You've seen The Last Jedi. Your mind is stupefied by the events of the film. Nothing you'd seen or read came even close to preparing you for its magnitude. As you let the boldness of The Last Jedi wash over you like a Star Wars waterfall, your brain flickers to life. Comprehension is slowly seeping back in. Your thoughts are racing. You want to talk to everyone, get their opinion; share in the majesty of this masterpiece. This is how I felt after watching the critic's screening of The Last Jedi. But you couldn't ruin it for others. No way, no how, you had to keep your trap shut until everyone was able to bask in its glory. That moment has come.

Before I wax poetic, it should be obvious that this is a spoiler-filled, foaming at the mouth, adulatory prose. No one who hasn't seen the film should be reading this. Don't ruin the surprises. You're doing yourself a tremendous disservice. Spoiler warning out of the way, let's proceed.

As I write this, I've only seen the movie once. Everything below is based on my first reaction and recollection to The Last Jedi. There's so much to like. It's akin to a thirsty man drinking water from a firehose. Rian Johnson has truly delivered a special film. It was impossible to whittle this article down to a meager top ten list. Some scenes were earthquakes in the Star Wars universe, but smaller moments were damned entertaining as well. The Porgs were freaking awesome, but I refuse to be further ensnared by Disney marketing cuteness. They'll get my hard earned cash with the hundred times I see the film. I've also steered away from space battles, the casino on Canto Bight, and the red salt planet of Crait. These settings were very cool, but all Star Wars films deliver the goods on visual effects and production design. The below are not deep dives, but just my initial thoughts on what was exceptional; the scenes that just hit you in the gut. Porgs aside, here are the best moments of The Last Jedi.

19 Rey's parents revealed.

Rey's Parents

Rey did not find the answers to her heritage on Ahch-To. Her descent into the cave showed her a vision of herself. This bizarre outcome is explained as she and Kylo Ren come to terms in Snoke's chamber. Kylo Ren saw her parents when they connected in the Force. They were junk dealers on Jakku that sold her. Their bodies buried in the dessert. Now this could be a lie, a ploy from Kylo Ren to drive her to him. But the likelihood of this being true fits perfectly in what we know and have learned about Rey. She is the light that rose to match the darkness. She isn't a princess, a Skywalker, or some hidden treasure. Rey is a poor girl from nothing that is the embodiment of the light. Just as Maz Kanata told her in The Force Awakens. She already knew her parents were never coming back. Her future, her destiny, is with Luke Skywalker and the light side of the Force. This bombshell reveal is truly one of the most shocking surprises.

18 Kylo Ren kills Snoke.

Kylo Ren Kills Snoke

How spectacularly unpredictable was this outcome? Snoke was supposed to be the supreme villain, a bad guy that was even more powerful than the Emperor. In the end, his arrogance, just like Palpatine's, led to his shocking downfall. I couldn't believe my eyes as Kylo Ren slowly turned Luke's lightsaber at Snoke's side. While Snoke sneered at Rey and taunted his apprentice, Kylo Ren's resolve against his master was solidified. Just as his grandfather could not kill Luke, Kylo Ren could not kill Rey. He slices Snoke in half, killing a shadowy figure that remains a mystery. The result of this action is galaxy changing. Kylo Ren is now the Supreme Leader of the First Order, much to General Hux's chagrin. Ben Solo has achieved the power that his grandfather, Darth Vader, sought so ferociously. No one saw this coming. Snoke's backstory will surely be revealed in the finale. It must be integral to this trilogy's conclusion. I am still convinced that Snoke was Darth Plageuis.

17 Luke tosses his old lightsaber.

Luke's Old Lightsaber

The Force Awakens closed with Rey (Daisy Ridley) giving Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) his lightsaber. She'd been through hell to reach Ahch-To. This was her moment, finally to have found the legendary Jedi Master. I almost had a seizure laughing when Luke blithely chucks it over his shoulder. He couldn't care less. Every Star Wars fan has put so much emphasis on the importance of this particular weapon. The fact that Luke summarily dismisses it, and Rey's presence, was astounding. This is the beginning of his incredible character arc. Luke Skywalker is a broken men that retreated to Ahch-To in complete failure. He went there to die, having completely rejected the Force. His reaction is a total shock to Rey and Chewbacca. Luke's response, "How can one man with a lightsaber stop the First Order." Wow.

16 The return of Yoda.

The Return of Yoda

I had a tear in my eye when the greatest Jedi of all, Yoda (Frank Oz), appears before Luke again on Ahch-To. The wise Jedi Master returns to Luke as he goes to burn the sacred Jedi texts. Luke is shocked when Yoda beats him to the punch. Yoda sends a bolt of lightning to destroy the first Jedi temple. He lovingly replies that the Jedi texts were not "page turners". Then chastises Luke for not passing on what he learned. Yoda's final message was to say that Rey knew what she needed to move forward. How awesome was it to see the Yoda puppet again?

15 Kylo & Rey team up to fight the Praetorian Guards.

Rey and Kylo Fight Praetorian Guards

Just as you were trying to process Kylo Ren slicing Snoke in half, the red-suited Praetorian Guard attack. Rey and Kylo Ren engage in an ass-kicking lightsaber battle for the ages. The newly found allies protect each other in a scene that rivals the best sword fighting on film. I loved the brutality and frenetic nature. It didn't have that vanilla choreography of the prequels. This was a raw, unhinged fight that further cemented the bond between disciples of light and dark.

14 Luke & Leia's Reunion.

Luke and Leia reunit

As the Resistance faces their final moments on Crait, Luke Skywalker at last comes to the rescue of his sister. His shameful actions regarding his sister's precious son led Luke to a life of imposed exile. When he opens himself back to the Force and sees that Leia is injured, the lost hero regains his spirit; with a little reminder from R2D2. I loved that their reunion was not weepy or sentimental. The fate of the galaxy lay in Luke`s hands. He had to get Leia's blessing to kill her son. How great was that little wink that Luke gives to 3PO before he leaves?

13 Luke vs. Kylo Ren.

Luke Kylo Ren fight

I had goosebumps when Luke calmly walks out unto the salt dunes to face the First Order walkers. One man with a lightsaber against a monstrous army. They hit him with everything they have, but to Kylo Ren's amazement, Luke still stands. This is the showdown he has been waiting for. Kylo Ren walks out to finally dual his uncle to the death. But as he approaches, Luke apologizes, as Obi-Wan did to Anakin, for failing him as a mentor. Luke also warns, again like Obi-Wan, that striking him down would damn Kylo Ren's fate. He would be by his nephew's side forever. Kylo Ren swoops in multiple times before realizing that this is no showdown. His uncle has tricked him through the Force, and allowed time for the Resistance to escape.

12 Poe pranks General Hux.

General Hux and Poe

The opening scene has the Resistance scrambling to escape the First Order's powerful dreadnaught cruiser. Poe (Oscar Isaac) takes his lone X-wing to confront the massive weapon. He pretends to bring a message to General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson), but is really just stalling for time. This scene is hilarious. It let's you know from the very beginning that this is going to be a much different Star Wars experience. Hux's reaction to being played a fool is inspired comedy. Rian Johnson tickles your funny bone, before wiping out half the Resistance.

11 Poe's Mutiny.

Poe Dameron

Poe Dameron has undeniable courage and skill, but his hot-headed, brash impulses lead him to make a dangerous move. General Leia demotes Poe for his actions against the dreadnaught. When she is incapacitated, he is not happy with the elevation of Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern). Poe challenges her at every turn, even sending Finn (John Boyega) and Rose (Kelly Tran) on a secret mission to the casino planet of Canto Bight. As the Resistance fighters run out of fuel and are picked off, Poe leads a mutiny against Holdo. His inability to see past "blowing stuff up" is explored in great depth. Poe is eventually stunned by the recovered Leia, before he bungled the Resistance escape to Crait.

10 Vice Admiral Holdo's Kamikaze Run.

Vice Admiral Holdo

Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo assumes leadership of the Resistance after Leia is injured and Admiral Ackbar killed; moment of silence please for the greatest Mon Calamari in the galaxy. Her aloof manner and quiet disposition stokes fury in Poe. She is disgusted by Poe's rashness and arrogance. As the Resistance ships are picked off, Poe thinks she is leading them to doom. Poe demands to know her plans. Holdo's true intentions were carefully thought out; escape to Crait and call for back-up. When Leia returns and the Resistance carriers flee to the red salt planet, DJ's (Benicio Del Toro) betrayal to General Hux allows the First Order to penetrate their cloak. Holdo, in the best space scene of The Last Jedi, stays behind to pilot the Resistance flagship. She turns around, faces Snoke's (Andy Serkis) gargantuan ship, The Supremacy, and jumps to lightspeed directly into it. She sacrifices herself in the greatest kamikaze run of Star Wars. No offense to Captain Sato in Star Wars Rebels, he did the same; but Holdo went out like a boss.

9 Rose saves Finn.

Rose and Finn

John Boyega continues to be great as Finn. He awakens from his injuries with a newfound level of fame. He has become an inspiration to the downtrodden in the galaxy. When Rose (Kelly Tran) first meets Finn, she's enamored by his heroics. This opinion changes initially, but she soon sees that Finn's reputation is well earned. When the slave children in the Canto Bight stables meet Finn, learn they are on a mission for Luke Skywalker, they are star struck. Here is the stormtrooper that turned on the First Order and helped destroy Starkiller base. Then during the battle of Crait, Finn, in another stunningly unselfish act, aims his sand speeder into the First Order's ram. Rose saves him at the last moment, but is severely injured. Her last conscious act is to give him a goodbye kiss. Finn is left breathless. He carries her back to the base, and eventually to safety on the Millennium Falcon. Rey watches as Finn cares for the broken Rose. The romance subplots thicken indeed.

8 Finn vs. Captain Phasma.

Finn Vs Captain Phasma

One of the best fights in The Last Jedi has nothing to do with a lightsaber. Finn and Rose are captured by Captain Phasma's (Gwendoline Christie) troops on the Supremacy. Just as they are about to be executed, Holdo's suicide run cuts the ship in half. Finn is wrestled awake by Rose, but his primary tormentor survived the blast. Finn grabs a laser baton and tears into Captain Phasma. Gone is the janitor that used to cower under her evil chrome grip. Finn slices her helmet in half before she falls to a fiery death.

7 Kylo Ren & Rey's Force connection.

Kylo Ren and Rey Force Connection

Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Rey begin the film with a mysterious connection through the Force. They communicate through the depths of space and, gasp, begin to bond. She calls him a monster for killing Han Solo. He surprisingly admits this is true. Rey then senses the conflict that rages within him. The scene where he stands, sweaty and shirtless, in her mind was shocking. Kylo Ren and Rey as romantic interests? He tells her to ask Luke what really happened between them. The answer drives her right into Kylo Ren's clutches. We then find out that Snoke had enabled their connection. He was correct that Kylo Ren's turmoil would bring her to him. But he was dead wrong about his control of Kylo Ren. Snoke pays the price, like Emperor Palpatine, for misjudging his dark apprentice's loyalty.

6 Leia gets sucked into space.

Leia Sucked into Space

The audience breathed a sigh of relief when Kylo Ren, swooping toward his mother's ship in his Interceptor, does not kill her. That relief turned to gasps of horror as Leia is sucked into space after another TIE bombs the bridge. You could have heard a mouse fart in the theater. I was FLOORED. No, this cannot be the end for Leia. Tears turned to cheers as Leia used her power to pull herself to an airlock. For the first time in Star Wars, Leia showed her ability in the Force. That Skywalker blood runs strong, not even the vacuum of space can stop it from flowing. Rian Johnson grabbed us by the heart with that one.

5 Luke created Kylo Ren.

Luke and Kylo Ren

This reveal is absolutely staggering. From The Force Awakens and Luke's first telling to Rey, we are led to believe that Ben Solo betrayed his teacher and destroyed the nascent Jedi academy. It is a nuclear development to learn that Luke, in a moment of weakness, tried to murder his own nephew as he slept. Luke sensed the dark side growing in Ben Solo. He couldn't allow another Skywalker to decimate the galaxy. Alas Luke realized the folly of his actions too late. Ben wakes up to see his beloved uncle trying to murder him. Luke drove his nephew into the arms of Snoke. He was the creator of Kylo Ren. This mistake has had catastrophic consequences, but it does allow for Ben Solo's redemption.

4 Luke becomes immortal in the Force.

Luke Skywalker

As Kylo Ren flails against the Force projection of Luke on Crait, we cut to Ahch-To. Luke had never left his exile planet. He used his immense power to cross the galaxy and rescue the Resistance. Years of closing himself to the Force comes to end in another incredible development. As Luke pushes himself to the brink, he has a vision of the twin suns of Tatooine. He has finally found peace. Luke's body vanishes. He achieves immortality in the Force. Luke will now be a Force ghost, like Yoda and Obi-Wan.

3 Leia survives The Last Jedi.

Leia Survives Last Jedi

General Leia lives. The Last Jedi is not the end of this character. Everyone on the planet thought the character would somehow be removed in homage to the late Carrie Fisher. I stand up and applaud Rian Johnson, Disney, and Lucasfilm for not doing so. Leia Organa is very much a part of this story. Her last image is holding Rey as they escape in the Millennium Falcon. This trilogy could not end without Leia having a reckoning with her son. Disney has said they would not computerize her like Peter Cushing in Rogue One. This leaves only one solution, recast the character. This is by no means heresy. It's the right thing to do. Carrie Fisher would not let Leia's adventure end with her. Somewhere out there, a new actress will take the reigns of this iconic role. I cannot wait to see who it will be.

2 The spark of rebellion.

The Spark of Rebellion

The final scene of The Last Jedi sent my spirits soaring. Yes, the First Order has pretty much wiped out the Resistance, but hope does indeed survive. As the slave boy on Canto Bight grabs his broom with the Force, he looks into the night sky and sees the Millennium Falcon jump to lightspeed in the heavens. He picks up his broom and starts swinging it like a lightsaber. He treasures the wring that Rose left. The Jedi will be reborn. Hope is very much alive. The Legend of Luke Skywalker grows still in the galaxy. The heroic deeds of Finn of Rose will spread like wildfire. The First Order has certainly not won. The Resistance and the Jedi will return.

1 The balance of the Force.

Balance of the Force

The most important conclusion of The Last Jedi is the status of Rey and Kylo Ren. They represent the balance between light and darkness. Just as Snoke described, Rey is the counterpart that rose to match Kylo Ren in the Force. It's fantastic that Rian Johnson has imbued these characters with such complexity. Rey has seen Ben Solo's future. She swears that he will redeem himself. Ben Solo has taken his Kylo Ren persona to its culmination. He is now the Supreme Leader. In a way he is more dangerous than Snoke or Palpatine. He is confused, unhinged, truly capable of anything. As for Rey, she will have Luke and Leia by her side. She will be the foundation of the new Jedi. Her empathy for Kylo Ren may be her weakness. She's also got competition for the affections of Finn. These character arcs are now the drivers of Star Wars. The Last Jedi is damned good, a game changer in every sense. None of what transpires is poorly done. Rian Johnson has pulled off a coup. He has passed the baton to a new generation by embracing the best of the old one.