Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

From the Encyclopedia of Speculative Fiction - http://encyclopedia.wizards.pro

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is the fifth chapter in the film series by George Lucas. Originally released on May 21, 1980, the film initially received mixed reviews, but over time, has proved to be one of the most popular film of the series among many fans and critics. It was re-released with changes in 1997. A 3-D release is planned for 2007. A radio adaptation was broadcast on National Public Radio in the United States.

The film concerns the continuing struggles of the Rebel Alliance to resist and fight the Galactic Empire. In it, Luke begins his major Jedi training with Yoda, after a suggestion from Obi-Wan's spirit. In an emotional confrontation with Darth Vader, Luke must face his destiny.

Contents 1 Opening crawl 2 Plot 2.1 The Search for Skywalker 2.2 The Battle of Hoth 2.3 The Destiny of a Jedi 2.4 The City in the Clouds 2.5 Duel with the Dark Lord 3 Quotes 4 Cast 5 Crew 6 Filming 7 Critical reception 8 Novelization 9 Radio drama 10 Trivia 11 The DVD release 12 See also 13 External links

Opening crawl

Episode V

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

It is a dark time for the

Rebellion. Although the Death

Star has been destroyed,

Imperial troops have driven the

Rebel forces from their hidden

base and pursued them across

the galaxy.

Evading the dreaded Imperial

Starfleet, a group of freedom

fighters led by Luke Skywalker

has established a new secret

base on the remote ice world

of Hoth.

The evil lord Darth Vader,

obsessed with finding young

Skywalker, has dispatched

thousands of remote probes into

the far reaches of space...

Plot

The following summary is based upon the original 1980 theatrical release version, and not upon the 1997 and 2004 re-releases.

The Search for Skywalker

It is now three years after the events in A New Hope. The Rebels have been forced to flee their Rebel base on Yavin and establish a new one on the ice planet of Hoth. Darth Vader, continuing his quest for Luke Skywalker, dispatches thousands of probe droids across the galaxy. One of the probes lands on Hoth and begins its survey of the planet. Luke Skywalker, on patrol via his tauntaun, discovers the probe, which he mistakes for a meteorite. After reporting to comrade Han Solo, he is knocked unconscious by a mysterious creature.

The Battle of Hoth

Darth Vader and the Imperial forces set course for the Hoth system to set up the attack. Shortly after, Luke realizes he too has to leave Hoth, so he says goodbye to Chewbacca and Solo. As the Imperial forces enter the Hoth system, Vader discovers Admiral Ozzel has emerged from lightspeed so close to Hoth that the Rebels have been alerted to the Empire's arrival. Via video communication, Vader Force chokes Ozzel to death for his actions, then appoints associate Piett the new admiral.

Princess Leia gives the Rebel fighters instructions on the evacuation to leave Hoth two to three ships at a time past the energy shield to a rendezvous point beyond the outer rim. Rieekan raises the shields to fire the ion cannon at one of the Imperial Star Destroyers allowing the first transports to escape. The Rebels who have chosen to fight on the ground depart the Hoth base for the oncoming battle against heavily equipped Imperial forces, who are armed with agile AT-STs (All Terrain Scout Transports) and monstrous AT-ATs (All Terrain Armored Transports).

The group, led by Luke, commence the attack, but realizing the amour is too strong for blasters, they decide to destroy them by using attached cables, and manages to destroy one of the AT-ATs. The main AT-AT prepares to take their aim at the Rebel base's main generator. Suddenly, Luke's fighter is shot down by the Imperials, and crash-lands in the snow. Luke escapes before the AT-AT can destroy his ship.

The Rebel base is now under attack and Imperial Snowtroopers have entered the base, forcing Han, Leia, Chewie, and Threepio to decide to escape.

Luke, meanwhile, manages to destroy another AT-AT by using his cable, explosive charge, and lightsaber to get into the belly of the transport before it is destroyed. The Rebels suffer major casualties as the result of the battle. The main transport reaches the generator, and successfully aims and fires at it, destroying the generator.

Han, Leia, and company, not realizing they are being followed by Vader (who has arrived on Hoth), eventually reach the Millennium Falcon in time to escape. Luke later meets with Artoo on his ship and finally departs Hoth. Changing course from the rendezvous point, he sets his coordinates for Dagobah.

Han and company are pursued by Imperial fighters. Flipping the switch to take them to lightspeed, Han realizes (with reluctant help from Threepio) that the hyperdrive has been damaged. While trying to fix the hyperdrive system, Han enters an asteroid field (with the Imperials still in pursuit). He manages to land inside one of the larger asteroids to rest and find a way to fix the ship.

The Destiny of a Jedi

Luke lands on the jungle planet Dagobah. There, he discovers a diminutive figure who tries to help Luke (all the while, the young Jedi-to-be is unaware his patience is being tested, and that the figure is really Yoda). The figure invites Luke to his cave for dinner.

Back on the Falcon, while Leia tries to make repairs, Han makes his move on the Princess, drawing himself closer to her before both end up in a passionate kiss. When Threepio arrives, Leia withdraws and walks away.

The Imperial search begins to take its toll: an asteroid blew off the bridge tower of a Star Destroyer. On the Executor, Vader communicates with the captains of the other ships (the one from the ship that blew up fades away). One officer, Captain Lorth Needa, tells Vader that they should consider their damage. Vader firmly says they will continue the search. Shortly afterwards, Admiral Piett informs Vader that the Emperor commands he make contact with him. Vader orders his ship out off the asteroid field for a clear transmission.

In his private quarters, Vader receives a holographic message from the Galactic Emperor, who alerts the Dark Lord to a "new enemy who could destroy" the Empire...Luke Skywalker. Vader suggests that if Luke could be turned, "he would be a powerful ally". The Dark Lord declares Luke will join the Empire "or die".

That evening, Luke's patience (or lack thereof) is put to the test. The diminutive figure declares the boy lacks patience, but the voice of Kenobi tells the figure that the boy will learn patience if he is to be trained. Only then does Luke discover the figure is Yoda. Yoda asks Kenobi if he will finish whatever training he begins, then suspects that Luke will be afraid at some point.

The next day, the Falcon manages to escape what turns out to be the mouth of a space slug (who resided in one of the asteroids the Falcon landed in). Meanwhile, Luke begins a rigorous training regime from Yoda which includes moral lessons about the dangers of the Dark Side of the Force. That particular lesson is driven home when he is told to enter a cave that is strong with the Dark Side's power. Ignoring Yoda's consul to leave his weapons, Luke enters the cavern armed. Once inside, he has a vision of himself angrily confronting Darth Vader and beheading him. However, the severed head's mask bursts apart and reveals Luke's face underneath; it is a warning that if Luke battles Vader with no emotional control, he will become Vader himself, seduced by the Dark Side.

Back on the Star Destroyer, Vader enlists bounty hunters (including Boba Fett and Bossk) to find the Millennium Falcon for a "special reward". One of the Imperial commanders finally spots the Falcon, leading to another pursuit that results in the Falcon eluding the Empire by making the insanely counter intuitive move of attacking the lead Star Destroyer. However, at the last moment, the ship veers off and secretly attaches itself to the ship, which is not extensively covered by sensors, making it appeared to have vanished in the Empire's point of view.

Days later, while training, Luke discovers his X-Wing fighter about to sink into the lake, then breaks concentration. Luke declares he will never be able to get the ship out, seeing that it is too big for him to extract from the water. Yoda says it is "no different, only different in your mind". Luke decides to "try" to lift the ship, but Yoda says "do or do not, there is no try". Luke tries to use the Force, but to no avail. Yoda reminds him that "size matters not" and gives him wisdom about the Force. Luke denies all of this, then Yoda decides to use the Force to lift the ship out himself. Luke is dumbfounded and incredulous. Yoda senses the youngster's failures within his mind.

When the fleet disperses to search for the Falcon, the Rebels wait for the ship to do its standard dump of refuse before jumping, then detach to float away with it. Han decides to make their way to Cloud City, a gas-mining colony run by an "old friend" of Solo's named Lando Calrissian. Unfortunately, Boba Fett, a bounty hunter who was one of a number hired by Vader to search for the Rebels, had deduced the Falcon's escape method and had his ship jettisoned with the waste for the purpose of stealthily following the fugitives.

The next day, Yoda reminds Luke of the things the young Jedi will see in his mind, the future, the past, and of friends he recognizes. Luke breaks concentration again and has a vision of his friends in danger. He wants to leave Dagobah to rescue them. Yoda reminds him that if Luke leaves now, everything his friends fought and suffered for will be destroyed.

The City in the Clouds

Upon arrival at Cloud City, Han's party is welcomed by Lando. However, there are numerous elements that make the Rebels suspicious, not the least of which being C-3PO being found deactivated, dismembered, and almost recycled.

That evening, Luke and Artoo prepare themselves to leave Dagobah, but are warned by both Yoda and the spirit form of Kenobi not to end training so soon for a fight Luke is not ready for. Ben declares that should Luke decide to face Vader, he will have to face him alone without interference. Luke understands this, and his ship takes off from Dagobah. Yoda is disappointed, declaring Luke reckless. Ben tells Yoda that Luke is the Jedi's last hope, but Yoda answers back, "there is another...."

A day later, Han and company find themselves betrayed by Calrissian who was approached by the Empire before the Rebels' arrival and threatened him and the city unless he cooperated. They became the captives of Darth Vader, who proceeds to torture them to create a disturbance in The Force for Luke to detect.

That afternoon, Vader enters a carbon-freezing chamber intending to freeze Luke Skywalker once he arrives. The Dark Lord uses the opportunity for Boba Fett to deliver Solo to Jabba the Hutt (to whom Han owed a debt) by testing the device on Solo himself. Han and company enter the chamber for the experiment. At first, Chewie resists the stormtroopers, but Han restrains him, saving his strength for another time. Han says goodbye to Leia with a kiss before he is escalated into the carbon freezing chamber. When he is successfully entombed in carbonite in a state of suspended animation, Vader hands over Han to bounty hunter Boba for transportation to Tatooine to receive a bounty from Jabba. One of the Imperial commanders informs Vader that Luke's starfighter has arrived on Bespin. The Dark Lord orders Lando to take Leia, Chewie, and Threepio to his Star Destroyer, reneging on a deal he made with Lando. But the Cloud City administrator has other plans.

Duel with the Dark Lord

Luke makes his way to Bespin safely, and, after discovering Solo's carbonite coffin manages to escape a gun battle with Boba Fett. Leaving Artoo behind, he makes his way to the carbon freezing chamber. There, he meets with Vader and the two fight in an epic lightsaber duel, where Luke's undeveloped Jedi skills are no match for Vader.

The Imperials (escorting the Rebel prisoners out of Bespin) are overpowered by Cloud City security, setting Lando and company free. Chewie turns against Lando for betraying Han, but he manages to tell the Wookiee there's still a chance to rescue Han at the East Platform. Threepio is reunited with his companion Artoo. Lando and company arrive too late as Fett's ship takes off, then engage in a fierce battle with stormtroopers.

Luke and Vader continue their lightsaber battle in the bowels of Cloud City. Vader uses the Dark Side of the Force against Luke by using whatever equipment is at hand, eventually thrusting Luke through a window and landing on one of the emergency platforms.

As the gunfight continues, Lando orders an evacuation of Cloud City, then the company manages to find their last hope of escape...the Millennium Falcon.

In the final phase of the lightsaber duel, Vader manages to cut off Luke's right hand, throwing it (and the lightsaber which the hand grasped) into an abyss. In perhaps one of the most memorable scenes in cinema history, Vader reveals to Luke that he is his father. Luke screams in total denial. Vader attempts to persuade Luke to join him and embrace the Dark Side to defeat the Emperor. However, Luke chooses suicide over being corrupted and throws himself down a deep shaft.

Luke is sucked into a air vent, exits the underbelly of the city and lands on an antenna complex beneath Cloud City. Facing clear death, Luke calls out to Ben Kenobi in vain (Kenobi swore not to help Luke once he faced Vader). Then, he calls out to the only other one who could help...Leia.

Leia mysteriously senses Luke's telepathic distress signal. The Falcon turns around and comes back to Cloud City. Using an escape hatch, Lando manages to catch Luke and rescue him before the wounded Jedi falls helplessly into deep space. The Falcon finally escapes Bespin's gravitational field about to escape into hyperspace when the hyperdrive system again fails the company. Vader asks for confirmation that the Millennium Falcon's hyperdrive system was deactivated to prevent their escape, then orders weapons set for stun.

As the Imperials make their pursuit of the Falcon, the injured Luke hears the telepathic voice of Vader calling to him. He answers, "Father...", while Vader telepathically answers back, "son, return to me". Luke senses it is Vader, then cries, "Ben, why didn't you tell me?"

Threepio commands that Artoo finish reconstructing him after his ordeal in Cloud City. However, with quick ingenuity, Artoo manages to fix the system just in time for the ship to get away. Vader is disappointed and retreats to his secret quarters in his Star Destroyer, ignoring Piett's failure.

The film ends on a medical ship (part of the Rebel fleet headed for the rendezvous on Tatooine), where Luke is outfitted with a prosthetic hand. Lando and Chewie begin their most dangerous mission...rescuing their friend Han Solo. Lando promises to Leia they'll bring her back the man she loves. Luke, Leia, and the droids look on as the Falcon departs for unknown territories. Their own fates and futures are now uncertain. But the time will come when all will be resolved...it is only a question of how long.

Quotes

• Vader: Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.
  Luke: He told me enough! He told me you killed him.
  Vader: No, I am your father.
• Echo Base Officer: You'll freeze to death before you reach the first marker!
  Han Solo: Then I'll see you in Hell!
• Luke: I won't fail you. I'm not afraid.
  Yoda: You will be. You will be.
• Leia: I love you.
  Han Solo: I know.

Cast

Crew

• Director .... Irvin Kershner
• Screenplay .... Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan (adapted from a story by George Lucas)
• Musical score .... John Williams

Filming

Filming lasted from March 5 until September 24, 1979. Some of the Hoth sequence was filmed in Norway, in the area from the railway station Finse to the Hardangerjøkelen glacier. The scenes on Dagobah, Cloud City and inside the Hoth base were shot at Elstree Studios in London.

Critical reception

Since the release of its sequel, Return of the Jedi, many consider this installment to be the best of the entire saga.

The acting is arguably much stronger than in any of the Star Wars films. The direction is arguably the most operatic and confident, and is not over-reliant on editing.

According to the actors, Irvin Kershner would encourage group discussions and improvisations from the actors, and would do many takes of each scene, in contrast to Lucas, who would always stick to the script, usually do about three takes, and offer little direction to the actors.

It is believed to be the most morally ambiguous and darkest of the original Trilogy; it is also the only one of the six Star Wars films in which no major character dies.

The Empire Strikes Back initially only received mixed reviews. Many critics had problems with the story, but said the film was a technical achievement. Only in later years was the film considered the greatest in the Saga by many of the fans.

Critics had various reactions to changes introduced in re-releases of this film.

Novelization

A book version of the movie was written by Donald F. Glut.

Radio drama

A radio drama of the film was written by Brian Daley and produced for and broadcast on the National Public Radio in 1983.

Trivia

• According to the documentary Empire of Dreams, the movie originally had a budget of $25 million, which was considered big-budget at the time. However, certain production problems (especially while filming the Hoth scenes in snow-stricken Norway) caused the budget to rise to $33 million, making it one of the most expensive movies of its day.
• Many people believe that Darth Vader's famous line is "Luke, I am your father". In actuality, Vader says: "No, I am your father". However, in the NPR radio adaptation, Vader's actual line was, "No, Luke, I am your father".
• Great secrecy surrounded the fact that Darth Vader was Luke's father. David Prowse, who spoke all of Vader's lines during filming, was told to say, "Obi-Wan killed your father", and, until the film premiered, only George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Mark Hamill and James Earl Jones knew what would really be said. Jones later reported that his reaction to the line was, "Oh, he's lying!"
• The Imperial March is heard for the first time in the Trilogy in this movie. It is heard after the Rebel base is discovered on Hoth and the Imperial fleet prepares to attack. The ominous and menacing musical theme soon becomes associated with Darth Vader and becomes his leitmotif.
• During the Falklands War which took place in 1982, two years after the film was released, when the British task force sailed from Britain, a number of newspapers and magazines carried the headline The Empire Strikes Back!.
• The famous 80’s Swedish rock group Imperiet took their name from this movie. Imperiet means “the empire”.
• The platform the Millennium Falcon lands on at Cloud City is numbered 327, the same number as the bay the Falcon lands in on the Death Star in A New Hope. In The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon Jinn identifies Queen Amidala's ship as a "J-type 327 Nubian."
• Boba Fett was the first character whose first appearance in a Star Wars film was predated by an appearance in some other medium, in this case an appearance in an animated short included in the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special.
• The new version of the scene between Darth Vader and The Emperor (on the DVD) was filmed during principal photography of Episode III.
• Just before Han decides to get close to one of the larger asteroids, C-3PO appears to say "Oh, Christ".
• The Empire Strikes Back is the only Star Wars film in which the teaser trailer features conceptual artwork by Ralph McQuarrie.
• When the first TIE fighter explodes in the asteroid chase, a small black object can be seen flying out and breaking apart - this is actually the TIE pilot, and this particularly gruesome death is referenced in the death of an ARC-170 pilot in Revenge of the Sith
• The voice of the original Boba Fett was replaced with the voice of Jango Fett in the prequel trilogy. This is to back up the idea that Boba was a clone of his "father"
• Clive Revill (Emperor Palpatine) is the only actor to be involved in a Star Wars film and an episode of Star Trek: he played Sir Guy of Gisburne in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "QPid". Only his voice was used in the original film. An unnamed actress with makeup and a monkey's eyes superimposed over her face played the physical manifestation of the Emperor. The DVD release has replaced them with Ian McDiarmid.

The DVD release

On September 21, 2004 the three original movies were finally released on DVD. There have a few further minor changes to the film on this release - such as sound effects and improvements to the visual quality of the film.

See also

• Wookieequote: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back novelization
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back comic adaptation

External links

• StarWars.com official Episode V site
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back at the Internet Movie Database
• Episode V Script
• The Star Wars Actors Database

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