DESCRIPTION:
It begins with The Death Star, which on Williams' score is humorously entitled "Is It a Bird?" The cue underscores the sequence where the Millennium Falcon is helplessly drawn into the battle station, a destiny-defining moment that brings all of the characters together. The opening progression of dissonant brass chords evokes the same technological relentlessness of "Destruction of Alderaan." Strings then double the brass in a more tonal section and lead to a majestic trumpeting of the Rebel Fanfare. Its use here is noteworthy, since the obvious approach would have been to apply the Imperial theme and the Death Star motif. The Fanfare instead keeps focus on the resourcefulness of the heroes and helps avoid unnecessary grimness. The action continues with The Stormtroopers, a previously unavailable section which begins with three bass notes as the group emerges from hidden smuggling compartments, Ben's theme follows, played by English horn and bassoon, and then the Imperial theme returns with flutes and muted trumpets as a scanning crew approaches the docked freighter. A percussive thump marks the overpowering of two Stormtroopers, and the Imperial theme is played once again as duty officers in a nearby control room investigate. They too are overpowered, and the group, with Han and Luke disguised as the Stormtroopers, takes over the control room with an explosion of brass and a brief statement of Luke's theme.