Imagine being 12 years old in 1980 when this first came out and having to end on that cliffhanger. Three years seemed forever back then until Jedi came out. Good times.

What I love about this movie is how they kept Luke's parentage a secret when filming. In the script, Vader says that Obi-Wan killed Luke's father, and they used that bit when filming. When making the final cut, James Earl Jones and Mark Hamill recorded the one we see here. No one else on set knew the actual twist, so when they all saw the final cut at the premier, Harrison Ford told Hamill "Hey kid, you never told me that" when they all saw the movie

The Yeti attack at the opening was added to the film to explain why Luke suddenly had facial scars. Between the first and second movies, Mark Hammil had a car accident that left him with deep facial injuries that even makeup couldn't adequately hide.

Vader silently walking off the command deck after not executing anybody is probably one of the most brilliantly underrated parts of the script (apart from the running plot line with the hyperdrive). Without saying a word, we know his mental conflict- especially because we know his big dreams for wresting control of the Empire away from the Emporer are basically scuttled.

The dialogue in this movie is so good. Perfect for an action adventure movie.

Haven’t seen anyone talk about this yet, so I will. The scene in the cave is one of my favorites. It’s a vision quest; a rite of passage into manhood in many tribal cultures around the world and throughout history. When Yoda says that what is in there is “only what you take with you”, it speaks to something philosophers and psychologists have talked about for millennia, that the scariest thing that we have to face is ourselves. That’s also why Luke’s face appears in Vader’s mask; a warning from the Force that if he doesn’t overcome his hatred for Vader, he will become Vader…

Now just imagine hearing "I am your father." in the movie theater and then having to wait YEARS to find out if it was really, REALLY true! All the discussions we had around the lunch table in middle school, arguing whether he was or he wasn't, sometimes being certain one way, sometimes being certain the other. THAT was tough. 😀 Loved your reaction. So priceless, and so pure. And, yeah, unlike you we had no definitive answers for anything. 😀But you're not alone in asking "What's that? What happened to him? What's going on?" As a kid I read the canon/not canon sequel/not sequel to the original Star Wars called "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" so I knew more about the characters and some of the proposed story, even if much of it was later altered or just discarded when Star Wars was successful enough to get Empire as its sequel.

“I feel like I should’ve wanted to be a Jedi this whole time. I connect with this more on a spiritual level. I sound so dumb.” Not dumb at all! This is the magic of Star Wars. Our childhood imaginations with these original three films ran wild.

Lando's face though, when they tried to go to hyperspace and it just whined like a car that just won't turn over, was priceless, and all he really did was just cut his eyes to the side. The casting in these 3 films was perfect

22:45 Fun fact, that dark side cave on Dagobah is the entire reason Yoda's there. It's powerful enough in the dark side of the Force that Yoda's presence as a focus of the light side of the Force causes the Force signature of the two to cancel each other out as long as he lives nearby. It's how he kept the Emperor from ever sensing out his presence the past 25 years.

The little pod that Vader sits in was his Meditation Chamber. It was a life support pod that allowed him to survive for extended periods without the helmet and mask of his suit which regulated his breathing. Once you watch Episodes 1-3, you will get the full backstory of Vader and understand how he became who he is and why The thing that Luke was in is called a Bacta Tank. In the Star Wars universe, being placed in the tank was a way to accelerate healing from injuries. Almost like being put on some form of Life Support.

The actual lightsabers are really just sticks stuck to the hilts they are using. So they ARE dueling for real! And in post production they've just added the color & blade over what is the stick of the "sword". So simple, so legendary & iconic.

Quick shoutout to Wedge Antilles, possibly the greatest Rebel Alliance pilot ever, you couldn't ask for a better wingman!

“I dunno why R2 is so cute” His sass knows no bounds and he’s the most useful little dude even if no one notices 💖 this is why I love him ^^

yeah at 7:10 when you comment on what a nice 'brotherly moment' it is--that's part of what I love about this movie. They don't even have to say a word to show how they all care about each other.

I really like that you noted how important the humor is in this movie. As you said, it ads balance to the pacing of the story. One of the things I found lacking in both the prequels and the sequels in the trilogy was that the humor when there was any seemed really scripted and stiff. When you said you loved the insults even though they are corny, that is it in a nutshell. They sound like insults your friends say. There is no time to come up with something very witty, so you make up a name like "goldenrod".

2:52 Fun Fact: prior to his return. Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) actually sustained some injury while riding his motorcycle 🏍️. He actually got clipped by a truck 🚛 so some of those stitches are still fresh.

Yes, I always loved Lando's cloak. I have thought for a long time now that cloaks need to come back into fashion.

Fun Fact about the reason why Vader didn't kill anyone at the end, was because he actually respects Admiral Piett. He saw that Piett worked his way up from the Outer Rim (Lower Class) and reach Vice Admiral on his skill alone. Unlike the previous Admiral, who got it because his father was a senator.

John Williams scores for Star Wars films were my gateway to classical music.

10:12 Arianna “Get up in there guy” Sterling Archer “Phrasing!!!” Great reaction. Love your energy and being into the story and characters. Can’t wait for Jedi.

I love watching first-time-reactions to Empire; the line is so embedded in pop culture, and yet it still hits every time.

Everytime I hear that iconic STAR WARS end credits theme, I feel as if the cast should come from behind the curtains to take a final bow.

So few viewers expect the mynock and it pays of every time! Great edit my dude; loved this reaction! Arianna's sense of humor is perfect for this movie. The big reveal was a great segment, too.

Thanks, Arianna! 🌟 Lemme tell ya, 12 year old me was wrecked by the revelation in this one. It's a good thing 3 years elapsed before EPISODE VI came out, because it took me that whole time to prepare myself.

I need you to know I remembered to upvote when you said "that robot vomited essentially" lololololol I cannot wait for the rest of your Star Wars reactions! I love the channel and always look forward to new reactions, keep up the good work!

I have been so tired of new reactions to the original trilogy... You made this so much fun! Thank you for posting this and I'm glad I didn't just skip it.

Not So Fun Fact: Much of the damage to Luke's face in the beginning of the movie was from a car accident Mark Hamil was involved in, in real life.

"I'm sorry, I need a Yoda backpack." Hmmm! Ready she is. "Seagulls" she will look up. "Stop it now", she won't.

The hours that kids spent staring at stuff and trying to move them with the Force due to these films are innumerable... I can remember at 7 or 8 being SURE that I could move stuff around the room. I mean I still believe it, I just don't tell anyone now...

most ppl rarely mention it or even notice it. am i just one of the minority who notices that the imperial officer Piett was just a regular officer, then suddenly his admiral gets killed by Vader and immediately gets a field promotion to Admiral right then and there. I always found that amusing. Field promotions come quick under Vader.

If I could go back to any cinematic moment of my childhood, it would be the summer of 1980 when I was six and we waited in line to see this at the Tivoli theatre in my hometown. Thank you for your reaction to this one! New sub!

I always liked that ending scene too. There's still a lot of guess work on how our galaxy looks, hard to see when we're inside it. The one they're looking at looks a lot like the Sombrero galaxy M104.

23:00 He didn't need his weapons, the only thing in that cave was what he brought with him, his fears, his hate, his doubts, he feared turning into Darth Vader.

Your reaction to this movie is freaking everything, I love it. I've seen Star Wars all the episodes more times than I care to count but seeing someone enjoying the banter and through new eyes is so enjoyable

Chewie's cries when Han is lowered into carbon freezing are so sad. They really remind me of a big sad dogs cry, and as we all know Lucas modelled Chewbacca after his dog; Indiana the Dog if I recall.

I like how the “I am your Father” moment is still shocking even though it’s been well known in pop culture for years. I’ve reaction I’ve seen (that wasn’t obviously faked) people are still shocked that he says it so early on or that it actually ends up being true, there’s still some surprise there

No younger person understands the pain of waiting 3 years for a sequel this big.

I love this channel!!! Arianna and Maple are killing these reactions... Thank you soooo much😀😀😀

It’s amazing how many classic Dr. Who actors are in this movie. Jansen, Fett, Veers Ozzel all actors that have been in many episodes of Doctor Who.

Hey, Arianna! This is most people's favorite installment and widely considered to be the best Star Wars film. It certainly is mine. Young people who came of age with the Prequel trilogy often cite Episode III as their favorite. "Empire" has four strikingly distinct environments, an amazing opening battle, the Yoda reveal, the romantic sparring, a deeper explanation of the Force, Lando's treachery and redemption, the presence of fan favorite Boba Fett, the loss of Han, the Vader revelation and the cliffhanger ending. It is a wild escapist ride that packs an emotional wallop! Mark Hamill had a terrible car accident prior to filming and underwent facial reconstructive surgery. Already a part of the screenplay, the WAMPA attack on Hoth became an in-story way to explain his new look and the make-up department enhanced his barely-visible scars. Han eviscerating the TAUN TAUN is an authentic form of arctic and/or cold weather survival. He stuffed Luke's hypothermic body in the still-warm carcass of the animal wrapping him in its innards in order to keep him from freezing to death. People have done this to survive. I love it when people freak out watching that scene! BACTA is the liquid in the healing cylinder. It is a bacterial compound with regenerative properties that is the standard medical treatment for all injuries in the Star Wars galaxy. Yoda's odd little voice is provided by his puppeteer Frank Oz who voices many Jim Henson Muppets like Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and Animal as well as Sesame Street characters like Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover! Yoda pretended to be a grubby, eccentric hermit simply to get an honest reaction out of Luke that would reveal his character. It's a test like those of the gods in Greek mythology who appear as deformed peasants to see how the hero will behave toward the lowliest person. The new player Vader was kneeling before is the Emperor! The same actor plays him in all his appearances across the saga. The MYNOCKS are bat-sized creatures that feed off electrical energy and are starship pests. Sometimes they live symbiotically in the gullets of space leviathans like the EXOGORTH that swallowed the 'Falcon'! I find it amusing how social norms have changed. I've watched a number of millennials view Star Wars for the first time now on KZfaq and quite a few young women are APPALLED by Han Solo's behavior! When these movies came out, Harrison Ford became an instant mega-star and sex symbol because of his devil-may-care swagger and brash forwardness. He subscribed to the "treat a Queen like a whore and a whore like a Queen" school of seduction and WOMEN LOVED HIM FOR IT!!! You can tell he's a softie underneath which is what makes him endearing but it seems young women today find him INSUFFERABLE!!! All boys thought he was the coolest guy ever. It's funny how times change. I'm relieved that his charms weren't lost on you, Arianna! Leia was a feminist icon back in the day! An independent woman of means comfortable wielding power, unafraid to get her hands dirty and dedicated to a serious cause! A whole generation of young boys and girls grew up with her as a role model. Talented screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan was responsible for all the fun romantic banter in this film. As Leia is Alderaanian royalty and Han Solo is a Corellian street kid, it's basically a CLASS ISSUE preventing her from accepting her feelings for Solo. The constant arguing is their foreplay as he wears her down with his roguish charm. Lol. Harrison Ford's famous "I know." reply to Leia's declaration of love was ad-libbed by Ford who wasn't feeling the more generic "I love you, too." line from the script. Director Irvin Kershner and George Lucas kept it in the movie. It's perfect for the character. I've seen others take DEEP OFFENSE! Keep in mind that Solo has been upfront with Leia about his feelings for her for THREE YEARS at this point! She's the one who has been coy with him despite her obvious attraction. Her admission is what HE'S been patiently waiting for and he matter-of-factly tells her he's fully aware of how she feels. It's the answer SHE DESERVES! Lol. The movies were remastered in the late '90s to promote the upcoming Prequel trilogy with some CGI overlays of the original practical effects but this installment has the fewest egregious changes and looks much like it did in 1980. The Wampa feeding, some aerial shots of Cloud City, a clearer view of the Emperor and some windows cut into corridors Leia, Lando and Chewie are running through at the end which look out onto the Bespin cityscape are the only updates I can think of. People were SO INVESTED in this franchise back in 1980 that scrutiny during production was INTENSE!! They had the actor in the Vader suit, David Prowse, speak different lines to Luke to conceal the reveal even though Hamill was told what to react to. Dummy scripts were used on set to throw off snoops and spies. James Earl Jones was told the truth just prior to recording the scene. When Jones uttered those immortal words on screen, "No, I am your father.", audiences collectively GASPED, SCREAMED, CRIED, FAINTED and SHOUTED their dismay! It remains one of cinema's MOST ICONIC MOMENTS.

31:02 Have you noticed that throughout this entire film that you are watching how things are starting to coalesce or come together. As if it was meant to be.... This is the will of a force. This is destined to happen as it should be...

“I don’t believe it”. “That is why you fail” could be the best life-lesson from any movie ever

Your reactions are the best. You are hilarious. Out of all of the reaction channels I subscribe to, you are my favorite. And this is one of my favorite movies. It's remarkable. I can't say enough about it.

The cave shows Luke his own dark side. It shows him what he could become. The darkest Jedi (later canonically known as a Sith) he knows of is Darth Vader so that is what he sees. Yoda says 'Only what you take with you.' when he asks what is in there. The dark reflection doesn't draw a lightsaber until Luke does. And of course the face reveal shows, this is what you could turn into if you fall to darkness. He actually fails at the cave because he didn't need to fear it and fight it, he needed to see and accept his dark side so he could better avoid falling. The best Star Wars movie, bar none.

I thoroughly enjoyed your reaction! I saw this when it debuted in theaters with my dad in 1980. Good memories!! Glad you liked it. You have a new subscriber. 😀

that scene at the beginning , where the "yeti" clobbers luke, was added in to cover for Mark Hamil's scars, after SW epi 4 came out, he got himself a fancy new sports car, then wrecked it right b4 starting filming for Empire, so they made that scene to "explain" his facial scars

Your reaction was fun to watch @Diegesis because you where enjoying the movie so much. This is a much darker in tone star wars film and my favourite out of them all.

I was really looking forward to this one! Such a great reaction! Love you

I sat through 3 showings in one day. I can't put into words what this movie meant to a 12 year old me. An emotional roller-coaster ride with our characters in constant jeopardy. Makes the Disney sequels look like an after-school special.

I love Yoda in these days. One very unfortunate thing for the prequels is that they made it so Yoda did his backwards speak All The Time, when in the originals, yeah he did do the backwards speak, but interspersed with speaking normally.

If not one of the best sequels but one of the best films. So enjoyable 😉. Loved your reaction and hope you've a good day. Thank you ❤️

In case you're curious, "If you'd only learned patience, sir" in Obi-Wan's affected voice is when I fell in love with this channel. Looking forward to more.

If you really want a Yoda backpack, you have to watch the video titled ""SEAGULLS! (Stop It Now)" -- A Bad Lip Reading of The Empire Strikes Back"

Don't know if anyone told you but, the animal Luke rode on before the Yeti attacked is called a Tauntaun, and the Yeti creature is actually called a Wampa. And the giant monster in the Asteroid Field is a space slug

I wish you would do a follow up to each movie reacting to bloopers or "making of" (Empire Strikes Back is the best Star Wars movie ever) fun fact: the beginning of this movie with the Yeti attacking Luke was shot near the end of filming because Mark Hamill was in a serious car accident that left his face scarred. They needed a way to explain his scars so they wrote in that beginning intro of him being mauled

In the first Star Wars, Han said that a good blaster was better than an ancient weapon and a 'hokey religion'. Well, at 30:40 he learned that, in fact that's not the case.

Its fun listening to people comment on the first movies. That came out when their parents were in gradeschool. As if they would have something more exciting to say. Than actually knowing what the world before star wars. And watching how it changed the world. If you know that. Then you really have something to say.

19:20 the force gives one the ability to sense other Force sensitives. And yes the Jedi are connected through the use of the force. But so are the dark Jedi's such as Darth Vader and the Emperor. The force allows you to sense life and all its aspects. From the smallest organism to the largest animal the force gives one the ability to not only feel their emotions but feel their memories.

12:29 According to the Expanded Universe, this is a universal trait among the people of Corellia. A Corellian character will most likely not care about the odds of success or, having been informed, will take those odds as a challenge to be beaten.

I really enjoy your reactions. Both you girls are becoming my favorite reactors on KZfaq. And from the thumbnail of The Thing it looks like you both react to that together?! That will be awesome! I'm pretty sure every kid in the world wanted a yoda/C3PO backpack in my day. And they made them in time for Christmas. Best Christmas ever! I always believed that in that final moment that the Falcon escapes, the reason Vader doesn't kill an officer for failing him is because in that moment he has solid proof that he truly has a son in the world and, I believe that is the beginning of an internal struggle within him. He doesn't really want to destroy his son, but his station dictates that he has to.

You REALLY need to watch Tremors!

It was an absolute pleasure watching this with you. Thank you.

The big white yeti-looking creature is called a 'Wampa'. In a deleted scene, the Wampa's had attacked the Hoth base where the Rebels were, and warning signs were posted to alert base members to not go into those areas. When the probe droids land and Leia says, "So it can't be one of those creatures", it's in reference to the Wampa's. As they are fleeing the base, C3PO removes the warning sign from the door where the Wampa's have entered, and the Snowtroopers walked right into them unaware. We the audience know what's there but it would have been a nasty surprise for the Imperials. Sadly though, the scene never made it into the release version, just the line by Leia.

Couldn't see if someone had mentioned earlier - droids have language (Binary, I think is the official name) , and it can be learned by organics, at least as far as translating it goes. So several characters understand R2's beeps and things as direct conversation.

Fun fact, the sound of the blaster guns firing was created by hitting a high tension utility cable with a hammer. Yea, I'm an old SW nerd.

4:09 among the many Star systems in this universe. Hoth being one of the coldest 🥶 is also the most inhospitable. Which is why it is perfect for the rebel alliance to hide. But Nothing can hide from the Force.

luke with yoda is like the only time in star wars we see proper earth animals in star wars "that i recall"

Back in the day they did the lightsaber by wrapping a special tape around sticks/tubes and then coloring them in the film later. So there were "real" swords for that one. It wasn't just CGIed in and they were only holding the handles. .

Fun fact: Mark Hamill was really upset when he found out that Luke had cut off the wampa's arm off. As an avid animal lover, he thought he had singed the fur and not really hurt it.

You're very charming and your reactions are dope. You remind me of why I loved Star Wars, over 25+ years ago. I haven't felt strong Star Wars enthusiasm since then, so I appreciate that recharge deeply. Cheers.

While it’s fun watching Arianna scream watching The Thing, or emotionally impactful watching her watch war movies or shows, it’s the best watching her have fun with Star Wars!!

This was pure joy to watch! Thank you so much!!!

I seriously love watching people react to Star Wars 💯 can't wait to see what you think of Return of the Jedi (my personal favorite). @7:56 only beings with a very strong connection to the Force can affect beings from that far away. You will learn as you watch that Darth Vader is elite 💯

I saw this when I was 9 when this came out in 1980. We were lucky enough to have a Dimension 150 theater in our town so we got the 70mm print.

This one a long time have I watched all his life as he looked away to the future to the horizon never his mind on where he was hm what he was doing. I love star wars so glad you enjoyed it so far😊

I wish I was alive back in the 80s, it must've been an incredible experience seeing this on the big screen, opening night, but I was born in 97 :( anyway, this is one's amazing and my personal favorite 💯

"I love you." "I know." - Proof that Han Solo was a P-I-M-P!

Wonderful reaction. I always enjoy these movies. Thank you. Looking forward to the next one.

Fun fact: The big reveal was gonna be something very different that would’ve completely changed the course of Star Wars history. Instead of Vader revealing he was Luke’s father, the reveal was going to be “No, Obi-Wan killed your father.”

All the bridge crew were glad they all wore brown pants after the falcon escapes at the end

"Through the Force, things you will see. Other places. The future, the past... old friends, long gone." That line's kinda sad - Luke sees his *current* friends, he doesn't have many friends long gone, but Yoda does. After 900 years, that's all there is for Yoda to see.

Check out this funny song they made from this episode of Yoda singing to Luke. You won't regret it! "Seagulls (Stop It Now)" kzfaq.info/get/bejne/i5-kYNadsdKXYHk.html

This is my Childhood and MOST likely the Greatest Movie of All Time! 🤨 Harrison Ford improvised the Line "I Know" when Leia said she Loved him for comic effect. He drops it like a Mack Daddy Pimp! 😆

"Han" cutting open the "Tauntaun" sets up one of my fav "Venture Brothers" end credits ever. "I thought they smell bad... on the outside!"

I drove a hour to see this in the biggest theater I could find. On the I am your father bomb shell people left the theater in tears . Empire is considered the best of the series and man it felt like forever till that next movie came out.

*Fun Fact:* Goldenrod is the Nebraska State Flower. I'd *Almost* want a parody of Star Wars where they call Threepio something along the lines of "Nebraska Flower" as a reference to that, if my "Parents" hadn't compared me to Palpatine, ultimately ending my place in the Fandom!

I'm still amazed by what they accomplished with visual FX 40 years ago ...

Oh my God you're so invested much happens to everyone. Love your reactions. Love Star wars. Love your reactions to Star wars. Let's not wait so long for return of the Jedi ❤️💚☘️

7:42 the round circular pod Darth Vader sits in is his meditation chamber, traditional for Sith Lord’s.

OMG, ARIANNA WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE TREMORS!!!!!!!!!!!! 😀😀😀

John Williams is arguably the greatest composer living right now. "Trust me" is how they say, "Screw you" in Washington, D.C.

You guys seriously have the best reactions.

Luke's encounter with Vader in the cave was all in his head. Yoda had spiked the Rootleaf stew!

"Would it help if I got out and pushed?" Leia wants SPANKED. I mean, she didn't insult HAN, she insulted his SHIP. lol

Hell yes. Such an awesome reaction of yours to Empire. LOVE IT! ❤️🤓 I can not wait till you see Jedi!!!😃

I'm sooooo happy you got to see "THE WALKING THINGIES!"

I already made a comment on this reaction. Just want to say thank you for keeping me company on my days off. I've been playing Destiny 2's The Witch Queen while listening/watching this reaction. The reaction is fun. Again hope you guys are doing well

I have to say it, "Get Up in There Guy"...that's what she said🤣🤣🤣

"One is like the captain, the other one shoots from ... behind" Shoots from behind? Hey everyone, Star Wars has Chipotle!