Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

'''STAR WARS: EPISODE V THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

'''By: LEIGH BRACKETT & LAWRENCE KASDAN

Revised Fifth Draft

Last Revision AUGUST 24, 1979

Special Edition Scenes FEBRUARY, 1997

FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

A vast sea of stars serves as the backdrop for the main title. War drums echo through the heavens as a rollup slowly crawls into infinity.

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
A stalwart figure rides his Tauntaun up to the entrance of an enormous ice cave.