The events of Star Wars would've panned out way differently if Princess Leia wasn't captured at the beginning of A New Hope. George Lucas' beloved franchise was kicked off in 1977 with the introduction of the space opera's legacy characters. The movie was so beloved and influential, it remains a favorite despite a string of sequels. As enduring as it is, it's curious how Star Wars — both the original film and series in general — would've been if certain elements of it played out differently, including Leia's fate at the beginning.
Star Wars began with Darth Vader and his troops capturing Leia who had just recently secured the plans for the first Death Star as revealed by Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Fortunately, before she was found, the Princess of Alderaan was quick on her feet to send droids, C-3PO and R2-D2 to pick up Obi-Wan Kenobi from Tatooine as requested by her father, Bail Organa. From there, Leia was held captive in the Death Star while the movie's story moved on in the desert planet with the focus shifting on Obi-Wan and Luke Skywalker's initial adventures.
But, what if Leia wasn't captured by Darth Vader and she was able to go to Tatooine and pick up Obi-Wan herself as planned? It may not seem to be a significant change in Star Wars' overall narrative but it would've had a domino effect with significant impact on the subsequent events in the film and the rest of the Star Wars franchise.
Leia, Luke, and Obi-Wan Have Way Different Arcs
The immediate impact of this change would be on the people directly involved in this part of the story. Instead of sending C-3PO and R2-D2 to seek out the exiled Obi-Wan Kenobi, Leia would've sought out the Jedi Master herself. Considering his commitment to the cause, Obi-Wan would join Leia but would likely also attempt to bring in Luke Skywalker knowing how involved and potentially helpful he truly is in this situation. The trio would make their way to the Rebel base in Yavin 4 or Alderaan without having to sneak in the Death Star to save Leia, meaning, Obi-Wan wouldn't have to face Darth Vader and sacrifice himself just so the Skywalkers can safely escape. In the end, Obi-Wan could officially begin proper Jedi training for Luke, as well as, Leia. Just like he did in the original trilogy, he would be calling in Master Yoda for help.
Han and Chewie Wouldn't Be a Part of the Story
Going this route would make things easier for everyone as it would cut through all the hassle of having to save Leia from the Death Star, or reliance on a number of strokes of luck, particularly with how convenient it was that C-3PO and R2-D2 happened to come across Luke. There's one massive trade-off, however: Han Solo and Chewbacca wouldn't be part of the story at all. Since the smuggling pair was only roped into the ongoing conflict because Obi-Wan and Luke were looking for a ship that would take them off Tatooine, there would really be no need for them since Leia has her transport in Tantine IV. This would've had a ripple effect throughout the franchise, particularly in the Star Wars sequel trilogy since Ben Solo wouldn't have existed had his parents not met and got romantically engaged decades before he became Kylo Ren.
The Rebels Would Beat the Empire Way Quicker
Defeating the Empire and blowing up the Death Star would be more straightforward and without any casualties. In an attempt to scare off Leia and all potential allies of the Rebellion, Grand Moff Tarkin blew up Alderaan as a test shot for the galactic weapon, and it was effective. This forced the Rebellion to function under immense time pressure to disarm the Death Star before the Empire could do the same thing to Yavin 4 (or any other planets) as they did to Alderaan; they were also basically on their own as they launched their attack. Had other systems joined the fight, chances are that disarming the Death Star would've been easier and quicker. It didn't have to end with that nail-biting scene where Luke was the only one who had a chance of destroying it. Finally, after successfully destroying the Death Star and essentially saving the galaxy from the Emperor's nefarious plans, the Rebellion would've been more legitimized, with other systems throwing their support at them and not be forced into hiding in Hoth at the start of The Empire Strikes Back.
The Jedi Would Return, But Would They Learn From Their Prequel Failures?
With Luke and Leia together, and potentially learning about their familial connections way differently than when they found out about it in Star Wars canon, the Jedi's re-emergence would also be sooner, and perhaps, even more successful. Both Obi-Wan and Yoda would be around to properly train the Skywalker twins, making them more prepared as a unit once they inevitably face Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi. Luke's training also wouldn't have been unexpectedly cut short as he didn't have to leave Dagobah to help his captured friends since Leia would be with him. Depending on how the Jedi Masters would play it, they might hold off telling the Skywalker kids that Darth Vader is their father, nonetheless, learning it from a much safer setting than how Luke found out about it would be better for them — granted that it's less dramatic than what happened on the screen.
Finally, it's curious if more time training under Obi-Wan and Yoda would yield the same result when Luke and Leia go on to confront their father. Luke's willingness to go against his masters in teh original trilogy is what allowed him to save his father in the end, but it's possible that more time spend with Obi-Wan and Yoda would make the Skywalker twins more obedient to their masters' order to defeat Darth Vader. So, while the resurgence of the Jedi Order would surely see a much bigger jump-start, would it be an order tainted with the same mistakes of the prequel Jedi? And would Luke and Leia be able to properly defeat Emperor Palpatine and the Empire if things played out this way?
Overall, while it's fascinating to ponder on these alternate scenarios, the original Star Wars turned out the best way it could. This admittedly would be a quicker way of blowing up the Death Star, but it would also significantly change the course of the franchise with just one tiny alteration. This doesn't even guarantee that ultimately, the Rebellion would defeat the Empire at the end of the original trilogy considering how it would shift Luke and Leia's arcs. Furthermore, it's difficult to imagine the franchise without Han or Chewbacca, especially considering how important they were in the sequel trilogy. Lucasfilm has imagined some of these scenarios before in the Star Wars Infinities comics, but, in the spirit of good fun, Lucasfilm may want to explore these alternate realities the same way Marvel Studios is doing with the animated show What If...? on Disney+.