It could come as a surprise to some readers, but fandom’s relationship with the second entry in the STAR WARS saga wasn’t the universal love-in it currently is, with audiences initially split by the movie’s shocking tonal swerve, its then-frustrating cliffhanger, and the peculiar choice to have a muppet as a main character. Of course, over time, these criticisms would eventually become the very aspects that elevated its status to not only one of the best sequels ever made, but to one of the best movies ever made, period. Prompted by the film’s ruby anniversary (“most impressive”), we reconvened our own Jedi Council to brainstorm a countdown that would pay an appropriate tribute to the George Lucas-produced, Irvin Kershner-directed masterpiece. Punch it.…

40. THAT TWIST

Let’s get it right out of the way upfront. Yes, there have been great twists in cinema history – Bruce Willis being dead, that yucky bit in Oldboy, Kevin Spacey being a sex pest all along (not to mention Keyser Söze, obviously) – but few compare to the absolute jaw-dropper towards the end of Empire. For the best part of two movies now we’d been set up to think Vader was an out-and-out bad guy who Luke was destined to destroy. And then with just four words, Lucas turns the entire saga on its head. It adds depth to both characters and sets things up for a thrilling final instalment. The Empire Strikes Back’s climax may lack A New Hope and Return of the Jedi’s epic space battles, but it achieves more with dialogue than a thousand exploding Death Stars ever could. | IR

39. THE EXECUTOR

TESB introduces us to The Executor, a Super Star Destroyer that dwarfs all other Imperial vessels around it (although it is still a fraction of the size of the Death Star). It’s also Vader’s home from home. It’s the ultimate statement of the Empire’s might, and even when doing nothing is meant to look terrifying. It replaced The Devastator as Vader’s flagship, and is among the largest vehicles ever made for the Empire. As if to emphasise its sheer scale, rarely does the entire ship fit into a single frame during the movie, unless seen from a great distance. Maybe Vader is compensating for something.… | JH

38. IT MADE HARRISON FORD A TRUE MOVIE STAR

While it’s a misconception that Harrison Ford broke through from complete anonymity to superstardom in 1977’s Star Wars (he’d had supporting roles in George Lucas’ American Graffiti, then one of the highest-grossing movies ever, and Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation), it was undoubtedly the film that made him a familiar name to cinema-goers. Roles in Heroes, Force 10 from Navarone, Hanover Street, Apocalypse Now, The Frisco Kid, and the ill-fated More American Graffiti, all followed A New Hope, but The Empire Strikes Back cemented his position and adjusted his route to megastardom. How? Beyond a stellar performance, it was Empire that convinced Steven Spielberg to persuade George Lucas that the man to play Indiana Jones was right under their nose, and the rest is movie history. | MN

37. DAGOBAH

The mist-laden, swamp and forest-filled world that Yoda took refuge on after the Jedi Order fell in the wake of Order 66, is a planet that has a mystic feel unlike any other. Largely absent of major activity, this nature-dominated world is strong with the Force and feels drawn straight out of classic myth and fables. The film – for large stretches of the plot – strands Luke here, but it was a perfect setting for the young man to take his first steps into becoming a Jedi master. Danger at every turn, droid-devouring creatures, and a spooky cave that’ll make you lose your head in shock. And speaking of which.… | JB

36. THE DARK SIDE CAVE

The moment Luke enters the ‘cave’ on Dagobah (through a hole in the ground), clambering through the roots of the trees, his trusty lightsaber by his side (“What’s in there?”; “Only what you take with you…”) heralds perhaps the closest the saga gets to classic cinematic horror. The motif of the cave as a metaphor for self-discovery goes back to the birth of stories, and here Luke’s anxieties about the power of the Dark Side come to fore. It’s the foreboding atmosphere and use of slow-motion that seals the deal for the audience, though. Like Perseus on the quest for Medusa’s head, Luke faces his biggest fear but we are all disturbed by what he finds. | MU

35. THE WAMPA

The wampa is akin to the Abominable Snowman, except with a pair of goat horns. Heavy, tall, and powerful, it’s the top predator on Hoth. One wampa falls foul of a momentous moment for Luke: the first time you see him use the Force and swing a lightsaber in anger. Interestingly, wampas were originally going to have a much larger role in the film. George Lucas considered opening Empire with a full-scale wampa assault on Echo Base, scenes that were shot but ultimately not included. A wampa pen was also going to be included inside the rebel base itself, an idea eventually scrapped, probably after it dawned on everyone just how stupid keeping those things in your home would be! | JH

34. THE CONTINUATION OF A STAR WARS TRADITION

There are a few Star Wars franchise traditions to speak of, but the frequent hand/limb-lopping is one not always discussed. Disney’s Star Wars flicks have been lighter with this but, as continued by the prequels, the original trilogy had an early history of appendage assault (most commonly hands being taken). The first occasion was in A New Hope with C-3PO losing his arm after a great fall, followed not long after by Ponda Baba’s infamous arm loss in the Cantina. However, Empire embraces the trend, with Luke disarming an unfortunate wampa early on, before Vader does the opposite of giving Luke a hand in the final clash, by lightsabering off our hero’s mitt! (Mind you, Luke gives daddy dearest a receipt the next time they duel.) | JB

33. LOBOT

In the same way that Batman has Alfred, Lando has Lobot, his servant and Cloud City computer liaison officer. Sporting some chunky cybernetic implants around his head, Lobot is loyal to Lando and plays a small but important role in helping his boss double-cross the Empire. He doesn’t say much. In fact, he doesn’t say anything. But he adds the kind of detail and intrigue that the most imaginative Star Wars worlds have. Since Empire, his backstory has been fleshed out considerably, and now incorporates just how he ended up with those implants and his struggle to liberate Bespin from Imperial control following Lando, Leia, Luke, and Chewie’s escape. | JH

32. THE TOYS

It’s 1980. Your mind has just been freshly blown by the first-ever Star Wars sequel. But those 124 minutes flew by so fast you barely had time to process what you saw and the VHS release was five years away! What to do?! Get yourself straight to Toy & Hobby, that’s what. With a new Star Wars movie comes cool new toys, and no amount of fully-animatronic Baby Yodas will ever compare to the potency of the original 3.75” action figure line from Kenner/Palitoy, which was replenished with over 20 new TESB-inspired additions. Who needs a HD Digital Download on repeat when you could simply replay everything you (thought you) saw in the movie with a dozen or so bits of brightly coloured plastic and the boundless power of a child’s imagination! And if, like many of us, that collection was unceremoniously binned the minute you moved out of your parents’ house, we have good news – Hasbro has recently revisited the original TESB range with their Retro and Vintage Collections! Wonder if the Imperial Tie Fighter Pilot still smells of strawberries? | KH

31. THE RESILIENCE OF THE CAST & CREW

Ask anyone what their favourite Empire moments are, and more often than not, the Hoth scenes are seared into their memories. They’re unforgettable for the cast and crew too – for entirely different reasons. Filming in Finse, Norway was a frozen nightmare, the area getting hit with a historic blizzard and subzero temperatures. When the crew first arrived they found all their equipment and sets buried in snow. It was so bad that Luke’s escape from the Wampa Cave was actually filmed from the ski lodge where they were staying, the camera positioned in a doorway and Hamill himself the only one of the crew on the outside! No one has a better Hoth story than Harrison Ford though, who was scheduled later in the shoot than everyone else. By the time Ford arrived, he had to catch a ride to Finse on a snowplough sent to clear an avalanche. He got there around midnight, drunk as a skunk after sharing a bottle of vodka with the driver! | VB

30. 2-1B

Star Wars droids span all shapes and sizes, from resilient astromechs to overwhelming battle droid infantries, but sometimes droids not involved on the front line are just as awesome. The Empire Strikes Back presents one such contender, in medical droid 2-1B, an Echo Base-stationed Rebel Alliance droid responsible for fixing Luke up after his confrontation with the wampa. This is not some mere background character; this droid is actually a great piece of world-building, representing our first look into the medical side of Star Wars. Since Empire, others have enriched this area, such as The Last Jedi’s IT-S00.2 medical droid, or Revenge of the Sith’s Chroon-Tan B-Machine midwife droids with their bothersome ice cream scoop-like hands! 2-1B, we salute you! | JB

29. ADMIRAL OZZEL FAILING VADER FOR THE LAST TIME

One of the coolest – and darkest – scenes in The Empire Strikes Back is undoubtedly Darth Vader’s Force-choke. Set up perfectly by John Williams’ Imperial March, an unhappy Vader instantly displays his dissatisfaction with an unlucky Admiral Ozzel – seen elsewhere on a comms screen – by choking him to death using nothing but the Force. As well as some great, almost OTT acting by Michael Sheard, it’s made even better as Captain Piett is promoted in the very same moment his superior collapses to the floor. As well as inspiring many a hilarious meme, George Lucas called it his favourite death scene. | JA

28. CARBON FREEZING

Vader’s plan for Luke, and Han Solo’s fate, both involved them being frozen in carbonite, a process that looks every bit as haunting as it sounds. Once the process is complete, and Han’s tortured figure is seen beneath the hard carbonite, it is nothing short of chilling. This is easily one of the most brutal moments of any Star Wars movie. The drama is heightened by there being no guarantee that Han will even survive, and the way it cuts Han and Leia’s blossoming romance short. It is this heart-wrenching moment that also seems to turn Lando against his Imperial allies. Since TESB, carbon freezing has cropped up multiple times in the galaxy far, far away, and was recently seen as Din Djarin’s method of choice when it came to delivering his bounties in The Mandalorian. | JH

27. THE BATTLE OF HOTH

Despite the fact that a slightly ridiculous looking, bosom-shaped cannon neutralised the Star Destroyer fleet to ensure the Rebel’s escape from the Hoth system, this was still one hell of a battle! Drawing influence from real trench warfare, it was filled with explosive action and is one of Star Wars’ most beloved and iconic conflicts. The David and Goliath battle between the Empire’s mighty war machines even went on to influence Spider-Man himself! (Though we hear Ant-Man wasn’t such a big fan. So to speak.) | JB

26. THE AT-AT REVEAL

Continuing on from the last entry, has there been a cooler moment in the whole franchise than when these hulking behemoths appeared on the horizon through the icy mist and set seismographs into spasms? With armour too strong for blasters, the Rebels knew that they had to get closer to take them on if they were to have any chance of survival. Standing for All Terrain Armoured Transport, these metallic Trojan horses were originally developed during the Clone Wars and stood at over 20 metres tall, at least until Luke realised that their major weak point was to just hogtie the damn things with the Snowspeeder tow cables. R.I.P. Dak Ralter! | JG

25. CLOUD CITY

High above the clouds of Bespin, there floats a beautiful metropolis named Cloud City. Run by Lando Calrissian, it profits by mining Tibanna gas from the planet below. It is also home to a myriad of races who see it as a sanctuary from the events unfolding elsewhere in the galaxy. Cutting a deal to keep the Empire out of this haven, Lando sets into motion a series of events that sees our heroes find the city a potential deathtrap as both Vader and Boba Fett arrive to take them apart, one by one. The views are understandably amazing, even if the air may be a little thin. | JG

24. LANDO CALRISSIAN

Ol’ smoothie managed to stand out as one of Empire’s – and indeed Star Wars’ – most memorable characters. Charming and roguish with a glint in his eye, Lando’s good looks betray his originally dishonest intentions. But after his shock at realising that the Empire are, in fact, the bad guys (who’d have thought?), he becomes the hero we know him as now. His relationship to Han is as complicated as it needs to be, and his attempts to woo Leia fall somewhat flat, but most importantly, he emerges as an important ally in the fight against evil. His rousing return in The Rise of Skywalker is a testament to how well this dapper, smooth-talking gentleman went down in Star Wars folklore. | JH

23. THE MYSTERY OF LANDO’S FALCON FASHION

Dapper Lando may be, but there’s one fun, fan-debated exception: after spending most of the film in a dashing cape, Calrissian can be seen piloting the Millennium Falcon as they set off to rescue Han.… while wearing Solo’s clothes. It’s apparently a meaningless costume choice, but once you see it, it’s just a bit weird. Family Guy even took time out of their Empire Strikes Back parody specifically to point this out (and with Brian talking directly to the camera, it was one of the most memorable parts of that special). But we should point out that Lando fled Cloud City in a hurry. We see his journey to the Falcon; at no point did he have the chance to stop at his place and pack. And after an adrenaline-charged chase through the city, he was probably stinking. So he goes into the Falcon and has to make do with what’s there. Which turns out to be a dead ringer for Han’s shirt and vest combo. So then, do we blame Lando for wearing Han’s clothes? No. We blame Han for only owning one outfit. | SV

22. JULIAN GLOVER

The Empire Strikes Back, like all movies in the franchise, has its fair share of cameos, but Julian Glover’s maybe our favourite. Many know Glover as The Last Crusade’s Walter Donovan, or For Your Eyes Only’s Aristotle Kristatos, but he’s had an enormous career spanning TV (Game of Thrones) and film (Harry Potter) and his small role in Star Wars was brief but impactful. His 3.75” action figure was simply named ‘AT-AT Commander’ by Kenner, and he really was ‘the’ commander as he led the Empire to their victory on Hoth by taking down the Rebel’s shield generator. As General Maximilian Veers, Glover’s part in Star Wars may only be small, but the beloved classical English actor gave us another memorable villain to add to the annals. | JB

21. THE OTHER CAMEOS

Further to Glover’s appearance, the movie contains many more noteworthy cameos. The legendary conceptual designer and artist Ralph McQuarrie features as Pharl McQuarrie, a Rebel General on Hoth, and he was joined by A New Hope’s matte artist and The Empire Strikes Back’s matte painting supervisor Harrison Ellenshaw, who likewise played a Hoth Rebel. In fact, the Rebellion had more stars in their midst, with Cheers actor (and future Pixar stalwart) John Ratzenberger playing a Rebel, alongside actor Treat Williams, who ended up playing an Echo Base Trooper after visiting the set. Meanwhile, actor Jeremy Bulloch, while playing Boba Fett, also featured in a cameo role as Empire Lieutenant Sheckil at Cloud City, after filling in for an unavailable actor. | JB

20. WILLROW HOOD

Another blink-and-you’ll-miss chap occupying the corridors of Cloud City is Willrow Hood, aka Ice Cream Guy, who is seen running with an odd-looking device in his hands. According to the lore (and confirmed in a Season 1 episode of The Mandalorian), he’s carrying a camtono, a sort of high-tech safe. To those in the know though, it’s obviously an ice cream maker. (In fact, camtono means ice cream!) He’s also got one of the easiest costumes to make, because all you need is a Sear’s brand Model 245 Ice Cream Freezer (or a bucket) and an orange boiler suit. This has led to a thing called ‘The Running of the Hoods’, a tradition at Star Wars Celebration, in which everyone dresses up as Willrow and runs around the convention centre. A great example of fans being fans! | EF

19. THE SCORE

Has there ever been a hotter streak in music than the run John Williams enjoyed between Jaws in 1975 and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1984? Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, Raiders, E.T., all indelible compositions in the soundtrack of cinema that resonate as strongly with us today as they did on release. Add to that incredible list The Empire Strikes Back, the gold standard for movie sequel scores. It wasn’t the first time he had revisited prior works – 1978’s Jaws 2 holds that distinction – but who can argue against The Imperial March, The Asteroid Field, and Yoda’s Theme. Williams would compose further entries for Star Wars, Indy, Jurassic Park, and Harry Potter, but The Empire Strikes Back stands above them all. | MN

18. THE BOUNTY HUNTERS

Star Wars has sometimes excelled at making classic characters out of limited screen time, but The Empire Strikes Back, in many ways, perfected the trend – one scene, in particular, stands out like a hefty bounty! On a bridge of Vader’s Super Star Destroyer, the heavy-breathing Sith lord addresses a ragtag group of colourful mercenaries, each cooler looking than the last, who are tasked to hunt down the crew of the Millennium Falcon and bring them back alive and un-disintegrated. Since then, each bounty hunter here has garnered a fan following, from Dengar and Bossk’s The Clone Wars adventures, to IG-88’s Forces of Destiny appearances, to 4-LOM and Zuckuss’ expanded universe stories. Then there’s that other guy…. | JB

17. BOBA FETT

If we’re honest, Boba Fett didn’t do anything particularly exciting in the entirety of Empire. He spoke a few lines, waited in debris for the Falcon to set off before tailing it, and fired a gun a few times. But sometimes, when you’re just badass, that’s all you need. Fett has been responsible for much Star Wars lore ever since, from the Mandalorians to the Kaminoan cloners, to the bounty hunters guild, he was the character that inspired it all. Few people in Star Wars have as huge a fanbase. While he technically debuted in the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special, the feared bounty hunter made his real start in Irvin Kershner’s masterpiece and – unlike so many other antagonists – he actually got his man! | JB

16. TAUNTAUNS

Although they may resemble two-legged oversized goats, Tauntauns are actually a species of snow lizard that roam wild on Hoth. Domesticated by the Rebels to use as transport on a planet that freezes vehicle engines, they prove to be very useful when patrols are needed to keep a lookout for any pesky Imperial droids or wandering wampas. Considering they are accustomed to the weather conditions, they aren’t afraid of having a moan when they’re getting too cold. Oh, and in case you were wondering, they smell worse on the inside than they do on the outside, even if they make a handy sleeping bag in an icy pinch. | JG

15. FORCE GHOST OBI-WAN

When Obi-Wan tells Vader that he will become more powerful than he could possibly imagine should he be defeated, it wasn’t clear what he meant. Empire gives us a clue. Just before Luke abandons Yoda’s training to help his friends, Obi-Wan appears in a ghost form, blue light emanating from around his body. Until now, he had only been a voice that talked to Luke seemingly from nowhere. To ‘survive’ death in this way points to the incredible potential of the Force, a power that is expanded on even further in the subsequent films. It’s just yet another way that Empire added to Star Wars lore in fascinating, mind-bending ways. | JH

14. THE ASTEROID CHASE

Backed by John Williams’ absolutely riveting score which is at its very height in this breathtaking sequence, Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and C-3PO’s daring and death-defying navigation of an asteroid field to evade the Empire’s Star Destroyers was pure cinema. It’s an edge of seat exhilaration with a pulse-racing exhibition of big-screen heroics. Sat there seeing (or rather experiencing) Captain Solo defy the odds (not that we’d ever tell him about ‘em) and enter an asteroid field for cover and escape Vader has to be one of Star Wars’ most exciting moments, not to mention one of the most constantly unpredictable…. | JB

13. THE EXOGORTH

….Case in point: when the Millennium Falcon crew found a cave to ride out the TIE Bombers raids in, all seemed well, until some pesky Mynocks that is! If only those winged critters and their power cable gnawing was all that they had to worry about. “This is no cave,” says Solo to a startled Leia. Indeed not, and as a big set of pearly whites start slowly closing ahead of the Falcon, cinema audiences everywhere met the mighty Exogorth, commonly referred to as ‘that space slug’! Our heroes almost got digested there; a peril that would actually repeat itself in the next film with the Sarlaac. (Note to self: avoid toothy space landscapes.) | JB

12. LORTH NEEDA’S APOLOGY

Lorth Needa is the Imperial Lieutenant Commander of the Star Destroyer Avenger, who gives chase to the Millennium Falcon shortly after it escapes the asteroid field. However, he manages to lose them, unsure where it could have gone. Humbled, he boards The Executor and apologises to Vader directly. The look on his face says he probably knows what’s coming. Vader takes it in good spirits, choking the life out of him before mockingly accepting his apology, ticking off yet another cool-but-disturbing dark lord moment. The Falcon, meanwhile, floats away with the rest of the garbage. Watch closely for a semi-blooper when troops come to take Needa’s body away. He visibly locks his legs to help himself up, even though, y’know, he’s dead and all. | JH

11. THE UGNAUGHTS

Isn’t it amazing how something so small can years later turn into something so big? Star Wars is full of these instances, and The Empire Strikes Back, in particular, has a few examples. Already we’ve mentioned the bounty hunters and big bad Boba but little did we know the hardworking Gentes natives the Ugnaughts, introduced in this film, would have a sizeable legacy, in fact, this often gets overlooked (sorry, we really aren’t intending for all these short puns, honest). Maybe this is largely down to Nick Nolte’s character Kuiil in The Mandalorian reviving interest in the alien species and shedding light on their past as Imperial slaves. Respect the Ugnaughts. We have spoken. | JB

10. THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ

Diehard Frank Oz fans know Yoda is one of his greatest characters, but the role almost wasn’t his. Initially offered to Lucas’ friend Jim Henson, he was unable to do it and suggested Oz as a replacement. Little did they know, Oz was about to perform one of the most difficult roles of his lifetime. In order to stay hidden on set, Oz crammed his six-foot, two-inches, twelve and a half stone body into a tiny bunker, making it impossible for him to see or hear anything. Even worse, the mineral oil used to create Dagobah’s swamp-like atmosphere made him so nauseous he had to wear a gas mask. To lighten the mood, Oz had one of his other iconic characters, Miss Piggy, visit the set – much to the delight of co-star Mark Hamill! | VB

9. BEN BURTT

As much as the visual spectacles of the galaxy that had been developed by ILM or the creature shop creations of Stuart Freeborn, the sounds of Star Wars helped anchor us in the reality of the exotic worlds we were about to visit. By the time we reached The Empire Strikes Back, creatures like the tauntaun, the wampa, and mynocks were added to the pantheon we had met in 1977 and A New Hope. The scream of the TIE Fighter, the blast of a laser, the roar of the Falcon or the clank of an AT-AT, all created and manipulated by his team and married to the iconic music of John Williams. Star Wars owes Burtt and Sprocket Systems (the original name of Skywalker Sound) a huge debt. | MN

8. SNOWTROOPERS

Specialist stormtroopers who were trained for operations in arctic conditions – although we’re not too sure how many ice planets there are in the Star Wars universe beyond Hoth and Carlac – these Imperial troops used breath heaters, insulated suits, and protective hoods along with belt capes, rugged boots and survival backpacks. The invasion of Echo Base managed to put the Rebels on the back foot, causing them to evacuate, but in a similar vein to their trooper brethren, these hooded army men still struggle to shoot for toffee, allowing Solo and the others to escape to fight another day. | JG

7. THE ROMANCE

“I love you”, “I know”. We all know it and love it. Crazy to think were it not for Harrison Ford having a chat with the makers, we might have got a bit of wordier exchange. The budding and feisty romance between Han and Leia is undoubtedly Star Wars’ greatest ever love story. Free of some of the, shall we say, soppier dialogue (oh George you hopeless romantic you) that Anakin and Padmé had to do battle with years later, Han and Leia’s connection is more real, built on resilience and strength, as the cause brings together two warriors, two allies, two rebels in love, and makes the Cloud City carbonate-freezing send-off more emotionally powerful. Just don’t dwell on that Luke and Leia snog. | JB

6. THE COMEDY

One area people often overlook in critical discussion of Empire is the film’s impeccable sense of humour. Of course, when you watch it, you come away reeling from the twist, thrilled by Luke vs Vader, or humming John Williams’ Imperial March, but you also find yourself quoting some great lines of comic dialogue. “Who’s scruffy lookin’” and “laugh it up fuzzball”, anyone? Han was dynamite in this film, with his back and forths with Leia or C-3PO, and let’s not forget Yoda’s tomfoolery, or C-3PO’s problematic re-assembly in Cloud City where we learn that while Chewie plays a mean game of Dejarik, the Wookiee certainly ain’t got a future in droid maintenance! | JB

5. IT GAVE US OUR FIRST PEEK UNDER THE HOOD

Up until The Empire Strikes Back, Vader was virtually a monster; his backstory was that of a failed pupil turned “more machine than man”. It was not until Empire that the galaxy’s most feared individual was anything closely resembling a human. Of course, this was cemented later in the film with that twist, but a good while before that shattering moment, there is a brief glimpse at the scarred head beneath the helmet. As General Veers is set to update Vader, we see him sat in a meditation chamber, and before the machine fits his helmet back in place, we see Vader is still a man, and this glimpse at his inner humanity (literally) seeds things to come. Anakin still lives within that machine. | JB

4. THE ADVANCEMENTS IN SPFX TECHNOLOGY

After the release of Star Wars, the special effects genie was out of the bottle as the wizards at ILM moved to other projects – Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Battlestar Galactica to name two – to hone their craft for the advancements that The Empire Strikes Back would require. The scale of work required for the sequel was dizzying compared to the 1977 original, and advancements in technology and process included go-motion, which gave ILM the capacity to add motion blur to tauntauns and AT-ATs. Quad printers to eliminate matte lines, the Dykstraflex camera system, and Kodak manufacturing bespoke film stock for ILM to use would combine to see Empire push the envelope even further on the road to the company’s magnum opus, Return of the Jedi. | MN

3. THE EMPEROR

We weren’t fully introduced to the evil Sith lord Emperor Palpatine until Ian McDiarmid donned the robe in the next film, but The Empire Strikes Back gave us our first-ever glimpse. Darth Vader was bad news, but little did we know that the order of command only grew more sinister, as a remarkably hierodule-like Vader answers the call of his master by hologram, and anyone who Vader kneels to is seriously not to be trifled with (less kneel before Zod, more kneel before old sod). Originally played by a masked Marjorie Eaton, with Clive Revill providing the voice, 2004 saw McDiarmid reprise his iconic role and replace them, in what has actually become one of the most well-received adjustments to the original movies. | JB

2. IT’S A SEQUEL THAT DIDN’T PLAY BY THE RULES

Looking back at Star Wars 42 years on, its heroes journey storyline now seems well-trod. Series such as Harry Potter and The Matrix have followed in its path, but no one could have imagined the twisting road The Empire Strikes Back would take its viewers on. It placed the main battle at the start of the film, found a diminutive master hiding on a swamp planet, and revealed the villain was the heroes father. What two films are more different than A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back? TESB took the spirit of its predecessor, but instead of rehashing it as so many sequels do, the movie wove a very different, darker path towards the trilogy conclusion three years later. | MN

1. THE EMPIRE DOES, INDEED, STRIKE BACK

The title warned us that the bad guys were going to come back to kick the Rebellion’s arse, but it’s amazing just how far the movie pushes it. Even before the Rebel’s Hoth base is destroyed, Luke – the seemingly invincible hero – gets the shit kicked out of him by a yeti. Then, after the crew of the Falcon spend most of the movie fleeing for their lives, we get to that ending. Lando’s betrayal, Han frozen in carbonite then shipped off to Jabba, and Luke thoroughly bested by Vader – both physically mutilated and emotionally crushed. Not only was it the best set-up for a final act ever, for an audience primed to expect more of A New Hope’s feel-good heroics it was a devastating gut-punch, unforgettable even four decades later. | IR

Written by: JACK BOTTOMLEY | JAMES HANTON | MARK NEWBOLD | JD GILLAM | KRIS HEYS | VANESSA BERBEN | IAIN ROBERTSON | JONATHAN ANDERSON | ED FORTUNE | MARTIN UNSWORTH | SCOTT VARNHAM

[This article was originally published in issue 472, July 2020.]