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STAR
WARS Episode
V THE
EMPIRE STRIKES BACK Script adaptation by Lawrence Kasdan and Leigh Brackett from a story by George Lucas LUCASFILM LTD. 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 A
stalwart figure rides his Tauntaun up to the entrance 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. LEIA:
You're imagining things. 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 Commander 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:
Sir, 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 a complex series of efficient beeps. THREEPIO:
Artoo says the chances of survival are seven hundred seventy-five...to one. Leia
stands praying to herself as the huge metal doors slam across the entrance of the ice cave. The loud booms echo throughout the huge cavern. Chewie lets out another suffering howl. THREEPIO:
Actually, Artoo has been known to make mistakes...from time to time. Oh, dear, oh, dear. Don't worry about Master Luke. I'm sure he'll be all right. He's quite clever, you know...for a human
being. EXTERIOR:
HOTH -- SNOW DRIFT -- DUSK Luke
lies face down in the snow, nearly unconscious. Slowly he looks
up and sees Ben Kenobi, barely visible through the blowing snow. It is hard to tell if Kenobi is real or a hallucination. BEN:
Luke...Luke. LUKE:
(weakly) Ben? BEN: You
will go to the Dagobah system. LUKE:
Dagobah system? BEN:
There you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me. The
image of Ben fades, revealing a lone Tauntaun rider approaching from the windswept horizon. LUKE:
(groaning faintly) Ben...Ben. Luke
drops into unconsciousness. Han
pulls up and leaps off his mount. He hurries to his snow-covered friend, cradling him in his arms. Han's Tauntaun lets out a low, pitiful bellow. But Han's concern is with Luke, and he shakes him urgently. HAN:
Luke! Luke! Don't do this, Luke. Come on, give me a sign here. Luke
doesn't respond. Han begins frantically rubbing and slapping Luke's unconscious face. As he starts to lift the youth, Han hears a rasping sound behind him. He turns, just in time to
see his Tauntaun stagger and then fall over into the snow. Han
carries Luke to the moaning beast. Then, with a final groan, the Tauntaun expires. HAN: Not
much time. He
pushes Luke's inert form against the belly of the dead beast. LUKE:
(moaning) Ben...Ben... HAN:
Hang on, kid. LUKE:
Dagobah system... Han
ignites Luke's saber and cuts the beast from head to toe. He quickly tosses it's steaming innards into the snow, then
lifts Luke's inert form and stuffs him inside the carcass. HAN:
(reeling from the odor) Whew... LUKE:
Dagobah... HAN:
This may smell bad, kid... LUKE:
(moaning) Yoda... HAN:
...but it will keep you warm...til I get the shelter built. (struggling
to get Luke in the carcass) Ooh...I thought they smelled bad on the outside! The wind
has picked up considerably, making it difficult to move. Han removes a pack from the dead creature's back,
taking out a shelter container. He begins to set up what can only
be a pitiful protection against a bitter Hoth night. EXTERIOR:
HOTH -- SNOWDRIFT -- DAWN Four
snub-nosed armored snowspeeders race across the white landscape. INTERIOR:
SNOWSPEEDER COCKPIT There is
only one pilot, Zev, in the enclosed two-man craft. He concentrates on the scopes which ring his cockpit. He hears
a low beep from one of his monitors. ZEV:
(into transmitter) Echo Base...I've got something! Not much, but it could be a life form. EXTERIOR:
HOTH -- SNOWDRIFT The
small craft banks and makes a slow arc, then races off in a new direction. INTERIOR:
SNOWSPEEDER -- COCKPIT The
pilot switches over to a new transmitter. ZEV:
(into transmitter) This is Rouge Two. this is Rouge
Two. Captain Solo, so
you copy? Commander Skywalker, do you copy? This is Rouge Two. There is
a sharp crackle of static, then a faint voice. HAN:
(filtered over Zev's receiver) Good morning. Nice of you guys to drop by. ZEV:
(switching transmitters) Echo Base...this is Rouge Two. I found them. Repeat, I found them. EXTERIOR:
HOTH -- SNOWDRIFT -- DAY The
small shelter Han set up is covered with snow on the windward side. A makeshift antenna rests gingerly on top the snowdrift. Han spots Zev's snowspeeder approaching in the distance,
and begins waving his arms frantically at the tiny craft. INTERIOR:
REBEL BASE -- MEDICAL CENTER Strange
robot surgeons adjust a mass of electronic equipment. A switch is thrown and a sudden blinding flash obscures
Luke in a bacta tank filled with a thick, gelatinous slime. He begins to thrash about, raving in delirium. INTERIOR:
REBEL BASE -- MEDICAL CENTER -- RECOVERY ROOM Luke
sits up in a recovery-room bed, weak but smiling. His face shows terrible wounds from the Wampa's attack. Threepio and Artoo enter the room. THREEPIO:
Master Luke, sir, it's good to see you fully functional again. Artoo
beeps his good wishes. THREEPIO:
Artoo expresses his relief, also. Han and
Chewie make their entrance. The Wookiee growls a greeting. HAN: How
are you feeling, kid? You don't look so bad to me. In fact, you look strong enough to pull the ears off a Gundark. LUKE:
Thanks to you. HAN:
That's two you owe me, junior. Han
turns as Leia enters the room. He looks at her with a big, devilish grin. HAN:
Well your Worship, looks like you managed to keep me around for a little while longer. LEIA:
(haughtily) I had nothing to do with it. General Rieekan thinks it's
dangerous for any ships to leave the system until we've activated the energy shield. HAN:
That's a good story. I think you just can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight. LEIA: I
don't know where you get you delusions, laser brain. Chewie
is amused; he laughs in his manner. Han, enjoying himself, regards Chewie good-humoredly. HAN:
Laugh it up, fuzz ball. But you didn't see us alone in the south passage. Luke
sparks to this; he looks at Leia. HAN: She
expressed her true feelings for me. Leia is
flushed, eyes darting between Luke and Han. LEIA:
My...! Why, you stuck up,...half-witted,...scruffy-looking... nerf-herder! HAN:
Who's scruffy-looking? (to Luke) I must have hit her pretty close to the mark to get her all riled up like that, huh, kid? Leia
looks vulnerable for a moment, then the mask falls again, and she focuses on Luke. LEIA:
Why, I guess you don't know everything about women yet? With
that she leans over and kisses Luke on the lips. Then she
turns on her heel and walks out, leaving everyone in the room slightly dumbstruck. With some smugness, Luke puts his hands behind his head and grins. Suddenly,
in the distance, the muffled sound of an alarm is heard. ANNOUNCER:
(over loudspeaker) Headquarters personnel, report to command center. The
voice repeats the order and Han, Chewie, Artoo, and Threepio
hurry out of the room, bidding farewell to Luke. HAN:
Take it easy. THREEPIO:
Excuse us, please. INTERIOR:
HOTH -- REBEL BASE -- COMMAND CENTER Rieekan
looks up grimly from a console screen. He calls over to Leia and Han. RIEEKAN:
Princess...we have a visitor. The
group hurries over to Rieekan. RIEEKAN:
We've picked up something outside the base in zone twelve, moving east. SENIOR
CONTROLLER: It's metal. LEIA:
Then it couldn't be one of those creatures that attacked Luke. HAN: It
could be a speeder, one of ours. SENIOR
CONTROLLER: No. Wait -- there's something very weak coming through. Threepio
steps up to the control panel and listens intently to the strange signal. THREEPIO:
Sir, I am fluent in six million forms of communication. This signal is not used by the Alliance. It could be an Imperial
code. The transmission
ends in static. HAN: It
isn't friendly, whatever it is. Come on, Chewie, let's check it out. RIEEKAN:
Send Rouges Ten and Eleven to station three-eight. EXTERIOR:
HOTH -- SNOW PLAIN -- DAY The dark
probe robot moves past the smoldering ruins of station three-eight and down a ridge toward the Rebel base. It raises a
large antenna from the top of its head and begins to send out a piercing signal. The
probe droid has spotted Chewbacca who, not thirty feet away, has popped his head over a snow bank. Instantly, the probe robot swings around, its deadly ray ready to fire. But before
it can get a shot off, it is hit from behind by a laser bolt, and explodes in a million pieces. Han Solo
replaces his blaster in its holster and peers intently at the smoldering remains of the Imperial probe. INTERIOR:
HOTH -- REBEL BASE -- COMMAND CENTER Leia and
Rieekan listen to Han on the comlink. HAN:
(over comlink) Afraid there's not much left. LEIA:
(into comlink) What was it? HAN:
(over comlink) Droid of some kind. I didn't hit it that hard. It must have had a self-destruct. LEIA:
(into comlink) An Imperial probe droid. HAN:
(over comlink) It's a good bet the Empire knows we're here. RIEEKAN:
We'd better start the evacuation. EXTERIOR:
SPACE -- IMPERIAL FLEET Darth
Vader's Star Destroyer, larger and more awesome than the five
Imperial Star Destroyers that surround it, sits in the vastness of space. The six huge ships are surrounded by
a convoy of smaller spacecraft. TIE fighters dart to and fro. INTERIOR:
DARTH VADER'S STAR DESTROYER -- BRIDGE -- MAIN CONTROL DECK Controllers
working the vast complex of electronic controls hear
ominous approaching footsteps and look up from their controls. The squat, evil-looking Admiral Ozzel and the young, powerfully
built General Veers, who have been conferring near the
front, also feel the approaching presence and turn toward it. Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith, enters like a chill wind. As Vader
moves across the wide bridge, Captain Piett hurries up to Ozzel. PIETT:
Admiral. OZZEL:
Yes, Captain PIETT: I
think we've got something, sir. The report is only a fragment from a
probe droid in the Hoth system, but it's the best lead we've had. OZZEL:
(irritated) We have thousands of probe droids searching the galaxy. I want proof, not leads! PIETT:
The visuals indicate life readings. OZZEL:
It could mean anything. If we followed every lead... PIETT:
But, sir, the Hoth system is supposed to be devoid of human forms. Vader
moves to a large screen showing an image of the Rebel snow base. Rebel speeders can be seen approaching the base in the distance. VADER:
You found something? PIETT:
Yes, my lord. VADER:
(studying the image on the console screen) That's it. The Rebels
are there. OZZEL:
My lord, there are so many uncharted settlements. It could be smugglers, it could be... VADER:
That is the system. And I'm sure Skywalker is with them. Set your course for the Hoth system. General Veers, prepare you
men. INTERIOR:
HOTH -- REBEL BASE -- TRANSPORT BAY A
captain issues instructions to two of his men at the entrance to the main transport bay. Several Rebel transports behind
them are being loaded by men carrying heavy boxes and moving quickly, but not in panic. REBEL
CAPTAIN: Groups seven and ten will stay behind to fly the speeders. As soon as each transport is loaded, evacuation control
will give clearance for immediate launch. REBEL
FIGHTER: Right, sir. INTERIOR:
HOTH -- REBEL BASE -- MAIN HANGAR DECK Alarms
sound. Troops, ground crews, and droids rush to their alert stations. Armored snowspeeders are lined up in attack formation near the main entrance. In the
midst of all this activity, Han does some frantic welding on the lifters of the Millennium Falcon. Han
finishes his work and hops down to the hangar floor. He pulls
out his comlink, all the while eyeing problematic lifters. HAN:
(into comlink, to Chewie) Okay, that's it. Try it...Off! Turn it off! Turn it off! Off! Smoke
rises from a minor explosion on the lifter. Exasperated,
Han surveys the new damage. INTERIOR:
REBEL BASE -- MEDICAL CENTER Luke dresses
in readiness for the evacuation as his attending medical droid stands by. MEDICAL
DROID: Sir, it will take quite awhile to evacuate the T-forty- sevens. LUKE:
Well, forget the heavy equipment. There's plenty of time to get the smaller modules on the transports. MEDICAL
DROID: Take care, sir. LUKE:
Thanks. INTERIOR:
REBEL BASE -- MAIN HANGAR DECK Pilots,
gunners, and R2 units scurry about. Luke, pulling on his
heavy-weather jacket, is headed toward a row of armored speeders. He stops at the rear of the Millennium Falcon, where Han and
Chewie are trying to repair the right lifter with even more haste than before. LUKE:
Chewie, take care of yourself, okay? As Luke
pats Chewie on the arm, Chewie puts his arms around Luke and
gives him a tight hug. Han is discussing the lifter with a repair droid when he sees Luke. HAN: Hi,
kid. (to droid) There's got to be a reason for it. Check it at the other end. Wait a second. (to Luke) You all right? LUKE:
Yeah. HAN: Be
careful. LUKE:
You, too. Luke
smiles, then waves at his friend and walks on. After a few steps, he stops and looks back. Han glances up and the
two exchange
a silent communication, each wishing the other safety, happiness -- many things, all difficult to verbalize. INTERIOR:
REBEL BASE -- CONTROL ROOM. Alarms
sound throughout the hidden Rebel base. In the control
room, a controller urgently gestures for General Rieekan
to check a computer scan. CONTROLLER:
General, there's a fleet of Star Destroyers coming out of hyperspace in sector four. RIEEKAN:
Reroute all power to the energy shield. We've got to hold them till all transports are away. Prepare for ground
assault. Rieekan
exits hurriedly. INTERIOR:
VADER'S STAR DESTROYER -- VADER'S CHAMBER -- MEDITATION CUBICLE The dark
cubicle is illuminated by a single shaft of light which
falls on the brooding Dark Lord as he sits on a raised meditation cube. General Veers enters the room and approaches the silent, unmoving Vader. Although seemingly very sure of himself,
Veers is still not bold enough to interrupt the meditating lord. The younger general stands quietly at attention until the evil presence speaks. VADER:
What is it, General? VEERS:
My lord, the fleet has moves out of light-speed. Com-Scan has detected
an energy field protecting an area around the sixth planet of the Hoth system. The field is strong enough to deflect any bombardment. VADER:
(angrily) The Rebels are alerted to our presence. Admiral Ozzel came out of light-speed too close to the system. VEERS:
He felt surprise was wiser... VADER:
He is as clumsy as he is stupid. General, prepare your troops for a surface attack. VEERS:
Yes, my lord. Veers
turns smartly and leaves as Vader activates a large viewscreen showing the bridge of his mighty ship. Admiral Ozzel
appears on the viewscreen, standing slightly in front of Captain
Piett. OZZEL:
Lord Vader, the fleet has moved out of light-speed, and we're preparing to...Aaagh! VADER:
You have failed me for the last time, Admiral. Captain Piett. Piett
steps forward, as the admiral moves away, slightly confused,
touching his throat as it begins to constrict painfully. PIETT:
Yes, my lord. VADER:
Make ready to land out troops beyond the energy shield and deploy the fleet so that nothing gets off that system. You are
in command now, Admiral Piett. PIETT:
Thank you, Lord Vader. Piett's
pleasure about his unexpected promotion is not an unmixed emotion. He glances warily at the struggling Admiral Ozzel
who, with a final choke, stumbles and falls in a lifeless heap before him. INTERIOR:
REBEL BASE -- MAIN HANGAR DECK With a
sense of urgency, Leia quickly briefs a group of pilots gathered in the center of the hangar. LEIA:
All troop carriers will assemble at the north entrance. The heavy transport ships will leave as soon as they're loaded.
Only two fighter escorts per ship. The energy shield can only be opened
for a short time, so you'll have to stay very close to your
transports. HOBBIE:
Two fighters against a Star Destroyer? LEIA:
The ion cannon will fire several shots to make sure that any enemy ships will be out of your flight path. When you've
gotten past the energy shield, proceed directly to the rendezvous point. Understood? PILOTS:
(in unison) Right. Okay. LEIA:
Good luck. DERLIN:
Okay. Everyone to your stations. Let's go! The
pilots hurry away. EXTERIOR:
HOTH -- ICE PLAIN -- SNOW TRENCH -- DAY Rebel
troops carry heavy bazooka-type weapons and position them along the snow trench. Men hurriedly respond to their officers'
yelled orders and brace themselves against the rhythmic gusts of bitter-cold wind. Other
troops load power packs into a gun turret and swing its guns into position. EXTERIOR:
HOTH -- ICE PLAIN -- POWER GENERATORS Near the
base power generators, troops rush to set up their heavy battle equipment. Buzzing loudly, the generators send along, sparking fingers of energy into the bitter Hoth wind. INTERIOR:
REBEL BASE -- COMMAND CENTER The long
line of Rebel controllers is tense, as are Princess
Leia and General Rieekan, who are trying very hard not to show any fear. RIEEKAN:
Their primary target will be the power generators. Prepare to open the shield. EXTERIOR:
ICE PLAIN The
Rebel transport and two escort fighters begin their departure from the ice planet. EXTERIOR:
SPACE -- IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER A huge
Imperial Star Destroyer rest against a sea of stars, far above the white surface of the planet Hoth. INTERIOR:
IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER -- BRIDGE An
Imperial controller approaches his commander. CONTROLLER:
Sir, Rebel ships are coming into our sector. CAPTAIN:
Good. Our first catch of the day. INTERIOR:
REBEL BASE -- COMMAND CENTER WOMAN
CONTROLLER: Stand by, ion control....Fire! EXTERIOR:
REBEL BASE ICE CAVE -- ION CANNON The
giant ball-shaped ion cannon rotates into position and blasts two red energy beams skyward. EXTERIOR:
SPACE -- HOTH -- REBEL TRANSPORT The
Rebel transport and its escort race away from the white planet, closely followed by the two red energy beams. As the
Rebel transport races toward the waiting Imperial Star
Destroyer, it is overtaken by the two scarlet energy bolts. The Imperial Star Destroyer is hit in the conning tower by the
powerful bolts, which set up fiery explosions on its metal hull. The big
Star Destroyer veers, then spins wildly out of control. As the Imperial ship careers into deep space, the Rebel
transport races away to safety. INTERIOR:
REBEL BASE -- MAIN HANGAR DECK Pilots,
gunners, and troopers hurry to their stations and their vehicles. ANNOUNCER:
(over loudspeaker) The first transport is away. Everyone
cheers at the announcement, which echoes through the hangar. Luke turns and walks on, heading toward his snowspeeder. His gunner, Dack, a fresh-faced, eager kid, is glad to see him. They climb in. DACK:
Feeling all right, sir? LUKE:
Just like new, Dack. How about you? DACK:
Right now I feel I could take on the whole Empire myself. LUKE:
(quietly, strapping in) I know what you mean. EXTERIOR:
HOTH -- ICE PLAIN A thin
horizon line cuts across the bleak landscape. Small dot-size
objects begin to appear on the horizon, moving in the direction of the Rebel base. EXTERIOR:
HOTH -- ICE PLAIN -- SNOW TRENCH A Rebel
officer lifts a pair of electrobinoculars to his eyes. Through the lens he sees a very close view of a giant Imperial
snow walker. He adjusts the view which then zooms back to reveal three more of the ominous battle machines. Small
flashes of yellow fire billow from the guns of the lumbering snow walkers. The
officer lowers his binoculars as the regular rhythmic pounding begins to make the ground vibrate. The pounding grows louder
and is accompanied by a high-pitched, metallic rattling. The officer speaks into his comlink. TRENCH
OFFICER: Echo Station Three-T-Eight. INTERIOR:
REBEL BASE -- CORRIDOR Pilots
and gunners race to their waiting snowspeeders. Ice and snow
begin falling from the walls of the corridor, shaken by the pounding Imperial snow walker as they draw ever nearer. TRENCH
OFFICER: (over comlink) We have spotted Imperial walkers! CONTROLLER:
Imperial walkers on the north ridge. EXTERIOR:
HOTH -- ICE PLAIN -- SNOW TRENCH The
Rebel troops aim their weapons at the horizon as explosions erupt all around them. They are nervous and their grip on their weapons tightens from the cold and from fear. Behind
the troops a dozen snowspeeders race through the sky. INTERIOR:
LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROUGE LEADER -- COCKPIT LUKE: (into
comlink) Echo station Five-Seven. We're on our way. EXTERIOR:
HOTH -- ICE PLAIN -- BATTLEFIELD The
fleet of snowspeeders races above the ice field at full throttle. They accelerate away from the base and head toward the distant walkers. INTERIOR:
LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROUGE LEADER -- COCKPIT LUKE:
(into comlink) All right, boys, keep tight now. DACK:
Luke, I have no approach vector. I'm not set. LUKE:
Steady, Dack. Attack pattern delta. Go now! EXTERIOR:
HOTH -- ICE PLAIN -- BATTLEFIELD The
cannons mounted on the walker head fire at the speeders. Other walkers loom in the background. Two speeders race
away past two of the enormous walkers and bank to the right. INTERIOR:
LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROUGE LEADER -- COCKPIT LUKE:
All right, I'm coming in. He turns
his speeder and heads directly at one of the walkers, flying toward its towering legs. The horizon twists as the speeder banks between the legs. LUKE:
(into comlink) Hobbie, you still with me? EXTERIOR:
HOTH -- ICE PLAIN -- BATTLEFIELD Two
speeders race directly at the head of a walker, then split and fly past it. Three
other walkers march onward, firing all cannons. EXTERIOR:
HOTH -- ICE PLAIN -- SNOWTRENCH Rebel
troops fire on the approaching walkers, as the snow and |