This article is part of a special StarWars.com series in honor of Star Wars' 40th anniversary today, May 25.
The world changed 40 years ago. The year 1977 altered the landscape of film and fandom in a significant way with Star Wars: A New Hope, as it opened the door to a galaxy so fantastic we longed for it to be real. Scene after scene made an impression, so much so that we'd still be talking about the original trilogy even if the franchise never had any new additions. (Thankfully, it has.) Here are 40 memorable moments that have become part of the cultural lexicon and kick-started our love of a galaxy far, far away.
1. What a beginning.
"It is a period of civil war." The first sentence of the opening crawl set the stage and filled us in about the state of the galaxy. We knew the situation was dire and that we were entering a universe in which the actions had high stakes.
2. A sign of true friendship.
Threepio and Artoo's bickering-couple relationship was established from the get go, but it's impossible to forget the way our mindless philosopher kicked his best droid pal on Tatooine. Everyone's been there, C-3PO.
3. On the move.
The tank-like sandcrawler was another vehicle concept that stuck with you after seeing the film for the first time. It somehow looked elegant while making its way over the gritty surface of Tatooine.
4. But power converters!
With his whole learning the Force and saving the galaxy business, it's easy to forget that Luke was rather young when his journey started. His comment about Tosche Station and wanting to hang with his friends made it easy to put yourself in his shoes.
5. Faulty mechanics.
To this day, the exact function of a motivator is a little fuzzy, but thank goodness R5-D4 had a bad one.
6. A spa treatment.
After Threepio was purchased by the Lars family, he received what equated to a droid spa treatment. He probably needed it after walking around on dusty Tatooine. Who wouldn't!
7. It does a body good.
Blue milk appeared just once in the original trilogy, but once was enough for everyone to recall the pastel beverage.
8. Looking out for Luke.
Uncle Owen was the kind of guy who probably had Luke working for hours around the moisture farm, but when he talked about keeping Luke back for another harvesting season, you knew he came from a place of wanting to keep Luke safe.
9. Gaffi stick attack!
Characters with face-covering masks are always kinda scary. We didn't have much information about the Tusken Raiders except that they posed a threat, but after this, we didn't need to know more.
10. Call of the wild.
What do you do with years and years on Tatooine with not much to do? Perfect mimicking the sounds of the local wildlife, like a krayt dragon.
11. A more elegant weapon.
Obi-Wan presented Luke with his father's lightsaber -- and inspired generations of kids to impersonate the sound effect while fighting with cardboard wrapping paper tubes.
12. The survival of the Rebellion.
"Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope." It was a message that launched an unforgettable adventure.
13. A very gray meeting.
By the time the Imperials gathered for a conference aboard the Death Star, it was apparent they were the villains. The meeting showcased how the organization is a little like a corporation and how some of them didn't necessarily respect Darth Vader.
14. "I find your lack of faith disturbing."
In the first few minutes of A New Hope, we met Darth Vader. His appearance and mannerisms were intimidating, but the demonstration of his uh, unique skills -- namely Force choking (though we didn't know what it was called when it happened) was terrifying and opened a door to a new mythology.
15. Charred remains.
The Empire was scary from the first scene of A New Hope, but the fact that they killed Luke's family drove their awfulness and coldness home. Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru's charred bodies are the stuff of nightmares, but their deaths would prove a catalyst for Luke -- one that ultimately led to the end of the Empire.
16. Binary sunset.
So much hope and possibility was captured when Luke gazed at Tatooine's sun with the Force theme playing in the background. It's the essence of Star Wars.
17. Hidden rebel base.
Few droids have inspired terror like the interrogation droid. Did you see the needle on that thing?
18. A wave of the hand...
"These aren't the droids you're looking for." One of Star Wars' most quotable lines. Raise your hand if you were blown away when Ben exercised that particular Jedi skill.
19. The cantina music that will be with you. Always.
The catchy tune by Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes is probably already in your head just from reading the words cantina music. The Bith band's soothing melody is the kind that sticks with you long after the scene is over.
20. "I have the death sentence in 12 systems."
Luke's encounter with the immediately cranky Dr. Evazan and Ponda Baba in the cantina reinforced the idea that you shouldn't talk to or look at strangers. Evazan's treatment of Luke was just a taste of the danger ahead.
21. "You'll be dead!" Not with Obi-Wan around.
Sure, Obi-Wan Kenobi proved to have some special abilities courtesy of the Force, but he didn't seem particularly dangerous. That was until he stopped Dr. Evazan and Ponda Baba from messing with Luke in the cantina, freeing Ponda Baba's arm from his body, courtesy a bright, blue-bladed lightsaber. His action and his lack of hesitation about taking said action spoke volumes.
22. Meet Han Solo, world.
Han Solo's introduction was all about him selling the greatness of himself and the Millennium Falcon -- as it should be! The mention of the Kessel Run and parsecs has kept fans debating about the meaning for decades, and we still love Han as much as ever.
23. A foul stench.
Tarkin and his superior attitude made him an impressive figure. His regal cheekbones added to his commanding nature. Watching Leia comment on his "foul stench" and stand up to him was nothing short of inspiring, perfectly undercutting his pompousness.
24. An immeasurable loss.
It's one thing to hear the Death Star is a powerful weapon, and it's another thing altogether to see it in action, destroying Alderaan.
25. Trial by training remote.
Luke took baby steps to get comfortable with using the Force, and one aspect of his limited training with Obi-Wan involved a training remote. It was a sort of trial by fire device, or more accurately, a trial-and-be-fired upon device. But in the end, he connected with the Force and did it.
26. No hokey religions for Han.
Han didn't keep his feelings about any topic hidden. Don't you kind of admire how frank he was with his opinions on the Force and lightsabers?
27. Situation normal!
Han was a charming sort of fella who could talk himself out of most situations. But, when he failed with words, you had to appreciate how he turned to his blaster without hesitation.
28. "Somebody has to save our skins." (Somebody being Leia.)
Luke and Han went to the Death Star to rescue Leia, but really, she took charge once she was out of her cell and got them out of danger.
29. Into the trash compactor.
The intensity of the trash compactor's walls closing in doesn't stop being a nerve-wracking experience even after repeated viewings. Besides making you worry about whether the heroes will survive, the trash compactor makes you think about the infrastructure of the Death Star and what other creatures one might find in its bowels...
30. The droid saves the day!
It's hard to choose which is better: R2-D2 saving the day and stopping the trash compactor's walls or C-3PO mistaking Luke, Han, Leia, and Chewbacca's shouts of joy as cries of agony.
31. A duel for the books.
The first lightsaber duel in the Star Wars universe was between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader. It was more of a quiet combat rather than a flashy one with acrobatics, but that's all it needed to be. It was dramatic and powerful, telling us more about their relationship and the Force.
32. Why is the robe empty?
Obi-Wan's body didn't fall to the ground when Vader struck him down; he disappeared. It was one of many moments that added depth to the world and spurred countless questions about the Force.
33. Hello, rebel base!
We heard about the Rebel Alliance for so much of the film that by the time the heroes made it to Yavin 4, you had to take in every detail.
34. Plan of attack.
The Rebellion had a thread of hope to hang onto, and it was evident in the briefing where General Dodonna explained the small flaw in the Death Star.
35. Dogfight time.
A number of spaceship designs were introduced in A New Hope, but the looks of the X-wings and TIE fighters were especially impressive. To this day, they're iconic.
36. Navigating close quarters.
The claustrophobia-inducing narrowness of the Death Star trench made the attack on the massive battle station all the more exhilarating. You can't help but be worried about the X-wings smashing into the sides of the passage, let alone making a near-impossible shot.
37. When it's a good thing to listen to voices in your head.
Luke didn't get to learn much about the Force from Obi-Wan before losing him to Vader, but he absorbed enough to trust in Obi-Wan and the Force during the Battle of Yavin. If he would have left that targeting computer on...
38. Going out with a bang.
It's the destruction of the first Death Star. It's self-explanatory.
39. Getting a major award.
Luke smiled, Han winked, Leia looked proud, and R2-D2 danced. We needed the medal ceremony as much as them.
40. It's a classic.
The "Star Wars Main Title" has pomp, excitement, and a sense of adventure. Though it would be easy to include the entirety of John Williams' score as an item on this list, this particular theme embodies A New Hope and the saga. When it bursts on with the credits, there was only one thing to do: watch this exciting, touching, and inspiring movie again.
What are your favorite moments from A New Hope? Let us know in the comments below!
Amy Ratcliffe is a writer obsessed with Star Wars, Disney, and coffee. Follow her on Twitter at @amy_geek.
