The 10 Best Space Battles In Star Wars (original) (raw)

Published Dec 30, 2023, 12:30 PM EST

Clarence Snell is currently a writer for Screen Rant. He has always dreamed of being a writer and has Bachelor's Degrees in both English and in Film. He is a published poet, and in high school he both wrote and performed in his very own Batman parody musical.

Summary

• Star Wars focuses on dogfighting rather than capital ship battles, evoking emotions similar to World War II movies.
• Each movie features at least one space battle, showcasing the military strength of each side.
• The battles have visually stunning visuals and often depict a small rebel force against a larger army.

When George Lucas called his franchise "Star Wars," he wasn't kidding around - and these are the best space battles since 1977. Unlike many other science-fiction franchises, Star Wars has always tended to focus in on dogfighting rather than slugfests between capital ships. This was a deliberate decision on George Lucas' part, because he wanted to evoke the same kind of emotional response as dogfights in World War II movies.

Every Star Wars movie has featured at least one space battle. These naval spectacles are one of the things the franchise is best known for, and they often end up being the climax. Each battle includes an element of starship combat, pitting one military force versus another. This is a good way to visually represent the military strength of each side and more often than not, these battles show a small rebel force going against a much bigger army. Here are the 10 best space battles in all of Star Wars.

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10 Battle of Naboo

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

The Battle of Naboo is the climax of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, and brings about the end of the Trade Federation invasion of Naboo. It is split between grassy plains filled with droids and Gungans on the one hand, and space above the planet on the other. There, a young Anakin Skywalker strikes the decisive blow against the Trade Federation. The CGI of 1999 can at times look a little dated, but it still manages to make the Trade Federation seem like a genuine threat. However, because much of the focus is split between the planet's surface and the battle above, the pacing of the battle can seem a bit slow.

9 Battle of Exegol

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

The Battle of Exegol rages in the skies above an ancient Sith redoubt, with the Resistance struggling against the Final Order. Only the arrival of the Galaxy Fleet saves the day, but this feels forced and a little contradictory after the galaxy ignored Leia's appeal for help in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Meanwhile, very little screen time is actually centered on this, with the focus instead lying on Rey's confrontation with Palpatine. The battle is, however, host to some spectacular visuals as the ships do battle over the dusty planet.

8 Shadow of Malevolence

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 1, episode 3, "Shadow of Malevolence" refers to a battle in which the Jedi engage the Separatist superweapon known as the Malevolence. Anakin Skywalker and his Shadow Squadron fight against the massive ship to evacuate a medical facility. Although the animated style is a little dated, especially in comparison to later episodes of The Clone Wars, this is a character-rich conflict that shows the relationship between the young Ahsoka and masters Anakin Skywalker and Plo Koon. This is one of Anakin's first tests, making it fun to see whether his risky choices pay off.

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7 Storm Over Ryloth

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Taking place in Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 1, episode 19, this sees Ahsoka battle a droid threat over the Twi'lek planet of Ryloth. The mission is initially a failure because of Ahsoka's insubordination, making this a crucial moment in character development. It's especially important after the events of Ahsoka, which used the World Between Worlds to explore the impact it had on Ahsoka herself. This would be higher up on the list if not for the fact ti feels rather short, despite the consequences.

6 Battle of Atollon

Star Wars Rebels

Grand Admiral Thrawn was one of the few Imperial strategists to understand the importance of interdictors, which can be used to prevent other ships going into hyperspace. As seen in Star Wars Rebels season 3, episodes 21-22, Thrawn successfully traced a Rebel cell to the planet Atollon. He would have wiped them out if not for the insubordination of Admiral Konstantine, who made a single tactical mistake out of a desire for glory. The Rebels escaped - but at an unforgettably heavy price.

5 Battle of Oetchi

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

star wars holdo maneuver

Although the name may at first seem unfamiliar, the Battle of Oetchi is one of the starship battles in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. It is named after the system where the Resistance tried to lie low on the planet Crait, with the First Order trying to wipe them out. This culminates in the Holdo Maneuver, with Vice Admiral Holdo fighting back in a creative manner. This gives one of the most stunning and surprising visuals in all of Star Wars.

4 Battle of Endor

Return of the Jedi

The Millennium Falcon and the Death Star II during the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi

Taking place over the forest moon of Endor, this was the decisive battle in the Galactic Civil War - as the Rebel Alliance worked to destroy the Death Star. The Millennium Falcon leads the Death Star attack, with the battle bookending the entire original trilogy. This would rank higher, if not for the fact it copies many beats from the original Battle of Yavin.

3 Battle of Scarif

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story ends with the Battle of Scarif, the first real large-scale conflict of the Galactic Civil War. On the ground, Jyn Erso and her team work to steal the plans for the Death Star. There's a tremendous sense of tension in the battle above the planet, as Rebel forces work to get through the planetary shield - and soon find themselves overshadowed by the arrival of the Death Star. Rogue One reinforces the cost of fighting an Imperial war machine, with few making it out alive.

2 Battle of Coruscant

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

The opening scenes of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith see Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi join the Battle of Coruscant in a desperate attempt to rescue the kidnapped Chancellor Palpatine. The scale of this battle is incredibly massive, bringing together most of the characters seen in the prequel trilogy and exhibiting some of the best CGI at this point in the series. This is also a decided turning point in Revenge of the Sith and shows just how far Anakin has fallen, perhaps being the single most decisive blow to the light inside of him.

1 Battle of Yavin

Star Wars

Also known as the Miracle of Yavin, this battle - seen in the first Star Wars movie - was one of the first victories for the Rebel Alliance. In this battle, X-wing fighters attempt to destroy the Death Star by targeting its weak spot. This is perhaps one of the most famous and memorable scenes in the entire franchise, with Luke firing the decisive shot using the power of the Force. The battle itself took place in the space above the Rebel’s Yavin base, successfully preventing the destruction of the planet at the Empire’s hands. Although this fight was created and choreographed so many years ago, it still holds up today due to the careful modeling and technology created by George Lucas and the crew of Star Wars.