Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

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.

EXT. 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.

EXT. 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.

After a little static a familiar voice is heard.

Luke clicks off his transmitter and reins back on his nervous lizard. He pats the beast on the head to calm it.

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 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.

EXT. HOTH - REBEL BASE ENTRANCE - DAY

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

INT. 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.

The Wookiee grumbles a reply.

Chewbacca puts his mask back on and returns to his welding as Han leaves.

INT. 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.

Taking a deep breath, Han blurts out what is on his mind.

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 theirconversation and seems somewhat distressed.

He turns to Leia as Rieekan moves away.

Leia is angry.Han sees she has no warmth to offer him.He shakes his head and adopts a sarcastic tone.

Han walks away into the quiet corridor adjoining the command center. Leia stews a moment, then hurries after him.

INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - ICE CORRIDOR

Han stops in the corridor and turns to face Leia.

Leia stares at him, understanding, then laughs.

Angrily, Han strides down the corridor as Leia stares after him.

INT. 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.

Artoo beeps a stream of protesting whistles.

INT. 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.

Chewie grumbles in irritation.

Han glances at the fading light at the entrance of the ice cave as night slowly begins to fall on the planet.

Han jumps down off the lift, as Threepio follows him.

Han abruptly puts his hand over Threepio's mouth as the deck officer approaches.

The deck officer leaves hurriedly, as Han takes his hand off Threepio's mouth.

INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - MAIN ICE TUNNEL

The deck officer and his assistant hurry toward Han as he enters the tunnel.

Han pushes through the troops and mounts a Tauntaun.

Han maneuvers his mount out of the cave and races into the dark bitter night.

EXT. 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.

EXT. 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.

EXT. 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.

EXT. HOTH - OUTSIDE ICEHANGAR - DUSK

Artoo stands in the falling snow, beeping worriedly.Threepio moves stiffly over to him.

Artoo beeps, long and low.

Threepio turns to go back inside the main hangar as Artoo mournfully keeps his vigil.

EXT. 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.

INT. 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.

Leia nods an acknowledgment, but she is lost in thought.

He turns to the lieutenant.

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.

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.

EXT. 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.

The image of Ben fades, revealing a lone Tauntaun rider approaching from the windswept horizon.

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.

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.