### Author:  [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/1 "2005-05-26T20:55:01Z")
We all know that in Ep IV Leia hides the death star plans in R2 before she’s captured. My question: Who gave the plans to her? How did she get them?
I don’t know much about the EU so maybe there’s an answer in there.
And I’ve heard the rule that everything is canon unless contridicted by the movies, but that doesn’t help much here.
Anyway…
The computer games by lucasarts(which would probably make them more canon because it is part of Lucas’s Empire, so to speak) have two different depictions of the theft of the Death Star Plans.
1. In **Dark Forces** , Mercenary Kyle Kataran steals the plans from a small imperial outpost and (presumably) delivers them directly to the alliance.
2. In X-Wing, The rebels capture a freighter full of Imperial communication satillites(presumably without the empire realizing) that are used for relaying information for the Imperial Navy. Then they modify the sats to allow the rebels to listen in on imperial communications, and then proceed to replace a string of standred imperial comm sats in an isolated area with the rebel friendly ones.
Not long after they pull this off, somebody at the imperial head office decides to send the death star plans through the rebel friendly comm, thus tipping the rebels off and setting the stage for “A new hope”
At least, that’s how I remember it. It’s been a few years since I played X-Wing.
A couple problems.
These contridict each other. If Kyle grabbed the plans, there’s no point in picking them up using modified comm sats. If the sats found them, there’s no point in sending kyle.
Also, both show glaring flaws in Imperial Security. If I had a giant battlestation capable of blowing up planets but only had a single flaw, I’d have as few copies of the plans as possible lying around. I’d have maybe one in a secure vault on corsecant, and other in the hands of guy in charge of building the damn thing. Having one in a poorly defended outpost in the middle of nowhere guarded by a bunch of rent-a-cop stormtroopers seems…incredibly stupid. Hell, later in the game Kyle has to break into a heavily fortified vault on Corescant, which would have been a perfect place to keep the plans.
And sending it through imperial communication channels, as cool as that is for the rebel evesdroppers, is just fricken insane. Something that important should be transported in a locked safe by a star destroyer.
So does the EU have anything to say about this? Or is this yet another example of the imperial military being incredibly poorly led(or the writers not thinking things through)?
---
### Author:  [@cryptic\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cryptic_j)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/2 "2005-05-26T21:05:05Z")
I watched Star Wars yesterday…
right at the start when boarding the Rebel ship Vader says… “Where are those transmissions you intercepted?”
so I always assumed the Empire were transmitting the plans from somewhere to somwhere and they were electronically intercepted…
but… I have a much scarier theory… the Emperor purposely allowed the rebels to intercept the plans - in order to lure Obi-Wan and the children of Anakin out of hiding… DA DA DAAA!!
he’s responsible for almost EVERYTHING else…
or maybe… it was just a plot device…
---
### Author:  [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/3 "2005-05-26T21:06:17Z")
This is what the opening crawl in _ANH_ says:
> [@](#):
>
> It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.
>
> During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet.
>
> Pursued by the Empire’s sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save h er people and restore freedom to the galaxy.
I’m guessing there’s plenty of EU stuff that covers this first victory by the Rebels. I’ll leave that to others though…
---
### Author:  [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/4 "2005-05-26T21:22:19Z")
It’s been awhile since I’ve seen _ANH_, but I believe Mon Mothma’s line about this was “…many Bothans dies to bring us [these plans]”.
…which, of course, lead my geeky friends and me to constantly abuse the line.
“Hey man…this is some good pizza!”
“Thanks…” \ “Many Bothans died to bring us this pizza…”
---
### Author:  [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/5 "2005-05-26T21:24:18Z")
This makes me wonder if maybe, as a limited animation series, there’s going to be a “Star Wars 3 1/2” - the formation of the Rebel Alliance and the event leading up to ANH.
---
### Author:  [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/6 "2005-05-26T21:24:38Z")
> [@cryptic\_j](#):
>
> right at the start when boarding the Rebel ship Vader says… “Where are those transmissions you intercepted?”
Why didn’t the Rebels just put the plans on the internet, then everyone would have a hold of it 😛
TIE Fighter liberally mocks the Bothan spies who died to bring the plans to the Rebels in ROTJ, meebe it was a plot to do the same again.
---
### Author:  [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/7 "2005-05-26T21:26:11Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#):
>
> It’s been awhile since I’ve seen _ANH_, but I believe Mon Mothma’s line about this was “…many Bothans dies to bring us [these plans]”.
That was ROTJ.
---
### Author:  [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/8 "2005-05-26T21:27:05Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#):
>
> It’s been awhile since I’ve seen _ANH_, but I believe Mon Mothma’s line about this was “…many Bothans dies to bring us [these plans]”.
That’s from _Jedi_.
---
### Author:  [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/9 "2005-05-26T21:28:12Z")
Curse you!
---
### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/10 "2005-05-26T21:28:44Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#):
>
> It’s been awhile since I’ve seen _ANH_, but I believe Mon Mothma’s line about this was “…many Bothans dies to bring us [these plans]”.
This is for the Death Star Mark 2, though. It doesn’t necessarily relate to the plans for the original Death Star.
Personally, since I’m a Kyle Katarn fan, I go with the idea that he yoinked the original plans from an Imperial base. I don’t believe even the Dark Forces/Jedi Knight games (or for that matter, most of the other SW games) are canon, despite being made by Lucasarts, so they fall under the heading of EU. Still, I like that explanation best.
---
### Author:  [@Ezekiel25\_17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ezekiel25_17)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/11 "2005-05-26T21:31:04Z")
According to The EU, by way of my somewhat unreliable memory, Admiral Ackbar (It’s a trap!!!) was a personal slave of Grand Moff Tarkin and when he escaped to his freedom, he transmitted the Death Star plans to the Rebels.
---
### Author:  [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/12 "2005-05-26T21:31:32Z")
One morning, a rather plain Bothan named R’tur Dant, who had his own problems, really, was whisked up into the middle of an adventure by his old friend Incom Skyhopper, who surprised R’tur by telling him that he wasn’t really from the Tantoford suburb of Bothuwai, as he had always believed, but was in reality an advance scout for the covert Alliance Intelligence Guide to the Empire.
Turns out, the Imperial constructor fleet had the plans on display for nine cycles, in the local planning office – they just hadn’t gone out of their way to draw attention to them. R’tur and his compatriots had to undertake a fairly dangerous operation to discover the actual details, which were located in locked holo-cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door reading “Beware of the Rancor.”
All he wanted was a cup of blue milk.
---
### Author:  [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/13 "2005-05-26T21:32:09Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#):
>
> It’s been awhile since I’ve seen _ANH_, but I believe Mon Mothma’s line about this was “…many Bothans dies to bring us [these plans]”.
Mon Mothma did not appear until **Return of the Jedi** , where she discussed the attack on Death Star II. What those Bothans actually did, and why so many died, is explained in the game X-Wing Alliance.
---
### Author:  [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/14 "2005-05-26T21:34:47Z")
> [@Terminus Est](#):
>
> Mon Mothma did not appear until **Return of the Jedi** , where she discussed the attack on Death Star II. What those Bothans actually did, and why so many died, is explained in the game X-Wing Alliance.
I haven’t played alliance, but I remember one mission late in Tie Fighter where you basically blow the crap out of a bunch of bothan ships…letting the one with the death star plans go.
---
### Author:  [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/15 "2005-05-26T21:40:46Z")
> [@](#):
>
> If I had a giant battlestation capable of blowing up planets but only had a single flaw, I’d have as few copies of the plans as possible lying around.
Well if **I** had a giant battlestation capable of blowing up panets that had a single flaw, I’d spend an extra hundred bucks on a sturdy metal gate to put outside that flaw.
---
### Author:  [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/16 "2005-05-26T21:53:17Z")
The set up:
> [@VarlosZ](#):
>
> Well if **I** had a giant battlestation capable of blowing up panets that had a single flaw, I’d spend an extra hundred bucks on a sturdy metal gate to put outside that flaw.
Ah, why bother? The target area is only two meters wide, a small thermal exhaust port right below the main port. Only a precise hit would start the chain reaction, and the shaft is ray shielded, so they’d have to use proton torpedos. That’s impossible, even for a computer!
---
### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/17 "2005-05-26T21:56:05Z")
If the novelization carries any weight:
> [@](#):
>
> “Where is the data you intercepted.” Vader rumbled dangerously. “What have you done with the information tapes?”
More detail isn’t provided, aside from repeating the words “tapes” a few times.
Further, the introduction describes Palpatine’s rise to power in a manner somewhat different than the recent films.
In fact, flipping through this book uncovers quite a few amusing moments:
> [@](#):
>
> “How,” [Luke] asked slowly, “did my father die?”
> Kenobi hesitated, and Luke sensed the old man had no wish to talk about this particular matter. Unlike Owen Laws, however, Kenobi was unable to take refuge in a comfortable lie.
> “He was betrayed and murdered,” Kenobi declared solemnly, “by a very young Jedi named Darth Vader.”
And Greedo never gets off a shot.
---
### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/18 "2005-05-26T21:59:27Z")
> [@pravnik](#):
>
> Ah, why bother? The target area is only two meters wide
I’d think a womp-rate screen is called for, at the very least. Once you’re infested with those, it’s murder.
---
### Author:  [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/19 "2005-05-26T22:04:54Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#):
>
> One morning, a rather plain Bothan…
Bothans…ehhhh…wait, wait, don’t tell me…they’re spies, right? And they tend to get killed in large numbers, yes?
---
### Author:  [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2005, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662/20 "2005-05-28T00:31:34Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#):
>
> Well if **I** had a giant battlestation capable of blowing up panets that had a single flaw, I’d spend an extra hundred bucks on a sturdy metal gate to put outside that flaw.
That would be the 2nd flaw.
Though it makes me wonder if the Imperials even noticed it. And if they did, what’s the chances something is going to get that close and put the torpedo in?
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-how-did-the-rebels-get-the-death-star-plans-in-anh/305662.md?page=2)