Star Wars: Every Movie's Opening Scene, Ranked

Star Wars is one of the biggest franchises in popular culture and is known the world over for its engrossing plot, characters, and setting, and iconic terms such as "Jedi" and "Sith". Many people have grown up with the franchise in one way or another ever since A New Hope in 1977.

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By  Chris Harkin

Aside from the three iconic, yet also divisive, movie trilogies, there have been two Disney projects and one often-forgotten animated film, bringing the total number of Star Wars movies to 12. Having been released over quite a long period of time, each era of Star Wars typically appeals to different audiences. However, in terms of the movies' opening scenes, there are some that simply remain beloved and iconic that even the newest projects can't top them.

12 Star Wars: The Clone Wars

A Forgotten Movie Which Paved The Way For A New Star Wars Chapter

The Clone Wars movie established the premise of the animated TV series that would soon follow. The mainline Star Wars films didn’t show much of the actual Clone Wars, but this film attempted to show new characters and both familiar and lesser-known Jedi and the events they participated in early on in the war.

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By  Jake Fillery

The opening scene clearly shows the Chancellor, aka Darth Sidious,’ massive influence on Republic events. He's the one who persuades Mace Windu to assist Jabba the Hutt in rescuing his kidnapped son, something the Separatist forces he’s behind had done. The mention of ‘Skywalker’ and ‘Kenobi’ makes viewers slightly more interested in the film which depicts this iconic duo on a completely new mission.

11 The Rise of Skywalker

"Somehow Palpatine Returns" In The Film's Opening

This opening starts rather intensely with Kylo Ren having killed a lot of people on Mustafar, showing his ruthlessness and how he demands zero threat to his power now he is the Supreme Leader. He finds the Sith Wayfinder and travels to Exegol, but then one of the most controversial things in the sequel trilogy occurs: Darth Sidious' apparent return.

Ren is determined to eliminate any threat to his power, including the Sith Lord, however Palpatine tries to manipulate him. The lighting is dark and a sense of fear is created with the uncanniness of Palpatine’s clone and the reveal of his massive fleet of Star Destroyers called the ‘Final Order' sets up a grand climax to this divisive trilogy.

10 The Last Jedi

Doesn't Start The Best, But Depicts An Epic Battle

The infamous The Last Jedi may have split the Star Wars fanbase down the middle, but it has one of the most action-packed openings. The Resistance has been discovered and attacked by the First Order in the middle of the evacuation, and the scene sees Poe take on a dreadnought by himself, even disobeying General Organa’s direct orders.

Though it starts with some very cringy dialogue and a misfitted attempt at humor, the scene improves from then, especially how it depicts Paige Tico’s desperate struggle and ultimate sacrifice so the resistance could safely flee.

9 Solo: A Star Wars Story

Unique, Yet Controversial

Solo: A Star Wars Story has a wildly different opening, and starts the film very differently than what fans are used to with Star Wars. Set on the planet Corellia, it shows Han and Qi’ra trying to escape life under the evil Lady Proxima and improve their chances of a better life on another planet.

The chase scene is gripping, even if the scene's lighting throughout is too gloomy and dark. However, the scene's biggest issue is, for many fans, the explanation of where Han got his surname ‘Solo’ from. It seems a shame, for many viewers, to destroy such an iconic name for the many who grew up with the older movies and the nostalgia that brings. Instead, this explanation feels flat and lifeless.

8 The Phantom Menace

Shows A Lot Going On Behind The Scenes

The first prequel marked a new era for Star Wars and introduced many new characters. It starts with a young Obi-Wan and Master Qui-Gon Jinn who are on a diplomatic mission to settle a dispute with the Neimoidians. However, things quickly take a turn for the worse as they are attacked by battle droids and almost gassed.

It's revealed the Neimoidian's answer to a mysterious silhouette, who is in fact “the Phantom Menace,” who orders them to invade the innocent planet Naboo and kill the Jedi. It may start more slowly and a bit bland, but it's clear there's a wider threat to the galaxy even in this opening. Despite the seemingly monotonous dialogue about trade disputes, there's a sense of tension and action as the Jedi try to escape.

7 The Return of the Jedi

Signifies A Looming Threat

Once again, the scene begins with a Star Destroyer, amidst a fantastic establishing shot of the Second Death Star, which was advanced special effects for the time. It focuses on many different Empire personnel making arrangements for a smaller shuttle’s arrival on the new Death Star, that of Darth Vader himself. Clever camera angles make his disembarking the shuttle even more menacing and emphasize his intimidating presence.

The scene's pacing is slower, but it builds suspense and a strong sense of foreboding for introducing the Emperor and his demands for them to complete the Second Death Star soon. It establishes a thrilling conclusion to the original trilogy and for what dreadful things the Empire has planned this time.

6 Attack of The Clones

Fantastic Visual Storytelling

The second prequel movie starts with a graceful opening shot of Senator Amidala's spaceship gracefully landing on the planet Coruscant. The opening visuals are stunning for the time, but there’s a sense of dread overhanging the whole scene foreshadowed by the ominous music. The fact Coruscant's surface is very misty foreshadows that the Sith are on the rise and events are going to get darker.

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By  Greg Gomez

Just when Captain Typho assures Amidala that there is no threat, and they prepare to leave the ship, there's a massive explosion that kills Amidala's decoy and destroys her ship. Though it may seem less exciting and iconic than most Star Wars openings, it's undeniable how well the cinematographic elements work with each other in this scene.

5 The Empire Strikes Back

Short, But Sweet

The beloved sequel to the original movie doesn’t have the longest opening scene, beginning with the Star Destroyer dispatching Probe Droids to the icy planet beneath, Hoth. The scene establishes the brutal planet Hoth is and a sense of intrigue as Luke and Han are seen riding new creatures through the snowy landscape.

The scene focuses on Luke investigating the area when suddenly he is attacked by a monstrous creature, the Wampa, and dragged away. This short scene sets up a feeling of mystery and interest as, one by one, the characters realize he’s missing and viewers hope to see what will become of him soon.

4 The Force Awakens

A Good Narrative Is Conveyed, Even In Its Opening Scene

The sequel trilogy came out at a time of great hype, and the opening shot of recognizable yet also different Stormtroopers appeals to this. Immediately, the tone is set to be dark and serious, made clear by the establishing shot of the Star Destroyer’s shadow engulfing the whole planet, and the flickering light on and off the band of stormtroopers descending towards the planet.

The scene quickly gets tense as the stormtroopers arrive and start attacking the village and its people. The scene does a fantastic job of setting the scene for Finn as the cinematography, despite him wearing a helmet, is excellent. Though Kylo Ren is similar to Darth Vader, he was also well introduced as an intimidating villain from the get-go. This scene is rife with tension due to the catastrophic events established here, which were a highly promising start to the new trilogy.

3 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Sets Up A Much Darker Plot

This scene opens with heightened tension as Krennic’s fleet lands in a remote location, tracking down Galen Erso to get him to join the Empire. The bleak location and heightened sense of tension as Galen’s family tries to run away indicate this is a much darker Star Wars story.

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By  Kristy Ambrose

The scene mainly follows a young Jyn Erso hiding from Krennic’s forces, but she’s torn since she doesn't want to leave her family. After Krennic kills Galen’s wife, she’s forced to flee and await rescue in a bunker. This whole scene immediately opens with a serious moment, which captivates viewers and sets up some great storytelling. With no bad attempts at humor, this is straight to the point and well done.