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Synopsis:
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…
An Imperial Star Destroyer dispatches probe droids, one
of which lands on Hoth and begins its survey of the
planet. Luke Skywalker, on patrol astride his tauntaun,
discovers the probe, which he mistakes for a meteorite.
After reporting to comrade Han Solo, he is knocked
unconscious by a deadly wampa creature. When Luke does
not come back to Echo Base, Han Solo goes out on his
tauntaun to search for him in an encroaching storm. Luke
escapes the wampa's cave but finds himself a long way
from the rebel base without transport and proper
clothing. As Luke begins to succumb to the cold, he sees
the Force ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi appear before him. Ben
tells Luke to go to Dagobah to undergo training under
Yoda, a Jedi Grand Master. After the spirit disappears,
Han rides up to an almost unconscious Luke, who is
mumbling indistinctly about Ben, Yoda and Dagobah.
Han hastily creates shelter for both of them from his
dead tauntaun. Both Luke and Han survive the night and
are rescued in the morning although Luke later requires
bacta treatment.
Meanwhile, the probe droid has spotted signs that
indicate Hoth is occupied and sends a signal to the
Imperial fleet, shortly before being destroyed by Han
Solo and Chewbacca. Aboard the Executor, Admiral Ozzel
dismisses the information as evidence of smugglers,
nothing more. However, Darth Vader knows better and
orders the fleet to Hoth. General Rieekan, realizing the
Empire is probably aware of their location, orders the
evacuation of Echo Base to begin.
Darth Vader and the Imperial forces set course for the
Hoth system to set up the attack. The rebels load
whatever equipment they can onto transports and plan a
rear-guard action to secure their escape. Luke, now
fully recovered from the Wampa attack and subsequent
exposure, says farewell to Chewbacca and Solo, who have
decided to leave the Alliance to resolve their debt to
Jabba the Hutt. As the Imperial forces enter the Hoth
system, General Rieekan orders full power to the energy
shield that is protecting the base from orbital
bombardment.
Aboard the Executor, Vader realizes 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.
Vader orders the Imperial ground forces to land outside
the Rebels' shield and march overland to destroy the
shield generator. Overwhelmed by superior weapons, the
rebels are forced to fight a retreating action as the
evacuation continues. Han and Chewbacca rescue Leia and
C-3P0 from the command center as Imperial forces
penetrate the rebel base and leave in the Millennium
Falcon. Meanwhile Luke and Wedge Antilles are forced to
abandon their defence of Hoth and retire the field of
battle in their X-Wings. But instead of heading for the
agreed rendezvous, Luke sets course for Dagobah.
The Millennium Falcon's hyperdrive has failed meaning
that it and its passengers cannot escape the orbiting
Imperial starfleet. So Han sets course for a nearby
asteroid field hoping to hamper their puruit by Darth
Vader. Failing to fix the hyperdrive unit, Han
successfully escapes the asteroid field and
"hides" the Millennium Falcon by clamping it
to the side of the leading Star Destroyer. Believing
that the Millennium Falcon has escaped into hyperspace,
Darth Vader enlists the bounty hunters, Boba Fett,
Dengar, IG-88, Bossk, 4-LOM and Zuckuss to find the
Millennium Falcon. In his private quarters, Vader
receives a holographic message from the 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".
Meanwhile Luke lands on the marshy planet Dagobah,
swamping his X-Wing in the process. There, he discovers
the diminutive and eccentric figure of Yoda. Yoda begins
to teach Luke the way of the Jedi and to beware 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.
When the Imperial fleet disperses to search for the
Millennium 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.
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. 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.
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. 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 Han to create a disturbance in
the Force for Luke to detect.
Intending to carbon-freeze Luke Skywalker when he
arrives on Cloud City to rescue his friends, Vader tests
the carbon-freezing device on Han Solo. Han says goodbye
to Leia with a passionate 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 Fett for transportation to Tatooine and
Jabba the Hutt.
Luke makes his way to Bespin safely. He quietly walks
down the corridors of Cloud City. He spots Boba Fett who
is taking the now-frozen Solo back to his ship. Luke
runs after his captured friends, hoping to save them,
but wanders into 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. In the final phase of the lightsaber duel,
Vader manages to cut off Luke's right hand, which then
falls into an abyss. Vader reveals to Luke the truth
about his father and 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 an
air vent, exits the underbelly of the city and catches
an antenna beneath Cloud City. Facing clear death, Luke
calls out to Ben Kenobi in vain. Then, he calls out to
the only other one who could help, Leia.
The Imperials escorting the Rebel prisoners out of
Bespin are overpowered by Cloud City security, setting
Lando and company free. Lando and company arrive too
late as Fett's ship takes off, then engage in a fierce
battle with stormtroopers. Lando orders an evacuation of
Cloud City as he, Leia, Chewbacca and the droids manage
to find their last hope of escape, the Millennium
Falcon.
Leia mysteriously senses Luke's telepathic distress
signal. The Millennium Falcon turns around and comes
back to Cloud City and rescue Luke before the wounded
Jedi falls helplessly to the planet. On a Nebulon-B
Class Medical Frigate at the Rebel fleet's rendezvous
point, Luke is outfitted with a prosthetic hand. Lando
and Chewbacca begin their parts of a most dangerous
mission, rescuing Han. 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.
Synopsis abridged
from Wookieepedia
entry.
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