Since 1977, the Star Wars franchise has been captivating fans everywhere, showing them the exploits of the galaxy's greatest heroes. With underdogs like Luke Skywalker and brave, noble hearts like Princess Leia at the helm, the story of good vs. evil has lasted through multiple generations and has shown no signs of stopping.

And while the franchise has shown an impeccable skill for making viewers feel overwhelmed with joy and excitement, there are also many lows where viewers have been brought to tears. Many horrible deaths and noble sacrifices are featured throughout the franchise, and here we are going to review some of the moments that fans think of when recalling the most tear-jerking scenes featured over the last 40-plus years.

7 Ben Kenobi's Death - A New Hope

Ben Kenobi (1)
20th Century Studios

In Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), Luke Skywalker meets an elderly hermit known as Ben Kenobi. Ben would reveal to Luke that he is a gifted individual with access to the Force, a power that allows the young man to move objects with his willpower, among other abilities. Ben would gift Luke with his first lightsaber and help train him for the battles that were to come.

Knowing that Luke wasn't ready to fight Darth Vader, Ben would seek his former pupil out himself. The two would do battle, with Luke calling out to Ben, signaling that they were ready to leave. Ben would simply give Luke a look before accepting his fate, allowing Darth Vader to strike him down. This would prove to be heart-wrenching as audiences would have to see Luke lose another father figure shortly after he had lost his Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru.

6 Din Djarin Says Goodbye to Grogu - The Mandalorian

Din Djarin Grogu Mandalorian Chapter 13 Lucasfilm
Disney Platform Distribution

Throughout the series The Mandalorian, Din Djarin takes on the responsibility of protecting a youngling, who we would later discover is named Grogu. Though Grogu is already hundreds of years old, the little guy has formed a strong bond akin to a father and son, with Din wishing to learn both the ways of the Jedi and respect the Mandalorian culture.

Din wanted what was best for Grogu, though he also didn't wish to say goodbye to his friend. The time came, however, when Luke Skywalker arrived and stated that if Grogu was to become a Jedi, he had to leave with Luke and say goodbye to Din. Din expressed that he wanted Grogu to remain strong and to go down a good path. So in a scene that brought many tears to Star Wars fans (young and old); Din said goodbye to Grogu and sent him off on his next adventure.

5 Qui-Gon Jinn's Death - The Phantom Menace

Qui-Gon Jinn meditating in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
20th Century Fox

Introduced in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), Qui-Gon Jinn is seen as an elder Jedi Master, taking on a young Obi-Wan Kenobi as his Padawan. Taking on daring missions of political intrigue, Qui-Gon always kept a calm demeanor, even when presented with a young boy (Anakin Skywalker) who seems to be the child destined to alter the course of history.

During the film's epic final battle, Qui-Gon duels Sith Knight Darth Maul alongside Obi-Wan, though the two are narrowly holding Maul off when working together. Obi-Wan is separated from the two, and Qui-Gon is forced to counter this deadly foe by himself. Mere moments before he is faced with this lethal opponent, Qui-Gon Jinn begins to meditate, and when the time comes, he fights valiantly, only for Maul to kill him with a strike to the abdomen. Obi-Wan's cries of anguish matched the gasps of shock that could be heard among the theater-goers as Qui-Gon seemed poised to be the hero that would guide Anakin on the path of good.

Related: Star Wars: Original, Prequel, Sequel- Which Era is the Best?

4 Obi-Wan Faces His Guilt - Obi-Wan Kenobi

Ewan McGregor in Obi-Wan Kenobi
Disney Platform Distribution

In Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan lives on Tatooine as a hermit, wishing to protect Luke Skywalker from the potential purview of Luke's father. As Obi-wan would leave to protect Princess Leia from the Imperial forces, he would be forced to come face-to-face with Darth Vader, the man that Anakin had become after giving in entirely to the dark side of the Force.

The two would fight and struggle against one another, with Obi-Wan emotionally struggling with the fact that he had left his Padawan to die. Obi-Wan felt responsible for turning Anakin into this monster. But Darth Vader would send chills down everyone's spines, as Obi-Wan would wish for forgiveness, but instead would find some form of absolution in Vader's words, "I am not your failure Obi-Wan. You didn't kill Anakin Skywalker. I did."

3 Kanan's Sacrifice - Rebels

Kanan Jarrus in Star Wars Rebels
Disney-ABC Domestic Television

Kanan Jarrus had to suffer much loss in his life. His origins are detailed over the course of the series Star Wars Rebels, and we would discover that Kanan had changed his name to protect himself after bearing witness to Order 66. Kanan would also lose his eyesight in a duel with Darth Maul, a loss he struggled to cope with before accepting that he wasn't broken, but had instead found another way to be one with the Force.

During an epic escape, Kanan would find himself happy as Hera Syndulla would admit her feelings for him as the two began to embrace. When they tried to escape with their crew, they discovered that the building near them was being enveloped in a violent explosion and that they wouldn't have time to escape. Kanan, without hesitation, would leap out and hold back the explosion. When Syndulla attempted to bring him back, Kanan would partially shift his focus to the ship before using his full power to launch the ship to safety. Audiences would be left to wipe away tears as Hera watches her love be devoured by the flames, as he sacrifices himself to ensure she and the others would live.

2 Anakin Kills Padme - Revenge of the Sith

Darth Vader Nooo (1)
20th Century Fox

Anakin Skywalker had slowly been turned to the dark side. Alongside the influence of Chancellor Palpatine (Darth Sidious), Anakin faced many losses, the most impactful being the loss of his mother, who had been tortured by Tusken Raiders before succumbing to her injuries. Anakin began looking to the dark side in hopes that he could discover the power to keep those he loved from dying.

In Revenge of the Sith, as Anakin's paranoia and fear grew from his negative emotions, his wife Padme would seek him out, hoping she could bring him back to the light. Anakin would witness Obi-Wan exiting Padme's ship, and in his anger, he would choke Padme until she passed out. Padme would later give birth to her and Anakin's twin children before dying of a broken heart. Anakin would awake in his new armor, and when he asked of Padme's status, he would be informed that he had murdered her in his rage. This final deception would push Anakin over the edge, and Darth Vader would be born.

Related: Star Wars: The Acolyte: Plot, Cast, and Everything Else We Know

1 Ben Kills Han - The Force Awakens

Han Solo Dies in The Force Awakens
Walt Disney Studios

Ben Solo (also known as Kylo Ren) had forsaken the path his family wished him to follow after waking to find his uncle had been prepared to kill him in his sleep. Ben would begin leading the Knights of Ren as an elite force within the New Empire, wishing to upset the status quo and follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, Darth Vader.

While Rey and Finn had already attempted to fight Ben, Han wished to reach out to his son, hoping to save him from making a horrible mistake. It appears Han's approach is working as Ben begins to tell his father of how he feels he is being torn apart and that he doesn't have the strength to do what he needs to. Ben asks his father for help, and Han agrees. In the cinematic moment, when the light is snuffed out by the clouds, Ben's demeanor changes, and he murders his father, thanking him for his help.