There are few fandoms outside of Star Wars that can match the amount of unbridled passion that they hold for their franchise. Unfortunately, passion is an incredibly versatile tool and is oft subject to being channeled into electrifying vitriol that seems to attack different parts of the franchise at random.
Within the most popular targets of such vilification, even if said vilification is entirely, artistically justified, there are some moments that still manage to capture the hearts of even the harshest critics. Whether or not that’s a testament to the magic of George Lucas’ storied space opera is up for debate, but the folks over at r/StarWars have nevertheless gone digging through the roughest of the rough, emerging with some diamond-crested scenes.
One user recalled how The Rise of Skywalker caught them off guard when Rey and Kylo Ren found themselves face-to-face in combat; choreography notwithstanding, the natural atmosphere left in the absence of a John Williams masterpiece manage to carry its weight in its own right.
Another user identified themselves as an opponent of the prequel trilogy while also admitting that The Phantom Menace was lifted quite a bit by the final battle against Darth Maul, who emanated a unique gravitas with his dual lightsaber reveal.
One of the more popular answers was the cinematography in The Last Jedi; it may not be much of an honor to be acknowledged as one of the least favorite Star Wars films in existence, but the evocative imagery that gets all the nods it deserves is at least adjacent to a consolation prize.
It was perhaps a long overdue exercise in positivity for some of these participants, but it is, indeed, difficult to deny their passion for their beloved(?) franchise.