Luke Skywalker, now a Jedi Knight, and his companions stage a rescue mission to get Han Solo back from the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. Meanwhile, the Galactic Empire has begun construction on a new weapon, more deadly than the first Death Star, and the Rebellion must stage a desperate last stand, in hopes of freeing the galaxy from the clutches of the evil Emperor. What’s there to say about this film that hasn’t already been said? Personally, I just can not get enough of it. Ewoks slightly annoy me, and I do wish they were Wookiees instead, because I felt that would’ve drove Han’s story in an interesting direction, but I can’t actually complain about this movie and have it sound legitimate. I watched this movie ten times in 2020. It’s not my favorite Star Wars film (that title will always be held by Empire), but it’s so darn close. The conflict between Luke and Vader is the pinnacle of the franchise to me. I’ve been a Star Wars fan almost as long as I’ve been alive, and over those years I’ve ingested countless stories set in the universe. Some have been bad, some have been excellent, and genuinely flawless. But none have been able to touch Luke Vs. Vader in this film. The conflict in Vader, the temptation that Luke almost gives into when his friends are threatened, and his eventual resolve is just so satisfying to watch. I had the honor of seeing this on the big screen for it’s 40th anniversary, and I was absolutely enthralled by the story. The whole place could’ve been burning down and I would’ve still been glued to my seat. But it also served as a reminder to me about why I adore the story so much. Despite all the bad and ropey stuff in the franchise, this serves as a constant reminder of why Star Wars will always be special to me: lovable characters going through relatable turmoil, the age old conflict of good against evil, and all set in the amazing back drop of a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….