Original Trilogy

Forever a cinematic masterpiece, the original trilogy of Star Wars episodes IV-VI are deeply engranded in the heart of every true Star Wars fan. Star Wars was originally released in 1977, and it became an instant success. With mind boggling special effects for the time and a deep adventurous story line it changed the landscape of SciFi movies(even though it is technically a Fantasy film).

In 1981 the originally titled Star Wars was changed to A New Hope because of the new sequels. The story told of a boy, Luke Skywalker, with unknown to him potential being sprung into action. Luke was living on a remote planet with his aunt and uncle under the assumption his parents had been killed in the clone wars many years ago.

Luke and two droids meet up with a Jedi Master, Ben Kenobi, who trys to convince them to join the rebel alliance. Luke refuses until he arrives back to a scorched home and finds his two guardians murdered by The Empire and vows to never return. He decides to join Kenobi on a journey to deliver plans to destroy a "Death Star" to the rebel base. They have been requested to do this by a captive princess named Leia. Along the way they are joined by a space pirate smuggler, Han Solo, and a wookie Chewbacca who have offered to transport them. They find themselves on the Empire's secret weapon of destruction the Death Star. They come across Princess Leia, so Luke and Han break her out of the detention level. Meanwhile, Ben Kenobi looks to shut down the tractor beam so that they all may escape this Death Star. After doing so, Ben encounters Darth Vader, whom ends up killing Kenobi during a lightsaber battle. The rest of the group escapes and delivers the plans to the rebel base. The rebel alliance plans an attack on the death star using the plans delivered to them by Princess Leia. When it seems the attack has failed, Luke conjures all the influence of The Force and fires the final torpedo that destroys the death star and he, Han, and Chewbacca are honored with awards for courage. However Darth Vader lives on and will have his revenge.

Episode 5 The Empire Strikes Back was released in May of 1980 and after the great success of Star Wars (1977) there was complete pandimonium over the release of this sequel. The Empire Strikes back was directed by Irvin Kershner as George Lucas took a very prominent consulting role. The movie opens with the rebel base on the snow planet called Hoth which is housing the main group of Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, C3p0 and R2D2. Luke is in the process of scanning the surronding area when he is attacked by a Wompa, which is a Star Wars version of a yeti like creature. Using the force he grabs hold of his lightsaber and escapes, but is still stuck without transportation in the frozen tundra. Luckily, Han spots Luke keeps him warm and takes him back to the base. After Luke has been rehibiltated, Han announces he is leaving to pay the price on his head to Jabba the Hut. This announcement is not seen without protest from Princess Leia as you begin to see the creation of a relationship between the two. When an impending Empire attack on the Rebel base is detected Luke and some of the other members of the rebel alliance send out a counter attack while everyone else can prepare to flee.

A new rebel base is being set up on a moon of the planet Endor called Yavin IV. Meanwhile, Luke and R2 travel to a remote swampy planet called Dagobah to have a jedi master Yoda teach Luke the ways of The Force. Meanwhile, Han and the rest of that crew are lead into a trap where Boba Fett captures them handing them over to Darth Vader. He uses them as bait, knowing that Luke will come to Cloud City to rescue his friends. Han is frozen into carbon and given to Boba Fett to transport to Jabba on Tatooine, but right before he is sent down in to the freezing chamber Leia tells Han "I love you." To which Han replies "I know." He is then frozen solid into a piece of carbonate. Then, Luke and Darth engage in battle and once Luke has been defeated, Darth Vader utters the most famous words in Star Wars  Cinema Histroy. Luke refuses to believe falls down a trash chute where Leia and the looking for redemption Lando pick I'm up in the Millennium Falcon. The movie ends with luke getting a robotic arm to replace his severed hand he suffered during his duel with Vader.

In 1983 the third installment of the Star Wars trilogy was released. Titled Return of the Jedi, there was even more people excited for this release than Episode V, thanks in part to the great success of that sequel. Return of the Jedi begins with Luke entering Jabba's Palace on Tatooine, he tries to convince Jabba to let go of Han, who is still frozen in carbonate, and Leia who had previously tried and failed to rescue Han earlier. Jabba denies Luke's request sends him to be eaten by a Rancor (Which Luke defeats) and then all of the gang is sentenced to be feed to the Sarlaac Pit. They free Han, kill Boba Fett(Sorta, see extended universe page) and escape. Meanwhile, the Empire has begun creating a second Death Star and it is approximately 70% complete and it is being protected by a shield on he nearby planet of Endor. The Rebel Alliances sends a squad lead by Han Solo, Luke, Leia and Chewbacca to Endor to disable the shield and allow for an attack to destroy the Death Star. When they arrive Luke is almost immediately picked up by Darth Vader who sensed his presence and took him aboard DS2 where the Emperor tries to use the darkside to seduce Luke and become his new apprentice.

Han and Leia and Chewie are added by a species indigenous to Endor called Ewoks to defeat the emperor and disable the shield so that Admiral Ackbar's offensive attack can continue.Luke engages in a passionate battle with Darth Vader, but Luke stays firm with his stance that he will not kill his own father. Darth then searches Luke's feelings and finds that Leia is Luke's sister. After threatening  Leia, Luke snaps and attacks Darth out of rage and defeats him cutting off his hand. The Emperor sees this wrath and is pleased thinking Luke will join the Empire, but he once again says no. The Emperor then decides that if Luke won't join him then he will die. Luckily for Luke, Darth kills the Emperor to protect his son, Darth then dies and Luke escapes the Death Star 2 just before Lando in the Millennium Falcon blows it up. They all meet on Endor to celebrate the destruction of the Empire.

If these words didn't give you a good enough visual of this masterpiece you will just have to rent them and enjoy them yourself. Or, if you don't have enough time for that then you can just check out this tribute video to the Original Trilogy.