Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, released in 1977, does not include any discernible LGBTQ+ characters or themes. The narrative focuses on a classic hero's journey, the Force, and the galactic civil war, without incorporating elements related to sexual orientation or gender identity. Therefore, its net impact on LGBTQ+ portrayal is N/A.

The film features Princess Leia Organa as the primary female character involved in action sequences. While she uses firearms effectively against male Stormtroopers, she does not engage in or win any close-quarters physical combat, hand-to-hand, or melee weapon fights against male opponents.

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope is the inaugural film in the original trilogy, introducing its characters for the first time. There are no prior canonical versions of these characters from other media or historical records that could have undergone a gender swap in this film.

As the inaugural film in the Star Wars saga, 'A New Hope' introduced its core characters for the first time. There was no prior established canon or historical record for these characters' races to be altered from.