Descent motif

Descent motif
General information
Composer	John Williams
Released	2002 2005 2017
Represents	Fall to the dark side
Performed by	London Symphony Orchestra London Voices Los Angeles Master Chorale
Genre	Film score
Usage information
Soundtracks	Attack of the Clones Revenge of the Sith The Last Jedi
Movies	II, III, VIII
Samples
Versions	"Anakin's Betryal"

A musical motif composed by John Williams and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra first appeared in the 2002 prequel trilogy film, Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. A combination of dies irae and "Across the Stars," it is played in the tracks "The Dinner Scene" and "Anakin Changes," as Anakin Skywalker descends to the dark side. It reappears in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, again symbolising Skywalker's fall in the tracks "Anakin's Betrayal," "Lament," and "The Immolation Scene." The lattermost is played when Skywalker, after losing his duel against his former mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, is burned by lava on the planet Mustafar. For the score of Revenge of the Sith, both the London Symphony Orchestra and London Voices performed the musical motif at Abbey Road Studios.

A fragment of the motif is played during the Battle of Crait sequence of the sequel trilogy film Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi, released in 2017. It is played towards the end of the track "The Battle of Crait."

Sources

• Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
• Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones soundtrack
• Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith soundtrack
• Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi
• Star Wars: The Last Jedi soundtrack