The Empire rules the galaxy with an iron fist. Their new space station, the Death Star, has enough power to destroy a planet. Rebels against the Empire steal the Death Star plans and deliver them to imperial senator Princess Leia. She is pursued by an imperial Star Destroyer and captured by the Empire. Before she is found, however, she gives the plans to a droid named R2-D2. R2-D2 and C-3PO take an escape pod to the desert world of Tattooine to hide. They are captured by scavengers called Jawas and sold to Luke Skywalker. Luke discovers that R2-D2 is carrying a distress message from the princess to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Luke decides to seek out the old hermit Ben Kenobi to see if he knows Obi-Wan. After rescuing him from Sand People, Ben reveals that he is Obi-Wan and gives Luke Anakin's old lightsaber. They hire Han Solo and Chewbacca to take them to Alderaan to help the princess, but the Death Star destroyed the planet. They are then trapped in the Death Star where they rescue Leia from execution at the hands of Darth Vader, but Vader kills Kenobi. They then return to the rebel base to prepare to attack the space station, but Han leaves them to pay off some debts. Luke is contacted by Obi-Wan's ghost and uses the force to fire a shot at a precise point on the station. Vader attempts to destroy Luke's fighter, but Han returns and saves him. The Death Star is destroyed, but the Empire will soon return to strike the Rebels.