Five reasons, in the opinion of some, that “Return of the Jedi” ruined “Star Wars”

Expectations for the film were unjustly raised when “Return of the Jedi” concluded the first “Star Wars” trilogy in 1983, but they were subsequently moderated by the realisation that it had the unfortunate distinction of coming right after “The Empire Strikes Back,” one of the finest sequels ever.

However, looking back 40 years after its initial release, as “Jedi” makes a theatrical comeback to celebrate that anniversary, the mistakes made by the third film are still grating. That’s also because those flaws have reverberated through time as succeeding “Star Wars” mythology has twisted and turned, sometimes horribly, to make up for them.

To be fair, the film did a number of things really well, including the opening scene where Luke Skywalker frees Han Solo, the furious pursuit on the Ewok moon, the scale of the final space battle, and the joyous celebration at the conclusion. Additionally, for the past 40 years or so, many of us have entered uncomfortable situations and exclaimed, “It’s a trap!”

However, Episode VI did some of the important characters from the original trilogy a disservice in ways that have been disputed over the years, producing the kinds of arguments that have become one of the “Star Wars” franchise’s most abundant sources.

Here are some of those moments and the “buts” that go with them, in no particular order:

“I know. I’ve always known, somehow. The core love triangle was easily handled by Luke and Leia’s secret relationship, which also provided an explanation for Yoda’s enigmatic allusion to “another” hope in “The Empire Strikes Back.” But given Leia’s let’s-make-Han-jealous kiss and Luke’s adoring attention to her throughout the first movie, which seems a little creepy in hindsight, it’s difficult to believe that “I’ve always known” claims.

“Return of the Jedi” ruined “Star Wars“

Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker, a pacifist. By sparing him, Luke manages to destroy Darth Vader without succumbing to the evil side of the Force. However, he makes the mistake of throwing away his lightsaber, placing himself at the Emperor’s mercy. Wouldn’t it have been more thrilling (and made more sense) if he had battled the Emperor first, and then, on the edge of losing, his dad had intervened, rather than merely disarming himself and being a pin cushion of Force lightning? And that appears to have opened the door for Luke to flee and hide in the most current trilogy.

“From a particular standpoint.” Let’s assume that when Anakin Skywalker chose the evil side, he “became” Darth Vader. Even though it did set up one of the most iconic revelations in film history, it’s still difficult to shake the feeling that Obi-Wan Kenobi’s initial explanation of what happened to Luke felt like a big old lie at worst and a major sin of omission at best.

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Boba Fett, a victim of comedic relief. Boba Fett was an enigma with little information available about him other than the fact that he wore that way-cool armour.

However, the way the bounty hunter was killed in “Jedi’s” rescue sequence — the victim of a blinded Han Solo’s accidental action — still felt like a degrading demise for the sake of a cheap laugh. It later required an elaborate explanation of how he escaped the Sarlacc Pit to revive him, giving rise to that Disney+ series and selling a tonne more toys.

The end of the Emperor. It took some getting acclimated to the concept that Darth Vader would give his life to save Luke from the Emperor, but it helped establish the idea of redemption in “Star Wars” despite prior wrongdoing. However, given the extent of the Emperor’s abilities, simply tossing him down a vast Death Star shaft didn’t provide the same thrills or satisfaction as a more intense conflict would have. Furthermore, even if you accept that Palpatine was concentrating on Luke, his defensive abilities were undoubtedly lacking, especially in light of his epic showdown with Yoda in “Revenge of the Sith.”

Even with these criticisms, it is still possible to appreciate “Return of the Jedi” in small doses, and going to the theatre to watch it should be a special occasion because that is how “Star Wars” was intended to be experienced.

But the movie will always be remembered as much for its flaws as for its successes. At least from one perspective, it appears that way.

Beginning on April 28, “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” will be shown in a few theatres.