Widely considered the darkest and most intriguing of the central 'Star Wars' trilogy, 'The Empire Strikes Back' deepens the exploration of mythic themes first essayed in Episode IV: 'A New Hope'.
From its opening amid a besieged Rebel stronghold on the ice planet Hoth to its finale on Bespin, the floating city run by gambler Lando Calrissian, 'Empire' charts Luke Skywalker's travails on the arduous path to becoming a Jedi Knight - a journey that culminates in a punishing face-off with Imperial warlord Darth Vader, and Luke's realisation of the dreadful truth about the fate which befell his father Anakin.