Never doubt what a great editor brings to the table. In this video essay, writer David Welch and editor Joey Scoma slice and dice Star Wars, using script drafts, deleted footage, and historical accounts to reconstruct the crucial, late-in-the-game changes executed in the edit — where director George Lucas led the editorial team of Richard Chew, Paul Hirsch and Marcia Lucas — that elevated Star Wars beyond the status of just another outer-space movie.