A New Hope left viewers intrigued at the story of Star Wars. By introducing lovable heroes that everyone roots for and despised antagonists, moviegoers flocked to the theaters to see the next installment in the series, The Empire Strikes Back. Episode IV left off with exactly what the title suggests, a new sense of hope for the budding rebellion against a tyrannic galactic empire. Fittingly, Episode V sends new hardships towards our heroes, with many of them being overwhelmed and things taking a turn for the worse. The darker tone of The Empire Strikes Back allows it to explore darker and deeper themes, consequently allowing it to build upon and surpass the quality of A New Hope.
Released 3 years after A New Hope, the movie takes place 3 years after the events of the previous movie, with the Rebel Alliance on the run and having to retreat to a final stronghold on the ice planet of Hoth. Luke’s role in the rebels has clearly grown, as he goes on expeditions to investigate empire probes designed to search planets for rebel bases. Lucas brilliantly uses the beginning of the movie to bring us up to date with how the characters have developed since the previous movie. Luke’s capture by a wampa and his daring escape show that he has developed the confidence and poise necessary to control his Force powers, but his subsequent struggle in the icy cold shows that he hasn’t developed enough for true independence and requires Han to rescue him. Han’s daring rescue and Leia’s worry shows both Han’s bravery and disregard for his own safety and his and Leia’s budding romance.
Luke is really the central focus of this movie, whereas in the previous film it focused more on Han, Leia, and Obi-Wan. Guided by Obi-Wan’s spirit, he goes to the planet Dagobah to receive training from, though he doesn’t realize it at first, former legendary Jedi master, Yoda. It’s truly a shame that CGI hadn’t developed enough to make Yoda appear more genuine, as moviemakers had to settle for an ugly puppet instead. However, Yoda’s quirkiness and odd training methods are an amusing and important part of the film. Yoda doesn’t physically train Luke as much, and this is confusing to Luke at first. That is until he realizes that the power he is searching for is already in him, and that all he has to do is find it. Luke leaves Dagobah realizing his friends are in danger, but takes a false sense of confidence with him.
The confrontation of Luke and Darth Vader is, without any argument, the most iconic scene in any Star Wars movie, and ranks among the best movie scenes of all-time. Luke recklessly believes his still limited training is enough for him to defeat the powerful Darth Vader, and he is immediately humbled by the much more experienced and stronger Force user. Losing a hand to Vader’s crimson blade, Luke retreats, and the most famous line in all of Star Wars is uttered. Vader tells Luke, “I am your father.” The realization that his most hated enemy is in fact his father is too much for Luke, sending him over the edge both physically and mentally. It also pushes him over the edge mentally because of the realization the Ben and Yoda probably knew this information but refused to share it with him.
Luckily, Luke is able to escape, but Han is left in suspended animation and Leia becomes the slave of the ugly creature, Jabba the Hut. Any hope that was gained in the previous movie is swiftly destroyed as the Empire in deeds strikes back with a force and fury never seen before.