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THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK SHOOTING SCRIPT FOURTH DRAFT BY LAWRENCE KASDAN
A white snowscape races toward camera... the MAIN TITLE quickly recedes, followed by a roll-up. Episode V: THE EMPIRE
STRIKES BACK... A thousand worlds have felt the oppressive hand of the Emperor as He attempts to crush the growing rebellion. As the Imperial grip of tyranny tightens, Princess Leia and the small band of freedom fighters search for a more secure base of operations... The roll-up disappears into the bleak horizon.
The camera tilts down bringing into view a small figure galloping across the windswept ice slope.
A closer panning shot reveals a bundled rider on a large gray snow lizard, called 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.
He pulls off his protective goggles. It is LUKE SKYWALKER. He notices something in the sky and takes a pair of electro-binoculars from his utility belt.
6. EXT PLAIN OF HOTH - LUKE'S POV - DAY From LUKE'S POV, we follow a bright object as it falls to the ground. On the distant horizon, an explosion marks the point of impact.
The wind whips at Luke's fur-lined cap as he activates a com-link transmitter. His lizard is nervous. LUKE After a little static a familiar voice is heard. HAN (OS) LUKE HAN (OS) LUKE
Luke clicks off his transmitter and reins back on his lizard, which seems frightened. Luke 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, followed by a monstrous HOWL. Luke turns and looks up at an eleven foot high shape towering over him. LUKE He grabs for his pistol, but is HIT flat in the face by a huge, white claw, knocking him into the snow, bloody and unconscious.
Luke falls unconscious into the snow. The terrified screams of the Tauntaun are cut short by the horrible snap of a neck being broken.
The WAMPA ICE MONSTER grabs Luke by one ankle and drags him away.
A WEIRD MECHANICAL SOUND is heard over the whining of the wind. A strange PROBE ROBOT, with several extended sensors, emerges from the smoke-shrouded crater. The ominous robot FLOATS across the snow plain, and disappears into the distance.
A stalwart figure rides his Tauntaun up to the entrance of an enormous ice cave.
Rebel troopers are rushing about unloading supplies and otherwise securing their new base. The rider swings rakishly off his lizard and pulls away his goggles: HAN SOLO. He walks briskly into the main HAN The Wookiee GRUMBLES a reply. HAN Chewbacca lets out with a joyful CHUCKLE and returns to his work as Han leaves.
A makeshift command center has been set up in a blaster area of thick ice. The low-ceilinged room is a beehive of activity. Controllers, troopers, and droids move about setting up electronic equipment and monitoring radar signals. GENERAL RIEEKAN straightens up from a console as Han approaches. RIEEKAN HAN RIEEKAN HAN HAN LEIA (OS) The two men turn to see PRINCESS LEIA, dressed in a short white combat jacket and pants. She is upset by Han's news. Her hair is braided and tied across her head in a "30's" Nordic fashion... HAN RIEEKAN HAN RIEEKAN Rieekan touches Han and moves away. Han turns to Leia. HAN Leia is angry. Han sees she has no warmth to offer him. He shakes his head and adopts a cooler tone. HAN
Han strides down a corridor carved from the ice. Leia follows quickly, agitated. Behind them, unnoticed, an appendage of a Wampa Ice Monster suddenly detaches from a seemingly solid section of ice wall. LEIA Han stops in the quiet corridor and turns to face Leia. HAN LEIA HAN LEIA HAN LEIA HAN LEIA HAN HAN LEIA HAN LEIA HAN Leia stares at him, understands, then laughs. LEIA Han has had it with this broad. He steps closer. Leia is almost against the wall. Han puts a hand against the wall to cut off any retreat. HAN LEIA HAN LEIA HAN He steps away from her, takes a last cool appraisal. HAN (Continued) LEIA Leia walks away.
Track with the sinister, probe robot as it moves across the vast frozen wilderness. One of its extended sensors detects something and the robot stops, turns and heads off in another direction, at high speed.
The robot stops before a large mound of snow about twenty feet long and six feet high. It circles the mound, then shoots a thin laser bolt at the snow drift.
18. CLOSE-UP MOUND OF SNOW The mound shakes a little bit and two large eyes appear at one end, staring directly at the robot. A primeval BELLOW issues forth from the mound.
The robot backs off a few feet, then blasts the mound with a heavy laser bolt that disintegrates the snow-covered creature in a cloud of smoke and flame.
The evil robot moves off toward the horizon.
The jagged face of a huge ice wall sits gloomily in the dim twilight of a Hoth day. Luke hangs spreadeagle upside down, ankles tied by hide thongs to ice stalactites, his extended arms within a meter of the snow floor. His face is covered in dried frozen blood on one side. 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 thongs. Exhausted, he drops back into the hanging position. LUKE Luke spies his laser sword lying near a pile of his discarded gear about three feet out of reach. Reverberating through the gorge, the growling and crunching sounds of the approaching ice monster can be heard. Luke desperately strains for his sword. Quietly, almost a whisper, Luke hears old BEN'S CALM VOICE. BEN (Voice
Over) LUKE BEN (Voice
Over) Just as the ice monster looms over Luke, the light saber suddenly jumps three feet into Luke's hand. The young warrior instantly ignites the sword, swings up and cuts both of his bindings. He drops to the snow in a heap. The startled ice monster moves back, his giant yellow eyes blinking. The most that can be discerned of the creature is a shape, and those two perplexed eyes. Luke scrambles to his feet. He swings his light saber and the monster screams in pain.
Luke staggers out of the gorge and stumbles down a snow bank.
The hangar is full of activity. We hear a familiar stream of beeps and whistles a moment before catching sight of ARTOO and THREEPIO, who appear from a corridor and move along an ice wall toward the Millennium Falcon. Behind them, in the ice, two large yellow eyes blink open. THREEPIO The two robots stop at Han Solo's space freighter. Han and Chewie are still struggling with their central lifters. HAN THREEPIO HAN THREEPIO Han glances at the fading light at the entrance of the ice cave as night slowly begins to fall on the planet. HAN Han jumps down off the lift. HAN He gets a negative reply as the DECK SERGEANT and an AIDE rush up to Han. DECK SERGEANT HAN HAN The Deck Sergeant and his aide turn and rush off. Artoo lets out a confused whistle. THREEPIO HAN Artoo lets out with a hysterical whistle. THREEPIO
The Deck Sergeant and several Troopers inspect the mangled remains of three dead Tauntauns. Some of the hardware nearby has also been brutally pulled out of shape. Several surviving Tauntauns shuffle nervously nearby. Outside the light is slowly fading. TROOPER The Deck Sergeant nods, then notices Han running up and steps out of the group to meet him. DECK SERGEANT DECK SERGEANT HAN DECK SERGEANT HAN Han pushes through the troops and mounts a snow lizard. Huge monster feet move into the shadows of one of the X wing bays. DECK SERGEANT HAN
The dark, evil probe robot moves across the frozen floor of the Hoth plain. The wind is beginning to pick up, and snow starts to cake on the front of the robot. It stops, hovers, then drops to the ground. Several probes emerge from its metal hull and a dome shaped force field around the robot begins to glow. Eventually, the force field becomes a solid shape and is quickly covered with the blowing snow.
28. EXT PLAIN OF HOTH - DUSK Han rides across the plain on his Tauntaun.
He reigns his mount to a stop, looks around and listens. It's almost as if he hears something. He turns and looks in one direction, then spurs his lizard in that direction.
Han rides off across the plain on his Tauntaun.
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 can't. The young warrior from Tatooine drags himself a couple of feet and then collapses. LUKE BEN Luke looks up and sees old BEN KENOBI standing not ten feet away. Luke strains to lift himself up. He is speechless. BEN LUKE BEN LUKE BEN LUKE Luke drops into unconsciousness.
Han pulls up, leaps off his lizard. He goes to his snow-covered friend and cradles him in his arms. Han's Tauntaun lets out a low, pitiful bellow. There is real fear in Han's face as he shakes Luke. HAN Luke doesn't respond. Han begins frantically rubbing Luke's wounded face. Soon he is slapping him. HAN Luke responds to a slap. Han is joyous. HAN Han glances over toward his Tauntaun with concern as he starts to lift Luke. HAN
Han has carried Luke almost to the lizard when the Tauntaun dies with a moan. Han checks the lizard. HAN HAN Han starts pulling things out of a pack on the dead lizard's back. HAN The wind has picked up considerably and Han is beginning to find it difficult to move. He struggles with the shelter container, opens it and starts constructing it. HAN
A veil of icy snow flows across the snow drift obscuring the doomed warriors.
Princess Leia and her two robots stand before the dark entrance to the rebel base, waiting for a sign of the two rebel heroes. Leia shivers as the cold wind blows in on her. Artoo beeps a mournful tone. Chewie is sitting nearby with his head in his hands. THREEPIO RIEEKAN LEIA Chewie lets out a long, mournful howl, somewhat like a coyote. RIEEKAN LEIA RIEEKAN Artoo lets out with a complex series of efficient beeps. THREEPIO Leia stands praying to herself as the huge metal doors slam across the entrance of the ice cave. The loud BOOMS echo through the huge cavern. Chewie lets out another howl.
The huge dim sun of Hoth crawls lazily over the horizon in the North as a spurt of snow shoots skyward revealing the dark probe robot. The sinister object pulls in several of its extended arms, hovers for a few moments, then starts off across the bleak Hoth plain.
37. EXT SNOWDRIFT - HOTH - DAY A small, snub-nosed, armored landspeeder races across the white landscape.
There is only one PILOT, ZEV, in the enclosed two-man craft. He concentrates on the scopes which ring his cockpit. A low beep can be heard. ZEV
The small craft banks and makes a slow arc racing off in a new direction.
The pilot switches over to a new transmitter. ZEV There is a sharp crackle of static then a faint voice. HAN (OS) ZEV
The small shelter is covered with snow on the windward side. Han has made a makeshift antenna which rests gingerly on top of the snowdrift. The small armored speeder can be seen approaching in the distance as Han waves frantically in the foreground.
42. INT MEDICAL CENTER - REBEL BASE Strange ROBOT SURGEONS adjust a mass of electronic equipment. A switch is thrown and a sudden blinding flash obscures Luke in a chamber filled with a thick, gelatinous red slime. Luke begins to thrash about, raving in his delirium.
Leia, Threepio, and Chewbacca are watching from a glassed-off room next door, where Han is resting on a cushioned medical table. They can hear the mechanical surgeons working and Luke's ravings on a speaker in the room. LUKE Han raises himself on the table, listening to Luke. Chewbacca makes him lie back down, then BARKS a comment in reference to Luke. HAN THREEPIO HAN LEIA HAN TOO-ONEBEE (2-1B), a surgeon droid, enters the room. TOO-ONEBEE LEIA HAN Chewie WHINES, looks around. HAN
The drip, drip, drip of melting ice echoes throughout the long eerie corridor. A trooper walks by, followed at a short distance by Artoo, who rolls along whistling to himself. Behind him, a Wampa Ice Monster suddenly appears from out of the wall and begins following the little droid. Up ahead Artoo sees several troopers begin to act rather strangely, pointing at him and yelling. This puzzles Artoo, and he stops for a moment to figure it out. Far in the distance, alarms begin to go off. Artoo comes to a conclusion, spins his head around and sees the Ice Monster staring down at him. The droid lets out a screech and races down the hall at full tilt ahead of the advancing monster. A small troop of soldiers has gathered at the end of the hallway with weapons. Artoo races through the armed gathering as the creature screams and charges the troopers, laser bolts exploding around him. Artoo peeks from around a corner in time to see several troopers hurled against the walls like rag dolls. Two soldiers fire a laser bazooka at the monster and it is obscured by an enormous explosion. The smoke clears. The silence is spooky. The Ice Monster stands seemingly dumbstruck. Artoo gives a short, worried beep. The creature topples over in a dead heap. A cheer goes up from Artoo and the troopers as they converge to inspect the fallen creature. A young CORPORAL pulls his com-link off his belt and speaks into it.
Alarms buzz softly in the background. The entire command center is on full alert. General Rieekan is conferring with the HEAD CONTROLLER as Han and Leia enter the room. Threepio and Chewie follow. LEIA RIEEKAN Another alarm goes off at a console behind them and the SENSOR CONTROLLER at that spot calls across the room. SENSOR CONTROLLER Rieekan leaves the group as they continue... HEAD CONTROLLER THREEPIO HAN
Rieekan looks up grimly from the console in the background. He calls over to Leia and Han. RIEEKAN The group hurries over to Rieekan. LEIA SENSOR CONTROLLER HAN LEIA SENSOR CONTROLLER Threepio steps up to the control panel and listens to the strange signal intensely. THREEPIO A new VOICE comes over the com-link. TROOPER VOICE The transmission ends in static. HAN RIEEKAN HAN
47. EXT SNOW PLAIN - OVER REBEL BASE - HOTH - DAY The dark probe robot moves past the smoldering ruins of the station fire and down a ridge toward the rebel base.
The robot stops when it sees in the distance a tiny speeder racing toward it followed by several other speeders. A large antenna projects skyward from the robot's top and it begins to send out a PIERCING SIGNAL.
The speeder disappears behind a snow dune.
The sinister robot continues to send out its high pitched signal while frantically searching the landscape for the rebel speeders.
Shortly, Chewbacca pops his head over a snow bank not thirty feet away. The robot swings around, its deadly ray ready to fire. But before it can get a shot off, it is hit from behind by a laser bolt, and explodes in a million pieces.
Han Solo rises from the direction of the deadly bolt and walks over to the spot where the robot was a moment before, taking out his com-link.
Princess Leia and Rieekan listen to Han on the com-link. HAN (OS) LEIA LEIA HAN (OS) RIEEKAN
Darth Vader's Star Destroyer, larger and stranger than the five Imperial Star Destroyers that surround it, sits in the vastness of space. The six huge ships are surrounded by a convoy of smaller spacecraft. Tie fighters dart to and fro.
Controllers working the vast complex of electronic controls hear ominous, approaching footsteps and look up from their controls. The squat, evil-looking ADMIRAL OZZEL and the young, powerfully-built GENERAL VEERS, who have been conferring near the front, also feel the approaching presence and turn that way. DARTH VADER, Lord of the Sith, enters like a chill wind. As he moves across the wide bridge, CAPTAIN PIETT hurries up to Ozzel. PIETT OZZEL PIETT VADER PIETT On a large screen, an image of the rebel snow base appears surrounded by complicated computer readouts. The rebel speeders can be seen approaching in the distance. Vader studies the image. VADER OZZEL VADER
Artoo and Threepio are moving by a steel door on which an X had been painted. From behind it come intermittent THUMPS and ROARS. THREEPIO Artoo WHISTLES his understanding as he stands before the door. Immediately the THUMPING on the door picks up. Artoo beeps a question. Threepio moves around a corner. Artoo stares at the door another moment, then proceeds to tell the Ice Monsters off in a burst of beeps and whistles. The THUMPING picks up as Artoo moves casually away.
Luke is out of the chamber, lying on the bed previously occupied by Han. Leia is at his side. She brushes the hair out of his eyes and runs her fingers along the scar on his face. LEIA LUKE LEIA Their eyes meet. Luke touches her cheek with his hand. LUKE She does and it's confusing. Their lips are very close. About to kiss. The door opens noisily and Threepio enters with Artoo. Leia pulls back, startled. Luke realizes the moment has been lost. His mind races for a way to regain it as Leia takes on her more formal manner. The droids are a bothersome distraction; Luke's concentration is on Leia. Artoo beeps a cheerful greeting. THREEPIO Artoo beeps and whistles. THREEPIO LUKE LEIA THREEPIO LEIA LUKE LEIA Leia's reaction is so much bigger and more vociferous than Luke expected, it starts what is to become a growing snowball of confusion for him. LEIA LUKE LEIA LUKE LEIA LEIA LUKE LEIA LUKE LEIA LUKE THREEPIO Artoo beeps and whistles proudly. THREEPIO Luke's head is spinning as Han and Chewie make a vigorous entrance. The Wookiee GROWLS a greeting. HAN LUKE HAN HAN LEIA LUKE HAN LEIA Chewie is amused; he LAUGHS in his manner. Han is enjoying this. He regards Chewie good-humoredly. HAN Luke sparks to this; he looks at Leia. LEIA HAN LUKE HAN HAN Leia is flushed, eyes darting between Luke And Han. LEIA HAN LUKE Leia looks vulnerable for a moment, then the mask again, focusing on Luke. LEIA With that Leia leans over and kisses Luke on the lips. Then she stands and walks out. Everyone is dumbstruck. The door closes behind Leia and they all look at each other in silence. In the distance, the muffled sound of an alarm is heard.
Six huge star destroyers rest in the Hoth System.
59. INT STAR DESTROYER - VADER'S CHAMBER A dark cubicle is illuminated by a single shaft of light from above. The brooding Dark Lord sits on a raised meditation cube. General Veers enters the room and approaches Vader. Vader doesn't move. Veers, although seemingly very sure of himself, is still not bold enough to interrupt the meditating Lord. The young general stands quietly at attention until the evil presence speaks. VADER VEERS VADER VEERS VADER Veers turns smartly and leaves as Vader activates a large view-screen showing the bridge of the mighty space cruiser. Admiral Ozzel appears, with Captain Piett in the background. OZZEL VADER The Captain steps forward, as the Admiral moves away slightly confused, touching his throat as it begins to constrict. VADER Piett is as pleased as he is surprised. Admiral Ozzel has been struggling to breathe in the background and now with a final choke, he dies.
Alarms sound. Troops, ground crews and droids rush to their alert stations. Armored landspeeders are lined up in attack formation near the main entrance. Leia is briefing a group of pilots gathered in the center of the hangar. Beyond them Han can be seen doing some frantic welding on the lifters of the Millennium Falcon. LEIA PILOT LEIA The pilots hurry away.
Han finishes his work and hops down to the hangar floor. He pulls out his com-link, all the time eyeing the lifters. Leia passes, giving Han a dirty look. A mechanism on the pirate's ship makes a noise and the lifters begin to rise. Suddenly there is a malfunction and the right lifter breaks partially loose, swinging down with a crash. Han winces. Leia, across the hangar, turns at the sound and shoots Han a "What a screw-up!" look, then goes out. HAN
The command center is quiet but tense, a marked contrast to the rushing about on the hangar deck. Only the buzz of complicated electronic equipment overrides the silence. General Rieekan watches over the shoulder of a RADARMAN as hundreds of small dots dance across a scope readout. Leia joins him. RADARMAN RIEEKAN LEIA CONTROLLER
FULL SHOT - A huge Imperial Star Destroyer rests against a sea of stars with the white surface of the planet Hoth far below in the left part of the frame.
FULL SHOT - Interior Imperial Star Destroyer. Out window stars and the white planet on the left side of the frame. CAPTAIN
The long line of rebel controllers are tense, as are Princess Leia and General Rieekan, although they try not to show it. R-2 scoots by in the background followed by Threepio; they leave the room. CONTROLLER RADARMAN
FULL SHOT - Giant ball-shaped ion cannon as it rotates into position and blasts two red energy beams skyward.
FULL SHOT - SPACE - The planet Hoth covers two-thirds of the frame, left and lower. A medium rebel transport races away from the planet, followed by the two red energy beams. All race over camera.
FULL SHOT TRUCKING as the rebel transport races over the camera toward the waiting Imperial Star Destroyer, followed, then overtaken by the two red energy bolts. The Imperial Star Destroyer is hit in the conning tower by the bolts, causing great explosions.
FULL SHOT - Imperial Star Destroyer as a series of explosions rock the ship causing it to veer, then spin wildly out of control. SIDE VIEW of Star Destroyer right to left as it careens into deep space, and the rebel transport moves across the screen left to right. PAN with the rebel ship as it races away to safety.
70. MAIN HANGAR DECK - REBEL BASE - HOTH Pilots, gunners and R-2 units hurry about. Luke, pulling on his heavy weather gear, is headed toward a row of armored speeders. He stops at the back of the Millennium Falcon, where Han and Chewie are trying to repair the right lifter with even more haste than before. Luke speaks up to them. Chewie BARKS a farewell and returns to his work. Han and Luke exchange warm looks. LUKE HAN Han swings down by one arm like a monkey and clasps Luke's hand. They hold for a long moment, then break. Luke nods and moves away. Han watches him go. HAN He goes back to work. Everyone cheers at the announcement which echoes through the hangar. ANNOUNCER
(OVER PA) Luke hurries up to his landspeeder. His gunner, DACK, a fresh-faced, eager kid, is glad to see him. They climb in. DACK LUKE DACK LUKE Leia's voice comes over the PA system.
Threepio and Artoo stand in the middle of the corridor as troops and aides rush past them. THREEPIO Artoo replies with a whistle and a toot, turns and speeds down the hallway. Threepio waves, then turns and moves off in the opposite direction.
With gun tower in the foreground, men rush about getting ready for the battle. The giant gun swings around pointing to camera slightly left to right.
MED SHOT - Rebel troops carry heavy bazooka-type weapons into position along a snow trench. Men rush about as officers yell orders and brace themselves against the rhythmic gusts of wind.
MED SHOT - Rebel troops load power packs into a gun turret and swing its guns into position.
MED SHOT - Rebel troops move a dish-like ray gun into position. The huge power generator can be seen in background against the ice cliffs.
76. EXT ICE PLAIN - POWER GENERATORS - GUN TOWERS MED SHOT of generator, as men scurry about in the foreground carrying equipment. The loud buzz and popping of the generator is deafening. Long fingers of energy fly off the huge cores every so often. One trooper moves into the foreground as he hears something but can't quite make out what it is.
MED CLOSE-UP - An officer in the trench hears the sound also. He turns toward the ice plain horizon. All work stops as the men listen to the distant, thump, thump, thump sound. The officer squints to see something.
WIDE SHOT - A thin horizon line cuts across the bleak landscape. Small dot-sized objects begin to appear on the horizon: the wind begins to pick up.
EXTREME CLOSE-UP - The giant foot of an Imperial snow walker crashes thru frame, kicking up snow and ice. It rises out of frame.
MED SHOT - The rebel officer lifts a pair of electrobinoculars to his eyes.
ELECTRO-BINOCULAR POV of very close view on a giant walker, the view ZOOMS back to reveal a full shot of three approaching walkers. Small flashes appear around the guns of the lumbering monsters.
MED SHOT - The officer drops his binoculars as the regular rhythmic pounding begins to vibrate the ground. It grows louder, with a high-pitched, metallic rattling. He speaks into a com-link. LUKE The ice and snow explode around the officer and his men.
MED SIDE ANGLE - The rebel troops aim their weapons at the horizon as explosions erupt all around them. They are nervous, and tighten their weapons from the cold or fear. Behind the troops a dozen speeders race screen left to right.
MED FULL SHOT - Four speeders race over camera at full throttle. Slight left to right angle.
HIGH ANGLE - Trucking with speeders as they accelerate away from camera toward the distant walkers.
MED CLOSE-UP - Walker head fires at speeders. Second walker in background. Moving right to left.
MED FULL SHOT - Two speeders going left to right across ice plain. The one in the foreground explodes in a ball of flames. Camera trucking with ships.
INT SPEEDER OVER-SHOULDER - Pilot (Luke) works his controls as he fires at the approaching walkers. The monstrous machines fire back, shaking the speeder in a hail of flack.
89. EXT ICE PLAIN - BATTLEFIELD - HOTH MED SHOT - Side view looking forward along head of walker as two speeders race toward it, split and fly past. One speeder on the far side of the head, the other to camera.
FULL SHOT - Two speeders going away, race over camera past walker and bank to the right. Camera trucks in at slower speed toward flank of walker during shot.
INT PILOT POV - Speeder cockpit. Speeder turns, approaching walker number one, and flys through the legs of the monstrous machine. The horizon twists as the speeder banks through the legs. Second walker in background. LUKE WEDGE
CLOSE-UP LUKE - Looking back to the speeder cockpit. The horizon twists and shakes behind Luke's head as he swings the tiny craft around for another run. LUKE
FULL SHOT - Pan through foreground legs of walker as speeder banks and turns away. Two other speeders pass the first speeder going in the opposite direction.
MED FULL SHOT - Three walkers marching right to left firing all cannons.
95. INT LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER - ROGUE LEADER CLOSE-UP LUKE - Luke speeds towards approaching snow walkers.
Two pilots watch the distant gun emplacements as they maneuver their war machine forward. PILOT Luke's speeder banks in from the side and heads straight for the viewport, blasting away. A huge explosion hits the window and dissipates. The speeder roars over the window.
FULL SHOT - Moving across the top of the walker as Luke's speeder skims across it. Trucking with the speeder then it flys overhead.
CLOSE-UP LUKE LOOKING BACK as the walker grows small in the distance. LUKE
OVERHEAD TWISTING FULL SHOT WALKER - Luke's speeder banks up toward camera and turns.
SIDE VIEW CLOSE-UP LUKE - On the horizon a walker moves up past the cockpit window twisting as Luke banks and starts another run. LUKE
101. INT HOBBIE'S SNOWSPEEDER - ROGUE FOUR CLOSE-UP FRONT HOBBIE as the horizon twists then rights itself in the background. Hobbie, a tanned-skin vet of many battles, expertly works his controls. HOBBIE LUKE (VO)
FULL OVERHEAD TRUCKING - Luke's speeder races into the frame from the left in full bank, then straightens out. Hobbie's ship comes in from the left and moves in next to Luke's ship in a tight formation. They bank in unison and drop closer to the ice surface.
SIDE CLOSE-UP DACK - Struggles with his harpoon gun as he bounces around in the tumbling ship. DACK Explosions flash outside the window. As the ship moves left to right they pass a walker in the distance.
INT PILOT'S POV - Over the shoulder of Luke as he swings the speeder around and aims it at the oncoming walker. Laser bolts and flack create a deadly wall the speeder must pass through. LUKE A huge explosion engulfs Luke's speeder, the battered craft wobbles a bit.
FRONT CLOSE-UP LUKE - As the speeder shudders under the impact of the explosion, but he manages to regain control of the craft. The horizon twists in the background.
FULL LOW ANGLE - The speeders fly in a tight formation toward the camera as explosions burst all around the craft. The speeders fly right over the camera.
SIDE CLOSE-UP LUKE - Interior speeder as Luke struggles to turn around to see if Dack is alright. In the background the giant legs of the walker pass by as Luke banks under the monstrous machine. LUKE
CLOSE-UP DACK FROM LUKE'S POV - Dack is lost, blood streams down his forehead which rests on his smoldering controls. Out the back window the receding walker can be seen in the distance.
MED SHOT - Rebel troops fire their strange weapons at the oncoming walker. Explosions burst all around them. A gun turret explodes in the foreground.
MED SHOT - Rebel troops fire at camera with the generator visible in the distance. Explosions erupt in the foreground.
MED SHOT - The rebel officer we had seen earlier is hit by laser fire. Troops rush to his aid.
112. EXT ICE PLAIN - POWER GENERATORS - GUN TOWERS MED SHOT - Rebel troops fire the dish-like ray gun. The generator is seen in the background.
FULL SHOT - Two walkers (one near, one far) lumber on toward camera as a speeder between them explodes in a ball of flames going left to right.
Muffled explosions create ear-shattering cracks in the ice roof of the hangar. Han and Chewie look up from their frantic welding to see the gap in the ceiling grow wider. Han makes a final weld. HAN
Large chunks of snow tumble into the command center. Leia seeks shelter. LEIA RIEEKAN
COCKPIT - Over the shoulder of the pilots to the power generator in the distance. Explosions all around. Two speeders race by right to left. The pilots fire at the gnat-like attackers. General Veers moves in between the pilots. VEERS
CLOSE-UP VEERS - As he bounces along, he pulls down an electro-telescope and studies the rebel positions. VEERS PILOT Suddenly, the huge vehicle rocks violently. The pilots scramble over their controls to level the crafts. VEERS
HIGH SHOT - Side view of a speeder going left to right as it banks sharply and dives away from camera toward the fast rushing surface.
CLOSE-UP FRONT - Wedge lets out a rebel yell, the horizon twisting behind him.
FULL SHOT TRUCKING - Panning with the speeder as it turns around and races under camera. Starts going left to right, turns to go overhead.
OVER THE SHOULDER POV of Wedge as he heads toward Walker No. 3, going almost to where it passes between the legs.
122. INT WEDGE'S SNOWSPEEDER - ROGUE THREE CLOSE-UP SIDE SHOT of the gunner as he passes the legs. He reaches for the firing switch. WEDGE
MED FULL SHOT of the speeder racing to camera through the legs of Walker No. 3.
CLOSE-UP HAND pushes button that fires harpoon.
BACK POV from gunner as the harpoon flashes and fires at the receding legs. ROGUE THREE
GUNNER
MED SHOT of the harpoon going right to left and embedding itself in one of the legs of Walker No. 3.
CLOSE-UP SIDE WEDGE as he checks his controls, and banks around the walker's front. Left to right.
FULL SHOT SPEEDER as it races left to right around one of the giant walker feet, trailing the cable behind it. The speeder continues around the back foot going right to left. Truck with the Walker No. 3.
HIGH OVERHEAD MOVING SHOT of speeder as it circles the walker moving around the tail end. A second speeder passes in the foreground with the cable in tow.
130. EXT BATTLEFIELD - HOTH FULL PANNING SHOT of speeder moving left to right in front of the giant legs of the walker towing the cable.
CLOSE-UP OF WEDGE as he swings the speeder between the legs of the giant walker.
PILOT'S POV of walkers legs as the speeder races along the side close to the lumbering machine. ROGUE THREE
GUNNER
FULL SHOT panning with the speeder as it zooms behind the legs moving right to left.
CLOSE-UP HAND pushes button on cable release inside speeder cockpit.
CLOSE-UP CABLE RELEASE on back of the speeder as it snaps loose and the cable drops away.
FULL SHOT OF THE SPEEDER zooming over camera and away into the distance moving slightly right to left. Low angle, no horizon.
MED SHOT of the tangled legs and feet of Walker No. 3 coming to camera. The monster begins to stumble.
138. EXT BATTLEFIELD - HOTH EXTREME LONG SHOT OF WALKER NO. 3 through the legs of a foreground walker. The giant Imperial assault machine stumbles and starts to fall to the ground. Side angle moving right to left.
CLOSE FULL SHOT of Walker No. 3 coming to camera crashing into the snow which flies in all directions.
CLOSE-UP LUKE FRONT with twisting horizon background. WEDGE (VO) LUKE
MED SHOT OF TROOPS in the trenches cheering at the fallen walker. A damaged gun turret smolders in the background. An officer gives a signal in the foreground and the rebel troops charge the fallen walker moving left to right.
FULL SHOT of the troops jumping out of the trenches running to camera. The main power generator can be seen in the distance.
FULL SIDE TRUCKING SHOT of rebel troops running left to right as two speeders race overhead going in the same direction.
FULL SHOT of downed Walker No. 3 as Imperial Snow Stormtroopers climb out of the smoldering walker and start firing at the coming rebels. The rebel troops run over the camera toward the Imperial forces, followed by two rebel speeders flying low overhead.
145. EXT BATTLEFIELD - HOTH CLOSER ANGLE - Troops rush and fire at the fallen walker as a speeder banks low overhead, blasting away, causing great explosions around the walker.
FULL SHOT of Luke and Rogue Two's speeder flying in formation, banking from right to left and flying overhead. Low angle, no horizon. Flak bursts all around them.
CLOSE-UP OF LUKE from the front. He looks over to Rogue Two on his left. The horizon levels out behind him. The ship shudders as flack bursts all around his speeder. LUKE
SIDE CLOSE-UP ANGLE on Rogue Two. Luke's speeder can be seen in the background. The speeders are moving left to right. Rogue Two is wounded in the face. ROGUE TWO
(ZEV) LUKE (VO) The ship bounces under the constant impact of flack.
LUKE'S POV OUT THE SPEEDER window at the distant oncoming walker as flack bursts on all sides. Laser bolts streak past. LUKE
150. INT LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER - ROGUE LEADER CLOSE-UP FRONT LUKE works his controls, as the ship shudders under the impact. He keeps looking screen left to Rogue Two. LUKE ROGUE TWO
GUNNER (VO) LUKE Luke's speeder is rocked by a huge explosion, and a loud metal scream drowns out Luke's sentence. He struggles with the controls as a look of terror crosses his face. Smoke pours out the back and the horizon twists.
FULL SHOT of oncoming walkers in distance as Luke's speeder races over camera moving left to right trailing smoke and flames. The speeder crashes into the snow a few yards in front of the walker.
INT CLOSE-UP inside Luke's cockpit as he struggles to get out. He gets desperate as he looks out the cockpit window.
LUKE'S POV out cockpit window of giant walker feet crunching even closer. The ship shudders under the impact of the huge metal feet pounding the ice plain.
CLOSE-UP FRONT Rogue Two, blood streaming down his face, struggles with his controls. The flack is murder. ROGUE TWO
(ZEV) The cockpit explodes in a ball of flames.
155. EXT BATTLEFIELD - HOTH FULL SIDE SHOT of Rogue Two's speeder in a ball of flames going left to right.
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