Twenty-eight years after "Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope" took audiences by storm, the saga is now complete. The release of "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" brings an end to the years of waiting that fans have endured.
But today's opening has left non-fans wondering why this is so important.
The answer is: This film is the end of an empire -- or the beginning of one.
Episode III is the culmination of a trilogy that began with Episode I in 1999, and it ties the recent movies together with 1977's Episode IV and the original trilogy.
Almost everyone knows what happens to Anakin Skywalker; still, we have yet to see his transition to Darth Vader. With that shift, many other questions have been left unanswered. Fans are hoping this movie will answer questions such as: Why does Skywalker leave Obi-Wan Kenobi alive to teach his son the Jedi Arts? What happens to all of the Jedi in the first three episodes because the only ones that are seen in the original trilogy are Kenobi and Yoda? Are all the others dead? How is it that Luke and Leia are born?
The saga began in the middle with Episode IV in 1977, so for those fans who may need a refresher on the plots of the movies, read on.
THE MOVIES
EPISODE IV-A NEW HOPE
Nearly two decades have past since the end of Episode III. Anakin Skywalker has now made the full transition to Darth Vader. He is the right-hand man to Emperor Palpatine, also known as Darth Sideous. Using his harmony with the dark side of the force to hunt rebels of the Galactic Empire. Princess Leia sends a distress message to former Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi by way of droid R2D2 who, along with droid friend C3PO, escapes the transport just before Vader captures Leia. The droids are then purchased by the family of Luke Skywalker, a young farm boy. While cleaning the droids, Luke stumbles across the message from Leia to Obi-Wan, whom Luke knows as Ben Kenobi, a hermit who lives alone in the desert. Knowing the legacy of the Skywalker name, Obi-Wan begins training Luke in the lost arts of the Jedi Knight. The two men and the droids meet a cocky pilot, named Han Solo, and his sidekick, a Wookie named Chewbacca, and they save the princess. Before departing to save the princess, Solo is seen talking with Gangster Jabba the Hut about money that Han owes -- a scene that is included in the remastered version on the DVD but is not in the original release. Obi-Wan is struck down by Vader, and Luke destroys the Empire's most powerful weapon, the Death Star.
Episode V-THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
Hailed by many fans as the best movie of the saga, it opens on the ice planet of Hoth, where the rebellion has an outpost that the empire is closing in upon. After fighting what seems like a losing battle, many of the rebels escape.
Luke receives a vision from Obi-Wan instructing him to travel to the swamp planet of Dagobah, on which Jedi Master Yoda continues Luke's training. Meanwhile, Han arrives, along with Leia, in Bespin where they are sold out by Solo's friend Lando Calrissian and ambushed by the Empire. They are imprisoned by Vader and used as bait to draw Luke to Bespin. As Luke reaches the cloud planet, he is met by Vader. Luke's hand is cut off by Vader's Lightsaber shortly before he learns that Vader is his father.
Han is then frozen in carbonite and taken to Jabba by Bounty Hunter Boba Fett.
Episode VI- THE RETURN OF THE JEDI
In what is most likely the close of the Star Wars saga, the Empire is building a more powerful Death Star. Han is on display in the trophy room of Jabba. Leia, Chewbacca and the two droids are all unsuccessful in attempts to free Han.
Luke, nearly a full Jedi Knight at this point, rescues all his friends. Luke only has one more task until his training is complete: to defeat Darth Vader. This task will not be easy as Vader, along with the Emperor, plot to turn Luke to the dark side.
Yoda tells Luke that he has a sister, and Luke knows in his heart it is Leia. After trying to remind Vader of the person that he was, Luke gets into a long duel with Vader. At the end of the duel, Vader finds the man that he once was inside of the machine that he now is and strikes down the Emperor, but during the duel, Vader is fatally injured by Luke and dies shortly after.
EPISODE I-THE PHANTOM MENACE
The movie's tagline reads: "Every generation has a legend. Every journey has a first step. Every saga has a beginning." That is just what this movie is. It is the beginning to a saga of which the world had seen the middle three chapters, 22 years earlier. This movie follows the life of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawon learner Obi-Wan Kenobi as they attempt to save the planet of Naboo from the evil Trade Federation.
Queen Padm� Amidala, the leader of Naboo, is rescued by Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan from the leaders of the Trade Federation. Following the departure from Nabbo, the two Jedi meet a young slave by the name of Anakin Skywalker, whom they believe is the chosen one to bring balance to the Force.
Qui-Gon recommends to the Jedi Council that Anakin be trained in the Jedi Arts. Although the members of the council don't agree, Kenobi chooses Anakin as an apprentice after the death of Jinn at the hands of the Sith apprentice Darth Maul.
EPISODE II-ATTACK OF THE CLONES
Anakin has been in training to become a Jedi Master for ten years. He has become slightly cocky and believes that he rivals many members of the Jedi Council with his combat skills. Obi-Wan and Anakin have been appointed to protect now Senator Amidala, as she was the target of an assassination attempt and is a strong opponent to the creation of a Grand Army of The Republic.
Anakin's growing love for Amidala, although the Jedi Code forbids it, has not been put to rest. After the two Jedi track down the assassin, they are sent on different missions -- Anakin to Naboo to protect Amidala and Obi-Wan to the planet of Kamino to investigate the assassination attempts.
On Kamino, Obi-Wan finds a Clone Army is being built for the Republic. The arm is being cloned from bounty hunter Jengo Fett. On Naboo, Anakin and Amidala continue their romance and get married in secret.
The clones from Kamino are brought in to save the three main characters on the planet of Geonosis when they are captured by the separatist leader Count Dooku. This is the beginning of the Clone Wars, one of the biggest events in the Star Wars saga.
EPISODE III- REVENGE OF THE SITH
This movie is the missing link of the Star Wars saga. It is set three years after the end of Episode II, when the Clone Wars are coming to a close. This movie follows the transition of Anakin from the light side of the force to the dark side -- the transition of man to machine, Anakin to Vader. Events likely to occur in this movie are include the conception of Luke and Leia, the exile of Yoda and Obi-Wan and the lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin.
Although no one except Lucas and the cast knew up until now which questions would be answered in Episode III, there is one thing that we can all claim to know: This is the last time that audiences will see a new installment of the saga.
Of course, this was also said 22 years ago with the release of Episode VI. Still, it is easier not to finish a saga, than it is not to give it a beginning.
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