Via Starwars.com:

STARWARS.COM LOOKS AT THE THEMES AND MEANINGS BEHIND THE FIRST IMAGERY OF THE STAR WARS EPISODES.

For Star Wars fans, few things excite the imagination more than the opening crawl of a new film and the subsequent introductory scenes. Beginning with A New Hope, starships have become the traditional symbols which herald the arrival of the latest Star Wars episodes. While visually captivating and appealing, these scenes also establish crucial plot elements and set key events in motion for each film.

Click below to read the full article.