11. Darth Vader's Entrance Is Rightfully Iconic
Few cinematic entrances are as eerie, effective, or ultimately iconic as Darth Vaders is here, the character entering the film history he will never leave with a stride through the smoke, stopping only to glance over a few dead Rebel soldiers and backed by a phalanx of Stormtroopers, his oil-black costume as in contrast with theirs as it is with the alabaster walls of the ship. It lasts roughly fifteen seconds but thats enough to set Vader up as the franchises chief antagonist, his distinctive breathing and uniform signifiers of something a little darker, a little more sinister. Hes next seen, a few shots later, choking a man to death, holding him high in the air with one hand, demanding information. When he doesnt get it, the man is tossed aside, and we are left fully aware of Darth Vaders ominous appeal.