Star Wars is an epic and violent space opera. Its conflicts often span the entire galaxy, with countless casualties on all sides. With such a high body count in the Star Wars universe, it's easy to lose sight of how significant death is.

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The Star Wars franchise is built on conflict, featuring many deaths and heartbreaking moments, meaning some characters lead lives filled with tragedy.

Even amid these overwhelming losses, though, some departures have a profound impact on the franchise as a whole. They shift the balance of power and set pivotal events in motion. Granted, these shifts aren't always positive, but they're significant nonetheless. It's hard to imagine how a few people could bring forth such massive change, but Star Wars shows that it's possible.

5 Qui-Gon Jinn

A Jedi Master's Death Seals The Fate Of The Galaxy, For Anakin Lives Without A Father

• Happens In:Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace

A venerated Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn is a charismatic presence in The Phantom Menace. He spearheads the mission to rescue the Queen of Naboo from the Trade Federation. More importantly, he discovers young Anakin Skywalker on the desert planet of Tatooine. Recognizing the bog's inborn talents and affinity for the Force, he asserts that Anakin is the "Chosen One" of an ancient prophecy. Therefore, he takes the kid under his wing against the counsel of his fellow Jedi. Sadly, fate cuts that aspiration short.

Qui-Gon dies in a duel with Darth Maul. It then falls to his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, to take up Anakin's training. This turn of events is significant on many levels. Not only is Qui-Gon a mentor to them both, but his death inadvertently sets off the rest of the saga. Everything--Anakin's Jedi career, his fall to the Dark Side, the rise of the Empire, etc.--goes back to this unexpected pairing. Qui-Gon's passing throws master and pupil together before either of them is ready. The entire galaxy suffers as a result, for Anakin needed a father, which Qui-Gon could've been, rather than an older brother not prepared for the responsibility.

4 Obi-Wan Kenobi

Hope Survives With The Death Of The Greatest Jedi

• Happens In:Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope

From the moment he steps onscreen in the original Star Wars film, Obi-Wan Kenobi is larger than life. His extensive expertise lets him clear virtually any obstacle through smooth trickery or lightning offensives. These aspects make him seem nearly omnipotent. Such an impression makes it all the more shocking when he lets himself be killed by Darth Vader. Up to this point, Kenobi is an unbeatable mentor whom the heroes can always turn to for help. Without him, their situation seems completely hopeless. However, that loss is a necessary step.

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His master's absence forces Luke Skywalker to take his destiny into his own hands. He can no longer rely on Kenobi, so he must get in touch with the Force himself. This need prompts him to take a more active role in the series' events going forward. In the process, he matures as both a Jedi and a person. His growth mirrors the increasing drama of the films. Thus, Kenobi's departure is a rite of passage in many respects.

3 Anakin Skywalker

A Redemptive Sacrifice Brings Balance To The Force

• Happens In:Star Wars Episode 6: Return Of The Jedi

While Kenobi's passing signals a beginning, this death marks the end. Darth Vader is an overwhelming enemy throughout the original trilogy. He doggedly pursues the heroes and commands the screen whenever he appears. No one can conquer this mechanized despot, as there seems to be no limit to his tyrannical power. Against all odds, though, he proves that assumption wrong himself.

Vader is actually Anakin Skywalker, Luke's father who turned to the Dark Side. The young hero eventually appeals to his humanity and inner turmoil. This conflict leads Vader to sacrifice himself to save his son and destroy the malignant Emperor Palpatine. This pivotal event caps off the Original Trilogy, closes multiple character arcs and brings peace to the galaxy. It has even more meaning when factoring in the prequels.

This trilogy chronicles Anakin Skywalker's rise and fall. The other Jedi believe he's prophesied to destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force. He seems to dash those hopes when he goes down an evil path, but his sacrifice ultimately redeems him. In addition, it inadvertently fulfills the prophecy by destroying the Sith: himself and Palpatine. The saga comes full circle with this act. That is, until the Sequel Trilogy retcons it because Palpatine "somehow returned".

2 Han Solo

The Charismatic Scoundrel Breathes His Last At The Hands Of His Own Son

• Happens In:Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens

It's not surprising that Han Solo, after adopting a mentor role in The Force Awakens, eventually bites the dust. The problem lies in the unceremonious way he goes out. He desperately appeals to his son, Ben, who's turned to the Dark Side. The temperamental villain then stabs his dad and tosses him into a bottomless pit, ensuring that there's no way Harrison Ford could survive.

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The filmmakers try to accomplish the same narrative goal as Obi-Wan's death. In some ways, it does, as The Force Awakens blatantly retreads the original Star Wars flick. However, Solo behaves like a dunce for the whole movie. He lacks the emotional or intellectual maturity expected from a man his age. This behavior cheapens his character and makes his death feel unearned. Such disrespect is sadly emblematic of how the sequel trilogy treats the franchise's previous protagonists.

Luke, Han, and Leia are all sad, miserable failures meant to prop up the younger cast. This pathetic state undermines their past victories. Worse, it destroys their compelling character arcs. As a final insult, they die alone and bested. Han Solo is simply the first victim of this terrible treatment, so the impact is the most powerful. It's character assassination, both literally and figuratively.

1 Snoke

The Death Of The Evil Mentor Is Emblematic Of The Sequel Trilogy's Disjointed Nature

• Happens In:Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi

To be clear, Snoke isn't a compelling character in any sense, essentially amounting to a poor man's Emperor Palpatine. He's another indicator of the sequels rehashing the originals. For better or worse, The Last Jedi turns that notion on its head. This movie constantly strives to do the opposite of what fans expect, subverting expectations to a somewhat controversial degree, and emerging as a disjointed mess with no rhyme or reason.

Among its bizarre choices is Kylo Ren killing Snoke. His demise destroys any semblance of structure for this story. Without him, Kylo Ren/Ben Solo has no embodiment of evil to overcome. Worse, the tale has no overarching villain. True, Ren takes over the top spot, but he's not a credible threat due to his moronic immaturity. The filmmakers clearly didn't intend for him to take center stage.

The evidence lies in how they build up Snoke in The Force Awakens. He's supposedly an ancient evil who's been around since long before the Empire. This vague description creates a mystery surrounding his identity, a mystery which fans run with by conjuring countless theories. The intrigue lays valuable groundwork for further exploration.

On the other hand, The Last Jedi throws that foundation out the window and paints him as inconsequential. This move retroactively makes the buildup and established dynamics a complete waste of time. The remaining plot threads vainly try to pick up the slack and maintain coherence, but they fail spectacularly. Snoke's death is instrumental in that failure. Because of that, the Sequel Trilogy devolves into a confused jumble of half-baked ideas, where the creatives in charge of each movie had no tapestry to follow but their own.

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