Summary

• The best moments in the Star Wars live-action shows are memorable and expertly executed, shaping the narrative and adding emotional impact.
• Key standout moments include Obi-Wan and Anakin’s reunion, Kelleran Beq’s epic Jedi entrance, and Cobb Vanth’s intense standoff with Cad Bane.
• The live-action shows also feature captivating lightsaber duels and iconic first meetings, continuing to expand the legendary Star Wars universe.

Since the premiere of The Mandalorian in 2019, the Star Wars universe has grown to encompass five live-action TV shows with some of the franchise’s best moments. These shows continued the story of the Star Wars movies while introducing new characters and stories, leading to satisfying fan service alongside experimental episodes. With no end in sight for upcoming Star Wars TV shows, additional seasons will continue adding superb moments to the franchise’s live-action catalog.

The best moments of the Star Wars live-action shows are the ones that leave an impression for their memorability and expert execution. These defining scenes shape the narrative, contain the most emotional impact, or add something meaningful to the saga. From a Mandalorian walking onscreen for the first time to a final shot of a familiar Force, 10 moments in the Star Wars live-action shows stand out as the absolute best.

Related: Every Star Wars TV Show Ranked From Worst To Best

10 Flashback To Young Obi-Wan & Anakin

Obi-Wan Kenobi – Season 1, Episode 5 “Part V”

Obi-Wan Kenobi marked Hayden Christensen’s grand return to Star Wars, featuring a heartfelt onscreen reunion between Anakin Skywalker and his old master. The lightsaber choreography is incredibly on point, integrating Ewan McGregor and Christensen’s fighting style from Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith while foreshadowing some of their moves in the season finale. More importantly, the scene highlights the dichotomy between Anakin and Obi-Wan and how their differing approaches define their stories later in the timeline.

9 Kelleran Beq Saves Grogu From Order 66

The Mandalorian – Season 3, Episode 4 “Chapter 20: The Foundling”

Viewers had speculated for years on which Jedi saved Grogu at the Jedi Temple, and the team behind The Mandalorian season 3 delivered an epic answer with Jedi Master Kelleran Beq, played by Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best. Master Beq’s introduction was handled perfectly, making a powerful entrance by wielding two lightsabers to take down a squad of clone soldiers. The score creates an exciting atmosphere and elevates the chase scene as Beq and Grogu escape Coruscant.

8 Cobb Vanth’s Standoff With Cad Bane

The Book of Boba Fett – Season 1, Episode 6 “Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger”

As incredible as Jedi and lightsabers are, shootouts with gunslingers and bounty hunters are just as entertaining, and Cobb Vanth’s standoff with Cad Bane was a highlight of The Book of Boba Fett. Unlike many Star Wars fights, Cad Bane’s entrance is slow-paced as the tension escalates, resulting in a gripping standoff. Bane gunning down Vanth and his deputy packs a punch after several minutes of waiting for the characters to make the first move, proving why he was the most deadly bounty hunter in the galaxy.

7 Obi-Wan & Darth Vader’s Rematch

Obi-Wan Kenobi – Season 1, Episode 6 “Part VI”

However, no Star Wars villain can top a Sith Lord’s ferocity, especially in a grudge match with his former Jedi Master. Obi-Wan Kenobi promised the “rematch of the century” between Obi-Wan and Vader, and the season finale didn’t fail to deliver on that promise. The music is grand, emotions are on full display, and the lightsaber choreography perfectly combines every aspect of the characters’ previous duels across the saga. The duel is held back slightly by shaky camera work and low lighting, but this also creates a glow from the lightsabers, making Vader’s unmasking all the more horrific.

6 Ahsoka Tano Vs. Baylan Skoll

Ahsoka – Season 1, Episode 4 “Part Four: Fallen Jedi”

The best lightsaber duel in the Star Wars live-action TV shows came in Ahsoka season 1 when Ahsoka Tano fought Baylan Skoll. Like Cobb Vanth and Cade Bane, the fight starts slow-paced, each opponent testing the other’s abilities before progressing into a classic lightsaber duel. Ahsoka relies on agility and her surroundings, while Baylan relies on brute strength and surprise attacks, providing a unique form of lightsaber combat while showing who the characters are through action.

5 The Mandalorian Meets “Baby Yoda”

The Mandalorian – Season 1, Episode 1 “Chapter 1: The Mandalorian”

The Mandalorian kicked off the modern era of Star Wars as the franchise’s first live-action TV show, and the end of the first episode revealed the story’s direction. The crew keeping “Baby Yoda” a secret made the reveal stunning, beginning a bond that would carry through the rest of the series. The final shot of the Mandalorian and the child instantly became one of the most iconic images in Star Wars.

4 The Mandalorian Goes Back For The Child

The Mandalorian – Season 1, Episode 3 “Chapter 3: The Sin”

Din Djarin and Grogu’s first meeting was a brief yet touching introduction, but their bond was truly solidified when the Mandalorian returned to save the child from the Imperial Remnant. The low lighting creates a vividly heated atmosphere as Din Djarin takes down the stormtroopers and then protects the child with his life. It’s heartwarming to see a man who previously presented himself as cold and unfeeling show genuine concern for a child and throw everything away to save him, setting the rest of The Mandalorian in motion.

3 Anakin Skywalker Returns

Ahsoka – Season 1, Episode 4 “Part Four: Fallen Jedi”

Another brief yet extremely emotional moment was Anakin’s return in the World Between Worlds, the live-action reunion with Ahsoka fans had waited years to see. The filmmakers wisely made the reveal gradual, zooming out to reveal where Ahsoka is as a faint echo of Anakin’s voice is heard in the background. Ahsoka’s astonishment and Anakin’s smile are heartwarming, while the dark music hints at what will happen in the next episode.

2 Luke Skywalker Returns

The Mandalorian – Season 2, Episode 8 “Chapter 16: The Rescue”

The only character return in the live-action Star Wars shows more emotional than Anakin’s was the appearance of his son in The Mandalorian season 2 finale. After an entire season of searching for a Jedi, viewers were rewarded with Luke Skywalker, who arrives as a mysterious figure before taking down the Dark Troopers that nearly killed everyone else. Seeing Luke from the perspective of the other characters made him feel legendary, topped off by Ludwig Göransson’s outstanding score that brings a tear to the eye.

1 Kino Loy Makes His “One Way Out” Speech

Andor – Season 1, Episode 10 “One Way Out”

Many of the live-action Star Wars shows’ best moments involved familiar elements, but Kino Loy’s monologue in Andor is exceptional purely because of its writing, direction, and superb acting. Supreme Leader Snoke actor Andy Serkis returned to play Kino Loy, delivering his speech with such weight that his character and the prison break feel completely real.

Andor season 1 is packed with exceptional writing and powerful monologs, but Kino Loy inspired his fellow prisoners despite knowing he couldn’t swim to freedom along with them. It represents everything that makes Andor incredible and is the best moment in the Star Wars live-action TV shows.