Star Wars then and now: 10 best film quotes

They've waited long enough to hear C-3PO and R2-D2's beeps and Chewbacca's groans. "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" doesn't open in US cinemas until December 18, but the trailer went viral on Monday (19.10.) as advance ticket sells began in the US and UK.

Demand was so high on the first day of pre-sales that ticket provider websites like Fandango and MovieTicket.com experienced technical difficulties.

To tide you over until December 18, we've put together a nostalgic list of memorable quotes from the first Star Wars trilogy:

"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…" The dramatic tilt of the fly-in text at the start of the first Star Wars film was enough to stir excitement in the heart of every 80s child. The future was here, and my couch had suddenly become a spaceship.

"When I left you, I was but the learner; now I am the master." Darth Vader said this to Obi-Wan in "A New Hope," the first in the original trilogy and fourth in the overall sequence of Star Wars films. Originally trained as a Jedi, Darth Vader turned to the dark side, though we later find out that he was also the father of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. Complicated family relations, a spooky mask, and an unforgettable raspy voice are the perfect ingredients for a blockbuster (and a Halloween costume).

"Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?" Any woman who's tried this pick up line in a bar probably got: "Aren't we related?" Princess Leia clearly wasn't afraid when Luke Skywalker showed up to rescue her before their escape from the Death Star in "A New Hope" - dressed in that uncomfortable robot-like uniform. Actor Mark Hamill, who played Skywalker, is approximately 5' 9" or 175 cm tall, while stormtroopers average 183 cm according to starwars.com. But more importantly, Leia was familiar with the elite soldiers of the Galactic Empire and quickly recognized that Luke's suit didn't sit quite right and his posture didn't match that of a real stormtrooper.

"What a piece of junk!": Smuggler and contractor Han Solo, played by Harrison Ford - who's supposed to return in "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" - is one of the leading players in the Rebel Alliance in the fight against the Galactic Empire. He won the space vehicle Millennium Falcon in a game and fixed it up, but Luke Skywalker wasn't impressed when he first saw it.

"That's no moon, it's a space station." Foreshadowing doom is a recurring theme in the futuristic films. After all, Luke, Han, Leia and the gang are in constant danger of being blown up, sliced by lightsabers, frozen forever, and dying other horrific deaths. Reminiscent of "That's not a plane…" from "Superman" but with a dreary twist, it's Luke's Jedi mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi who sets the facts straight and teaches the young warrior a bit about astronomy. That space station is the Death Star, and the Millennium Falcon is headed right for it.

"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope." Princess Leia often gets the short end of the stick in the trilogy, since she spends a significant amount of time in captivity. But she also gets to do something we all dream of: Be a hologram. She request Obi-Wan's help in the name of her father, who was a rebel fighter. It's cute little R2-D2 who presents her desperate message.

"Judge me by my size, do you?" Luke had already been picked on by Leia for his size (back on the Death Star, in a stormtrooper costume) and apparently still hadn't recovered his self-confidence. The young Jedi still had much to learn and Yoda was quick to remind him that even a 66-centimeter alien can do anything - with the help of the Force.

"These are not the droids you're looking for." Trained Jedis had the power to influence people's minds, rather than utilizing physical aggression, and Obi-Wan Kenobi was a master. When imperial stormtroopers are looking for C-3PO and R2-D2, Obi-Wan calls on the Force and simply tells the stormtrooper to keep looking. Now, if only that would work in real life, too - like when your boss tries to saddle you with a new assignment or your partner is eyeing that piece of cake on your plate. "This is not the employee or cake you're looking for."

"I'm rather embarrassed, General Solo, but it appears that you are to be the main course at a banquet in my honor." C-3PO is not known for being particularly brave, but he is clever and most definitely endearing. Han Solo, however, wasn't thrilled to hear this line in "Return of the Jedi." The golden droid had been taken captive by the Ewoks because they thought he was a god. While C-3PO was thoroughly enjoying his new-found divinity, the wookies viewed Solo as a danger to their metallic idol - and got ready to grill him on an open fire.

"Aargh!" Insert translation here. Chewbacca only had one word, but it's been quoted a million times in the past three decades. He most likely meant to underline the trilogies' main message: "May the Force be with you."