The Empire Strikes Back

	Caption	Original Theatrical "Gone With The Wind" style poster
	Director	Irvin Kershner <br> George Lucas (SE)
	Starring	Mark Hamill <br> Harrison Ford <br> Carrie Fisher <br> Billy Dee Williams
	Writer	George Lucas (story)<br> Leigh Brackett (script)<br> Lawrence Kasdan (script)
	Producer	Gary Kurtz <br>George Lucas<br> Rick McCallum (SE)
	Distributor	20th Century Fox
	Released	May 21 , 1980 ( USA )
	Runtime	124 min (original)<br>127 min (SE)
	Language	English
	Budget	$18,000,000
	Music	John Williams
	Imdb Id	0080684
	Preceded By	''''
	Followed By	''''
	R T	98% (certified)
	Imdb	88/10 (128,392 votes)

''Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back'' is a 1980 Science Fantasy Film directed by Irvin Kershner . It was the second film to be released in the '' Star Wars '' saga, but it is the fifth film by chronology of events. Among fans, it is commonly referred to as '''''TESB'''''.

The film concerns the continuing struggles of the Rebel Alliance to resist and fight the Galactic Empire . The Empire learns that the Rebels have established a new base on the ice world of Hoth . Following a suggestion from Obi-Wan 's spirit, Luke Skywalker begins his major Jedi training with the wise Jedi Master Yoda . In an emotional confrontation with the evil Darth Vader , Luke must face his destiny.

Debuting on May 21 , 1980 , the film initially received mixed reviews, but over time, has proven to be one of the most popular films in the series among many fans and critics. The original 1980 version was released on VHS and LaserDisc multiple times during the 1980s and 90s. It was Re-released With Changes to theaters in 1997, and this version was later released on VHS and Laserdisc, and finally on DVD in 2004. A 3-D release is rumored for 2007 . The novelization was released in April 1980, and a Radio Adaptation was broadcast on National Public Radio in the United States in 1983.

PLOT SUMMARY

''The Empire Strikes Back'' picks up several years after ''A New Hope''. The opening crawl reveals that the Galactic Empire has hounded the Rebel forces across the galaxy, forcing them to establish their base on the deserted ice planet Hoth . Darth Vader has sent probes into space in search of this hidden base and Luke Skywalker .

On Hoth, while Luke is patrolling the outer reaches of the Rebel base, he is attacked and knocked unconscious by native predator of the wastes, a Wampa . After waking up and retrieving his lightsaber, he makes his escape, only to be overcome by the cold. While lying in the snow, a vision of Obi-Wan Kenobi tells him to go to Dagobah for further training by the Jedi Master Yoda . As the vision fades, Han Solo (who went out searching for him after he didn't check in after sunset) finds Luke, and keeps him alive by making a makeshift shelter from the corpse of his Tauntaun riding beast. The next day, Rebel search aircraft locate and rescue the two from the wastes.

As Luke recovers, Han and Chewbacca go out to investigate some anomalous readings, and blunder into an Imperial Probe Droid , giving away the position of the Rebel base. With this information in hand, Darth Vader orders an immediate attack. This attack initially stumbles, however, as Admiral Ozzel , the officer in charge of the attack, gives away the approach of the Imperial attack fleet. The Rebels prepare a makeshift defense, including rows and rows of trenches dug into the ice and an energy shield to protect against orbital bombardment.

The Imperial attack is led by gigantic, quadrupedal tanks, called AT-AT s. While the laser fire of the ground troops is ineffective, Luke leads his squadron of agile Snowspeeders against the hulking AT-ATs, trying to buy time for Rebel transports, carrying equipment and personnel, to escape. Luke's squadron is shot down, but not before crippling one AT-AT by tangling its legs with a tow cable. After barely escaping from his crashed snowspeeder, Luke manages to destroy another AT-AT, by using his cable and lightsaber to put an explosive charge into the belly of the transport, causing it to explode. Despite the heroism of Luke and his squadron, the holding action eventually fails; the Imperial forces destroy the generator powering the energy shield and penetrate the Rebel base.

Imperial snowtroopers storm the base, forcing Han, Leia , Chewie, and C-3P0 to flee. They reach the '' Millennium Falcon '' just in time, pursued by Imperial troopers. When he flips the switch to take them to lightspeed and it fails to work, Han realizes that the Hyperdrive has been damaged. While trying to fix the hyperdrive system, they approach an Asteroid Field . Desperate to elude the Imperials, they enter the field, where C-3PO comments that the odds of successfully navigating it are 3,720 to one. After a dangerous chase, Solo evades his pursuers long enough to land inside a crater on one of the larger asteroids to hide, rest, and find a way to fix the ship.

Meanwhile, Luke and R2 go to Dagobah in their X-wing to search for Yoda. There he discovers a strange little creature who offers to help, and invites Luke to his home. Luke becomes impatient and irritable, but then the creature then reveals himself to be Yoda, who was only testing Luke's patience. Luke is suddenly apologetic and insists he is willing and unafraid to undergo training as a Jedi. Yoda gravely informs Luke that fear will be a part of his training.

In his private quarters, Vader receives a message from Emperor Palpatine , who alerts him to a new enemy who could destroy the Empire: Anakin Skywalker's (Vader's) son, Luke. Vader suggests that if Luke could be corrupted to the Dark side, he would become a powerful ally. He declares that Luke will join the Empire or die. Already knowing that Luke is his lost son, Vader conceals his knowledge from the Emperor: Vader secretly plans to have Luke become ''his'' apprentice, and have Luke join him in overthrowing the Emperor, while Palpatine wishes to have Luke join him, and in the process, kill and replace Vader as his servant.

In the asteroid, repairs are put underway while Han Solo and Princess Leia continue to argue with one another. Despite the fact that Leia views Han as dumb and selfish and Han views Leia as self-righteous and spoiled, they are actually falling in love with one another, and share a tender kiss before being interupted by Threepio. The ''Millennium Falcon'' then escapes what turns out to be the digestive tract of a gigantic space slug that resided in the asteroid in which the ''Falcon'' had been hiding. An Imperial commander, Captain Needa, spots the ''Falcon'', leading to another pursuit. The ''Falcon'' escapes by attaching itself to the Star Destroyer , making it invisible to the Star Destroyer's sensors- a failure that Needa dies for at Vader's hands. When the Star Destroyer performs its regular release of large waste, the ''Falcon'' detaches to float away with it. They set course for Cloud City , a colony run by Lando Calrissian , an old friend of Solo's. However, they are followed by Boba Fett , one of several bounty hunters hired by Vader.

, Bespin .]]
Luke undergoes rigorous training with Yoda, including lessons about the influence of the dark side of the Force. Yoda reminds Luke of the things the young Jedi will see in his mind; this lesson is further reinforced when Yoda leads Luke to a cave. (This cave is later Retconned in '' Vision Of The Future '' to have been imbued with Dark Side energy from the death of a Bpfasshi Dark Jedi .) In this cave, Luke confronts Vader. He defeats the apparition of Vader, beheading it, but as the head rolls on the ground, the mask explodes, to reveal the face of Luke himself. During another rigorous exercise (balancing on one hand while levitating rocks) Luke has a vision of his friends in danger, causing him to lose his concentration. He wants to rescue them, but both Yoda and a spectral Obi-Wan warn of the dangers of leaving before completing his training. Luke decides he cannot allow his friends to die, and chooses to depart from Dagobah.

Upon arrival at Cloud City, Han's party is welcomed by Lando. However, they soon find themselves betrayed by Calrissian, who was approached by the Empire before the Rebels' arrival, and forced to cooperate. They become captives of Darth Vader. A carbon-freezing chamber is prepared, intended to freeze Luke for transport to Coruscant once he arrives, and Vader uses the opportunity to test the device on Han Solo. Han is entombed in Carbonite and handed over to Boba Fett who intends to return his quarry to Jabba the Hutt for a large bounty.

While escorting the Rebel prisoners, the Imperials are overpowered by Lando's security, who set Lando and company free. As Lando attempts to free Chewie, the Wookiee nearly strangles Lando in a vengeful rage, but eventually frees Lando when he tells Leia and Chewie that there is still a chance to save Han. They attempt to rescue Han, but arrive just in time to see Fett's ship take off. They then engage in a fierce battle with stormtroopers. During the gunfight, Lando orders an evacuation of Cloud City; they find the ''Millennium Falcon'' and escape.

Luke arrives at Cloud City and engages Darth Vader in a fierce lightsaber duel. The battle brings them to a narrow platform in the middle of a deep shaft. Vader manages to cut off Luke's right hand. With Luke defenseless, Vader reveals that he is Luke's father. Luke screams in denial. Vader attempts to persuade Luke to join him and embrace the dark side, overthrow the Emperor with him, and rule the galaxy as father and son. Luke refuses and jumps off the platform into the abyss of the shaft. Luke is sucked into an air vent, exits the underbelly of the city and lands on an antenna hanging beneath Cloud City.

Sensing Luke's distress through the Force, Leia orders Lando to bring them back to Cloud City, as she knows where Luke is. They return to Cloud City and rescue Luke, and are again pursued by Imperial fighters. The ship's hyperdrive system again fails, having been deactivated by the Imperials. R2-D2 manages to fix the ship just in time, however, allowing them to escape the Empire. Vader is left uncharacteristically drained; he does not even kill Admiral Piett for his failure to recapture the '' Millennium Falcon ''. (In the DVD commentary, Lucas states that this is because Vader feels ambivalent about his son, Luke.)

Later, the ''Falcon'' arrives at the rendevous point with the Rebel fleet above the galaxy in the Outer Rim. Aboard a Rebel Medical Frigate , Luke undergoes surgery at the hands of a medical droid, and is given a prosthetic hand as a replacement for his original one. Lando and Chewie un-dock the ''Falcon'' from the frigate, and head for Tatooine to locate and rescue Han. Luke, Leia, and the droids look on to the stars, as the ''Falcon'' departs.

CAST

Starring

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"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Vrhbosna/Harrison_Ford" class="copylinks">Harrison Ford ''' as '''Captain Han Solo '''

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"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Vrhbosna/Carrie_Fisher" class="copylinks">Carrie Fisher ''' as ''' Princess Leia Organa '''

Image:Billydeewilliams EsbJPG<center>'''

"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Vrhbosna/Billy_Dee_Williams" class="copylinks">Billy Dee Williams ''' as ''' Lando Calrissian '''

Image:Anthonydaniels EsbJPG<center>'''

"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Vrhbosna/Anthony_Daniels" class="copylinks">Anthony Daniels ''' as ''' C-3P0 '''

Image:DavidprowseJPG<center>'''

"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Vrhbosna/David_Prowse" class="copylinks">David Prowse ''' and ''' James Earl Jones ''' as ''' Darth Vader '''

Image:Kennybaker EsbJPG<center>'''

"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Vrhbosna/Kenny_Baker" class="copylinks">Kenny Baker ''' as ''' R2-D2 '''

Image:Petermayhew EsbJPG<center>'''

"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Vrhbosna/Peter_Mayhew" class="copylinks">Peter Mayhew ''' as ''' Chewbacca '''

Image:Frankoz EsbJPG<center>'''

"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Vrhbosna/Frank_Oz" class="copylinks">Frank Oz ''' as ''' Yoda '''

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The Empire Strikes Back