Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor, left) and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) launch a daring rescue attempt aboard an enemy ship, in "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith."

"A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... "

With those words, the "Star Wars" franchise was born in 1977. The five films by creator George Lucas have spawned millions of devoted fans; an empire worth so many millions, Lucas has taken only merchandising rights as payment for the films, and added the Force and other iconic sayings and characters to the pop-culture lexicon.

You would have to be living in a galaxy far, far away not to know that the final film in the series -- "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" -- opens Wednesday. For those of you who could use a little review before re-entering the vast "Star Wars" universe, those who are at entry level and those diehard fans already waiting in line to be seated first and looking for something to do, we offer a family tree of the series' heroes and villains, a timeline, a trivia quiz and tidbits.

Before watching as Anakin Skywalker takes a walk on the Dark Side, let us jog your memory.

Some facts about the Star Wars films
A Star Wars timeline
Test your knowlege: A Star Wars trivia quiz
Enter a special interactive guide to the Star Wars epic, including trailers from all six episodes and background on the main characters