Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is the second film and the fifth chapter in the film series by George Lucas. Originally released on May 21, 1980, the film initially received mixed reviews, but over time, has proved to be one of the most popular films of the series among many fans and critics. However, it made only 290 million dollars in the United States and is the lowest grossing of the original Star Wars films behind Return of the Jedi ($309M). It was re-released with changes in 1997. A 3-D release is planned for 2007. A radio adaptation was broadcast on National Public Radio in the U.S.

The film concerns the continuing struggles of the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire. In it, Luke begins his major Jedi training with Yoda, after a suggestion from Obi-Wan's spirit. In an emotional confrontation with Darth Vader, Luke must face his destiny.

Opening crawl
Episode V

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

It is a dark time for the Rebellion. Although the Death Star has been destroyed, Imperial troops have driven the Rebel forces from their hidden base and pursued them across the galaxy.

Evading the dreaded Imperial Starfleet, a group of freedom fighters led by Luke Skywalker have established a new secret base on the remote ice world of Hoth.

The evil lord Darth Vader, obsessed with finding young Skywalker, has dispatched thousands of remote probes into the far reaches of space....

The Search for Skywalker
It is now three years after the events in A New Hope. The Rebels have been forced to flee their Rebel base on Yavin 4 and establish a new one on the ice planet of Hoth. Darth Vader, continuing his quest for Luke Skywalker, dispatches thousands of probe droids across the galaxy. One of the probes lands on Hoth and begins its survey of the planet. Luke Skywalker, on patrol via his tauntaun, discovers the probe, which he mistakes for a meteorite. After reporting to comrade Han Solo, he is knocked unconscious by a mysterious creature. When Luke does not come back to Echo Base, Han Solo goes out on his tauntaun to search for him while Luke finds himself waking up hanging upside down in an ice cave, facing a deadly wampa creature eating his tauntaun. Using the Force, Luke is able to pull his lightsaber towards himself. After he activates it, he cuts himself free and cuts off the wampa's arm. He tries to make his way to Echo Base on foot, but he collapses in the snow. Suddenly, he sees the Force Ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi appear before him. He urges Luke to go to Dagobah to be trained by Yoda, the Jedi who trained him. After the spirit disappears, Han rides up to Luke, who has just passed out. To keep Luke warm, Han uses Luke's lightsaber to cut open the dead tauntaun and places him in it. Han finally reaches Echo Base over comlink, and they are rescued by Rebel Pilots in snowspeeders, one of whom was Zev Senesca. When they are taken back to base, Luke is put in a Bacta tank for healing. Leia tries to urge Han to stay with the rebels.

The Battle of Hoth


Darth Vader and the Imperial forces set course for the Hoth system to set up the attack. Shortly after, Luke realizes he too has to leave Hoth, so he says goodbye to Chewbacca and Solo. As the Imperial forces enter the Hoth system, Vader discovers Admiral Ozzel has emerged from lightspeed so close to Hoth that the Rebels have been alerted to the fleet's arrival. Via video communication, Vader Force chokes Ozzel to death for his actions, then appoints Captain Piett the new Admiral.

Princess Leia gives the Rebel fighters instructions on the evacuation to leave Hoth two to three ships at a time past the energy shield to a rendezvous point, which is beyond the outer rim. Rieekan raises the shields to fire the Ion cannon at one of the Imperial Star Destroyers allowing the first transports to escape. The Rebels who have chosen to fight depart the Hoth base for the oncoming battle against heavily equipped Imperial ground forces, who are armed with agile AT-STs (All Terrain Scout Transports) and monstrous AT-AT (All Terrain Armored Transport) walkers.

The snowspeeder group, led by Luke, commences the attack, but realizing the AT-AT's armor is too strong for blasters, decides to use attached harpoons and tow cables to tangle the walker's legs. Luke's gunner Dak is hit and killed during the approach so Wedge Antilles and his gunner Janson take the first shot and manage to destroy one of the AT-ATs. The main AT-AT prepares to take their aim at the Rebel base's main generator. Suddenly, Luke's speeder is shot down by the Imperials, and crash-lands in the snow. Luke escapes before the AT-AT can step on and crush his ship.

The Rebel base is now under attack and Imperial snowtroopers have entered the base, forcing Han, Leia, Chewie, and Threepio to escape. Leia gives the evacuation command for the base as they leave.



Luke, meanwhile, manages to destroy another AT-AT by using his cable and lightsaber to get into the belly of the transport, and tossing in a Thermal Detonator and detaching before it is destroyed. The Rebels suffer major casualties as the result of the battle. The main AT-AT gets within firing range of the generator, then successfully blasts and destroys it.

Han, Leia, and company, now realizing they are being followed by Vader (who has arrived on Hoth), make their way to Millennium Falcon in time to escape. As the Falcon flies off, Luke reaches Artoo and his X-Wing and finally departs Hoth. Changing course from the rendezvous point, he sets his coordinates for Dagobah.

Han and company are pursued by Imperial fighters. Flipping the switch to take them to lightspeed, Han realizes (with reluctant help from Threepio) that the hyperdrive has been damaged. While trying to fix the hyperdrive system, Han enters an asteroid field to hamper pursuit. He manages to land inside one of the larger asteroids to rest and find a way to fix the ship.

The Destiny of a Jedi


Luke lands on the jungle planet Dagobah. There, he discovers a diminutive figure who tries to help Luke (all the while, the young Jedi-to-be is unaware his patience is being tested, and that the figure is really Yoda). The figure invites Luke to his cave for dinner.

Back on the Falcon, while Leia tries to make repairs, Han makes his move on the Princess, drawing himself closer to her before both end up in a passionate kiss. When Threepio arrives, Leia withdraws and walks away.

The Imperial search begins to take its toll: an asteroid blew off the bridge tower of a Star Destroyer. On the Executor, Vader communicates with the captains of the other ships (the one from the ship that blew up fades away). One officer, Captain Lorth Needa, tells Vader that they should consider their damage. Vader firmly says they will continue the search. Shortly afterwards, Admiral Piett informs Vader that the Emperor commands he make contact with him. Vader orders his ship out off the asteroid field for a clear transmission.

In his private quarters, Vader receives a holographic message from the Galactic Emperor, who alerts the Dark Lord to a "new enemy who could destroy" the Empire...Luke Skywalker. Vader suggests that if Luke could be turned, "he would be a powerful ally". The Dark Lord declares Luke will join the Empire "or die".

That evening, Luke's patience (or lack thereof) is put to the test. The diminutive figure declares the boy lacks patience, but the voice of Kenobi tells the figure that the boy will learn patience if he is to be trained. Only then does Luke discover the figure is Yoda. Yoda asks Kenobi if he will finish whatever training he begins, then suspects that Luke will be afraid at some point.



The next day, the Falcon manages to escape what turns out to be the mouth of a space slug (who resided in one of the asteroids the Falcon landed in). Meanwhile, Luke begins a rigorous training regime from Yoda which includes moral lessons about the dangers of the Dark Side of the Force. That particular lesson is driven home when he is told to enter a cave that is strong with the Dark Side's power. Ignoring Yoda's counsel to leave his weapons, Luke enters the cavern armed. Once inside, he has a vision of himself angrily confronting Darth Vader and beheading him. However, the severed head's mask bursts apart and reveals Luke's face underneath; it is a warning that if Luke battles Vader with no emotional control, he will become Vader himself, seduced by the Dark Side.

Back on the Star Destroyer, Vader enlists the bounty hunters, Boba Fett, Dengar, IG-88, Bossk, 4-LOM and Zuckuss to find the Millennium Falcon for a "special reward". One of the Imperial commanders finally spots the Falcon, leading to another pursuit which results in the Falcon eluding the Empire by making the insanely counter intuitive move of attacking the lead Star Destroyer. However, at the last moment, the ship veers off and secretly attaches itself to the ship, which is not extensively covered by sensors, making it appeared to have vanished in the Empire's point of view.

Days later, while training, Luke discovers his X-wing fighter about to sink into the lake, then breaks concentration. Luke declares he will never be able to get the ship out, seeing that it is too big for him to extract from the water. Yoda says it is "no different, only different in your mind". Luke says he'll "try" to lift the ship, but Yoda says "do or do not, there is no try". Luke tries to use the Force, but to no avail. Yoda reminds him that "size matters not" and gives him wisdom about the Force. Luke denies all of this, then Yoda decides to use the Force to lift the ship out himself. Luke is dumbfounded and incredulous. Yoda senses the youngster's failures within his mind.



When the fleet disperses to search for the Falcon, the Rebels wait for the ship to do its standard dump of refuse before jumping, then detach to float away with it. The Falcon's hyperdrive needs repairs, so Han decides to make their way to Cloud City, a gas-mining colony run by his "old friend" Lando Calrissian. Unfortunately, the bounty hunter Boba Fett had deduced the Falcon's escape method and had his ship jettisoned with the waste to stealthily follow the fugitives.

The next day, Yoda reminds Luke of the things the young Jedi will see in his mind, the future, the past, and of friends he recognizes. Luke breaks concentration again and has a vision of his friends in danger. He wants to leave Dagobah to rescue them. Yoda reminds him that if Luke leaves now, everything his friends fought and suffered for will be destroyed.

The City in the Clouds
Upon arrival at Cloud City, Han's party is welcomed by Lando. However, there are numerous elements that make the Rebels suspicious, not the least of which being C-3PO being found deactivated, dismembered, and almost recycled.



That evening, Luke and Artoo prepare themselves to leave Dagobah, but are warned by both Yoda and the spirit form of Kenobi not to end training so soon for a fight Luke is not ready for. Ben declares that should Luke decide to face Vader, he will have to face him alone without interference. Luke understands this, and his ship takes off from Dagobah. Yoda is disappointed, declaring Luke reckless. Ben tells Yoda that Luke is the Jedi's last hope, but Yoda answers back, "there is another...."

A day later, Han and company find themselves betrayed by Calrissian who was approached by the Empire before the Rebels' arrival and threatened him and the city unless he cooperated. They became the captives of Darth Vader, who proceeds to torture them to create a disturbance in The Force for Luke to detect.

That afternoon, Vader enters a carbon-freezing chamber intending to freeze Luke Skywalker once he arrives. The Dark Lord uses the opportunity for Boba Fett to deliver Solo to Jabba the Hutt (to whom Han owed a debt) by testing the device on Solo himself. Han and company enter the chamber for the experiment. At first, Chewie resists the stormtroopers, but Han restrains him, saving his strength for another time. Han says goodbye to Leia with a kiss before he is escalated into the carbon freezing chamber. When he is successfully entombed in carbonite in a state of suspended animation, Vader hands over Han to bounty hunter Boba for transportation to Tatooine to receive a bounty from Jabba. One of the Imperial commanders informs Vader that Luke's starfighter has arrived on Bespin. The Dark Lord orders Lando to take Leia, Chewie, and Threepio to his Star Destroyer, reneging on a deal he made with Lando. But the Cloud City administrator has other plans.

Duel with the Dark Lord


Luke makes his way to Bespin safely, and, after discovering Solo's carbonite coffin manages to escape a gun battle with Boba Fett. Leaving Artoo behind, he makes his way to the carbon freezing chamber. There, he meets with Vader and the two fight in an epic lightsaber duel, where Luke's undeveloped Jedi skills are no match for Vader.

The Imperials (escorting the Rebel prisoners out of Bespin) are overpowered by Cloud City security, setting Lando and company free. Chewie turns against Lando for betraying Han, but he manages to tell the Wookiee there's still a chance to rescue Han at the East Platform. Threepio is reunited with his companion Artoo. Lando and company arrive too late as Fett's ship takes off, then engage in a fierce battle with stormtroopers.

Luke and Vader continue their lightsaber battle in the bowels of Cloud City, just nearly freezing Luke in the carbon freezing chamber. Vader uses the Dark Side of the Force against Luke by using whatever equipment is at hand, eventually thrusting Luke through a window and landing on one of the emergency platforms.

As the gunfight continues, Lando orders an evacuation of Cloud City, then the company manages to find their last hope of escape...the Millennium Falcon.

In the final phase of the lightsaber duel, Vader manages to cut off Luke's right hand, which then falls (along with the lightsaber which the hand grasped) into an abyss. In perhaps one of the most memorable scenes in cinema history, Vader reveals to Luke that he is his father:


 * Vader: Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.


 * Luke: He told me enough! He told me you killed him!


 * Vader: No; I am your father.

Luke screams in total denial. Vader attempts to persuade Luke to join him and embrace the Dark Side to defeat the Emperor. However, Luke chooses suicide over being corrupted and throws himself down a deep shaft.



Luke is sucked into a air vent, exits the underbelly of the city and lands on an antenna beneath Cloud City. Facing clear death, Luke calls out to Ben Kenobi in vain (Kenobi swore not to help Luke once he faced Vader). Then, he calls out to the only other one who could help...Leia.

Leia mysteriously senses Luke's telepathic distress signal. The Falcon turns around and comes back to Cloud City. Using an escape hatch, Lando manages to catch Luke and rescue him before the wounded Jedi falls helplessly to the planet as TIEs race toward them. The Falcon finally leaves Bespin's gravitational field about to escape into hyperspace when the hyperdrive system again fails. Vader asks for confirmation that the Millennium Falcon's hyperdrive system was deactivated to prevent their escape, then orders weapons set for stun.



As the Imperials pursue of the Falcon, the injured Luke hears the telepathic voice of Vader calling to him. He answers, "Father...", while Vader telepathically answers back, "son, come with me". Luke senses it is Vader, then cries, "Ben, why didn't you tell me?".

Threepio commands that Artoo finish reconstructing him after his ordeal in Cloud City. However, with quick ingenuity, Artoo manages to re-activate the Millennium Falcon's hyperdrive system just in time for the ship to flee to hyperspace. Vader is disappointed and retreats to his secret quarters in his Star Destroyer, ignoring Piett's failure.

The film ends on a Nebulon-B Class Medical Frigate at the Rebel fleet's rendezvous point, where Luke is outfitted with a prosthetic hand. Lando and Chewie begin their parts of a most dangerous mission...rescuing their friend Han Solo. Lando promises to Leia they'll bring her back the man she loves. Luke, Leia, and the droids look on as the Falcon departs for unknown territories. Their own fates and futures are now uncertain. But the time will come when all will be resolved...it is only a question of how long.

Memorable quotes
"Your tauntaun will freeze before you reach the first marker" "Then I'll see you in hell!""

- Echo Base Deck Officer and Han Solo

"Apology accepted, Captain Needa."

- Darth Vader after he uses the Force to choke Lorth Needa to death for losing track of the Millennium Falcon.

"I won't fail you -- I'm not afraid." "Oh, you will be. You will be."

- Luke Skywalker and Yoda

"Run! Yes. A Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware of the dark side. Anger...fear...aggression. The dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice."

- Yoda to Luke Skywalker

"He will join us or die!"

- Darth Vader to Emperor Palpatine about Luke Skywalker

"Alright, I'll give it a try." "No. Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try."

- Luke Skywalker and Yoda

"Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you?...and well you should not. For my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you. Here, between you...me...the tree...the rock...everywhere! Even between the land and the ship."

- Yoda

"I don't...I don't believe it!" "That is why you fail."

- Yoda and Luke Skywalker

"Strong is Vader. Mind what you have learned. Save you it can."

- Yoda

"I love you!" "I know."

- Leia Organa and Han Solo

"If you only knew the power of the dark side. Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father." "He told me enough! He told me you killed him!" "No. I am your father."

- Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker

Cast

 * Luke Skywalker .... Mark Hamill
 * Han Solo .... Harrison Ford
 * Princess Leia .... Carrie Fisher
 * Lando Calrissian .... Billy Dee Williams
 * C-3PO .... Anthony Daniels
 * Darth Vader .... David Prowse
 * Chewbacca .... Peter Mayhew
 * R2-D2 .... Kenny Baker
 * Performing Yoda .... Frank Oz
 * Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi .... Alec Guinness
 * Boba Fett .... Jeremy Bulloch
 * Voice of Boba Fett .... Jason Wingreen, Temuera Morrison (DVD Release only)
 * Lobot .... John Hollis
 * Chief Ugnaught .... Jack Purvis
 * Snow Creature .... Des Webb, Howie Weed (1997 re-release only)
 * Performing Assistant for Yoda .... Kathryn Mullen
 * Voice of Emperor .... Clive Revill, Ian McDiarmid (DVD Release only)
 * Emperor .... Unnamed Actress, Ian McDiarmid (DVD Release only)
 * Admiral Piett .... Kenneth Colley
 * General Veers .... Julian Glover
 * Admiral Ozzel .... Michael Sheard
 * Captain Needa .... Michael Culver
 * Imperial Officers ....
 * Captain Lennox....John Dicks
 * Captain Bewil .... Milton Johns
 * Commander Nemet .... Mark Jones
 * Lieutenant Cabbel .... Oliver Maguire
 * General Rieekan .... Bruce Boa
 * Zev (Rogue 2) .... Christopher Malcolm
 * Wedge (Rogue 3) .... Denis Lawson
 * Hobbie (Rogue 4) .... Richard Oldfield
 * Dak (Luke's Gunner) .... John Morton
 * Janson (Wedge's Gunner) .... Ian Liston
 * Major Derlin .... John Ratzenberger
 * Deck Lieutenant .... Jack McKenzie
 * Head Controller .... Jerry Harte
 * Rebel Officers ....
 * Tamizander Rey .... Norman Chancer
 * Trey Callum .... Norwich Duff
 * Tigran Jamiro .... Ray Hassett
 * Toryn Farr .... Brigitte Kahn
 * Wyron Serper .... Burnell Tucker

Crew

 * Director .... Irvin Kershner
 * Screenplay .... Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan (adapted from a story by George Lucas)
 * Musical score .... John Williams

Characters

 * 2-1B
 * 4-LOM
 * Airten
 * Cal Alder
 * Jess Allashane
 * Ardan
 * Arnod
 * Bachenkall
 * Bewil
 * Jerrol Blendin
 * Vildar Blin
 * Bossk
 * Brandei
 * Bursk
 * Cabbel
 * Trey Callum
 * Lando Calrissian
 * Cecius
 * Chyler
 * Dainsom
 * Tarrin Datch
 * Dengar
 * Derdram
 * Bren Derlin
 * Desanne
 * Drazin
 * E-3PO
 * Edian
 * Toryn Farr
 * Boba Fett
 * Ledick Firest
 * Fixit
 * Bent Gavler
 * Iolan Gendarr
 * Groggin
 * Grugnak
 * Nala Hetsime
 * Reye Hollis
 * Willrow Hood
 * Hudiss
 * IG-88B
 * IG-88D
 * Tigran Jamiro
 * Wes Janson
 * K-3PO
 * Kebyc
 * Derek Klivian
 * Kuep
 * Lennox
 * Tenk Lenso
 * Lobot
 * Maer
 * Dodson Makraven
 * Merril
 * Tarn Mison
 * M'kae
 * Narthax
 * Romas Navander
 * Lorth Needa
 * Neff
 * Nemet
 * Nevar
 * Kesin Ommis
 * One-Arm
 * Kendal Ozzel
 * Sate Pestage
 * Lee Phenets
 * Firmus Piett
 * Corman Quien
 * R-3PO
 * R3-A2
 * R3-Y2
 * R5-M2
 * Dak Ralter
 * Cive Rashon
 * Retwin
 * Tamizander Rey
 * Carlist Rieekan
 * Zev Senesca
 * Wyron Serper
 * Sheckil
 * Starck
 * Suba
 * Milo Thirk
 * Treva Horme
 * Ugloste
 * Utris M'Toc
 * Shawn Valdez
 * Kit Valent
 * Vandolay
 * Maximilian Veers
 * Venka
 * Jeroen Webb
 * WED-1016
 * Winged Gundark
 * Wiorkettle
 * Yoda
 * Zuckuss

Sapient species

 * Gand
 * Imzig
 * Trandoshan
 * Ugnaught

Locations

 * Anoat
 * Bespin
 * Dagobah
 * Hoth
 * Hoth asteroid field
 * Ord Mantell

Ships and vehicles

 * All Terrain Armored Transport
 * All Terrain Scout Transport
 * EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate
 * Executor-class Star Dreadnought
 * Firespray-class starship
 * GR-75 medium transport
 * Imperial II-class Star Destroyer
 * Laser ice-cutter
 * Praetor-class Star Battlecruiser
 * Predator I Probe-Mate jump pod
 * Rebel personnel carrier
 * Storm IV Twin-Pod cloud car
 * T-47 airspeeder
 * TIE/sa starfighter
 * TIE/sh shuttle
 * Z-6 jet pack

Creatures

 * Dragonsnake
 * Lesser bogwing
 * Common ice field tauntaun
 * Giant space slug
 * Mynocks
 * Nudj
 * Sleen
 * Vine snakes
 * Wampa

Droid models

 * 2-1B medical droid
 * E-3PO protocol droid
 * EG-4 power droid
 * FX-7 medical droid
 * IG-88 assassin droid
 * LOM protocol droid
 * Viper probe droid
 * WED-10 Treadwell

Organizations

 * Mining Guild

Filming
Filming lasted from March 5 until September 24, 1979. Some of the Hoth sequence was filmed in Norway, in the area from the railway station Finse to the Hardangerj&oslash;kelen glacier. The scenes on Dagobah, Cloud City and inside the Hoth base were shot at Elstree Studios in London.



Critical reception
Since the release of its sequel, Return of the Jedi, many consider this installment to be the best of the entire saga. The acting is arguably much stronger than in any of the other Star Wars films. The direction is arguably the most operatic and confident, and is not over-reliant on editing. According to the actors, Irvin Kershner would encourage group discussions and improvisations from the actors, and would do many takes of each scene, in contrast to Lucas, who would always stick to the script, usually do about three takes, and offer little direction to the actors.

It is believed to be the most morally ambiguous and darkest of the original trilogy; it is also the only one of the six Star Wars films in which no major character dies.

The Empire Strikes Back initially only received mixed reviews. Many critics had problems with the story, but said the film was a technical achievement. Only in later years was the film considered the greatest in the Saga by many of the fans. Critics had various reactions to changes introduced in re-releases of this film.

Re-releases
Along with the other two films of his original Trilogy, George Lucas issued a Special Edition of The Empire Strikes Back in 1997, making a number of changes and additions, including replacing a piece of music from the closing scene.

DVD release
On September 21, 2004 the three original movies were finally released on DVD.

There have a few further minor changes to the film on this release - such as sound effects and improvements to the visual quality of the film.

In addition, the scene in which Darth Vader speaks with the Emperor was altered for the DVD release. Clive Revill, who performed Palpatine's voice, and the unknown actor who portrayed Palpatine were both replaced with Ian McDiarmid, who would eventually be cast for the same role in Return of the Jedi, and all three prequels.

Another addition was Temuera Morrison providing the voice for Boba Fett, further establishing the fact that Boba is indeed a clone of Jango Fett. It is unknown in this film if Boba is the last remaining clone of Jango.

Trivia

 * According to the documentary Empire of Dreams, the movie originally had a budget of $25 million, which was considered big-budget at the time. However, certain production problems (especially while filming the Hoth scenes in snow-bound Norway) caused the budget to rise to $33 million, making it one of the most expensive movies of its day. George Lucas intended to finance the film entirely from his profits from the first picture, but the budget overruns forced him to approach 20th Century Fox with hat in hand, resulting in a favorable distribution deal for the studio.
 * Many people believe that Darth Vader's famous line is "Luke, I am your father". In actuality, Vader says: "No, I am your father". However, in the NPR radio adaptation, Vader's actual line was, "No, Luke, I am your father".
 * Great secrecy surrounded the fact that Darth Vader was Luke's father. David Prowse, who spoke all of Vader's lines during filming, was told to say, "Obi-Wan killed your father", and, until the film premiered, only George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Mark Hamill and James Earl Jones knew what would really be said. Jones later reported that his reaction to the line was, "Oh, he's lying!"
 * The Imperial March is heard for the first time in the Trilogy in this movie. It is heard after the Rebel base is discovered on Hoth and the Imperial fleet prepares to attack. The ominous and menacing musical theme soon becomes associated with Darth Vader and becomes his theme.
 * During the Falklands War which took place in 1982, two years after the film was released, when the British task force sailed from Britain, a number of newspapers and magazines carried the headline The Empire Strikes Back!. In the James Bond movie, Tomorrow Never Dies, the main headline of a newspaper on a computer is titled "The Empire Will Strike Back"
 * The famous 80's Swedish rock group Imperiet took their name from this movie. Imperiet means "the empire."
 * The platform the Millennium Falcon lands on at Cloud City is numbered 327, the same number as the bay the Falcon lands in on the Death Star in A New Hope. In The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon Jinn identifies Queen Amidala's ship as a "J-type 327 Nubian."
 * Boba Fett was the first character whose first appearance in a Star Wars film was predated by an appearance in some other medium, in this case an appearance in an animated short included in the 1978 The Star Wars Holiday Special (although in the Special Edition re-release of A New Hope he is seen as part of Jabba the Hutt's posse at Docking Bay 94).
 * Ian McDiarmid did not play the Emperor in the original release of the film. The new version of the scene between Darth Vader and The Emperor (on the DVD) was filmed during principal photography of Episode III.
 * The Empire Strikes Back is the only Star Wars film in which the teaser trailer features conceptual artwork by Ralph McQuarrie.
 * When the first TIE fighter explodes in the asteroid chase, a small black object can be seen flying out and breaking apart&mdash;this is actually the TIE pilot, and this particularly gruesome death is repeated in the death of an ARC-170 pilot in Revenge of the Sith.
 * The voice of the original Boba Fett was replaced with the voice of Jango Fett in the prequel trilogy. This is to back up the idea that Boba was a clone of his "father"
 * Clive Revill (Emperor Palpatine) is the only actor to have a speaking role in both a Star Wars film and an episode of Star Trek: he played Sir Guy of Gisburne in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "QPid". Only his voice was used in the original film. An unnamed female actor with makeup and a monkey's eyes superimposed over her face played the physical manifestation of the Emperor. The DVD release has replaced them with Ian McDiarmid. Revill is still credited with providing the voice of the Emperor, however.
 * Before it was decided that the Battle of Hoth would be fought with walkers, production designers were toying with the idea of using redressed tanks as part of the battle. They also made sketches of completely original vehicles, including a behemoth wheeled tank, which would later become known throughout the Expanded Universe as the HAVw A5 Juggernaut. This vehicle-concept would be resurrected for Revenge of the Sith as the HAVw A6 Juggernaut.
 * Since David Prowse now knew his voice would be replaced by James Earl Jones', he made jokes out of his lines every now and then.
 * Mark Hamill's fall from Cloud City had to be re-shot after the film was damaged during processing.
 * Mark Hamill did most of his own stunts in the film. The scene where Luke Skywalker falls from Cloud City onto the Millennium Falcon-which was later reshot due to film damage-caused an injury to Mark Hamill's wrist. Unfortunately, most of the footage-including Luke Skywalker's landing on the hull of the Millennium Falcon-was omitted from the final film.
 * On Dagobah the ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi said to Yoda how he was reckless when Yoda trained him but, Qui-Gon Jinn trained him from a padawan. This is explained somewhat in Episode II, where Yoda is shown teaching a whole group of young Jedi.
 * This and Revenge of the Sith are the only Star Wars films in which the ending is in space.
 * The final script for the carbon freezing scene is not what is seen in the film. Originally, after Leia said, "I love you.", Han responded, "I love you too." After many takes, it was evident that this conflicted with Solo's personality. The solution was to retake the scene and Ford would say whatever he thought was best, thus the line, "I know."
 * While filming Luke running away from the wampa cave the entire film crew was filming from inside the hall of a hotel due to a snow storm. Mark was the only person outside.
 * Luke Skywalker's scars from being attacked by the wampa were real life scars Mark Hamill sustained in a car crash before shooting.
 * When R2-D2 beeps something on the X-wing on the way to Dagobah to Luke Skywalker, Luke's reply was "I know, I know." This is similar to the time when in Star Wars:Clone Wars, R2 was behaving similarly as they were about to be attacked by a whole fleet of droid fighters. Anakin's response too was "I know, I know." Like father, like son?
 * The film includes a brief image of Vader with his mask off, facing away from the camera. For the original viewers of the film, this scene made it clear for the first time in the series (aside from Vader's ability to use the Force) that Vader is not a robot, but instead organic &mdash; and possibly human. This fact becomes significant later, when Vader makes a surprise revelation that might be confusing without the earlier scene.
 * The scene in which Luke gets knocked out by the Wampa was added to explain the scarring that occurred on Mark Hamill's face after a motor accident. While filming The Star Wars Holiday Special, Hamill had to wear a significant amount of makeup, as he hadn't fully healed yet. Although this was done to improve his appearance as Luke, some have felt that it distorts his appearance as the character. This same mistake was not made in filming The Empire Strikes Back.
 * Irvin Kershner was a professor at the University of Southern California at the same time George Lucas was there as a film student.
 * According to the DVD text commentary of Attack of the Clones, the Rebel's rendezvous point near the end of Empire may be the Rishi Maze, which was mentioned by Obi-Wan Kenobi in Clones. Based on visual appearance alone, the object resembles the accretion surrounding a protostar.
 * This is the only movie in the Star Wars Saga in which Tatooine is not seen.
 * This is the first time the term "X-wing" is used.

Novelization
A book version of the movie was written by Donald F. Glut.

One strange inaccuracy in the book is that several times it mentions Yoda as having blue skin instead of the well-known green of the movies. The story also includes a much expanded account of Luke's training by Yoda, as well as other inserted scenes.

Radio drama
A radio drama of the film was written by Brian Daley and produced for and broadcast on the National Public Radio in 1983.