Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for The Mandalorian season 3, episode 7.The story of Star Wars may ultimately be one of good triumphing over evil, but the franchise features several shocking sacrifices along the way. Even before darker entries like The Empire Strikes Back and Revenge of the Sith, George Lucas made clear that the fight for freedom wouldn't come without a cost. However, heroic character sacrifices are some of the most powerful moments in Star Wars, adding a sense of tragedy while also conveying hope for the future. Each Star Wars hero was willing to lay down their life for what they believed, revealing who they were or showing how far they'd come on their journey.
While each Star Wars movie has plenty of shocking death scenes, the TV shows have several shocking sacrifices, too. These character deaths are often just as powerful as those on the big screen, having followed these characters through several episodes, sometimes for longer than it takes to release a film trilogy. This kind of impact is even more prominent in the Star Wars books and comics, where many fans followed their favorite characters for decades before they met their demise. With so many sacrifices in every Star Wars medium, here are the 15 sacrifices that were the most shocking.
15 Obi-Wan Kenobi
The first shocking Star Wars sacrifice came in the original film, when Obi-Wan Kenobi allowed Darth Vader to strike him down. What made this scene so surprising was how Obi-Wan willingly laid down his life, realizing he couldn't escape but knowing the future was now in Luke Skywalker's hands. He met his end with no fear at all, proving what he said to Vader right by becoming more powerful than anyone could imagine. Still, that doesn't change how shocking the moment is, perfectly captured by Mark Hamill's performance when Luke becomes enraged, with Obi-Wan's equally surprising voice urging Luke to run.
14 Anakin Skywalker
After striking down his old master at the start of the original trilogy, it's fitting that Anakin Skywalker sacrificed himself at the end. Darth Vader was a terrifying villain throughout the OT, fighting his own son until the very end, which made it incredibly shocking when he threw the Emperor to his apparent death. This was the true "Return of the Jedi," bringing Anakin Skywalker back to the light and fulfilling his destiny to bring balance to the Force. Anakin's story demonstrates that no matter how far somebody has fallen, it's never too late to do the right thing, making his sacrifice a perfect end to Lucas' Star Wars saga.
13 Chewbacca
While he outlived his closest friends in canon, Chewbacca's death in Legends was one of the most shocking in all of Star Wars. The proud Wookiee met his end in Vector Prime by R.A. Salvatore, the first book in The New Jedi Order series, where he was crushed by a moon that was dragged to the planet below by Yuuzhan Vong technology. Chewbacca died saving Anakin Solo, the youngest of Han and Leia's children, and his death devastated other Star Wars characters and the fanbase. R.A. Salvatore even received death threats from certain outraged fans, though he later commented that most responses he received to Vector Prime were largely positive.
12 Anakin Solo
Anakin Solo was the next EU character to meet his end in the Yuuzhan Vong War, sacrificing himself in Troy Denning's Star by Star to save his Jedi friends and family. As Han and Leia's youngest child, Anakin's sacrifice was especially shocking and heartbreaking, especially after his character arc in The New Jedi Order. Han blamed Anakin for leaving Chewbacca behind, and he struggled to overcome his guilt throughout the war. However, Anakin grew into a strong leader, heading a mission to stop the Yuuzhan Vong from killing more Jedi. Anakin did as a true embodiment of the light, saving his siblings and giving everyone else time to escape. His death was all the more shocking coming immediately after Greg Keyes' "Edge of Victory" duology, which had starred Anakin and developed him as a character, leading many to expect him to become the next leader of the Jedi Order.
11 Ganner Rhysode
Ganner Rhysode was a member of Luke's new Jedi Order, meeting his end following the death of Anakin Solo. Despite being a Jedi, he always wanted to be a hero, and was considered brash and overconfident. However, a mission during the Yuuzhan Vong War left a large scar on his face, which he kept as a reminder to be humble. Ganner later tracked down Jacen Solo, who had been captured by the Vong after Anakin was killed, and they were both taken to Coruscant. Giving Jacen time to sabotage the Vong and escape, Ganner made use of his former overconfidence to delay them, fighting hundreds of warriors before his death. Matt Stover's Traitor is generally considered one of the most intense books in Legends, and this death was an unforgettable moment.
10 Galen Marek (aka "Starkiller")
Galen Marek was Darth Vader's secret apprentice in Star Wars Legends, appearing in the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed games and going by the codename "Starkiller" for most of his life. The son of a Jedi who survived Order 66, he was trained to be the ultimate assassin after Vader killed his father, and Vader said that together they overthrow the Emperor. Vader had Starkiller go undercover and assemble the leaders of the Rebel Alliance, which turned out to be a ploy by Palpatine to capture the rebels. Having grown to care for his new allies, Starkiller tracked Vader to the Death Star and fought his old master, and died while holding off Palpatine as the rebels escaped.
9 Rogue One
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story famously ends with all the main characters dying at the end, making their collective sacrifice one of Star Wars' most shocking. It made sense for characters to die in a dark and tragic war film, but no one could've predicted how much death was in store. Each character gets a moment dedicated to their sacrifice, completing their respective arcs in the process. The film goes a step further by having the Death Star destroy the entire base, with Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor embracing as they wait for the inevitable. Even the rebel soldiers sacrifice themselves to hold off Vader, knowing they can't escape.
8 Vice Admiral Holdo
Vice Admiral Holdo's sacrifice wasn't just a shocking death scene, it was perhaps the most surprising moment in the entire Star Wars saga. With the Resistance on the brink of annihilation, and with overwhelming odds stacked against her, Holdo made a desperate move and aimed her cruiser directly at the First Order fleet before going to lightspeed. Her gamble surprisingly paid off, scoring a million-to-one shot and destroying not only Snoke's ship, but several other ships as well. This scene's execution shocked fans so much that movie theaters had to put up signs that the silence was intentional, and the Holdo Maneuver has been endlessly debated by fans.
7 Luke Skywalker
Star Wars: The Last Jedi's final sacrifice was Luke Skywalker himself, who became one with the Force after saving the Resistance. Luke's portrayal in the sequel trilogy was already a shock for fans, so it was even more surprising that he died right after deciding to use the Force again. His method of saving the Resistance was even more surprising, leading to the iconic reveal that the Luke fighting Kylo Ren was actually a Force projection from across the galaxy. Luke lost his way for a time, but he found his way back to the light, sparking hope in the galaxy once again as he died with peace and purpose.
6 Kanan Jarrus
Kanan Jarrus was a central character throughout all four seasons of Star Wars Rebels, which made it especially heartbreaking when he eventually gave his life to save his friends. Kanan's journey throughout Rebels was extremely compelling, and his sacrifice was the culmination of everything he'd gone through to become the best Jedi in canon. Thanks to a vision through the Force, Kanan knew that he would die if he went on the mission to save Hera, but that didn't deter him at all. He tricked the Imperials into sabotaging themselves and saved the woman he loved, with the Force granting him his vision so he could see her one last time.
5 Leia Organa
Leia sacrificed so much throughout her life in the Rebellion, New Republic, and Resistance, and she made the ultimate sacrifice for her son in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Using the last of her strength, she reached out to Ben and stopped him from killing Rey, leading to his redemption later in the movie. Just like her mother before her, Leia died having faith that there was still good in someone she loved, even if her sacrifice shocked her friends and long-time Star Wars fans. However, Leia passed on everything she knew to Rey, Finn, and Poe, and would smile upon Rey after becoming one with the Force.
4 Ben Solo
Inspired by his mother and the memory of his father, Ben Solo let go of Kylo Ren and returned to the light, returning the life Force Rey had given him to save her. Ben's sacrifice was shocking because it seemed that he would survive, sharing a kiss with Rey as they savored their victory, only for him to fall to the ground and disappear along with his mother. The sequel trilogy showed that Ben was always pulled to the light, yet he always ended up choosing the dark. This made for a great surprise when he finally redeemed himself in the end, even if it cost him his life.
3 IG-11
IG-11 started The Mandalorian on a mission to kill Grogu, so nobody could've predicted that he'd eventually sacrifice himself to save the child. He initially served as living proof of Din Djarin's bias towards droids, that they were dangerous and couldn't be trusted, but his new programming showed that even assassin droids were capable of doing good. In a fitting final scene, IG-11 reinstated his manufacturer's protocol and initiated self-destruct, just as he had tried to do at the start of the series. Din never would've guessed that he'd be saddened by the loss of a droid, or that he'd trust one enough to try and repair him later on.
2 Tech
Tech's character arc in Star Wars: The Bad Batch also led to a final sacrifice that shocked fans, ending season 2 with a sense of tragedy. Genetically engineered to have an exceptional mind, Tech was often emotionally distant compared to the rest of the Bad Batch, and he didn't always know how to express his feelings in a way they'd understand. This led to a beautiful scene with Omega, where they came to understand each other better despite their obvious differences. Tech proved how much he'd grown by using Bad Batch Plan 99, letting himself fall to his death, rather than take his family down with him.
1 Paz Vizsla
The Mandalorian managed to give fans yet another shocking sacrifice when Paz Vizsla stayed behind to hold back the stormtroopers, falling in combat against Moff Gideon's Praetorian Guards. Vizsla was always presented as a foil to Din Djarin, calling out his actions and having a more pessimistic view of the galaxy. However, Vizsla also had a strong sense of honor, and he and Din earned each other's respect over time. His sacrifice was shocking because of how honorable he turned out to be, and because it seemed like he might survive. Sadly, this wasn't, but his final act of heroism demonstrated just how shocking character sacrifices can be in Star Wars.