I’ll never join you!
Luke Skywalker has finally made his way to Cloud City. What’s waiting for him, he’s not ready for. But he’ll have to face it anyway. Such is the way of fate, and of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. It’s one of the greatest moments in modern film, arguably the best moment in Star Wars: the clash between Luke and Darth Vader in the bowels of Cloud City. And Galaxy of Adventures, Disney’s growing collection of fantastic little Star Wars animated shorts, is tackling it nearly in full.
It’s beautiful, with fluid fighting and a lot of visual drama. It has one small gap, though: the reveal that Vader is Luke’s father is missing. I guess to... avoid spoilers? If this is the first glimpse some kids have of Star Wars, I guess it makes sense to avoid giving away all the secrets. But I’m going to be honest: I really would have liked to see that moment in animation, too. The whole sequence, while dramatic, just feels lacking without it.
This short is the fourth in a series focused on The Empire Strikes Back in commemoration of its 40th anniversary. There are also shorts on the Battle of Hoth, Luke’s journey to Dagobah, and Han and Leia going to Cloud City. Predictably, they’re all excellent.
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