A desert farm boy, an old hermit, and two space pilots get entangled in a princess’s rebellion against a galactic empire.

I’m breaking down movies by their three-act structure. What is three-act structure? I explain it here.

Note: I break the story down into five-minute blocks to make it easier to see the length of each section. Rough time codes follow.

Prolog

Legend: It is a period of civil war in the galactic empire. 2

Act 1

Darth Vader boards Princess Leia’s ship (introducing the villain). 5

Leia hides the Death Star plans in R2-D2 (introducing some of the heroes). R2 and 3-P0 flee in an escape pod. 10

R2 and 3-P0 are captured separately by Jawas. 15

R2 and 3-P0 are sold to Owen Lars and his nephew Luke Skywalker (the main hero). 20

Luke activates Leia’s message to Obi-Wan Kenobi in R2 (the inciting incident): the rebels need the Death Star plans to destroy it (introducing the central conflict). 25

Luke pursues the missing R2 (motivation) and is rescued from Sand People by Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi. 30

Act 2

Ben explains Luke’s father was a Force-using Jedi knight killed by Darth Vader. 35

R2 shows Ben the message from Leia. Luke says he can’t go help deliver R2 to the rebels, because he must help his aunt and uncle. 40

After first finding the jawas slaughtered, Luke finds his aunt and uncle murdered (plot twist 1!). Luke and Ben go to Mos Eisley (into the wilderness). 45

Ben and Luke make a deal with Han Solo and Chewbacca to take them to the Alderaan (plan A, which never works). 50

Han kills bounty hunter Greedo. Ben and Luke board Han’s ship to flee Mos Eisley. 55

The Death Star destroys Alderaan. (A crisis that not only affects Leia but even Ben and, by extension, the others, not just emotionally but because their destination–the rebel base on Alderaan–is gone.) 60

Midpoint

Ben teaches Luke about the Force. The heroes discover Alderaan is destroyed and get captured. (An extended crisis to ensure all the heroes are fully engaged!) 65

The heroes hide and sneak out of their ship in stormtrooper uniforms. 70

R2 finds Leia is a prisoner on the Death Star (plot twist 2!). Luke and Han take Chewbacca to the detention unit so they can rescue Leia (plan B, which commits them to resolving the conflict). 75

Han, Luke, & Chewie rescue Leia and end up in a trash compactor… with a monster. 80

R2 and 3-P0 rescue the heroes from the trash compactor. 85

Ben shuts down the tractor beam. The heroes race to the ship under fire. 90

Vader finds and kills Ben (the defeat); Luke is devastated (all is lost!)….

Act 3

….The heroes escape in Han’s ship, battling TIE fighters. 95

The heroes go to the rebel base. The rebels prepare for battle and discover a weakness in the Death Star. (The secret key!) They must hit a small port in the central trench of the Death Star. 100

Han leaves with his payment. Luke meets old friends and preps for battle in a fighter (the tables are turned). 105

The rebels attack and fare poorly against the Death Star’s defenses (a final setback). 110

Vader enters the fight personally. 115

Luke goes in for his run using the Force to do his targeting (using a technique the mentor trained him on). Han and Chewie return to keep Vader off Luke. Luke destroys the Death Star (resolving the central conflict). Luke, Han, and Chewie return to base…

Epilog

Han and Luke are awarded medals by Princess Leia. 120