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Unarmed: UGO's Top 11 Dismemberments

The most pervasive theme in that galaxy far, far away is not about freedom from an intergalactic dictator. It's about getting out alive with all of your limbs intact.

UGO Team By UGO Team June 2, 2010
  

With the release of Revenge of the Sith, George Lucas has finally finished the Star Wars saga that he began over twenty years ago. The films have etched a permanent place in popular culture and have even invaded the English language itself with expressions like "the Dark Side," "May the Force be with you," and even "meesa no have a booma!" Hidden in the fortress of Lucas' saga is a bastion of many themes: the sins of the father being visited on the son, Zen mysticism, good vs. evil, an intergalactically dysfunctional family, and even a modernization of Akira Kurosawa. But after watching Revenge of the Sith for the umpteenth time, we at UGO have concluded that there is only one true theme in Star Wars:

Dismemberment.

Anakin Skywalker
Anakin Skywalker Credit: Twentieth Century Fox

Anakin Disarmed (Literally)

Dismemberment #8
Movie: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Assailant: Count Dooku
Victim: Anakin Skywalker
Instrument: Sith Lightsaber
Dismemberment in Question: Arm

After failing to heed the advice of his master, young Anakin Skywalker foolishly threw himself at Count Dooku in a fervent lightsaber battle and lost his arm at the shoulder. Death would surely have followed had not Yoda intervened. Never one to hold a grudge (cough), Anakin would repay Count Dooku a few years later at the urging of the kind and impartial Chancellor Palpatine.

Dooku
Dooku Credit: Twentieth Century Fox

Two Lightsabers, One Head

Dismemberment #7
Movie: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Assailant: Anakin Skywalker
Victim: Count Dooku
Instrument: Jedi and Sith Lightsabers
Dismemberment in Question: Hands, Head

After another frenetic battle between Obi-Wan, Anakin and Count Dooku, Anakin literally gained the upper hand (cough) by amputating both of Dooku’s hands at the wrists. With the gentle, unbiased urging of Chancellor Palpatine in his ears, Anakin took an irrevocable step towards the Dark Side by cutting off Dooku’s head with both a Jedi and Sith lightsaber at the same time. The use of both blades at once was a first for the young Jedi, and was symbolic of the conflict between Light and Dark within him. Why Dooku didn’t object to Palpatine’s suggestion that Anakin make with the chop chop is anyone’s guess, but it’s probably a safe assumption that he was in shock at being betrayed. First Wormtongue, then Palpatine. Poor Christopher Lee.

C-3PO in trouble again
C-3PO in trouble again Credit: Twentieth Century Fox

Curiousity Killed the... Droid?

Dismemberment #6
Movie: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
Assailant: Unknown (most likely a Stormtrooper)
Victim: C-3PO
Instrument: Blaster
Dismemberment in Question: Both Arms, Both Legs and Head

A rather deft foreshadowing of everything that was about to go terribly wrong on Bespin, this total body dismemberment resulted when the happy-go-lucky C-3PO heard the call of an R2 unit and thought it might be his lifelong companion. But rather than wait for help, his curiosity introduced him to the dangerous end of a blaster. Threepio was shot to pieces for stumbling on extremely classified information: that the Empire had beaten the Millennium Falcon to Cloud City. For this he was blasted to pieces, only to be reassembled - backwards - by Chewbacca. Artoo later fixed him properly, but given the chronic verbal abuse that Artoo suffered from Threepio, we wouldn't be surprised if Golden Rod forever accidentally lost his Golden Rod. [According to an obscure story in the comic book, Star Wars Tales, Vader, who in The Phantom Menace built Threepio, ordered the broken droid delivered to Chewbacca, because he knew the Wookiee would be able to repair his old friend. This revealed a glimpse of the good that was still buried deep inside the fallen Jedi. - Ed.]

See More: World of Tomorrow | Extras | Star Wars | Dismemberment | lightsabers | C-3PO