Return of the Jedi
Movie, 1983, The '80s, Set in Luke and Leia
Return of the Jedi is #8 of 29 in release order and #8 of 29 in chronological order in the John Williams.
The story
Luke Skywalker leads a mission to rescue his friend Han Solo from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt, the Emperor prepares to crush the Rebellion with a more powerful Death Star, and the Rebel fleet mounts a massive attack on the space station. Luke Skywalker confronts Darth Vader in a final climactic duel before the evil Emperor.
Return of the Jedi recap
Return of the Jedi (1983) follows Luke Skywalker as he faces his father, Darth Vader, while the rebels attack a second Death Star. Richard Marquand directs this space opera, the third film of the original Star Wars trilogy. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) free the frozen Han Solo (Harrison Ford) from Jabba's palace, and Leia strangles Jabba with the chain he has her bound in. Luke returns to Dagobah, where the dying Yoda confirms that Vader is his father, and Obi-Wan's spirit tells him Leia is his twin sister. The Emperor (Ian McDiarmid) is building a new Death Star above the forest moon of Endor. Han leads a team to knock out its shield generator, helped by the small furry Ewoks, while Luke surrenders to Vader. The Luke and Leia theme, a soft melody for strings and woodwinds, plays as Luke tells Leia she is his sister; in this list the film follows E.T. and precedes Temple of Doom.
Return of the Jedi ending explained
Return of the Jedi ends with Vader throwing the Emperor down a shaft to save Luke, dying as Anakin Skywalker, and the rebels celebrating with the Ewoks. The Emperor tries to turn Luke to the dark side as the fleet falls into a trap. Luke cuts off Vader's hand in anger, then refuses to kill him, and the Emperor attacks him with lightning. Lando and Wedge Antilles blow up the Death Star. Luke burns his father's body and sees the spirits of Obi-Wan, Yoda and Anakin. The Phantom Menace returned to the saga in 1999.
Post-credits scenes
No. Return of the Jedi has no mid- or post-credits scene.
Where to watch Return of the Jedi
Return of the Jedi is streaming on Disney+ and fuboTV in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 8.3/10, Rotten Tomatoes 83%
Where it fits
- Release order: after E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, before Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
- Chronological order: after E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, before Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Cast
- Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker
- Harrison Ford as Han Solo
- Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia
- Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian
- Anthony Daniels as C-3PO
- Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca
- Sebastian Shaw as Anakin Skywalker
- Ian McDiarmid as The Emperor
- Frank Oz as Yoda (voice)
- James Earl Jones as Darth Vader (voice)
- David Prowse as Darth Vader
- Alec Guinness as Ben 'Obi-Wan' Kenobi
Directed by Richard Marquand.