Authors: George Lucas
Luke and the group ride into the massive temple on an armored military speeder.
INTERIOR MASSASSI —MAIN HANGAR DECK.
The military speeder stops in a huge spaceship hangar, set up in the interior of the crumbling temple. Willard, the commander of the Rebel forces, rushes up to the group and gives Leia a big hug. Every one is pleased to see her. WILLARD (holding Leia) You’re safe! We had feared the worst. Willard composes himself, steps back and bows formally. WILLARD When we heard about Alderaan, we were afraid that you were… lost along with your father.
LEIA We don’t have time for our sorrows, Commander. The battle station has surely tracked us here (looking pointedly to Han). It’s the only explanation for the ease of our escape. You must use the information in this R2 unit to plan the attack. It is our only hope. EXTERIOR SPACE.
The surface of the Death Star ominously approaches the red planet Yavin.
INTERIOR DEATH STAR —CONTROL ROOM.
Grand Moff Tarkin and Lord Vader are interrupted in their discussion by the buzz of the comlink. Tarkin moves to answer the call.
TARKIN Yes.
DEATH STAR INTERCOM VOICE We are approaching the planet Yavin. The Rebel base is on a moon on the far side. We are preparing to orbit the planet.
EXTERIOR YAVIN —JUNGLE.
A lone guard stands in a tower high above the Yavin landscape, surveying the countryside. A mist hangs over the jungle of twisted green.
INTERIOR MASSASSI —WAR ROOM BRIEFING AREA.
Dodonna stands before a large electronic wall display. Leia and several other senators are to one side of the giant readout. The low-ceilinged room is filled with starpilots, navigators, and a sprinkling of R2-type robots. Everyone is listening intently to what Dodonna is saying. Han and Chewbacca are standing near the back.
DODONNA The battle station is heavily shielded and carries a firepower greater than half the star fleet. It’s defenses are designed around a direct large-scale assault. A small one-man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defense.
Gold Leader, a rough looking man in his early thirties, stands and addresses Dodonna.
GOLD LEADER Pardon me for asking, sir, but what good are snub fighters going to be against that?
DODONNA Well, the Empire doesn’t consider a small one-man fighter to be any threat, or they’d have a tighter defense. An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station.
Artoo-Detoo stands next to a similar robot, makes beeping sounds, and turns his head from right to left.
DODONNA The approach will not be easy. You are required to maneuver straight down this trench and skim the surface to this point. The target area is only two meters wide. It’s a small thermal exhaust port, right below the main port. The shaft leads directly to the reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction which should destroy the station.
A murmer of disbelief runs through the room.
DODONNA Only a precise hit will set up a chain reaction. The shaft is ray-shielded, so you’ll have to use proton torpedoes. Luke is sitting next to Wedge Antilles, a hotshot pilot about sixteen years old.
WEDGE That’s impossible, even for a computer.
LUKE It’s not impossible. I used to bull’s-eye womp rats in my T-sixteen back home. They’re not much bigger than two meters. DODONNA Man your ships! And may the Force be with you!
The group rises and begins to leave.
EXTERIOR SPACE.
The Death Star begins to move around the planet toward the tiny green moon.
INTERIOR DEATH STAR.
Tarkin and Vader watch the computer projected screen with interest, as a circle of lights intertwines around one another on the screen showing it’s position in relation to Yavin and the forth moon.
DEATH STAR INTERCOM VOICE Orbiting the planet at maximum velocity. The moon with the Rebel base will be in range in thirty minutes. VADER This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of Kenobi and it will soon see the end of the Rebellion. INTERIOR MASSASSI OUTPOST —MAIN HANGAR DECK.
Luke, Threepio and little Artoo enter the huge spaceship hangar and hurry along a long line of gleaming spacefighters. Flight crews rush around loading last-minute armaments and unlocking power couplings. In an area isolated from this activity Luke finds Han and Chewbacca loading small boxes onto an armored speeder.
MAN’S VOICE (over loudspeaker) All flight trooper, man your stations. All flight troops, man your stations.
Han is deliberately ignoring the activity of the fighter pilots’ preparation. Luke is quite saddened at the sight of his friend’s departure.
LUKE So…you got your reward and you’re just leaving then? HAN That’s right, yeah! I got some old debts I’ve got to pay off with this stuff. Even if I didn’t, you don’t think I’d be fool enough to stick around here, do you? Why don’t you come with us? You’re pretty good in a fight. I could use you.
LUKE (getting angry) Come on! Why don’t you take a look around? You know what’s about to happen, what they’re up against. They could use a good pilot like you. You’re turning your back on them. HAN What good’s a reward if you ain’t around to use it? Besides, attacking that battle station ain’t my idea of courage. It’s more like suicide.
LUKE All right. Well, take care of yourself, Han. I guess that’s what you’re best at, isn’t it?
Luke goes off and Han hesitates, then calls to him. HAN Hey, Luke…may the Force be with you!
Luke turns and sees Han wink at him. Luke lifts his hand in a small wave and then goes off.
Han turns to Chewie who growls at his captain,
HAN What’re you lookin’ at? I know what I’m doing. INTERIOR MAIN HANGAR DECK —LUKE’S SHIP.
Luke, Leia, and Dodonna meet under a huge space fighter. LEIA What’s wrong?
LUKE Oh, it’s Han! I don’t know, I really thought he’d change his mind.
LEIA He’s got to follow his own path. No one can choose it for him. LUKE I only wish Ben were here.
Leia gives Luke a little kiss, turns, and goes off. As Luke heads for his ship, another pilot rushes up to him and grabs his arm.
BIGGS Luke! I don’t believe it! How’d you get here…are you going out with us?!
LUKE Biggs! Of course, I’ll be up there with you! Listen, have I got some stories to tell…
Red Leader, a rugged handsome man in his forties, comes up behind Luke and Biggs. He has the confident smile of a born leader.
RED LEADER Are you…Luke Skywalker? Have you been checked out on the Incom T-sixty-five?
BIGGS Sir, Luke is the best bushpilot in the outer rim territories. Red Leader pats Luke on the back as they stop in front of his fighter.
RED LEADER I met your father once when I was just a boy, he was a great pilot. You’ll do all right. If you’ve got half of your father’s skill, you’ll do better than all right.
LUKE Thank you, sir. I’ll try.
Red Leader hurries to his own ship.
BIGGS I’ve got to get aboard. Listen, you’ll tell me your stories when we come back. All right?
LUKE I told you I’d make it someday, Biggs.
BIGGS (going off) You did, all right. It’s going to be like old times, Luke. We’re a couple of shooting stars that’ll never be stopped!
Luke laughs and shakes his head in agreement. He heads for his ship.
As Luke begins to climb up the ladder into his sleek, deadly spaceship, the crew chief, who is working on the craft, points to little Artoo, who is being hoisted into a socket on the back of the fighter.
CHIEF This R2 unit of your seems a bit beat up. Do you want a new one?
LUKE Not on your life! That little droid and I have been through a lot together. (to Artoo) You okay, Artoo?
The crewmen lower Artoo-Detoo into the craft. Now a part of the exterior shell of the starship, the little droid beeps that he is fine.
Luke climbs up into the cockpit of his fighter and puts an his helmet. Threepio looks on from the floor of the massive hangar as the crewmen secure his little electronic partner into Luke’s X-wing. It’s an emotional-filled moment as Artoo beeps good-bye.
CHIEF Okay, easy she goes!
THREEPIO Hang on tight,Artoo, you’ve got to come back. Artoo beeps in agreement.
THREEPIO You wouldn’t want my life to get boring, would you? Artoo whistles his reply.
All final preparations are made for the approaching battle. The hangar is buzzing with the last minute activity as the pilots and crewmen alike make their final adjustments. The hum of activity is occasionally trespassed by the distorted voice of the loudspeaker issuing commands. Coupling hoses are disconnected from the ships as they are fueled. Cockpit shields roll smoothly into place over each pilot. A signalman, holding red guiding lights, directs the ships. Luke, a trace of a smile gracing his lips, peers about through his goggles. BEN’S VOICE Luke, the Force will be with you.
Luke is confused at the voice and taps his headphones. EXTERIOR MASSASSI OUTPOST —JUNGLE.
All that can be seen of the fortress is a lone guard standing on a small pedestal jutting out above the dense jungle. The muted gruesome crying sounds that naturally permeate this eerie purgatory are overwhelmed by the thundering din of ion rockets as four silver starships catapult from the foliage in a tight formation and disappears into the morning cloud cover. INTERIOR MASSASSI OUTPOST —WAR ROOM.
The princess, Threepio, and a field commander sit quietly before the giant display showing the planet Yavin and its four moons. The red dot that represents the Death Star moves ever closer to the system. A series of green dots appear around the fourth moon. A din of indistinct chatter fills the war room. MASSASSI INTERCOM VOICE Stand-by alert. Death Star approaching. Estimated time to firing range, fifteen minutes. EXTERIOR SPACE.
The Death Star slowly moves behind the massive yellow surface of Yavin in the foreground, as many X-wing fighters flying in formation zoom toward us and out of the frame.
EXTERIOR SPACE —ANOTHER ANGLE.
Light from a distant sun creates an eerie atmospheric glow around a huge planet, Yavin. Rebel fighters flying in formation settle ominously in the foreground and very slowly pull away.
INTERIOR RED LEADER STARSHIP —COCKPIT.
Red Leader lowers his visor and adjusts his gun sights, looking to each side at his wing men.
RED LEADER All wings report in.
INTERIOR ANOTHER COCKPIT.
One of the Rebel fighters checks in through his mike. RED TEN Red Ten standing by.
INTERIOR BIGGS’ COCKPIT.
Biggs checks his fighter’s controls, alert and ready for combat.
RED SEVEN (over Biggs’ headset) Red Seven standing by. BIGGS Red Three standing by.
INTERIOR PORKINS’ COCKPIT.
PORKINS Red Six standing by.
RED NINE (over headset) Red Nine standing by.
INTERIOR WEDGE’S FIGHTER —COCKPIT.
WEDGE Red Two standing by.
INTERIOR LUKE’S X-WING FIGHTER —COCKPIT.
RED ELEVEN (over headset) Red Eleven standing by. LUKE Red Five standing by.
EXTERIOR LUKE’S X-WING FIGHTER
Artoo-Detoo, in position outside of the fighter, turns his head from side to side and makes beeping sounds. INTERIOR RED LEADER’S FIGHTER —COCKPIT.
RED LEADER Lock S-foils in attack position.
EXTERIOR SPACE.
The group of X-wing fighters move in formation toward the Death Star, unfolding the wings and locking them in the “X” position.
INTERIOR BIGGS’ COCKPIT
READ LEADER (over headset) We’re passing through their magnetic field.
INTERIOR RED LEADER’S COCKPIT.
RED LEADER Hold tight!
INTERIOR LUKE’S X-WING FIGHTER —COCKPIT.
Luke adjusts his controls as he concentrates on the approaching Death Star. The ship begins to be buffeted slightly.
RED LEADER (over headset) Switch your deflectors on. INTERIOR ANOTHER COCKPIT.
RED LEADER (over headset) Double front!
EXTERIOR SPACE.
The fighters, now X-shaped darts, move in formation. The Death Star now appears to be a small moon growing rapidly in size as the Rebel fighters approach. Complex patterns on the metallic surface begin to become visible. A large dish antenna is built into the surface on one side.
INTERIOR WEDGE’S COCKPIT.
Wedge is amazed and slightly frightened at the awesome spectacle.
WEDGE Look at the size of that thing!
RED LEADER (over headset) Cut the chatter, Red Two. INTERIOR RED LEADER’S COCKPIT.
RED LEADER Accelerate to attack speed. This is it, boys!
EXTERIOR SPACE.
As the fighters move closer to the Death Star, the awesome size of the gargantuan Imperial fortress is revealed. Half of the deadly space station is in shadow and this area sparkles with thousands of small lights running in thin lines and occasionally grouped in large clusters; somewhat like a city at night as seen from a weather satellite.
INTERIOR GOLD LEADER’S COCKPIT.
GOLD LEADER Red Leader, this is Gold Leader.
RED LEADER (over headset) I copy, Gold Leader.
GOLD LEADER We’re starting for the target shaft now. INTERIOR RED LEADER’S COCKPIT.
Red Leader looks around at his wingmen; the Death Star looming in from behind. Two Y-wing fighters bob back and forth in the background. He moves his computer targeting device into position.
RED LEADER We’re in position. I’m going to cut across the axis and try and draw their fire.
EXTERIOR SPACE.
Two squads of Rebel fighters peel off. The X-wings dive towards the Death Star surface. A thousand lights glow across the dark grey expanse of the huge station.
INTERIOR DEATH STAR.
Alarm sirens scream as soldiers scramble to large turbopowered laser gun emplacements. Electronic drivers rotate the huge guns into position as crew adjust their targeting devices.
EXTERIOR SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.
Laserbolts streak through the star-filled night. The Rebel X-wing fighters move in toward the Imperial base, as the Death Star aims its massive laser guns at the Rebel forces and fires.
INTERIOR MASSASSI OUTPOST —WAR ROOM.
Princess Leia listens to the battle over the intercom. Threepio is at her side.
WEDGE (over war room speaker system) Heavy fire, boss! Twenty-degrees. RED LEADER (over speaker) I see it. Stay low.