Star Wars IV: A New Hope

Ordinary World

The galaxy is in a civil war period between the evil Galactic Empire and the growing Rebel forces. Rebel forces have stolen secret plans to the Empire's Death Star, a weaponized space station with the power to destroy planets. Princess Leia, a vital member of the Rebellion, is on her way back to base with the stolen plans when she is captured by Darth Vader and held captive on the Death Star. Before being captured, Leia placed the plans in a holographic message into her droid, R2D2, along with a plea for help from the master Jedi knight Obi-Wan Kenobi. R2D2 is programmed to find Obi-Wan Kenobi.

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In the ordinary world, we meet the hero of the story, Luke Skywalker, as an adopted farm boy on a desolate planet called Tatooine. He is restless and tired of helping his Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen grow crops and repair droids. Luke dreams of fighting space wars and desperately wants to leave Tatooine. Luke sums up his frustration as he works on C-3PO, his favorite droid, "If there's a bright center to the universe, you're on the planet it's farthest from." We can relate to Luke, in his ordinary world, as he speaks to our restlessness and desire to expand our horizons.

 

Call to Action

Luke's call to action comes when he carelessly removes a restraining bolt from a newly acquired droid, R2D2, Princess Leia's former droid. The freed droid escapes to find Obi-Wan Kenobi to fulfill his mission from Leia. As Luke searches for R2D2, he meets an old hermit named Ben Kenobi, who is Obi-Wan. Ben knows Luke's history and gives him a lightsaber, originally his birth father's lightsaber. Ben tells Luke that his father was the "best starfighter in the galaxy" before Darth Vader destroyed him.

In Ben's cave, R2D2 projects the holographic image of Princess Leia asking for Obi-Wan's help to get the enclosed plans to the Rebel base. Ben asks Luke to join him on the mission, but Luke declines the offer (Refusing the Call). He feels guilty about his desire to leave his aunt and uncle alone. Only when Imperial stormtroopers kill his aunt and uncle does Luke understand the mission's importance and agrees to join Ben, who becomes Luke's mentor.

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Luke's call to adventure is both internal and external. Internally, it is a call to grow beyond his childish attitudes and learn the ways of Jedi knights. Externally, the call is to join the Rebellion to fight the destruction of the galaxy by the Empire.

 

The First Threshold

Luke begins his transition from the ordinary world to the new world in a cantina in a frontier town. Luke and Ben need a pilot to take them off-planet to rescue Princess Leia. They find Han Solo and his Wookie first mate, Chewbacca, who seem to be in a hurry to leave Tatooine themselves. They all board Han's Millennium Falcon and take off, with Han's bounty hunters in pursuit. At this moment, Luke crosses the first threshold.

 

The Road of Trials

Onboard the Millennium Falcon, Obi-Wan gives Luke lessons on using the Force, a mysterious energy source in the universe. Obi-Wan begins to teach him the Jedi ways, starting with taming his emotions and focusing his attention. Luke slowly learns to trust his instincts to better wield his lightsaber and steps into the unknown world of the Force.

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Like most adventures, the Road of Trials phase is the longest part of the movie, with many challenges that help the hero transform. The challenges begin when the Millennium Falcon is captured by the Death Star, with stormtroopers and Darth Vader on board.

 

The Ordeal

On the Death Star, Luke impulsively launches a plan to rescue Princess Leia on his own. He reaches her holding cell, but has not thought through an escape plan. Leah saves both of them from chasing stormtroopers by escaping down a garbage chute to a trash compactor. Han and Chewbacca soon join them.

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Luke faces both a physical challenge and an internal crisis at this point. The trash compactor is the "belly of the whale", where he has a life-and-death experience. He is pulled underwater by a tentacled monster which he cannot escape. The monster released Luke when the trash compactor walls were activated. After facing death, Luke begins to change. He is able to calmly guide the droids to stop the trash compactor as the walls continue to squeeze them in place.

Obi-Wan dies in a battle with Darth Vader. He has surrendered his life as a distraction to allow the others to escape the Death Star. Obi-Wan continues to be a mentor to Luke through his voice alone, which brings guidance ("Use the force, Luke") through the rest of the adventure.

 

Reward

Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and Luke escape the Death Star in Han's ship. Imperial fighters are chasing their ship; and Luke faces the test and destroys his first fighter. He has learned to use the Force to focus on the task rather than be controlled by his emotions.

 

The Road Back

Luke, Han, Leia, and Chewbacca finally reach the Rebel base with the Death Star plans. Luke can now use his Jedi skills to aid the Rebellion, which is facing an impossible task. They must shoot a one-photon charge into a small, two-meter-wide exhaust opening to destroy the Death Star.

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While Luke joins the fighters, Han decides not to join the cause and leaves with his reward. Han appears to have stayed true to his mercenary ways, while Luke has become a hero in service to the cause.

Luke demonstrates his growth as he works with a group of fighters rather than recklessly going off alone. He calms and encourages the other pilots and, in turn, relies on others for help and support. In a final leap of faith, with Darth Vader on his tail, Luke risks everything when he turns off his computer targeting system and uses the Force. He is focused but succeeds only when Han Solo returns to blast Darth Vader, demonstrating the need for helpers on our journeys. The original self-centered Han Solo has also transformed as he joins the higher cause.

 

Return with Gifts

Luke has destroyed the Death Star, earned the reward, and is honored as a hero along with Han and Chewbacca in a ceremony. The transformation in Luke's character is in clear contrast to his behavior on the Tatooine farm. Luke's journey toward becoming a Jedi knight is complete. The enemy has been defeated, and peace reigns in the galaxy.