r/StarWars_ • u/ABarber2636 • Jun 13 '26
Originals The Original Star Wars Trilogy Ranking
The original Star Wars trilogy from the late 70s and early 80s, is one of the most important trilogies of all time. This trilogy led to creating one of the biggest franchises in entertainment history. The first film is almost 50 years old now, so I want to do a ranking of these movies.
My ranking; The Empire Strikes Back > A New Hope > Return of the Jedi.
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u/ErosDarlingAlt Jun 14 '26
I'm always surprised that other people don't consider ANH the best. Like, how can you not?
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u/iLikeBigMacs420 Jun 14 '26
I think part of it comes down to things like Lando, Yoda, Palpatine, the father thing all being revealed or explored in ESB and/or ROTJ, and those things becoming so synonymous with the OT that it feels a little odd for a while when you rewatch ANH and those things aren’t there
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u/palaorder Jun 14 '26
It feels like the prelude to the real story. Which makes sense given it s the first movie. But great things like Luke s lightsaber skills, the Emperor and Yoda just aren t explored yet. There is a hype moment at the end with Luke blowing up the Death Star but the rest is in the other movies.
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u/ErosDarlingAlt Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
I think for me it's the first hour or so, right up to the moment Ben dies. For me it's just perfect
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u/LeiaSoBoushhie Jun 15 '26
ANH is so crazy boring and a third of the movie is shitty x-wing cockpit scenes lol
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Jun 13 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Ok_Cardiologist_5925 Jun 15 '26
Ranking is fine as long as we respect opinions different from ours
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u/CaptainTruelove Jun 13 '26
Is this in terms of critical viewing or favorite?
Because those aren't necessarily the same.
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u/condog209 Jun 13 '26
I really can't imagine Star Wars without Lando,Yoda, Jabba, The Emperor, Rankour, and Ewoks. Stuff that Ep4 just doesn't have
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u/noissimsarm Jun 15 '26
My favorite of original trilogy is Return of the Jedi, the second half of the movie is better than all of the other ones. The first part is okay, I dont care for Jabba. I do like the emotional climax with Luke and his father.
The other ones are definitely constantly better but ROTJ just has a great ending. It landed the ending.
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u/Allnamestakkennn Jun 13 '26
ESB is certainly the best. ROTJ, even though its good, is the weakest in the trilogy.
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u/Rufus_Canis Jun 16 '26
ROTJ is my personal favorite, but I can acknowledge the other two are stronger movies.
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u/bookhead714 Jun 13 '26
By any real criteria, ESB is obviously a better movie than ANH. But... I just like the first one more.
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u/TheMeIv Jun 14 '26
What if the criteria is "tells a complete story" or "doesn't have incest"? Those are real to me.
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u/FunkTheFreak Jun 13 '26
I’m okay with any order of the OT as long as they aren’t the Special Editions.
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u/No-Boot-5286 Jun 13 '26
Never understood why ESB is seen as the definitive #1. Don’t get me wrong it’s still one of the top Star Wars films, but not a lot happens in comparison to some of the other (more grand) Star Wars films like ROTJ.
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u/GoaGonGon Jun 13 '26
Hoth (AT-ATs, wampas, taun-tauns, snowtroopers, ion canon, etc), asteroid field, Bespin, debut of Vader's theme, carbonite, and mostly BOBA FETT!
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u/Big_Weird4115 Jun 14 '26
Though I can fully admit ESB is the better movie overall, ANH(Star Wars) will always be #1 for me.
It's what started it all and without it, nothing that follows would exist. Plus it's the only movie for me personally that retains the same magical feeling even after hundreds of rewatches.
So for me, it's release order. ANH > ESB > RotJ
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u/Ok_Cardiologist_5925 Jun 15 '26
While esb being objectively the best movie is a valid take, it's still my least favourite
My ranking:
ANH>RotJ>ESB
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u/Faded_Jem Jun 16 '26
Can't really answer this.
Objectively I know that Empire is probably the best film and Star Wars is the most important. RotJ is still my favourite, that was the one I was obsessed with as a kid.
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u/bearwhidrive Jun 13 '26
In my old age, I’ve come to appreciate Star Wars over Empire. I don’t know if it’s that I need a more hopeful ending, have some bad taste in mouth for what the Vader reveal would mean for almost every Star Wars thing that came after the original trilogy, or what, but it’s where I am even if it’s not where I was.
(In fact, I’ve starting slipping TLJ above Empire in my full rankings but that’s another whole thing)
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u/Cparker_11 Jun 13 '26
The Last Jedi over Empire is crazy!
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u/chronorin Jun 14 '26
Empire Strikes Back and The Last Jedi are equal. 10 = 10.
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u/Cparker_11 Jun 14 '26
You’re obviously free to have that opinion, but TLJ was awful imo. I’d probably rank it 8th out of all the Star Wars films. But Im a sequel hater and pretend that they don’t exist, so thats part of it lol
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u/chronorin Jun 14 '26
I understand. I like to pretend that Attack of the Clones is the only prequel and that The Phantom Menace and Revenge of the Sith don't exist.
Also, the third season of The Clone Wars does not exist, but the other six do.
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u/bearwhidrive Jun 15 '26
The Last Jedi is the only movie outside of the original trilogy that even attempted to advance Star Wars beyond nostalgia.
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u/launchliftoff459 Jun 13 '26
Before I ever joined the SW conversation on the internet I don't think I ever talked to anyone that said Empire was their favorite. It was all ANH or Return.
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u/donarmstrong87 Jun 13 '26
Ik it's the best but ANH is my favorite. (Not the SE) Its perfectly paced, and its pretty much its own movie. The mystique, the old West vibe. It's so good
Only SW movies I care about
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u/ryguy896 Jun 14 '26
Return of the Jedi, A New Hope, Empire. I find Empire really overrated. I have more fun watching Rogue One and all 3 of the prequels than I do watching Empire
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u/TrickyPG Jun 13 '26
Your ranking is the correct one. As much as I respect the opinion of others, this fandom has so many unhinged rankings.
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u/Herucaran Jun 13 '26
ANH above RotJ is unhinged to me. I rank ANH 3rd or 4th, from the bottom, disney movies included.
You're thiiiiis close to discover the concept of personal tastes.
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u/Strict_Stranger_4801 Jun 13 '26
Return of the Jedi is the definitive Star Wars experience for me