1977 introduced the world to the beginning of the most lucrative sci-fi franchise in the world, Star Wars. Audiences were moved by its story, characters, and being transported to a “Galaxy Far, Far Away.” When its sequel released in 1980, fans swarmed to theaters to see what awaited Luke, Han, and Leia in their adventures throughout space. The Empire Strikes Back did not disappoint, standing the test of time four decades later. Here’s why The Empire Strikes Back is still the best Star Wars Movie.
Best Lightsaber Duel
Lucasfilm
Aside from the CGI effects, courtesy of this day and age’s technological advances, one of the alluring aspects of the Star Wars franchise is its lightsaber duels. In the prequel trilogy, the lightsaber duels focus on the physical intensity between the Jedi. Even Revenge of the Sith, which is the most emotionally-driven fight in the franchise, allows special effects to take precedent over the turmoil between Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Empire Strikes Back manages to find the perfect balance. It’s the first, extended lightsaber fight in the franchise, and definitely lives up to the glory of Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s fight in Star Wars: A New Hope, but with a deeper significance. This lightsaber fight is the culmination of Luke Skywalker’s training thus far, and his shortcomings through it. Every lesson Luke failed in Dagobah is reflected; he is impulsive, angry, and somewhat haughty in his fighting technique. This ultimately results in him losing the duel, and his hand, in the process.
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Budding Romance
Star Wars: A New Hope introduces what many audiences thought would be a love triangle between Luke, Han, and Leia; but George Lucas takes the story in a new direction in The Empire Strikes Back. While Luke is invested in his training on Dagobah, Leia and Han are invested in more amorous affairs. Their “love-hate” dynamic centers more on the love aspect and they become closer as they flee from the Empire’s army and during their time on Cloud City. But unlike other Star Wars romances focused on the cliché romantic troupes or tiresome indecisiveness (Kylo Ren and Rey, for example), Leia and Han have no qualms stating their emotional and sexual tension. They fight, reconcile, have moments of subtle embracing, and notably, risk their own lives to protect the other. In perhaps one of the most realistic love confessions in cinema, Leia finally says “I love you,” to Han, with him responding with “I know,” in an expected Han reaction.
Plot
20th Century Fox
The Empire Strikes Back is praised for its plot more than any other Star Wars installment. It’s an accurate depiction of politics, a dictatorship, romance, and how it all comes together to support a hero’s journey. Luke Skywalker isn’t an invincible hero; if anything, he has considerable growth to do at the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back. When he arrives at Dagobah, Luke is eager to meet Yoda, thinking he’s going to meet a wise-looking Jedi like Obi-Wan Kenobi, as opposed to the small, green creature that is Yoda. Luke takes a dismissive attitude towards Yoda before realizing his true identity, and even during their training sessions, Luke often questions the purpose of the courses and Yoda’s overall validity as a Jedi Master. This is a universally applicable message: people can relate to Luke’s naive, arrogance towards Yoda, the old as time mentality of “Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover” being conveyed.
Character Development
Every character in The Empire Strikes Back develops realistically. Leia goes from a woman who puts her duty above sentimentality, to allowing herself to embrace her romantic and sexual desire towards Han Solo. Han Solo evolves from being a self-centered, morally ambiguous, smuggler to a hero willing to sacrifice himself for his friends, and the person he loves. Luke Skywalker’s development is thoroughly nuanced; Luke’s heart is always in the right place, but his execution is faulty on several occasions.
From heading to meet Yoda amidst the onslaught of the Empire against the Rebel Alliance, abandoning his training on Dagobah midway to face Vader, to hastily facing Vader over trying to reunite with his friends and facing the Vader together, Luke learns through trial and error that he is not undefeatable, and far from being an equipped Jedi, even when driven by his best intentions. The franchise’s titular villain, Darth Vader, is humanized; he isn’t solely a tyrannical dictator unafraid to murder to achieve his goal; he is driven by something deeper: convincing his son to change his allegiance; beneath the mechanical scapegoat of his suit, Darth Vader is still a man longing to reconnect with his son, and in turn, his humanity.
Best Plot Twist in Film History
The highlighting element of The Empire Strikes Back is its plot twist. In Star Wars: A New Hope, one of the driving motivations for Luke Skywalker is claiming revenge against Darth Vader for killing his father. This remains a constant motivator in The Empire Strikes Back, with the added layer of Luke witnessing Vader striking down Obi-Wan Kenobi during their last encounter; to Luke’s understanding, Vader has cost him every paternal figure in his life. No one, not even actor Mark Hamill himself, anticipated the biggest plot twist in history when Darth Vader says his iconic line “Luke, I am Your Father.”
It Stands Alone As Excellent Cinema
Whether as part of the Star Wars franchise or a standalone film, The Empire Strikes Back is an excellent piece of cinema. It has fully fledged characters, a cohesive plot, life and death stakes, and considering its sci-fi genre, manages to captivate audiences even with the limited technology of its time. That’s its strongest suit; The Empire Strikes Back relies on its story and performers to tell a captivating story, not technological advancements to compensate for an otherwise underwhelming plot or average at best performances. The Empire Strikes Back is, simply put, one of a kind.
