Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.

Now regarded as one of the great sequels, Empire Strikes Back was far more divisive on release than its reputation suggests — many 1980 critics felt the darker tone and inconclusive ending drained the original's breezy charm, while others found the expanded dramatic scope a genuine step forward. The gap between that initial mixed-to-moderate reception and the film's towering standing with later audiences is itself the defining story of its legacy.