It is now three years after the events in A New Hope.

The Rebels have been

forced to flee their Rebel base on Yavin and establish a new one on the ice
planet of Hoth. Darth Vader, continuing his quest for Luke Skywalker,
dispatches thousands of probe droids across the galaxy. One of the probes
lands on Hoth and begins its survey of the planet. Luke Skywalker, on patrol
via his tauntaun, discovers the probe, which he mistakes for a meteorite.
After reporting to comrade Han Solo, he is knocked unconscious by a
mysterious snow monster.

In their underground Rebel Base, Solo reports to his commander, General

Rieekan, about the situation, then realizes he has to leave Hoth to return to
Tatooine in order to pay off Jabba the Hutt. Solo turns to Princess Leia, but
she gives him the "mushy" look. Headed for the corridor, Solo is followed
by Leia. The princess begs him to stay, but he argues with her and leaves in a
huff.

The droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO, find Solo about to leave on his starship, the
Millennium Falcon, currently devoid of its hyperdrive system. C-3P0 reports
to Solo that Luke is missing and hasn't returned. Despite the freezing
conditions and oncoming nightfall, Solo rides his tauntaun to find his friend.

Meanwhile, Luke is held captive (albeit upside-down) by the Wampa snow

monster. Using the Force, he draws upon his lightsaber (half-buried in the
snow) to kill the creature. Luke escapes the Wampa cave, but is overcome by
the freezing cold. Shortly later, as night begins to fall, he is visited by the
spirit form of dead Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, who tells Luke to go to the planet
Dagobah for further training by Yoda, the Jedi Master who once trained
Kenobi. As the image fades, Han finds Luke barely conscious. But the cold
weather proves too much for Han's tauntaun which collapses and dies. The
best thing for Solo now is to build a night shelter, hoping to be discovered by
Rebel ships.

The next morning, Rebel ships discover a signal from the outer passage, and
the radio cracks open...it is the voice of Solo, and thus the ship also finds
Luke. The injured Jedi-to-be is taken back to the base to be immersed in a
bacta-tank, and shortly recovers. The rest of Luke's comrades visit him to
send get well wishes, but they are interrupted by an emergency. The Alliance
has picked up unusual signals from the East. Solo and his wookie
companion Chewbacca investigate. They shoot down what turns out to be a
self-destructive Imperial Probe Droid. Solo suspects the Empire has found
what they've been looking for. General Rieekan orders the start of
evacuation.

Darth Vader and the Imperial forces set course for the Hoth system to set up
the attack. Shortly after, Luke realizes he too has to leave Hoth, so he says
goodbye to Chewbacca and Solo. As the Imperial forces enter the Hoth
system, Vader discovers Admiral Ozzel has emerged from lightspeed so
close to Hoth that the Rebels have been alerted to the Empire's arrival. Via
video communication, Vader Force chokes Ozzel to death for his actions,
then appoints associate Piett the new admiral.

Princess Leia gives the Rebel fighters instructions on the evacuation to leave
Hoth two to three ships at a time past the energy shield to a rendezvous point
beyond the outer rim. Rieekan raises the shields to fire the ion cannon at one
of the Imperial Star Destroyers allowing the first transports to escape. The
Rebels who have chosen to fight on the ground depart the Hoth base for the
oncoming battle against heavily equipped Imperial forces, who are armed
with agile AT-STs (All Terrain Scout Transports) and monstrous AT-ATs (All
Terrain Armored Transports).

The group, led by Luke, commence the attack, but realizing the armour is
too strong for blasters, they decide to destroy them by using attached cables,
and manages to destroy one of the AT-ATs. The main AT-AT prepares to take
their aim at the Rebel base's main generator. Suddenly, Luke's fighter is shot
down by the Imperials, and crash-lands in the snow. Luke escapes before the
AT-AT can destroy his ship.

The Rebel base is now under attack and Imperial Snowtroopers have entered
the base, forcing Han, Leia, Chewie, and C-3P0 to decide to escape.

Luke, meanwhile, manages to destroy another AT-AT by using his cable,

explosive charge, and lightsaber to get into the belly of the transport before
it is destroyed. The Rebels suffer major casualties as the result of the battle.
The main transport reaches the generator, and successfully aims and fires at
it, destroying the generator.

Han, Leia, and company, not realizing they are being followed by Vader
(who has arrived on Hoth), eventually reach the Millennium Falcon in time
to escape. Luke later meets with R2-D2 on his ship and finally departs Hoth.
Changing course from the rendezvous point, he sets his coordinates for
Dagobah.
Han and company are pursued by Imperial fighters. Flipping the switch to
take them to lightspeed, Han realizes (with reluctant help from C-3P0) that
the hyperdrive has been damaged. While trying to fix the hyperdrive system,
Han learns that the Falcon is approaching an asteroid field. Desperate to
elude the Imperials, he makes the almost suicidal move to enter the field
with the Empire still in pursuit. After a terrifyingly dangerous chase
avoiding collisions as well as TIE Fighters, Solo manages to shake his
pursuers long enough to land inside one of the larger asteroids to hide, rest
and find a way to fix the ship.

Luke lands on the jungle planet Dagobah. There, he discovers a diminutive

figure who tries to help Luke (all the while, the young Jedi-to-be is unaware
his patience is being tested, and that the figure is really Yoda). The figure
invites Luke to his cave for dinner.

Back on the Falcon, while Leia tries to make repairs, Han makes his move
on the Princess, drawing himself closer to her before both end up in a
passionate kiss. When C-3P0 arrives, Leia withdraws and walks away.

The Imperial search begins to take its toll: an asteroid blew off the bridge
tower of a Star Destroyer. On the Executor, Vader communicates with the
captains of the other ships (the one from the ship that blew up fades away).
One officer, Captain Needa, tells Vader that they should consider their
damage. Vader firmly says they will continue the search. Shortly afterwards,
Admiral Piett informs Vader that the Emperor commands he make contact
with him. Vader orders his ship out off the asteroid field for a clear
transmission.

In his private quarters, Vader receives a holographic message from the

Galactic Emperor, who alerts the Dark Lord to a "new enemy who could
destroy" the Empire...Luke Skywalker. Vader suggests that if Luke could be
turned, "he would be a powerful ally". The Dark Lord declares Luke will
join the Empire "or die".

That evening, Luke's patience (or lack thereof) is put to the test. The
diminutive figure declares the boy lacks patience, but the voice of Kenobi
tells the figure that the boy will learn patience if he is to be trained. Only
then does Luke discover the figure is Yoda. Yoda asks Kenobi if he will
finish whatever training he begins, then suspects that Luke will be afraid at
some point.
The next day, the Falcon manages to escape what turns out to be the mouth
of a space slug (who resided in one of the asteroids the Falcon landed in).
Meanwhile, Luke begins a rigorous training regime from Yoda which
includes moral lessons about the dangers of the Dark Side of the Force. That
particular lesson is driven home when he is told to enter a cave that is strong
with the Dark Side's power. Ignoring Yoda's consul to leave his weapons,
Luke enters the cavern armed. Once inside, he has a vision of himself
angrily confronting Darth Vader and beheading him. However, the severed
head's mask bursts apart and reveals Luke's face underneath; it is a warning
that if Luke battles Vader with no emotional control, he will become Vader
himself, seduced by the Dark Side.

Back on the Star Destroyer, Vader enlists bounty hunters (including Boba
Fett and Bossk) to find the Millennium Falcon for a "special reward". One of
the Imperial commanders finally spots the Falcon, leading to another pursuit
that, after another failed attempt to jump into hyperspace, results in the
Falcon eluding the Empire by making the insanely counter intuitive move of
attacking the lead Star Destroyer. However, at the last moment, the ship
veers off and secretly attaches itself to the ship, which is not extensively
covered by sensors, making it appeared to have vanished in the Empire's
point of view.

Days later, while training, Luke discovers his X-Wing fighter about to sink
into the lake, then breaks concentration. Luke declares he will never be able
to get the ship out, seeing that it is too big for him to extract from the water.
Yoda says it is "no different, only different in your mind". Luke decides to
"try" to lift the ship, but Yoda says "do or do not, there is no try". Luke tries
to use the Force, but to no avail. Yoda reminds him that "size matters not"
and gives him wisdom about the Force. Luke denies all of this, then Yoda
decides to use the Force to lift the ship out himself. Luke is dumbfounded
and incredulous. Yoda senses the youngster's failures within his mind.

When the fleet disperses to search for the Falcon, the Rebels wait for the
ship to do its standard dump of refuse before jumping, then detach to float
away with it. Han decides to make their way to Cloud City, a gas-mining
colony run by an "old friend" of Solo's named Lando Calrissian.
Unfortunately, Boba Fett, a bounty hunter who was one of a number hired by
Vader to search for the Rebels, had deduced the Falcon's escape method and
had his ship jettisoned with the waste for the purpose of stealthily following
the fugitives.
The next day, Yoda reminds Luke of the things the young Jedi will see in his
mind, the future, the past, and of friends he recognizes. Luke breaks
concentration again and has a vision of his friends in danger. He wants to
leave Dagobah to rescue them. Yoda reminds him that if Luke leaves now,
everything his friends fought and suffered for will be destroyed.

Upon arrival at Cloud City, Han's party is welcomed by Lando. However,

there are numerous elements that make the Rebels suspicious, not the least
of which being C-3PO being found deactivated, dismembered, and almost
recycled.

That evening, Luke and R2-D2 prepare themselves to leave Dagobah, but
are warned by both Yoda and the spirit form of Kenobi not to end training so
soon for a fight Luke is not ready for. Ben declares that should Luke decide
to face Vader, he will have to face him alone without interference. Luke
understands this, and his ship takes off from Dagobah. Yoda is disappointed,
declaring Luke reckless. Ben tells Yoda that Luke is the Jedi's last hope, but
Yoda answers back, "there is another...."

A day later, Han and company find themselves betrayed by Calrissian who
was approached by the Empire before the Rebels' arrival and threatened him
and the city unless he cooperated. They became the captives of Darth Vader,
who proceeds to torture them to create a disturbance in the Force for Luke to
detect.

That afternoon, Vader enters a carbon-freezing chamber intending to freeze

Luke once he arrives. The Dark Lord uses the opportunity for Boba Fett to
deliver Solo to Jabba the Hutt (to whom Han owed a debt) by testing the
device on Solo himself. Han and company enter the chamber for the
experiment. At first, Chewie resists the stormtroopers, but Han restrains him,
saving his strength for another time. Han says goodbye to Leia with a kiss
before he is escalated into the carbon freezing chamber. When he is
successfully entombed in carbonite in a state of suspended animation, Vader
hands over Han to bounty hunter Boba for transportation to Tatooine to
receive a bounty from Jabba. One of the Imperial commanders informs
Vader that Luke's starfighter has arrived on Bespin. The Dark Lord orders
Lando to take Leia, Chewie, and C-3P0 to his Star Destroyer, reneging on a
deal he made with Lando. But the Cloud City administrator has other plans.
Luke makes his way to Bespin safely, and, after discovering Solo's carbonite
coffin manages to escape a gun battle with Boba Fett. Leaving R2-D2
behind, he makes his way to the carbon freezing chamber. There, he meets
with Vader and the two fight in an epic lightsaber duel, where Luke's
undeveloped Jedi skills are no match for Vader.

The Imperials (escorting the Rebel prisoners out of Bespin) are overpowered
by Cloud City security, setting Lando and company free. Chewie turns
against Lando for betraying Han, but he manages to tell the wookie there's
still a chance to rescue Han at the East Platform. C-3P0 is reunited with his
companion R2-D2. Lando and company arrive too late as Fett's ship takes
off, then engage in a fierce battle with stormtroopers.

Luke and Vader continue their lightsaber battle in the bowels of Cloud City.
Vader uses the Dark Side of the Force against Luke by using whatever
equipment is at hand, eventually thrusting Luke through a window and
landing on one of the emergency platforms.

As the gunfight continues, Lando orders an evacuation of Cloud City, then

the company manages to find their last hope of escape...the Millennium
Falcon.

In the final phase of the lightsaber duel, Vader manages to cut off Luke's
right hand, throwing it (and the lightsaber which the hand grasped) into an
abyss. In perhaps one of the most memorable scenes in cinema history,
Vader reveals to Luke that he is his father. Luke screams in total denial, but
urged by Vader to search his feelings, Luke knows it to be the truth. Vader
attempts to persuade Luke to join him and embrace the Dark Side to defeat
the Emperor. Together, they can then end the rebellion, bring order, and rule
the galaxy as father and son. Luke, however, chooses suicide over being
corrupted, throwing himself down a deep shaft.

Luke is sucked into an air vent, exits the underbelly of the city and lands on
an antenna complex beneath Cloud City. With only one hand remaining to
grasp for dear life, and facing certain death, Luke calls out to Ben Kenobi in
vain (Kenobi swore not to help Luke once he faced Vader.) As the wind of
the high atmosphere howls all around him, he finally calls out to the only
other person he feels who could help...Leia.

Leia mysteriously senses Luke's telepathic distress signal. The Falcon turns
around and comes back to Cloud City. Using an escape hatch, Lando
manages to catch Luke and rescue him before the wounded Jedi falls
helplessly into deep space. The Falcon finally escapes Bespin's gravitational
field about to escape into hyperspace when the hyperdrive system again fails
the company. Vader asks for confirmation that the Millennium Falcon's
hyperdrive system was deactivated to prevent their escape, then orders
weapons set for stun.

As the Imperials make their pursuit of the Falcon, the injured Luke hears the
telepathic voice of Vader calling to him. He answers, "Father...", while Vader
telepathically answers back, "son, return to me". Luke senses it is Vader,
then cries, "Ben, why didn't you tell me?"

As the Executor enters range, Piett orders the crew to prepare the tractor
beam. Meanwhile, C-3P0 commands that R2-D2 finish reconstructing him
after his ordeal in Cloud City. However, with quick ingenuity, R2-D2
manages to fix the hyperdrive system. It is just in the nick of time, as the
Imperials were about to lock their tractor beam onto the Falcon. The ship
barely escapes and Vader stares diappointedly out into the now vacant space.
He retreats to his secret quarters in his Star Destroyer, stalking past his
terrified crew and ignoring Piett's failure.

The film ends on a medical ship (part of the Rebel fleet headed for the
rendezvous near Sullust), where Luke is outfitted with a prosthetic hand.
Lando and Chewie begin their most dangerous mission...rescuing their
friend Han Solo. Lando promises to Leia they will bring her back the man
she loves. Luke, Leia, and the droids look on as the Falcon departs for
unknown territories. Their own fates and futures are now uncertain. But the
time will come when all will be resolved... it is only a question of how long.