5 Greatest Moments from Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

Admiral Holdo’s Sacrifice

5 Greatest Moments from Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Following Princess Leia’s explosive accident, Admiral Holdo temporarily stepped up to take the reigns of the Resistance. She had a rather morally ambiguous stand during the first half of the film, often keeping her plans in silence as most of the Resistance members fell to the First Order. That said, she was given quite the negative spotlight for the most part, especially since most of the film centered around Poe and his pals.

It wasn’t until the latter half of Star Wars: The Last Jedi when we realized that she was actually planning to abandon ship and save everyone via escape pods. This didn’t sit well with Poe, but with Leia’s help, she and the crew managed to push through with their original plan. Admiral Holdo also took it upon herself to stay behind on the ship and ensure everyone made it out safely.

While viewers finally understood that she wasn’t actually sabotaging the Resistance, it wasn’t until her major sacrifice when everything actually clicked. As the First Order began gunning down the escape pods, Admiral Holdo realigned the lead Resistance ship and rammed Snoke’s flagship at light speed. Her courage and self-sacrifice in Star Wars: The Last Jedi makes her the perfect example of what a Resistance member embodies.

Rose Saves Finn

5 Greatest Moments from Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Star Wars: The Last Jedi introduced a new character named Rose Tico, a maintenance worker who serves the Resistance. Rose remains devoted to her cause despite not being an active fighter nor possessing any heightened abilities. She serves as one of the leading characters in the film, partnering up with Finn to find a way and stop the First Order from tracking and killing the Resistance.

Rose has a very humble background and understands the artificial happiness behind Canto Bight. Her role in the story is extremely grounded compared to everyone else, but she also provides a humanistic point of view to the overall universe. Despite being a real “nobody,” she wasn’t afraid to fight and risk her life on the front lines when the Resistance was cornered in Crait. Rose also took it upon herself to rescue Finn, who was determined to sacrifice himself to stop the First Order’s battering ram that would destroy their base. Amidst the chaos and the vengeful killings in the film, Rose offered her powerful words that symbolizes what the Resistance stands for: “That’s how we’re gonna win – not fighting what we hate, but saving what we love.”

Luke and Leia Reunite

5 Greatest Moments from Star Wars: The Last Jedi

The Skywalker siblings have become the poster children of Star Wars because of their iconic appearance, grit, and bravery throughout the series. Along with Han Solo and their other friends, they paved the way for peace back during their prime. While they might not be as young as they were, there’s no denying the wit and knowledge Luke and Leia still possess in their elder years. Time had led them to different paths as Luke went on to live as a hermit, ashamed, and afraid of his past with Ben Solo aka Kylo Ren. Leia, on the other hand, went on to lead the Resistance and continue the good fight against the First Order.

While fate might have torn them apart, the two share a brief, yet heartwarming reunion in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Luke made the perfect entrance at the Crait base just as Leia declared that the Resistance has finally run out of hope. Instead of a typical tearful reunion, Leia cracks a snide remark at how she changed her hair. The two then have a short exchange about Kylo, with Luke lamenting that he cannot “bring him back” while Leia candidly admits that she has lost her son. Despite the simplicity of it all, the scene displayed the unwavering bond between the twins and perfectly wrapped up their final meeting.

Luke Passes Away

5 Greatest Moments from Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Following his meeting with Leia, Luke meets the First Order alone outside the Crait base. After years of hiding from his past, the Jedi takes it upon himself to fix his mistake – even at the cost of his own life. The First Order attempts to subdue him with a barrage of missiles before Kylo faces his ex-mentor himself. While fans weren’t treated to an epic clash between student and teacher, Luke still manages to outwit him by revealing that he wasn’t actually in Crait.

The Jedi successfully manages to buy time for the Resistance and the scene warps back to him on his stranded island. While Kylo didn’t manage to personally kill Luke, projecting himself in Crait took a heavy toll on him. As a callback to A New Hope, he perches on the stones where he first trained Rey, basking in the sunset. He smiles, knowing his soul is finally at peace, and simply vanishes. His death was as quiet and modest as the life he lived in solitude, a fitting end to his dramatic story.

Kylo Ren and Rey Team Up After Snoke Dies

5 Greatest Moments from Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Star Wars: The Last Jedi has been delving into the complex relationship between Kylo Ren and Rey through use of the Force. The two gained some sort of telepathic communication that allowed them to speak and even touch each other despite being their considerable distance. It’s through this that Kylo manages to trick Rey into believing that he can still change his path for the better, prompting her to chase after him. Turns out it was just another First Order trick as he delivers her to Snoke to find Luke Skywalker.

In an unlikely turn of events, Kylo kills Snoke and teams up with Rey to take down Snoke’s personal guards. The two show off their impressive combat prowess as they fight back-to-back, flaunting their incredible chemistry together. The two even went as far as to protect each other, suggesting that Kylo had finally chosen to side with the good guys again. Unfortunately, Snoke’s assassination was just his ploy to build a new world order with Rey by his side. It’s pretty tough trying to sway a guy who would kill his evil mentor for his own selfish needs.