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Top 10 Best Unscripted Star Wars Moments

Top 10 Best Unscripted Star Wars Moments
VOICE OVER: Ryan Wild WRITTEN BY: Garrett Alden
No scruffy-looking nerf herder could have come up with these gems. For this list, we'll be looking at the most memorable, entertaining “Star Wars” moments that weren't in the original script. Our countdown includes “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”, “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope”, “Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi”, and more!

Top 10 Unscripted Moments from Star Wars


Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 unscripted moments in “Star Wars.”

For this list, we’ll be looking at the most memorable, entertaining “Star Wars” moments that weren’t in the original script. We’ll be excluding moments that haven’t been officially confirmed as unscripted, or that only veered slightly from the shooting script; so while Harrison Ford’s hilarious rambling into the intercom in “A New Hope” cracks us up every time, it doesn’t quite make the cut.

Which of these do you think added the most to their respective movies? Tell us in the comments!

#10: A Sight Gag

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016)
Gareth Edwards’ foray into the “Star Wars” universe features a great ensemble of characters. One of the most entertaining rebels is Chirrut Imwe, a warrior who’s blind. When the crew is taken to Saw Gerrera, the extremist’s men have all of them blindfolded. Imwe’s actor, Donnie Yen, thought this was ridiculous given his character’s vision impairment and improvised the line: [“Are you kidding me? I’m blind!”] Yen wanted Imwe to have a sense of humor, and the line fits the moment and character perfectly. Just as Imwe is one with the Force and the Force is with him, Yen is one with his character.


#9: Leia & Holdo’s Farewell

“Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi” (2017)
Carrie Fisher was a talented writer and script doctor, who worked on a number of screenplays throughout her life, often uncredited. She had a particular knack for witty but convincing dialogue. Together, she and Laura Dern, who played Vice Admiral Holdo, rewrote their own goodbye scene. Since it was a last minute “rewrite”, rather than completely unscripted, we might be cheating a bit, but it’s such a great moment we had to include it. Holdo’s line reminding Leia about her strength and teachings came from Dern [“So much loss. I can’t take any more.” “Sure you can. You taught me how.”]. The moment when Carrie and Holdo both say “May the Force be with you” together came from Carrie. It’s a scene that became especially poignant with Carrie Fisher’s untimely passing.


#8: Bonk!


“Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (1977)
Stormtroopers are renowned for their lack of coordination. While this reputation is usually for their aim, it also extends to the way they move around. The most infamous of these moments wasn’t planned at all. In the original film, when the stormtroopers enter the room C3PO and R2D2 are hiding out in, one of the men hits his head on the low-hanging blast door. The actor in question believed his head was out of frame and the director didn’t yell cut. So, the goof made it into the finished film and became part of the canon. It even inspired a similar moment in the prequel trilogy, where Jango Fett hits his head on the door of his ship.

#7: Inconvenient Helmet


“Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (1977)
The infiltration of the first Death Star contains the now famous conceit of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker dressing up as Stormtroopers and pretending to escort their “prisoner” Chewbacca. After hearing that Princess Leia is being held onboard, the three of them get onboard an elevator to go to her level. As they’re getting in, Luke says to Han that he can’t see a thing in the helmet. Mark Hamill improvised the line and George Lucas liked it so much he had Hamill repeat it in every take after the initial one.

#6: Solo Shrug


“Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker” (2019)
The final battle on Exegol sees Rey face off against Palpatine. Meanwhile, Ben Solo, the former Kylo Ren, fights the Knights of Ren. Although Ben is initially overmatched, Rey manages to send him a lightsaber through their shared connection, which he draws from behind his back. He then delivers a cocky shrug like he’s flexing on his opponents. Actor Adam Driver improvised the moment without the stunt coordinators’ knowledge. It reminds us of that time Han Solo gave a shrug on Endor. So, it’s totally fitting that his son Ben would do it too.


#5: A Bigger Fish


“Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” (1999)
On their way to the Naboo capital, Theed, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi travel to the underwater city of the Gungans. They’re eventually given a submarine to reach the capital. While in transit, they’re attacked by a succession of large sea monsters. After the first is eaten by the second, Qui-Gon comments that there’s “always a bigger fish.” According to writer Henry Gilroy, who adapted the film to comic, Liam Neeson added the line during shooting. Gilroy also commented that the line has a nice double meaning, since it can also refer to the Sith plot. There was always something “fishy” about that Palpatine …


#4: K-2S0 Keeps Cassian Quiet

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016)
K-2SO is among the most entertaining droids in the “Star Wars” franchise. His blunt honesty and great improv from his voice actor Alan Tudyk gave us many fantastic lines during “Rogue One”. But our favorite, and Tudyk’s too, occurs while the reprogrammed Imperial droid is moving through the city of Jedha with Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso. Mistaken for a real Imperial droid, K-2SO has to pretend to be transporting the other two as prisoners. After some initial fumbling, Cassian tries to jump in to explain. But K-2 quickly slaps him and delivers a warning. The slap and line were improvised by Tudyk on the spot. You can even see Cassian’s actor Diego Luna trying not to laugh.


#3: Speaking First


“Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens” (2015)
The introduction of Kylo Ren is a chilling one. The villain cuts down an old family friend, orders a brutal attack and manages to stop a blaster bolt in mid-air! However, the scene gets some much-needed levity with the introduction of Poe Dameron. Brought before Ren, Dameron cheekily asks which one of them talks first in this situation. The cocky pilot was originally going to die in early drafts of the film’s script. This meant that a lot of his scenes were filmed during reshoots. This left room for improvisation by Oscar Isaac, who came up with this iconic line himself.


#2: Leia’s Hair


“Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi” (2017)
Carrie Fisher was a brilliant and funny actress. During filming, “The Last Jedi” director Rian Johnson consulted with her for several of Leia’s scenes to really bring out the best in the character. During Leia’s reunion with her brother Luke near the end of the film, Leia remarks that she knows exactly what he’s going to say: [“I changed my hair”] It’s a wonderful line that feels perfect for both the actress and her character. It’s also a nice nod to Leia’s iconic hairstyles throughout the franchise. In one fell swoop, Fisher honored her character and gave us another memorable line.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

Wink, “Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi” (2017)
Hamill Wanted Luke to Acknowledge C-3PO to Say Goodbye

No Horizon, “Rogue One – A Star Wars Story” (2016)
Alan Tudyk Improvised This Funny, Ominous Statement

A Look, “Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker” (2019)
Poe’s Non-Verbal Suggestion to Zorii Bliss Was All Oscar Isaac


#1: “I Know”


“Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” (1980)
One of the most famous lines in “Star Wars” was famously not in the script. After being captured by the Empire, Han Solo is set to be frozen and shipped off to Jabba the Hutt. Before he takes the plunge, Leia tells him she loves him. The shooting script called for Han to respond: “Just remember that, ‘cause I’ll be back.” However, Harrison Ford thought that having Han say “I know” instead was truer to the character, and convinced director Irvin Kershner. While the moment wasn’t devised on the spot, with cameras rolling, as some believe, it wasn’t in the script. And although Lucas wasn’t happy with it at first, he ultimately saw the line’s greatness.
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