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STAR WARS
A vast sea of
stars serves as the backdrop for the main "It is
a period of civil war. Rebel During the
battle, Rebel spies managed Pursued by
the Empire's sinister agents, The awesome
yellow planet of Tatooine emerges from a total
An explosion
rocks the ship as two robots, Artoo-Detoo Another blast shakes them as they struggle along their way. THREEPIO Rebel troopers rush past the robots and take up positions in the main passageway. They aim their weapons toward the door. THREEPIO The little R2 unit makes a series of electronic sounds that only another robot could understand. THREEPIO Artoo continues making beeping sounds. Tension mounts as loud metallic latches clank and the scream of heavy equipment are heard moving around the outside hull of the ship. THREEPIO
The Imperial craft has easily overtaken the Rebel Blockade Runner. The smaller Rebel ship is being drawn into the underside dock of the giant Imperial starship.
The nervous Rebel troopers aim their weapons. Suddenly a tremendous blast opens up a hole in the main passageway and a score of fearsome armored spacesuited stormtroopers make their way into the smoke-filled corridor. In a few minutes the entire passageway is ablaze with laserfire. The deadly bolts ricochet in wild random patterns creating huge explosions. Stormtroopers scatter and duck behind storage lockers. Laserbolts hit several Rebel soldiers who scream and stagger through the smoke, holding shattered arms and faces. An explosion hits near the robots. THREEPIO Artoo counters with an angry rebuttal as the battle rages around the two hapless robots.
A death-white wasteland stretches from horizon to horizon. The tremendous heat of two huge twin suns settle on a lone figure, Luke Skywalker, a farm boy with heroic aspirations who looks much younger than his eighteen years. His shaggy hair and baggy tunic give him the air of a simple but lovable lad with a prize-winning smile. A light wind
whips at him as he adjusts several valves on a LUKE The robot scoots
around in a tight circle, stops short, and
The awesome, seven-foot-tall Dark Lord of the Sith makes his way into the blinding light of the main passageway. This is Darth Vader, right hand of the Emperor. His face is obscured by his flowing black robes and grotesque breath mask, which stands out next to the fascist white armored suits of the Imperial stormtroopers. Everyone instinctively backs away from the imposing warrior and a deathly quiet sweeps through the Rebel troops. Several of the Rebel troops break and run in a frenzied panic.
A woman's hand
puts a card into an opening in Artoo's dome.
Threepio stands in a hallway, somewhat bewildered. Artoo is nowhere in sight. The pitiful screams of the doomed Rebel soldiers can be heard in the distance. THREEPIO A familiar clanking
sound attacks Threepio's attention and THREEPIO Stormtroopers can be heard battling in the distance. THREEPIO Artoo scoots
past his bronze friend and races down the THREEPIO Artoo responds with electronic beeps.
The evil Darth Vader stands amid the broken and twisted bodies of his foes. He grabs a wounded Rebel Officer by the neck as an Imperial Officer rushes up to the Dark Lord. IMPERIAL OFFICER Vader squeezes
the neck of the Rebel Officer, who struggles VADER Vader lifts the Rebel off his feet by his throat. REBEL OFFICER VADER The Rebel refuses
to speak but eventually cries out as the VADER The stormtroopers scurry into the subhallways.
The lovely young
girl huddles in a small alcove as the TROOPER Leia steps from
her hiding place and blasts a trooper with TROOPER
Artoo stops
before the small hatch of an emergency lifepod. He snaps the seal on
the main latch and a red warning light THREEPIO Artoo beeps something to him. THREEPIO Artoo whistles
something at his reluctant friend regarding THREEPIO Artoo isn't happy with Threepio's stubbornness, and he beeps and twangs angrily. A new explosion, this time very close, sends dust and debris through the narrow subhallway. Flames lick at Threepio and, after a flurry of electronic swearing from Artoo, the lanky robot jumps into the lifepod. THREEPIO
The safety door snaps shut, and with the thunder of exploding latches the tiny lifepod ejects from the disabled ship.
On the main viewscreen, the lifepod carrying the two terrified robots speeds away from the stricken Rebel spacecraft. CHIEF PILOT CAPTAIN
Artoo and Threepio look out at the receding Imperial starship. Stars circle as the pod rotates through the galaxy. THREEPIO Artoo beeps an assuring response. THREEPIO
Heat waves radiate
from the dozen or so bleached white WOMAN Luke pulls up behind a low concrete service station that is all but covered by the shifting desert sands.
Luke bursts into the power station, waking The Fixer, a rugged mechanic and Camie, a sexy, disheveled girl who has been asleep in his lap. They grumbled as he races through the office, yelling wildly. FIXER CAMIE Luke bounces
into a small room behind the office where Deak LUKE Luke's surprise
at the appearance of Biggs gives way to LUKE BIGGS LUKE Biggs has an air of cool that seems slightly phony. BIGGS Everyone laughs.
The dazzling spectacle of his dashing LUKE DEAK
The group stumbles out into the stifling desert sun. Camie and The Fixer complain and are forced to shade their eyes. Luke has his binoculars out scanning the heavens. LUKE Biggs takes the electrobinoculars from Luke as the others strain to see something with the naked eye. Through the electrobinoculars Biggs sees two small silver specks. BIGGS LUKE Camie grabs the electrobinoculars away banging them against the building in the process. Luke grabs them. LUKE CAMIE The Fixer gives
Luke a hard look and the young farm boy FIXER Luke agrees,
although it's obvious he isn't sure why. The INT. REBEL BLOCKADE RUNNER - HALLWAY Princess Leia is led down a low-ceilinged hallway by a squad of armored stormtroopers. Her hands are bound and she is brutally shoved when she is unable to keep up with the briskly marching troops. They stop in a smoky hallway as Darth Vader emerges from the shadows. The sinister Dark Lord stares hard at the frail young senator, but she doesn't move. LEIA VADER LEIA VADER Leia is marched away down the hallway and into the smoldering hole blasted in the side of the ship. An Imperial Commander turns to Vader. COMMANDER VADER COMMANDER VADER Another Imperial Officer approaches Vader and the Commander. They stop and snap to attention. SECOND OFFICER Vader turns to the Commander. VADER COMMANDER
The Imperial
Star Destroyer comes over the surface of the
Jundland, or
"No Man's Land", where the rugged desert mesas THREEPIO Artoo answers with beeping sounds. THREEPIO Artoo continues to respond with beeping sounds. THREEPIO Suddenly Artoo whistles, makes a sharp right turn and starts off in the direction of the rocky desert mesas. Threepio stops and yells at him. THREEPIO A stream of electronic noises pours forth from the small robot. THREEPIO Artoo counters with a long whistle. THREEPIO Artoo continues to make beeping sounds. THREEPIO Artoo continues to make beeping sounds. THREEPIO Threepio gives the little robot a kick and starts off in the direction of the vast dune sea. THREEPIO Artoo's reply
is a rather rude sound. He turns and trudges THREEPIO Artoo beeps to himself as he makes his way toward the distant mountains.
Threepio, hot and tired, struggles up over the ridge of a dune: only to find more dunes, which seem to go on for endless miles. He looks back in the direction of the now distant rock mesas. THREEPIO In a huff of anger and frustration, Threepio knocks the sand from his joints. His plight seems hopeless, when a glint of reflected light in the distance reveals an object moving towards him. THREEPIO The bronze android waves frantically and yells at the approaching transport. THREEPIO EXT. TATOOINE - ANCHORHEAD SETTLEMENT - POWER STATION - DAY Luke and Biggs are walking and drinking a malt brew. Fixer and the others can be heard working inside. LUKE BIGGS LUKE BIGGS LUKE Biggs looks around then leans close to Luke. BIGGS Luke's eyes are wide with Biggs' seriousness and loyalty. LUKE BIGGS Luke, amazed and stunned, is almost speechless. LUKE BIGGS LUKE Biggs shakes his head angrily and then continues. BIGGS LUKE BIGGS LUKE BIGGS LUKE BIGGS LUKE BIGGS LUKE BIGGS LUKE BIGGS LUKE BIGGS LUKE BIGGS Biggs turns away from his old friend and heads back towards the power station.
The gargantuan
rock formations are shrouded in a strange In the distance, a pebble tumbles down the steep canyon wall and a small dark figure darts into the shadows. A little further up the canyon a slight flicker of light reveals a pair of eyes in the dark recesses only a few feet from the narrow path. The unsuspecting robot waddles along the rugged trail until suddenly, out of nowhere, a powerful magnetic ray shoots out of the rocks and engulfs him in an eerie glow. He manages one short electronic squeak before he topples over onto his back. His bright computer lights flicker off, then on, then off again. Out of the rocks scurry three Jawas, no taller than Artoo. They holster strange and complex weapons as they cautiously approach the robot. They wear grubby cloaks and their faces are shrouded so that only their glowing yellow eyes can be seen. They hiss and make odd guttural sounds as they heave the heavy robot onto their shoulders and carry him off down the trail.
The eight Jawas carry Artoo out of the canyon to a huge tank-like vehicle the size of a four-story house. They weld a small disk on the side of Artoo and then put him under a large tube on the side of the vehicle and the little robot is sucked into the giant machine. The filthy little Jawas scurry like rats up small ladders and enter the main cabin of the behemoth transport.
It is dim inside the hold area of the Sandcrawler. Artoo switches on a small floodlight on his forehead and stumbles around the scrap heap. The narrow beam swings across rusty metal rocket parts and an array of grotesquely twisted and maimed astro-robots. He lets out a pathetic electronic whimper and stumbles off toward what appears to be a door at the end of the chamber.
THREEPIO A battered Threepio scrambles up to Artoo and embraces him.
The enormous Sandcrawler lumbers off toward the magnificent twin suns, which are slowly setting over a distant mountain ridge.
Four Imperial stormtroopers mill about in front of the half buried lifepod that brought Artoo and Threepio to Tatooine. A trooper yells to an officer some distance away. FIRST TROOPER A second trooper picks up a small bit of metal out of the sand and gives it to the first trooper. SECOND TROOPER
The Sandcrawler moves slowly down a great sand dune.
Threepio and Artoo noisily bounce along inside the cramped prison chamber. Artoo appears to be shut off. THREEPIO Suddenly the shaking and bouncing of the Sandcrawler stops, creating quite a commotion among the mechanical men. Threepio's fist bangs the head of Artoo whose computer lights pop on as he begins beeping. At the far end of the long chamber a hatch opens, filling the chamber with blinding white light. a dozen or so Jawas make their way through the odd assortment of robots. THREEPIO A Jawa starts moving toward them. THREEPIO Artoo responds, making beeping sounds. THREEPIO
The Jawas mutter gibberish as they busily line up their battered captives, including Artoo and Threepio, in front of the enormous Sandcrawler, which is parked beside a small homestead consisting of three large holes in the ground surrounded by several tall moisture vaporators and one small adobe block house. The Jawas scurry around fussing over the robots, straightening them up or brushing some dust from a dented metallic elbow. The shrouded little creatures smell horribly, attracting small insects to the dark areas when their mouths and nostrils should be. Out of the shadows of a dingy side-building limps Owen Lars, a large burly man in his mid-fifties. His reddish eyes are sunken in a dust-covered face. As the farmer carefully inspects each of the robots, he is closely followed by his slump-shouldered nephew, Luke Skywalker. One of the vile little Jawas walks ahead of the farmer spouting an animated sales pitch in a queer, unintelligible language. A voice calls out from one of the huge holes that form the homestead. Luke goes over to the edge and sees his Aunt Beru standing in the main courtyard. BERU LUKE Luke returns to his uncle as they look over the equipment for sale with the Jawa leader. OWEN THREEPIO OWEN THREEPIO OWEN THREEPIO OWEN THREEPIO OWEN LUKE OWEN LUKE As the Jawas start to lead the three remaining robots back into the Sandcrawler, Artoo lets out a pathetic little beep and starts after his old friend Threepio. He is restrained by a slimy Jawa, who zaps him with a control box. Owen is negotiating with the head Jawa. Luke and the two robots start for the garage when a plate pops off the head of the red astro-droid, throwing parts all over the ground. He adjusts the astro-droid's head plate and it sparks wildly. LUKE OWEN LUKE OWEN The Jawa goes into a loud spiel. Meanwhile, Artoo has sneaked out of line and is moving up and down trying to attract attention. He lets out with a low whistle. Threepio taps Luke on the shoulder. THREEPIO LUKE OWEN LUKE OWEN With a little reluctance the scruffy dwarf trades the damaged astro-droid for Artoo. LUKE THREEPIO Owen pays off the whining Jawa and the two robots trudge off toward a grimy homestead entry. LUKE THREEPIO
The garage is cluttered and worn, but a friendly peaceful atmosphere permeates the low gray chamber. Threepio lowers himself into a large tub filled with warm oil. Near the battered Landspeeder little Artoo rests on a large battery with a cord to his face. THREEPIO Artoo beeps a muffled reply. Luke seems to be lost in thought as he runs his hand over the damaged fin of a small two-man skyhopper spaceship resting in a low hangar off the garage. Finally Luke's frustrations get the better of him and he slams a wrench across the workbench. LUKE THREEPIO Luke glances at the battered robot. A bit of his anger drains and a tiny smile creeps across his face. LUKE THREEPIO LUKE THREEPIO LUKE THREEPIO LUKE THREEPIO LUKE Artoo beeps in response. Luke unplugs Artoo and begins to scrape several connectors on the robot's head with a chrome pick. Threepio climbs out of the oil tub and begins wiping oil from his bronze body. LUKE THREEPIO LUKE THREEPIO LUKE THREEPIO Luke struggles to remove a small metal fragment from Artoo's neck joint. He uses a larger pick. LUKE The fragment breaks loose with a snap, sending Luke tumbling head over heels. He sits up and sees a twelve-inch three-dimensional hologram of Leia Organa, the Rebel senator, being projected from the face of little Artoo. The image is a rainbow of colors as it flickers and jiggles in the dimly lit garage. Luke's mouth hangs open in awe. LEIA LUKE Artoo looks around and sheepishly beeps an answer for Threepio to translate. Leia continues to repeat the sentence fragment over and over. THREEPIO Artoo whistles his surprise as he pretends to just notice the hologram. He looks around and sheepishly beeps an answer for Threepio to translate. Leia continues to repeat the sentence fragment over and over. LEIA THREEPIO Luke becomes intrigued by the beautiful girl. LUKE THREEPIO LEIA THREEPIO LUKE Luke reaches out for Artoo but he lets out several frantic squeaks and a whistle. THREEPIO Artoo whistles and beeps a long message to Threepio. THREEPIO LUKE THREEPIO LUKE Luke's gazes at the beautiful young princess for a few moments. LUKE Artoo beeps something to Threepio. THREEPIO Luke looks longingly at the lovely, little princess and hasn't really heard what Threepio has been saying. LUKE Luke takes a wedged bar and pops the restraining bolt off Artoo's side. LUKE The princess immediately disappears. LUKE Artoo beeps an innocent reply as Threepio sits up in embarrassment. THREEPIO A women's voice calls out from another room. AUNT BERU Luke stands up and shakes his head at the malfunctioning robot. LUKE THREEPIO Luke tosses Artoo's restraining bolt on the workbench and hurries out of the room. LUKE THREEPIO Artoo beeps in response. THREEPIO Artoo beeps. THREEPIO
Luke's Aunt Beru, a warm, motherly woman, fills a pitcher with blue fluid from a refrigerated container in the well-used kitchen. She puts the pitcher on a tray with some bowls of food and starts for the dining area. Luke sits with his Uncle Owen before a table covered with steaming bowls of food as Aunt Beru carries in a bowl of red grain. LUKE OWEN LUKE Owen is greatly alarmed at the mention of his name, but manages to control himself. LUKE Owen breaks loose with a fit of uncontrolled anger. OWEN LUKE OWEN LUKE OWEN LUKE Owen's face becomes a scowl, although he tries to suppress it. OWEN LUKE OWEN Luke continues to toy with his food, not looking at his uncle. OWEN LUKE OWEN Luke pushes his half-eaten plate of food aside and stands. LUKE AUNT BERU LUKE Resigned to his fate, Luke paddles out of the room. Owen mechanically finishes his dinner. AUNT BERU OWEN AUNT BERU OWEN
The giant twin suns of Tatooine slowly disappear behind a distant dune range. Luke stands watching them for a few moments, then reluctantly enters the doomed entrance to the homestead.
Luke enters the garage to discover the robots nowhere in sight. He takes a small control box from his utility belt similar to the one the Jawas were carrying. He activates the box, which creates a low hum, and Threepio, letting out a short yell, pops up from behind the Skyhopper spaceship. LUKE Threepio stumbles forward, but Artoo is still nowhere in sight. THREEPIO LUKE Luke races out of the garage followed by Threepio.
Luke rushes out of the small doomed entry to the homestead and searches the darkening horizon for the small triped astro-robot. Threepio struggles out of the homestead and on the salt flat as Luke scans the landscape with his electrobinoculars. THREEPIO LUKE THREEPIO LUKE Owen yells up from the homestead plaza. OWEN LUKE He takes one final look across the dim horizon. LUKE THREEPIO
Morning slowly creeps into the sparse but sparkling oasis of the open courtyard. The idyll is broken be the yelling of Uncle Owen, his voice echoing throughout the homestead. OWEN
The interior of the kitchen is a worm glow as Aunt Beru prepares the morning breakfast. Owen enters in a huff. OWEN AUNT BERU OWEN AUNT BERU OWEN
The rock and sand of the desert floor are a blur as Threepio pilots the sleek Landspeeder gracefully across the vast wasteland.
Luke leans over the back of the speeder and adjusts something in the motor compartment. LUKE Threepio signals that is fine and Luke turns back into the wind-whipped cockpit and pops the canopy shut. LUKE THREEPIO LUKE THREEPIO LUKE
From high on a rock mesa, the tiny Landspeeder can be seen gliding across the desert floor. Suddenly in the foreground two weather-beaten Sand People shrouded in their grimy desert cloaks peer over the edge of the rock mesa. One of the marginally human creatures raises a long ominous laser rifle and points it at the speeder but the second creature grabs the gun before it can be fired. The Sand People, or Tusken Raiders as they're sometimes called, speak in a coarse barbaric language as they get into an animated argument. The second Tusken Raider seems to get in the final word and the nomads scurry over the rocky terrain.
The Tusken Raiders approaches two large Banthas standing tied to a rock. The monstrous, bear-like creatures are as large as elephants, with huge red eyes, tremendous looped horns, and long, furry, dinosaur-like tails. The Tusken Raiders mount saddles strapped to the huge creatures' shaggy backs and ride off down the rugged bluff.
The speeder is parked on the floor of a massive canyon. Luke, with his long laser rifle slung over his shoulder, stands before little Artoo. LUKE The little droid whistles a feeble reply, as Threepio poses menacingly behind the little runaway. THREEPIO LUKE THREEPIO LUKE Suddenly the little robot jumps to life with a mass of frantic whistles and screams. LUKE THREEPIO Luke swings his rifle into position and looks to the south. LUKE
Luke carefully makes his way to the top of a rock ridge and scans the canyon with his electrobinoculars. He spots the two riderless Banthas. Threepio struggles up behind the young adventurer. LUKE Luke watches the distant Tusken Raider through his electrobinoculars. Suddenly something huge moves in front of his field of view. Before Luke or Threepio can react, a large, gruesome Tusken Raider looms over them. Threepio is startled and backs away, right off the side if the cliff. He can be heard for several moments as he clangs, bangs and rattles down the side of the mountain. The towering creature brings down his curved, double-pointed gaderffii - the dreaded axe blade that has struck terror in the heart of the local settlers. But Luke manages to block the blow with his laser rifle, which is smashed to pieces. The terrified farm boy scrambles backward until he is forced to the edge of a deep crevice. The sinister Raider stands over him with his weapon raised and lets out a horrible shrieking laugh.
Artoo forces himself into the shadows of a small alcove in the rocks as the vicious Sand People walk past carrying the inert Luke Skywalker, who is dropped in a heap before the speeder. The Sand People ransack the speeder, throwing parts and supplies in all directions. Suddenly they stop. Then everything is quiet for a few moments. A great howling moan is heard echoing throughout the canyon which sends the Sand People fleeing in terror. Artoo moves even tighter into the shadows as the slight swishing sound that frightened off the Sand People grows even closer, until a shabby old desert-rat-of-a-man appears and leans over Luke. His ancient leathery face, cracked and weathered by exotic climates is set off by dark, penetrating eyes and a scraggly white beard. Ben Kenobi squints his eyes as he scrutinizes the unconscious farm boy. Artoo makes a slight sound and Ben turns and looks right at him. BEN Artoo waddles over to where Luke lies crumpled in a heap and begins to whistle and beep his concern. Ben puts his hand on Luke's forehead and he begins to come around. BEN LUKE BEN LUKE BEN LUKE Ben ponders this for a moment, scratching his scruffy beard. BEN LUKE BEN LUKE BEN LUKE BEN He suddenly looks up at the overhanging cliffs. BEN Luke sits up and rubs his head. Artoo lets out a pathetic beep causing Luke to remember something. He looks around. LUKE
Little Artoo stands at the edge of a large sand pit and begins to chatter away in electronic whistles and beeps. Luke and Ben stand over a very dented and tangled Threepio lying half buried in the sand. One of his arms has broken off. Luke tries to revive the inert robot by shaking him and then flips a hidden switch on his back several times until finally the mechanical man's systems turn on. THREEPIO LUKE THREEPIO LUKE Luke and Ben help the battered robot to his feet. Little Artoo watches from the top of the pit. Ben glances around suspiciously. Sensing something, he stands up and sniffs the air. BEN
The small, spartan hovel is cluttered with desert junk but still manages to radiate an air of time-worn comfort and security. Luke is in one corner repairing Threepio's arm, as old Ben sits thinking. LUKE BEN LUKE BEN LUKE BEN Ben gets up and goes to a chest where he rummages around. As Luke finishes repairing Threepio and starts to fit the restraining bolt back on, Threepio looks at him nervously. Luke thinks about the bolt for a moment then puts it on the table. Ben shuffles up and presents Luke with a short handle with several electronic gadgets attached to it. BEN THREEPIO LUKE Ben hands Luke the saber. LUKE BEN BEN Luke hasn't really been listening. LUKE BEN LUKE BEN Artoo makes beeping sounds. BEN LUKE Luke is cut short as the recorded image of the beautiful young Rebel princess is projected from Artoo's face. BEN Luke stops his work as the lovely girl's image flickers before his eyes. LEIA There is a little static and the transmission is cut short. Old Ben leans back and scratches his head. He silently puffs on a tarnished chrome water pipe. Luke has stars in his eyes. BEN LUKE BEN LUKE BEN LUKE BEN LUKE BEN
An Imperial Star Destroyer heads toward the evil planet-like battle station: the Death Star!
Eight Imperial senators and generals sit around a black conference table. Imperial stormtroopers stand guard around the room. Commander Tagge, a young, slimy-looking general, is speaking. TAGGE The bitter Admiral Motti twists nervously in his chair. MOTTI TAGGE Suddenly all heads turn as Commander Tagge's speech is cut short and the Grand Moff Tarkin, governor of the Imperial outland regions, enters. He is followed by his powerful ally, The Sith Lord, Darth Vader. All of the generals stand and bow before the thin, evil-looking governor as he takes his place at the head of the table. The Dark Lord stands behind him. TARKIN TAGGE TARKIN TAGGE VADER MOTTI VADER MOTTI Suddenly Motti chokes and starts to turn blue under Vader's spell. VADER TARKIN VADER TARKIN
The speeder stops before what remains of the huge Jawas Sandcrawler. Luke and Ben walk among the smoldering rubble and scattered bodies. LUKE Ben is crouching in the sand studying the tracks. BEN LUKE BEN LUKE Luke looks back at the speeder where Artoo and Threepio are inspecting the dead Jawas, and put two and two together. LUKE Luke reaches a sudden horrible realization, then races for the speeder and jumps in. BEN
Luke races across the wasteland in his battered Landspeeder.
The speeder roars up to the homestead. Luke jumps out and runs to the smoking holes that were once his home. Debris is scattered everywhere and it looks as if a great battle has taken place. LUKE Luke stumbles around in a daze looking for his aunt and uncle. Suddenly he comes upon their smoldering remains. He is stunned, and cannot speak. Hate replaces fear and a new resolve comes over him.
Imperial TIE fighter races toward the Death Star.
Two stormtroopers open an electronic cell door and allow several Imperial guards to enter. Princess Leia's face is filled with defiance, which slowly gives way to fear as a giant black torture robot enters, followed by Darth Vader. VADER The torture robot gives off a steady beeping sound as it approaches Princess Leia and extends one of its mechanical arms bearing a large hypodermic needle. The door slides shut and the long cell block hallway appears peaceful. The muffled screams of the Rebel princess are barely heard.
There is a large bonfire of Jawa bodies blazing in front of the sandcrawler as Ben and the robots finish burning the dead. Luke drives up in the speeder and Ben walks over to him. BEN LUKE
The Landspeeder with Luke, Artoo, Threepio, and Ben in it zooms across the desert. The speeder stops on a bluff overlooking the spaceport at Mos Eisley. It is a haphazard array of low, gray, concrete structures and semi-domes. A harsh gale blows across the stark canyon floor. Luke adjusts his goggles and walks to the edge of the craggy bluff where Ben is standing. BEN Ben looks over at Luke, who gives the old Jedi a determined smile.
The speeder is stopped on a crowded street by several combat-hardened stormtroopers who look over the two robots. A Trooper questions Luke. TROOPER LUKE BEN TROOPER Luke becomes very nervous as he fumbles to find his ID while Ben speaks to the Trooper in a very controlled voice. BEN TROOPER BEN TROOPER BEN TROOPER BEN TROOPER
The speeder pulls up in front of a rundown blockhouse cantina on the outskirts of the spaceport. Various strange forms of transport, including several unusual beasts of burden, are parked outside the bar. A Jawa runs up and begins to fondle the speeder. THREEPIO As Luke gets
out of the speeder he tries to shoo the Jawa away. BEN LUKE BEN LUKE THREEPIO
The young adventurer and his two mechanical servants follow Ben Kenobi into the smoke-filled cantina. The murky, moldy den is filled with a startling array of weird and exotic alien creatures and monsters at the long metallic bar. At first the sight is horrifying. One-eyed, thousand-eyed, slimy, furry, scaly, tentacled, and clawed creatures huddle over drinks. Ben moves to an empty spot at the bar near a group of repulsive but human scum. A huge, rough-looking Bartender stops Luke and the robots. BARTENDER Luke still recovering from the shock of seeing so many outlandish creatures, doesn't quite catch the bartender's drift. LUKE BARTENDER Luke looks at old Ben, who is busy talking to one of the Galactic pirates. He notices several of the gruesome creatures along the bar are giving him a very unfriendly glare. Luke pats Threepio on the shoulder. LUKE THREEPIO Threepio and his stubby partner go outside and most of the creatures at the bar go back to their drinks. Ben is standing next to Chewbacca, an eight-foot-tall-savage-looking creature resembling a huge gray bushbaby monkey with fierce baboon-like fangs. His large blue eyes dominate a fur-covered face and soften his otherwise awesome appearance. Over his matted, furry body he wears two chrome bandoliers, and little else. He is a two-hundred-year-old Wookiee and a sight to behold. Ben speaks to the Wookiee, pointing to Luke several times during his conversation and the huge creature suddenly lets out a horrifying laugh. Luke is more than a little bit disconcerted and pretends not to hear the conversation between Ben and the giant Wookiee. Luke is terrified but tries not to show it. He quietly sips his drink, looking over the crowd for a more sympathetic ear or whatever. A large, multiple-eyed Creature gives Luke a rough shove. CREATURE The hideous freak is obviously drunk. Luke tries to ignore the creature and turns back on his drink. A short, grubby Human and an even smaller rodent-like beast join the belligerent monstrosity. HUMAN LUKE HUMAN The big creature is getting agitated and yells out some unintelligible gibberish at the now rather nervous, young adventurer. HUMAN LUKE HUMAN The rodent lets out a loud grunt and everything at the bar moves away. Luke tries to remain cool but it isn't easy. His three adversaries ready their weapons. Old Ben moves in behind Luke. BEN A powerful blow from the unpleasant creature sends the young would-be Jedi sailing across the room, crashing through tables and breaking a large jug filled with a foul-looking liquid. With a blood-curdling shriek, the monster draws a wicked chrome laser pistol from his belt and levels it at old Ben. The bartender panics. BARTENDER With astounding agility old Ben's laser sword sparks to life and in a flash an arm lies on the floor. The rodent is cut in two and the giant multiple-eyed creature lies doubled, cut from chin to groin. Ben carefully and precisely turns off his laser sword and replaces it on his utility belt. Luke, shaking and totally amazed at the old man's abilities, attempts to stand. The entire fight has lasted only a matter of seconds. The cantina goes back to normal, although Ben is given a respectable amount of room at the bar. Luke, rubbing his bruised head, approaches the old man with new awe. Ben points the the Wookiee. BEN
Threepio paces in front of the cantina as Artoo carries on an electronic conversation with another little red astro-droid. A creature comes out of the cantina and approaches two stormtroopers in the street. THREEPIO
Strange creatures play exotic big band music on odd-looking instruments as Luke, still giddy, downs a fresh drink and follows Ben and Chewbacca to a booth where Han Solo is sitting. Han is a tough, roguish starpilot about thirty years old. A mercenary on a starship, he is simple, sentimental, and cocksure. HAN BEN HAN BEN HAN Ben reacts to Solo's stupid attempt to impress them with obvious misinformation. HAN BEN HAN BEN HAN LUKE HAN LUKE BEN HAN Han ponders this for a few moments. HAN BEN HAN Ben and Luke turn around to see four Imperial stormtroopers looking at the dead bodies and asking the bartenders some questions. The bartender points to the booth. TROOPER The stormtroopers look over at the booth but Luke and Ben are gone. The bartender shrugs his shoulders in puzzlement. HAN
BEN LUKE
As Han is about to leave, Greedo, a slimy green-faced alien with a short trunk-nose, pokes a gun in his side. The creature speaks in a foreign tongue translated into English subtitles. GREEDO HAN Han sits down and the alien sits across from him holding the gun on him. GREEDO HAN GREEDO HAN GREEDO HAN GREEDO HAN GREEDO HAN Suddenly the slimy alien disappears in a blinding flash of light. Han pulls his smoking gun from beneath the table as the other patrons look on in bemused amazement. Han gets up and starts out of the cantina, flipping the bartender some coins as he leaves. HAN
Several TIE fighters approach the Death Star.
VADER An Imperial Officer interrupts the meeting. IMPERIAL OFFICER TARKIN VADER TARKIN TROOPER
Four heavily-armed stormtroopers move menacingly along a narrow slum alleyway crowed with darkly clad creatures hawking exotic goods in the dingy little stalls. Men, monsters, and robots crouch in the waste-filled doorways, whispering and hiding from the hot winds. THREEPIO One of the troopers checks a tightly locked door and moves on down the alleyway. The door slides open a crack and Threepio peeks out. Artoo is barely visible in the background. TROOPER The door opens, Threepio moves into the doorway. THREEPIO Artoo makes beeping sounds. THREEPIO
Ben and Luke are standing in a sleazy used speeder lot, talking with a tall, grotesque, insect-like used speeder dealer. Strange exotic bodies and spindly-legged beasts pass by as the insect concludes the sale by giving Luke some coins. LUKE BEN Ben and Luke leave the speeder lot and walk down the dusty alleyway past a small robot herding a bunch of anteater-like creatures. Luke turns and gives one last forlorn look at his faithful speeder as he rounds a corner. A darkly clad creature moves out of the shadows as they pass and watches them as they disappear down another alley. BEN
Jabba the Hut and a half-dozen grisly alien pirates and purple creatures stand in the middle of the docking bay. Jabba is the grossest of the slavering hulks and his scarred face is a grim testimonial to his prowess as a vicious killer. He is a fat, slug-like creature with eyes on extended feelers and a huge ugly mouth. JABBA A voice from directly behind the pirates startles them and they turn around to see Han Solo and the giant Wookiee, Chewbacca, standing behind them with no weapons in sight. HAN JABBA HAN JABBA HAN JABBA HAN JABBA HAN JABBA HAN
Chewbacca waits restlessly at the entrance to Docking Bay 94. Ben, Luke, and the robots make their way up the street. Chewbacca jabbers excitedly and signals for them to hurry. The darkly clad creature has followed them from the speeder lot. He stops in a nearby doorway and speaks into a small transmitter.
Chewbacca leads the group into a giant dirt pit that is Docking Bay 94. Resting in the middle of the huge hole is a large, round, beat-up, pieced-together hunk of junk that could only loosely be called a starship. LUKE The tall figure of Han Solo comes down the boarding ramp. HAN Luke scratches his head. It's obvious he isn't sure about all this. Chewbacca rushes up the ramp and urges the others to follow. HAN The group rushes up the gang plank, passing a grinning Han Solo.
Chewbacca settles into the pilot's chair and starts the mighty engines of the starship.
Luke, Ben, Threepio, and Artoo move toward the Millennium Falcon passing Solo. THREEPIO
Eight Imperial stormtroopers rush up to the darkly clad creature. TROOPER The darkly clad creature points to the door of the docking bay. TROOPER
The troops hold their guns at the ready and charge down the docking bay entrance. TROOPER Han Solo looks up and sees the Imperial stormtroopers rushing into the docking bay. Several of the troopers fire at Han as he ducks into the spaceship. TROOPER Han draws his laser pistol and pops off a couple of shots which force the stormtroopers to dive for safety. The pirateship engines whine as Han hits the release button that slams the overhead entry shut.
HAN The group straps in for take off. THREEPIO
The half-dozen stormtroopers at a check point hear the general alarm and look to the sky as the huge starship rises above the dingy slum dwellings and quickly disappears into the morning sky.
Han climbs into the pilot's chair next to Chewbacca, who chatters away as he points to something on the radar scope.
The Corellian pirateship zooms from Tatooine into space.
Han frantically types information into the ship's computer. Little Artoo appears momentarily at the cockpit doorway, makes a few beeping remarks, then scurries away. HAN
The Millennium Falcon pirateship races away from the yellow planet. It is followed by two huge Imperial Star Destroyers.
Over the shoulders
of Chewbacca and Han, we can see the galaxy spread before them. Luke
and Ben make their way HAN LUKE HAN
Imperial cruisers fire at the pirateship.
The ship shudders as an explosion flashes outside the window. HAN BEN HAN The ship begins to rock violently as lasers hit it. LUKE HAN The ship is now constantly battered with laserfire as a red warning light begins to flash. LUKE HAN The galaxy brightens and they move faster, almost as if crashing a barrier. Stars become streaks as the pirateship makes the jump to hyperspace.
The Millennium Falcon zooms into infinity in less than a second.
Alderaan looms behind the Death Star battlestation.
Admiral Motti enters the quiet control room and bows before Governor Tarkin, who stands before the huge wall screen displaying a small green planet. MOTTI Vader and two stormtroopers enter with Princess Leia. Her hands are bound. LEIA TARKIN LEIA TARKIN LEIA TARKIN LEIA TARKIN Tarkin waves menacingly toward Leia. TARKIN Leia overhears an intercom voice announcing the approach to Alderaan. LEIA Leia lowers her head. LEIA TARKIN LEIA TARKIN LEIA
VADER A button is
pressed which switches on a panel of lights. A hooded Imperial soldier
reaches overhead and pulls a lever. Another lever is pulled. Vader reaches
for still another lever and a bank of lights on a panel and wall light
up.
Ben watches Luke practice the lightsaber with a small "seeker" robot. Ben suddenly turns away and sits down. He falters, seems almost faint. LUKE BEN Ben rubs his forehead. He seems to drift into a trance. Then he fixes his gaze on Luke. BEN Han Solo enters the room. HAN Luke is once again practicing with the lightsaber. HAN Threepio watches Chewbacca and Artoo who are engrossed in a game in which three-dimensional holographic figures move along a chess-type board. HAN Chewbacca and the two robots sit around the lighted table covered with small holographic monsters. Each side of the table has a small computer monitor embedded in it. Chewbacca seems very pleased with himself as he rests his lanky fur-covered arms over his head. THREEPIO Artoo immediately reaches up and taps the computer with his stubby claw hand, causing one of the holographic creatures to walk to the new square. A sudden frown crosses Chewbacca's face and he begins yelling gibberish at the tiny robot. Threepio intercedes on behalf of his small companion and begins to argue with the huge Wookiee. THREEPIO HAN THREEPIO HAN THREEPIO Luke stands in the middle of the small hold area; he seems frozen in place. A humming lightsaber is held high over his head. Ben watches him from the corner, studying his movements. Han watches with a bit of smugness. BEN LUKE BEN Suspended at eye level, about ten feet in front of Luke, a "seeker", a chrome baseball-like robot covered with antennae, hovers slowly in a wide arc. The ball floats to one side of the youth then to the other. Suddenly it makes a lightning-swift lunge and stops within a few feet of Luke's face. Luke doesn't move and the ball backs off. It slowly moves behind the boy, then makes another quick lunge, this time emitting a blood red laser beam as it attacks. It hits Luke in the leg causing him to tumble over. Han lets loose with a burst of laughter. HAN LUKE HAN Ben smiles quietly HAN BEN Ben places a large helmet on Luke's head which covers his eyes. BEN LUKE BEN Han skeptically shakes his head as Ben throws the seeker into the air. The ball shoots straight up in the air, then drops like a rock. Luke swings the lightsaber around blindly missing the seeker, which fires off a laserbolt which hits Luke square on the seat of the pants. He lets out a painful yell and attempts to hit the seeker. BEN Luke stands in one place, seemingly frozen. The seeker makes a dive at Luke and, incredibly, he managed to deflect the bolt. The ball ceases fire and moves back to its original position. BEN HAN BEN HAN Solo notices a small light flashing on the far side of the control panel. HAN Han and Chewbacca head back to the cockpit. LUKE BEN
Imperial Officer Cass stands before Governor Tarkin and the evil Dark Lord Darth Vader. TARKIN OFFICER CASS TARKIN VADER TARKIN
The pirateship is just coming out of hyperspace; a strange surreal light show surrounds the ship.
HAN Han pulls back on a control lever. Outside the cockpit window stars begin streaking past, seem to decrease in speed, then stop. Suddenly the starship begins to shudder and violently shake about. Asteroids begin to race toward them, battering the sides of the ship. HAN The Wookiee
flips off several controls and seems very LUKE HAN LUKE HAN LUKE Ben moves into the cockpit behind Luke as the ship begins to settle down. BEN HAN A signal light starts flashing on the control panel and a muffled alarm starts humming. HAN LUKE BEN Chewbacca barks his concern. A huge explosion bursts outside the cockpit window, shaking the ship violently. A tiny, finned Imperial TIE fighter races past the cockpit window. LUKE BEN HAN
The fighter races past the Corellian pirateship.
LUKE HAN BEN HAN
The pirateship zooms over the camera and away into the vastness of space after the Imperial TIE fighter.
The tension mounts as the pirateship gains on the tiny fighter. In the distance, one of the stars becomes brighter until it is obvious that the TIE ship is heading for it. Ben stands behind Chewbacca. BEN LUKE HAN
The TIE fighter is losing ground to the larger pirateship as they race toward camera and disappear over head.
The distant star can be distinguished as a small moon or planet. LUKE HAN The small moon begins to take on the appearance of a monstrous spherical battle station. BEN HAN LUKE BEN HAN LUKE HAN LUKE HAN Ben Kenobi puts a hand on his shoulder. BEN
As the battered pirate starship is towed closer to the awesome metal moon, the immense size of the massive battle station becomes staggering. Running along the equator of the gigantic sphere is a mile-high band of huge docking ports into which the helpless pirateship is dragged.
The helpless Millennium Falcon is pulled past a docking port control room and huge laser turret cannons. VOICE OVER
DEATH STAR INTERCOM
The pirateship is pulled in through port doors of the Death Star, coming to rest in a huge hangar. Thirty stormtroopers stand at attention in a central assembly area. OFFICER OFFICER
Stormtroopers run to their posts.
A line of stormtroopers march toward the pirateship in readiness to board it, while other troopers stand with weapons ready to fire. OFFICER
TARKIN VOICE VADER
Vader and a commander approach the troops as an Officer and several heavily armed troops exit the spacecraft. VOICE OFFICER VADER OFFICER VADER OFFICER VADER Vader turns quickly and exits the hangar. OFFICER
A trooper runs through the hallway heading for the exit. In a few moments all is quiet. The muffled sounds of a distant officer giving orders finally fade. Two floor panels suddenly pop up revealing Han Solo and Luke. Ben Kenobi sticks his head out of a third locker. LUKE HAN BEN HAN BEN Han shakes his head, muttering to himself. Chewbacca agrees.
The crewmen carry a heavy box on board the ship, past the two stormtroopers guarding either side of the ramp. TROOPER The crewmen enter the pirateship and a loud crashing sound is followed by a voice calling to the guard below. HAN'S VOICE The stormtroopers enter the ship and a quick round of gunfire is heard.
In a very small command office near the entrance to the pirateship, a Gantry Officer looks out his window and notices the guards are missing. He speaks into the comlink. GANTRY OFFICER A stormtrooper comes down the ramp of the pirateship and waves to the gantry officer, pointing to his ear, indicating his comlink is not working. The gantry officer shakes his head in disgust and heads for the door, giving his aide an annoyed look. GANTRY OFFICER As the officer approaches the door, it slides open revealing the towering Chewbacca. The gantry officer, in a momentary state of shock, stumbles backward. With a bone-chilling howl, the giant Wookiee flattens the officer with one blow. The aide immediately reaches for his pistol, but is blasted by Han, dressed as an Imperial stormtrooper. Ben and the robots enter the room quickly followed by Luke, also dressed as a stormtrooper. Luke quickly removes his helmet. LUKE HAN THREEPIO Ben feeds some information into the computer and a map of the city appears on the monitor. He begins to inspect it carefully. Threepio and Artoo look over the control panel. Artoo finds something that makes him whistle wildly. BEN Artoo punches his claw arm into the computer socket and the vast Imperial brain network comes to life, feeding information to the little robot. After a few moments, he beeps something. THREEPIO The computer monitor flashes readouts. THREEPIO Ben studies the data on the monitor readout. BEN HAN LUKE BEN LUKE BEN Ben adjusts the lightsaber on his belt and silently steps out of the command office, then disappears down a long gray hallway. Chewbacca barks a comment and Han shakes his head in agreement. HAN Han looks at Luke. HAN LUKE HAN LUKE HAN LUKE Suddenly Artoo begins to whistle and beep a blue streak. Luke goes over to him. LUKE THREEPIO LUKE Artoo whistles a frantic reply. THREEPIO LUKE HAN LUKE HAN THREEPIO LUKE HAN LUKE HAN LUKE HAN LUKE HAN LUKE HAN LUKE Chewbacca growls. HAN LUKE HAN LUKE HAN LUKE HAN LUKE HAN Han looks at Chewie, who grunts a short grunt. LUKE HAN LUKE Luke moves toward Chewbacca with electronic cuffs. LUKE Chewie lets out a hideous growl. LUKE Luke sheepishly hands the binders to Han. HAN The Wookiee has a worried and frightened look on his face as Han binds him with the electronic cuffs. THREEPIO LUKE HAN THREEPIO Luke and Han put on their armored stormtrooper helmets and start off into the giant Imperial Death Star.
Han and Luke try to look inconspicuous in their armored suits as they wait for a vacuum elevator to arrive. Troops, bureaucrats, and robots bustle about, ignoring the trio completely. Only a few give the giant Wookiee a curious glance. Finally a small elevator arrives and the trio enters. LUKE A bureaucrat races to get aboard also, but is signaled away by Han. The door to the pod-like vehicle slides closed and the elevator car takes off through a vacuum tube.
Several Imperial officers walk through the wide main passageway. They pass several stormtroopers and a robot similar to Threepio but with an insect face. At the far end of the hallway, a passing flash of Ben Kenobi appears, then disappears down a small hallway. His appearance is so fleeting that it is hard to tell if he is real or just an illusion. No one in the hallway seems to notice him.
Luke and Han step forward to exit the elevator, but the door slides open behind them. The giant Wookiee and his two guards enter the old gray security station. Guards and laser gates are everywhere. Han whispers to Luke under his breath. HAN LUKE HAN
Elevator doors open. A tall, grim looking Officer approaches the trio. OFFICER Chewie growls a bit at the remark but Han nudges him to shut up. LUKE OFFICER The officer goes back to his console and begins to punch in the information. There are only three other troopers in the area. Luke and Han survey the situation, checking all of the alarms, laser gates, and camera eyes. Han unfastens one of Chewbacca's electronic cuffs and shrugs to Luke. Suddenly Chewbacca throws up his hands and lets out with one of his ear-piercing howls. He grabs Han's laser rifle. HAN LUKE HAN The startled guards are momentarily dumbfounded. Luke and Han have already pulled out their laser pistols and are blasting away at the terrifying Wookiee. Their barrage of laserfire misses Chewbacca, but hits the camera eyes, laser gate controls, and the Imperial guards. The officer is the last of the guards to fall under the laserfire just as he is about to push the alarm system. Han rushes to the comlink system, which is screeching questions about what is going on. He quickly checks the computer readout. HAN Luke races down one of the cell corridors. Han speaks into the buzzing comlink. HAN INTERCOM VOICE HAN INTERCOM VOICE HAN INTERCOM VOICE Han blasts the comlink and it explodes. HAN
Luke stops in front of one of the cells and blasts the door away with his laser pistol. When the smoke clears, Luke sees the dazzling young princess-senator. She had been sleeping and is now looking at him with an uncomprehending look on her face. Luke is stunned by her incredible beauty and stands staring at her with his mouth hanging open. LEIA Luke takes off his helmet, coming out of it. LUKE LEIA LUKE LEIA LUKE
Darth Vader paces the room as Governor Tarkin sits at the far end of the conference table. VADER TARKIN VADER TARKIN VADER TARKIN There is a quiet buzz on the comlink. TARKIN INTERCOM VOICE TARKIN VADER TARKIN VADER
An ominous buzzing sound is heard on the other side of the elevator door. HAN Chewbacca responds with a growling noise. HAN A series of explosions knock a hole in the elevator door through which several Imperial troops begin to emerge. Han and Chewie fire their laser pistols at them through the smoke and flames. They turn and run down the cell hallway, meeting up with Luke and Leia rushing toward them. HAN LEIA HAN Luke takes a small comlink transmitter from his belt as they continue to exchange fire with stormtroopers making their way down the corridor. LUKE THREEPIO LUKE
Threepio paces the control center as little Artoo beeps and whistles a blue streak. Threepio yells into the small comlink transmitter. THREEPIO Someone begins banging on the door. TROOPER VOICE THREEPIO
Luke and Leia crouch together in an alcove for protection as they continue to exchange fire with troops. Han and Chewbacca are barely able to keep the stormtroopers at bay at the far and of the hallway. The laserfire is very intense, and smoke fills the narrow cell corridor. LUKE HAN LEIA HAN Luke manages a sheepish grin and shrugs his shoulders. LUKE The princess grabs Luke's gun and fires at a small grate in the wall next to Han, almost frying him. HAN LEIA She jumps through the narrow opening as Han and Chewbacca look on in amazement. Chewbacca sniffs the garbage chute and says something. HAN Han gives him a big kick and the Wookiee disappears into the tiny opening. Luke and Han continue firing as they work their way toward the opening. HAN Luke ducks laserfire as he jumps into the darkness. Han fires off a couple of quick blasts creating a smoky cover, then slides into the chute himself and is gone.
Han tumbles into a large room filled with garbage and muck. Luke is already stumbling around looking for an exit. He finds a small hatchway and struggles to get it open. It won't budge. HAN LUKE Han draws his laser pistol and fires at the hatch. The laserbolt ricochets wildly around the small metal room. Everyone dives for cover in the garbage as the bolt explodes almost on top of them. Leia climbs out of the garbage with a rather grim look on her face. LUKE LEIA HAN LEIA A loud, horrible, inhuman moan works its way up from the murky depths. Chewbacca lets out a terrified howl and begins to back away. Han and Luke stand fast with their laser pistols drawn. The Wookiee is cowering near one of the walls. HAN LUKE HAN LUKE HAN LUKE Suddenly Luke is yanked under the garbage. HAN Solo tries to get to Luke. Luke surfaces with a gasp of air and thrashing of limbs. A membrane tentacle is wrapped around his throat. LEIA Leia extends a long pipe toward him. LEIA LUKE HAN LUKE Solo fires his gun downward. Luke is pulled back into the muck by the slimy tentacle. HAN Suddenly the walls of the garbage receptacle shudder and move in a couple of inches. Then everything is deathly quiet. Han and Leia give each other a worried look as Chewbacca howls in the corner. With a rush of bubbles and muck Luke suddenly bobs to the surface. LEIA Luke seems to be released by the thing. LEIA LUKE HAN Before anyone can say anything the walls begin to rumble and edge toward the Rebels. LUKE LEIA They place poles and long metal beams between the closing walls, but they are simply snapped and bent as the giant trashmasher rumbles on. The situation doesn't look too good. LUKE Luke pulls out his comlink. LUKE
A soft buzzer and the muted voice of Luke calling out for See-Threepio can be heard on Threepio's hand comlink, which is sitting on the deserted computer console. Artoo and Threepio are nowhere in sight. Suddenly there is a great explosion and the door of the control tower flies across the floor. Four armed stormtroopers enter the chamber. FIRST TROOPER A trooper pushes a button and the supply cabinet door slides open. See-Threepio and Artoo-Detoo are inside. Artoo follows his bronze companion out into the office. THREEPIO FIRST OFFICER The troops hustle off down the hallway, leaving a guard to watch over the command office. THREEPIO The guard aims a blaster at them. THREEPIO TROOPER The guard nods and Threepio, with little Artoo in tow, hurries out the door.
As the walls rumble closed, the room gets smaller and smaller. Chewie is whining and trying to hold a wall back with his giant paws. Han is leaning back against the other wall. Garbage is snapping and popping. Luke is trying to reach Threepio. LUKE Han and Leia try to brace the contracting walls with a pole. Leia begins to sink into the trash. HAN LEIA LUKE
THREEPIO Little Artoo carefully plugs his claw arm into a new wall socket and a complex array of electronic sounds spew from the tiny robot. THREEPIO
The walls are only feet apart. Leia and Han are braced against the walls. The princess is frightened. They look at each other. Leia reaches out and takes Han's hand and holds it tightly. She's terrified and suddenly groans as she feels the first crushing pressure against her body. HAN LEIA
THREEPIO THREEPIO
Meanwhile, Luke is lying on his side, trying to keep his head above the rising ooze. Luke's comlink begins to buzz and he rips it off his belt.
Muffled sounds of Luke's voice over the comlink can be heard, but not distinctly. THREEPIO
LUKE
THREEPIO LUKE
LUKE
LUKE THREEPIO Threepio holds his head in agony as he hears the incredible screaming and hollering from Luke's comlink. THREEPIO LUKE
The screaming and hollering is the sound of joyous relief. The walls have stopped moving. Han, Chewie and Leia embrace in the background. LUKE Luke moves to the pressure sensitive hatch, looking for a number. LUKE
Threepio looks at the computer panel as Han reads the number. HAN
Ben enters a humming service trench that powers the huge tractor beam. The trench seems to be a hundred miles deep. The clacking sound of a huge switching devices can be heard. The old Jedi edges his his way along a narrow ledge leading to a control panel that connects two large cables. He carefully makes several adjustments in the computer terminal, and several lights on the board go from red to blue.
The group exits the garbage room into a dusty, unused hallway. Han and Luke remove the trooper suits and strap on the blaster belts. HAN Luke smiles and scratches his head as he takes a blaster from Solo. LUKE Chewie begins growling and points to the hatch to the garbage room, as he runs away and then stops howling. HAN The dianoga bangs against the hatch and a long, slimy tentacle works its way out of the doorway searching for a victim. Han aims his pistol. LEIA Han fires at the doorway. The noise of the blast echoes relentlessly throughout the empty passageway. Luke simply shakes his head in disgust. HAN Chewie shakes his head "no." HAN LEIA Han is stunned at the command of the petite young girl. HAN LEIA Han watches her start away. He looks at Luke. HAN They follow her, moving swiftly down the deserted corridor.
Suddenly a door behind Ben slides open and a detachment of stormtroopers marches to the power trench. Ben instantly slips into the shadows as an Officer moves to within a few feet of him. OFFICER FIRST TROOPER All but two of the stormtroopers leave. FIRST TROOPER SECOND TROOPER Ben moves around the tractor beam, watching the stormtroopers as they turn their backs to him. Ben gestures with his hand toward them, as the troops think they hear something in the other hallway. With the help of the Force, Ben deftly slips past the troopers and into the main hallway. SECOND TROOPER FIRST TROOPER
Luke, Han, Chewbacca, and Leia run down an empty hallway and stop before a bay window overlooking the pirateship. Troopers are milling about the ship. Luke takes out his pocket comlink. HAN LUKE THREEPIO LUKE Han is watching the dozen or so troops moving in and out of the pirateship. Leia moves towards Han, touches his arm and points out the window to the ship. LEIA HAN Han gives her a dirty look, and they start off down the hallway. They round a corner and run right into twenty Imperial stormtroopers heading toward them. Both groups are taken by surprise and stop in their tracks. FIRST TROOPER Before even thinking, Han draws his laser pistol and charges the troops, firing. His blaster knocks one of the stormtroopers into the air. Chewie follows his captain down the corridor, stepping over the fallen trooper on the floor. HAN LUKE Han has already rounded a corner and does not hear. LEIA LUKE Luke is furious but doesn't have time to think about it for muted alarms begin to go off down on the hangar deck. Luke and Leia start off toward the starship hangar.
Han chases the stormtroopers down a long subhallway. He is yelling and brandishing his laser pistol. The troops reach a dead end and are forced to turn and fight. Han stops a few feet from them and assumes a defensive position. The troops begin to raise their laser guns. Soon all ten troopers are moving into an attack position in front of the lone starpirate. Han's determined look begins to fade as the troops begin to advance. Solo jumps backward as they fire at him.
Chewbacca runs down the subhallway in a last-ditch attempt to save his bold captain. Suddenly he hears the firing of laser guns and yelling. Around the corner shoots Han, pirate extraordinaire, running for his life, followed by a host of furious stormtroopers. Chewbacca turns and starts running the other way also.
Luke fires his laser pistol wildly as he and Leia rush down a narrow subhallway, chased by several stormtroopers. They quickly reach the end of the subhallway and race through an open hatchway.
Luke and Leia race through the hatch onto a narrow bridge that spans a huge, deep shaft that seems to go into infinity. The bridge has been retracted into the wall of the shaft, and Luke almost rushes into the abyss. He loses his balance off the end of the bridge as Leia, behind him, takes hold of his arm and pulls him back. LUKE Blasts from the stormtroopers' laser guns explode nearby reminding them of the oncoming danger. Luke fires back at the advancing troops. Leia reaches over and hits a switch that pops the hatch door shut with a resounding boom, leaving them precariously perched on a short piece of bridge overhang. Laserfire from the troopers continues to hit the steel door. LEIA Luke blasts the controls with his laser pistol. LUKE LEIA LUKE Luke looks at the blasted bridge control while the stormtroopers on the opposite side of the door begin making ominous drilling and pounding sounds. LEIA Luke notices something on his stormtrooper belt, when laserfire hits the wall behind him. Luke aims his laser pistol at a stormtrooper perched on a higher bridge overhang across the abyss from them. They exchange fire. Two more troopers appear on another overhang, also firing. A trooper is hit, and grabs at his chest. Another trooper standing on the bridge overhang is hit by Luke's laserfire, and plummets down the shaft. Troopers move back off the bridge; Luke hands the gun to Leia. LUKE Luke pulls a thin nylon cable from his trooper utility belt. It has a grappler hook on it. A trooper appears on a bridge overhang and fires at Luke and Leia. As Luke works with the rope, Leia returns the laser volley. Another trooper appears and fires at them, as Leia returns his fire as well. Suddenly, the hatch door begins to open, revealing the feet of more troops. LEIA Leia hits one of the stormtroopers on the bridge above, and he falls into the abyss. Luke tosses the rope across the gorge and it wraps itself around an outcropping of pipes. He tugs on the rope to make sure it is secure, then grabs the princess in his arms. Leia looks at Luke, then kisses him quickly on the lips. Luke is very surprised. LEIA Luke pushes off and they swing across the treacherous abyss to the corresponding hatchway on the opposite side. Just as Luke and Leia reach the far side of the canyon, the stormtroopers break through the hatch and begin to fire at the escaping duo. Luke returns the fire before ducking into the tiny subhallway.
Ben hides in the shadows of a narrow passageway as several stormtroopers rush past him in the main hallway. He checks to make sure they're gone, then runs down the hallway in the opposite direction. Darth Vader appears at the far end of the hallway and starts after the old Jedi.
Threepio looks around at the troops milling about the pirateship entry ramp. THREEPIO Artoo, plugged into the computer socket, turns his dome left and right, beeping a response.
Han and Chewbacca run down a long corridor with several troopers hot on their trail. TROOPER At the end of the hallway, blast doors begin to close in front of them. The young starpilot and his furry companion race past the huge doors just as they are closing, and manage to get off a couple off laserblasts at the pursuing troops before the doors slam shut. TROOPER
Ben hurries along one of the tunnels leading to the hangar where the pirateship waits. Just before he reaches the hangar, Darth Vader steps into view at the end of the tunnel, not ten feet away. Vader lights his saber. Ben also ignites his and steps slowly forward. VADER Ben Kenobi moves with elegant ease into a classical offensive position. The fearsome Dark Knight takes a defensive stance. VADER BEN The two Galactic warriors stand perfectly still for a few moments, sizing each other up and waiting for the right moment. Ben seems to be under increasing pressure and strain, as if an invisible weight were being placed upon him. He shakes his head and, blinking, tries to clear his head. Ben makes a sudden lunge at the huge warrior but is checked by a lightning movement of The Sith. A masterful slash stroke by Vader is blocked by the old Jedi. Another of the Jedi's blows is blocked, then countered. Ben moves around the Dark Lord and starts backing into the massive starship hangar. The two powerful warriors stand motionless for a few moments with laser swords locked in mid-air, creating a low buzzing sound. VADER BEN Their lightsabers continue to meet in combat.
Han Solo and Chewbacca, their weapons in hand, lean back against the wall surveying the forward bay, watching the Imperial stormtroopers make their rounds of the hangar. HAN Chewbacca growls a reply, as Luke and the princess join them. HAN LEIA LUKE HAN
Vader and Ben Kenobi continue their powerful duel. As they hit their lightsabers together, lightning flashes on impact. Troopers look on in interest as the old Jedi and Dark Lord of The Sith fight. Suddenly Luke spots the battle from his group's vantage point. LUKE Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie look up and see Ben and Vader emerging from the hallways on the far side of the docking bay.
Threepio and Artoo-Detoo are in the center of the Death Star's Imperial docking bay. THREEPIO Threepio ducks out of sight as the seven stormtroopers who were guarding the starship rush past them heading towards Ben and the Sith Knight. He pulls on Artoo.
Solo, Chewie, Luke, and Leia tensely watch the duel. The troops rush toward the battling knights. HAN They start for the Millennium Falcon. Ben sees the troops charging toward him and realizes that he is trapped. Vader takes advantage of Ben's momentary distraction and brings his mighty lightsaber down on the old man. Ben manages to deflect the blow and swiftly turns around. The old Jedi Knight looks over his shoulder at Luke, lifts his sword from Vader's then watches his opponent with a serene look on his face. Vader brings his sword down, cutting old Ben in half. Ben's cloak falls to the floor in two parts, but Ben is not in it. Vader is puzzled at Ben's disappearance and pokes at the empty cloak. As the guards are distracted, the adventurers and the robots reach the starship. Luke sees Ben cut in two and starts for him. Aghast, he yells out. LUKE The stormtroopers turn toward Luke and begin firing at him. The robots are already moving up the ramp into the Millennium Falcon, while Luke, transfixed by anger and awe, returns their fire. Solo joins in the laserfire. Vader looks up and advances toward them, as one of his troopers is struck down. HAN LEIA HAN Luke fires his laser pistol at the door control panel, and it explodes. The door begins to slide shut. Three troopers charge forward firing laser bolts, as the door slides to a close behind them... shutting Vader and the other troops out of the docking bay. A stormtrooper lies dead at the feet of his onrushing compatriots. Luke starts for the advancing troops, as Solo and Leia move up the ramp into the pirateship. He fires, hitting a stormtrooper, who crumples to the floor. BEN'S VOICE Luke looks around to see where the voice came from. He turns toward the pirateship, ducking Imperial gunfire from the troopers and races into the ship.
Han pulls back on the controls and the ship begins to move. The dull thud of laserbolts can be heard bouncing off the outside of the ship as Chewie adjusts his controls. HAN Chewbacca growls in agreement.
The Millennium Falcon powers away from the Death Star docking bay, makes a spectacular turn and disappears into the vastness of space.
Luke, saddened by the loss of Obi-Wan Kenobi, stares off blankly as the robots look on. Leia puts a blanket around him protectively, and Luke turns and looks up at her. She sits down beside him.
Solo spots approaching enemy ships. HAN
Luke looks downward sadly, shaking his head back and forth, as the princess smiles comfortingly at him. LUKE Artoo-Detoo beeps a reply. LEIA Han rushes into the hold area where Luke is sitting with the princess. HAN
Solo climbs into his attack position in the topside gunport.
Luke gets up and moves out toward the gunports as Leia heads for the cockpit.
Luke climbs down the ladder into the gunport cockpit, settling into one of the two main laser cannons mounted in large rotating turrets on either side of the ship.
Han adjusts his headset as he sits before the controls of his laser cannon, then speaks into the attached microphone. HAN
Chewbacca and Princess Leia search the heavens for attacking TIE fighters. The Wookiee pulls back on the speed controls as the ship bounces slightly.
Computer graphic readouts form on Solo's target screen, as Han reaches for controls.
Luke sits in readiness for the attack, his hand on the laser cannon's control button.
Chewbacca spots the enemy ships and barks. LEIA
The Imperial TIE fighters move towards the Millennium Falcon, one each veering off to the left and right of the pirateship.
The stars whip past behind the Imperial pilot as he adjusts his maneuvering joy stick.
The TIE fighter races past the Falcon, firing laser beams as it passes.
Threepio is seated in the hold area, next to Artoo-Detoo. The pirateship bounces and vibrates as the power goes out in the room and then comes back on.
A TIE fighter maneuvers in front of Han, who follows it and fires at it with the laser cannon. Luke does likewise, as the fighter streaks into view. The ship has suffered a minor hit, and bounces slightly.
Two TIE fighters dive down toward the pirateship.
Luke fires at an unseen fighter. LUKE
Pan with pirateship as two TIE fighters charge through the background. Laserbolts streak from all the craft.
The ship shudders as a laserbolt hits very close to the cockpit. The Wookiee chatters something to Leia.
Full shot of a TIE fighter as it moves fast through the frame, firing on the pirate starship.
The two TIE fighters fire a barrage of laserbeams at the pirateship.
A laserbolt streaks into the side of the pirateship. The ship lurches violently, throwing poor Threepio into a cabinet fill of small computer chips. THREEPIO
Leia watches the computer readout as Chewbacca manipulates the ship's controls. LEIA HAN An enemy laserbolt hits the pirateship's control panel, causing it to blow out in a shower of sparks. HAN Artoo-Detoo advances toward the smoking sparking control panel, dousing the inferno by spraying it with fire retardant beeping all the while.
Luke swivels in his gun mount, following the TIE fighter with his laser cannon.
Solo aims his laser cannon at the enemy fighters.
A TIE fighter streaks in front of the starship.
Leia watches the TIE fighter ship fly over.
A TIE fighter heads right for the pirateship, then zooms overhead.
Luke follows the TIE fighter across his field of view, firing laser beams from his cannon.
A TIE fighter dives past the pirateship.
Luke fires at a TIE fighter. At his port, Han follows a fighter in his sights, releasing a blast of laserfire. He connects, and the fighter explodes into fiery dust. Han laughs victoriously.
Two TIE fighters move toward and over the Millennium Falcon, unleashing a barrage of laserbolts at the ship.
Another TIE fighter moves in on the pirateship and Luke, smiling, fires the laser cannon at it, scoring a spectacular direct hit. LUKE Han turns and gives Luke a victory wave which Luke gleefully returns. HAN Han turns back to his laser cannon.
Two more TIE fighters cross in front of the pirateship.
LEIA
Luke and Han look into their respective projected target screens. An Imperial fighter crosses Solo's port, and Han swivels in his chair, following it with blasts from his laser cannon. Another fighter crosses Luke's port, and he reacts in a like manner, the glow of his target screen lighting his face.
The TIE fighter zooms toward the pirateship, firing destructive blasts at it.
Luke fires a laserblast at the approaching enemy fighter, and it bursts into a spectacular explosion. Luke's projected screen gives a readout of the hit. The pirateship bounces slightly as it is struck by enemy fire.
The last of the attacking Imperial TIE fighters looms in, firing upon the Falcon.
Solo swivels behind his laser cannon, his aim describing the arc of the TIE fighter. The fighter comes closer, firing at the pirateship, but a well-aimed blast from Solo's laser cannon hits the attacker, which blows up in a small atomic shower of burning fragments. LUKE The princess jumps up and gives Chewie a congratulatory hug. LEIA
Threepio lies on the floor of the ship, completely tangled in the smoking, sparking wires. THREEPIO Artoo turns his dome from side to side, beeping in response.
The victorious Millennium Falcon moves off majestically through space.
Darth Vader strides into the control room, where Tarkin is watching the huge view screen. A sea of stars is before him. TARKIN VADER TARKIN
Han, removes his gloves and smiling, is at the controls of the ship. Chewie moves into the aft section to check the damage. Leia is seated near Han. HAN LEIA HAN LEIA HAN Frustrated, Leia shakes her head. LEIA HAN LEIA HAN LEIA She angrily turns, and as she starts out of the cockpit, passes Luke coming in. LEIA LUKE Luke, shaking his head, sits in the copilot seat. He and Han stare out at the vast blackness of space. LUKE HAN LUKE HAN LUKE
The battered pirateship drifts into orbit around the planet Yavin and proceeds to one of its tiny green moons.
The pirateship soars over the dense jungle.
An alert guard, his laser gun in hand, scans the countryside. He sets the gun down and looks toward the temple, barely visible in the foliage.
Rotting in a forest of gargantuan trees, an ancient temple lies shrouded in an eerie mist. The air is heavy with the fantastic cries of unimaginable creatures. Han, Luke and the others are greeted by the Rebel troops. Luke and the group ride into the massive temple on an armored military speeder.
The military speeder stops in a huge spaceship hangar, set up in the interior of the crumbling temple. Willard, the commander of the Rebel forces, rushes up to the group and gives Leia a big hug. Every one is pleased to see her.
Willard composes himself, steps back and bows formally. WILLARD LEIA
The surface of the Death Star ominously approaches the red planet Yavin.
Grand Moff Tarkin and Lord Darth Vader are interrupted in their discussion by the buzz of the comlink. Tarkin moves to answer the call. TARKIN DEATH STAR
INTERCOM VOICE
A lone guard stands in a tower high above the Yavin landscape, surveying the countryside. A mist hangs over the jungle of twisted green.
Dodonna stands before a large electronic wall display. Leia and several other senators are to one side of the giant readout. The low-ceilinged room is filled with starpilots, navigators, and a sprinkling of R2-type robots. Everyone is listening intently to what Dodonna is saying. Han and Chewbacca are standing near the back. DODONNA Gold Leader, a rough looking man in his early thirties, stands and addresses Dodonna. GOLD LEADER DODONNA Artoo-Detoo stands next to a similar robot, makes beeping sounds, and turns his head from right to left. DODONNA A murmur of disbelief runs through the room. DODONNA Luke is sitting next to Wedge Antilles, a hotshot pilot about sixteen years old. WEDGE LUKE DODONNA The group rises and begins to leave.
The Death Star begins to move around the planet toward the tiny green moon.
Tarkin and Vader watch the computer projected screen with interest, as a circle of lights intertwines around one another on the screen showing it's position in relation to Yavin and the forth moon. DEATH STAR
INTERCOM VOICE VADER
Luke, Threepio and little Artoo enter the huge spaceship hangar and hurry along a long line of gleaming spacefighters. Flight crews rush around loading last-minute armaments and unlocking power couplings. In an area isolated from this activity Luke finds Han and Chewbacca loading small boxes onto an armored speeder. MAN'S VOICE Han is deliberately ignoring the activity of the fighter pilots' preparation. Luke is quite saddened at the sight of his friend's departure. LUKE HAN LUKE HAN LUKE Luke goes off and Han hesitates, then calls to him. HAN Luke turns and sees Han wink at him. Luke lifts his hand in a small wave and then goes off. Han turns to Chewie who growls at his captain, HAN
Luke, Leia, and Dodonna meet under a huge space fighter. LEIA LUKE LEIA LUKE Leia gives Luke a little kiss, turns, and goes off. As Luke heads for his ship, another pilot rushes up to him and grabs his arm. BIGGS LUKE Red Leader, a rugged handsome man in his forties, comes up behind Luke and Biggs. He has the confident smile of a born leader. RED LEADER BIGGS Red Leader pats Luke on the back as they stop in front of his fighter. RED LEADER LUKE Red Leader hurries to his own ship. BIGGS LUKE BIGGS Luke laughs and shakes his head in agreement. He heads for his ship. As Luke begins to climb up the ladder into his sleek, deadly spaceship, the crew chief, who is working on the craft, points to little Artoo, who is being hoisted into a socket on the back of the fighter. CHIEF LUKE The crewmen lower Artoo-Detoo into the craft. Now a part of the exterior shell of the starship, the little droid beeps that he is fine. Luke climbs up into the cockpit of his fighter and puts an his helmet. Threepio looks on from the floor of the massive hangar as the crewmen secure his little electronic partner into Luke's X-wing. It's an emotion-filled moment as Artoo beeps good-bye. CHIEF THREEPIO Artoo beeps in agreement. THREEPIO Artoo whistles his reply. All final preparations are made for the approaching battle. The hangar is buzzing with the last minute activity as the pilots and crewmen alike make their final adjustments. The hum of activity is occasionally trespassed by the distorted voice of the loudspeaker issuing commands. Coupling hoses are disconnected from the ships as they are fueled. Cockpit shields roll smoothly into place over each pilot. A signalman, holding red guiding lights, directs the ships. Luke, a trace of a smile gracing his lips, peers about through his goggles. BEN'S VOICE Luke is confused at the voice and taps his headphones.
All that can be seen of the fortress is a lone guard standing on a small pedestal jutting out above the dense jungle. The muted gruesome crying sounds that naturally permeate this eerie purgatory are overwhelmed by the thundering din of ion rockets as four silver starships catapult from the foliage in a tight formation and disappear into the morning cloud cover.
The princess, Threepio, and a field commander sit quietly before the giant display showing the planet Yavin and its four moons. The red dot that represents the Death Star moves ever closer to the system. A series of green dots appears around the fourth moon. A din of indistinct chatter fills the war room. MASSASSI INTERCOM
VOICE
The Death Star slowly moves behind the massive yellow surface of Yavin in the foreground, as many X-wing fighters flying in formation zoom toward us and out of the frame.
Light from a distant sun creates an eerie atmospheric glow around a huge planet, Yavin. Rebel fighters flying in formation settle ominously in the foreground and very slowly pull away.
Red Leader lowers his visor and adjusts his gun sights, looking to each side at his wing men. RED LEADER
One of the Rebel fighters checks in through his mike. RED TEN
Biggs checks his fighter's controls, alert and ready for combat. RED SEVEN BIGGS
PORKINS RED NINE
WEDGE
RED ELEVEN LUKE
Artoo-Detoo, in position outside of the fighter, turns his head from side to side and makes beeping sounds.
RED LEADER
The group of X-wing fighters move in formation toward the Death Star, unfolding the wings and locking them into the "X" position.
RED LEADER
RED LEADER
Luke adjusts his controls as he concentrates on the approaching Death Star. The ship begins to be buffeted slightly. RED LEADER
RED LEADER
The fighters, now X-shaped darts, move in formation. The Death Star now appears to be a small moon growing rapidly in size as the Rebel fighters approach. Complex patterns on the metallic surface begin to become visible. A large dish antenna is built into the surface on one side.
Wedge is amazed and slightly frightened at the awesome spectacle. WEDGE RED LEADER
RED LEADER
As the fighters move closer to the Death Star, the awesome size of the gargantuan Imperial fortress is revealed. Half of the deadly space station is in shadow and this area sparkles with thousands of small lights running in thin lines and occasionally grouped in large clusters; somewhat like a city at night as seen from a weather satellite.
GOLD LEADER RED LEADER GOLD LEADER
Red Leader looks around at his wingmen; the Death Star looming in from behind. Two Y-wing fighters bob back and forth in the background. He moves his computer targeting device into position. RED LEADER
Two squads of Rebel fighters peel off. The X-wings dive towards the Death Star surface. A thousand lights glow across the dark gray expanse of the huge station.
Alarm sirens scream as soldiers scramble to large turbo- powered laser gun emplacements. Electronic drivers rotate the huge guns into position as the crew adjust their targeting devices. EXT. SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR Laserbolts streak through the star-filled night. The Rebel X-wing fighters move in toward the Imperial base, as the Death Star aims its massive laser guns at the Rebel forces and fires.
Princess Leia listens to the battle over the intercom. Threepio is at her side. WEDGE RED LEADER
An X-wing zooms across the surface of the Death Star.
Technical crews scurry here and there loading last-minute armaments and unlocking power cables.
Wedge maneuvers his fighter toward the menacing Death Star.
X-wings continue in their attack course on the Death Star.
Luke nosedives radically, starting his attack on the monstrous fortress. The Death Star surface streaks past the cockpit window. LUKE
Luke's X-wing races toward the Death Star. Laserbolts streak from Luke's weapons, creating a huge fireball explosion on the dim surface.
Terror crosses Luke's face as he realizes he won't be able to pull out in time to avoid the fireball. BIGGS
Luke's ship emerges from the fireball, with the leading edges of his wings slightly scorched.
BIGGS
Luke adjusts his controls and breathes a sigh of relief. Flak bursts outside the cockpit window. LUKE
Rebel fighters continue to strafe the Death Star's surface with laserbolts.
Walls buckle and cave in. Troops and equipment are blown in all directions. Stormtroopers stagger out of the rubble. Standing in the middle of the chaos, a vision of calm and foreboding, is Darth Vader. One of his Astro-Officers rushes up to him. ASTRO-OFFICER VADER
Smoke belches from the giant laser guns as they wind up their turbine generators to create sufficient power. The crew rushes about preparing for another blast. Even the troopers' head gear is not adequate to protect them from the overwhelming noise of the monstrous weapon. One trooper bangs his helmet with his hand in an attempt to stop the ringing.
Red Leader flies through a heavy hail of flak. RED LEADER
The Red Leader's X-wing flies past Luke as he puts his nose down and starts his attack dive. LUKE RED LEADER LUKE
Luke flings his X-wing into a twisting dive across the horizon and down onto the dim gray surface.
A shot hurls from Luke's guns. Laserbolts streak toward the onrushing Death Star surface. Several small radar emplacements erupt in flame. Laserfire erupts from a protruding tower on the surface.
The blurry Death Star surface races past the cockpit windows as a big smile sweeps across Luke's face at the success of his run. Flak thunders on all sides of him.
The Death Star superstructure races past Luke as he maneuvers his craft through a wall of laserfire and peels away from the surface towards the heavens.
The thunder and smoke of the big guns reverberate throughout the massive structure. Many soldiers rush about in the smoke and chaos, silhouetted by the almost continual flash of explosions.
Biggs dives through a forest of radar domes, antennae, and gun towers as he shoots low across the Death Star surface. A dense barrage of laserfire streaks by on all sides.
Imperial star pilots dash in unison to a line of small auxiliary hatches that lead to Imperial TIE fighters.
Princess Leia, surrounded by her generals and aides, paces nervously before a lighted computer table. On all sides technicians work in front of many lighted glass walls. Dodonna watches quietly from one corner. One of the officers working over a screen speaks into his headset. CONTROL OFFICER
Luke looks around to see if he can spot the approaching Imperial fighters. LUKE
The Death Star's surface sweeps past as Red Leader searches the sky for the Imperial fighter. Flak pounds at his ship. RED LEADER
Silhouetted against the rim lights of the Death Star horizon, four ferocious Imperial TIE ships dive on the Rebel fighters. Two of the TIE fighters peel off and drop out of frame. Pan with the remaining two TIE ships.
Biggs panics when he discovers a TIE ship on his tail. The horizon in the background twists around as he peels off, hoping to lose the Imperial fighter.
RED LEADER BIGGS
Biggs zooms off the surface and into space, closely followed by an Imperial TIE fighter. The TIE ship fires several laserbolts at Biggs, but misses.
Biggs see the TIE ship behind him and swings around, trying to avoid him. BIGGS
Biggs, flying at high altitude, peels off and dives toward the Death Star surface, but he is unable to lose the TIE fighter, who sticks close to his tail.
Luke is flying upside down. He rotates his ship around to normal attitude as he comes out of his dive. LUKE
Biggs and the tailing TIE ship dive for the surface, now followed by a fast-gaining Luke. After Biggs dives out of sight, Luke chases the Imperial fighter.
In the foreground, the Imperial fighter races across the Death Star's surface, closely followed by Luke in the background.
There is a shot from Luke's X-wing of the TIE ship exploding in a mass of flames. LUKE
Darth Vader strides purposefully down a Death Star corridor, flanked by Imperial stormtroopers. VADER
A concerned Princess Leia, Threepio, Dodonna, and other officers of the Rebellion stand around the huge round readout screen, listening to the ship-to-ship communication on the room's loudspeaker. BIGGS WEDGE
WEDGE
Luke's ship soars away from the Death Star's surface as he spots the tailing TIE fighter.
The TIE pilot takes aim at Luke's X-wing.
The Imperial TIE fighter pilot scores a hit on Luke's ship. Fire breaks out on the right side of the X-wing.
Luke looks out of his cockpit at the flames on his ship. LUKE
Smoke pours out from behind Artoo-Detoo. LUKE'S VOICE Green laserfire moves past the beeping little robot as his head turns.
Luke nervously works his controls. RED LEADER
In the war room, Leia stands frozen as she listens and worries about Luke. RED LEADER RED TEN
Luke spots the TIE fighter behind him and soars away from the Death Star surface. LUKE
Luke's ship soars closer to the surface of the Death Star, an Imperial TIE fighter closing in on him in hot pursuit.
The Death Star whips below Wedge. WEDGE
WEDGE
Wedge dives across the horizon toward Luke and the TIE fighter.
Wedge moves his X-wing in rapidly.
Luke reacts frantically. LUKE
The fighter pilot watches Wedge's X-wing approach. Another X-wing joins him, and both unleash a volley of laserfire on the Imperial fighter.
The TIE fighter explodes, filling the screen with white light. Luke's ship can be seen far in the distance.
Luke looks about in relief. LUKE
Leia, Threepio, Dodonna and other Rebel officers are listening to the Rebel Fighter's radio transmissions over the war room intercom. BIGGS GOLD LEADER
Gold Leader peels off and starts toward the long trenches at the Death Star surface pole. GOLD LEADER
Three Y-wing fighters of the Gold group dive out of the stars toward the Death Star surface.
Leia and the others are grouped around the screen, as technicians move about attending to their duties. RED LEADER
Three Imperial TIE ships in precise formation dive toward the Death Star surface.
Darth Vader calmly adjusts his control stick as the stars whip past in the window above his head. VADER
Technicians are seated at the computer readout table. GOLD LEADER
GOLD LEADER
Gold Leader approaches the surface and pulls out to skim the surface of the huge station. The ship moves into a deep trench, firing laserbolts. The surface streaks past as laserfire is returned by the Death Star.
Gold Five is a pilot in his early fifties with a very battered helmet that looks like it's been through many battles. He looks around to see if enemy ships are near. His fighter is buffeted by Imperial flak.
Gold Leader races down the enormous trench that leads to the exhaust port. Laserbolts blast toward him in increasing numbers, occasionally exploding near the ship causing it to bounce about. GOLD LEADER
Three Y-wing skim the Death Star surface deep in the trench, as laserbolts streak past on all sides.
An exterior surface gun blazes away at the oncoming Rebel fighters.
GOLD LEADER
GOLD FIVE Leia, Threepio, and the technicians view the projected target screen, as red and blue target lights glow. The red target near the center blinks on and off. MASSASSI INTERCOM
VOICE
The three Y-wing fighters race toward camera and zoom overhead through a hail of laserfire.
Gold Leader pulls his computer targeting device down in front of his eye. Laserbolts continue to batter the Rebel craft. GOLD LEADER
Gold Two, a younger pilot about Luke's age, pulls down his targeting eye viewer and adjusts it. His ship shudders under intense laser barrage. GOLD TWO As the fighters begin to approach the target area, suddenly all the laserfire stops. An eerie clam clings over the trench as the surface whips past in a blur. GOLD TWO
Two Y-wings zoom down the Death Star trench.
Gold Five looks behind him. GOLD FIVE
GOLD LEADER
Three Imperial TIE ships, Darth Vader in the center flanked by two wingmen, dive in precise formation almost vertically toward the Death Star surface.
Darth Vader calmly adjusts his control stick as the stars zoom by. VADER WINGMAN'S VOICE
Three TIE fighters zoom across the surface of the Death Star.
Vader lines up Gold Two in his targeting computer. Vader's hands grip the control stick as he presses the button.
The cockpit explodes around Gold Two. His head falls forward.
As Gold Two's ship explodes, debris is flung out into space.
Gold Leader looks over his shoulder at the scene.
The three TIE fighters race along in the trench in a tight formation.
Gold Leader panics. GOLD LEADER
Gold Five, the old veteran, tries to calm Gold Leader. GOLD FIVE
The Death Star races by outside the cockpit window as he adjusts his targeting device. GOLD LEADER
The older pilot remains calm. GOLD FIVE
Now he's really panicked. GOLD LEADER
Vader calmly adjusts his targeting computer and pushes the fire button.
Gold Leader's ship is hit by Vader's lasers.
Gold Leader explodes in a ball of flames, throwing debris in all directions.
Gold Five moves in on the exhaust port. GOLD FIVE
Luke looks over his shoulder at the action outside of his cockpit. GOLD FIVE
RED LEADER
GOLD FIVE
One of the engines explodes on Gold Five's Y-wing fighter, blazing out of control. He dives past the horizon toward the Death Star's surface, passing a TIE fighter during his descent. Gold Five, a veteran of countless campaigns, spins toward his death.
Luke looks nervously about him at the explosive battle.
Grant Moff Tarkin and a Chief Officer stand in the Death Star's control room. OFFICER TARKIN Tarkin turns to the computer readout screen. Flames move around the green disk at the center of the screen, as numbers read across the bottom. VOICE
Red Leader looks over at his wingmen. RED LEADER
Dodonna moves to the intercom as he fiddles with the computer keys. RED LEADER WEDGE BIGGS
DODONNA
RED LEADER'S
VOICE Luke nods his head.
The X-wing fighters of Luke, Biggs, and Wedge fly in formation high above the Death Star's surface.
Luke peers out from his cockpit.
Two X-wings move across the surface of the Death Star. Red Leader's X-wing drops down to the surface leading to the exhaust port.
Red Leader looks around to watch for the TIE fighters. He begins to perspire. RED LEADER
Red Leader roams down the trench of the Death Star as lasers streak across the black heavens.
A huge remote-control laser cannon fires at the approaching Rebel fighters.
The Rebel fighters evade the Imperial laser blasts.
RED TEN EXT. DEATH STAR TRENCH From the cockpits of the Rebel pilots, the surface of the Death Star streaks by, with Imperial laserfire shooting toward them.
RED LEADER
RED TEN
Three X-wing fighters move in formation down the Death Star trench. RED TEN'S VOICE
Luke looks down at the Death Star surface below. LUKE
Red Ten looks up and sees the Imperial fighters. LUKE RED TEN
Three TIE fighters, Vader flanked by two wingmen, dive in a tight formation. The sun reflects off their dominate solar fins as they loop toward the Death Star's surface.
Red Leader pulls his targeting device in front of his eyes and makes several adjustments. RED LEADER
Red Leader's X-wing moves up the Death Star trench.
RED LEADER Red Leader looks at his computer target readout screen. He then looks into his targeting device. RED LEADER
Vader adjusts his control lever and dives on the X-wing fighters. VADER
The three TIE fighters move in formation across the Death Star surface.
RED LEADER Red Leader lines up his target on the targeting device cross hairs.
Vader and his wingmen zoom down the trench.
Vader rapidly approaches the two X-wings of Red Ten and Red Twelve. Vader's laser cannon flashes below the view of the front porthole. The X-wings show in the center of Vader's computer screen.
Red Twelve's X-wing fighter is hit by Vader's laserfire, and it explodes into flames against the trench.
Red Ten works at his controls furiously, trying to avoid Vader's fighter behind him. RED TEN
Red Leader is concentrating on his targeting device. RED LEADER
Red Ten panics. RED TEN
Vader and his wingmen whip through the trench in pursuit of the Rebel fighters.
Vader coolly pushes the fire button on his control stick.
Darth Vader's well-aimed laserfire proves to be unavoidable, and strikes Red Ten's ship. Red Ten screams in anguish and pain.
Grimly, Red Leader takes careful aim and watches his computer targeting device, which shows the target lined up in the cross hairs, and fires.
RED LEADER
Red Leader's X-wing pulls up just before a huge explosion billows out of the trench.
Leia and the others stare at the computer screen. RED NINE'S
VOICE RED LEADER
Red Leader looks back at the receding Death Star. Tiny explosions are visible in the distance. RED LEADER
Darth Vader peels off in pursuit as Red Leader's X-wing passes the Death Star horizon.
Vader swings his ship around for the next kill.
LUKE
Luke tries to spot Red Leader. He looks down at the Death Star surface. LUKE RED LEADER
A wary Red Leader looks about nervously. RED LEADER
Luke looks excitedly toward Red Leader's X-wing. RED LEADER
Vader's gloved hands make contact with the control sticks, and he presses their firing buttons.
Red Leader fights to gain control of his ship.
Laserbolts are flung from Vader's TIE fighter, connecting with Red Leader's Rebel X-wing fighter. Red Leader buys it, creating a tremendous explosion far below. He screams and is destroyed.
Luke looks out the window of his X-wing at the explosion far below. For the first time, he feels the helplessness of his situation.
Grand Moff Tarkin casts a sinister eye at the computer screen. DEATH STAR
INTERCOM VOICE
Dodonna and Princess Leia, with Threepio beside them, listen intently to the talk between the pilots. The room is grim after Red Leader's death. Princess Leia nervously paces the room. LUKE
The horizon twists as Wedge begins to pull out. WEDGE
BIGGS
LUKE
The three X-wings move in, unleashing a barrage of laserfire. Laserbolts are returned from the Death Star.
Luke's lifelong friend struggles with his controls. BIGGS
Flak and laserbolts flash outside Luke's cockpit window. WEDGE
The Death Star laser cannon slowly rotates as it shoots laserbolts.
Luke looks around for the Imperial TIE fighters. He thinks for a moment and then moves his targeting device into position. LUKE
Wedge looks excitedly about for any sign of the TIE fighters. WEDGE
LUKE
Luke's X-wing streaks through the trench, firing lasers.
Luke breaks into a nervous sweat as the laserfire is returned, nicking one of his wings close to the engine. LUKE
Artoo works to repair the damages. The canyon wall rushes by in the background, making his delicate task seem even more precarious.
Two laser cannons are firing on the Rebel fighters.
Wedge looks up and sees the TIE ships.
Luke's targeting device marks off the distance to the target.
Vader and his wingmen zoom closer.
Vader adjusts his controls and fires laserbolts at two X-wings flying down the trench. He scores a direct hit on Wedge.
Leia and the others are grouped around the computer board. WEDGE LUKE
LUKE
WEDGE
Wedge pulls his crippled X-wing back away from the battle.
Vader watches the escape but issues a command to his wingmen. VADER
Luke's X-wing speeds down the trench; the three TIE fighters, still in perfect unbroken formation, tail close behind.
Biggs looks around at the TIE fighters. He is worried. BIGGS
The three TIE fighters move ever closer, closing in on Luke and Biggs.
Luke looks back anxiously at little Artoo. LUKE
Ignoring the bumpy ride, flak, and lasers, a beeping Artoo-Detoo struggles to increase the power, his dome turning from side to side.
Stealthily, the TIE formation creeps closer.
Vader adjusts his control stick.
Biggs looks around at the TIE fighters.
Luke looks into his targeting device. He moves it away for a moment and ponders its use. He looks back into the computer targeter. BIGGS
Vader and his wingmen race through the Death Star trench. Biggs moves in to cover for Luke, but Vader gains on him.
Biggs sees the TIE fighter aiming at him. BIGGS
Vader squeezes the fire button on his controls.
Biggs' cockpit explodes around him, lighting him in red.
Biggs' ship bursts into a million flaming bits and scatters across the surface.
Leia and the others stare at the computer board.
Luke is stunned by Biggs' death. His eyes are watering, but his anger is also growing.
Grand Moff Tarkin watches the projected target screen with satisfaction. DEATH STAR
INTERCOM VOICE
Vader takes aim on Luke and talks to the wingmen. VADER
Luke's ship streaks through the trench of the Death Star.
Princess Leia returns her general's worried and doubtful glances with solid, grim determination. Threepio seems nervous. THREEPIO
Luke concentrates on his targeting device.
Three TIE fighters charge away down the trench toward Luke.
Vader's finger's curls around the control stick.
Luke adjusts the lens of his targeting device.
Luke's ship charges down the trench.
Luke lines up the yellow cross-hair lines of the targeting device's screen. He looks into the targeting device, then starts at a voice he hears. BEN'S VOICE
The Death Star trench zooms by.
Luke looks up, then starts to look back into the targeting device. He has second thoughts. BEN'S VOICE A grim determination sweeps across Luke's face as he closes his eyes and starts to mumble Ben's training to himself.
Luke's fighter streaks through the trench.
VADER
Vader follows Luke's X-wing down the trench.
Luke looks to the targeting device, then away as he hears Ben's voice. BEN'S VOICE Luke's hand reaches for the control panel and presses the button. The targeting device moves away.
Leia and the others stand watching the projected screen. BASE VOICE LUKE
Luke's ship streaks ever close to the exhaust port.
Luke looks at the Death Star surface streaking by.
Artoo-Detoo turns his head from side to side, beeping in anticipation.
The three TIE fighters, manned by Vader and his two wingmen, follow Luke's X-wing down the trench.
Vader maneuvers his controls as he looks at his doomed target. He presses the fire buttons on his control sticks. Laserfire shoots toward Luke's X-wing fighter.
A large burst of Vader's laserfire engulfs Artoo. The arms go limp on the smoking little droid as he makes a high-pitched sound.
Luke looks frantically back over his shoulder at Artoo.
Smoke billows out around little Artoo and sparks begin to fly. LUKE Artoo's beeping sounds die out.
Leia and the others stare intently at the projected screen, while Threepio watches the Princess. Lights representing the Death Star and targets glow brightly. MASSASSI INTERCOM
VOICE
Tarkin glares at the projected target screen. DEATH STAR
INTERCOM VOICE TARKIN DEATH STAR
INTERCOM VOICE An officer reaches up and pushes buttons on the control panel, as green lighted buttons turn to red.
The three TIE fighters zoom down the Death Star trench in pursuit of Luke, never breaking formation.
Luke looks anxiously at the exhaust port.
Vader adjusts his control sticks, checking his projected targeting screen.
Luke's ship barrels down the trench.
Vader's targeting computer swings around into position. Vader takes careful aim on Luke's X-wing fighter. VADER He pushes the fire buttons.
The three TIE fighters move in on Luke. As Vader's center fighter unleashes a volley of laserfire, one of the TIE ships at his side is hit and explodes into flame. The two remaining ships continue to move in.
Luke looks about, wondering whose laserfire destroyed Vader's wingman.
Vader is taken by surprise, and looks out from his cockpit. VADER
Vader's wingman searches around him trying to locate the unknown attacker.
Han and Chewbacca grin from ear to ear. HAN
The Millennium Falcon heads right at the two TIE fighters. It's a collision course.
The wingman spots the pirateship coming at him and warns the Dark Lord. WINGMAN
Vader's wingman panics at the sight of the oncoming pirate starship and veers radically to one side, colliding with Vader's TIE fighter in the process. Vader's wingman crashes into the side wall of the trench and explodes. Vader's damaged ship spins out of the trench with a damaged wing.
Vader's ship spins out of control with a bent solar fin, heading for deep space.
Vader turns round and round in circles as his ship spins into space.
Solo's ship moves in toward the Death Star trench.
Solo, smiling, speaks to Luke over his headset mike. HAN
Leia and the others listen to Solo's transmission. HAN
Luke looks up and smiles. He concentrates on the exhaust port, then fires his laser torpedoes.
Luke's torpedoes shoot toward the port and seems to simply disappear into the surface and not explode. But the shots do find their mark and have gone into the exhaust port and are heading for the main reactor.
Luke throws his head back in relief.
An Imperial soldier runs to the control panel board and pulls the attack lever as the board behind him lights up. INTERCOM VOICE
Two X-wings, a Y-wing, and the pirateship race toward Yavin in the distance.
Several Imperial soldiers, flanking a pensive Grand Moff Tarkin, busily push control levers and buttons. INTERCOM VOICE The rumble of a distant explosion begins.
The Rebel ships race out of sight, leaving the moon-like Death Star alone against a blanket of stars. Several small flashes appear on the surface. The Death Star bursts into a supernova, creating a spectacular heavenly display.
HAN
Luke is at ease, and his eyes are closed. BEN'S VOICE The ship rocks back and forth.
Vader's ship spins off into space.
The Rebel ships race toward the fourth moon of Yavin.
Luke climbs out of his starship fighter and is cheered by a throng of ground crew and pilots. Luke climbs down the ladder as they all welcome him with laughter, cheers, and shouting. Princess Leia rushes toward him. LEIA She throws her arms around Luke and hugs him as they dance around a circle. Solo runs in toward Luke and they embrace one another, slapping each other on the back. HAN LUKE HAN LEIA Luke looks toward the ship. LUKE The fried little Artoo-Detoo is lifted off the back of the fighter and carried off under the worried eyes of Threepio. THREEPIO TECHNICIAN THREEPIO LUKE
Luke, Han, and Chewbacca enter the huge ruins of the main temple. Hundreds of troops are lined up in neat rows. Banners are flying and at the far end stands a vision in white, the beautiful young Senator Leia. Luke and the others solemnly march up the long aisle and kneel before Senator Leia. From one side of the temple marches a shined-up and fully repaired Artoo-Detoo. He waddles up to the group and stands next to an equally pristine Threepio, who is rather awestruck by the whole event. Chewbacca is confused. Dodonna and several other dignitaries sit on the left of the Princess Leia. Leia is dressed in a long white dress and is staggeringly beautiful. She rises and places a gold medallion around Han's neck. He winks at her. She then repeats the ceremony with Luke, who is moved by the event. They turn and face the assembled troops, who all bow before them. Chewbacca growls and Artoo beeps with happiness. FADE OUT. END CREDITS
OVER STARS. |