Star Wars is one of the most unique pop culture concepts around, a mixture of different genres that fans have loved for over forty years. While the Prequel and Sequel Trilogies have divided the fanbase, one thing that the vast majority of Star Wars fans can agree on is their love for the Original Trilogy.
While it has its plot holes and imperfections, this tale of good and evil in a galaxy far, far away has captured the hearts of fans for years. A big part of that is thanks to the heroes of the trilogy and their heroic actions, ones that have inspired fans for decades.
10 In A New Hope, Leia Saved The Day On The Death Star
Leia Organa subverted the princess-in-distress trope perfectly in A New Hope. From her first appearance, she was talking back to Darth Vader, lying to Grand Moff Tarkin, and generally being one of the best characters onscreen. While one can argue transporting the stolen Death Star plans was her best action, it actually came later.
After being rescued, Leia took charge of the situation, giving orders as only a princess could, and shooting down stormtroopers. Leia would go through a lot of changes but this scene showed everyone exactly what she was made of.
9 Obi-Wan Kenobi's Sacrifice Made The Rebels' Eventual Victory Possible
While subsequent films would show that Obi-Wan Kenobi wasn't always the best Jedi, he more than makes up for it in ANH. His presence on the Death Star lured Darth Vader away from pursuing Luke, Han, and Leia, which allowed them to get to the Millennium Falcon. Vader would have easily killed the three young heroes if Obi-Wan's presence hadn't piqued his interest.
On top of that, allowing Vader to kill made him into a Force ghost and that let him help Luke on his Death Star trench run. Obi-Wan's sacrifice was clutch for the Rebellion's victory, giving the heroes the chance they needed to win.
8 Han Solo's Return At The Battle Of Yavin Saved The Day
ANH built up Han Solo's character, giving viewers the impression that all he cared about was himself and the money. Before the Battle of Yavin, Han left the Rebels to their own devices, having already collected his reward. The battle started to go bad for Rebels; Vader was on Luke's tail and would have killed him if Han hadn't showed back up.
Han coming back gave Luke the time to make the shot that destroyed the Death Star and saved the Rebel Alliance. Han's exploits with the Rebellion would make him a legend and this one action made it all possible.
7 Luke Skywalker Destroyed The First Death Star
Luke Skywalker is the greatest hero in the history of the Star Wars saga and his biggest moment in A New Hope placed him down that path. Luke was a fairly good pilot and joined Red Squadron in the Battle of Yavin, piloting his X-Wing expertly. However, the battle went badly for the Rebels and it was down to Luke, his friend Biggs, and Wedge Antilles to save the day.
Luke's trench run wasn't easy but with help from Han Solo and the Force, he was able to make the shot, destroying the Death Star and giving the Rebellion their first major victory, a victory that would spell the beginning of the end for the Empire.
6 In The Empire Strikes Back, Leia Is Able To Get Lando To Come Over To The Alliance's Side
The Empire Strikes Back is the darkest movie in the Original Trilogy and the heroes don't get too many wins. For Leia, it's pretty hard to pick out a heroic action because she's strangely passive in the movie. However, one of her actions made the Rebellion's eventual victory possible: she was able to convince Lando to come over to the Alliance's side.
While she had a little help from Chewbacca, Leia got Lando to help them and that would be an extremely important action in the future —Lando's role in the Battle of Endor allowed the Alliance to get the victory and was key to the Empire's defeat.
5 Han Solo Taking The Falcon Into The Asteroid Field Allowed Them To Live To Fight Another Day
Han Solo was all about beating the odds, even if he didn't want to know them. The greatest example of this was the Millennium Falcon's escape from Hoth. With the ship's hyperdrive on the fritz, Han had to think outside the box, which was his specialty. He did something that no one else would have done: he took the Falcon into an asteroid belt.
While this move also led to some problems for the heroes, it also made it much harder for the Empire to capture the ship and its crew, which would have done a lot of damage to the Rebel Alliance's chances. Solo's quick thinking even cost the Empire a Star Destroyer, as one was obliterated by asteroids in the search for the Falcon.
4 Luke Skywalker Trying To Save His Friends On Bespin Was Foolhardy But Showed What Kind Of Person He Was
Luke Skywalker cut his Jedi training short when he was given a Force vision of his friends in danger. While this would prove to be a mistake (he walked right into Vader's trap and lost his hand in the process), it also showed what kind of person he was, one who wouldn't hesitate to help his friends.
While it was impulsive, it was also a very heroic act. Luke didn't hesitate to throw himself at the second most dangerous being in the galaxy and he did it all because he thought it would save his friends. While it cost him dearly, it was a heroic yet foolish act that taught him a lesson and revealed a shocking fact to him: that Vader was his father.
3 In Return Of The Jedi, Leia Killed Jabba The Hutt
In Return of the Jedi, Leia was part of the mission to Jabba's palace and things didn't look good for her. Captured by the corpulent Hutt, she became his slave girl, chained to him at all times. However, she turned this against him at the Great Pit of Carkoon, wrapping the chain around his neck and choking the life out of him.
Killing Jabba the Hutt freed many from the clutches of the vile gangster and struck a blow against his terrible criminal empire. It also taught everyone a lesson: Leia Organa is not to be trifled with.
2 Lando Calrissian Led The Assault On The Second Death Star
Lando's joining the Rebel Alliance paid off for the faction in a lot of ways but the biggest was his role in the Battle of Endor. Thanks to a recommendation from Han Solo, Lando was put in command of the fighter forces of the Rebellion and led them against the Imperial forces guarding the Death Star II. Piloting his old ship into battle, Lando's leadership was crucial to the battle.
Because of his expert piloting skills, Lando was able to keep safe and lead the way into the superstructure of the Death Star II, where Wedge Antilles' torpedoes took out the power converter and Lando's shots destroyed the core, leading to the chain reaction that blew up the station.
1 Luke Skywalker Faced Down The Emperor & Darth Vader
Luke Skywalker proved how great a Jedi he was at the Battle of Endor when he confronted the Emperor and Darth Vader. It was the ultimate gamble; Vader had already defeated him in combat once and the Emperor was an unknown factor in the battle. It easily could have ended in his death but he didn't let that stop him.
His battle in the Death Star II's throne room was one of the most important segments of the Battle of Endor, as it held the keys to the Emperor's defeat. Vader would redeem himself to save his son and slay the Emperor, the most important moment in the battle against the Empire.
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