As you may have noticed by the sudden influx in fast food giveaways, promotional endorsements and guest-appearances on “The O.C.,” a new “Star Wars” film is on the horizon. While many Jedi-loyalists have been waiting with bated breath for the release, those not as familiar with the franchise might find it difficult to understand the anticipation building around the film. So for Leia-lovers and laymen alike, here is a brief synopsis of what you may have missed so far.
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope As the scrolling text that precedes each of these films suggests, we are entering this film in the midst of a civil war between the Galactic Empire (the bad guys) and the Rebel Alliance (the good guys). Princess Leia, a sexy rebel, is being hunted down because she has information on the weakness of the Empire’s menacing new space station, the Death Star. She slips a secret message into a droid (R2-D2) who, with fussy partner C-3PO, make their way to Tatooine. Once there, the two ‘bots meet up with a young Luke Skywalker, who helps them find their original master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Kenobi educates Skywalker about the Jedi Knights, a group of warriors who use the power of “The Force” to maintain peace and balance. He also tells Skywalker that his father was a Jedi who was murdered by Darth Vader (a very, very bad guy). Upon receiving Leia’s secret message, Skywalker, Kenobi and the droids recruit Han Solo (a greedy pirate) and his furry, Wookiee companion Chewbacca to help them save the princess. The band of heroes is able to save the princess, but Kenobi falls to Vader’s lightsaber. The weakness of the Death Star is revealed to the rebels who plan an assault on the space station. Skywalker fires the missile that does the Death Star in by using “The Force” after Kenobi suggested it to him from beyond. It seems the Rebels won this round.
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back After their base on the ice-planet Hoth is destroyed by the Empire, the Rebels evacuate. Skywalker and R2 make their way to the planet Dagobah to hone his Jedi skills with Jedi Master Yoda. The rest of our heroes (Leia, Solo, Chewbacca and 3PO) are aboard Solo’s ship, the Millenium Falcon, evading Imperial Fighters (more bad guys). Vader and the evil Emperor are concerned that Skywalker may be powerful enough to destroy them, so they hope to convert him to their dark side instead. Hoping to find refuge, Solo takes his compadres to Cloud City, where he thinks his old friend Lando Calrissian could help them. Unbeknownst to him, Calrissian had already made a deal with the Empire to hand over Solo and company to the Empire. Vader hopes Skywalker’s friends’ turmoil will alert him via “The Force” and draw him in. It works, and against Yoda’s wishes, Skywalker leaves training early to help his friends.
Vader tests out a carbon-freezing machine by capturing Solo in suspended animation before sending him off to gangster Jabba the Hutt, to whom he owed a substantial debt. As Skywalker arrives, Vader orders the remaining heroes be taken to his ship. Calrissian has other plans.
Vader and Skywalker engage in an epic lightsaber battle, during which it is revealed that, surprise, Vader is his father. Vader finishes off the battle by cutting off Luke’s hand and leaving him hanging at the bottom of Cloud City. Calrissian redeems himself by helping the rebels escape and save Skywalker (as well as get him a mechanical hand). Sorry, but this round goes to the Empire.
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi In what is probably the most kickass sequences in all the “Star Wars” movie thus far, the heroes (Calrissian, Skywalker, Leia, Chewbacca, R2 and 3P0) rescue Solo from the slimy Jabba the Hutt with the aide of few clever disguises and Skywalker’s growing Jedi mastery.
Luke then returns to Yoda, who tells him his training is complete and all that is left is to defeat Vader before dying and disappearing as Kenobi did at the time of death. Then, Kenobi reappears, confirming that Vader is Luke’s father (formerly Anakin Skywalker, Kenobi’s prot
