The Imperial March is a musical theme recurring in the Star Wars movies. It was composed by John Williams.

One of the best known symphonic movie themes, it is a classic example of a leitmotif, a recurrent theme associated with characters or events in a drama.

Although played by an orchestra on the movie soundtrack, it is often played by brass bands; military bands are particularly effective in delivering the theme's martial stance. The Imperial March was also performed by heavy metal band Rage Against the Machine, Metallica together with the San Francisco Symphonic Orchestra. It was also played by No Doubt at some of their live concerts.

In the movies, the march is played when the Emperor or Darth Vader appear (although the Emperor has his own theme), or when their appearance is suggested -- note also that the Imperial March had not been written when the first film, A New Hope, was made.

A few notes of the Imperial March were played in The Phantom Menace in a scene between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda when they discussed the future of Anakin Skywalker. In the next film, the Imperial March is played subtly whenever the Republic and Anakin's dark future is hinted at, and then it is played full-blown when the Clone Wars begin.

When Darth Vader dies at the end of Return of the Jedi, the theme is heard one last time as a distant, melancholy pizzicato.

A modified version of the Imperial March is sometimes used to introduce Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

See also

• Galactic Empire
• Duel of the Fates