The Empire Strikes Back, or Star Wars V

The Rebellion, Continued

Because the success of the first Star Wars movie could not have been anticipated when it was made, the original Star Wars was complete in itself. Yes, the Rebellion had not succeeded in vanquishing the evil Emperor, but they had scored a signal victory, destroying the planet-killing Death Star battlestation and getting away with it.

Star Wars was such a financial success, however, that Lucas knew he could get support for more than one sequel, and The Empire Strikes Back is very much a 'middle movie'.

The Empire Strikes Back: The Story

The Empire Strikes Back begins with the rebels having regrouped on Hoth, a planet covered with ice. The Empire has been searching for them since the destruction of the Death Star, and very early in the movie, the Empire, well, strikes back, sending ground troops to Hoth to flush out the rebels. Our heroes keep the Imperial Troops occupied until the evacuation of the base can be completed, and then they too flee into space.

Separate Threads

While Luke flies his fighter to Dagobah to find legendary Jedi Master Yoda, Han and Leia escape in the Millenium Falcon to Cloud City, where Lando (Billy Dee Williams), a smuggler friend of Han rules a community of smugglers.

Luke discovers Yoda is a tiny green troll, who can move mountains with his mind, and is a stern taskmaster. Han and Leia discover that Lando is compromised and has betrayed them to the Empire.

Minions of Darth Vader capture Han, freezing him in carbonite. Han is turned over to Boba Fett, bounty hunter, for delivery to Jabba the Hutt. Vader arrives to collect Leia, with which he hopes to be able to capture Luke Skywalker.

Luke, deep in Taoist monk-like training under Yoda, becomes aware of the perils of his friends through the Force, and leaves his training unfinished to come to their aid.

Arriving at Cloud City, he meets and fights Darth Vader, and Vader reveals that he is Luke's father. He offers Luke the devil's bargain - the opportunity to help Vader overthrow the Emperor and rule with him as father and son over a dominion of slavery. Resisting the lure, Luke throws himself off the floating city.

Lando, amoral but not evil, escapes the Imperials with Leia in the Millenium Falcon. Leia, hearing Luke's decision through the Force, succeeds in getting Lando to swing back just in time to rescue Luke before he plummets to his death.

No Closure

The Empire Strikes Back is unique in the extent to which it does not provide closure to its myriad plot threads. It ends with Han frozen, Luke half-trained, the Alliance scattered and Vader in pursuit of his son and heir.

It is this lack of closure, I believe, that led original reviewers to express their discontent. Yet the themes opened, if not fully explored, are epic - father versus son, good versus evil, the conflict of discipline and reaction.

For resolution, we are forced to wait three years, for the release of Return of the Jedi.