#1 – “The Empire Strikes Back” – Darth Vader’s reveal – June 20, 1980 is a day that shook the world. On this day, the much anticipated sequel to “Star Wars” (1977) hit the big screen, and in the film’s third act, Darth Vader (David Prowse/James Earl Jones) reveals that he is Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) father.
What??
Absolutely no one saw this coming, and this seminal moment forever-altered fans perception of the series and its characters, and it became the fulcrum for every “Star Wars” film afterwards, except for stand-alone pictures “Rogue One” (2016) and “Solo” (2018).
Yes, this has to be the #1 sci-fi moment from the 1980s. Even “Star Trek” fans will begrudgingly admit it, including this one.
Image credits: Walt Disney Studios, Clip credits: Sheldon Chan
