Star Wars movies and TV showshas experienced numerous terrifying, eerie, and distressing moments throughout the franchise’s almost 50-year history, but these 10 are the most unsettlingStar Warsmoments of every kind. ‘Disturbing’ can have various meanings, from eerie to outrageous to concerning, and at different times inthe Star Wars timeline, any of those terms could be used.
In the end, this is a franchise that has always centered around war, and fromA New Hope (then just called Star Wars) on, these films and series have seldom held back in portraying how brutal war, and the consequences of war, can be. Arguably, this has only become more accurate over time.
Star Wars has also made decisions that have confused viewers, some of which could definitely be described as unsettling. With these various interpretations of unsettling in mind,here are the 10 most unsettling scenes from everythingStar Wars’ Canon films and television series.
The Sibling Kiss Between Luke and Leia
Impressively, The romantic kiss between Luke and Leia inThe Empire Strikes Back makes the list of Star Wars’ top 10 disturbing moments, but there are several things that surpass it because they portray violence, predatory behavior, and/or harsh deaths. Regardless, Luke and Leia’s kiss remains one of the most awkward moments inStar Wars, all due to a retcon.
That is, when Luke and Leia shared a kiss inThe Empire Strikes Back In 1980, it appeared relatively harmless. It was already evident in the film that Leia had a strong affection for Han Solo, making this a brief, minor kiss that didn’t seem to signify anything more.
However, a few years afterward,Return of the Jedi it was disclosed that Luke and Leia were indeed siblings (and they were subsequently found to be twins).
This made the Empire Strikes Back kiss between Luke and Leia was not a harmless act of teasing to make Han envious, but rather an (unintentional) moment of incestuousness. Try as Star Wars might need to walk it back and downplay this, it remains more than a little uncomfortable to watch or even recall that scene now.
Ahsoka Tano’s Slave Arc
There are multiple narratives about slavery present hereStar Wars, many related to the members ofthe Skywalker family themselves. However, Star Wars: The Clone Warhad a notably unsettling storyline involving slavery, where Anakin’s Jedi apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, was “sold” into bondage while she, Anakin, and Obi-Wan Kenobi were on an undercover mission.
Besides the clearly distressing storyline from the start, there was a subtle element throughout the entire narrative that was very unsettling. Although it never crossed into being explicitly sexual, Ahsoka’s attire, along with several characters who stared at her in a suggestive manner (including one instance when Ahsoka was actually in a cage), was sufficient to imply something inappropriate.
Fortunately, this was temporary, and no real consequences came from the unsettling remarks made towards Ahsoka, but this tale continues to be one ofStar Wars’ most unsettling—particularly because, although this takes place in a distant galaxy, it is clearly something that has real-world parallels.
Shmi Skywalker’s Gruesome Death
Many disturbing Star Warsmoments are especially intense in character. This holds true for the passing of Shmi Skywalker, Anakin’s mother, which is one of the most sorrowful deaths inStar Wars. In Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Shmi was presented as a gentle, altruistic mother who allowed Anakin to leave with the Jedi, despite being left alone as a result.
It appeared that Anakin might never see his mother again after joining the Jedi Order, particularly due to their restriction on emotional attachments, but as he started experiencing dreams about his mother inStar Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, he could no longer endure it and went to Tatooine to locate her.
Unfortunately, Anakin learned that she had been captured by Tusken Raiders. When he finally found her—bound and injured—there was nothing he could do. She passed away in his arms shortly after he reached her. One of the most unsettling parts of her death was how arbitrary the kidnapping and suffering appeared to be.
Bix Suffering in Star Wars: Andor Season 1
Although it was distressing to learn that the Tusken Raiders had violently harmed Shmi Skywalker, we did not actually see the act—only its consequences. This was not the case with Bix Caleen’s torture inAndor Season 1, which was significantly more difficult to endure. Specifically, Bix was connected to a device that played the final cries of a population.
This was designed to drive the listener, in essence, to insanity. We then witnessed the consequences of this torment inAndor Season 2, during which Bix kept showing signs of the trauma. Even several years later, Bix was still experiencing nightmares and hallucinations related to the terrible incident.
That further understanding of how the torture impacted Bix over time only heightens the emotional impact of the original scene. There were also several other troubling events that Bix endured inAndor Season 2, specifically the scene where the Imperial officer tries to assault her, but Bix manages to defend herself, resulting in this being her most unsettling moment.
Leia’s Subjugation by Jabba the Hutt
Like Ahsoka (and Anakin and Shmi), Leia Organa experienced a short time when she was enslaved. In Leia’s situation, this occurred at the beginning ofReturn of the Jedi, which depicted her literally bound to Jabba the Hutt. In contrast, Ahsoka never endured any sexual abuse, whereas Leia’s enslavement was clearly of a sexual nature.
These moments and the attire Leia had to wear for Jabba have also become (unfortunately) famous, but that does not take away from how truly unsettling this scenario is for Leia. It was genuinely heartbreaking, and remains so even now, to witness a brave hero being demeaned and controlled in this manner, especially due to the sexual connotations involved.
Star Wars has made efforts to improve the distressing nature of these scenes, however, by rebranding this scenario with the title ‘Hutt Slayer Leia,’highlighting that, ultimately, Leia used her own chains to kill her captor—a striking instance of poetic justice.
Kylo Ren Murders Han Solo
There have been numerous violent deaths inStar Wars over the years, but one of the most unsettling (and most debated) was Han Solo’s demise inStar Wars: The Force Awakens. There are several elements that contribute to this being an exceptionally terrifying demise. Firstly, Han Solo is highly cherished and one ofStar Wars’ best characters.
That was partly why Han’s death caused so much debate. The circumstances of his death, at the hands of his own son, Kylo Ren/Ben Solo, were especially disturbing. Han was facing his son, trying to assist him, only for Kylo to stab him, making this one of the most shocking and hard-to-watch deaths in…Star Wars.
There was some resolution concerning this death inStar Wars: The Return of SkywalkerWhen Han returned to Kylo/Ben as a memory, and father and son had an emotional moment. However, since this was only a memory of Han, not something like a Force Ghost (which Han couldn’t have become), it didn’t fully mend the pain.
Leia Observing the Death Star Destroying Alderaan
There have been several instances of mass casualties recentlyStar Wars, more violent than others, but the very first was the annihilation of Alderaan inA New HopeThis moment was when we first witnessed the Death Star in action and understood the true cruelty of the Empire. What makes this particularly disturbing is the involvement of Leia.
Not only did the Death Star destroy her entire planet, including her adoptive parents and many people she cared about, but Leia was also trapped and had to witness the annihilation of her home. This is one of the most heartless moments in the series so far.Star Wars movies and shows, and Star Wars eventually made things worse.
In other words, the revelation that Darth Vader is Luke’s father and the following twist that Luke and Leia are siblings meant thatNot only did Leia’s planet get destroyed before her eyes, but it was also her biological father who carried out the destruction.It’s unimaginable how terrifying this must have been for Leia, but it’s definitely unsettling.
Anakin Massacring Younglings in Order 66
One of the most famous terrifying instances inStar Wars Was Anakin/Darth Vader’s massacre of the younglings during Order 66 in Star Wars: Episode III – Return of the Sith. Although this moment has turned into a meme and a lighthearted joke among fans, it is actually one of the most heart-wrenching scenes inStar Wars.
Thankfully, Revenge of the Sith held back from actually showing this massacre, but the meaning behind Anakin turning on his lightsaber and a young boy (who resembles young Anakin) recoiling in fear is more than sufficient. What makes this scene especially heartbreaking is where Anakin discovers the children.
Specifically, the younglings definitely headed to the Jedi Council Chambers since they thought it would be a secure place, and upon seeing Anakin Skywalker enter the room, they assumed someone had arrived to rescue them. However, Anakin ends up killing all the children, making this one of the most disturbing moments.Star Wars’ most disturbing scenes.
Anakin Choking Padmé
Even though there have, of course, been instances that showed considerably more violence and loss,there’s something particularly unsettling about Anakin suffocating Padmé until she loses consciousness inRevenge of the Sith. For one, unlike the scene with the younglings in Order 66, thisRevenge of the Sith scene shows the attack.
What enhances the harshness of this scene is the reality that Anakin is suffocating his pregnant wife. Beyond being disturbing within the narrative, this moment feels uncomfortably close to real-life situations. Specifically, the events involving Anakin and Padmé on Mustafar reflect real-world domestic abuse.
This is also their final meeting, and it concludes with Padmé begging Anakin and expressing her love for him, only for Anakin to abandon her lying on the ground on Mustafar. WithPadmé’s deathshortly after, particularly as she appears to succumb to despair, this scene takes on an even more somber tone.
The Ghorman Massacre
The most alarming instance inStar Wars so far has only been shown this year, inAndor season 2. Specifically, the Ghorman Massacre, which witnessed the Empire commit a brutal massacre of peaceful demonstrators, was one of the most horrifying moments ever shown on theStar Wars screen, and it surpasses all that has come before.
This is clearly not the first tragedy we have witnessed.Star WarsGenocide has been a recurring element in the franchise since its start. However, we have never witnessed such an intimate portrayal of what this experience is like for individuals on the ground. Observing bodies being crushed against walls and seeing innocent people shot down is significantly different from watching a planet explode.
The reality that the crowd was chanting a peaceful tune right before the massacre started made it all the more disturbing to witness. Therefore, even thoughStar Wars has experienced several troubling instances, none more distressing than the Ghorman Massacre.
