A mystery motif, originally composed by John Williams, made its initial appearance in the 1983 film, Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, part of the original trilogy, functioning alongside "The Force Theme." It is prominently featured in the 2002 Attack of the Clones soundtrack, also by John Williams and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. This leitmotif takes the form of a minor key arpeggio figure, with notes that ascend and descend sequentially. The motif is presented in several forms, with one variation exhibiting a conjunct, undulating motion.
The mystery motif, an arpeggio figure, shares its notes with the initial melody of "The Force Theme," but is played in a minor key and lacks the third note found in "The Force Theme." This motif, used as a leitmotif to signify mystery within Star Wars musical score, features ascending and descending notes in sequence, and exists in various forms, including one with conjunct, undulating motion.
Luke Skywalker watching his father's funeral pyre burning on Endor in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, a 1983 original trilogy film, marks the first instance of the mystery motif's use. It is performed once by woodwinds in the track "Light of the Force," in accompaniment to "The Force Theme."
In the 1993 video game Star Wars: X-Wing, scored by Peter McConnell, Michael Z. Land, and Clint Bajakian, with music AI programmed by Lawrence Holland, the mystery motif is played with different harmony in combat levels right after the player leaves hyperspace. iMUSE electronic system was handled by McConnell and Land.
Clint Bajakian scored the 1995 video game Star Wars: Dark Forces, which uses the mystery motif. It is first played in the title screen. In the 1998 video game Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, composed by Chris Hülsbeck, the motif appears in the track "Where is the ship?"
The mystery motif is integrated into both Kreia's and the Sith Triumvirate's motif within the 2004 video game Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, for which Mark Griskey composed the music. The motif is played in the opening menu of the 2005 Revenge of the Sith video game.
The track "Peace, The Jedi Consular" on the Collector's Edition soundtrack of the 2011 massively multiplayer online role-playing game Star Wars: The Old Republic features the mystery motif continuously after "The Force Theme."
The motif appears several times during the gameplay itself. As the Jedi Knight witnesses Jedi Master Orgus Din collapse a tunnel to stop the Flesh Raiders from reaching the Jedi Temple on Tython in the Jedi Knight storyline, the motif is played. It is also played as the Jedi Knight, Grand Master Satele Shan, and the Sith Lord Scourge discuss the Voss Mystics governing the planet Voss.
In the 2014 digital expansion Star Wars: The Old Republic: Galactic Starfighter, variations of the motif are prominent in the music for the flashpoint "Kuat Drive Yards." This flashpoint is set in the Kuat Drive Yards during the Battle of Kuat of the Galactic War.
The mystery motif is played at the conclusion of the 2020 "Echoes of Oblivion" story in Star Wars: The Old Republic: Onslaught, a digital expansion to the Star Wars: The Old Republic video game, as former Jedi Aryn Leneer approaches former Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan regarding her recent encounter with Darth Malgus in the Dantooine Jedi Enclave. The mystery motif is also played when the Alliance Commander, Arn Peralun, and Aryn Leneer are lost while tracking down Malgus in the Enclave. Aryn Leneer's theme follows as Leneer uses Force empathy to follow Malgus' trail.
The track "Return to Tatooine" in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones first introduces the motif in cue "2m5 Library Scene"—at the Jedi Archives, where Obi-Wan Kenobi looked for the planet [Kamino](/article/kamino]. Later, it sounds with the cue "3M1 Finding Kamino", when Kenobi first makes planetfall on Kamino and encounters its rainy environment. It is next heard in the cue "3M6 The Meeting With Fett", when a Kaminoan-ridden aiwha emerges from Kamino's ocean and flies around Tipoca City, immediately prior to Obi-Wan's meeting with Jango Fett. The motif later appears in the cue "3M8 Rainy Ramp and Anakin's Nightmare," when Obi-Wan reports to the senior Jedi from a Kamino landing platform (featured in "The Meadow Picnic" on the released soundtrack). The leitmotif also underscores the Separatist Council's plotting on Geonosis, as well as Cliegg Lars' narration of Shmi, Anakin Skywalker's mother, being abducted by Tusken Raiders. The motif is played when Yoda senses Skywalker's fall to the dark side after Shmi's death from his quarters on Coruscant, until Yoda mentions sensing death echoing from Skywalker's fall, and "The Imperial March" is played instead. The descending figure preceding the main motif is played and twisted into a brief rendition of "The Emperor's Theme" when the Supreme Chancellor accepts emergency powers from the Galactic Senate. The score continues with the conspiracy motif before transitioning to the Palpatine's machinations motif for Palpatine's acceptance speech.
In Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith's soundtrack, composed by John Williams, cue 3m1 "Council Meeting" includes a variation of the motif. It is followed by four notes that forms the first four notes of Ahsoka's Theme, first heard in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars film written by Kevin Kiner. The motif also serves as a musical flourish to "The Force Theme" in "Goodbye Old Friend," as Obi-Wan Kenobi's blue Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor leaves Commander Cody's Venator-class Star Destroyer in the Coruscant system for Utapau. It also plays when Anakin and Padme talk on Mustafar and again in a frenzied fashion as Darth Vader recieves his helmet.
The 2015 Rey's Theme, part of the soundtrack for Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, features the motif played in reverse. Composer Gordy Haab reuses the 3M1 cue with some changes in the 2017 video game Star Wars Battlefront II for its Kamino loading screen.
The mystery motif is present in Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker as a variation of "The Force Theme" when Rey leaves Kef Bir on Kylo Ren's TIE whisper. The Attack of the Clones track "Return to Tatooine" is temp tracked for the rooftop scene beteeen Zorii Bliss and Poe Dameron in The Rise of Skywalker. The mystery motif is included, and sounds when Bliss lowers her helmet's eye-shields. In the same 2019 film, the leitmotif is played in forte, overlaying the Force drain scene and increasing in speed, pitch, and volume as Darth Sidious takes the power of Rey and Ben Solo for himself. The "Fate" TV Spot, released before The Rise of Skywalker, combines "The Force Theme" with the mystery motif, although this music is absent from the film's soundtrack.
The Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series, also scored by Kiner, features the motif in the episode "Voices," as Qui-Gon Jinn guides Yoda through the misty swamps of Dagobah, teaching the Jedi Grand Master about the Force and immortality.
In the 2014 Star Wars Rebels episode "Fighter Flight," the mystery motif follows "The Force Theme" similarly to "The City in the Clouds" from the 1980 film Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back's soundtrack, just after Ezra Bridger frees farmers captured by the Galactic Empire in Imperial Troop Transports. The mystery motif shares the same notes and motion of notes as in "The Force Theme," although they are instead played in minor key. In the 2016 episode "The Protector of Concord Dawn," composer Kevin Kiner further develops the mystery motif as the Spectre Sabine Wren plants explosives at the Protectors Camp on Concord Dawn.
The approach to the Sith world of Ashas Ree in the Star Wars Resistance episode "The Relic Raiders" features the mystery motif. A quick, rhythmic ostinato of the motif is played near the end of the track "Battle Simulations" in Star Wars: The Bad Batch's episode "Aftermath,"
Various BBC productions from the 2000s onward, including documentaries, comedy TV shows, and films, incorporate variations of the leitmotif. John Williams used the motif in various films he scored, such as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, The Adventures of Tintin, and The BFG.