We rank the 50 most memorable Star Wars deaths ever
By Ryan Wrenn
50. The Younglings
When Did They Die: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Who Were They: Young Jedis-in-training, mostly actual children
How Did They Die: Darth Vader, née Anakin Skywalker, slaughtered them on the order of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine
Of all the avarice, hate and pride that led to Anakin to turn to the Dark Side, he only truly became Darth Vader when he killed the Jedi younglings as they hid in Jedi Temple during Palpatine’s final coup. It was Palpatine’s final test of his young Sith underling, and Anakin passed with flying colors.
Now, it’s important to note that we never actually saw this happen, unlike most every other death we see on this list. Anakin shows up looking pissed and Dark Sidey, the kids look scared and we later see them all dead from lightsaber wounds. The next time we see Anakin he has fully and irrevocably become Vader.
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As powerful a turning point as that is, there’s obviously never going to be anything ‘best’ about killing a bunch of kids, be their Force-adept or otherwise. The death of the Jedi younglings is among the sadder and more moving moments in the entire saga, and thus it finds itself at this bottom of this list.
Next: 49. Lars Family