STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK is in my opinion the best STAR WARS because it is for one a perfectly symmetrical movie and it has some of the best songs in the Star Wars original trilogy.
Here are the film’s events, listed in their chiasmic form. Each letter corresponds to the same one on the opposite side of the chiasmus:
A. A Star Destroyer sends probes searching for Luke Skywalker
B. Luke communicates with Han Solo by radio and then gets injured
C. Han makes it safely back to the Rebel base
D. Han says he’ll come back and help Chewbacca repair the Millennium Falcon
E. Han goes looking for Luke, who’s stranded in the cold
F. Luke uses the Force to get his lightsaber
G. Luke hangs upside down and then falls from the ceiling
H. Luke cuts off a snow creature’s arm
I. Leia has to close the Rebel base door on Luke and Han
J. The spirit of Obi-Wan appears to Luke and tells him where to be trained as a Jedi
K. Han finds Luke
L. Han puts Luke inside his tauntaun to keep him warm
M. Rogue Squadron flies to Han’s and Luke’s rescue
N. A rejuvenated Luke is greeted by Han and Leia
O. An Imperial Probe reveals the Rebels’ hidden base
P. Luke says farewell to Han to get trained as a Jedi
Q. The Rebels are alerted to the Empire’s presence and prepare to escape
R. Darth Vader kills an admiral for his failure and names Piett his new admiral
S. Luke sends an AT-AT falling into the snow
T. The Millennium Falcon can’t go to light speed, so it goes into an asteroid field and hides inside one of the asteroids
U. Luke underestimates the danger of entering Dagobah and he crash lands
V. R2-D2 gets eaten by a swamp creature and vomited out
W. Luke finds Yoda and tells Artoo to stay and watch their camp
X. Han interrupts Leia’s work and she winds up walking out on him
Y. A Star Destroyer gets hit by a massive asteroid
Z. Vader talks with the Emperor about the son of Skywalker
Z. Luke talks to Yoda about his father
Y. A Star Destroyer blasts its way through the asteroids
X. Leia interrupts Han’s work and he walks out, joined by her
W. C-3PO stays behind to “guard the ship” while Han and Leia discover mynocks in the asteroid
V. The Millennium Falcon escapes being eaten by a space slug
U. Luke underestimates the danger of entering a cave and fails his test
T. The Millennium Falcon leaves the asteroid field, fails to go to light speed, and hides on a Star Destroyer
S. Luke is unable to lift his X-Wing out of a swamp
R. Vader kills a captain for letting the Millennium Falcon escape and gives a stern warning to Admiral Piett
Q. Han and Leia fail to notice Boba Fett tracking them as they escape
P. Luke says farewell to Yoda, ending his Jedi training prematurely
O. Vader ambushes Han and Leia on Cloud City
N. Leia comforts Han after he’s been tortured
M. Luke flies to Han’s and Leia’s rescue
L. Vader freezes Han in carbonite
K. Luke finds Han
J. Luke encounters Vader and gets taunted that he’s not a Jedi yet
I. Leia is too late to save Han from being taken to Jabba the Hutt
H. Luke gets his hand cut off
G. Luke falls down a giant shaft and winds up upside down
F. Luke uses the Force to call for help
E. Leia goes looking for Luke, who’s stranded under Cloud City
D. Artoo helps Chewie repair the Millennium Falcon
C. Everyone but Han makes it safely back to the Rebel Fleet
B. Luke communicates by radio with Lando Calrissian and then gets hurt in a helpful way
A. The Millennium Falcon goes searching for Han
This is a list of the movies events that I found that shows that it is a completely symmetrical movie. This movie is also my personal favorite as you get to learn more about the villain and who he truly is in one of the biggest twist in all of cinema. The sound track is so iconic especially in the ending where is is a slow buildup over looking a star system to go look for their friends. The song then follows into what I feel has a very heroic sound to it. This movie also got the 1981 Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing which it so rightfully deserves.
spsockwell 