The Empire Strikes Back (1980) (Stephenverse)

The Empire Strikes Back, also known as Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner and written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based on a story by George Lucas. The second installment in the original Star Wars trilogy, as the sequel to Star Wars (1977), it is the second film in the franchise to be produced, and the fifth episode of the "Skywalker saga". The story is set three years after the events of the first film, as the Galactic Empire hunts the scattered Rebel Alliance throughout the galaxy. While Darth Vader relentlessly pursues Luke Skywalker's friends—Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Chewbacca—Luke studies the Force under Jedi Master Yoda to prepare himself for his upcoming confrontation with Vader.
The Empire Strikes Back premiered in Los Angeles, California on September 15, 1980, and was released in the United States on September 19, 1980. The film became the highest-grossing film of 1980 with $650 million. Initially being met with mixed reviews from critics upon its release. However, it is now hailed by many as the greatest film in the Star Wars saga and one of the greatest films ever made. The film has grossed over $942.6 million worldwide from its original run and several re-releases. Adjusted for inflation, it is the second-highest-grossing sequel of all time and the thirteenth highest-grossing film of all time in North America. In 2010, the film was selected for preservation in the United States' National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
==Plot==
Three years after the destruction of the Death Star, the Imperial fleet, led by Darth Vader, dispatches probe droids across the galaxy to locate the Rebel Alliance led by Princess Leia. One such probe locates the base on the ice planet Hoth. While investigating the probe, Luke Skywalker is captured by a wampa, but escapes using the Force and his lightsaber. As Luke starts succumbing to hypothermia, the Force spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke's deceased mentor, instructs him to go to the swamp planet Dagobah to train under Jedi Master Yoda. Han Solo discovers Luke and insulates him against the weather until they are rescued the next morning.
Alerted to the Rebels' location, the Empire launches a large-scale attack using AT-AT walkers to capture the base, forcing the Rebels to evacuate, however, a Wampa suddenly breaks through the base. Han and Leia escape with C-3PO and Chewbacca on the Millennium Falcon, but the ship's hyperdrive malfunctions. They hide in an asteroid field, where Han and Leia grow closer amidst the tensions. Vader summons several bounty hunters, including Boba Fett, to locate the Falcon. Meanwhile, Luke travels with R2-D2 in his X-wing fighter to Dagobah, where he crash-lands. He meets Yoda, a diminutive creature who reluctantly accepts Luke as his Jedi apprentice after conferring with Obi-Wan's spirit. After evading the Imperial fleet, Han's group travels to the floating Cloud City on the planet Bespin, which is governed by his old friend Lando Calrissian. Fett tracks them to the city and Vader forces Lando to hand the group over to the Empire. Vader uses the group to lure Luke, intending to recruit him by turning him to the dark side of the Force. Luke experiences a premonition of Han and Leia in pain and, against Obi-Wan and Yoda's protestations, abandons his training to rescue them.
Vader intends to hold Luke in suspended animation by imprisoning him in carbonite and tests the process on Han. He survives and is given to Fett who intends to collect his bounty from Jabba the Hutt. Lando frees Leia and Chewbacca, but they are too late to stop Fett's departure. The group fights their way back to the Falcon and flees the city. Luke arrives and engages Vader in a lightsaber duel over the city's central air shaft. Vader severs Luke's right hand and tempts him to embrace his anger and join the dark side. Luke refuses to join his father's murderer, but Vader reveals that he is Luke's father. Desperate, Luke drops into the air shaft and is ejected beneath the floating city, latching onto an antenna. He reaches out through the Force to Leia, and the Falcon returns to rescue him. The group is pursued by TIE fighters and almost cornered by Vader on his Star Destroyer until R2-D2 repairs the Falcon's hyperdrive, allowing them to escape. Aboard the Rebel fleet, Luke's hand is replaced with a robotic prosthesis. He, Leia, C-3PO, and R2-D2 observe as Lando and Chewbacca depart on the Falcon to find Han.
==Cast==
*Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker: A former moisture farmer, an X-wing fighter pilot in the Rebel Alliance, and Jedi in training.
*Harrison Ford as Han Solo: A former smuggler, the captain of the Millennium Falcon, and an Alliance general.
*Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa: The princess of the destroyed planet Alderaan, and one of the Alliance's leaders.
*David Prowse as Darth Vader: A powerful Sith Lord and chief enforcer of the Galactic Empire.
*James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader.
*Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian: The administrator of Cloud City, an old friend of Han's, and the previous owner of the Millennium Falcon.
*Anthony Daniels as C-3PO: A humanoid protocol droid serving the Alliance, and R2-D2's longtime companion.
*Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca: Han's loyal Wookiee friend and co-pilot.
*Kenny Baker as R2-D2: An astromech droid series in service of the Alliance; Luke's friend and C-3PO's longtime companion.
*Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi: Luke's deceased Jedi mentor, who retruns as a Force spirit after being killed by his former pupil, Vader, in the first film.
*Frank Oz as Yoda: A diminutive, centuries-old Jedi Master living in self-imposed exile who reluctantly trains Luke.
**While Oz provided the voice and puppetry for Yoda, Kathryn Mullen, David Barclay, Wendy Froud, and Deep Roy served as assistant puppeteers.
Denis Lawson reprises his role as Wedge Antilles, one of the Rebel Alliance's top X-wing pilots, from the first film. John Hollis plays Lobot, Lando's personal aide. Julian Glover appears as General Veers, the commander of the Empire's forces during the Battle of Hoth. Kenneth Colley portrays Admiral Piett, the Empire's top admiral and commander of Vader's personal flagship, Executor. Michael Sheard portrays Admiral Ozzel, Vader's previous admiral, who is killed for his incompetence. Michael Culver appears as Captain Needa, one of the Empire's captains who fails to catch the Millennium Falcon and is executed by Vader as a result. John Ratzenberger portrays Major Derlin, one of the officers who lead the Rebels in the Battle of Hoth. Bruce Boa appears as General Rieekan, Princess Leia's military advisor on Hoth. Christopher Malcolm plays Rebel snowspeeder pilot Zev Senesca, who finds Skywalker and Solo on the surface of Hoth. John Morton portrays Dak Ralter, Luke's gunner in the battle of Hoth who is crushed by an AT-AT. Richard Oldfield plays Rebel pilot Hobbie Klivian. Morris Bush, Alan Harris, Chris Parsons, and Cathy Munro appear as the bounty hunters Dengar, Bossk, 4-LOM, and Zuckuss, respectively.
==Reception==
On the release, the film was not well-received by critics, as it was met with mixed reviews, with some critics dismissing the film and others celebrating it. Despite the mixed reviews, it received positive reviews from the audiences, and fans, fans of the previous film dismissed that it's a great installment over the previous film.
The film had now received acclaim from both critics and fans of the Star Wars series alike and is hailed as one of the greatest sequels of all time. It has a 97% critical rating and a 98% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, an 89/100 critical rating and a 9.4/10 audience rating on Metacritic, a 4.8/5 on Letterboxd, and an 8.9/10 on IMDb.
In 2010, the film was selected for preservation in the United States' National Film Registry by The Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant".
==Difference compared to real-life release==
*All of the deleted scenes, (except Wampa breaks into a Rebel base) including more training of Luke and Yoda were in the final cut.
**Though It has fan-made scenes throughout the movie.
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==Comments==
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Category:Films
Category:Films in Stephenverse
Category:Stephenverse