Top 10 Luke Skywalker Moments
#10: Luke trains with Yoda
“Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) In the second chapter of the original trilogy, Luke travels to the planet Dagobah in search of a great Jedi Master. His rough crash-landing into a swamp begins a series of important lessons that shape him into a Jedi knight. He meets Yoda and learns many things about the Force and its connection with nature. But the greatest lesson he learns is from failure. Luke tries lifting his X-wing from the swamp, but falters. Yoda uses this moment to reinvigorate Luke’s trust in the Force. Luke’s X-wing magically rises from the swamp, soaring at Yoda’s will. Astonished, Luke learns that the Force is a mystical power never to be underestimated.
#9: Escaping the Wampa Cave
“Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) On the ice planet Hoth, Luke finds himself put to the test when he’s captured by a ravenous snow monster called the Wampa. He awakens in a creepy cave littered with the skeletal remains of the Wampa’s prey. Luke is all by himself and vulnerable. With the hungry creature lurking nearby, Luke calmly learns to quiet his mind and use the Force to retrieve his lightsaber from the snow. He ignites his lightsaber and narrowly escapes the Wampa’s fierce claws. Luke’s use of his mystical talent uncovers the tip of an iceberg that will ultimately become a far greater understanding of the Force.
#8: Fighting Darth Vader Illusion on Dagobah
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“Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) Luke’s time on Dagobah is very spiritual, but no moment is more surreal than his experience with a ghostly illusion. Ignoring Yoda’s advice, Luke buckles his weapon belt and descends into a dark, dreamlike system of caves. The dreamlike atmosphere turns nightmarish when a deathly figure emerges from the shadows. Luke ignites his lightsaber and fights ferociously, quickly beheading the figure of Darth Vader. What he sees beneath the mask is somewhat introspective and perhaps serves as a warning of what he could become if he follows the path to the Dark side. It sheds light on Luke’s internal struggle as he’s pulled in different directions to complete his Jedi training, save his friends, and confront Vader.
#7: Battle on Jabba’s Sail Barge
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“Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” (1983) When Luke returns to his home planet to rescue his friends, he’s a far wiser and much more powerful foe than ever before. (xref) Jabba the Hutt tries to kill Luke by feeding him to the Rancor monster, but Luke prevails, killing the monster with a clever move. Luke and Han are then sentenced to walk the plank. Showing no fear, Luke steps out onto the plank and surprises everyone as he defies death and catches his nifty new lightsaber. Nimbly bounding from skiff to sail barge, Luke’s swashbuckling heroics are exhilarating to watch. Jabba’s vile henchmen are simply no match for Luke’s awesome Jedi agility.
#6: Taking down AT-ATs in Battle of Hoth
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“Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) Although the Battle of Hoth was ill-fated for the Rebellion, Luke’s creative thinking did at least help take down a few of the Empire’s deadly AT-AT walkers. With the seemingly unstoppable walkers bearing down on Rebel ground forces, Rebel snowspeeders attempt an attack run. At Luke’s suggestion, the Rebel pilots tangle a walker’s legs with harpoons and tow cables. Hoo-ha that got ‘em! Even when Luke’s snowspeeder crashes, he keeps fighting bravely on the battlefield. He even takes down a walker all by himself by slicing open the walker’s belly and throwing a bomb inside. Like many of Luke’s heroic moments, this is one that children have happily re-enacted for decades with toys and action figures.
#5: Luke confronts Ben Solo
“Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi” (2017) A comforting thing that The Last Jedi teaches us is that no one is perfect, even a great Jedi like Luke Skywalker. Even later in life, he’s still human; he falters and makes mistakes. On the planet Crait, the Resistance faces obliteration. At their most desperate hour, a rejuvenated Luke returns to the fight. The First Order has dozens of monstrous walkers, and yet all of their might is proven useless against the mythical Jedi. In a mystifying confrontation, Ben Solo’s violent rage reveals Luke’s greatest feat as a Jedi. By using a lesser-known force ability known as “Similfuturus” or “Doppelgänger”, (an ability that debuted in the Legends canon) Luke saves his friends, strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies, and restores a spark of hope to the galaxy. And he did all in the most non-violent way possible, like a true Jedi.
#4: Dueling Vader in Cloud City
“Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) After glimpsing a vision of his friends in danger, Luke dashes off to a mysterious city in the clouds so he can save them. But not before long he finds himself crossing lightsaber blades with the most fearsome tyrant in the galaxy, Darth Vader. With the Force as his ally, Luke fights bravely against Vader. His skills and ability to control his fear are enough to impress Vader, although not enough to defeat him. Luke’s greatest strength isn’t in his attacks, but rather his courage to keep fighting even after he’s knocked down. After losing his hand to Vader’s blade, he learns a terrible secret. Even when tempted by the Dark side, Luke remains stalwart, letting himself fall to an uncertain fate.
#3: “I am a Jedi, like my Father before me”
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“Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” (1983) Darth Vader knew precisely how to anger Luke when he hinted at the idea of turning Leia to the dark side. Luke displayed a kind of rage we’d never seen before. This rage gets the better of Vader and it pleases the Emperor. Luke finds himself in a pivotal moment, caught in the twilight between the light side and the dark. It’s in this moment that Luke finally becomes a true Jedi, letting go of anger and hatred. He shines luminously as his noble words throw a monkey wrench in the Emperor’s evil plans. Luke’s righteous action did what a lightsaber could not; it turned Vader back to the light and redeemed him.
#2: Blowing up the Death Star
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“Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (1977) After rescuing Princess Leia, Luke gets a chance to fight alongside some of the brave Rebel pilots in what seems like a hopeless mission. Along with R2D2, Luke pilots an X-wing fighter and joins a daring attack on the Death Star. However when all the other experienced pilots meet their demise at the hands of Vader, it falls on Luke, Biggs and Wedge’s shoulders to make the desperate shot. Luke’s fighting-spirit never dies as the three pilots dive down into the trench at full throttle, fearless and determined to save the day! With a little wisdom from a ghostly Jedi, and with the help of a last minute save by Han & Chewie, Luke learns to trust the Force as he fires the proton torpedoes that destroy the Death Star! Before we reveal our final pick, here are a few honorable mentions… Levitating C-3P0 before the Ewoks “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” (1983) Speeder Bike Chase “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” (1983)
#1: Binary Sunset on Tatooine
“Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (1977) When Luke handsomely gazed out at the desert sunset, he might never have guessed that he’d someday become a legendary Jedi knight. For forty years, this moment has remained iconic because it’s just so relatable. We’ve all felt like Luke at some point in our lives… perhaps sitting on a mountaintop or on a beach, longing for a life of adventure or seeking peace and purpose. The twin suns serve as a call to adventure for Luke. The very next morning he takes his first steps in an adventure that reunites him with his own twin sister. It seems perfectly poetic that the warmth of twin suns comforts Luke in his final moments on Ahch-To.
