Summary
Star Warsfans argueReturn of the Jediis an underappreciated and emotionally impactful conclusion to the original trilogy, featuring massive space battles and payoffs of iconic characters that deserve more credit.
Return of the Jedi, the third and final film in the originalStar Warstrilogy, was released in 1983. It continues the battle between the scrappy rebels and the Empire forces, culminating with a confrontation between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. For many fans, witnessing the conclusion ofLuke Skywalker’s hero journeyand learning the ultimate fates of iconic characters like Han Solo and Princess Leia was deeply satisfying. However, despite its significant contributions to the saga, the movie sometimes doesn’t receive the same level of acclaim as its predecessor,The Empire Strikes Back.
On Reddit, a user by the handleCJFrancis282arguedStar Wars: Return of the Jedideserves more credit. The user explained that growing up, specific moments and elements from the film stood out to them and captured their imagination more than the previous two films. Specifically, CJFrancis282 pointed toLuke Skywalker’s new green lightsaberreveal, the intense speeder chase battle on the forest moon of Endor, and the final emotional duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader as reasons why the movie engaged them so much. The post started a debate among fans, with many agreeing that the finale does not get enough credit for its conclusion to the rebellion storyline.
Star Wars: Return of the Jedihas compelling qualities that cause it to be potentially underappreciated. For one, the movie balances its darker moments with fun, lighthearted elements more adeptly than the rest of theStar Warstrilogy. The massive space battle around the Death Star complements the lightsaber battles and emotional drama well. This balance of tones gives the film a unique flavor. Additionally, it brings many overarching story arcs across the previous two films to a gratifying and emotionally impactful conclusion. Luke’s journey towards becoming a Jedi Knight finally culminates in his confrontation andredemption of Anakin Skywalker.
While someStar Wars fans critique elements like the repeated Death Star plot and the “silly” Ewoks, these are overstated flaws compared to the film’s strengths. Specifically, a vocal minority of fans complained that the Ewoks, small furry inhabitants of the forest moon of Endor, were too childish and took attention away from the more serious war story and themes of rebellion inStar Wars: Return of the Jedi. They felt the Ewoks diminished the threat of the Empire and imperial forces, as teddy bear-like creatures helping defeat highly trained stormtroopers strained believability. However, many fans appreciatedthe lighthearted moments the Ewoks providedor saw them as a convincing allegory for how determined and resourceful indigenous people can defeat a mechanized invading force. In the end, while not without flaws,Return of the Jedibrings vital closure and satisfying payoffs in a cinematic fashion that warrants more credit.
TheStar Warssaga is available on Disney Plus.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space, including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other mediums like comics, video games, TV shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.
