SYNOPSIS
Luke Skywalker lays unconscious as the sandpeople ravage his landspeeder. They are scared off by a monstrous noise, that turns out to be Ben Kenobi. He helps Luke up and admits to being the Obi-Wan that Artoo was looking for. He also admits to never owning a droid, and tells Luke that they should get inside before the Sand People return.

Back at Ben's desert home, the old man activates the holographic message from Princess Leia. She begs Commander Kenobi to come to the aide of her father, Viceroy Bail Antilles, on Alderaan. Luke is curious of her reference to the Clone Wars, and Ben admits that he and Luke's father fought in the ancient battles. Obi-Wan gives Luke his fathers lightsabre and explains to him the concept of the force; the mystical energy field that surrounds, and binds the galaxy together. Luke doesn't take much stock in this, and admits that he can't help Ben; that he must stay and tend to the farm.

Meanwhile onboard the Death Star, Darth Vader enters Princess Leia's cell with an interrogation droid and demands the location of the hidden rebel base. Her screams can barely be heard thru the thick cell door.

Returning to his uncle's farm, Luke, Ben and the droids come across the smoldering wreck of a sandcrawler. Luke believes the Sand People performed the massacre, but Ben points out that only Imperial Stormtroopers are that precise. He then realizes that these are the same Jawas that sold him the droids, which means that the Empire knows that his family has them. He races home only to find the smoking ruins of his home and the dead bodies of his aunt and uncle.

Grand Moff Tarkin is surprised by Leia's resistance to the mind probe. He orders the battle station be demonstrated, on her homeworld of Alderaan.

Ben comforts Luke, who has decided he now wants to go to Alderaan with the old Jedi. Luke, Ben and the droids drive into Mos Eisley and are stopped for questioning by a squad of stormtroopers. Ben uses a Jedi mind trick to allow them to pass. Luke continues to be awed by this 'Force' that Ben keeps referring to. They enter the Mos Eisley cantina to find a freighter pilot to take them to Alderaan. Ben warns Luke to watch himself, since this place gets a little rough.

Luke soon discovers what he means as a large green alien begins harassing him in a language he cannot understand. Ben attempts to intervene, but when Luke is struck down, and the aliens bad-tempered partner draws a blaster, Ben ignites his lightsabre and cuts both aggressors into sections. The patrons continue about their business and Ben introduces Luke to Chewbacca, a Wookiee.

Outside Threepio spots a strange alien talking to some Imperial Troopers. Back in the cantina, Chewbacca escorts the pair to meet Han Solo, the cocky pilot of the Millennium Falcon. After haggling over the price for the trip, Han points out some stormtroopers taking an interest in Ben's handiwork. When they come to investigate, they see nothing but a space pilot and a wookiee. As Han begins to leave, a bug-eyed, green alien named Greedo pulls a blaster on him, demanding his the money owed to his boss, Jabba. Han disagrees with Greedo's methods and blasts him with his own gun. He flips a coin to the bartender for the mess.

Luke and Ben sell the landspeeder to a used-speeder dealer to make the money for their trip. They do not see the strange alien observing them. Meanwhile at docking bay 94, Jabba the Hut and a couple of his associates confront Han about the money he is owed. Han promises he can pay him back, plus a little something extra.

On the Death Star, an imperial officer informs Lord Vader that it is only matter of time before the droids are found. Vader hopes so, since the hope of the plans getting back to the rebellion is the only thing keeping Leia from resisting his mind probes.

Luke, Ben and the droids make their way to the docking bay of the Millennium Falcon just as a squad of stormtroopers spots them. Han manages to get a couple of shots off as Chewie activates the deflector shields and takes off. A trio of Imperial Star Destroyers guns for them as Han makes the necessary calculations for light speed travel. Just as they lose a deflector shield, Han triggers the controls that launch the ship into hyperspace.