The Imperial March

Use

In the movies

"The Imperial March" makes its initial appearance in The Empire Strikes Back at the film's outset, accompanying the deployment of probe droids from an Imperial Star Destroyer to Hoth. This iteration, played by a piccolo, is scarcely discernible. The more recognized version of the theme is first played when Darth Vader is reintroduced as Death Squadron assembles. The theme recurs throughout the film, accompanying the Death Squadron or Darth Vader, most notably during "The Battle of Hoth" as the Executor approaches Hoth and as Vader enters Echo Base post-battle. It is then heard at the beginning of "The Asteroid Field" as the Millennium Falcon attempts to evade Star Destroyers and, in a more powerful arrangement, during "Han Solo and the Princess" as the Death Squadron navigates the asteroid field and as the Executor emerges from the asteroids. Subsequently, the tune is briefly present near the conclusion of "The Training of a Jedi Knight" as bounty hunters gather on the Executor, "Yoda and the Force" when Captain Needa leaves the Avenger to apologize to Darth Vader, and "Imperial Starfleet Deployed" as the Falcon clings to the Avenger's command tower. Later, in a more dramatic presentation, it accompanies the duel between Vader and Luke, known as "The Clash of Lightsabers," as Vader employs the Force to hurl objects at Luke. It also features in "Rescue from Cloud City/Hyperspace" when Darth Vader reveals his paternity to Luke.

Similar to The Empire Strikes Back, "The Imperial March" is played frequently in Return of the Jedi whenever Darth Vader is present. It is employed powerfully when Emperor Palpatine arrives on the DS-2 Death Star II Mobile Battle Station. As Luke removes Vader's mask at the end of Jedi, the theme is performed somberly by high-pitched strings; as Vader passes away, the tune is heard a final time as a dirge played by the harp.

The "Imperial March" theme is sparingly used in the prequel trilogy, often as a subtle hint of Anakin Skywalker's eventual transformation into Darth Vader. Its presence grows as the trilogy progresses.

A few notes from "The Imperial March" are audible in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace during a scene where Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda deliberate Anakin Skywalker's fate on Naboo. The principal notes of "The Imperial March" are heard in "The Droid Battle." It also appears at the ominous conclusion of "Anakin's Theme," played during the end credits, along with Darth Vader's respiration, suggesting that the prequel trilogy will depict Anakin's descent into becoming Darth Vader.

In the subsequent film, Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, "The Imperial March" is played with such subtlety that it's almost imperceptible when Yoda senses Anakin's massacre of the Tusken Raiders. The opening notes of the march recur, slightly louder, after Anakin admits to the deed to Padmé. At the film's conclusion, a new, complete version accompanies the deployment of the Grand Army of the Republic, alluding to the future connection between clone troopers and stormtroopers, and as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine observes the Army's deployment from a balcony, foreshadowing his ascension to Emperor. For the new army scene, "The Imperial March" was used as temp music from the start of pre-production.

In Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, "The Imperial March" is first played when Anakin challenges the Jedi Council for denying him the title of Jedi Master, despite being appointed to the Council. The track is also audible when Anakin informs Mace Windu about Palpatine's true identity, Darth Sidious. It is later played when Anakin is christened as the Sith Darth Vader, shortly after Mace Windu's demise. "The Imperial March" is quoted when clone troopers discover deceased Wookiees on Kashyyyk and when Padmé confronts Anakin on Mustafar. A few notes of the "March" are played when Vader arrives on Mustafar to eliminate the Separatists. The piece is played more distinctly during the "Battle of the Heroes" scene between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader at the movie's climax and in the simultaneous battle between Yoda and Darth Sidious. It also plays when Darth Vader receives his armor and when he gazes up at the first Death Star.

In Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film), "The Imperial March" is heard when Anakin speaks with Jabba the Hutt about his actions with Ahsoka Tano and Jabba accuses Anakin of coming to his palace to end his life.

In Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, "The Imperial March" is briefly revisited when Kylo Ren shares his inner turmoil with Darth Vader's charred helmet aboard the Resurgent-class Star Destroyer Finalizer.

In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, "The Imperial March" features prominently during Vader's meeting with Director Krennic on Mustafar. A fragment of it is also played at the film's conclusion, as Vader observes the Tantive IV escaping from the Profundity's docking bay.

In Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi, a short reprise of the theme is heard as Supreme Leader Snoke discusses with Ren his aspiration to emulate Vader and his shortcomings in achieving that goal.

In Solo: A Star Wars Story, the theme is prominent as the film transitions from Han Solo's escape from Corellia to his time as an Imperial infantryman on Mimban. It also serves as the soundtrack for the advert at the shuttle station that encourages Han to enlist in the Imperial forces. This marks the first instance of the Imperial March being used as diegetic music in a Star Wars film.

In Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker_ _the theme is present many times: during the appearance of Darth Vader's helmet, the rise of Sith Star Destroyers, the destruction of Kijimi, and in the Death Star's wreckage, it was played as a version by high-range strings from Vader's death scene in Return of the Jedi.

In the Expanded Universe

The soundtrack to Shadows of the Empire by Joel McNeely features a sample of "The Imperial March" in the "Night Skies" theme. Here, it is played as a contemplative piece, to show Darth Vader thinking about information regarding the Falleen Prince Xizor and sensing that his son is nearby in Imperial Center.

In Star Wars: Rogue Squadron a more synthetic and somewhat eerie version of "The Imperial March" is played during the battle with Kohl Seerdon. Several bits were more ominous during the World Devastators' rampage over Mon Calamari.

"The Imperial March" is frequently played throughout the Star Wars: Empire at War game series, especially when playing as the Galactic Empire.

A portion of the theme is featured in Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast as the Doomgiver departs the Cairn Installation and at the dark side ending of Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy when Jaden Korr seizes control of the Star Destroyer orbiting Korriban with his Z-95.

The theme is present in the musical piece John Williams created for Star Tours, which shares the same name.

In Angry Birds Star Wars, it plays on the final level of each episode (boss battles), with the exceptions of Tatooine, Path of the Jedi, Boba Fett's Missions, and Bonus levels.

In LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, the muzak version from the _Family Guy _episode "Blue Harvest" is used on the elevators within the Venator-class Star Destroyer, the game's central hub.

On television

"The Imperial March" appears in several episodes of the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars:

• In "Brain Invaders," "The Imperial March" is clearly audible when Anakin Skywalker interrogates Poggle the Lesser.
• In "Voyage of Temptation," "The Imperial March" is briefly heard when Anakin Skywalker kills Tal Merrik.
• In "Overlords," "The Imperial March" is audible as the Eta-class shuttle departs Mortis.
• In "Ghosts of Mortis," "The Imperial March" is clearly heard as the Son attempts to sway Anakin Skywalker to the dark side.
• In "Citadel Rescue," a small snippet of "The Imperial March" is heard when Anakin and Captain Wilhuff Tarkin shake hands before separating.
• In "Deception," "The Imperial March" is heard while Anakin is at Obi-Wan's funeral.
• In "The Lawless," a small snippet of "The Imperial March" is heard when Darth Sidious enters the Mandalorian throne room to confront Maul and Savage Opress.
• In "The Wrong Jedi," the "Clash of the Lightsabers" variant of "The Imperial March" is briefly heard as Anakin confronts the fallen Jedi Padawan, Barriss Offee, who is wielding Asajj Ventress's stolen red lightsabers.

In the premiere episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch, "Aftermath," "The Imperial March" is heard immediately after Palpatine declares himself Emperor.

It is also used at the beginning of the Star Wars Rebels episode "Call to Action" as Grand Moff Tarkin visits Lothal, and it appears in several other episodes. It is featured briefly but significantly at the end of "Fire Across the Galaxy" when Darth Vader appears. Within the franchise's new canon continuity, the tune is known in-universe as "Glory of the Empire."

In-universe

• In the Sith Inquisitor storyline of Star Wars: The Old Republic, while pursuing Ashara Zavros's affair quest, Ashara is heard humming the Imperial March. This suggests that the theme was known in the Star Wars universe millennia before the rise of the Galactic Empire. Alternatively, Ashara may have simply improvised this simple tune, with a similar one developing later independently.
• In A. C. Crispin's book The Paradise Snare, it's subtly implied that "The Imperial March" is "the martial theme of the Imperial Navy." This connection is made more explicit in the audiobook edition, where the cue is actually used.
• In "Rising Malevolence," a rocket battle droid hums a version of "The Imperial March" as his Droch-class boarding ship approaches the escape pod of Plo Koon.
• In Star Wars: Battlefront II, Imperials sometimes whistle "The Imperial March."
• Leonis Murthé hums "Dum Dum Dum, Dum-te-Dum, Dum-te-Dum" as he uses his lightsaber on a "patient" in Boba Fett: Agent of Doom.
• In Star Wars: Republic Commando, a piano remix of the march can be heard as a cheery elevator tune in an elevator in the level "Attack of the Clones."
• In Star Wars Rebels episode "Empire Day," a more upbeat and heroic version of the march, titled "Glory of the Empire," is played over loudspeakers during the eponymous holiday's parade.
• In Solo: A Star Wars Story, a similar upbeat version of the march plays under an Imperial recruitment video playing at the Coronet Spaceport on Corellia.
• In Reflections, a similar version of the march plays in an elevator.

In popular culture

• A muzak rendition of "The Imperial March" is featured as elevator music aboard the Death Star in the Family Guy episode Blue Harvest, which parodies A New Hope and borrows much of its plot from the film.
• In the Family Guy episode, “Brian Sings and Swings”, “The Imperial March” is heard when Chris head part is being put on in the bathroom in the style of how Darth Vader has helmet on in The Empire Strikes Back.
• The New York Yankees play the theme when introducing players from the opposing team at Yankee Stadium.
• In The Simpsons, "The Imperial March" is used once in each of the three episodes when Mr. Burns appears in “Marge gets a Job”, “A Star is Burns” and “Gump Roast”.
• In an episode of The Big Bang Theory, Raj plays "The Imperial March" upon entering a comic-book store to project an image of being "awesome and to be feared."
• The Crossbone Vanguard theme from Gundam F91 is inspired by "The Imperial March," largely because the anime movie's creator, Tomino, was a fan of Star Wars.
• The symphonic metal band Epica performed a cover of "The Imperial March" on their 2009 live album The Classical Conspiracy.
• Before a change to a new theme around mid-2010, "The Imperial March" served as the opening theme song (played at the "top of the hour") for The Alex Jones Show. During the theme's playback, an announcer would state: "Big Brother, mainstream media, government cover-ups. You want answers? Well so does he. He's Alex Jones...on the GCN Radio Network. And now, live from Austin, Texas...Alex Jones." Segments of this theme are still played in The Alex Jones Show at the "top of the hour" and after commercial breaks.
• The Montreal Canadiens Hockey team plays "The Imperial March" during power play situations at games.
• Certain NPCs in The Witcher PC CRPG can be heard whistling the theme.
• In 2012, Volkswagen previewed a Super Bowl commercial featuring a chorus of dogs barking the march, each dressed as different characters from the films.
• Ryan Bader has used a remixed version of the theme as his entrance music at UFC 144.
• In 2007, the Band of the Welsh Guards famously played the Imperial March to greet Saudi Arabian King Abdullah during a controversial state visit to the UK.
• An episode of The Big Bang Theory titled "The Cooper/Kripke Inversion" incorporates the theme as Sheldon's "I'm unhappy and about to destroy the planet" music. Similarly, Raj Koothrappali briefly played the Imperial March theme when entering the comic book store in the beginning of the episode "The Excelsior Acquisition".
• The initial TV trailer for the 2013 Japanese superhero crossover movie Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z commenced with a brief musical piece strongly reminiscent of "The Imperial March" to introduce another space empire, Space Shocker.
• In Robot Chicken: Star Wars, during the segment where Luke Skywalker and Palpatine engage in a Dozens battle, a Hip-Hop version of "The Imperial March" played in the background.
• In an episode of Chuck titled "Chuck Versus the Last Details", Morgan Grimes is assigned to go undercover at an auction of assassins and crime bosses bidding on a lethal weapon. He and Chuck Bartowski hum the Imperial March to get the former into the mindset of playing a bad guy, and the official instrumental kicks in as Morgan enters the auction room.
• In the 2018 animated film Ralph Breaks the Internet, "The Imperial March" is used when Vanellope von Schweetz flees from First Order stormtroopers on the OhMyDisney.com website.