Thomas' Adventures of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

***Thomas' Adventures of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back*** is the fifth episode in the Thomas & Friends/Star Wars saga to be created by Hiatt Grey. And it is the sequel to *Thomas' Adventures of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope*.

## Plot

Three years after the destruction of the Death Star, the Rebel Alliance, led by Princess Leia, has set up a new base on the ice planet of Hoth. The Imperial fleet, led by Darth Vader, continues to hunt for the new Rebel base by dispatching probe droids across the galaxy. Luke Skywalker is captured by a wampa while investigating one such probe, but manages to escape from the wampa's lair by using the Force and his lightsaber. Before Luke succumbs to hypothermic sleep, the Force spirit of his deceased mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, instructs him to go to Dagobah to train under Jedi MasterYoda. Han Solo locates Luke, and the two are rescued by a search party the next morning.

Meanwhile, the probe alerts the Imperial fleet to the Rebels' location. The Empire launches a large-scale attack using AT-AT walkers to capture the base, which forces the Rebels to evacuate. 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 tension and briefly kiss. Several bounty hunters, summoned by Vader, assist in finding the *Falcon*. Meanwhile, Luke, travels with R2-D2 in his X-wing fighter to the swamp planet of Dagobah, where he crash-lands. He meets a diminutive creature who reveals himself to be Yoda; after conferring with Obi-Wan's spirit, Yoda reluctantly accepts Luke as his student. Luke learns more about the Force from Yoda, and the Jedi master lifts his X-wing out of the swamp.

After evading the Imperial fleet, Han's group travels to the floating Cloud City on the gas planet of Bespin, which is run by Han's old friend, Lando Calrissian. Unbeknownst to the group, the bounty hunter Boba Fett has tracked the *Falcon*. Shortly after their arrival, Lando betrays the group to Darth Vader, who plans to use the group as bait to lure out Luke, intending to capture him and turn him to the dark side. Luke experiences a premonition of Han and Leia in pain and, against the wishes of Yoda and Obi-Wan, abandons his training to go rescue them.

Intending to hold Luke in suspended animation by imprisoning him in carbonite, Vader selects Han to be frozen as a test subject. Han survives the process and is given to Fett, who plans to collect the bounty on him from Jabba the Hutt. Lando, experiencing a change of heart, frees Leia and Chewbacca, but they are too late to stop Fett from departing with Solo aboard. They fight their way back to the *Falcon* and flee the city. Meanwhile, Luke arrives and engages Vader in a lightsaber duel that leads them over the city's central air shaft. Vader severs Luke's right hand, disarming him, and tempts him to join the dark side. Luke accuses Vader of murdering his father, but Vader reveals that *he* is Luke's father. Disbelieving, Luke drops into the air shaft and is ejected beneath the floating city, where he hangs from an antenna. He reaches out telepathically to Leia, who senses him and persuades Lando and Chewie to turn back. After Luke is brought aboard, they are chased by TIE fighters towards Vader on his Star Destroyer, but R2-D2 reactivates the *Falcon*'s hyperdrive, allowing them to escape.

Rejoined with the Rebel fleet, Luke's severed hand is replaced with a robotic hand. Lando and Chewbacca depart in the *Falcon* to save Han.

## Trivia

* Barney the Dinosaur, BJ, Baby Bop, Tosha, Min, Shawn, Derek, Professor Tinkerputt, Cody Newton, Abby Newton, Marcella Walker, the Powerpuff Girls (Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup), and Courage the Cowardly Dog guest star in this film.
* Diesel 10, Splatter and Dodge, Class 40, George the Steamroller, Diesel, 'Arry and Bert, Bulgy, The Horrid Lorries, S.C. Ruffey, and The Spiteful Brake Van will work for Darth Vader in this film.
* The storyline concludes in *Thomas' Adventures of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi*.