Episode IV
A NEW HOPE
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 armored 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...
Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope was the first movie created in the Star Wars saga, released in 1977. Directed and written by George Lucas.
As it begins, Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) is captured by the Galactic Empire after receiving transmissions from Rebel spies with the plans for the Death Star, the Empire's new weapon, nearing completion. The Princess sends R2-D2 (Kenny Baker), accompanied by C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), with the plans to find Obi-Wan Kenobi (Sir Alec Guinness). R2 and C-3PO escape to Tatooine where they're captured by Jawas who then sell them to Owen Lars.
As Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Owen's nephew, is cleaning R2-D2 he accidentally triggers the holomessage recorded for Obi-Wan by Princess Leia and wonders if the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" R2-D2 then claims to be owned by could be related to Old Ben Kenobi, a hermit who lives out on the hills.
R2-D2 then runs off and when Luke goes searching for him with C-3PO he's attacked by Tusken Raiders and rescued by Old Ben, who turns out to be Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan tells Luke that he and Luke's father both fought in the Clone Wars and were Jedi. He gives Luke his father's old lightsabre and tells Luke that he too can become a Jedi.
Luke and Obi-Wan discover that Imperial Storm Troopers are searching for the droids (R2 and C-3PO) and have killed Luke's Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. Obi-Wan, Luke, and the droids head to Mos Eisley where they meet up with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his wookiee first mate Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) in a cantina who agrees to fry them to Alderaan (for 17,000 credits) so they can deliver the droids, and with them the plans for the Death Star, to Bail Organa, Princess Leia's father.
Unfortunately, the Empire destroyed Alderaan right before they get there (better than right after they land on the planet, I suppose) and their ship--the Millennium Falcon--is captured.
As Obi-Wan Kenobi attempts to lower the tractor beam that's preventing their escape from the Death Star, R2-D2 discovers that Princess Leia is being held on the Death Star and is sentenced to be terminated. Luke, Han, and Chewbacca rescue her (almost getting killed a few times in the process) and return to by the bay where the Millennium Falcon is being held.
Meanwhile, Obi-Wan has managed to shut down the tractor beam but is now engaged in a fight with Darth Vader, a former student of his who turned to the Dark Side of the Force and betrayed and murdered Luke's father. Vader kills Obi-Wan as Luke and the rest watch from the hanger. They decide to get the Hell out and fly to the Rebel base on a moon of Yavin.
At the base the plans are analysed and a weakness is discovered: a small fighter could fire a single photon torpedo with supercool precision causing the Death Star to explode. Luke and the other Rebel fighters prepare to head into battle while Han Solo takes his reward money for helping rescue Leia and leaves, intending to go pay off the debt he owes Jabba The Hutt
As the Death Star approaches the moon where the Rebel base resides, the Rebel fighters attack, sustaining heavy casualties. Just as Luke, the only pilot still engaging the Death Star, the Millennium Falcon returns and blasts the fighters on his tail just in time, one of them piloted by Darth Vader who goes spinning away. Luke fires the torpedo, targeted manually, and it hits, destroying the Death Star just as it's powering it's weapons to destroy the Rebel base.
[Big celebration, medals all around]