The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith are often considered the best Star Wars films in their respective trilogies. Both movies feature strong opening sequences with plenty of action, immediately drawing the audience into the galaxy far, far away. Both movies also feature strong endings that lead directly into the next film in the series. And despite The Empire Strikes Back being over four decades old and Revenge of the Sith turning twenty soon, both films’ graphics have stood the test of time and still dazzle to this day.
While The Empire Strikes Back and Revenge of the Sith share some similarities with one another, they’re often considered the best Star Wars movies for entirely different reasons. For one thing, The Empire Strikes Back sits in the middle of the original trilogy, and must therefore build upon A New Hope while simultaneously setting up The Return of the Jedi. Meanwhile, Revenge of the Sith rounds out the prequel trilogy and must neatly wrap up all the loose threads of the two movies that precede it.
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10 Empire Strikes Back Has One Of The Greatest Plot Twists In Movie History
Even the fake twist in the screenplay was good
“I am your father” has easily become one of the most shocking and well-known plot twists of all time. Even those who have never seen a Star Wars movie are usually aware of the gravity Darth Vader’s announcement holds within the franchise. Because the showrunners used an alternative fake line in The Empire Strikes Back screenplay, only a handful of people on the production knew the truth of Vader’s iconic reveal. When the film finally released in theaters, the audience shared Luke Skywalker’s shock at finding out the horrific truth concerning his parentage.
9 Revenge Of The Sith Has The Best Lightsaber Fight Ever
And it’s not even close
With its meticulous choreography, dramatic music, and perilous locale, Anakin versus Obi-Wan is easily the best lightsaber fight Star Wars has ever done. The amount of dedication and training Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor poured into bringing their fight is unparalleled. Revenge of the Sith set the bar for lightsaber fighting so high that almost every Star Wars project with lightsabers since has tried and failed to replicate the sheer brilliance of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s duel.
8 Empire Strikes Back Has The Best Dialogue In The Franchise
Never tell Han the odds
In the rest of the Star Wars franchise, George Lucas’ dialogue can sometimes come off as corny or clunky. But Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan’s dialogue is easily the best in the franchise, to the point where the banter in The Empire Strikes Back “feels” real. The comical lines, such as Leia’s “scruffy-looking nerf herder,” help buoy the movie from becoming too dark. At the same time, the audience sees Han and Leia’s secret romance bubble beneath their constant arguing. Every line in The Empire Strikes Back feels like it belongs.
7 Revenge Of The Sith Has The Most Memeable Lines In The Franchise
Hello there
On the other hand, Revenge of the Sith has a healthy mix of some dramatic and corny lines, almost all of which are memorable and quotable. Prequel trilogy memes have a whole following of their own, and some of the best memes in Star Wars come from Revenge of the Sith. From Anakin’s “This is where the fun begins,” to Obi-Wan’s “I have the high ground,” Revenge of the Sith offers some of the most dramatically hilarious lines in Star Wars.
6 Empire Strikes Back Doesn’t Have A Single Wasted Scene
Regardless of Luke and Leia’s kiss
The Empire Strikes Back is the perfect example of a screenplay polished to perfection. The movie opens with a literal “Star War” as the Empire tries to snuff out the remaining rebels on Hoth. Afterward, it beautifully juxtaposes Luke’s downbeat training with Yoda on Dagobah with Han, Leia, and Chewie’s high-stakes asteroid escape. All the while, Empire Strikes Back grows its characters through meaningful hardships. Then, it brings the cast back together for a climactic finale in the clouds of Bespin.
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5 Revenge Of The Sith Is The Most Heartbreaking Star Wars Movie
“You were my brother Anakin”
Much like Obi-Wan, the audience is shackled to watching Anakin make bad decision after bad decision the longer Revenge of the Sith goes on. Due to Palpatine’s influence, Anakin ultimately leads himself and his loved ones down the path of destruction. Order 66 not only marks the tragic beginning of Darth Vader, but it also shows hundreds of Jedi across the galaxy who were wiped out by the clones they called friends. No other Star Wars film features the level of betrayal Anakin brought about for his wife, only for Padmé to die without him in the end.
4 Empire Strikes Back Has The Most Realistic Star Wars Ending
And maybe the grittiest in the franchise
While Darth Vader’s “I am your father” line was certainly iconic, Han Solo’s carbonite freezing was arguably even more shocking. Empire Strikes Back subverted all “happy ending” expectations the audience had coming off of A New Hope. Instead, the movie punished Luke for leaving his training with Yoda early, and it punished Han for trusting Lando. The darker ending of Empire Strikes Back helped set the standard for middle franchise films to come.
3 Revenge Of The Sith Has The Most Climactic Star Wars Ending
Lucas spared no expense
While The Empire Strikes Back has a shocking and emotionally charged ending, Revenge of the Sith has a visually stunning one. Order 66, Yoda versus Palpatine, and Anakin versus Obi-Wan are all breathtaking spectacles that round out the prequel trilogy with panache. Here, Lucas really goes all out in bringing his grandiose vision to life. With the creation of Darth Vader and the birth of Leia and Luke, Lucas beautifully sets up A New Hope and the rest of the original trilogy.
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2 Empire Strikes Back Is One Of The Most Impressive Sequels Ever
Somehow, it managed to improve on everything in A New Hope
It seemed almost impossible to follow up the cultural phenomenon of A New Hope with something better, yet Empire Strikes Back managed to set the bar even higher with its fantastic character dialogue, dynamic locales, and nail-biting action. The movie has a range of color from the white snows of Hoth, the dark greens of Dagobah, and the soft orange sky of Bespin, all of which improve on the stark, colorless Death Star and sepia sands of Tatooine that make up A New Hope.
1 Revenge Of The Sith Is Most Macro Star Wars Movie
Why else does the franchise keep referencing Order 66 every chance they get?
Order 66 and the formation of the Galactic Empire are events that reverberate throughout the future of the galaxy. The Galactic Republic stood for over a millennium, while the Jedi Order had existed for over twenty-five thousand years. These behemoth organizations were humbled because of the machinations of a single Sith Lord who managed to bring the galaxy to its knees in one fell swoop. In any case, both Empire Strikes Back and Revenge of the Sith are some of the best movies Star Wars has to offer.
