Star Wars: A New Hope changed the course of cinema. The historical movie is considered one of the greatest films of all time, and it spawned a franchise that is still loved today.
It all started thanks to George Lucas’ vision. To celebrate it, here are 30 things to love about A New Hope.
1. The Opening Crawl
Since its debut in 1977, the opening crawl has been a franchise staple. It was a massive deal when Rogue One broke the rules by premiering without a crawl. The simple yellow text scrolling across a starry background is now iconic, setting the stage for the film.
2. The Opening Battle
A New Hope opens with a literal bang as a space battle erupts over the planet of Tatooine. The chaos transfers into the hallways of the Tantive IV as stormtroopers and rebel soldiers blast each other. It’s an exciting way to kick off the film and immediately hooks the audience.
3. Darth Vader
Darth Vader is immediately established as a threat when he emerges from the smoke in the opening battle. The original audiences of 1977 were unsure if he was a man or a machine. He quickly became one of the most iconic villains ever, starting in A New Hope.
4. Princess Leia
Carrie Fisher captured the hearts of audiences everywhere with her quick wit, blaster-wielding, commanding performance of Princess Leia. This take on the princess archetype broke the mold as she refused to be a damsel in distress, holding her own along with the boys.
5. Leia Stands Up to Vader
Leia’s strength shined early in the film with her first challenge: standing up to Darth Vader. While the context of this scene would shift in later movies with the discovery that Vader was Leia’s father, this scene defined Leia instantly as she stared the villain in the eye and stood her ground.
6. C-3PO and R2-D2
Bringing comedic relief amongst the tense battles and high stakes of the film, C-3PO and R2-D2 are the lovable droid duo that captured the audience’s admiration, adults and kids alike. Following them from the space battle on the Tantive IV and across the deserts of Tatooine, they are the viewer’s guides as the bigger universe unfolds around them.
7. Jawas
As R2-D2 and C-3PO travel across Tatooine, the first aliens encountered in the franchise are the Jawas. These mischievous yet mechanically savvy beings have been a longtime staple in the franchise, especially with shows set on their desert home world like The Book of Boba Fett.
8. The Sandcrawler
The Sandcrawler feels like another world as the Jawas capture R2-D2. It’s a fun introduction to various droids in the universe, like the GONK droids, and it’s the first appearance of R5-D4, who would eventually work for Din Djarin in The Mandalorian.
9. Luke Skywalker
Young but ambitious, Luke Skywalker is the ideal protagonist on the verge of answering the call to adventure. His home life is decimated by the evil Empire pushing him out into the galaxy, and he finds out that he’s destined for greatness and starts training to become a Jedi.
10. Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru
Vader might be Luke’s father, but Owen and Beru are his parents. The couple raised Luke with love and care, something explored more in the Prequels and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Some of the best qualities of Luke come from his family, and that includes Owen and Beru.
11. Blue Milk
While now there is a variety of colors like green milk and recently pink milk came into the canon, the blue milk that the Lars family consumes started it all. The beverage came back comedically in Andor as Syril Karn ate his cereal with the drink. Fans can also order it at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney.
12. Leia’s Message
As Luke and later Obi-Wan watches the hologram video of Princess Leia, one of the most well-known phrases in cinema history is said, “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.”
13. Twin Suns
Luke staring at Tatooine’s twin suns is by far one of the most recognized moments in the franchise. John Williams’ score is the perfect accompaniment as Luke weighs his call to adventure.
14. The Tuskens
The Tuskens have come a long way since their introduction in A New Hope, and their culture has since been explored in books like From a Certain Point of View: A New Hope and shows like The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
They’re not mindless monsters in the sands but a beautiful indigenous people native to Tatooine, which recontextualizes the Original Trilogy.
15. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Despite posing as a mysterious hermit living on Tatooine, Obi-Wan Kenobi was the first Jedi introduced to the audience. He would go on to be one of the most influential figures in the Skywalker Saga, but these humble appearing beginnings were the start of revealing what a great man he was.
16. Grand Moff Tarkin
Every great franchise needs a despicable villain. While Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader are essentially dark mystical beings, Grand Moff Tarkin takes the award for his portrayal of evil. His ideologies mirroring our real world make him scary, cementing him as his own brand of vileness.
17. Mos Eisley Cantina
The most well-known Star Wars aliens debuted in Mos Eisley’s cantina scene. It’s a vibrant feast for the eyes as our heroes descend into a hub of scum and villainy. And who could ever forget the band playing that one particular tune in the background?
18. Han Solo
Roguish, charismatic, and funny despite his clumsier moments, Han Solo is beloved for being the everyman among space wizards and general princesses. His growth from his selfish beginnings to being a commander in the Rebellion is one of the best character journeys in the franchise.
19. Chewbacca
The loyal Wookiee companion to Han Solo is both the muscle and the sweetest member of the team. Chewbacca brings some of the best laughs and heart to the film, and he’s just as crucial to the movie as his human friends.
20. Jabba and Boba Fett
In the updated special editions of A New Hope, two legacy characters were added back into the movie: Jabba the Hutt and Boba Fett. While George Lucas always wanted to have them in the original version, it was a scene cut for budget reasons.
The addition leads to fun debates among fans about which version they prefer.
21. That’s No Moon
The reveal of the Death Star’s power is a horrific moment in the movie. From Leia watching her planet getting destroyed to Obi-Wan realizing the size of the space station, the Death Star is a behemoth for the heroes to take down.
22. Rescuing the Princess
The entire sequence of Luke, Han, and Chewbacca rescuing Princess Leia has everything that makes Star Wars great. They are fantastic one-liners like Han Solo improvising, “We’re fine. We’re all fine here now, thank you. How are you?” and Leia’s “Into the garbage chute, Flyboy!”
Everyone is making it up the escape as they go. Leia picks up a blaster to fight back, and Luke is a bit short for a stormtrooper. It’s scenes like this why fans love the franchise.
23. The Garbage Compactor
The garbage compactor scene is stressful as it is fun to watch. With a monster in the water and the heroes trying to avoid getting squished, it falls on the loyal droid R2-D2 and C-3PO to save the day.
24. Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Darth Vader
The final battle between master and student is incredible. Obi-Wan and Vader’s fight has all the homages to classic Akira Kurosawa-style movies. In the later films, Obi-Wan’s last words come to pass as he becomes a Force ghost.
25. Great, Kid! Don’t Get Cocky
The first escape from the Death Star to get back to the Rebel base is an exciting battle. Luke gets his first real taste of fighting in a space battle and even makes his first hit. Han quickly congratulations him and keeps him on track with, “Great, kid! Don’t get cocky!”
26. Yavin-4
The first whole look at the Rebellion on Yavin-4 is a series of wonderful scenes. The group of people from all over the galaxy coming together to fight a great evil is uplifting for the viewer.
27. The Trench Run
The trench run is an intense battle over the Death Star as it draws close to Yavin-4. If the Rebel pilots fail, everyone on the ground, like Princess Leia, will perish. Luke is pushed to his limits as the pilots around him, including his childhood friend Biggs Darklighter, perish in the battle.
28. Han’s Return
When all hope seems lost, out of nowhere comes the Millennium Falcon to join the battle! Han Solo lands a shot on Darth Vader, sending the Sith Lord flying out of the fray.
29. Luke Makes the Shot
With no other obstacles in the way and putting his faith in the Force, Luke takes the shot to destroy the Death Star. His proton torpedo hits the mark. Han and Luke fly away to safety while the Death Star explodes behind them.
30. The Medal Ceremony
While there is still more fighting to come, the destruction of the Death Star is a major victory for the Rebel Alliance. Luke, Han, and Chewbacca are honored as heroes, receiving medals from Leia as the rest of the Alliance cheers.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
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