History Awesome / ANewHope

* Han's BigDamnHeroes moment.
-->'''Han:''' [[IGotYouCovered You're all clear, kid!]] Now let's blow this thing and go home!

* When the Death Star goes boom!

* "I've been waiting for you Obi Wan; we meet again at last. The circle is now complete; when I left you I was but the learner, now ''I'' am the ''master''."
** "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."
*** Even better if you have the Original Trilogy Delux Edition and you learn the ENTIRE quote:
--> "Should my blade find its mark, you shall cease to exist, but if you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine"

* Princess Leia Organa, barely a minute out of her cell, taking over her own rescue: "Somebody has to save our skins." "Into the garbage chute, flyboy!"
** "[[DeadpanSnarker We, uh, ran into some old friends.]]"

* Vader wiping out most of the Rebel Fighters during the Assault on The Death Star. We know he's skilled with a lightsaber with his battle against Obi-Wan, but we then go out and see him in his personal TIE fighter and effortlessly destroy the fighters in Gold and Red Squadron, including the leader of the squads and Biggs, without breaking a sweat. Only Luke had the skill with the Force to avoid his blasts.
** And it's revealed in novels like ''ShadowsOfTheEmpire'' that he goes and does this on missions for fun. Blasting and destroying ace Rebel pilots with zero effort. Dogfighting is his way of relaxing, and he normally has a dozen kills under his belt once he's done, it's said.

* Commander Daine Jir criticizing Vader's decisions to his face and living to tell the tale. Expanded Universe explains that he was willing to be blunt and honest with Vader, but still carry out orders and do his job quite effectively, earning Vader's respect.

* [[EvilIsCool Vader's]] introductory scene - storming a rebel ship and interrogating someone (with a one-handed NeckLift) on the spot. It's the bearing of someone in command. Then in his next scene, he teaches [[SmugSnake Admiral Motti]] to respect the Force. Casual, effortless choking from across the room, with some Deadpan Snark on top; everyone else in the room, with the exception of Tarkin, is rightly scared of him.
-->''I find your lack of faith disturbing''.

* Vader during the Moff meeting aboard the Death Star. The only thing that we've seen him do so far is strangle a guy and yell at a young woman. After "the man in black" decries the Death Star as insignificant next to the Force, Admiral Conan Antonio Motti decides to insult his beliefs. Vader merely lifts a hand and the guy starts choking, saying that "I find your lack of faith disturbing." We see in this that despite first impressions, Vader is actually ''dangerous,'' not just Tarkin's lackey.

* Luke and Leia swinging across a bottomless pit. Made ''more'' awesome (along with HarsherInHindsight) when you remember that shot was ''real''; they swung across a real ledge three stories up in the air. The harsher part comes in when you learn that their ''harness was broken'', and the stunt coordinator lied to them about it being perfectly safe.

* The opening Star Destroyer shot.

* Luke and Leia swinging across a bottomless pit.
** Made ''more'' awesome (along with HarsherInHindsight) when you remember that shot was ''real''; they swung across a real ledge three stories up in the air. The harsher part comes in when you learn that their ''harness was broken'', and the stunt coordinator lied to them about it being perfectly safe.

* The opening shot of the Star Destroyer, which just keeps coming. The producers of ''Series/BlakesSeven'' saw that scene and realized that there was ''no way'' they could ever beat that on a police procedural budget.
** Made more impressive by setting up a contrast. First, we see the Blockade Runner go by, and it looks big and cool. And then we see what's chasing it...and the baseline for both "big" and, arguably, "cool" just got blown out of the water.
** Amusingly, George Lucas has stated that he knew he couldn't afford to do good special effects for every shot in the movie, so for the most part, he just did very fast, very short shots that would keep people from seeing the wires or anything along those lines... except that he deliberately spent a huge amount of money on getting the best possible special effects work he could for the opening shot, because he knew, in his own words, "If the audience bought that shot, then I had them."
* "Sorry about the mess."

* [[RedemptionEqualsDeath "Stand by. Stand by."]]
** [[spoiler: To elaborate, in the ExpandedUniverse, we find out that the gunner, [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone appalled at himself for destroying Despayre and Alderaan]], thereby making him one of the worst mass-murderers in history, kept delaying in the hopes that something, ''anything'' could stop him from blowing up Yavin IV. He gets his wish. Even if you don't accept ExpandedUniverse material, given how long he delays despite having a firing solution, it is a decent AlternativeCharacterInterpretation.]]

** Also Tarkin's reaction: first a sort of intellectual curiosity at seeing Vader in action, then he decides enough is enough and yanks him back into line.
*** And Vader's reaction to Tarkin: the subtext being not that of an inferior responding to the order of a superior, but of grudging respect: "I would really just as soon choke Motti to death as look at him, but I have to work with you, so I'll honor your request to lay off."

* Threepio's gotten a reputation as a bit of a Chew Toy, but in Episode Four he really shows a great deal of competence. Despite his constant complaining, when the chips are down he's able to pull it together and get him and his comrades out of danger. When meeting Uncle Ben and Luke Skywalker for the first time, Threepio calmly manages to not only get himself sold but also bring Artoo into the Skywalker household, all without resorting to hysterics. Then, on the Death Star, after being discovered by the Imperial Force, Threepio manages to perform a BavarianFireDrill which allows him and Artoo to escape once again. He may be a bit over emotional and frantic, but Threepio is still dependable when he needs to be.

* Vader runs a successful BatmanGambit to reveal the location of the Rebel base, which involves ''allowing Luke and Han to stage Leia's rescue.'' Then he's the only one GenreSavvy enough to realize the Rebels' attack might work. Then he personally gets into the dogfight in his customized TIE fighter and blows away enemy fighters right and left. Empire would've crushed the Rebels if he was in charge.

** And the story it's from is one of Sci-Fi's Big Three. Given that [[StarTrek the other]] [[DoctorWho two members]] of that group's [[BeliefMakesYouStupid attitudes]] [[OutgrownSuchSillySuperstitions on religion]] were often condescending at best (and one of them might still be at times), this moment can feel really darn satisfying if you're religious. Even in science fiction, religion and mysticism can still have a place in the world, and its practitioners can not only be justified in it (midi-chlorians debatably aside), but powerful by it as well.

* The award ceremony. Crosses over with Heartwarming.

* [[EvilIsCool Vader's]] introductory scene is storming a rebel ship and interrogating someone on the spot. It's the bearing of someone in command. Then in his next scene, he teaches [[SmugSnake Admiral Motti]], to respect The Force. Casual, effortless choking from across the room; everyone in the room is scared of him.
-->''I find your lack of faith disturbing''.

* Leia shooting a wall and snapping that "''Somebody'' has to save our skins!".

* "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

* The Death Star trench dive shot, done twice, and awesome both times.
* Luke taking charge during the final Trench Run. Consider that his wingmates are Biggs (his best friend and a much more experienced pilot), and Wedge (described in the EU as being so {{Badass}} that Imperial pilots are known to wet their beds during nightmares of being chased by him) and the inexperienced farm-boy with no more experience than varmint-hunting manages to tell them what to do.

* Commander Daine Jir having the pair to criticize Vader's decisions and living to tell the tale. Expanded Universe explains that he was willing to be blunt and honest with Vader, but still execute his job to the best of his ability, earning Vader's respect.

* The end of the movie when the [[spoiler:Death Star]] goes boom!

* [[EvilIsCool Vader]] introducing is storming a rebel ship and interrogating someone on the spot. It's the bearing of someone in command. Then in his next scene, he teaches [[SmugSnake Admiral Motti]], to respect The Force. Casual, effortless choking from across the room; everyone in the room is scared of him.

* [[EvilIsCool Vader]] introducing is storming a rebel ship and interrogating someone on the spot. It's the bearing of someone in command. Then in his neck scene, he teaches [[SmugSnake Admiral Motti]], to respect The Force. Casual, effortless choking from across the room; everyone in the room is scared of him.

* Vader duelling and then killing Obi-Wan.
* Vader's GenreSavvy-ness about Rebel ships attacking Death Star. Empire would've crushed Rebels if he was in charge.

* How about the end of the movie when the [[spoiler:Death Star]] goes boom?

* [[EvilIsCool What about Vader]]? First, his choking of [[SmugSnake Admiral Motti]], duelling and killing Obi-Wan, GenreSavvy-ness about Rebel ships, attacking Death Star. Empire would've crushed Rebels if he was in charge.

* [[EvilIsCool What about Vader]]? First, his choking of [[SmugSnake Admiral Motti]], duelling Obi-Wan, GenreSavvy-ness about Rebel ships. Empire would've crushed Rebels if he was in charge.

* ''Use the Force, Luke...let go, Luke..." "The Force is strong with this one..." "Luke, trust me..."

* Commander Daine Jir having the pair to criticize Vader's decisions and living to tell the tale. Expanded Universe explains that he was willing to be blunt and honest with Vader, but still execute his job to the best of his ability, earning Vader's respect.

* Han's big character establishing moment where he is the only that shoots and kills Greedo.

-->'''Han:''' You're all clear, kid! Now let's blow this thing and go home!

* Han's big character establishing moment where he is the only that shoots and kills Greedo.

-->'''Han:''' You're all clear, kid! Now let's blow this thing and go home!

* HELLO!!! How about the end of the movie when the [[spoiler:Death Star]] goes boom?
** Both the original and remastered version look good to this troper.

* The first appearance of the lightsabre.

* Luke taking charge during the final Trench Run. Consider that his wingmates are Biggs (his best friend and a much more experienced pilot), and Wedge (described in the EU as being so {{Badass}} that Imperial pilots are known to wet their beds during nightmares of being chased by him) and the inexperienced farm-boy with no more experience than varmint-hunting manages to tell them what to do.

* The Death Star trench dive shot, done twice, and awesome both times.

* Leia shooting a wall and snapping that "''Somebody'' has to save our skins.

** Both the original and remastered version look good to this troper.