Authors: George Lucas
LUKE Is the ship all right?
HAN Seems okay, if we can get to it. Just hope the old man got the tractor beam out of commission.
INTERIOR DEATH STAR —HALLWAY.
Vader and Ben Kenobi continue their powerful duel. As they hit their lightsabers together, lightning flashes on impact. Troopers look on in interest as the old Jedi and Dark Lord of The Sith fight. Suddenly Luke spots the battle from his group’s vantage point.
LUKE Look!
Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie look up and see Ben and Vader emerging from the hallways on the far side of the docking bay. INTERIOR DEATH STAR —DOCKING BAY.
Threepio and Artoo-Detoo are in the center of the Death Star’s Imperial docking bay.
THREEPIO Come on, Artoo, we’re going!
Threepio ducks out of sight as the seven stormtroopers who were guarding the starship rush past them heading towards Ben and The Sith Knight. He pulls on Artoo.
INTERIOR DEATH STAR —HALLWAY.
Solo, Chewie, Luke, and Leia tensely watch the duel. The troops rush toward the battling knights.
HAN Now’s our chance! Go!
They start for the Millennium Falcon. Ben sees the troops charging toward him and realizes that he is trapped. Vader takes advantage of Ben’s momentary distraction and brings his mighty lightsaber down on the old man. Ben manages to deflect the blow and swiftly turns around.
The old Jedi Knight looks over his shoulder at Luke, lifts his sword from Vader’s then watches his opponent with a serene look on his face.
Vader brings his sword down, cutting old Ben in half. Ben’s cloak falls to the floor in two parts, but Ben is not in it. Vader is puzzled at Ben’s disappearance and pokes at the empty cloak. As the guards are distracted, the adventurers and the robots reach the starship. Luke sees Ben cut in two and starts for him. Aghast, he yells out.
LUKE No!
The stormtroopers turn toward Luke and begin firing at him. The robots are already moving up the ramp into the Millennium Falcon, while Luke, transfixed by anger and awe, returns their fire. Solo joins in the laserfire. Vader looks up and advances toward them, as one of his troopers is struck down. HAN (to Luke) Come on!
LEIA Come on! Luke, its too late!
HAN Blast the door! Kid!
Luke fires his pistol at the door control panel, and it explodes. The door begins to slide shut. Three troopers charge forward firing laser bolts, as the door slides to a close behind them, shutting Vader and the other troops out of the docking bay. A stormtrooper lies dead at the feet of his onrushing compatriots. Luke starts for the advancing troops, as Solo and Leia move up the ramp into the pirateship. He fires, hitting a stormtrooper, who crumbles to the floor. BEN’S VOICE Run, Luke! Run!
Luke looks around to see where the voice came from. He turns toward the pirateship, ducking Imperial gunfire from the troopers and races into the ship.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —COCKPIT.
Han pulls back on the controls and the ship begins to move. The dull thud of laser bolts bouncing off the outside of the ship as Chewie adjusts his controls.
HAN I hope the old man got that tractor beam out if commission, or this is going to be a real short trip. Okay, hit it!
Chewbacca growls in agreement.
EXTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON.
The Millennium Falcon powers away from the Death Star docking bay, makes a spectacular turn and disappears into the vastness of space.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —CENTRAL HOLD AREA. Luke, saddened by the loss of Obi-Wan Kenobi, stares off blankly as the robots look on. Leia puts a blanket around him protectively, and Luke turns and looks up at her. She sits down beside him.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —COCKPIT.
Solo spots approaching enemy ships.
HAN (to Chewie) We’re coming up on the sentry ships. Hold ‘em off!
Angle the deflector shields while I charge up the main guns!
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —CENTRAL HOLD AREA. Luke looks downward sadly, shaking his head back and forth, as the princess smiles comfortingly at him.
LUKE I can’t believe he’s gone.
Artoo-Detoo beeps a reply.
LEIA There wasn’t anything you could have done. Han rushes into the hold area where Luke is sitting with the princess.
HAN (to Luke) Come on, buddy, we’re not out of this yet!
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —GUNPORTS —COCKPIT. Solo climbs into his attack position in the topside gunport. INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —HOLD AREA.
Luke gets up and moves out toward the gunports as Leia heads for the cockpit.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —GUNPORTS —COCKPIT. Luke climbs down the ladder into the gunport cockpit, settling into one of the two main laser cannons mounted in large rotating turrets on either side of the ship.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —SOLO’S GUNPORT.
Han adjusts his headset as he sits before the controls of his laser cannon, then speaks into the attached microphone. HAN (to Luke) You in, kid? Okay, stay sharp!
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —GUNPORTS —COCKPIT. Chewbacca and Princess Leia search the heavens for attacking TIE fighters. The Wookiee pulls back on the speed controls as the ship bounces slightly.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —SOLO’S GUNPORT —COCKPIT. Computer graphic readouts form on Solo’s target screen, as Han reaches for controls.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —GUNPORT —COCKPIT. Luke sits in readiness for the attack, his hand on the laser cannon’s control button.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —COCKPIT.
Chewbacca spots the enemy ships and barks.
LEIA (into intercom) Here they come!
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —COCKPIT —POV (POINT OF VIEW) —SPACE. The Imperial TIE fighters move towards the Millennium Falcon, one each veering off to the left and right of the pirateship. INTERIOR TIE FIGHTER —COCKPIT.
The stars whip past behind the Imperial pilot as he adjusts his maneuvering joy stick.
EXTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —IN SPACE.
The TIE fighter races past the Falcon, firing laser beams as it passes.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —HOLD AREA.
Threepio is seated in the hold area, next to Artoo-Detoo. The pirateship bounces and vibrates as the power goes out in the room and then comes back on.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —COCKPIT —GUNPORTS. A TIE fighter maneuvers in front of Han, who follows it and fires at it with the laser cannon. Luke does likewise, as the fighter streaks into view. The ship has suffered a minor hit, and bounces slightly.
EXTERIOR SPACE.
Two TIE fighters dive down toward the pirateship. INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —GUNPORTS.
Luke fires at an unseen fighter.
LUKE They’re coming in too fast!
EXTERIOR SPACE —MILLENNIUM FALCON/TIE FIGHTERS. Pan with pirateship as two TIE fighters charge through the background. Laserbolts streak from all the craft. INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —CHEWBACCA.
The ship shudders as a laserbolt hits very close to the cockpit. The Wookiee chatters something to Leia. EXTERIOR TIE FIGHTER —SPACE.
Full shot of a TIE fighter as it moves fast through the frame, firing on the pirate starship.
EXTERIOR SPACE —TIE FIGHTERS.
The two TIE fighters fire a barrage of laserbeams at the pirateship.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —MAIN PASSAGEWAY.
A laserbolt streaks into the side of the pirateship. The ship lurches violently, throwing poor Threepio into a cabinet fill of small computer chips.
THREEPIO Oooh!
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —COCKPIT —GUNPORTS. Leia watches the computer readout as Chewbacca manipulates the ship’s controls.
LEIA We’ve lost lateral controls.
HAN Don’t worry, she’ll hold together.
An enemy laserbolt hits the pirateship’s control panel, causing it to blow out in a shower of sparks.
HAN (to ship) You hear me, baby? Hold together!
Artoo-Detoo advances toward the smoking sparking control panel, dousing the inferno by spraying it with fire retardant beeping all the while.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —GUNPORT.
Luke swivels in his gun mount, following the TIE fighter with his laser cannon.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —GUNPORT.
Solo aims his laser cannon at the enemy fighter. EXTERIOR SPACE.
A TIE fighter streaks in front of the starship. INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —COCKPIT.
Leia watches the TIE fighter ship fly over.
EXTERIOR SPACE.
A TIE fighter heads right for the pirateship, then zooms overhead.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —GUNPORTS.
Luke follows the TIE fighter across his field of view, firing laserbeams from his cannon.
EXTERIOR TIE FIGHTER.
A TIE fighter dives past the pirateship.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —GUNPORTS.
Luke fires at a TIE fighter. At his port, Han follows a fighter in his sights, releasing a blast of laserfire. He connects, and the fighter explodes into fiery dust. Han laughs victoriously.
EXTERIOR SPACE.
Two TIE fighters move toward and over the Millennium Falcon, unleashing a barrage of laserbolts at the ship. INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —GUNPORTS.
Another TIE fighter moves in on the pirateship and Luke, smiling, fires the laser cannon at it, scoring a spectacular direct hit.
LUKE Got him! I got him!
Han turns and gives Luke a victory wave which Luke gleefully returns.
HAN Great kid! Don’t get cocky.
Han turns back to his laser cannon.
EXTERIOR SPACE.
Two more TIE fighters cross in front of the pirateship. INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —COCKPIT
While Chewbacca manipulates the controls, Leia turns, looking over her shoulder out the ports.
LEIA There are still two more of them out there!
EXTERIOR SPACE.
A TIE fighter moves up over the pirateship, firing laserblasts at it.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —GUNPORTS.
Luke and Han look into their respective projected target screens. An Imperial fighter crosses Solo’s port, and Han swivels in his chair, following it with blasts from his laser cannon. Another fighter crosses Luke’s port, and he reacts in a like manner, the glow of his target screen lighting his face.
EXTERIOR SPACE.
The TIE fighter zooms toward the pirateship, firing destructive blasts at it.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —GUNPORTS.
Luke fires a laserblast at the approaching enemy fighter, and it bursts into a spectacular explosion. Luke’s projected screen gives a readout of the hit. The pirateship bounces slightly as it is struck by the enemy fire.
EXTERIOR SPACE —TIE FIGHTER.
The last of the attacking Imperial TIE fighters looms in, firing upon the Falcon.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —GUNPORT.
Solo swivels behind his cannon, his aim describing the arc of the TIE fighter. The fighter comes closer, firing at the pirateship, but a well-aimed blast from Solo’s laser cannon hits the attacker, which blows up in a small atomic shower of burning fragments.
LUKE (laughing) That’s it! We did it!
The princess jumps up and gives Chewie a congratulatory hug.
LEIA We did it!
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —PASSAGEWAY.
Threepio lies on the floor of the ship, completely tangled in the smoking, sparking wires.
THREEPIO Help! I think I’m melting! (to Artoo) This is all your fault.
Artoo turns his dome from side to side, beeping in response.
EXTERIOR SPACE —MILLENNIUM FALCON.
The victorious Millennium Falcon moves off majestically through space.
INTERIOR DEATH STAR —CONTROL ROOM.
Darth Vader strides into the control room, where Tarkin is watching the huge view screen. A sea of stars is before him. TARKIN Are they away?
VADER They have just made the jump into hyperspace. TARKIN You’re sure the homing beacon is secure aboard their ship? I’m taking an awful risk, Vader. This had better work. INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON —COCKPIT.
Han, removes his gloves and smiling, is at the controls of the ship. Chewie moves into the aft section to check the damage. Leia is seated near Han.
HAN Not a bad bit of rescuing, huh? You know, sometimes I even amaze myself.
LEIA That doesn’t sound too hard. Besides, they let us go. It’s the only explanation for the ease of our escape.
HAN Easy…you call that easy?
LEIA Their tracking us!
HAN Not this ship, sister.
Frustrated, Leia shakes her head.
LEIA At least the information in Artoo is still intact. HAN What’s so important? What’s he carrying?
LEIA The technical readouts of that battle station. I only hope that when the data is analyzed, a weakness can be found. It’s not over yet!
HAN It is for me, sister! Look, I ain’t in this for your revolution, and I’m not in it for you, Princess. I expect to be well paid. I’m in it for the money!
LEIA You needn’t worry about your reward. If money is all that you love, then that’s what you’ll receive!
She angrily turns, and as she starts out of the cockpit, passes Luke coming in.
LEIA Your friend is quite a mercenary. I wonder if he really cares about anything…or anyone.
LUKE I care!
Luke, shaking his head, sits in the copilot seat. He and Han stare out at the vast blackness of space.
LUKE So…what do you think of her, Han?
HAN I’m trying not to, kid!
LUKE (under his breath) Good…
HAN Still, she’s got a lot of spirit. I don’t know, what do you think? Do you think a princess and a guy like me… LUKE No!
Luke says it with finality and looks away. Han smiles at young Luke’s jealousy.
EXTERIOR SPACE AROUND FOURTH MOON OF YAVIN.
The battered pirateship drifts into orbit around the planet Yavin and proceeds to one of its tiny green moons. EXTERIOR FOURTH MOON OF YAVIN.
The pirateship soars over the dense jungle.
EXTERIOR MASSASSI OUTPOST.
An alert guard, his laser gun in hand, scans the countryside. He sets the gun down and looks toward the temple, barely visible in the foliage.
EXTERIOR MASSASSI OUTPOST —JUNGLE TEMPLE.
Rotting in a forest of gargantuan trees, an ancient temple lies shrouded in an eerie mist. The air is heavy with the fantastic cries of unimaginable creatures. Han, Luke and the others are greeted by the Rebel troops.