During the initial period of the Galactic Civil War, the Galactic Empire launched an attack on Spaceport THX1138. This spaceport served as a hub for travel agencies belonging to the Galactic Tourist Bureau, notably Star Tours, and was situated within the Earth system. The reason for the attack was the detection of a Rebel spy aboard one of Star Tours' StarSpeeder 1000s.
Around the time of 2 BBY, the Rebel Alliance was officially announced, inadvertently triggered by the actions of the Galactic Empire. At least a year after this declaration, Alderaanian Captain Raymus Antilles, secretly a member of the Rebel Alliance, made arrangements to transport C-3PO and R2-D2 to the Star Tours interstellar travel agency to facilitate the expansion of their operational reach. This action aroused the suspicion of the Galactic Empire, leading them to believe the agency might be a front for Rebel activities.
At approximately 0700 hours one morning, a Rebel spy boarded the StarSpeeder 1000 designated for Star Tours Flight 1401 (ST-1401), mingling with various civilian passengers. Due to a last-minute change, protocol droid C-3PO took the place of AC-38 as the pilot. Upon discovering the spy's location, the Galactic Empire deployed a squadron of Imperial-class Star Destroyers along with several TIE fighters to encircle Spaceport THX1138. Imperial forces, including a unit of stormtroopers acting under the orders of Darth Vader, entered the station and identified the Rebel spy among the passengers just before the speeder was scheduled to depart. As they moved to intercept the ship and board it, astromech R2-D2 activated the ship's weaponry, opening fire and taking off, engaging Imperial vessels before making their escape into hyperspace carrying the Rebel spy. Before the escape, Vader engaged the services of Mandalorian bounty hunter Boba Fett to recover the ship in the event of its successful escape.
This article is based on the opening sequence of the attraction Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. The ride features a randomized selection between two different, and contradictory, sets of events.
One possible scenario unfolds with ST-1401 receiving clearance for takeoff, only to be confronted by a contingent of several dozen stormtroopers, four skytroopers, four TIE/LN starfighters, and Darth Vader (aboard a Hover Platform) who descend onto the runway, forcing ST-1401 to halt. After Vader reveals the presence of a Rebel spy and announces the spy's impending arrest, ST-1401 attempts to evade capture by reversing. However, Vader intervenes, attempting to draw it in using the Force. In response, R2-D2 activates the StarSpeeder 1000's weapon systems, firing upon Vader. Vader is compelled to release his hold on the vessel to deflect the incoming blasts with his lightsaber, prompting the stormtroopers to open fire on the escaping vessel and the TIE fighters to pursue. R2-D2 proceeds to destroy one of the pursuing TIE fighters during the escape, causing the remaining three to scatter, before initiating a jump to hyperspace.
Another possibility involves ST-1401 being scanned by a Prowler 1000 exploration droid before it can complete its departure protocols. Additionally, Han Solo, then a smuggler, whose ship, the Millennium Falcon, is docked adjacent to the StarSpeeder 1000, encounters stormtroopers presumably dispatched to capture ST-1401. Subsequently, both the Millennium Falcon and ST-1401 flee the station, with ST-1401 following closely behind the Falcon while evading Imperial vessels, and the Falcon assisting ST-1401 in its escape. The Falcon ultimately attacks one of the Star Destroyers, inflicting significant damage and enabling the StarSpeeder 1000 to break free from the Imperials and enter hyperspace.
While the StarWars.com blog post "Convenient Daily Departures: The History of Star Tours" confirmed Vader's involvement in the operation, it remained ambiguous as to whether Vader personally led the forces in the attempt to stop ST-1401. Consequently, the article incorporates elements from both scenarios.
When sequel trilogy content was integrated into the attraction in 2017 to coincide with the release of The Last Jedi and to allow a previous The Force Awakens update to exist separately from the original 2011 material, the raid scenes were reshot featuring Kylo Ren and First Order stormtroopers replacing their Imperial counterparts. Apart from these visual and auditory modifications, the core events remain essentially unchanged.