The Empire Strikes Back is the 5th episode of Star Wars and the 2nd movie in the original trilogy. Continuing from the 1st movie, after the destruction of DeathStar the Rebel Alliance has regrouped on the ice planet Hoth. Luke has started to discover that he has powers of the Force. He is instructed by Obi-Wan to visit Jedi Master Yoda who lives on Dagobah. Meanwhile, Vader finds out the Rebel’s hiding place and orders a huge land attack on their base. Massive Imperial Walkers attack Hoth. The base is destroyed but the Rebels are able to move their resources out and escape.
Solo and Leia escape in the Millennium Falcon which starts to give problems when they come under attack from Imperial ships. Solo is able to shake off his pursuers by flying through an asteroid field. Leia and Solo have begun to fall in love. They head to Cloud City but are captured by Vader there with the help of Solo’s friend Lando. Elsewhere, Luke reaches Dagobah, finds Yoda and starts his Jedi training under him. He starts to gain the power to control the Force. He sees visions of his friends being in trouble and flies back to Cloud City. With his newly gained Jedi powers, Luke takes on Vader in an epic lightsaber battle. Vader reveals to him that he is his real father and tempts him to join the Dark Side. Luke is shocked, he refuses and escapes with Leia. Unfortunately, Solo is captured, frozen in carbonite and shipped away.
This movie is directed by Irvin Kershner, not by Lucas. TESB is the better and more mature of the Star Wars movies I’ve seen. Thankfully, there are no silly or irritating beasts/characters (like JarJar or the Sand People) in this episode. The picturization of the planets (Hoth in ice and Cloud City) are beautiful. Solo and Leia are pleasing. The Force is strong in this one.
“If you only knew the power of the dark side.”