The Top 5 Luke Skywalker Scenes, Officially Ranked
Luke Skywalker is one of the most important characters in cinematic history.
It’s easy to see why he is such a revered character — he really represents some of humanity’s best qualities: loyalty, determination, and, above all, bravery. There's also the fact that Luke is an objectively cool guy — I mean, have you seen him with a lightsaber?
With a legacy spanning decades, there are too many iconic Luke Skywalker moments to count, but here, we’ve ranked what we believe to be his top five in ascending order. So, whether you’re a Star Wars veteran or new to the franchise, here are some of Luke’s best bits.
Luke's 'Battle' with the Dark Troopers
I put ‘battle’ in inverted commas because, let’s face it, there wasn’t much of a battle going on. While Season 2 of The Mandalorian hinged on the idea of reuniting Grogu with the Jedi, I don’t think anyone really expected Luke Skywalker himself to show up — or, at least, Mark Hamill’s iteration of him.
But he did! At the eleventh hour in Episode 8, as Mando and the gang are on a mission to rescue Grogu from Moff Gideon, a mysterious Jedi quite literally swoops in and defeats dozens of Dark Troopers effortlessly. Not only do they deliver some cool lightsaber action, but we also get to see them use the Force, too. Once viewers saw the green lightsaber, they knew exactly what was coming. But that didn’t make the reveal that it was Luke any less satisfying. It was a big risk to take, but seeing Luke at the height of his power was a delight, so it definitely paid off.
Luke Using the Force to Destroy the Death Star
Star Wars: A New Hope focuses on the start of Luke Skywalker’s path to becoming the saviour of the galaxy. The climactic final set-piece of this film is the Rebel Alliance’s mission to destroy the Death Star, with Luke right in the thick of the action.
Let’s be real, any use of the Force in Star Wars is cool, but Luke using the Force to fire that killer Death-Star-destroying shot is especially impactful because it shows Luke really espousing the Jedi way. He even turns off his computer, relying on the Force and blind faith alone. In my opinion, it’s a real coming-of-age moment for Luke, showing us his growth and giving us a glimpse of the brilliant Jedi he would one day become.
Luke Vs Vader
Luke’s final battle with Darth Vader in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi is a real highlight of the movie. The first part of the fight really shows off how far Luke has come as a Jedi, from his measured manoeuvres to his stylish flip. He insists he doesn’t want to fight Vader, and also says he feels the good in him. But that all changes when Vader brings up Leia and the idea of turning her to the Dark Side.
This leads us to the second part of the fight, where more violence and ferocity underpin Luke’s assault. It culminates with him cutting off Vader’s hand in fury. While he ultimately doesn't kill Vader and resists the Dark Side, the duel still confirms one unavoidable truth: if Luke were to turn, he’d be extremely formidable. And let’s face it, he got a little too close for comfort. Things could have easily turned out a lot differently.
Luke's Force Projection
Sorry, but I’m a Star Wars: The Last Jedi truther. When we catch up with Luke in this film, he’s a far cry from the man we left in Return of the Jedi. Here, he is jaded, angry, and bitter. He’s closed himself off from the Force and seems pretty determined that it is time for the Jedi to end.
However, he definitely seems to change his tune by the end of the movie, where he manages to use the Force to have a thrilling confrontation with former apprentice Kylo Ren. The best part for me is when Kylo Ren tries to hit Luke with everything he’s got and fails miserably.
But amid the action, there’s a lot of emotion, too — if you didn’t cry when Luke reunited with Leia through this projection, I can only assume that you’re made of stone. Essentially, as the projection drains his power and leads to his death, this is Luke’s final act of heroism, and I couldn’t think of a more fitting end to his story.
Luke Discovering that Darth Vader Is His Father
We couldn’t make a Luke Skywalker list and not include the moment where he discovers that Vader is his father in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Earlier in the film, in the cave on Dagobah, it can be argued that Luke symbolically comes face-to-face with what may well be his worst nightmare: falling to the Dark Side and being like Darth Vader. So, when Vader later tells Luke that he is his father during their actual confrontation, that nightmare is realised in a way he never could have expected. As Luke reacts with shock, heartbreak, and sheer horror, there’s a lot of emotion attached to that scene.
Along with being a masterclass in how to deliver a plot twist, this is a vital chapter in Luke’s story. At that moment, the boy we met on Tatooine vanishes forever. There’s no coming back from a revelation like that. So, we’re left with one crucial question: what man will Luke become? We get our answer in Return of the Jedi.
