STAR WARS
Episode V
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
Script adaptation by
Lawrence Kasdan and Leigh Brackett
from a story by
George Lucas
LUCASFILM LTD.
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A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away...
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 has 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...
EXTERIOR GALAXY -- PLANET HOTH
A Star Destroyer moves through space, releasing Imperial probe
robots from its underside.
One of these probes zooms toward the planet Hoth and lands
on its ice-covered surface. An explosion marks the point of
impact.
EXTERIOR HOTH -- METEORITE CRATER -- SNOW PLAIN -- DAY
A weird mechanical sound rises above the whining of the
wind. A strange probe robot, with several extended sensors,
emerges from the smoke-shrouded crater. The ominous mechanical
probe floats across the snow plain and disappears into the
distance.
EXTERIOR PLAIN OF HOTH -- DAY
A small figure gallops across the windswept ice slope. The
bundled rider is mounted on a large gray snow lizard, a
Tauntaun. Curving plumes of snow rise from beneath the
speeding paws of the two-legged beast.
The rider gallops up a slope and reins his lizard to a
stop. Pulling off his protective goggles, Luke Skywalker
notices something in the sky. He takes a pair of
electrobinoculars from his utility belt and through them sees
smoke rising from where the probe robot has crashed.
The wind whips at Luke's fur-lined cap and he activates a
comlink transmitter. His Tauntaun shifts and moans nervously
beneath him.
LUKE (into comlink) Echo Three to Echo Seven. Han, old buddy, do you
read me?
After a little static a familiar voice is heard.
HAN (over comlink) Loud and clear, kid. What's up?
LUKE (into comlink) Well, I finished my circle. I don't pick up any
life readings.
HAN (over comlink) There isn't enough life on this ice cube to fill a
space cruiser. The sensors are placed. I'm going back.
LUKE (into comlink) Right. I'll see you shortly. There's a meteorite
that hit the ground near here. I want to check it out. It won't take
long.
Luke clicks off his transmitter and reins back on his
nervous lizard. He pats the beast on the head to calm it.
LUKE Hey, steady girl. What's the matter? You smell something?
Luke takes a small device from his belt and starts to
adjust it when suddenly a large shadow falls over him from
behind. He hears a monstrous howl and turns to see an eleven-
foot-tall shape towering over him. It is a Wampa Ice Creature,
lunging at him ferociously.
LUKE Aaargh!
Luke grabs for his pistol, but is hit flat in the face by a
huge white claw. He falls unconscious into the snow and in a
moment the terrified screams of the Tauntaun are cut short by
the horrible snap of a neck being broken.
The Wampa Ice Creature grabs Luke by one ankle and drags
him away across the frozen plain.
EXTERIOR HOTH -- REBEL BASE ENTRANCE -- DAY
of an enormous ice cave.
INTERIOR HOTH -- REBEL BASE -- MAIN HANGAR DECK
Rebel troopers rush about unloading supplies and otherwise
securing their new base. The rider, Han Solo, swings off his
lizard and pulls off his goggles.
He walks into the main hangar deck toward the Millennium
Falcon, which is parked among several fighters. Mechanics, R2
units, and various other droids hurry about. Han stops at the
Millennium Falcon where his Wookiee copilot, Chewbacca, is
welding on a central lifter. Chewie stops his work and lifts
his face shield, growling an irritated greeting to his boss.
HAN Chewie!
The Wookiee grumbles a reply.
HAN All right, don't lose your temper. I'll come right back and give
you a hand.
Chewbacca puts his mask back on and returns to his welding
as Han leaves.
INTERIOR HOTH -- REBEL BASE -- COMMAND CENTER
A makeshift command center has been set up in a blasted area
of thick ice. The low-ceilinged room is a beehive of activity.
Controllers, troops, and droids move about setting up
electronic equipment and monitoring radar signals.
General Rieekan straightens up from a console at Han's
approach.
RIEEKAN Solo?
HAN No sign of life out there, General. The sensors are in place.
You'll know if anything comes around.
RIEEKAN Commander Skywalker reported in yet?
HAN No. He's checking out a meteorite that hit near him.
RIEEKAN (indicates radar screen) With all the meteor activity in this
system, it's going to be difficult to spot approaching ships.
Taking a deep breath, Han blurts out what is on his mind.
HAN General, I've got to leave. I can't stay anymore.
Princess Leia, standing at a console nearby, is dressed in a
short white combat jacket and pants. Her hair is braided across
her head in a Nordic fashion. She overhears their
conversation and seems somewhat distressed.
RIEEKAN I'm sorry to hear that.
HAN Well, there's a price on my head. If I don't pay off Jabba the
Hut, I'm a dead man.
RIEEKAN A death mark's not an easy thing to live with. You're a good
fighter, Solo. I hate to lose you.
HAN Thank you, General.
He turns to Leia as Rieekan moves away.
HAN (with feeling) Well, Your Highness, I guess this is it.
LEIA That's right.
Leia is angry. Han sees she has no warmth to offer him. He
shakes his head and adopts a sarcastic tone.
HAN (cooly) Well, don't get all mushy on me. So long, Princess.
Han walks away into the quiet corridor adjoining the
command center. Leia stews a moment, then hurries after him.
INTERIOR HOTH -- REBEL BASE -- ICE CORRIDOR
LEIA Han!
Han stops in the corridor and turns to face Leia.
HAN Yes, Your Highnessness?
LEIA I thought you decided to stay.
HAN Well, the bounty hunter we ran into on Ord Mantell changed my
mind.
LEIA Han, we need you!
HAN We?
LEIA Yes.
HAN Oh, what about you need?
LEIA (mystified) I need? I
don't know what you're talking about.
HAN (shakes his head, fed up) You probably don't.
LEIA And what precisely am I supposed to know?
HAN Come on! You want me to stay because of the way you feel about
me.
LEIA Yes. You're a great help to us. You're a natural leader...
HAN No! That's not it. Come on. Aahhh -- uh huh! Come on.
Leia stares at him, understanding, then laughs.
HAN Am I? Then why are you following me? Afraid I was going to leave
without giving you a goodbye kiss?
LEIA I'd just as soon kiss a Wookiee.
HAN I can arrange that. You could use a good kiss!
Angrily, Han strides down the corridor as Leia stares after
him.
INTERIOR HOTH -- REBEL BASE -- ANOTHER ICE CORRIDOR
A familiar stream of beeps and whistles herald the approach
of Artoo-Detoo and See-Threepio, who appear around a corner
and move along an ice wall toward the main hangar.
THREEPIO Don't try to blame me. I didn't ask you to turn on the
thermal heater. I merely commented that it was freezing in the
princess's chamber. But it's supposed to be freezing. How are we going
to dry out all her clothes? I really don't know.
Artoo beeps a stream of protesting whistles.
THREEPIO Oh, switch off.
INTERIOR HOTH -- REBEL BASE -- MAIN HANGAR DECK
The two robots stop at Han Solo's space freighter. Han and
Chewie are struggling with their central lifters.
HAN (to Chewie) Why do you take this apart now? I'm trying to get us
out of here and you pull both of these.
Chewie grumbles in irritation.
THREEPIO Excuse me, sir.
HAN (to Chewie) Put them back together right now.
THREEPIO Might I have a word with you, please?
HAN What do you want?
THREEPIO Well, it's Princess Leia, sir. She's been trying to get you
on the communicator.
HAN I turned it off. I don't want to talk to her.
THREEPIO Oh. Well, Princess Leia is wondering about Master Luke. He
hasn't come back yet. She doesn't know where he is.
HAN I don't know where he is.
THREEPIO Nobody knows where he is.
HAN What do you mean, "nobody knows"?
Han glances at the fading light at the entrance of the ice
cave as night slowly begins to fall on the planet.
THREEPIO Well, uh, you see...
Han jumps down off the lift, as Threepio follows him.
HAN Deck Officer. Deck Officer!
THREEPIO Excuse me, sir. Might I inqu-...
Han abruptly puts his hand over Threepio's mouth as the
deck officer approaches.
DECK OFFICER Yes, sir?
HAN Do you know where Commande r Skywalker is?
DECK OFFICER I haven't seen him. It's possible he came in through the
south entrance.
HAN It's possible? Why don't you go find out? It's getting dark out
there.
DECK OFFICER Yes, sir.
The deck officer leaves hurriedly, as Han takes his hand
off Threepio's mouth.
THREEPIO Excuse me, sir. Might I inquire what's going on?
HAN Why not?
THREEPIO Impossible man. Come along, Artoo, lets find Princess Leia.
Between ourselves, I think Master Luke is in considerable danger.
INTERIOR HOTH -- REBEL BASE -- MAIN ICE TUNNEL
The deck officer and his assistant hurry toward Han as he
enters the tunnel.
DECK OFFICER Sir, Commander Skywalker hasn't come in through the
south entrance. He might have forgotten to check in.
HAN Not likely. Are the speeders ready?
DECK OFFICER Not yet. We're having some trouble adapting them to the
cold.
HAN Then we'll have to go out on Tauntauns.
DECK OFFICER Sir, the temperature's dropping too rapidly.
HAN That's right. And my friends out in it.
ASSISTANT OFFICER I'll cover sector twelve. Have com-control set
screen alpha.
Han pushes through the troops and mounts a Tauntaun.
DECK OFFICER Your Tauntaun'll freeze before you reach the first
marker.
HAN Then I'll see you in hell!
Han maneuvers his mount out of the cave and races into the
dark bitter night.
EXTERIOR HOTH -- ICE GORGE -- DUSK
The jagged face of a huge ice wall sits gloomily in the dim
twilight of a Hoth day. Luke hangs upside down, ankles frozen
into icy stalactites, his extended arms within a foot of the
snow floor. One side of his face is covered in a dried mask of
frozen blood. He opens his eyes as a chilling moan of the
hideous ice creature echoes off the gorge walls. Luke pulls
himself up, grabs hold of his ankles, and futilely tries to
unfasten the throngs.
Exhausted, he drops back into his hanging position. As he
hangs there, he spies his lightsaber lying near a pile of his
discarded gear, about three feet out of reach.
He focuses on the saber and, as his hand strains toward the
weapon, he squeezes his eyes tight in concentration.
Just as the ice creature looms over Luke, the lightsaber
jumps into Luke's hand.
The young warrior instantly ignites his sword, swinging up,
and cuts himself loose from the ice. He flops to the snow in a
heap. The startled creature moves back, his giant yellow eyes
blinking. Luke scrambles to his feet. He swings his lightsaber
and the beast screams in pain.
EXTERIOR HOTH -- ENTRANCE TO ICE GORGE -- DUSK
Luke staggers out of the gorge into the dark and snowy
twilight. Weak and exhausted, he stumbles down a snow bank.
EXTERIOR HOTH -- SNOW PLAIN -- DUSK
A small, lone figure riding a Tauntaun races through the
hostile vastness of snow and cold. As it runs, the Tauntaun's
legs kick up large clouds of snow and ice into the snowy air.
EXTERIOR HOTH -- OUTSIDE ICE HANGAR -- DUSK
Artoo stands in the falling snow, beeping worriedly.
Threepio moves stiffly over to him.
THREEPIO You must come along now, Artoo. There's really nothing more
we can do. And my joints are freezing up.
Artoo beeps, long and low.
THREEPIO Don't say thing like that! Of course we'll see Master Luke
again. He'll be quite all right, you'll see. (to himself) Stupid
little short-circuit. He'll be quite all right.
Threepio turns to go back inside the main hangar as Artoo
mournfully keeps his vigil.
EXTERIOR HOTH -- SNOW DRIFT -- DUSK
The wind is blowing quite strong now. Luke struggles to
stay upright, but a blast of freezing snow knocks him over. He
struggles to get up, but he can't. The young warrior from
Tatooine drags himself a couple of feet and then collapses.
INTERIOR REBEL BASE -- MAIN HANGAR DECK -- ENTRANCE -- NIGHT
Princess Leia stands inside the dark entrance to the Rebel
base, waiting for a sign of the two Rebel heroes. She shivers
in the cold wind as, nearby, Chewie sits with his head in his
hands. In the background, Artoo and Threepio move through the
doors.
A Rebel lieutenant moves to Major Derlin, an officer
keeping watch with the princess.
LIEUTENANT Si
r, all the patrols are in. There's still no contact from
Skywalker or Solo.
THREEPIO Mistress Leia, Artoo says he's been quite unable to pick up
any signals, although he does admit that his own range is far too
weak to abandon all hope.
Leia nods an acknowledgment, but she is lost in thought.
DERLIN Your Highness, there's nothing more we can do tonight. The
shield doors must be closed.
He turns to the lieutenant.
DERLIN Close the doors.
LIEUTENANT Yes, sir.
The lieutenant walks away. Chewie lets out a long, mournful
howl, somewhat like a coyote. At the same moment, Artoo begins