With Andor taking place just five years before A New Hope, there's never been a better time to celebrate George Lucas original trilogy, and how much it changed not only the science fiction genre but cinema at large. That era of Lucas's Star Wars universe remains sacred to all fans, and every new series set in that galaxy far, far away on Disney+ owes inspiration to his vision.
Its memorable characters and dialogue have been a springboard for memes that perfectly capture its classic hero's journey set against a backdrop of dazzling visual effects, enshrining it as a timeless group of films with plenty of inspiration.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Teaches Luke Skywalker About The Force
When callow farm boy Luke Skywalker learns he's the son of one of the most famous Jedi in the galaxy, he learns the ways of the Force from his father's closest friend and mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan doesn't have a lot of time to teach him and keeps his lessons fairly vague and cryptic before promptly leaving the physical plane.
Luke, with barely a few days of preparation, doesn't have the benefit of the Jedi Council, much less a coherent tutor. This meme might poke fun at online learning, but it also captures the frustrations Luke went through trying to grasp the Force from a man who spent the last years of his life as a sad hermit.
Luke Skywalker Embarks On His Hero's Journey After Losing His Aunt & Uncle
As intrigued as Luke is by the concepts of the Force, he's not willing to forsake his only family and run off to become a Jedi. Not even the promise of saving Princess Leia is enough to turn his head until, by fate or even destiny, Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru are killed by Imperial stormtroopers.
As this meme suggests, Obi-Wan wastes no time in pointing out that Luke has no choice but to come with him. The narrative imperative aside, Obi-Wan is completely transparent about his goals and doesn't even seem all that shocked by the fact that two people he interacted with on multiple occasions have been killed in a particularly gruesome fashion.
The Empire Loses One Death Star And Just Builds Another One
Luke manages to successfully destroy the Empire's super weapon, but it's not long before the Empire has built another one in the hopes that this time, it can finally be used as intended; to strike fear into the hearts of galactic citizens by blowing up more and more planets.
Something that took decades to build initially now only takes a matter of months, and the Emperor displays an incredible amount of hubris by thinking the Rebels won't be able to destroy it again. In his myopia, he underestimates his opponent yet again and the same thing happens.
Darth Vader Is Established As A Terrifying Villain
Not only does Darth Vader make one of the best villain introductions in any Star Wars movie, but he also remains the original trilogy's primary antagonist, going so far as to kill his own men for their insubordination. No matter their rank, no one is safe from Vader's fist
Establishing Vader's dominance wasn't difficult given his imposing stature and intimidating aesthetic, but watching the people who were supposed to be on his side also act like nervous children around him only heightened how powerful he was.
Luke & Leia Discover That Darth Vader Is Their Father
In one of the best plot twists of the Star Wars movies, Luke discovers that Darth Vader was once known as Anakin Skywalker, his father. This revelation isn't as shocking for anyone who's seen the prequel trilogy, but it was an incredible reveal in the early '80s.
Luke and Leia aren't exactly thrilled with this considering that Vader represents the totalitarian regime they've pledged to fight against, but it does lead to an incredible family reunion and redemption opportunity for the good man trapped inside the mechanical monstrosity.
Empire Strikes Back Is The Best Movie In The Original Trilogy
Whereas A New Hope faithfully followed a story of Good triumphing over Evil, The Empire Strikes Back showcased the reverse. Because of its more mature melodrama, the introduction of fun new characters like Lando Calrissian and Boba Fett, and the fact that it has a more realistic (and less fairytale) ending, it's considered the best movie in the original trilogy.
While it's not normally contested by fans, this meme uses a popular debate from the movie Clerks, in which the superiority of the original trilogy's second act is thrown into question. It's still held up in cinema as a sequel that is as good as, if not better than, its predecessor, and as a result, was a very hard act to follow.
A Princess Fell In Love With A Scoundrel
Romance isn't exactly the main focus of the original trilogy, but the love story between Princess Leia and Han Solo definitely has its irers. Adhering to the "opposites attract" trope, they seem ill-suited to each other considering she's Alderaanian royalty, and he's a smuggler, but that's why their interactions are so fun to watch. Sarcastic humor is what makes Han and Leia a relatable couple.
Neither of them relishes that they have feelings for each other, so it keeps their exchanges lively. Leigh Bracket, who wrote the script, also worked on The Big Sleep, so it's not surprising that the rapid banter between Leia and Han is reminiscent of the snarky exchanges between Humphry Bogart and Lauren Bacall in that film noir.
Luke Has To Kill Vader To Become A Jedi And Save The Galaxy
In order to save the galaxy and complete his training as a Jedi, Luke has to confront Darth Vader. Despite the fact that he won't kill his own father, Master Yoda and Obi-Wan pressure him to do it with not-so-subtle guilt-tripping like, "Then the Empire has already won."
The two Jedi Masters directly contributed to Anakin's downfall, but neither of them was able to kill Vader before they died, making Luke their last hope. Despite the incredible burden thrust onto him, Luke does what must be done, but on his own .
Emperor Palpatine Tried To Make Luke Fall To The Dark Side
As though confronting Vader wasn't enough, Luke had to the Emperor to contend with, and in a last-ditch effort to win, the Sith Lord tried to turn him to the dark side. The Emperor underestimated not only Luke's ability to resist but Vader's love for his son. In the end, Vader had to choose between serving his master and saving Luke's life.
The nature of the Sith dictated that Palpatine's arrogance would somehow lead to his undoing, and it did; he thought he was strong enough to turn Luke, and that his hold on his father was equally powerful, neither of which was true.
Luke Completed His Hero's Journey
At the end of Return of the Jedi not only was the Emperor destroyed and Vader redeemed, but Luke had also become the Jedi he set out to be in A New Hope. He had faced the necessary trials and was changed by his journey, a callow farm boy turned into a triumphant hero.
Whether the anecdote in this meme is true, a wardrobe malfunction, or a "happy accident," it nevertheless represents the conflict that Luke had to go through in order to become a Jedi. The symbolism in the original trilogy highlights the themes that make even a blockbuster with space wizards and laser swords an inspiration for decades.
