After 1977’s Star Wars changed the face of cinema and its 1980 sequel The Empire Strikes Back took a subversively dark turn to tell an arguably even stronger story, 1983’s Return of the Jedi was nowhere near as widely acclaimed. While it’s generally considered to be a satisfying finale to the saga, the Ewoks, the lighthearted tone, and Boba Fett’s disappointing death scene were all met with mixed reviews.
Still, as with any Star Wars movie, John Williams’ score was universally praised. When fans can’t agree on a Star Wars movie’s tone, storytelling, or character work, they can all agree that Williams’ music makes Star Wars feel like Star Wars.
Lapti Nek (Jabba’s Palace Band)
The band in Jabba’s palace plays a song called “Lapti Nek,” or “Fancy Man.” Although the track has elements of blues and soul, Williams does a terrific job of giving it the same otherworldly, futuristic quality as the Mos Eisley Cantina band’s repetitive but unforgettable signature song from the original movie.
Unfortunately, “Lapti Nek” didn’t survive Lucas’ re-edit and it was replaced with the much less groovy and less inspired “Jedi Rocks” in the Special Edition.
The Forest Battle
When the Rebels team up with the Ewoks to take on a legion of Stormtroopers in the forests of Endor, Williams plays the intense piece “The Forest Battle” over the spectacle.
“The Forest Battle” doesn’t have the bouncy rhythm of “The Battle in the Snow” from the Hoth set-piece in The Empire Strikes Back, but it still has plenty of foreboding beats to pair with the high-stakes action on-screen.
Han Solo Returns (At The Court Of Jabba The Hutt)
One by one, the Rebels attempt to spring Han from his carbonite freezing and get him out of Jabba the Hutt’s palace, and one by one, they all fail miserably and end up being captured by Jabba themselves.
Jabba has a lot of fun in these scenes, especially when his cronies dance to the sounds of “Jedi Rocks,” but the ominous tones of “Han Solo Returns (At the Court of Jabba the Hutt)” remind audiences that the Hutt crime lord is a ruthless gangster.
Parade Of The Ewoks
The Ewoks in Return of the Jedi weren’t to everybody’s taste. Some Star Wars fans were disappointed that a bunch of teddy bears with sticks and rocks managed to bring down the Empire.
But the Ewoks’ goofy adventures are accompanied by a catchy, whimsical tune, courtesy of Williams. “Parade of the Ewoks” fits perfectly with the quaintness of their treehouse-based society.
Luke And Leia
“Luke and Leia” is a refreshingly tender, heartfelt composition to complement the emotions of Luke telling Leia that she’s his long-lost sister and that she could have the same Force abilities he has.
This scene is a quiet, dramatic moment wedged between the high-octane speeder bike chase and the thrilling cross-cutting finale. It just requires fans to ignore the fact that Leia says she’s “always known” she was Luke’s sister, despite making out with him in the last movie.
Into The Trap
As the Rebels head into the final battle in Return of the Jedi, the Emperor has told Luke – and, by extension, the audience – that his friends are heading into a trap of his design, but his friends don’t know that.
Both the Rebel fleet, headed by Admiral Ackbar, and the Endor team, led by Han and Leia, are caught off-guard by the Emperor’s trap. Williams’ tense orchestrations in “Into the Trap” sell the terror of the situation.
Ewok Celebration And Finale
The “Ewok Celebration” part of this track was removed in the Special Edition and replaced with a more generic Williams piece called “Victory Celebration.” The Ewoks’ own version of the celebration song, often dubbed “Yub Nub” due to its most prominent lyrics, is a wonderfully catchy ditty that beautifully conveys the joy and excitement of the Rebels’ triumph over the Empire.
As the final piece on the soundtrack, “Ewok Celebration and Finale” builds to a rollicking rendition of the main Star Wars theme to play over the end credits. As always, over the course of the credits, Williams revisits all the musical motifs from throughout the movie.
The Emperor
At long last, Return of the Jedi introduced the big bad of the Star Wars saga, Emperor Palpatine. The Emperor was mentioned by name in the 1977 original and he appeared briefly as a hologram in The Empire Strikes Back, but fans didn’t get to see Darth Vader’s master in the flesh until the final chapter of the trilogy.
Williams needed a theme that would carry the weight of the Emperor’s long-awaited arrival. Although it has hints of Vader’s theme “Imperial March,” “The Emperor” gives Palpatine a distinctive sound of his own. The grand, operatic melody conveys the gravitas and finality of Luke’s climactic confrontation in the Emperor’s throne room.
Main Title (The Story Continues)
The main title theme isn’t specific to Return of the Jedi’s score, because it reappears at the beginning and end of every Star Wars movie, but it’s worth mentioning because it’s one of the most recognizable themes in movie history.
This piece sends a tingle up fans’ spines when the Star Wars logo bursts onto the screen and a few paragraphs of crawling yellow text re-immerse them in a galaxy far, far away.
The Return Of The Jedi
Although the opening trumpet sounds on all the characters nodding to each other was parodied to hilarious effect in Family Guy’s “It’s a Trap!” special, “The Return of the Jedi” is a spectacular piece that pairs perfectly with Luke finally springing into action and taking down Jabba’s criminal enterprise.
The main Star Wars theme is gloriously baked into “The Return of the Jedi,” as Luke is forced to walk the plank, R2-D2 tosses him his lightsaber, and he promptly turns the tables on the Hutt empire.