‘Return of the Jedi’ Mistakes You’ll Never Be Able to Unsee

Even a crowd-pleaser like ‘Return of the Jedi’ has little slipups that become obvious once you know where to look. From continuity hiccups on the sail barge to prop quirks in the Endor battle, these moments are baked into the finished movie and pop out on repeat viewings. Here are ten specific goofs you can spot the next time you watch, complete with where they happen and what to look for.

The sail barge kick that never connects

Lucasfilm

During the skiff fight near the Sarlacc, Luke throws a high kick at a guard and the hit clearly misses by a noticeable gap. The guard still flips backward as if he was struck, and the scene keeps moving. You can catch it right after Luke lands on the skiff and starts clearing the deck. Watch the wide shot where the stunt reaction sells contact that never happens.

Boba Fett’s wobbly blaster

Lucasfilm

On the skiff sequence, Boba Fett’s carbine briefly bends when it hits the deck and pops back as he moves. The prop was made from a flexible material that shows its give in the action. This is easiest to see when Han turns and flails while still recovering his vision. The blaster’s barrel flex is quick but very visible once you know it is there.

Leia’s chain changes length

Lucasfilm

When Leia strangles Jabba, the chain around her neck appears longer in some shots and shorter in others. The switch happens between angles as the camera cuts from Leia to Jabba. You can see slack in one setup and a tighter wrap in the next. The staging shifts again during the final pull as the dais rocks.

Rancor composite outlines

Lucasfilm

Inside the pit, the Rancor creature shows thin outlines and matte fringing around its body in several shots. These are artifacts from the optical compositing process used to combine the puppet with the live action plate. Look at the edges near the claws and along the shoulders when it reaches for Luke. The haloing is most visible against the brighter cave background.

Han’s carbonite thaw continuity

Lucasfilm

As Han is released from carbonite, the position of his arms and the amount of frost on his face are not perfectly consistent from shot to shot. The closeups and medium shots were captured at different times, which shows in the shifting details. You can spot the change as the smoke clears and Leia steadies him. The pattern of residue on the chest plate also jumps between cuts.

Lando’s disguise gear that shifts

Lucasfilm

During the chaos on the sail barge, parts of Lando’s skiff guard disguise appear and disappear between angles. The mouth cover and head wrap sit differently across consecutive shots. This is most noticeable as he dangles over the Sarlacc and yells for help. The wardrobe reset does not match the preceding frame.

An Ewok spear that bends on impact

Lucasfilm

On Endor, an Ewok thrusts a spear into a stormtrooper and the shaft visibly bends like rubber. The flexible prop was used for safety during the stunt. You can catch the bend as the trooper reacts and falls backward. The spear straightens again as the Ewok turns away.

Stormtrooper armor details that swap

Lucasfilm

In the forest fight, knee plates and shoulder bells on some troopers change position between shots. The armor segments were reattached quickly during resets, leading to mismatches. Look for a trooper whose left knee plate flips orientation when the camera cuts. The scuffs and dirt patterns also trade sides in a few quick edits.

The bunker door damage that resets

Lucasfilm

At the Endor shield bunker, scorch marks and broken panels on the main door do not stay consistent once the charges detonate. Wide shots and closeups show different states of damage as the Rebels push inside. You can see a cracked section repaired in the very next angle. The debris on the ground also rearranges itself between cuts.

Padmé memories that do not align later

Lucasfilm

Leia tells Luke that she remembers her mother as kind and sad, which later conflicts with events shown in ‘Revenge of the Sith’. In the original context, the line plays as simple backstory, but the later prequel timeline makes those memories unlikely. The dialogue remains unchanged in releases of ‘Return of the Jedi’. Viewers often note this as a series continuity issue across films.

Share the moments you have spotted in ‘Return of the Jedi’ in the comments and tell us which ones jump out at you the most.