Star Wars Rebels Season 3: 20 Easter Eggs & References You Need To See

When Hera blows up her family estate in "Hera's Heroes", the infamous Wilhelm scream makes its expected appearance. When the Syndulla house goes up in flames, a Stormtrooper gets caught up in the blast and emits the famous scream we now hear a mile off.

Not only has the infamous Wilhelm scream appeared in all of the Star Wars films, but it's also appeared in Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, Toy Story, Reservoir Dogs, Titanic, Anchorman, 22 Jump Street... the list could go on and on.

It was first used in 1951 in Gary Cooper's western, Distant Drums. Following the film's production, the sound effect became part of the Warner Brothers sound library and continued to be used by the studios' productions.

In the early '70s, a group of sound designers, including Ben Burtt, recognised that the unique scream had been across multiple movies. They gave it its name, the "Wilhelm Scream" after a character in the movie they first recognised it from, 1963's western The Charge At Feather River. The character in question was Private Wilhelm, who lets out the scream after being shot by an arrow.

Burtt ended up working with George Lucas on the sound design for the first Star Wars, and as a nod to his friends, included the "Wilhelm Scream". It features after Luke shoots a Stormtrooper who then falls into a chasm on the Death Star.

And the rest, as they say, is history...