Monday, May 30, 2005

Liverpool Ole!

Before I came back to blogging after a short sabbatical, I thought I'd change the template of the blog. I didn't venture to do with the entire template making from scratch this time - just chose one of the readymade blogger templates, and planned to tweak that [colours, font, etc]. Last week met my blogging pardner in Bangalore, and one of the foremost issues we discussed was about changing the old template.

***

The other day, Liverpool became champions of Europe. They literally snatched the title from AC Milan's pockets. Milan was leading 3-0 at half time, Kaka was toying with the much vaunted Liverpool defence, and almost all pundits [including yours truly] had written off Liverpool.

Incidentally, this was the back-to-back Champs League final that I've watched alone. Champs League used to be a festival in college. The finals, or even a group 1 match featuring two big clubs, would mean party time. A get together with friends, food, and drinks. Of course, the drinks part was totally contingent upon someone's father (someone: the person at whose place we were staying back) lurking around in the TV room because he failed to resist the temptation of silky smooth midnight football, or that someone's mom lurking around in the TV room, pretending to knit woollens at 2 am. While we completely appreciated this someone's dad's appreciation for the beautiful game, we toally failed to grasp why someone's mom would want to pretend to knit woollens at 2 am. What was it that she was trying to 'notice' in a bunch of boys watching football and having fun? One theory goes that she was trying to check up whether we actually gang up to watch football, or something else ( porn?). Another goes that she probably was trying to check whether we were gays. And so on and so forth.

An extremely fun night was the Man United Bayern final some years back. I was grinning with sadistic delight at the sight of United slowly moved towards an honourable loss. But alas! a few moments of last minute madness gave them the game, and the trophy. Much to the maddening delight of the United supporters around me. While I was feeling completely sick.

This year, I was really hoping for a Milan Chelsea finale from the beginning, and I was one game away from fulfilling my hope. But a superb semi final aggregate victory against Chelsea took Liverpool back to the elite European Trophy final after a 2 decade gap or so. Amazingly, in both games, Steven Gerrard completely nullifed the omnipotent Frank Lampard in midfield. In the other semi, Milan scraped past a resilient Eindhoven. Milan almost lost, but then, in the end, didn't quite. I gave a wry smile after seeing Milan almost peeing in the pants after being bullied by a few pint sized Koreans.

The final line-up of Liverpool-Milan did leave me somewhat irritated because I feared the game would be a defensive masterpiece and would end in a heroic 0-0. Thankfully, my needless fears didn't materialise (but the wrong prediction did, damn!). It turned out to be an amazing game by the end of 120 minutes - not the best I've seen, but definitely one of the best.

The next day, most of the cliched 'Liverpool Ole' type news articles came up with this interesting historical titbit:

in 1981, Liverpool beat Real Madrid - Prince Charles got married in 1981, and again in 2005.

in 1978, Liverpool beat FC Brugges - the pope died that year, and again in 2005.

Friday, May 20, 2005

Tribute to a legend : Star Wars

Episode 3 : Revenge of the Sith is premiering today, 19th May, in India. I haven't seen any of the episodes, but the legendary cult of Star Wars has not gone amiss to me.

The current episode, I hope, will not be a wholesome viewing without having the idea of plot summary of the whole series. Thought of Googling away to my nirvana. Unfortunately, none of the sites on the Web, that I could find, had a concise yet complete summary of all the episodes.

After making lots of searches and compiling the plot summaries of all the episodes (courtesy: Wikipedia), here goes the post for all of them.

Spoiler Warning : The plot summaries may have spoilers.

Episode IV : A New Hope
Episode V : The Empire Strikes Back
Episode VI : Return of the Jedi

Episode I : The Phantom Menace
Episode II : Attack of the Clones
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Thursday, May 19, 2005

Star Wars (Episode III) : Revenge of the Sith

Star Wars (Episode III) : Revenge of the Sith

War! The Republic is crumbling
under attacks by the ruthless
Sith Lord, Count Dooku.
There are heroes on both sides.
Evil is everywhere.

In a stunning move, the

fiendish droid leader General
Grievous has swept into the
Republic capital and kidnapped
Chancellor Palpatine, leader of
the Galactic Senate.

As the Separatist Droid Army

attempts to flee the besieged
capital with their valuable
hostage, two Jedi Knights lead a
desperate mission to rescue the
captive Chancellor....

The Galactic Republic is crumbling in the midst of an epic war with the Confederacy of Independent Systems under the leadership of the Sith Lord, Count Dooku. The Confederate droid military leader General Grievous has swept into Coruscant and captured Chancellor Palpatine (as seen in the microseries Star Wars: Clone Wars and the James Luceno novel Labyrinth of Evil).

As the droid army attempts to escape Coruscant, a huge space battle erupts with Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi leading a mission to rescue the Chancellor. The Jedi fight through the Separatist armada. In the process, Obi-Wan’s ship is damaged and the two Jedi crash into the hangar of the Trade Federation Cruiser The Invisible Hand, the flagship of the Confederacy.

Anakin and Obi-Wan make their way through the Federation Cruiser, fighting through an army of droids. They reach the room where Chancellor Palpatine is being held captive by Count Dooku. A lightsaber battle ensues, with the two Jedi teaming up against Dooku. During the battle, Obi-Wan is rendered unconscious. Anakin continues the battle, gaining the upper hand and cutting off Dooku’s arms. With Dooku on his knees, Anakin holds his lightsaber to Dooku’s neck. With encouragement from Palpatine, Anakin beheads the helpless Count.

The Republic Venator-class Star Destroyer Guarlara launches a final cannonade that mortally wounded the ship, and it begins to descend uncontrolled into Coruscant. Anakin carries the unconscious Obi-Wan on his back, and maneuvers through the ship with Palpatine. Obi-Wan later regains consciousness.

The three are captured by General Grievous. R2-D2 creates a distraction, allowing the Jedi to retrieve their lightsabers and break free. However, Grievous manages to escape, as well as release all the remaining escape pods. As the ship descends in a free-fall into Coruscant, Anakin takes the controls and pilots the ship into a hard landing.

On Coruscant, Anakin is praised for his heroics. He meets secretly with Padmé Amidala, and they share kisses in the shadows, keeping their love secret. She reveals to him that she is pregnant with twins.

Later, Anakin awakens in a panic, covered in sweat. He reveals to Padmé that he has been dreaming about her dying in childbirth, and he vows not to let this dream come true.

Chancellor Palpatine requests Anakin’s presence, and they meet in the Chancellor’s Coruscant apartment. The Senate has granted the Chancellor further emergency war powers, giving him direct control of the Jedi Council. Palpatine confides to Anakin his fear, distrust, and contempt of the Jedi. He appoints Anakin to be his personal representative on the Jedi Council.

The Jedi Council accepts Anakin’s appointment, but does not grant him the rank of Master. Anakin reacts angrily, insisting he is more powerful than anyone else on the council. The council goes on to discuss matters concerning the war. It is decided that Anakin will be assigned to protect the Chancellor, and Yoda will take a battalion of clones to reinforce the Wookiees on Kashyyyk. Anakin is angry and disappointed.

Obi-Wan later tells Anakin that the Jedi Council wants Anakin to report on all the Chancellor’s dealings, essentially spying on him. Anakin is outraged, but accepts the mission.

At the Galaxies Opera House in Coruscant, Anakin joins Palpatine in watching the Mon Calamari Ballet performing “Squid Lake”. Palpatine continues to seduce Anakin to the dark side, making him mistrust the Jedi. He also tells him of Darth Plagueis, a Sith Lord that used the Force to save people from death, but whose apprentice (Darth Sidious) killed him in his sleep. Palpatine says the ability to save people from death is not something that can be learned from a Jedi.

The Jedi Council receives word from Palpatine that General Grievous is on the planet of Utapau. They decide to send Obi-Wan to Utapau. Anakin is upset that he was not chosen instead.

Obi-Wan arrives on Utapau and searches for General Grievous, riding a lizard-like creature called “Boga”. He finds Grievous and the two erupt in battle, with Grievous using four lightsabers at once. Grievous attempts to flee on a Wheel Scooter, and Obi-Wan pursues aboard Boga. During the chase, Obi-Wan drops his lightsaber.

On Coruscant, Anakin tells Palpatine that General Grievous has been found by Obi-Wan on Utapau. Anakin insists he should be on Utapau as well. Their conversation shifts to Palpatine’s knowledge of the force, and it is revealed that he is the Sith Lord, Darth Sidious. Upon realizing this, Anakin ignites his lightsaber and threatens to kill Palpatine, but then decides to expose him to the Jedi Council.

Obi-Wan continues to chase General Grievous on Utapau. He catches up with the general, and the two engage in melee combat. Obi-Wan manages to grab and rip off General Grievous’ loose stomachplate, exposing the guts in his chest. Obi-Wan retrieves the droid’s blaster. Obi-Wan shoots the general in the stomach, causing him to explode from the inside-out, killing him.

Anakin tells Mace Windu that Chancellor Palapatine is the Sith Lord they had been looking for. Anakin offers to help in Palpatine’s arrest, but Windu urges him to stay out of it.

Remembering Palpatine’s promise of stopping death and the dreams of Padme dying in childbirth, Anakin rushes to Palpatine.

Mace Windu and three other Jedi Masters arrive at Chancellor Palpatine’s office to have the Chancellor arrested. Palpatine pulls a lightsaber out of his sleeve and lunges, quickly striking down three Jedi. Palpatine and Mace continue to fight down the hallway and into the main office area. Meanwhile, Anakin arrives at the scene and watches the duel. During the duel, the Sith Lord’s Force lightning is deflected back onto him by Mace Windu, distorting Palpatine’s face. Just as Mace is about to finish Palpatine, Anakin cuts off Mace’s hand. Mace is caught off guard and hit by the full blast of Palpatine’s Force lightning. He is flung out the window and falls hundreds of stories to his death.

Anakin is distraught with what he has done, and confides in Palpatine. Palpatine takes Anakin as his Sith apprentice. Anakin kneels before Palpatine, and Palpatine bestows him with the Sith name “Darth Vader”. The Senate holds a meeting where Palpatine tells them of the “plot of the Jedi to overthrow the Senate”. Amidst thunderous applause, he announces that the Republic will be reorganized as the first Galactic Empire.

Darth Sidious gives the order to all Clone Stormtroopers of the Army of the Republic around the galaxy to execute Order 66; while Anakin/Vader is given his first assignment: the destruction of the Jedi Temple – the Great Jedi Purge, the start of the Galactic Civil War. Across the Galaxy, the Clone Stormtroopers turn against their Jedi masters. Obi-Wan on Utapau and Yoda on Kashyyyk barely manage to escape.

At night, Anakin marches to the Jedi Temple with a battalion of Clone Stormtroopers. Anakin moves through the temple, striking down all the Jedi he comes across, including the younglings.

Later, Anakin goes to Padme, who sees the smoke rising from the Jedi Temple but does not know what is happening. He tells her the Jedi have tried to take over the Republic, and there are traitors in the Senate. He tells her that he will go to the Mustafar system, where the remaining Confederate Separatists have gathered, and he will end the war.

Obi-Wan and Yoda go to the Jedi Temple, avoiding Clone Troopers and walking in disbelief through the carnage. They send a signal warning all Jedi to keep away from the temple. At the temple’s control center, Obi-Wan looks into the security recordings. In disbelief, he sees Anakin slaughtering the Jedi. Yoda says they have no choice but to destroy the Sith – and Anakin Skywalker.

On Mustafar, Anakin slaughters the Confederate Separatist leaders in cold blood.

Obi-Wan goes to Padme’s apartment, looking for Anakin. He meets Padme and tells her that Anakin has turned to the dark side and killed the younglings in the Jedi Temple. But Padme will not reveal where Anakin has gone, as he is the father of her children and her husband.

Later, Padme leaves Coruscant in her Naboo Skiff, departing to Mustafar to see Anakin. Unknown to her, Obi-Wan secretly boarded the ship just before it took off.

The Naboo Skiff lands on Mustafar. Anakin and Padme embrace. Anakin tells Padme that he has brought peace to the Republic, and he can overthrow Palpatine so he and Padme can rule the galaxy together. Padme tells him he is going down a path she cannot follow.

Anakin sees Obi-Wan emerge from the Naboo Skiff. Enraged, he uses the Force to choke Padme, thinking she led him there. She loses consciousness and Anakin releases his grip on her. Obi-Wan and Anakin break out into a ferocious, lengthy lightsaber duel.

In the Senate building, Yoda confronts Darth Sidious. They engage in a fast and furious battle using their Force abilities. The duel brings them to the deserted main area of the Senate chamber. Sidious hurls senate pods at Yoda, knocking him to the floor. With Bail Organa’s help, Yoda manages to escape.

The epic lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin brings them to many locations on Mustafar. Eventually, Obi-Wan gains the upper-hand and in the blink of an eye he cuts off both of Anakin’s legs at the knees, as well as Anakin’s left arm. Anakin tumbles down the embankment and rolls to the stop at the edge of the lava. His clothing blows into the lava and ignites. Anakin suddenly bursts into flames and screams.

Obi-Wan takes Anakin’s lightsaber and leaves with the badly-injured Padme and the droids on the Naboo Skiff.

Darth Sidious arrives at Mustafar with a battalion of Clone Stormtroopers. They rescue Anakin Skywalker from the edge of death.

Obi-Wan arrives at Polis Massa and Padme is brought to medical assistance. She is dying, but they work to save her babies—she has twins. A boy and a girl are born. In her dying breath, Padme gives them the names “Luke” and “Leia”.

Occurring simultaneously with the birth of his children, Anakin completes his transformation into Darth Vader. On Coruscant, Anakin is given new legs and a new arm. He is dressed in black armor, a face mask is sealed tightly, and his helmet is fitted. Darth Vader begins to breathe.

With Padme’s last breath, she says there is still good in Anakin. Padme Amidala dies.

Darth Vader regains consciousness. He asks what happened to Padme. Darth Sidious tells him "you killed her, don't you remember?". Vader unleashes a massive scream and unleashes his Force powers in a rage that distorts and destroys the room -- so powerful is this outburst that Darth Sidious actually must struggle to protect himself.

On the Tantive IV cruiser, Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Bail Organa sit at a conference table. They agree to keep the children safe and hidden. Luke and Leia would be split up in hopes that the Sith would not sense their presence. Leia will be adopted by Bail Organa. Luke would be sent to his family on Tatooine. Obi-Wan and Yoda will watch and wait until the time is ready for the Skywalker children to do their part. Yoda tells Obi-Wan to study the technique Qui-Gon learned to achieve immortality.

Bail Organa leaves R2-D2 and C-3PO in the care of Captain Antilles of the Tantive IV. He orders a memory wipe of the protocol droid.

On Naboo, Padme’s funeral takes place in a solemn ceremony.

Yoda heads to Dagobah to begin his self-imposed exile.

On the bridge of the Star Destroyer, Emperor Palpatine and Governor Tarkin are joined by Darth Vader, watching the beginning of the construction of the first Death Star.

On Alderaan, the infant Leia is brought by Bail Organa to his wife, the Queen of Alderaan. She takes her and rocks her.

On Tatooine, Obi-Wan brings the baby Luke Skywalker to his new family: Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. They look out to the horizon and watch the setting of Tatooine’s twin suns.

Star Wars (Episode II) : Attack of the Clones

Star Wars (Episode II) : Attack of the Clones

There is unrest in the Galactic
Senate. Several thousand solar
systems have declared their
intentions to leave the Republic.
This separatist movement,
under the leadership of the
mysterious Count Dooku, has
made it difficult for the limited
number of Jedi Knights to
maintain peace and order in
the galaxy.
Senator Amidala, the former
Queen of Naboo, is returning
to the Galactic Senate to vote
on the critical issue of creating
an ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
to assist the overwhelmed
Jedi...

The republic is in crisis. A separatist movement lead by former Jedi Count Dooku has threatened the peace of the Republic. Senator Amidala, former queen of Naboo, is on her way back to Senate to vote on creation of Army of the Republic, as there is not enough Jedi to maintain peace and order in the galaxy. On her way back, she survived an assassination attempt but her decoy was killed. To protect her, Chancellor Palpatine requested Jedi protection for Senator Amidala. Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker were assigned to protect her. That night, a novice bounty hunter was assigned by a veteran bounty hunter to assassinate Senator Amidala again but she fails again. She was then caught by Obi Wan and Anakin after a long chase but was killed by the veteran bounty hunter before she can spilled out who is the mastermind behind the assassination. The next day, Obi Wan and Anakin reported the incident to the Jedi Council. Obi Wan was then assigned to find out the identity of the veteran bounty hunter while Anakin shall continue to protect Senator Amidala. Knowing that Senator Amidala will reject this idea, Mace Windu told Anakin to seek help from Chancellor to ask Amidala to return to Naboo. Before she left, Jar Jar Binks was assigned to take over Amidala’s duty and responsibility as a senator temporary while she is on leave. Anakin then escort Senator Amidala back to Naboo while Obi Wan investigates who is the bounty hunter. During the investigation, Obi Wan could not find a planet that was believed to be the hiding place of the veteran bounty hunter. He consulted Yoda and he gets his answer. He then traveled all the way to the planet to carry on his investigation. He traveled to the planet of the cloners and found out that there is a secret development of a clone army, ordered ten years ago on the Republic’s behalf by a Former Jedi. A bounty hunter called Jango Fett was recruited as the template for the clone army. Obi Wan was then brought to the lab to see the development of the clone army. Although Jango Fett was the template of the clone army, but he makes a special request: he wants a clone that is not genetically modified and undergoes natural growth. Obi Wan then requested to see Jango Fett. Obi Wan then found out that Jango Fett is the bounty hunter he is looking for. Obi Wan tries to capture Jango but Jango escaped. However, Obi Wan attached a tracking device on Jango’s ship and followed Jango to Geonosis. Obi Wan then found out that Count Dooku is the leader of the separatist movement, is in league with the Trade Federation, it was the Trade Federation who asked for the assassination of Senator Amidala and the separatist is building up a droid army. Obi Wan then tries to contact the Jedi Council about this but his radar was damaged and therefore he recorded a message, send it to Anakin for transfer to the Jedi Council but he was caught by Count Dooku’s droid soon after that. During the journey, Anakin and Amidala gets closer and fall in love with one another but Amidala refused to change the current status quo as she do not wish to affect both parties future. One day, Anakin sensed that his mother is in danger and returned with Amidala to Tatooine. In Tatooine, Anakin found out that his mother has married but was kidnapped by Sand people. Anakin then traveled to the place where the Sand people lived to rescue his mother but he was too late, his mother was dead. Out of fury, he slaughtered the whole village of Sand people. Back at Coruscant, Yoda sensed that something terrible has happened to Anakin. Then, Anakin returned with his mother’s body to where she lives and buried her. Anakin’s emotion was fairly unstable after his mother’s death. Then, R2-D2 came out of the ship and informed Amidala and Anakin that there is a message for them. After transmitting the message to the Jedi Council, mace Windu brought some Jedis to rescue Obi Wan while Anakin was told to protect Amidala. Amidala then asked Anakin to follow her to Geonosis to rescue Obi Wan as well. The senate at this point of time, led by Jar Jar Binks, called for the chancellor be given emergency power with which he can calls the clone army into battle. Meanwhile, Count Dooku caught Obi Wan and Count Dooku is trying to persuade Obi Wan to join him. He also warns Obi Wan that a dark lord is now in control of the senate. Amidala and Anakin soon arrived. However, they are caught soon after entering the complex of Count Dooku. Amidala, Anakin and Obi Wan were then ready to be executed soon after that by 3 galactic monsters but they managed to escape death. Soon, the Jedis arrived and a furious battle was fought between Jango with his droids against Windu with his Jedis. In the battle, Windu killed Jango. Soon, the Jedis are outnumbered by the droids and were almost on the brink of death when Yoda and the clone army arrive to save them. The battle then broke out between the droids and the clones. Count Dooku tries to escape but Obi Wan and Anakin chased after him and engaged him in a battle. In the battle, Obi Wan was hurt while Anakin has his right hand cut off by Count Dooku. Soon, Yoda arrives. Yoda fought against Count Dooku. Then Count Dooku tries to kill Obi Wan and Anakin by using the force to topple a pillar but Yoda uses the force to stop the pillar while at the same time, Count Dooku escaped. Count Dooku then went to meet his master, Darth Sidious and his master was pleased that the war has begun. Meanwhile, Obi Wan conveyed to Windu and Yoda that Dooku spoke about that a dark lord is in control of the senate. Yoda says that the war has just begun and also states that the dark side is capable of creating fear and mistrust while Windu say that they should nevertheless monitor the senate. At the same time, Anakin, after being fixed with a mechanical hand, held a secret wedding with Amidala in Naboo, with only C3-PO and R2-D2 as witnesses.

Star Wars (Episode I) : The Phantom Menace

Star Wars (Episode I) : The Phantom Menace

Turmoil has engulfed the
Galactic Republic. The taxation
of trade routes to outlying star
systems is in dispute.
Hoping to resolve the matter
with a blockade of deadly
battleships, the greedy Trade
Federation has stopped all
shipping to the small planet
of Naboo.
While the congress of the
Republic endlessly debates
this alarming chain of events,
the Supreme Chancellor has
secretly dispatched two Jedi
Knights, the guardians of
peace and justice in the
galaxy, to settle the conflict....

It is the year 32 BBY (or, 32 years prior to Episode IV), and a trade dispute between the Trade Federation and the planet of Naboo has led to a blockade of the planet. Supreme Chancellor Valorum of the Galactic Republic secretly sends two Jedi Knights, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn, to resolve the dispute. Unbeknownst to them, the Trade Federation is in league with the mysterious Darth Sidious, who secretly orders an invasion of Naboo and the killing of the two Jedi upon their arrival. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan escape the assassination attempt by the Federation and flee to the surface of Naboo.

On the planet's surface, the Jedi meet local native outcast Jar Jar Binks, who brings them to an underwater Gungan settlement to escape the Trade Federation army. Meanwhile, the Trade Federation invades Naboo and captures their leader, Queen Padmé Amidala. The Jedi meet the Gungan leader, Boss Nass, and ask him to help the people of Naboo, but Nass refuses and sends them off in a submarine. The Jedi, with Jar Jar Binks in tow, reach the capital of Naboo and rescue Queen Amidala from the Trade Federation droid army. They depart for Coruscant, the Galactic Republic’s capital planet, to ask for help from the Senate. A droid named R2-D2 heroically repairs the Queen's starship as they narrowly escape an attack from the Federation base star.

Due to the attack, however, the ship is forced to land on the desert planet of Tatooine for repairs. While searching for needed parts, they befriend young Anakin Skywalker, a slave boy. Anakin is gifted with piloting and mechanics (he has built an almost-complete droid named C-3PO). Qui-Gon Jinn senses a strong presence of the Force in Anakin, and feels that he may be the chosen one who will fulfil prophecy by bringing balance to the Force.

Young Anakin SkywalkerBy entering Anakin into a podrace, Qui-Gon orchestrates a gamble in which the boy will be released from slavery and they will win the needed parts for their ship. Anakin wins the race and joins the team as they head for Coruscant, where Qui-Gon plans to seek permission from the Jedi Council to train him to be a Jedi. Meanwhile, Darth Sidious sends his apprentice, Darth Maul, to kill the two Jedi and capture the Queen. Maul appears just as the group is leaving the planet, and fights Qui-Gon, who then manages to escape on the ship.

In Coruscant, Qui-Gon Jinn informs the Jedi Council of the mysterious attacker he encountered in Tatooine. Because of his mastery of the Jedi arts, the Council becomes concerned that this may indicate the reappearance of the Sith, a long-gone humanoid race who followed the Dark Side of the Force. Qui-Gon also informs the Council about Anakin, hoping that he can be trained as a Jedi. After testing the boy and deliberating with one another, the Council refuses, deeming him too old for training according to Jedi Code. They are also concerned due to their sense of what seems to be a cloudy future and a strong presence of fear in the boy. Meanwhile, Senator Palpatine (of Naboo) uses Queen Amidala's situation to his advantage by persuading her to call a motion of no confidence in Supreme Chancellor Valorum so that he can get himself nominated as the new Chancellor. After doing so, the Queen decides to return to her home planet to repel the invasion of her people. She is frustrated by the Senate's deliberation and lack of action, and feels that by the time Palpatine is elected Chancellor it will be too late. The two Jedi accompany the Queen back to Naboo.

Queen Amidala, back in Naboo, forms an alliance with the Gungan people, uniting in battle against the Trade Federation. After much fighting against the Federation's droid army, defeat for the alliance seems imminent. However, victory is won when young Anakin Skywalker commandeers a fighter plane and destroys the Federation's droid command ship, rendering the droid army useless. Meanwhile, Queen Amidala and her force fight their way back into the palace and capture the leader of the Trade Federation. At the same time, Darth Maul has been engaging in combat with the two Jedi. He kills Qui-Gon Jinn, but Obi-Wan Kenobi avenges his death by in turn slaying Darth Maul. Just before passing away, Qui-Gon instructs Obi-Wan to train Anakin to become a Jedi. Obi-Wan gives his word that he will train the boy.

Senator PalpatineAfter the battle, the Jedi Council names Obi-Wan a Jedi Knight. Kenobi conveys his master’s wish regarding Anakin Skywalker to Yoda, who reluctantly allows him to become Obi-Wan’s apprentice. Qui-Gonn is cremated, and Mace Windu and Yoda agree that his death was caused by the Sith. Because there are only two Sith ever at any given time (a master and an apprentice), they believe that there is still another one out there. As they are speaking, the camera focuses on Palpatine's face, and it becomes clear to the audience that he is, in fact, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.

The film closes with a large celebration of liberation from the Trade Federation on the planet of Naboo. Queen Amidala presents a gift of appreciation and friendship to Boss Nass.

Star Wars (Episode VI) : The Return of Jedi

Star Wars (Episode VI) : The Return of Jedi

Luke Skywalker has returned to
his home planet of Tatooine in
an attempt to rescue his
friend Han Solo from the
clutches of the vile gangster
Jabba the Hutt.
Little does Luke know that the
GALACTIC EMPIRE has secretly
begun construction on a new
armored space station even
more powerful than the first
dreaded Death Star.
When completed, this ultimate
weapon will spell certain doom
for the small band of rebels
struggling to restore freedom
to the galaxy....

Return of the Jedi takes place in 4 ABY, one year after the events of The Empire Strikes Back. The Empire is working on the construction of a second Death Star, which is to be more powerful than the first.

Luke Skywalker and company arrive on Tatooine to rescue Han Solo, who is held prisoner in carbonite by the gangster Jabba the Hutt. R2-D2 and C-3PO arrive with a holographic message from Luke pleading Jabba to release Solo, but the droids end up slaves. That evening, Princess Leia, disguised as a bounty hunter, arrives with "prisoner" Chewbacca to collect bounty from Jabba. Jabba sends Chewie to the prisons. That night, Leia removes her disguise and frees Solo from the carbonite, only to be overseen by Jabba. Both Solo and Leia are captured.

The next morning, Luke arrives to make one final plea to Jabba to release Solo, but Jabba orders the Luke into the pit of the Rancor monster. Luke overpowers the Rancor, but is captured by Jabba's minions. As punishment, Jabba commands Luke and his friends to be destroyed by the Sarlacc.

Luke and his companions approach the Pit of Carkoon. With the help of R2-D2, Luke retrieves a lightsaber. A large battle ensues. Boba Fett falls into the Sarlacc pit, and Jabba is choked to death by Leia. Luke and crew manage to escape just before Jabba’s Sail Barge explodes. Luke and R2-D2 head for Dagobah to return to Yoda. The rest of the crew departs for the rendezvous point where the Rebel Alliance is assembling.

Meanwhile, the Emperor arrives on the Death Star. As he and Darth Vader walk past the thousands of Imperial troops assembled in the hangar bay, they discuss the plot to turn Luke to the Dark Side.

Luke and Artoo arrive on Dagobah to find Yoda ill. Luke has returned to complete his training, but Yoda says no further training is required. All that remains for Luke is to confront Vader. Yoda then reveals that Vader is indeed Luke's father. The Jedi Master gives one last mention of wisdom to Luke before he dies.

As Luke approaches his X-Wing, the spirit form of Ben Kenobi confirms that Vader was once Anakin Skywalker, a former Jedi who turned to the Dark Side. Kenobi also reveals that Luke has a twin sister, hidden from Luke at birth as protection from the Emperor. Luke senses that his sister is Princess Leia.

At the rendezvous point, the Rebel Alliance discusses plans to attack the Death Star. As part of the plans, Luke and his companions must penetrate the shield generator on the moon of Endor to deactivate the shield that protects the Death Star.

The crew land on Endor only to be discovered by stormtroopers. A landspeeder chase ensues, resulting in Leia being separated from Han and Luke. Leia is awakened by an Ewok, one of Endor's forest creatures.

Luke, Han, Chewie, and the droids fall into a trap set by Ewoks, who discover Threepio and treat him as their god. The droid's friends are taken prisoner. Luke cleverly uses the Force to get the Ewoks to set them free. The Ewoks agree to join the fight against the Empire.

Luke decides the time has come for him to leave Endor and face Darth Vader. He reveals the truth to Leia: That she is his sister and Vader is their father.

Luke surrenders peacefully to the Empire, and unsuccessfully tries to convince Vader to abandon the Dark Side. They go to the Death Star and meet the Emperor, who reveals that the Emperor himself coordinated the Rebels finding the secret plans and locating the shield generator so that the Alliance can fall into a trap.

On Endor, the Rebels enter the shield generator, only to be taken prisoner by waiting Imperial forces. Solo and company are led out of the bunker, but the Ewoks begin their attack. A battle begins with the Rebels and Ewoks against the Empire.

The Rebel fleet emerges from hyperspace for the battle, but discovers the shield is still up. An intense space battle begins. The Death Star is revealed to be fully operational. To decrease ship casualties the rebel fleet decide to attack the imperial fleet at point blank.

On the Death Star, Luke attacks the Emperor fueled by anger, only to be deflected by Vader. Vader senses in his son's mind that Luke has a sister. Vader intends to turn her to the Dark Side if Luke won't, but Luke responds viciously, striking off Vader's right hand. The Emperor encourages Luke to kill his father so the young Jedi can take Vader's place alongside Palpatine. But Luke controls his anger and throws aside his lightsaber. He declares himself a Jedi.

Han, Leia and Chewie regain access to the bunker. They plant an explosive and escape the bunker before its destruction. With the shield down, the Death Star can be attacked.

Realizing that Luke cannot be turned to the Dark Side, the Emperor uses Force lightning against him to deliver the final blow. Vader is deeply affected by the sight of his son dying. Thus, the dramatic redemption of Anakin Skywalker begins as the former Dark Lord lifts the Emperor, and despite the deadly Force lightning surging through his suit, he drops his former master into a chasm, killing the Emperor.

Meanwhile, in an intense battle, Lando leads Wedge and his fighter group into the bowels of the Death Star followed by TIE Fighters. Upon having casualties, the group decides to split up and half of the fighters returns to the surface. Other Rebel fighters attack point blank at the Super Star Destroyer, leading to the lead Imperial ship's destruction.

Realizing there is no hope for his survival, Anakin asks Luke to take his mask off so he can look upon his son with his own eyes. Luke removes the helmet, revealing the pale face of his father. Anakin says Luke was right about him, and asks him to tell his sister the same. With that, Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker dies.

Lando and Wedge Antilles, now the only remaining Rebel fighters inside the Death Star, fire at the super weapon's main reactor, causing its collapse. Luke and the remnants of his father Anakin escape the Death Star, and moments later, so do Lando and Wedge just as the Death Star explodes.

Sensing that Leia has feelings for Luke, Han tells her he will not interfere. Leia divulges that Luke is her brother. Han and Leia engage in a passionate kiss.

That evening, Luke cremates what remains of Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker. The entire galaxy celebrates the downfall of the Empire and the virtual end of the Galactic Civil War. Amidst the celebrations, Luke catches sight of the spirit figures of Ben Kenobi, Yoda, and the redeemed Anakin Skywalker.

Episode V : The Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars (Episode V) : The Empire Strikes Back


It is a dark time for the
Rebellion. Although the Death
Star has been destroyed,
Imperial troops have driven the
Rebel forces from their hidden
base and pursued them across
the galaxy.
Evading the dreaded Imperial
Starfleet, a group of freedom
fighters led by Luke Skywalker
has established a new secret
base on the remote ice world
of Hoth.
The evil lord Darth Vader,
obsessed with finding young
Skywalker, has dispatched
thousands of remote probes into
the far reaches of space...


It is now three years after the events in A New Hope. The Rebels have been forced to flee their Rebel base on Yavin and establish a new one on the ice planet of Hoth. Darth Vader, continuing his quest for Luke Skywalker, dispatches thousands of probe droids across the galaxy. One of the probes lands on Hoth and begins its survey of the planet. Luke Skywalker, on patrol via his tauntaun, discovers the probe, which he mistakes for a meteorite. After reporting to comrade Han Solo, he is knocked unconscious by a mysterious snow monster.

In their underground Rebel Base, Solo reports to his commander, General Rieekan, about the situation, then realizes he has to leave Hoth to return to Tatooine in order to pay off Jabba the Hutt. Solo turns to Princess Leia, but she gives him the "mushy" look. Headed for the corridor, Solo is followed by Leia. The princess begs him to stay, but he argues with her and leaves in a huff.

The droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO, find Solo about to leave on his starship, the Millennium Falcon, currently devoid of its hyperdrive system. C-3P0 reports to Solo that Luke is missing and hasn't returned. Despite the freezing conditions and oncoming nightfall, Solo rides his tauntaun to find his friend.

Meanwhile, Luke is held captive (albeit upside-down) by the Wampa snow monster. Using the Force, he draws upon his lightsaber (half-buried in the snow) to kill the creature. Luke escapes the Wampa cave, but is overcome by the freezing cold. Shortly later, as night begins to fall, he is visited by the spirit form of dead Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, who tells Luke to go to the planet Dagobah for further training by Yoda, the Jedi Master who once trained Kenobi. As the image fades, Han finds Luke barely conscious. But the cold weather proves too much for Han's tauntaun which collapses and dies. The best thing for Solo now is to build a night shelter, hoping to be discovered by Rebel ships.

The next morning, Rebel ships discover a signal from the outer passage, and the radio cracks open...it is the voice of Solo, and thus the ship also finds Luke. The injured Jedi-to-be is taken back to the base to be immersed in a bacta-tank, and shortly recovers. The rest of Luke's comrades visit him to send get well wishes, but they are interrupted by an emergency. The Alliance has picked up unusual signals from the East. Solo and his wookie companion Chewbacca investigate. They shoot down what turns out to be a self-destructive Imperial Probe Droid. Solo suspects the Empire has found what they've been looking for. General Rieekan orders the start of evacuation.

Darth Vader and the Imperial forces set course for the Hoth system to set up the attack. Shortly after, Luke realizes he too has to leave Hoth, so he says goodbye to Chewbacca and Solo. As the Imperial forces enter the Hoth system, Vader discovers Admiral Ozzel has emerged from lightspeed so close to Hoth that the Rebels have been alerted to the Empire's arrival. Via video communication, Vader Force chokes Ozzel to death for his actions, then appoints associate Piett the new admiral.

Princess Leia gives the Rebel fighters instructions on the evacuation to leave Hoth two to three ships at a time past the energy shield to a rendezvous point beyond the outer rim. Rieekan raises the shields to fire the ion cannon at one of the Imperial Star Destroyers allowing the first transports to escape. The Rebels who have chosen to fight on the ground depart the Hoth base for the oncoming battle against heavily equipped Imperial forces, who are armed with agile AT-STs (All Terrain Scout Transports) and monstrous AT-ATs (All Terrain Armored Transports).

The group, led by Luke, commence the attack, but realizing the armour is too strong for blasters, they decide to destroy them by using attached cables, and manages to destroy one of the AT-ATs. The main AT-AT prepares to take their aim at the Rebel base's main generator. Suddenly, Luke's fighter is shot down by the Imperials, and crash-lands in the snow. Luke escapes before the AT-AT can destroy his ship.

The Rebel base is now under attack and Imperial Snowtroopers have entered the base, forcing Han, Leia, Chewie, and C-3P0 to decide to escape.

Luke, meanwhile, manages to destroy another AT-AT by using his cable, explosive charge, and lightsaber to get into the belly of the transport before it is destroyed. The Rebels suffer major casualties as the result of the battle. The main transport reaches the generator, and successfully aims and fires at it, destroying the generator.

Han, Leia, and company, not realizing they are being followed by Vader (who has arrived on Hoth), eventually reach the Millennium Falcon in time to escape. Luke later meets with R2-D2 on his ship and finally departs Hoth. Changing course from the rendezvous point, he sets his coordinates for Dagobah.

Han and company are pursued by Imperial fighters. Flipping the switch to take them to lightspeed, Han realizes (with reluctant help from C-3P0) that the hyperdrive has been damaged. While trying to fix the hyperdrive system, Han learns that the Falcon is approaching an asteroid field. Desperate to elude the Imperials, he makes the almost suicidal move to enter the field with the Empire still in pursuit. After a terrifyingly dangerous chase avoiding collisions as well as TIE Fighters, Solo manages shake his pursuers long enough to land inside one of the larger asteroids to hide, rest and find a way to fix the ship.

Luke lands on the jungle planet Dagobah. There, he discovers a diminutive figure who tries to help Luke (all the while, the young Jedi-to-be is unaware his patience is being tested, and that the figure is really Yoda). The figure invites Luke to his cave for dinner.

Back on the Falcon, while Leia tries to make repairs, Han makes his move on the Princess, drawing himself closer to her before both end up in a passionate kiss. When C-3P0 arrives, Leia withdraws and walks away.

The Imperial search begins to take its toll: an asteroid blew off the bridge tower of a Star Destroyer. On the Executor, Vader communicates with the captains of the other ships (the one from the ship that blew up fades away). One officer, Captain Needa, tells Vader that they should consider their damage. Vader firmly says they will continue the search. Shortly afterwards, Admiral Piett informs Vader that the Emperor commands he make contact with him. Vader orders his ship out off the asteroid field for a clear transmission.

In his private quarters, Vader receives a holographic message from the Galactic Emperor, who alerts the Dark Lord to a "new enemy who could destroy" the Empire...Luke Skywalker. Vader suggests that if Luke could be turned, "he would be a powerful ally". The Dark Lord declares Luke will join the Empire "or die".

That evening, Luke's patience (or lack thereof) is put to the test. The diminutive figure declares the boy lacks patience, but the voice of Kenobi tells the figure that the boy will learn patience if he is to be trained. Only then does Luke discover the figure is Yoda. Yoda asks Kenobi if he will finish whatever training he begins, then suspects that Luke will be afraid at some point.

The next day, the Falcon manages to escape what turns out to be the mouth of a space slug (who resided in one of the asteroids the Falcon landed in). Meanwhile, Luke begins a rigorous training regime from Yoda which includes moral lessons about the dangers of the Dark Side of the Force. That particular lesson is driven home when he is told to enter a cave that is strong with the Dark Side's power. Ignoring Yoda's consul to leave his weapons, Luke enters the cavern armed. Once inside, he has a vision of himself angrily confronting Darth Vader and beheading him. However, the severed head's mask bursts apart and reveals Luke's face underneath; it is a warning that if Luke battles Vader with no emotional control, he will become Vader himself, seduced by the Dark Side.

Back on the Star Destroyer, Vader enlists bounty hunters (including Boba Fett and Bossk) to find the Millennium Falcon for a "special reward". One of the Imperial commanders finally spots the Falcon, leading to another pursuit that, after another failed attempt to jump into hyperspace, results in the Falcon eluding the Empire by making the insanely counter intuitive move of attacking the lead Star Destroyer. However, at the last moment, the ship veers off and secretly attaches itself to the ship, which is not extensively covered by sensors, making it appeared to have vanished in the Empire's point of view.

Days later, while training, Luke discovers his X-Wing fighter about to sink into the lake, then breaks concentration. Luke declares he will never be able to get the ship out, seeing that it is too big for him to extract from the water. Yoda says it is "no different, only different in your mind". Luke decides to "try" to lift the ship, but Yoda says "do or do not, there is no try". Luke tries to use the Force, but to no avail. Yoda reminds him that "size matters not" and gives him wisdom about the Force. Luke denies all of this, then Yoda decides to use the Force to lift the ship out himself. Luke is dumbfounded and incredulous. Yoda senses the youngster's failures within his mind.

When the fleet disperses to search for the Falcon, the Rebels wait for the ship to do its standard dump of refuse before jumping, then detach to float away with it. Han decides to make their way to Cloud City, a gas-mining colony run by an "old friend" of Solo's named Lando Calrissian. Unfortunately, Boba Fett, a bounty hunter who was one of a number hired by Vader to search for the Rebels, had deduced the Falcon's escape method and had his ship jettisoned with the waste for the purpose of stealthily following the fugitives.

The next day, Yoda reminds Luke of the things the young Jedi will see in his mind, the future, the past, and of friends he recognizes. Luke breaks concentration again and has a vision of his friends in danger. He wants to leave Dagobah to rescue them. Yoda reminds him that if Luke leaves now, everything his friends fought and suffered for will be destroyed.

Upon arrival at Cloud City, Han's party is welcomed by Lando. However, there are numerous elements that make the Rebels suspicious, not the least of which being C-3PO being found deactivated, dismembered, and almost recycled.

That evening, Luke and R2-D2 prepare themselves to leave Dagobah, but are warned by both Yoda and the spirit form of Kenobi not to end training so soon for a fight Luke is not ready for. Ben declares that should Luke decide to face Vader, he will have to face him alone without interference. Luke understands this, and his ship takes off from Dagobah. Yoda is disappointed, declaring Luke reckless. Ben tells Yoda that Luke is the Jedi's last hope, but Yoda answers back, "there is another...."

A day later, Han and company find themselves betrayed by Calrissian who was approached by the Empire before the Rebels' arrival and threatened him and the city unless he cooperated. They became the captives of Darth Vader, who proceeds to torture them to create a disturbance in the Force for Luke to detect.

That afternoon, Vader enters a carbon-freezing chamber intending to freeze Luke Skywalker once he arrives. The Dark Lord uses the opportunity for Boba Fett to deliver Solo to Jabba the Hutt (to whom Han owed a debt) by testing the device on Solo himself. Han and company enter the chamber for the experiment. At first, Chewie resists the stormtroopers, but Han restrains him, saving his strength for another time. Han says goodbye to Leia with a kiss before he is escalated into the carbon freezing chamber. When he is successfully entombed in carbonite in a state of suspended animation, Vader hands over Han to bounty hunter Boba for transportation to Tatooine to receive a bounty from Jabba. One of the Imperial commanders informs Vader that Luke's starfighter has arrived on Bespin. The Dark Lord orders Lando to take Leia, Chewie, and C-3P0 to his Star Destroyer, reneging on a deal he made with Lando. But the Cloud City administrator has other plans.

Luke makes his way to Bespin safely, and, after discovering Solo's carbonite coffin manages to escape a gun battle with Boba Fett. Leaving R2-D2 behind, he makes his way to the carbon freezing chamber. There, he meets with Vader and the two fight in an epic lightsaber duel, where Luke's undeveloped Jedi skills are no match for Vader.

The Imperials (escorting the Rebel prisoners out of Bespin) are overpowered by Cloud City security, setting Lando and company free. Chewie turns against Lando for betraying Han, but he manages to tell the wookie there's still a chance to rescue Han at the East Platform. C-3P0 is reunited with his companion R2-D2. Lando and company arrive too late as Fett's ship takes off, then engage in a fierce battle with stormtroopers.

Luke and Vader continue their lightsaber battle in the bowels of Cloud City. Vader uses the Dark Side of the Force against Luke by using whatever equipment is at hand, eventually thrusting Luke through a window and landing on one of the emergency platforms.

As the gunfight continues, Lando orders an evacuation of Cloud City, then the company manages to find their last hope of escape...the Millennium Falcon.

In the final phase of the lightsaber duel, Vader manages to cut off Luke's right hand, throwing it (and the lightsaber which the hand grasped) into an abyss. In perhaps one of the most memorable scenes in cinema history, Vader reveals to Luke that he is his father. Luke screams in total denial, but urged by Vader to search his feelings, Luke knows it to be the truth. Vader attempts to persuade Luke to join him and embrace the Dark Side to defeat the Emperor. Together, they can then end the rebellion, bring order, and rule the galaxy as father and son. Luke however, rejects this and instead chooses suicide over being corrupted, throwing himself down a deep shaft.

Luke is sucked into an air vent, exits the underbelly of the city and lands on an antenna complex beneath Cloud City. With only one hand remaining to grasp for dear life, and facing certain death, Luke calls out to Ben Kenobi in vain (Kenobi swore not to help Luke once he faced Vader). As the wind of the high atmosphere howls all around him, he finally calls out to the only other person he feels who could help...Leia.

Leia mysteriously senses Luke's telepathic distress signal. The Falcon turns around and comes back to Cloud City. Using an escape hatch, Lando manages to catch Luke and rescue him before the wounded Jedi falls helplessly into deep space. The Falcon finally escapes Bespin's gravitational field about to escape into hyperspace when the hyperdrive system again fails the company. Vader asks for confirmation that the Millennium Falcon's hyperdrive system was deactivated to prevent their escape, then orders weapons set for stun.

As the Imperials make their pursuit of the Falcon, the injured Luke hears the telepathic voice of Vader calling to him. He answers, "Father...", while Vader telepathically answers back, "son, return to me". Luke senses it is Vader, then cries, "Ben, why didn't you tell me?"

As the Executor enters range, Piett orders the crew to prepare the tractor beam. Meanwhile, C-3P0 commands that R2-D2 finish reconstructing him after his ordeal in Cloud City. However, with quick ingenuity, R2-D2 manages to fix the hyperdrive system. It is just in the nick of time, as the Imperials were about to lock their tractor beam onto the Falcon. The ship barely escapes and Vader stares diappointedly out into the now vacant space. He retreats to his secret quarters in his Star Destroyer, stalking past his terrified crew and ignoring Piett's failure.

The film ends on a medical ship (part of the Rebel fleet headed for the rendezvous on Tatooine), where Luke is outfitted with a prosthetic hand. Lando and Chewie begin their most dangerous mission...rescuing their friend Han Solo. Lando promises to Leia they will bring her back the man she loves. Luke, Leia, and the droids look on as the Falcon departs for unknown territories. Their own fates and futures are now uncertain. But the time will come when all will be resolved... it is only a question of how long.

Star Wars (Episode IV) : A New Hope

Star Wars (Episode IV) : A New Hope

It is a period of civil war.
Rebel spaceships, striking
from a hidden base, have won
their first victory against
the evil Galactic Empire.
During the battle, Rebel
spies managed to steal secret
plans to the Empire's
ultimate weapon, the DEATH
STAR, an armored space
station with enough power to
destroy an entire planet.
Pursued by the Empire's
sinister agents, Princess
Leia races home aboard her
starship, custodian of the
stolen plans that can save her
people and restore
freedom to the galaxy....

As the opening scroll mentions at the beginning of the story, the Rebel Alliance, fighting the 19-year-old Galactic Civil War, emerges from a secret Rebel base and finally wins their first victory against the tyrannical Galactic Empire, led by Emperor Palpatine. Princess Leia Organa's ship, the Tantive IV, carrying secret plans to the Empire's superweapon, the Death Star, is pursued by an Imperial Star Destroyer. During the fighting, two droids, the fussy C-3PO and the feisty R2-D2, escape into one of the Tantive's secret corridors. The Tantive is disabled and swallowed up into the enormous Star Destroyer via a magnetic field. Imperial Stormtroopers blast their way into the Rebel ship; when the ship is brought under Imperial control, Darth Vader arrives to assess the damage. Princess Leia records a holographic message and stores it into the memory banks of R2-D2, then disappears as C-3PO arrives to discover his counterpart. The stormtroopers capture many Rebels, while Darth Vader questions the Tantive's commander, Captain Antilles (C-3P0's former master), about the secret plans. Grabbing Antilles by the throat, Vader demands an answer, but when he is unable to obtain any, the Dark Lord lifts him off of his feet and chokes the captain to death. While conducting a thorough search ordered by Vader, stormtroopers discover Princess Leia and capture her. The droids, meanwhile, use an escape pod (which R2-D2 programmed) and begin their journey to the planet Tatooine, a planet in the largely-ignored frontier region. Leia is later brought to Lord Vader for questioning, but when Leia flatly denies being part of the Rebel Alliance, he orders her to be held prisoner, knowing she is now his only hope in finding the secret Rebel Base.

On Tatooine, the droids (after being captured by scavenger creatures called Jawas) come into the possession of Owen Lars and his young nephew, Luke Skywalker, a young, frustrated resident of one of Tatooine's remote settlements. That night, while cleaning the droids, Luke triggers part of a holographic message from a mysterious, attractive woman (Princess Leia). Later, at dinner, Luke suspects that the droids might have been stolen, and that R2 really belongs to an "Obi-Wan Kenobi". Uncle Owen denies it and tells Luke to have the droids' memories erased by morning. In addition, Owen refuses to honor his agreement to allow Luke to apply to the Academy that year and Luke is left frustrated with a bleak future on the farm. Returning to his garage before nightfall, Luke discovers that R2-D2 has escaped. C-3PO suggests Luke go after him, but nighttime is dangerous due to the increasing amount of Sandpeople, so they decide to wait until morning. Early the next day, Luke and C-3PO enter the Jundland Wastes and find R2-D2, but suddenly Sandpeople appear. While checking out the situation, Luke and C-3PO are attacked by one of the Sandpeople. As the Tuskens ransack Luke's speeder after subduing the farmboy, the sound of a Krayt dragon is heard, scaring off the Tuskens. It is revealed that the sound was made by none other than Obi-Wan Kenobi, now going by the name of "Ben." Ben discovers the unconscious Luke and a partially damaged C-3PO. Luke wakes up and sees Ben, who reveals his true identity and with the pending return of the Tusken raiders in force to consider, Ben takes Luke and the droids back to his hut.

While Luke repairs C-3PO, Ben tells of his days as a Jedi Knight and the Old Republic and reveals to Luke that his father was one as well. As a token of good faith, the old Jedi hands Luke his father's lightsaber which Luke is able to activate without any difficulty. Ben explains about how the Jedi kept peace in the galaxy before the Dark Times. Luke then asks how his father died. Ben tells Luke he was betrayed and murdered by Darth Vader, a former pupil of Ben's before he turned evil, then talks about the mysterious energy field called the Force. Finally, Ben and Luke see the entire holographic message from Princess Leia, who asks for Ben's assistance to take the droid and the plans to the planet Alderaan if the Rebellion is to survive. Ben invites Luke to come with him to Alderaan, but the young Jedi-to-be is reluctant at first citing his responsibilities back home, eventually offering to transport Ben and the droids as far away as Anchorhead to get a transport to Mos Eisley. On the Death Star, Imperial commanders (including Grand Moff Tarkin) meet to discuss the full power of the battle station, but suspect the Rebels may find its weakness and attempt to destroy it while Tarkin announces the dissolution of the Imperial Senate and the consolidation of the political power under the Emporer with the Death Star enforcing it. One commander dismisses the threat against the supremely powerful Death Star and even dares to insult Lord Vader's caution that its power is trivial compared to the Force. Incensed at the commander's "lack of faith", Vader uses the Force to choke the commander from across the room. Tarkin orders the Dark Lord to stop, and announces his intention to have the battle station fully operational.

Back on Tatooine, Ben, Luke and the droids discover dead Jawas and disorganized Bantha tracks. Ben suspects from the crudely arranged evidence that Imperial stormtroopers have ambushed the Jawas in an attempt to find the droids and disguised it as a Tusken Raider attack. Luke then realizes that the Troopers likely learned who the droids were sold to and heads back to the Lars homestead, but after returning there he finds his family murdered and his house destroyed. Meanwhile, on the Death Star where Leia is imprisoned, Vader attempts to use an interrogation droid to extract the location of the Rebel base from her. She has managed to resist the interrogation thus far. Luke returns to the damaged Jawa Sandcrawler. Ben declares there was nothing Luke could have done had he been at the Lars homestead—Luke would too have been killed and control of the droids would have reverted to the Empire. Luke reluctantly decides to join Ben and become a Jedi.

The group then heads off to Mos Eisley Spaceport to find transportation to Alderaan. As they enter Mos Eisley, several Stormtroopers accost the group, looking for C-3PO and R2-D2; however, Obi-Wan uses a Jedi mind trick to convince the Stormtroopers that the droids accompanying him "are not the droids you're looking for". Later, at a seedy bar, after an incident where Ben is forced to cow some toughs with his saber, they encounter a boastful smuggler Han Solo and his co-hort Chewbacca the Wookiee. Han agrees to transport them to Alderaan with a 10,000 fee in advance, but Ben offers to pay the pirate 2,000 now and an additional 15,000 later. Solo agrees, and as Ben and Luke head out the door, the pirate is jubilant about the offer as he owes money to Jabba the Hutt for losing a loadful of spice on an earlier run when he was boarded by Imperial forces. But when he tries to leave the bar, Solo suddenly meets up with one of Jabba's goons, Greedo, who had been looking to collect a large bounty that Jabba had placed on Solo's head (for losing the shipment). Fortunately, Solo takes advantage of the fact that Greedo is an amateur foolish enough to allow his quarry to secretly reach for his gun and shoot him from under the table.

Back on the Death Star, the final inspection of the space station is completed, and the commanding officer Grand Moff Tarkin decides on a different approach to persuade Princess Leia to co-operate in revealing the location of the secret Rebel base. Tarkin orders the Death Star to set course for the planet Alderaan.

As Luke, Ben, and the droids deal with selling Luke's speeder to raise the needed cash, Solo has to bargain with Jabba who is waiting for him at Docking Bay 94 (the point of departure for Alderaan). While Jabba is pacified for now with the fact that Solo has a rich charter to do to pay his debt, the gangster warns that he will raise the bounty on the pilot head should he not repay as soon possible. As the old Jedi and his companion make for the bay, an informant summons the stormtroopers who appear, forcing the Millennium Falcon to quickly launch and then dodge two Star Destroyers, long enough to escape. Princess Leia is then brought to the Death Star's viewing room. Unable to provide the Empire with any clue to the location of the Rebel Base, Tarkin decides to test the Death Star's power on Alderaan, Leia's home planet. The princess tries to set up a ruse and tells Tarkin the Rebel Base is on Dantooine. Because Dantooine is too remote for an adequate demonstration, Tarkin destroys Alderaan anyway, as a public display of the Death Star's power.

En route to Alderaan, Kenobi begins instructing Luke in the ways of the Force. Solo is skeptical, but a blindfolded Luke is able to sense the location of an attacker whilst practising with a lightsaber. In the midst of this, Kenobi is suddenly weakened by a great disturbance in the Force, the kind that the simultaneous violent deaths of millions would produce. One of the Death Star's commanders issues Tarkin a report on the fate of Dantooine: there once had existed a Rebel Base, but it is now deserted. Convinced that Leia has lied to the Imperials, Tarkin orders the Princess executed. Arriving at Alderaan, or, at least, where Alderaan should be, the crew of the Falcon is surprised to discover there's nothing there except a hail of debris. They then come upon a short-range TIE fighter and pursue it blindly up to a "small moon". They are further surprised to be hauled by tractor beams aboard what turns out to be a moon-sized space station — the Death Star. Hiding in secret smuggling compartments of their ship, they manage to evade capture, and Ben decides to attempt to disable the tractor beams holding them there. In the process, the rest of the band discover . Kenobi volunteers to disable the tractor beam while refusing Luke's offer to accompany him, with orders to stay with Han and the droids (otherwise more star systems will be in danger of the Death Star). After Ben leaves, Luke, the smugglers and the droids learn that Leia is being held in a nearby cell awaiting execution. After some persuasion, Luke and his companions go to rescue Leia under various acts of derring-do, including a wrestling match with a tentacle-like creature in a garbage hold.

After switching off the tractor beams, Kenobi encounters Vader, who attacks him. It is clear that they have known one another before, apparently in the roles of "student" and "master". Kenobi tells Vader in the clash that "If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." When Kenobi sees that he has distracted the guards around the Falcon, which allows his friends to board it though his own escape is cut off, he allows himself to be cut down by Vader, only to mysteriously disappear at the fatal instant; Vader is seen curiously probing Kenobi's empty robes laying harmlessly on the floor.

The droids, Leia, Luke, Han and Chewbacca make their way back to the Falcon and escape, fighting off Imperial starfighters, finally reaching the Rebel hideout on the fourth moon of Yavin where they pass the plans on to the Rebel leadership. Unknown to them, but suspected by Leia, the Empire had actually allowed their escape in order to track their ship back to the Rebel Base.

After General Jan Dodonna, chief stragegist for the Rebel Forces, retrieves the secret Death Star plans from Artoo, he leads a briefing to a group of pilots about the deadly space station. A discussion ensues where the Rebels plan to attack the Death Star by flying along a canyon-size groove in its surface, firing a torpedo down a narrow ventilation shaft; the torpedo will travel to the main reactor and destroy it, thereby destroying the entire station. Luke is amongst the X-Wing pilots of Red Group; Han, despite Luke's pleadings, decides to leave with his reward.

With time of the essence, Luke and an ad-hoc group of Rebel fighters begin their assault on the approaching Death Star. After several Rebels are killed by the power of the space station, Darth Vader suspects several Rebel ships "have broken off from the main group" and intend to attack them ship to ship down a canyon leading to the reactor system. Luke and a few others make it down to that canyon, with Vader pursuing them in an distinctive-looking TIE Fighter. Several more Rebel fighters are destroyed; one fighter makes it down the canyon, but is unable to hit the ventillation shaft despite his use of a targeting computer. As Luke makes his run down the canyon, he hears the unearthly voice of Kenobi to "use the Force" to aim his torpedoes, thus letting go of the targeting computers of the other Rebel fighters. With the aid of Solo and Chewie coming back and attacking Vader's assault squad (causing a collision between Vader's fighter and a escort fighter, leaving Vader spinning out of control towards deep space), Luke successfully launches torpedoes down the shaft, destroying the Death Star and striking a huge blow for the Rebellion against the Empire.

That night on Yavin IV, Luke is congratulated by his Rebel colleagues, but finds that Artoo has been damaged by one of Vader's laser blasts. The Alliance immediately works to repair the little droid. The next day, in a civil ceremony, Princess Leia and General Dodonna award Luke and Han medals for destroying the Death Star with Chewie, C-3P0 and a fully repaired R2-D2 in attendance, dancing joyously on the dais.

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

India vs China : Let the figures speak

The CIA World Factbook elucidates lots of data and figures for all the countries of the planet. It includes a short description of the socio-political history, economy and geographical features for them. The data spans literacy figures, infant mortality rate to oil proudction, GDP and defence expenditure.

It was interesting to note some of the figures for India and China. They tell quite a story.

Like the median age for India is 24 years whereas for China it is 31 years. In the coming 6-7 years, India will have far more younger workforce than China.