Star Wars: A New Hope was released 45 years ago this month, and over the course of almost five decades, the film franchise has had a plethora of memorable moments. From the opening crawl with John Williams’ score blasting its stirring anthem, to Lando Calrissian blatantly flirting with Leia right in Han Solo’s face, to Emperor Palpatine finally (Finally!) getting his comeuppance, Star Wars is the gift that keeps on giving.
We all have moments that stir our Star Wars soul and over the course of the nine Skywalker Saga and two anthology films, there have been plenty of them. However, which of those favorite moments actually had the biggest impact on the adventures of some of the most beloved characters in movie history? What are the important and long-lasting moments that shaped the course of Star Wars?
Here are our picks for the 20 most pivotal moments in Star Wars movie history. Did your favorite moment miss the cut or not rank as high as you’d like? Let us know in the comments below.
