We rank the 50 most memorable Star Wars deaths ever
By Ryan Wrenn
30. Wampa
When Did They Die? Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
What Were They: A hairy carnivore inhabiting the icy wastes of the planet Hoth.
How Did They Die: Luke Skywalker killed it as he escapes the beast’s cave
As Star Wars’ monsters go, the wampa Luke encounters on Hoth is pretty tame. While the manner in which it captures and then secures Luke to the roof of his cave proves it’s more technically gifted than, say, a rancor or a opee sea killer, he’s still not quite smart enough to kill its prey before it can wake up and fight back.
Maybe it was just looking to savor the experience? It doesn’t seem like the wampa would find food all that often on Hoth. Maybe the odd tauntaun here and there, but even then he’s more likely to find them frozen to death on the tundra than alive. The fact that Luke was an actual living being and not long-dead and frozen over could have been enough to spare him, at least temporarily.
Enjoy some Star Wars cookies with these cookie cutter molds.
In truth, we don’t really know if the wampa died or not. All we see is Luke retrieving his lightsaber from the snow beneath him, freeing his legs from the ice and then chopping the wampa’s arms off. Unless wampa’s vital organs are located in its extremities, that doesn’t necessarily feel like a fatal wound.
Next: 29. Daultay Dofine