The 1980 epic space opera Star Wars: Episode V -The Empire Strikes Back was the second movie in the original trilogy. Widely accepted by fans and critics as the best movie in the original trilogy, The Empire Strikes back indeed pushed Star Wars to become the phenomenon it is today.
With incredible performances, action, and storytelling, The Empire Strikes Back takes a huge step forward from A New Hope. It takes everything fans loved about the first movie and gives a sequel that is now used as a touchstone for most sequels. Here are some of the reasons that make The Empire Strikes Back the best.
10 Bringing Down The AT-AT Walkers
In Captain America: Civil War, the extremely young Spiderman refers to The Empire Strikes Back as this really old movie and uses a move that Luke used in it, to take down Ant-Man.
Immortalized once again this way, the take-down of the AT-AT Walkers was indeed something ingenious in the movie. The Empire's attack on the Rebels on the ice planet of Hoth was a very memorable battle.
9 The Flamboyant Lando Calrissian
Han takes the gang to the floating Cloud City and viewers are introduced to the incredibly charismatic and flamboyant Lando Calrissian. As shady as Han is, Lando initially sells them out to Darth Vader but later comes to their rescue.
Lando and Han go way back and viewers find out that Lando was the original owner of the Millenium Falcon. Lando's Cloud City is as remarkable as he is and Billy Dee Williams plays this charming character who goes on to become an important part of the Rebellion along with Luke, Han, and Leia.
8 Dismembered C-3PO
A very memorable and funny part of The Empire Strikes Back is a broken down C-3PO being carried around by Chewie the Wookie. C-3PO is at his irritable peak after being broken into pieces. And Chewie takes up the duty of carrying around this golden mass of droid parts around with C-3PO shouting instructions and complaints all at the same time.
Of course, with all the seriousness of the events of the film, the dismembered C-3PO goes a long way to offering some comic relief.
7 Learning More About The Force
It is in The Empire Strikes Back that viewers get a more comprehensive understanding of the force and what it means. Viewers get to see how the dark side works, a better understanding of what it means to be a Jedi.
Through Yoda, Obi-Wan, Darth Vader, and Palpatine, viewers learn more about the force and what it means to be a force user in the Star Wars universe, and what it means to go to the dark side.
6 Leia Feeling Luke's Presence
A hint of Leia also being a Force user is given in this movie as well. Even though it is a very small moment, it adds a lot to the bigger narrative and the bigger story of the Skywalkers. Leia is able to feel Luke's presence and she is able to exactly identify where Luke is when Luke calls out for help towards the end of the movie.
Leia saves Luke because of this connection they have, because of the force that is within both of them.
5 Introduction To Yoda
The little green puppet in the original trilogies, Yoda is introduced in this movie. Yoda is such an important character in the overall Star Wars folklore and it is The Empire Strikes Back that he makes his first appearance.
The frail, old, yet immensely powerful Jedi master is portrayed not with graphics, but with the help of an actual physical puppet in this movie. Decades later, Yoda's popularity only grew with the advent of baby Yoda.
4 Han Solo Shoots Straight At Darth Vader
While Han Solo's shot in A New Hope is widely contested and immortalized, equally iconic and memorable is Han's straight shot at Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back. Lando is backstabbing them by turning them over to Vader and the Empire.
Han's first reaction on seeing Vader is not being scared of him, but instead going straight to his blaster and shooting right at him. Han's courage is best displayed in this scene in this movie.
3 Luke And Darth Vader Confrontation
The confrontation between Luke and Darth Vader was very exciting because it is only in The Empire Strikes Back, viewers get a proper fight between the two of them. The lightsaber duel between them is incredible and very tense.
Luke loses his hand and Vader tries very hard to anger Luke to join him on the dark side. Vader tries very hard to persuade Luke to join him and the ensuing fight between them in words and in action is what sets The Empire Strikes Back apart from the other two movies in the trilogy.
2 Han And Leia Romance
In as much as The Empire Strikes Back is about Luke's journey to becoming a Jedi warrior, it is also about the incredibly adorable, funny, and witty romance that blooms between Han and Leia. From Leia calling him a "scruffy-looking nerf herder" to saying "I love you," they come a long way.
Han never stops flirting and even though his flirting is mostly tinged with sarcasm and his tone is almost always irritated and sardonic, it is very evident that Han loves Leia a lot too. Their relationship goes from rivalry to camaraderie to love in this movie.
1 The Ultimate Twist
Of course, "No, I am your father" is one of the most popular phrases in pop culture and The Empire Strikes Back has to be thanked for that. The ultimate suspense wherein viewers found that Luke was Darth Vader's son was something extraordinary. The sheer shock that Luke receives on hearing this, is about the same as fans do when they watched it for the first time.
But even on repeated viewing, this ultimate twist still remains very prominently a part of the history of pop culture, a very revered moment that cannot ever be easily forgotten.