Star Wars: 10 Greatest Original Trilogy Moments

4. Han's Rescue - Return of the Jedi

Harrison Ford wasn't sure if he wanted to return for the third installment, but it's a great thing he did. The first act of Return of the Jedi is Star Wars at its best. It has the feel of an Indiana Jones-style cold open with our heroes embarking on a dangerous mission to save Han from Jabba the Hutt. It's certainly one of the most entertaining sequences in the entire trilogy and once again captures that sense of adventure that defines this franchise. Three movies in, Han's rescue gives fans a rare chance to see the entire Rebel gang work together as a team (the main players were separated for most of The Empire Strikes Back). Everybody - from Luke to R2-D2 - gets their moment to stand out. It was also great to see how the chemistry between the characters had developed over the course of the films. You really got the sense that these people have been friends for a long time and want to help each other out. From a story perspective, we get to see the next step in Luke's character evolution. Once a whiny farm boy who wanted to go check out some power converters, Luke has grown into a powerful Jedi who is very confident about his abilities. Using everything he has learned from Obi-Wan and Yoda, Luke is always cool and under control throughout the whole situation, no matter what happens. I love how he mocks Jabba with the line, "This is the last mistake you'll ever make," right after Luke and his friends are sentenced to death. It was also a nice way to foreshadow Luke's internal struggle when he is tempted by the Emperor later in the film. He seems like a much darker character during Jedi's opening sequence and certainly relishes in his power. With his all-black attire and (for him) devil-may-care attitude, the seeds of doubt are planted in the audience's mind. Could he turn to the dark side? Full of humor (Han: "How we doing?" Luke: "Same as always." Han: "That bad, huh?"), thrilling action (the Sarlacc battle), and giving Lucas an ideal opportunity to tie up loose ends (the Han/Jabba feud is finally put to rest), the first act of Return of the Jedi is a lot of fun for fans of the series. It encapsulates everything you'd want in a Star Wars movie - and like the original film - it had only just begun.