25 most heartbreaking Star Wars character deaths of all-time

From Younglings, Tauntauns and Ewoks to Jedis and Masters, we’re taking a look at the 25 most heartbreaking Star Wars character deaths of all-time.

Dying of old age is just not how it’s done in Star Wars. Whether it’s in a lightsaber battle, under the torturous watch of Tusken Raiders, during an explosive train robbery, by use of Force exertion, or being cooked over a fire, the Jedi and friends have sure mastered the art of tragic deaths. In fact, only one character on our list of the 25 most heartbreaking Star Wars character deaths of all time lives out the full extent of his 900-year life: Yoda.

But as sad as it is to see some of these characters depart from the land of the living, there’s a certain legacy that takes shape as soon as these character deaths are strung together in one long list.

We may have cheered as Darth Sidious was electrocuted like toast and tossed down a space shaft, but our hearts have broken dozens of times over the last four decades for Star Wars heroes that died too soon, or villains we never got the chance to hate properly.

Seriously, how did the disgusting and drooling Jabba the Hutt manage to survive six episodes and two trilogies when Count Dooku didn’t last through two films and Jango Fett didn’t survive through one? Jabba even out-film-timed Yoda.

But, all character life-line criticism aside, both George Lucas and Disney did a phenomenal job at planning out the deaths of central, as well as minor, Star Wars characters and mapping these deaths out in such a way that not only are their individual deaths heartbreaking, but the collage of deaths, once put together, is equally moving.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.