Ten Best Scenes in The Last Jedi

Released on December 15^th, 2017, Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi was a fascinating spin on the decades-old series. While it seems to have caught a great deal of flak from disaffected fans on the internet, the film received rave reviews and raked in millions. It also happened to be one of the finest pieces of sci-fi cinema released in decades. With that in mind, let’s break it down and take you back to the galaxy far, far away. Today, we’re talking about the ten best scenes in The Last Jedi. Warning: major spoilers lie ahead!

Luke’s Dismissal

Photo Credit: Hollywood Reporter

In a turn that shocked fans and ruffled feathers the world offer, TLJ rejoins Rey just as she encounters Luke. The Hero of the Rebellion then callously tosses his old lightsaber away wordlessly. We soon learn that he’s now a disillusioned old man, disgraced by his past failures. Luke’s descent into darkness came after his own inability to save Ben Solo, his nephew, from the dark path. This sets the stage for Luke’s eventual redemption.

While many found this out of character for Luke, others have defended the characterization. After defeating the Empire, Luke and his family watch darkness rise again, heedless of their prior victories. It makes sense that this would weigh heavily on him and make him resign himself to exile.

DJ’s Philosophy

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Benicio del Toro plays this newcomer, a drifter and hacker who is quick to turn the rebels over to the First Order. Earlier in the film, he tells Finn that there’s only one way to live: “Live Free, Don’t Join.” This motto certainly filters into every aspect of DJ’s character, including his name. He tells Finn that the ongoing battle between light and dark is ultimately meaningless, as it is endless. All it does is make weapons manufacturers filthy rich. In this way, DJ acts as a foil to Finn, who had flirted with the idea of deserting the Rebels earlier in the film. Finn learns through his disgust with DJ that he isn’t a deserter at all, and the Rebellion is worth fighting for.

Infinite Reflections

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After training in the ways of the Force with Luke, Rey seeks the darkness that lies under the Jedi Temple. As Luke has just told her, there must always be a powerful dark to contrast powerful light, and this is the film’s key theme. What she finds is the Mirror Cave, a place of introspection and death. She seeks to know who her parents are, to help her define who she is. She instead is shown an infinite reflection of herself. No one can define her but herself, much to her initial dismay but eventual acceptance. This is echoed in her later conversations with Kylo Ren.

The Call of the Dark Side

Photo Credit: Journal of the Star Wars

Speaking of Rey’s conversations with Kylo, they provide another excellent series of scenes. Where previous films had the pull of the Dark Side as something nebulous and intangible, here they are felt in full force. The obvious attraction between the two mirrors Rey’s own self-doubt regarding who she is. In an attempt to define herself, she tries to help bring Kylo back into the light. Their tense conversations and attempts to sway one another form the narrative heart of the film.

Yoda’s Wisdom

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Yoda’s unexpected return as a Force Ghost in this film helps ground the proceedings in the stories that came before. Yoda’s much-needed wisdom give Luke guidance and help steel his resolve. Most importantly, he tells his former student that it is the fate of masters to be surpassed. Luke must pass the tale of his failure on to his student so that she can grow beyond him. The cyclical nature of the battle between good and evil is symbolically broken by Yoda destroying the Library of the Jedi.

Snoke’s Death

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In a climactic scene, Rey has a showdown with the teacher of her nemesis, Snoke. Snoke is every bit the image of the Emperor from previous films. He is robed, surrounded by Praetorian Guard, and unmatched in his mastery of the Force. Truly, he is awe-inspiring and irredeemably evil. It is his own hubris that leads to his downfall, however, as he could never believe that his student could trick him. When Kylo turns Luke’s lightsaber and ignites it, killing Snoke. This fulfills Kylo’s earlier mantra: “Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to.” Suddenly, the film’s Big Bad is little more than a smoking corpse, and Kylo’s true ambition shines.

Praetorian Guard Fight

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Following this sudden change of heart is an intense lightsaber battle with Snoke’s elite guard. Rey and Kylo put their skills to the test against warriors who were trained to fight lightsaber-wielders specifically. In the end, neither alone would be a match for these elites, but together they prevail. The film’s themes of light and dark converging and becoming something greater are hinted at here. However, following the battle, Rey and Kylo are at an impasse. Rey wishes to preserve the Rebellion, while Kylo wants to rule with Rey. Neither is willing to back down, and the two destroy Luke’s lightsaber in a force tug-of-war.

Holdo’s Sacrifice

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After spending the movie frustrating Poe and stymying the protagonists, Holdo reveals her true colors. Rather than being a spineless traitor, she’s a noble and self-sacrificing rebel. She turns her ship to face Snoke’s monstrously-big cruiser and engages the hyperdrive. She impacts the First Order ship at the speed of light, and the resulting scene is breath-taking. The soundless freeze-frame is anime-like in execution, really underscoring the power of what has happened. This move simultaneously sets Holdo up as a martyr and allows time for the heroes to escape their captors.

“Rebel Scum”

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The solidifying moment in Finn’s acceptance of who he is as a Rebel comes in the fight against Phasma. The commanding officer who kept him down his whole life, Phasma represents everything Finn hates about the First Order. Their final showdown is cathartic, showing freedom and goodness triumph over oppression and evil. Finn’s self-defining line that he isn’t just scum, but “Rebel Scum,” is met with cheers.

The Best Scene in the Last Jedi: The Bloodless Showdown

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The final climactic scene sees Luke reignite the legend of the Jedi by singlehandedly buying the Rebellion time to escape. While he isn’t physically present during this fight, Kylo doesn’t know that. It’s Luke’s appearance and words that goad Kylo into overplaying his hand, resulting in the Rebellion’s escape. The scene is a redemption of all the doubts Luke showed earlier in the film. While he once felt the Jedi were a blight on the galaxy, he now fights to preserve them. It is the ultimate battle of rage versus patience, of aggression versus non-aggression. In the end, it is the Jedi who emerge victorious. Fittingly, Luke’s final moments see him remembering the dual suns of his childhood home, remembering the epic journey that led him here. He then passes into the Force in peace. His ultimate sacrifice allows Rey and his sister the time they need to escape and regroup, setting the stage for their ultimate victory in the next film.