10 Scrapped Star Wars Movie Scenes Better Than What We Got

Whilst Return of the Jedi is largely viewed as the weakest of the Original Trilogy, it also has one of the the best final acts in the entire Star Wars franchise.

Ominously looming over the Forest Moon of Endor, the Second Death Star, headed by the Emperor himself, was protected by a deflector shield on the moon, making the weapon virtually impregnable. In the theatrical cut, Han Solo and a squad of Rebel troops, with some help from their Ewok allies, destroy the deflector shield, leaving the space station vulnerable. Shortly after, Lando Calrissian and X-ing pilot Wedge Antilles target the Death Star's main reactor, causing the station to explode.

Whilst exciting, this sequence could have been much better. In a deleted scene, Palpatine tells Moff Jerjerrod that if the shield generator is disabled, the Death Star should fire on the Forest Moon. In the scene, Moff Jerjerrod is very apprehensive in following this order, as he does not want to kill his men stationed on Endor. As the shield generator is destroyed, Jerjerrod hesitates, before reluctantly ordering the Endor's destruction.

As well as creating plenty of tension for the fate of the heroes on Endor, this scene would have also demonstrated a more complex and human side to the individuals of the Empire; something that was sorely lacking from the Original Trilogy.