Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
by Robbo
Posted on 4 May 2021
Rating -
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand.
The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who was also the executive producer.
It is the third instalment in the original Star Wars trilogy, the third film to be produced, and the sixth film in the “Skywalker saga”. It takes place one year after The Empire Strikes Back.
The film stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew and Frank Oz.
The opening of the film has our heroes rescuing Han Solo from the evil gangster, Jabba the Hutt.
While the rest of the main cast meet up with the Rebels, Luke travels to Dagobah to continue his training with Jedi Master Yoda.
Yoda reveals that Luke requires no more training, but to become a Jedi he must face Darth Vader, he then dies but not before revealing that there is another Skywalker.
The Ghost of Obi Wan appears to Luke and confirms the fact that Darth Vader was once Anakin Skywalker and is in fact Luke’s father. He also confirms that Luke has a twin Sister and they were separated from birth to hide them from Vader.
Luke leaves Dagobah to join up with his friends and the Rebel Alliance.
The Rebel Alliance learns that the Empire are building a new Death Star and that the Emperor will be personally supervising the final stages of construction. They feel that this is their best opportunity to kill the Emperor and destroy the Empire once and for all, so they launch a full scale attack on the Death Star.
The Death Star is being protected by an energy shield being generated from the nearby forest moon of Endor so a ground assault team, under the leadership of Han Solo is despatched to destroy the generator.
Whilst on Endor the assault team come into contact with a tribe of Ewoks and gain their trust after an initial conflict.
Luke leaves the assault team as he feels his presence is putting their mission in jeopardy so surrenders to the Empire, hoping to turn Darth Vader back to the light side.
Vader takes Luke to the Emperor who tries to turn Luke to the dark side. Meanwhile the ground assault team is captured trying to assault the generator and the Emperor reveals that this was all part of his plan.
Feeling all hope is lost, suddenly the Ewoks launch an attack which allows the Rebels to infiltrate and destroy the shield generator.
Meanwhile on the Death Star, realising he is unable to turn Luke the Emperor tries to destroy him, but Darth Vader picks the Emperor up and throws him down a reactor shaft and is mortally wounded in the process.
With the energy shield down, the rebel fleet are able to attack and destroy the Death Star.
Return of the Jedi was the first Star Wars film I saw in the cinema so it will always be special to me.
Like most kids who saw this film, my Christmas list for 1983 included a Speeder bike and a pet Ewok.
The film is much lighter and fluffier than The Empire Strikes Back and roughly follows a similar story arc to A New Hope.
The introduction of the Ewoks does bring some slight comic relief and delivers one of the saddest moments in the film.
The ending of this film ranks as one of my favourite moments in film history, the redemption of Anakin Skywalker.
Personally I would rank this third on my list of Star Wars films, behind The Empire Strikes Back and A New Hope but it is a really good film and well worth the watch.
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