Rescue of Princess Leia/Legends

"Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope."

- Princess Leia

The Rescue on Death Star I was a pivotal event leading directly to the Battle of Yavin. It occurred when the group of Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO and R2-D2, aboard the Millennium Falcon, rescued Princess Leia from the first Death Star. It also featured the (second) lightsaber duel of erstwhile master and apprentice, Obi-Wan and Darth Vader.

Background
Main Article: Operation Skyhook

In order to destroy the ultimate weapon of the Empire, the Death Star, the Alliance to Restore the Republic, launched Operation Skyhook, a operation to steal the plans of the Imperial battle station to find out its weakness and to ultimately destroy it.

Princess Leia got possession of the stolen schematics and was forced to flee to the desert planet of Tatooine onboard her diplomatic ship, the Tantive IV, being pursued by the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Devastator. When her ship was boarded by Imperial stormtroopers and Darth Vader, Princess Leia stored the plans into the memory of the astromech droid R2-D2. Together with the protocol droid C-3PO, the two droids escaped the ship on an escape pod and crash-landed on Tatooine.

The droids were recovered by Jawa scavengers, and they were eventually bought by Luke Skywalker's uncle, Owen Lars. While cleaning Artoo, Luke came across a holographic recording of the Princess, saying: "Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope." The message led Luke to meet the former Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, who was then going by the name "Ben Kenobi."

Passage to Alderaan
"You must learn the ways of the Force if you’re to come with me to Alderaan."

- Ben Kenobi to Luke Skywalker



In order to deliver the Death Star's plans, Luke and Ben Kenobi then searched in the spaceport town of Mos Eisley for someone to transport them to the planet Alderaan.

Upon entering Mos Eisley, Skywalker, Kenobi and the droids were accosted by an Imperial stormtroopers, but Kenobi used a Jedi mind trick to make the troopers let them through.

Luke and Ben went into a Chalmun's Cantina to look for a pilot to transport them to Alderaan. Ben managed to strike a deal with Han Solo, a smuggler, and his Wookiee first mate, Chewbacca to fly them to Alderaan for 17,000 credits: 2,000 in advance and 15,000 on arrival.

Luke and Kenobi were whisked off Tatooine. Solo and Chewbacca, on the Millennium Falcon, escaped an Imperial blockade then jumping off into hyperspace.

Arrival on the Death Star
"That’s no moon! It’s a space station!"

- Ben Kenobi



Upon arriving at the location of Alderaan, there was nothing to be found but an asteroid field; the planet itself had been destroyed by the Death Star's superlaser. While trying to understand what had happened, they discovered a lone TIE fighter, which appeared to be heading towards a small moon. To their horror, the moon turned out to be an enormous space station: the Death Star. Moments later, they were pulled into the Death Star's hangar bay by its powerful tractor beam.

The rescue of Princess Leia
"This is some rescue!"

- Princess Leia

On board the Death Star, two Imperial stormtroopers, TK-421 and TK-422, boarded the Falcon to arrest the passengers, only to be ambushed by Luke and Han hiding in the ship’s smuggling compartments.



Han and Luke, then disguised as stormtroopers, and using Chewbacca as their “prisoner,” made their way to the detention cell of Princess Leia to rescue her. Meanwhile, Ben Kenobi left to switch off the tractor beam controls.

Meanwhile, Luke and Han made their way to Detention Block AA-23. one of the officers got suspicious of the two "troopers", Luke, Han and Chewie had no choice but to blast their way through. They soon found Leia and let her out of her cell. Unfortunately, neither Luke nor Han thought of an escape plan. As troopers started pouring into the hallway and blasting them, Princess Leia took over and blasted through a wall.

When they jumped into the hole, the group found themselves in garbage compactor 3263827. Luke was pulled into the water by a dianoga; Han blasted it to save him, but their troubles had only began. The walls started to close in on them. Luke desperately called for Threepeeo's help over his comlink; but just before they were squished, Artoo was able to stop the mashers.

After escaping the trash compactor, the group fought its way to the Millennium Falcon, hoping that Ben Kenobi has switched off the tractor beam.

Duel with the Dark Lord
"You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

- Ben Kenobi



Meanwhile, after shutting down the tractor beam, Ben Kenobi confronted his former apprentice, now as the Sith Lord Darth Vader. The two engaged in a fierce lightsaber duel. They attracted the attention of some stormtroopers, who did not notice Han, Leia, and the others boarding the Millennium Falcon. Seeing their immanent escape, Kenobi let Vader strike him down, only to become one with the Force. Thinking that Kenobi was killed, Luke cried out, “Nooo!” giving away their position. Luke was able to knock out some of the troopers and to lock out Vader by blasting the door's controls. The disembodied voice of Ben Kenobi urged Luke to board the Falcon and escape. Luke and Han were able to destroy the pursuing TIE fighters and finally escape to Yavin 4. However, the rescuers did not know that the Empire had secretly stored a homing droid aboard their ship, which gave the Empire information on the destination of the Falcon, Yavin IV. R2-D2 later destroyed it.

Aftermath
Main article: Battle of Yavin



The Millennium Falcon delivered the plans of the Death Star to the Rebel Alliance at Yavin 4. Having found a weakness in the space station, the Rebels launched an attack on the Death Star, which was destroyed by Luke Skywalker on an X-wing using a proton torpedo.

Behind the scenes

 * This was the first lightsaber duel to be shown in the movies, but it was actually the second (and final) duel between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader. Their first duel was the Duel on Mustafar in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.


 * This is the only Star Wars film where a major character wielding a blue lightsaber dies as a result of a lightsaber duel. The only other film in which a character wielding a blue lightsaber is killed in a duel is when Agen Kolar is cut down by Palpatine in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.
 * To gain access to Princess Leia's holding cell, Luke and Han pretend to be stormtroopers and hold Chewbacca "prisoner." They tell the cell block commander they are transferring him from detention block 1138. This is a reference to George Lucas's first film, THX 1138.


 * This is the only film in the series where David Prowse did the lightsaber fighting on his own; he was doubled in the sequels because he kept breaking the poles that stood in for the blades. This switch might explain why Vader pivots on his feet in this film, but not in the others.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy