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Synopsis:
It is a period of civil war.
Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won
their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.
During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret
plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon, the Death Star,
an armoured space station with enough power to destroy
an entire planet.
Pursued by the Empire's sinister agents, Princess Leia
races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen
plans that can save her people and restore freedom to
the galaxy....
The Tantive IV is carrying precious information,
vital to the Rebel Alliance. But Darth Vader, Dark Lord
of the Sith, and his master have long suspected Princess
Leia Organa of being a Rebel, and her starship is
intercepted by his Imperial Star Destroyer, the Devastator,
and boarded by Vader's stormtroopers. Before her
capture, Leia stores the vital information inside
R2-D2's databank. R2-D2 and C-3PO escape in an escape
pod, and land on the remote desert planet of Tatooine.
R2-D2 and C-3PO are "recovered" by Jawas after
being separated from each other.
The droids are bought by moisture farmer Owen Lars and
his nephew, Luke Skywalker. R2-D2 escapes from the Lars'
homestead in search of an Obi-Wan Kenobi, whom the droid
claims to be the property of. Luke and C-3PO find R2 the
next day just before they are attacked by Sandpeople.
Luke and his droids are rescued by Obi-Wan Kenobi or, as
Luke knows him, Ben Kenobi. Obi-Wan takes Luke to his
home.
Luke receives his father's lightsaber, as Obi-Wan
recalls his own friendship with Luke's father. Luke is
told that a Jedi named Darth Vader betrayed and murdered
his father. After discovering Princess Leia's message
carried by R2-D2, Obi-Wan attempts to persuade Luke to
accompany him to Alderaan. Luke refuses to go until he
discovers that his aunt and uncle were brutally murdered
by Imperial stormtroopers searching for the droids.
Luke, Obi-Wan, and the two droids travel to Mos Eisley
to find passage to Alderaan, Princess Leia's home
planet.
Smuggler Han Solo and his first mate, a Wookiee named
Chewbacca, agree to take the foursome to Alderaan aboard
their ship, the Millennium Falcon. After brief
scuffles with the Empire and henchmen sent by Jabba the
Hutt, the Falcon escapes an Imperial Blockade at
Mos Eisley and Han sets a course for Alderaan.
In Alderaan's place, they find what seems to be an
asteroid field. The planet was destroyed by the dreaded
Death Star, on the orders of Grand Moff Tarkin, to set
an example of the power of the Empire. The Millennium
Falcon is pulled aboard the Death Star by its
powerful tractor beam.
From hidden smuggling compartments, the crew of the Millennium
Falcon ambushes an Imperial scanning crew and two
stormtroopers. With Han and Luke now disguised as the
two stormtroopers, the group begins to figure out how to
escape. Obi-Wan separates from the group to disable the
tractor beam, leaving the others alone. While connected
to the Imperial Network, R2-D2 discovers Princess Leia
is aboard the station. Luke convinces Han and Chewbacca
to rescue her with the vague promise of a grand reward.
Han and Chewbacca reluctantly agree. Luke plans to march
into Detention Block AA 23, claiming that Chewbacca is
part of a prisoner transfer. C-3PO and R2-D2 are
instructed to remain behind, and the trio sets off on
their rescue attempt. Luke's plan works flawlessly in
that they are quick to subdue the officers and guards in
the Princess's cellblock. Unfortunately, no one thought
to plan for their escape, and Leia takes charge,
blasting a hole in a nearby grate and jumping through
while Han and Luke hold off a squad of stormtroopers.
Chewbacca, Luke and Han all dive after the princess into
the unknown.
Unfortunately, the grate covers a chute that leads to a
garbage compactor that is also home to a resident
dianoga. Soon after landing, the creature pulls Luke
under the surface, but releases him and is scared away
when the Imperials realize where our heroes escaped to
and activate the compactor. As the walls close in on the
foursome, Luke desperately calls to C-3PO over his
comlink asking for the compactor to be shut down. R2-D2
manages to shut down the compactor just in time,
although, amidst the muffled cries of joy over the
comlink, C-3PO is briefly convinced that his master and
friends have been crushed.
After escaping from the trash compactor, the group
hurries back to the Millennium Falcon, hoping
that Obi-Wan has successfully shut down the tractor
beam. They encounter stormtroopers on their way to the
ship.
Obi-Wan, on the other hand, was destined to meet with
Darth Vader. Obi-Wan battles his former Padawan, but
this time Obi-Wan sacrifices himself (actually, it was
later revealed that Obi-Wan did not let Vader kill him,
rather joined the Force before being killed to avoid
death) as Luke watches in terror, then screams.
Horrified and angered, Luke takes his final blasts at
the stormtroopers and dashes onto the Millennium
Falcon.
After fighting a squadron of TIE Fighters, the Millennium
Falcon meets the Rebel Alliance on Yavin 4, and the
information in R2-D2 is turned over. General Dodonna
plans the attack on the Death Star, an attack so
audacious as to receive an unenthusiastic reaction from
the pilots, notably Wedge Antilles. To add to Luke's
dismay, Han leaves after receiving his reward.
The Rebel strike force begins its attack on the Death
Star, as the space station approaches the Rebel base on
Yavin 4. The final Rebel ships enter the trench to hit
the target that will destroy the Death Star. One of them
is piloted by Biggs Darklighter, a friend of Luke who is
killed by Vader towards the end of the assault. Most of
the Rebel ships are destroyed, save for Luke's X-wing
starfighter. Just before Darth Vader could destroy Luke
from his personal TIE Advanced Fighter, Han returns in
the Millennium Falcon and clears away the
attacking Imperial fighters. Luke fires the proton
torpedo into the exhaust port target, and the Death Star
is destroyed.
The surviving ships piloted by Luke, Han, Wedge Antilles
and Keyan Farlander return to Yavin 4 and a victory
celebration commences.
Synopsis abridged
from Wookieepedia
entry.
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