10 things you DIDN'T know about Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

Happy 40th Anniversary to my favorite Star Wars movie of all time! To celebrate the occasion, I’m going to show you 10 things you didn’t know about Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Episode VI was released in theaters on May 25, 1983. To create my list, I selected behind-the-scenes and in-movie moments that I found to be the most interesting, overlooked and/or that I’ve only just learned about at age 44.

#starwars #returnofthejedi #80smovies

01:16 #10 - "Ewok" never said in the film

01:49 #9 - "TIE Fighter" is said (Lando Calrissian) for the first time in the original trilogy, with 15 minutes left in the movie.

02:37 #8 - Anthony Daniels, in his C-3PO costume, had a panic attack while shooting the scene on Jabba’s barge where Salacious B Crumb pulls the protocol droid’s eye out.

03:26 #7 - Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber was initially blue. Because it blended into the blue Tatooine sky, filmmakers changed the blade to green so it would pop on screen.

03:58 #6 - The hands holding Luke’s lightsaber in one of the Return of the Jedi movie posters were George Lucas’.

04:24 #5 - Endor could have suffered the same fate as Alderaan. In a deleted scene, Emperor Palpatine orders Commander Jerjerrod to destroy the planet with the Death Star if the Rebels take down the shield generator.

05:51 #4 - A inclusion of blood. After Leia is shot outside the bunker on Endor, we can see some of her blood on Han’s thumb and fingers when Stormtroopers order him to “freeze!” Blood is rarely seen in Star Wars movies.

06:33 #3 - Mon Mothma (Caroline Blakiston) NEVER takes her eyes off Admiral Akbar in the war room while the battle plans are being discussed.

07:12 #2 - Some of the sound effects were inspired by cheese casserole, a dachshund and E.T.
The slimy sounds Jabba made were created by someone running a hand through cheese casserole. The roars and screeches of the Rancor are the pitched-down recordings of a feisty dachshund. The dog lived next door to Sound Designer, Ben Burtt.
Bounty Hunter Bouschh (Leia in disguise) was voiced by Pat Welch, who also voiced E.T.

08:44 #1 - Female fighter pilots were cut from the film. Thanks to some recently-surfaced, behind-the-scenes footage, we get a glimpse at three actresses delivering lines from the cockpit of their star fighters. It’s believed their scenes were cut out of fears audiences wouldn’t take well to women being blown up in battle. One of those women, Poppy Hands, did make a brief appearance in the film, although her line, “Got it,” was dubbed over by a guy. Her character has since been canonized as Sila Kott, who gave the ultimate sacrifice during the Battle of Endor.

09:39 Outtro

Feeling NostalgAK for more Star Wars? Check out all the vintage Kenner Star Wars toys I found in Robbie and Carol Anne’s room in Poltergeist:

"Return of the Jedi" (1983) is the thrilling conclusion to the original Star Wars trilogy, directed by Richard Marquand and co-written by Executive Producer, George Lucas.

The story picks up after the events of "The Empire Strikes Back." The Rebel Alliance, led by Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Han Solo (Harrison Ford), is determined to destroy the second Death Star. Their mission is not only to liberate the galaxy from the Emperor's grip but also to save Han Solo, who has been captured by the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt.

Once reunited, Luke, Han, Leia, and their companions embark on a critical mission to Endor, a lush forest moon orbiting the Death Star. They aim to disable the energy shield protecting the battle station, which will allow the Rebel fleet, led by Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) in the Millennium Falcon, to launch a decisive attack.
Meanwhile, Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), the dark lord of the Sith, seeks to turn Luke to the dark side of the Force. As the final confrontation between the light and dark sides unfolds, the Emperor tempts Luke with anger and hatred, hoping to convert him into a Sith apprentice.

Luke confronts his father, Darth Vader (David Prowse/James Earl Jones), in a lightsaber duel that has far-reaching consequences. The struggle between father and son becomes a battle for the soul of Anakin Skywalker. The outcome of this battle will determine the fate of the galaxy.

As the climactic battle unfolds, Luke must confront his deepest fears and stay true to the teachings of his mentors, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) and Yoda (Frank Oz). In a powerful moment, Luke refuses to give in to the dark side, ultimately inspiring a redeemed Darth Vader to turn against his master, the Emperor.

With its groundbreaking visual effects, John Williams' iconic score, and a riveting storyline, "Return of the Jedi" delivers a satisfying conclusion to the original Star Wars trilogy.
00:00 Introduction

[YS-bywy]

After 40 years it’s hard to come up with unknown facts, but a few were new! Awesome video!!

[lukequackenbush]

Excellent list, Jimmy! Knew about Ewoks, the blue lightsaber, and both deleted scenes, all others were new to me!! 🎉🎉🎉

[harrism]

So many great new facts here! The Mon Mothma stare has me SHOOK though. I can't unsee it and it feels like she's staring through my soul!

[opinian]

Another of my faves is... there's a deleted Yoda/Luke scene on the ROTJ laserdisk where Yoda explains why Obi Wan was instructed not to reveal Vader's true identity. Nice vid, man!

[Average_sportsguy]

Love this list! I never knew about that Ewok was never said in the film 😮👀

[patobrien]

Wow dude, I didn’t know most of those! That’s cool, thanks for posting this

[LG-qkkf]

I’ll have to once watch all these one day lol

[watchwaddle]

Another awesome video. I too love Return Of The Jedi best.

[bobbibaker]

Jimmy - Amazing video again! Sorry for the late reply, I've been busy here in Central Oregon. 😀 Anyway, I didn't know any of these. The doggie lover in me *loves* the Doxie growls and hisses. Too funny!🥰

And THANK YOU for showing the original ending of the Jedi ghosts. That is one change that has never sit well with me on the re-releases. 🤬 Was it changed back for the 40th anniversary?

Thank you for sharing those behind the scenes factoids! 🥰 I knew a big fat goose egg! 🤣

[petebutler]

e-Bruh!?! Yo!!! You’ve done it again! I’m not sure how you wrangled new facts from SW but I knew none of what you shared in the video. Great Job!

[MaryBrownIsTheBlairWitch]

One David Fincher worked on the film, as an FX cameraman. You may have heard of him... 😉

[northeastempire]

0:54 there’s always someone that has to be like “but I knew these already, Cool bro. But 97% of those watching this only knew a couple.

[AtlanticExpress]

Nice. I think I only knew about 1/2 of those!
But your graphics say number 3 twice…. (And skip 2).

[whereismyfotoyo]

In what year commencing to name Chapter four, chapter five and chapter six? To me, an almost fifty years old man sounds strange 'cause in my childhood never listen this. I saw Return of the Jedi on the cinema or theatres, as usamericans like to name, but never saw that thing Star Wars Chptr 6.