The Rise of Skywalker, which hit theaters back in December. That blockbuster brought the franchise to a close and saw the likes of Kylo Ren, Emperor Palpatine, and Leia Organa perish amid the crunch confrontation between the Resistance and First Order toward the movie's end.
There have been deaths galore in Star Wars over the years so we now take a look at the best the series served up — as well as the worst.
Best: Palpatine (The First Time Around)
Palpatine returns in The Rise of Skywalker, despite appearing to plummet to his death back in Return of the Jedi. Upon coming back he informs Ben Solo that he did indeed die when Darth Vader threw him down the chute of the second Death Star, while the official novelisation later reveals that he was able to survive by transferring his spirit to a crumbling clone.
His death the first time around was perfect, though. Vader's act of treachery stunned audiences at the time, making it one of the biggest scenes in movie history. Killing Palpatine wasn't enough to stop him, however...
Worst: Palpatine (The Second Time Around)
As Palpatine DID die at the end of Return of the Jedi, we feel it's acceptable to have on this list. And falling under the worst category is how the Sith Lord perishes in The Rise of Skywalker.
Nothing about his return made much sense and, therefore, it's only right that his death fall under this category as well. He dies because Rey is able to repel his force lightning. Obviously, in order to stop this, the former Emperor should have just stopped firing the stuff. Instead he carries on until his face melts and his body combusts which, when you consider just how big a villain the character is, didn't leave everyone satisfied.
Best: Supreme Leader Snoke
Despite the sequel trilogy being finished now, we still don't know too much about the mysterious Supreme Leader Snoke. One thing we do know, however, is just how brilliant his death was.
It was genuinely the most-surprising moment of The Last Jedi when Kylo Ren impales his master, despite being widely expected to kill Rey instead. While it was a divisive decision, it was one that certainly made the blockbuster significantly better. Snoke also dies as a result of his own arrogance, making Kylo's act of murder that bit more satisfying in the process.
Worst: Count Dooku
Count Dooku showed just how powerful he was in Attack of the Clones when he bested both Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as holding his own against Master Yoda. But, in Revenge of the Sith, he does nowhere near a well
The Sith Lord defeats Kenobi but falls to Skywalker. Just before he's about to die he has the perfect chance to save himself and out Palpatine as the Sith Lord but, for baffling reasons, he chooses to stay silent. Had he spoken up he would have lived to fight another die.
Best: Jango Fett
Jango Fett was introduced in 2002's Attack of the Clones and he immediately established himself as a popular character and capable antagonist of the movie. He pushes Obi-Wan Kenobi to his limit and also fights at the battle of Geonosis towards the blockbuster's end.
His death is epic, too, with the Bounty Hunter wiping out a Geonososian beast before squaring up to Mace Windu. He attempts to kill the Jedi Knight but is beheaded, with son Boba Fett then cradling his helmet in one of the most-iconic scenes of the movie.
Worst: Boba Fett
While Jango dies an epic death, the same can't be said for son Boba Fett, who perishes in 1983's Return of the Jedi.
Big things had been expected of the Bounty Hunter following his introduction in The Empire Strikes Back but, unlike his father, the character turned out to be something of a letdown. Boba falls into the Sarlaac pit in a fluke incident, taking the tumble after being bumped into by Han Solo. George Lucas later itted he should have given Boba a better send-off as a result of the assassin's huge popularity.
Best: Jabba The Hutt
Jabba the Hutt is a loathsome individual. Not only is he hideous to look at he's equally ugly on the inside, taking great pleasure in putting people through the ringer and leaving them for dead if he deems it suitable.
Fortunately, he gets his comeuppance in Return of the Jedi where he's strangled by Leia Organa. This showed just how powerful a female character she was and how she was more than your average Princess. It was a landmark moment for its time and it was fitting that the giant slug died at the hands of somebody he'd imprisoned earlier in the movie.
Worst: Darth Maul
We're not talking about Darth Maul's apparent death in The Phantom Menace, but his actual ing in season two of Star Wars: Rebels instead.
Fans had been hyping over the prospect of a big showdown between Maul and long-term adversary Obi-Wan Kenobi on the planet of Tatooine. The fight is all too brief, however, lasting less than 20 seconds with Kenobi managing to easily beat his enemy. Given how their relationship had dominated Maul's character arc, fans were left aggrieved. They wanted something bigger and better instead.
Best: Darth Vader
When Darth Vader made his first appearance in 1977's A New Hope, fans knew next to nothing about the villain. However, over time they were able to piece bits of information together and by the time of his death in Return of the Jedi fans were eager to see who and what sat underneath his iconic mask.
The answer? A man. Vader was a man, albeit one that had become increasingly mechanical over the years. His decision to turn on Palpatine sent shockwaves around the world at the time and his final scene with Luke Skywalker was a touching one. We're glad that, unlike his master, Vader stayed dead given just how perfectly-handled his death was.
Worst: General Hux
General Hux had a promising debut in The Force Awakens, drawing comparisons with the legendary Grand Moff Tarkin in the immediate aftermath of the movie. In The Last Jedi his character regressed, however, meaning expectations were low for The Rise of Skywalker.
Hux, in the final movie of the Skywalker saga, is useless. He openly confesses to being a mole in The First Order and, while everything had pointed to Kylo Ren killing him, it's left to General Allegiant Pryde instead. Hux is now considered to be one of the biggest wastes of potential within the whole Star Wars saga.
