The Empire Strikes Back in the context of "George Lucas"

Star Wars is an American epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon. The franchise has been expanded into various films and other media, including television series, video games, novels, comic books, theme park attractions, and themed areas, comprising an all-encompassing fictional universe. Star Wars is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.

The original 1977 film, retroactively subtitled Episode IV: A New Hope, was followed by the sequels Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), forming the original Star Wars trilogy. Lucas later returned to the series to write and direct a prequel trilogy, consisting of Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002), and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005). In 2012, Lucas sold his production company to Disney, relinquishing his ownership of the franchise. This led to a sequel trilogy, consisting of Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017), and Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

Lawrence Edward Kasdan (born January 14, 1949) is an American filmmaker. He wrote and directed Body Heat (1981), The Big Chill (1983), Silverado (1985), The Accidental Tourist (1988), and Dreamcatcher (2003). Kasdan also wrote Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and The Bodyguard (1992). Kasdan co-wrote four Star Wars films: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), The Force Awakens (2015), and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018).

Kasdan is known for updating old Hollywood genres—film noir, science fiction, the western—in a classical dramatic style with quick-witted dialogue, but dealing with contemporary social themes. As a director, he has worked with his own scripts, often directing William Hurt.

The Star Wars franchise involves multiple live-action and animated films. The series was initially created as a trilogy set in medias res (partway through the plot) that was later expanded into a trilogy of trilogies, known as the "Skywalker Saga".

The original 1977 film Star Wars (later subtitled A New Hope) was followed by the sequels The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983); these films form the original trilogy. Beginning twenty-two years later, the prequel trilogy was released, consisting of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). Then, after creator George Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, a sequel trilogy consisting of Episodes VII through IX was released, namely Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

The Galactic Empire, also known simply as the Empire, is a fictional autocracy featured in the Star Wars franchise. Introduced in the 1977 film Star Wars, it is the main antagonistic faction of the original trilogy, which also includes The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). An oppressive dictatorship with a complicated bureaucracy, the Galactic Empire seeks the rule and social control of every planet and civilization within the galaxy, based on anthropocentrism, nationalisation, state terrorism, power projection, and threat of lethal force.

The Galactic Empire's rise was not a violent takeover by force, but rather a consolidating unprecedented and unchecked power in the Chancellor via a calculated Gleichschaltung-like dismantling of the galaxy's most powerful institutions by undermining the public's faith in these institutions, rewriting constitutional foundations, controlling the Jedi Council, weakening the Galactic Senate, court packing the Supreme Court and the appointment of loyal Governors. At its peak, the Galactic Empire sprawls over much of the known Star Wars galaxy, which consists of millions of habitable star systems and billions more fringe colonies, shipyards, fortress worlds, and outer territories. The Empire's origins are depicted in the prequel film Revenge of the Sith (2005), where it replaces the Galactic Republic at the end of the Clone Wars orchestrated by the Republic's Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine. Palpatine is also secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, who masterminds the war to destroy the Jedi and restore the Sith to power.

Princess Leia Organa (/ˈleɪ.ə/ or /ˈliːə/) is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. Introduced in the original Star Wars film in 1977, Leia is a princess of the planet Alderaan, a member of the Imperial Senate, and an agent of the Rebel Alliance. She thwarts the Sith Lord Darth Vader and helps bring about the destruction of the Empire's superweapon, the Death Star. In The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Leia commands a Rebel base and evades Vader as she falls in love with the smuggler Han Solo. In Return of the Jedi (1983), she helps rescue Han from the crime lord Jabba the Hutt, and is revealed to be Vader's daughter and the twin sister of Luke Skywalker. Leia is portrayed by Carrie Fisher in the original film trilogy and the sequel trilogy.

The 2005 prequel film Revenge of the Sith reveals that Leia's mother is Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo, who dies after childbirth. Leia's father is Anakin Skywalker, a Jedi who falls to the dark side of the Force and becomes Darth Vader. After her mother's death, Leia is adopted by Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan and his wife, Queen Breha. In the sequel trilogy, Leia is a founder and General of the Resistance, which fights against the First Order. She and Han have a son named Ben Solo, who turned to the dark side and became the First Order warlord Kylo Ren. In The Rise of Skywalker (2019), it is revealed that Leia was trained as a Jedi by Luke sometime after the events of Return of the Jedi. Leia dies towards the end of the film but returns as a Force spirit alongside Luke.

Luke Skywalker is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. He was introduced in the original film trilogy as the main protagonist and also appears in the sequel trilogy. Raised as a moisture farmer on the desert planet Tatooine, Luke joins the Rebel Alliance and becomes a pivotal figure in its struggle against the Galactic Empire. He trains as a Jedi Knight under the Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, and eventually confronts his father, the Sith Lord Darth Vader. Years later, Luke trains his nephew Ben Solo and mentors the scavenger Rey. Luke is the twin brother of Leia Organa.

Mark Hamill portrays Luke in all the films of the original and sequel trilogies, as well as in the television series The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. Hamill won the Saturn Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Luke in The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983) and The Last Jedi (2017). He was also nominated for the award for his performance in Star Wars (1977). Luke also appears in novels, comics, and video games.