1. "Tell your sister you were right" - Return of the Jedi
What makes certain blockbusters stand above the others aren't impressive special effects or fast-paced action sequences. It's the smaller, dramatic character moments that can elevate a crowd-pleasing spectacle to something special. The
Star Wars trilogy is full of these and this one is one of the most powerful. After sacrificing himself to save his son, Vader knows that nothing can save him from his impending death. Against Luke's pleas, Vader asks for his mask to be removed so he could at long last look at his son with his own eyes. Luke obliges and has a touching moment with the man who was considered to be the most feared in the galaxy. The last two installments of the trilogy made an attempt to humanize Vader. In Obi-Wan's words, he is "more machine than man," but that doesn't change the fact that there is still a man under that helmet. Vader's scenes with Luke in both
Empire and
Jedi change his character from a potentially one-dimensional menace that gave the movies their bad guy to someone who felt like a real person. They rounded him out and made him more dynamic. You get to see the good side of Vader that Obi-Wan talked about and it's easy to buy into the fact that yes, Anakin is a decent man (the prequels notwithstanding). This scene made Vader relatable. What father wouldn't want to speak to his only son in his final moments? This scene was also one of the sadder parts of the series. After all we've been through watching this relationship grow, it's over. When Vader admits he was wrong and tells Luke he was right all along, it's hard not to get choked up because there's so much emotion. We feel Luke's pain as he wishes to save Vader. We feel happy that Vader - after so many years of pain and suffering - can finally be in peace. It was the best way to close the book on one of the finest trilogies in movie history. There are no lightsabers. There are no explosions. It's a brief scene between two characters sharing dialogue and it's great.
What are some of your favorite original trilogy moments? Any that aren't listed here? Let us know in the comments!