27 Years Later, This Is Officially the Most Horrifying Scene in All of Star Wars

Few moments in Star Wars feel truly horrifying, but one sequence from Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace keeps resurfacing for how brutal it is: Ratts Tyerell’s death during the Boonta Eve Classic. The clip has gone viral again, with posts from X user @NudeGunray calling it “the most horrifying scene in Star Wars” and creator Jacob Andrews (@jtimsuggs) noting that deleted material makes the moment even worse.

Ratts loses control after a collision, his engines spin out, slam into a canyon wall and explode as he emits a panicked scream. There’s no heroic framing or mythic dignity—the practical effects and the film’s blunt presentation make the crash feel immediate and harsh, and the podracers themselves come across as unstable, dangerous machines.

A deleted scene adds even more weight: Ratts’ wife and children are shown in the stands, and dialogue suggests his wife had just left the hospital with their newborn.

star wars, phantom menace, ratts tyerell, boonta eve, podracers, podracer crash, deleted scene, practical effects, viral clip, jacob andrews