Regardless of what you thought of each film, which is your favorite Star Wars climax in the Skywalker Saga?

[ThisThingIsUseful]

You can use any criteria you want:

1. Emotional impact
2. Fight choreography
3. Editing and music
4. A scene that you can play again and again and never tire of it
5. Dialogue

This isn't meant to gauge which is the best movie; I'm just looking for the general feelings here and to celebrate some really exciting moments on film in the Star Wars universe! Your favorite climax may not be in your favorite film. Or your favorite film is your favorite because of the climax. Whatever your reason, there's no wrong answer (though I'm sure it'll lead to plenty of discussion).

The quality of the Episode 9 pictures are obviously not up to snuff since we don't have the film on home video/streaming yet, but I did my best there.


I. The Phantom Menace -- Duel of the Fates/Attack on the Droid Control Ship/Battle of Naboo

II. Attack of the Clones -- Battle of Geonosis/Obi-Wan and Anakin vs Dooku/Yoda vs Dooku/The Clone Wars Begin

III. Revenge of the Sith -- Obi-Wan vs Anakin/Yoda vs Palpatine

IV. A New Hope -- Attack on the Death Star

V. The Empire Strikes Back -- Escape from Cloud City/Luke vs Darth Vader

VI. Return of the Jedi -- Battle on Endor/Death Star II/Luke, Vader and the Emperor

VII. The Force Awakens -- Attack on Starkiller Base/Finn and Rey vs Kylo Ren

VIII. The Last Jedi -- Battle at Crait/Luke confronts Kylo Ren/Poe learns to be a leader

IX. The Rise of Skywalker -- The Resistance vs The Final Order/Rey and Ben vs The Knights of Ren and Palpatine

 

[Jegriva]

I consider the handful of seconds during the Luke/Vader duel on the Death Star II when the choir starts singing for the first time, after Vader mentions Leia, with the camera slowly panning by, like if we the audience were kids hiding behind the stairs, to be cinematographically perfect.

 

[Aaron]

Return of the Jedi is a very uneven film in my eyes, but I have to give it this one. The throne room scenes are far and away the best part of the movie.

"whoa the prequels have such cool lightsaber choreography"

Please.

The Last Jedi's was pretty badass as well, and yes, even Rise of Skywalker for how silly and animu it got.

 

[QuantumZebra]

I don't see any option for Episode 9?

As a lifelong Star Wars fan (who admittedly hates the prequels) - Rise of Skywalker was by far the best finale of all the films. It was beyond epic and wrapped everything up. Plus that Yellow Lightsaber Staff reveal... /drool.

Return of the Jedi is a very uneven film in my eyes, but I have to give it this one. The throne room scenes are far and away the best part of the movie.

"whoa the prequels have such cool lightsaber choreography"

Please.

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If it wasn't Rise of Skywalker it'd definitely be this, for me. The only thing that puts Return below it is the wonky Ewok/Endor parts.

 

[Mcfrank]

Last Jedi for sure to me. Luke pulling the most bad ass force move is amazing. I would also include the Holdo Maneuver and Red Throne room fight as the ending for TLJ. Last 30 minutes of TLJ is the best Star Wars has ever been to me.

 

[Deleted member 32822]

ROTJ, and Rey stabbing Kylo in TROS.

 

[TheZjman]

That Revenge of the Sith ending for me, two epic lightsaber duels, I love it. Force Awakens was pretty good too, although not really a proper fight.

 

[BDS]

All three original films have a great climax, but Empire takes the cake (as it does in most other respects).

Search your feelings, you know it to be true.

 

[Meows]

Empire Strikes Back and The Last Jedi are the most visually stunning though I think maybe a bit too much happens in the climax of The Last Jedi.

Empire is clean, brisk, and chilling to watch.

 

[Cipher Peon]

From what I've seen, Revenge has the best and TLJ has the worst.

I loved the lava fight as a kid, meanwhile I thought everything on the salt planet was just a complete disaster in TLJ

 

[Deleted member 15240]

If just the Crait part counts as the climax of TLJ than ESB is my favorite. If TLJ's climax includes the throne room scene and everything afterwards than TLJ is my favorite.

 

[Deleted member 21339]

Luke tossing his saber, willing to die before ever turning to the Dark Side and his father turning to save him.

 

[Aurongel]

TLJ's emotional climax is the throne room fight for me. The Snoke death and subsequent fight are an exciting turn of events that culminates with the emotional standoff between Rey and Kylo. Plus the Nolan-esque intercutting of the rebellion escaping and Rey/Kylo fighting is super exciting.

 

[Prine]

RotS & RotJ.

Brilliant finale's, one of somber realisation of potential lost, the other of sheer jubilation of redemption and achievement.

Lol @ ST. Nothing good about how that catastrophe of a trilogy ends. All disappointed.

 

[PeskyToaster]

I don't see any option for Episode 9?

As a lifelong Star Wars fan (who admittedly hates the prequels) - Rise of Skywalker was by far the best finale of all the films. It was beyond epic and wrapped everything up. Plus that Yellow Lightsaber Staff reveal... /drool.




If it wasn't Rise of Skywalker it'd definitely be this, for me. The only thing that puts Return below it is the wonky Ewok/Endor parts.

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I do love where Rey ended up and that she earned her name. I just have a lot of issues with how we got there in ROS.

I also love Rey getting the lightsaber in TFA, the music and the way that fight looks is A+.

For a non-lightsaber based climax the trench run in A New Hope is still so awesome. I can only imagine watching that in 1977, when they do the first person thing and swoop the camera into the trench. So cool. It's got everything. It's back-and-forth. It's tense as hell, the music is firing on all cylinders, Han Solo comes back to save the day at the last moment.

 

[Deleted member 1627]

Probably Rogue One.


Goodbye!

 

[nicoga3000]

So much of Rogue One - it's my favorite in the series for a reason.

All of the sacrifices that group had to make were really impactful for me, but Bodhi's struggle and eventual death in particular. So much so that we named our 3rd dog (a rescue who was abandoned by his owner's) after him.

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

I don't see any option for Episode 9?

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I only have 6 choices, so Other covers 2/7/9. =(

Return of the Jedi is a very uneven film in my eyes, but I have to give it this one. The throne room scenes are far and away the best part of the movie.

"whoa the prequels have such cool lightsaber choreography"

Please.

The Last Jedi's was pretty badass as well, and yes, even Rise of Skywalker for how silly and animu it got.

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TLJ has one of my favorites. It's competing against a lifetime of memories of the OT, so it's hard for me to definitively say it's the best, but maybe once it sinks it more and more, it will be.

Empire Strikes Back and The Last Jedi are the most visually stunning though I think maybe a bit too much happens in the climax of The Last Jedi.

Empire is clean, brisk, and chilling to watch.

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I feel they have the best choreography of them all. I do think both them and 4/6 make the best use of music as far as the music matching what's on the screen.

However, I think 3's use of Duel of the Fates was a great power moment.

It feels weird not mentioning 1 in that. Duel of the Fates is definitely a fantastic piece of music, but it's more of a general piece, I feel, and not one that seems to go entirely with the ebb and flow of the video. That's why it works really well to just listen to it by itself, whereas some music really needs to be listened to with the scene.

If just the Crait part counts as the climax of TLJ than ESB is my favorite. If TLJ's climax includes the throne room scene and everything afterwards than TLJ is my favorite.

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It's hard to say, ain't it? I love the throne scene. I dunno if the events on Snoke's ship are considered part of Act 3 or if it's all Act 2 going into Crait. My assumption is that it's the end of Act 2. Fucking love the throne room....

 

[Platy]

Looking at those images .... it always impresses me how Last Jedi is much more beautiful than the rest

 

[Meows]

It kinda feels like The Last Jedi has two separate climaxes tbh.

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

Definitely RoTJ, followed by ESB. The very best confrontations that tell an emotional story. Series hasn't reached those highs since. The Death Star assault is still iconic as ever but I rank it at the tail of the OT.

TLJ would be higher than RoTS for me but the terribleness of Crait really tarnishes the good work of Luke's return. The Obi-Ani duel is a high point of the PT for me, it starts very flowery and devolves into a much more personal struggle. It's a good climax.

TRoS is goddamn mess so it doesn't rank

 

[Deleted member 21339]

Rey stabbing Kylo in TROS

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Really?

 

[Bor Gullet]

ROTJ and ROTS have the best ones.

 

[Ryan.]

Return of the Jedi does a great job cycling through 3 different scenarios throughout its third act and The Last Jedi's cinematography and having the most Jedi thing ever is also great, so either RotJ or TLJ for me.

 

[Deleted member 21339]

Best climaxes in order:
ROTJ
ANH
ESB
TLJ
ROTS
ROGUE ONE
TROS
TFA
TPM
AOTC

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

Looking at those images .... it always impresses me how Last Jedi is much more beautiful than the rest

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TLJ and TESB are the two strongest, imo, in cinematography.

There are so many individual shots that you could pick from that ending in TLJ alone besides the ones I picked.

Whatever they were on when shooting that film, it was strong stuff.

It kinda feels like The Last Jedi has two separate climaxes tbh.

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Act 2 does feel like a climax in itself, climaxing to the Holdo maneuver, then transitioning into the Battle of Crait.

 

[Book One]

Luke/Vader/Palpatine in Jedi is easily number one here for me

 

[Deleted member 388]

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Not my favorite movie but just seeing this image instantly makes me hear Duel of Fates. I gotta go with this.

 

[ClickyCal']

Empire, always.

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

TLJ and TESB are the two strongest, imo, in cinematography.

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RoTS gets short changed because it isn't as good a movie but it ranks up there in cinematography as well. Vader and the 501st marching into the temple, opening battle, Obi-Ani duel, the burning Jedi temple at sunset. It's a very good looking film.

 

[Sax]

It's between the Jedis but Return gives me the best space battle ever? in anything? (Rogue One is up there though, and I think if Rogue One was included that would be my vote) so I have to give it to Return. That Luke v Vader duel on the Death Star is also amazingly shot and impactful. The land battle is only so-so but gets some points for creativity.

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

RoTS gets short changed because it isn't as good a movie but it ranks up there in cinematography as well. Vader and the 501st marching into the temple, opening battle, Obi-Ani duel, the burning Jedi temple at sunset. It's a very good looking film.

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I think because there are so many, "Put a few people in front of a green screen," moments, and stuff like the constant close-ups in Palpatine vs Windu can stick out. But you're right that it gets short-changed. Order 66 has some great work done to it, but even pulling images for this thread reminded me of some of the really cool shots in the climax. Yoda, overmatched, with that low angle shot at an ultra-powerful Palpatine easily tossing around Senate pods, that's some good stuff.

 

[Trigonometrize]

The Last of Jedi and A New Hope are my top two. Both are Luke being awesome in two completely different ways. One he torments Kylo in order to save his friends and in the long run save the Galaxy by being a pacifist and sacrificing himself, the other he blow up the Empire super weapon by believing in the force. The Last Jedi has amazing cinematography; I am in awe of the visuals every time. A New Hope has the BEST space battle in the series. It actually lets you focus on the narrative of the fight because it's not cutting to 50 other things throughout. There's even no music for half of it. It's like the anti-TROS.

Most overrated final battle: Rogue One. God I hate this battle outside of some select moments. It's got characters I don't care about running around and doing the schizophrenic ground-ground-space thing Star Wars feels it has to do since ROTJ.

Worst: Attack of the Clones

 

[Deleted member 4869]

Revenge of the Sith, easily.

Followed closely by the encounter between Vader and Luke in Episode V.

 

[Doggg]

Attack on the Death Star from A New Hope.

 

[Falchion]

Gotta go with Return of the Jedi. The climax is just so damn good.

 

[modestb]

"I am a Jedi, like my father before me"

 

[Jakke_Koala]

The prequel-memes

 

[Skiptastic]

TLJ is an extremely close second, but ROTJ is my choice. So good.

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

The Last of Jedi and A New Hope are my top two. Both are Luke being awesome in two completely different ways. One he torments Kylo in order to save his friends and in the long run save the Galaxy by being a pacifist and sacrificing himself, the other he blow up the Empire super weapon by believing in the force. The Last Jedi has amazing cinematography; I am in awe of the visuals every time. A New Hope has the BEST space battle in the series. It actually lets you focus on the narrative of the fight because it's not cutting to 50 other things throughout. There's even no music for half of it. It's like the anti-TROS.

Most overrated final battle: Rogue One. God I hate this battle outside of some select moments. It's got characters I don't care about running around and doing the schizophrenic ground-ground-space thing Star Wars feels it has to do since ROTJ.

Worst: Attack of the Clones

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Sometimes I want to say ANH's space battle is underrated, which sounds stupid because its ending is iconic.

But I think it's underrated in the Star Wars universe because so many people love 6's. imo, the best edited one was 4, which had some amazing music during key moments, and some parts that just forwent the music.

 

[SerAardvark]

Return of the Jedi by far for me - the throne room scene is the emotional climax of the original trilogy and Luke tossing his lightsaber away and committing himself entirely to his faith in some remaining bit of good in his father gets me every time. The space battle is spectacular, and I even like the ground battle although I realize a lot of people don't like Ewoks.

ANH and ESB are both great as well, and I really like Rogue One (even if the characters are a bit half-baked) and the Luke/Kylo confrontation in TLJ as well (the actual Battle of Crait was pretty lame, though). Oh, and I like the forest fight/Han's death in TFA but found the space battle underwhelming.

 

[The Unsent]

I like how powerful Luke looks when he's levetating on the cliff, and the imagery of the dices disappearing and Rey closes the door on Ren and seemingly ending their bond, felt artistic and the last shot of the kid looking at the shooting star is cute and resonates.

 

[Aureon]

TLJ is visually the best, hands down.

But there's something about ANH.
Star Wars is really good about climaxes, and that's because ANH set a ridicolously high bar. The Falcon coming back, the simple-yet-cunning plan, the delivery of everyone. Love it.

 

[Xam3l]

The last jedi, followed by the phantom menace.

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

TLJ is visually the best, hands down.

But there's something about ANH.
Star Wars is really good about climaxes, and that's because ANH set a ridicolously high bar. The Falcon coming back, the simple-yet-cunning plan, the delivery of everyone. Love it.

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The bold is why I made the thread. I'd put 2 on the bottom because there's no emotional weight to any of it, but I'll be damned if I'm not entertained by Jedi vs Droid battle in the arena and the Clone vs. Droid battle. So if that's on the bottom for me, then it's a testament to how cool the climaxes are.

 

[QuantumZebra]

Definitely RoTJ, followed by ESB. The very best confrontations that tell an emotional story. Series hasn't reached those highs since. The Death Star assault is still iconic as ever but I rank it at the tail of the OT.

TLJ would be higher than RoTS for me but the terribleness of Crait really tarnishes the good work of Luke's return. The Obi-Ani duel is a high point of the PT for me, it starts very flowery and devolves into a much more personal struggle. It's a good climax.

TRoS is goddamn mess so it doesn't rank

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The fact that you think the end of Revenge is better than Rise of Skywalker is deeply troubling to me for some reason

 

[Duane]

I think it's RotJ for me. Everything happening at once, Lando and Nien Numb and their escort entering that chamber, the Super Star Destroyer plunging into the surface of the Death Star like a giant dagger, it's all so amazing and iconic. And of course the main event - Luke vs Vader, or really Luke vs his own anger, culminating with the surprise betrayal and self sacrifice of the most famous movie villain of all time, the unmasking nobody will ever forget, and then the celebration wind down. One of the greatest cinematic sequences of all time, just complete perfection.

 

[Trigonometrize]

The fact that you think the end of Revenge is better than Rise of Skywalker is deeply troubling to me for some reason

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There was very little good about the latter except for the lightsaber swapping... and when that's the highlight...

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

The swap was pretty cool, yeah. And even though the sky lightning didn't amount to much, it was a cool scene.

 

[Deleted member 21339]

Revenge of the Sith, easily.

Followed closely by the encounter between Vader and Luke in Episode V.

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Why? Anakin was an unlikeable prick who got what was coming to him. The duel was over the top and drawn out, Padme's arc and inexplicable death was weird and borderline sexist and other events of the plot just happen because they need to line up with the OT instead of developing organically. I think TROS had more genuine emotion