi" 1983)

For most of us, the climactic chapter of the original trilogy, "Return of the Jedi," failed to reach the heights of the first two installments in the series. For me, it was a good, but not great, ending to the defining cinematic experience of my childhood. While the first two movies inspired and often mesmerized, this one, for the most part, simply entertained. And then there were the Ewoks (a discussion better left to another time). This was the one scene, however, that truly rose to the occasion (though I wonder if it would have been even greater in the hands of Irvin Kershner, the maestro who had directed "The Empire Strikes Back"). It's what we had all been waiting six years for, the victory of good over evil, both in a galaxy far, far away and in the heart and soul of a boy and his father. As Darth Vader (now Anakin Skywalker) at last looks on his son with his own eyes, he makes one final request before breathing his last: To share a message with the daughter he never knew, even as he had chased her across the galaxy. It was a poignant bookend to an unforgettable saga. 

6. "Remember, The Force will be with you, always" ("A New Hope" 1977)

While this may seem like the greatest battle moment of the film that started it all, I see it as also one of the saga's greatest spiritual moments. It actually provides a great contrast to the rousing dog fighting sequences that gripped the audience for roughly 10 minutes during the daring attack on the Death Star. For a few seconds, Ben Burtt's magical sound effects of laser blasts, beeping droids and screeching starships fade away. John Williams' soaring score settles into a soft melody. All seems to grow quiet in Luke's X-wing fighter as a singular voice guides him toward his destiny and plants in the entire franchise its spiritual roots. "Let go, Luke ... Use The Force." When Luke finally summons the mystical Force to destroy the Death Star and save the galaxy, he hears the words that will define his journey for the remainder of the Star Wars saga. I know some people will think this should be higher on the list, maybe even No. 1. 

5. "Your father would have been proud of you" ("Rogue One" 2016)

In my mind, "Rogue One" (the only standalone Star Wars story to date) is the most underrated, and poignant, movie in the franchise's history. It's also unique in being the only movie in which the heroes die (sorry if that's a spoiler, but if you haven't seen the movie by now, you probably never will). One of the criticisms of the original trilogy is that Lucas refused to kill off any of the three main stars (despite Ford's pleading); that certainly wasn't a problem in this film. As the set-up story for the original film, there was no reason that any of the protagonists who stole the Death Star plans that we first read about in the crawl for "A New Hope" would live to fight another day (otherwise, we would have seen them all 40 years ago). That made the final heartfelt exchange between off-and-on-again allies Jyn Erso and Cassian Endor on the beach of Scarif particularly touching and dramatic. With Michael Giachinno's riveting score as the backdrop, the two embrace on the beach as they count their final moments before the Death Star blast destroys the planet and them with it. Jyn's father, the unwilling architect of the Empire's planet destroyer, had entrusted its fatal flaw with his daughter before his death, and now she has done her duty and passed the baton to those who will take up the fight in "A New Hope." The quiet, somber gaze the two heroes share as the nuclear-like blast inches closer speaks volumes, even before Cassian says softly, "Your father would have been proud."

4. The medal ceremony ("A New Hope" 1977)

This is the only scene on my list that includes no dialogue, which may help explain what made it so great (sorry, George Lucas, but the Force wasn't always with your dialogue-writing skills). It also encapsulates why the original movie captured the public's imagination like no film before or since. "A New Hope" was more than a story of good triumphing over evil. It was an intergalactic story of David slaying Goliath, and it came along at a time when the public desperately needed a feel-good underdog tale to escape all the darkness and despair (sound familiar?) that the 1970s had come to symbolize (Watergate, Vietnam, economic malaise, serial killings and fashion fiascoes, but we did have the "Brady Bunch"!). The climax of the movie in which the farm boy, the smuggler and the princess are filled with pure joy at their unlikely triumph still provides an adrenaline rush no matter how many times I see it (even if the wookie had to wait 20 years to finally get his medal). The feisty, icy princess lets her hair down (literally) and melts the screen with her smile, the rogue flashes her a wink that teases of things to come, and the budding Jedi falls victim to the the childlike giddiness that so many people wanted to recapture in their own lives when they saw this movie. This scene without words summed up the surreal, visceral experience of falling in love with Star Wars. 

3. "You like me because I'm a scoundrel" ("The Empire Strikes Back" 1980)

I have a bad feeling about this pick, like it's going to be met with the type of backlash befitting a nerf herder. It's not even ranked as the best Han and Leia moment in one official list. And some might argue that their tension-tinged romance was nothing but a cute, quirky diversion to help pass the time while the fate of the galaxy played out in the hands of a father, his son and the Force. All I can say is that I simply love everything about this scene! I'll admit that I'm a sucker for a good romance, and some occasional tortured dialogue notwithstanding, this is one of the greatest in film history, for my money. Plus, for Star Wars nerds, this is as close as we'd ever get to turning any of the films into a date movie. The build-up in "Empire" to the duel between Luke and Vader is nearly equaled by the buildup to "the kiss." Sure, you can see it coming through all the quips and insults the two exchange through the first movie and a half, but when the moment finally arrives, it's tender, touching and perfect. As far as why I put this ahead of the "I Love You/I Know" exchange later in the movie, I think that was but the frosting to the cake that this scene baked. Leia could withstand Vader's torture with nerves of steel, but she's finally worn down by this scoundrel's charms, particularly when she opens the door for him with the "scoundrel" comment. We finally see what we've always known about her; she's no intergalactic Disney princess waiting for Prince Charming to show up in a glistening starship. Even with C-3PO's unfortunate timing, that kiss seemed frozen in time (if not for a deleted scene, it would have lasted even longer). 

2. "That is why you fail" ("The Empire Strikes Back" 1980)

For all its hypnotic qualities, the original Star Wars film ("A New Hope") was a pretty straightforward, and somewhat superficial, story of good and evil. To the degree that the mystical Force came into play, it was largely to help move the story along, rather than constituting its core, and left us with more questions than answers. It was "Empire" that truly turned Star Wars into a religiously mythological experience, and it was the spirituality embodied by a green gnome named Yoda that gave the movie -- indeed, the entire series -- the depth and stature that came to define it. In a few short scenes, Yoda conveys the spiritual hungering that lies at the root of the human condition (and the world's great faith-based traditions), and teaches us why religious faith in our own world can be a source of great good -- or evil when it falls victim to fear, anger and hate. When Luke's faith in "The Force" (or God, as it may represent to some) falters, Yoda provides a humbling lesson with a miraculous act. It's Moses parting the Red Sea or Jesus raising Lazareth from the dead. Like so many heroes in human history, Luke Skywalker learns that doubt and failure often produce the speed bumps on the road to triumph and greatness. This scene transforms Star Wars from fantasy to true mythology.

1. "No, I am your father" ("The Empire Strikes Back" 1980)

I was 9 years old when I heard those words. The shock I and everyone else in the theater felt is something I will never forget. Like the pained expression of horror on Luke's face, none of us could make sense of what we had just heard, and none of us could accept it. I think we all uttered in our minds the same words that Luke spoke aloud on the screen. "No, no, that's not true! That's impossible!" Alas, we all had to search our feelings over the summer of 1980 to try to discern what to believe. Our hearts kept telling us no, but even the mind of a 9-year-old couldn't deny the truth that lay at the heart of Darth Vader's pronouncement. We'd all have to wait an excruciating three years to learn for sure, and by the time the confirmation finally came in the trilogy's flawed third chapter, it seemed somehow anticlimactic to a now 12-year-old who had just watched Princess Leia slay Jabba the Hutt while clad in a metal bikini.  But this was the blindsiding, I-never-saw-it-coming moment that made the movie -- indeed, the entire franchise -- a cinematic masterpiece. Sadly, future generations that would have to suffer through the clunky, stale prequels would never get to experience the pure shock that made this the greatest Star Wars moment ever (one more reason to hate the prequels!). No Star Wars movie before or since would muster another moment that achieved this level of greatness.

I'd like to dedicate this post to the late, great Carrie Fisher (click here to view a wonderful tribute to her). As has been often written and said over the years, Carrie's portrayal of Princess Leia redefined how we all viewed the character of a princess in fantasy stories, and her influence was particularly strong on young girls who grew up in the age of Star Wars, and afterward (my daughter Leah is one of her biggest fans). But it was also strong with young boys like me who saw her character as the archetype of the strong, independent, yet warm and compassionate, female hero. Gen X obviously didn't get everything right in its treatment and perceptions of women, as made clear by the #MeTooMovement, but I think the fact that many of us came of age with the character of Princess Leia burned in our consciousness helped make us the generation of males that came further than any before us in viewing and respecting women on an equal -- or even superior -- footing (and there was no one I'd ever trust more with a gun). When her male counterparts inevitably found themselves tripping over their own shortcomings and flaws, it was usually Leia who both pointed them out and set things straight. Those who grew up watching movies in the 1930s and '40s saw Snow White as the damsel in distress, musing that someday my prince will come; and the cool, dapper Rick Blaine in Casablanca doing all the thinking for both him and the woman he needed to save. Princess Leia turned it all on its head, picking apart male-conceived rescue plans and making it clear to a modern-day Rick Blaine (Han Solo) just who was calling the shots in this adventure. I think it was as important for boys to see this type of strength and leadership in a female character as it was for girls. While there had never been a heroine like Princess Leia before, she became the model for plenty who came afterward (Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games," Wonder Woman and Jyn and Rey in the next generation of Star Wars movies, to name a few). And although it didn't make my list, no tribute to Carrie Fisher, Princess Leia or Star Wars is complete without the scene and line that forever etched her in our memory.
Thank you for reading!