History TearJerker / ReturnOfTheJedi

** The look on Luke's face when he takes the mask off and sees his father's real face for the first and last time. You can tell he wasn't sure what to expect and that seeing him for what he really is -- a scarred, broken old man -- is both relieving and heartbreaking.

* Yoda's death, as he struggles to tell Luke as much as he can, and finally lets him know {{there is another}} Skywalker before {{ascending to a higher plane of existence}}. Especially after all the characterization he got in the prequels and after understanding the significance of what he said. In the [[https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151773141484576&set=vb.461363770644758&type=2&theater unseen footage of the scene from an EditDroid demonstration laserdisc posted online]], Luke takes Yoda's hand as he dies. It doesn't help that it's accompanied by a DarkReprise of the Force theme and Yoda's own theme.

* When Luke is angry that Obi-Wan lied about what happened to his father, Obi-wan calmly but soberly says that he was telling the truth, 'from a certain point of view' -- and from ''his'' point of view his good friend Anakin ''is'' dead, and Darth Vader took the place of the man he murdered.

** Shortly before that he insists that Luke doesn't understand the power of the Dark side, and that he ''must'' obey his master. While before Vader had attempted to lure Luke to the Dark Side with the promise of great power, he's now saying for the first time that the Dark Side has shackled him into servitude. The scene as a whole transforms Vader from a fearsome evil overlord into a much more tragic figure, with the implication that he is aware of how he's ruined his life but feels he cannot undo it. The backstory revealed in the prequels drives it home deeper, as Anakin turned to the Dark Side chasing the promise of power only to end up a slave once more.
* The rancor's owner sobbing because his pet has just been killed. Even worse in that this rancor was horribly abused in Jabba's care and that they're not normally killing machines, and that its owner was actively trying to escape with it.

*** [[FridgeHorror One could go further than that]]; to Luke, the rancor was a dangerous creature who needed to be killed; to the rancor keeper it was a pet. [[FridgeBrilliance Such differences in attitudes towards the rancor echo those towards real-life pets, such as between someone who was attacked by a dog and the owner of said dog.]]

** Comparing the rancor Jabba had to the ones seen on Dathomir in ''Literature/TheCourtshipOfPrincessLeia'' you can also see that Jabba's is just a child.
** The rancor's weak moan before expiring (in contrast to the frightening roars he did before) suggest that despite being a scary giant hungry beast it's a NonMaliciousMonster who is just desperately hungry 'cause it was being abused and half starved.

* Even though he didn't deserve it, you'd feel a little bad for the Gamorrean guard who fell into the Rancor pit with Luke. Hearing him squeal in fear while trying to climb out as the audience laughs callously at his luck. He may have gotten the last laugh though in the end, as he was given a far quicker death than his coworkers. Who were either killed by the explosion over the Sarlacc pit or eaten ''by'' the sarlacc (which slowly digests live prey for over 1000 years).

* No matter how you might feel about the Ewoks, you probably still get affected when one of them is killed, and another who barely avoided the blast tries to wake him up before realizing the truth. {{Speaking Simlish}} at its most moving. It's the agonized scream of the dead Ewok that sells it. Think about it from their perspective. They've openly volunteered to fight an enemy that overpowers them in every respect beyond sheer numbers. They're losing, they're being driven back, and then we get to see firsthand the consequences of their decision to fight. It's quite heartrending, and sums up the [[WarIsHell horror]] of the conflict in one short, simple scene.

** Right before he turns himself in, he tells Leia everything. In the span of only a few minutes, Leia learns that Luke is her brother, Darth Vader is her father, and Luke is going off to confront Vader, with the strong possibility that he will not return.

*** Vader's overall slumped almost lifeless stance when his son is being tortured. It really drives home how much damage Palaptine did to him.

** Anakin's funeral scene. And when Luke sees the Force ghosts of Anakin, Yoda and Obi-Wan during the victory celebration scene afterwards, it's also a great [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments heartwarming moment]].

*** In the empire falling and Anakin redeeming itself Luke’s devastation can fall beneath the cracks. From the first movie Luke’s eagerness to know more about Anakin, and breaking down after learning the truth of Darth Vader, his sorrow about having to say good bye so soon after reuniting the redeemed Anakin-especially in the funeral scene-is tangible.

*** It gets worse as of ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker''. ''Palpatine himself'' [[KarmaHoudini found a way to survive this defeat]]! Of course, it is possible that he will be in a much weaker form than previously, but still, the fact that he's going to cause even more suffering and death is enough to take away from Anakin's sacrifice, and make even the most uplifting moment in the entire saga retroactively more tragic.

* With Han Solo's death in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', Luke Skywalker's death in ''Film/TheLastJedi'', and Creator/CarrieFisher's death in 2016, followed by Leia's death in ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'', the final shot of Han, Leia, and Luke in this movie is the last time the Original Trilogy's PowerTrio appear together onscreen.
* Yoda, the venerable and universally respected Grand Master of the Jedi Council, arguably the greatest Jedi who ever lived, dies in a tiny bed in a grimy little hut on a swampy backwater planet, with only his last student, a boy he barely knows, to witness his last moments. Yet the scene is strangely fitting and stirringly poignant.

* No matter how you might feel about the Ewoks, you probably still get affected when one of them is killed, and another who barely avoided the blast tries to wake him up before realizing the truth. {{Speaking Simlish}} at its most moving. It's the agonized scream of the dead Ewok that sells it. Think about it from their perspective. They've openly volunteered to fight an enemy that overpowers them in every respect beyond sheer numbers. They're losing, they're being driven back, and then we get to see firsthand the consequences of their decision to fight. It's quite heartrending, and sums up the horror of the conflict in one short, simple scene.

* With Han Solo's death in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', Luke Skywalker's death in ''Film/TheLastJedi'', and Creator/CarrieFisher's death in 2016, followed by Leia's death in ''Film/TheRiseofSkywalker'', the final shot of Han, Leia, and Luke in this movie is the last time the Original Trilogy's PowerTrio appear together onscreen.

* Even though he didn't deserve it, you'd feel a little bad for the Gamorrean guard who fell into the Rancor pit with Luke. Hearing him squeal in fear while trying to climb out as the audience laughs callously at his luck.

* With Han Solo's death in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', Luke Skywalker's death in ''Film/TheLastJedi'', and Creator/CarrieFisher's death in 2016 followed by Leia's death in ''Film/TheRiseofSkywalker'', the final shot of Han, Leia, and Luke in this movie is the last time the Original Trilogy's PowerTrio appear together onscreen.

* With Han Solo's death in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', Luke Skywalker's death in ''Film/TheLastJedi'', and Creator/CarrieFisher's death in 2016, the final shot of Han, Leia, and Luke in this movie is the last time the Original Trilogy's PowerTrio appear together onscreen.

'''Yoda:''' ''No!'' Unfortunate that you rushed to face him! That incomplete was your training! That...[[AwfulTruth not ready for the burden, were you]].

-->'''Yoda:''' Told you, did he? Unexpected this is. And unfortunate.
-->'''Luke (angrily):''' Unfortunate that I know the truth??
-->'''Yoda:''' ''No!'' Unfortunate that you rushed to face him! That incomplete was your training! That...[[AwfulTruth not ready for the burden, were you]].

-->'''Leia''': She was very beautiful. Kind but sad...why are you asking me this?
-->'''Luke''': [[MissingMom I have no memory of my mother. I never knew her]].

* No matter how you might feel about the Ewoks, you probably still get affected when one of them is killed, and another who barely avoided the blast tries to wake him up before realizing the truth. {{Speaking Simlish}} at its most moving. It's the agonized scream of the dead Ewok that sells it. Think about it from their perspective. They've openly volunteered to fight an enemy that overpowers them in every respect beyond sheer numbers. They're losing, they're being driven back, and then we get to see firsthand the consequences of their decision to fight. Its quite heartrending, and sums up the horror of the conflict in one short, simple scene.
* Luke turns himself over to Vader on Endor, trying to reach the part of Anakin and believing that there is still good in him. Vader finally says in a tone "It is too late for me son. The Emperor will show you the true nature of the Force. He is your master now." Luke sadly responds, "Then my father is truly dead." But secretly, he still would not give up. And it's seen that Vader is truly shaken by his words...

** Early on in their fight, Luke struggles to control his anger, catching himself when he manages to knock his father down a flight of stairs. He shuts off his lightsaber and says softly, "I will not fight you, father." The sad, quietly emotional way in which Creator/MarkHamill delivers the line is quite moving.

*** Luke rising from his fetal position to witness his father saving him. You can tell not only was he ready to die but saddened realizing that his father will not survive the power lighting blasts.

** Anakin's damaged breathing as a result of taking Palaptine's lighting it just sounds... so pitiful and you can clearly tell Anakin is struggling to breathe on his own moments after Palaptine explodes. Luke crawls over to his father and gathers him into his arms, holding him close, neither saying a word in this moment of gratitude, love and redemption.

** The look on Luke's face when he takes the mask off and sees his father's real face for the first and last time. You can tell he wasn't sure what to expect and that seeing him for what he really is --a scarred, broken old man-- is both relieving and heartbreaking.

** Anakin's damaged breathing as a result of taking Palaptine's lighting it just sounds... so pitiful and you can clearly tell Anakin is struggling to breathe on his own moments after Palaptine explodes.

** Early on in their fight, Luke struggles to control his anger, catching himself when he manages to knock his father down a flight of stairs. He shuts off his lightsaber and says softly, "I will not fight you, father." The sad, quietly emotional way in which Mark Hamill delivers the line is quite moving.

*** Of course for Legends fans, they know that though the road may be long, ultimately, the galaxy will be free and the Empire eventually forced to evolve into something more in line with how its more honorable members wish it was all along.
* When the A-Wing crashes into the command room of the Super Star Destroyer and causes it to pull into the Death Star and explode, everyone in Ackbar's ship cheers in celebration, except for Ackbar who simply slumps in his chair in quiet mourning for the pilot who just sacrificed his life for the cause of freedom. Alternatively, he's slumping in relief after proving that the ''Executor''-class Star Dreadnaughts are not invincible, reflecting on the sheer number of sentient beings who just died simultaneously[[note]][[WordOfGod ~300K regular crew, ~40K ground assault force]][[/note]], or mourning the needless death of Admiral Piett, as, in Legends, Ackbar was the best man at his wedding.

-->"Life would be a lonely proposition for him from that day."

* Vader's words when Luke tries to convince him to join the Rebels and give up the Dark Side. "It is ''too late'' for me my son." He truly believes he does not deserve redemption, and that his chance for redemption vanished the day he killed Padmé.

* The rancor's owner sobbing because his pet has just been murdered. Even worse in that this rancor was horribly abused in Jabba's care and that they're not normally killing machines, and that its owner was actively trying to escape with it.

* With Han Solo's death in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', Luke Skywalker's death in ''Film/TheLastJedi'', and Creator/CarrieFisher's death in 2016, the final shot of Han, Leia, and Luke in this movie will be the last time the Original Trilogy's PowerTrio will appear together onscreen.

** Making it worse is the dead Ewok's name. What is it? ''Corpsy''.

** Plus the fact that, now that we can finally watch ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', we know [[spoiler:[[HarsherInHindsight all that happiness and rejoicing]] is not going to last for too long.]]

* With [[spoiler:Han Solo's death]] in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', [[spoiler:Luke Skywalker's death]] in ''Film/TheLastJedi'', and Creator/CarrieFisher's death in 2016, the final shot of [[spoiler:Han, Leia, and Luke in this movie will be the last time the Original Trilogy's PowerTrio will appear together onscreen.]]