Revealing mistake: When Luke is being fed to the Rancor, in Jabba the Hutt's dungeon, there are black outlines around the beast's legs, from the composite's blue screen special effect. This was edited out in the special edition rerelease.
Suggested correction: This was not a "mistake". The outlines showing around the beast's leg were due to the limited CGI technology at the time the film was made. With advances in special effects in the following decades, the filmmakers were able to enhance the CGI quality in later releases.
But it is a mistake to show that the Rancor is not real, and the outlines show that. It's certainly not intentional.
Not sure what you mean that the rancor is not real. Of course it's not real. The issue is, at that time, it was not technically possible to show the beastie without the lines showing. I classify a mistake as something that was not intentional. In this case, it was, due to the limitations of CGI in the 1980s.
Corrected entry: I think that this is only on the Special Edition version. What is that annoying little black spot on the left side of Emperor Palpatine's face? This takes place while the Emperor is sitting on his throne and talking to Luke (he is looking out of the window) about his friends failure. It is like this error on the side of his hood that the restoring people forgot to edit out.
Correction: The shadow that can be seen on either side of Emperor Palpatine's eyes are caused by an insert matte. The eyes are actually those of a monkey.
It's a black shape that covers the eyelight of the hood. It was digitally covered in the Blu-ray.
Corrected entry: When Vader throws his lightsaber at Luke during the duel, watch in slow motion: in the first shot of Luke, the blade is coming out of the wrong end of the hilt.
Correction: On closer inspection, the blade comes out of the correct end the entire time.
There's already an entry about that with a picture.
Corrected entry: This can only be seen in the widescreen version: in the wideshot where Luke jumps from Jabba's prisoner's skiff over to another skiff, Lando is hanging underneath the prisoner's skiff, and although the skip casts a shadow onto the sand, Lando's body doesn't.
Correction: His shadow is obscured by the slope in the lower right hand corner of the screen.
He's also cardboard.
Revealing mistake: When Han Solo lifts his hands up and he spots the Walker that Chewie and two Ewoks are in, one of his hands is transparent, and the trees are visible through his hand.
Suggested correction: They are not transparent. What you are seeing is glare from the bright sky in the background. You can see other ghost images matching the bright white portions of the shot. Besides, there would be no reason for it to be transparent. It appears to be a fully on-location shot with no compositing.
Completely not true. You can see the trees through his hands; therefore, they are transparent.
Look closer. There is a white ghost image that matches the bright white sky, offset to the left and rotated slightly. And why would the hand be transparent? This is not a composite shot.
While it's not a composite shot, that would mean that the shot of the imperial officer yelling "freeze" in the original version wouldn't have been transparent. But it's not a composite shot too, therefore, they are transparent.
This comment makes no sense. What Imperial officer are you referring to and what does it have to do with this shot? And if this isn't a composite shot, which you seem to be admitting, why would the hand be transparent? Do you think Harrison Ford's hand actually became see-through?
Question: When Luke says he can't kill his own father, Obi-Wan tells him, "Then the Emperor has already won." But if Luke actually did kill Darth Vader, he would be left to fight the Emperor by himself, or could even be influenced to switch sides. The Emperor does try this later, suggesting that Luke replace Vader. How would that be a triumph for Obi-Wan and Yoda?
Answer: Obi-Wan didn't think it would be an immediate victory or Luke would rush to then combat the Emperor. His reasoning is that eliminating Vader would weaken the Emperor's power by removing his main enforcer. Once Vader was gone, Obi-Wan and Luke would have to devise a strategy on how to defeat the Emperor. Leaving Vader alive leaves the Emperor's power intact. Obi-Wan trusts that the Emperor will never sway Luke to the Dark side. However, Luke is unable to face destroying his own father.
So, you think they wanted Luke to fight Vader alone again, defeat him, and they would deal with the Emperor later? Instead of Luke allowing Vader to "capture" him and take him to the Emperor?
Facing his father would be facing his fears. Facing his fears is what will keep Luke away from the dark side. That was the first step in beating the emperor. Luke is understood enough in the end that killing his father is not the answer, but he did manage to beat him. And that was the victory. Because that caused Anakin to turn back to the light side and kill the emperor. Obi-Wan and Yoda can't tell Luke everything he needs to do, some he has to do himself.
Corrected entry: When Luke and Vader activate their sabers and clash them, there is a shot of the Emperor laughing. During this shot, the two lightsaber blades can be seen going through each other.
Correction: This mistake is already listed. The blades do not go through each other. The mistake is that they are reversed, making it appear that Luke's saber is protecting the emperor, rather than attacking him.
They're not reversed. The core element was just missing on them for the DVD. But for the Blu-ray, they restored the core element.
Stupidity: When trapped in the net, Luke asks Han if he can reach his lightsaber. Han says that he can, but turns out he can't. Luke has the force. Why doesn't he just use it to make the lightsaber fly into his hand instead of having Han reach for it in vain?
Suggested correction: The way they were stuck in the net, Luke's hands weren't free for him to force reach, he would not have been able to grab the lightsaber had he used the force.
Jedi don't need their hands in order to Force-reach. Most of them just choose to do it, as a way of focusing. Luke later lifts C-3PO in front of the Ewoks (to make them think the droid is a god), even though he is tied to a stick.
True, but read the whole comment, Luke's hands weren't free to grab the saber so a force reach would have been pointless.
Suggested correction: They were in it for mere seconds before R2 cut the rope, and they fell. Luke just didn't have time to think of forcepulling it.
Then it makes it a stupidity if Luke doesn't think to use the force.
In those few seconds they were in the trap? Hardly.
If Luke had enough time to ask Hans if he could grab his lightsaber, then yes.
Close enough.
Corrected entry: The Rancor pit is directly beneath Jabba's throne room, so that huge solid iron gate that releases the Rancor should logically rise through the floor of the throne room, yet it doesn't.
Correction: Going straight down from the floor where the observation grate is, the huge solid iron gate appears to be, say, thirty feet away. On the audience chamber's floor, the rear wall appears to be maybe twenty feet away. Perhaps the metal grate pulls up directly into that rear wall? Above all, the exact dimensions of the palace are never given, nor are they (too) easy to determine.
Plus the drop could be high/deep enough to make room for the gate to be located entirely under the throne room floor.
Question: When Vader realizes that Luke has a twin sister, does he know that Leia is the sister or just that someone is Luke's sister? Or does he know when he/Anakin sees Luke and Leia during the Ewok celebration later?
I've always presumed so, but strictly speaking there's nothing evident in the scene that he specifically knows the identity of Luke's sister, all we know for certain is that he's discovered Luke has one.
Question: Is it true that in the original version of this that Yoda says the reason Obi-Wan didn't tell Luke the truth about Anakin turning to the dark side is because Yoda wouldn't let him?
Chosen answer: Technically no. While this was never in the original version, there is however a deleted scene where this happens.
There are script drafts where Yoda tells Luke not to judge Obi-Wan too harshly because it was his suggestion to keep Luke in the dark about his father. However, Obi-Wan himself still seems to own his decision, citing the same belief in the film that he was right "from a certain point of view."
Question: Did Han Solo know that Anakin Skywalker is Darth Vader?
Chosen answer: No, he did not have any knowledge regarding that. Luke or Leia would have told him at some point after Vader's death, but that is not shown in the film.
Considering Leia's aghast reaction to Luke's explanation on Endor ("Your father!"), he hadn't mentioned it to her before, and I can't possibly believe he would tell anyone else before her. (On a side note, it amuses me to wonder just how long it took before Leia put two-and-two together about what this all means about HER father; the implications don't seem to have hit her before this scene is over).
Revealing mistake: After the Rebels break into the bunker, a Rebel in the background punches an officer. But if you watch closely or play it in slow motion, the Rebel's hand never comes into contact with the officer's face. (01:33:25)
Question: Why does Vader go and stand near the Emperor for a moment before deciding to kill him and save Luke? Earlier, the Emperor told Luke to kill Vader and take his place. It seems strange that Vader would remain loyal after his master just encouraged someone to kill him.
Answer: Vader's alone; for twenty years, he's had only the Emperor, a man who he hates for what he's become, but also the only person truly remaining in his life, having killed or otherwise burned his bridges with everybody else. He has nowhere else to go but to the side of the Emperor. He may well be angry at the Emperor for telling Luke to kill him, but it's exactly the same deal that he tried to make - it's the way of the Sith that the strong replace the weak. The Emperor needs an apprentice; with Luke dead, the Emperor may well punish Vader, but won't kill him, because he doesn't have a replacement. So he initially returns to his master's side, resigning himself to going on as he is, a bitter twisted half-machine in the thrall of a more powerful master. It's only when Luke reaches out to him through the pain that he decides that his son's life is worth more than his own and finally acts directly against the Emperor.
I thought the reason Vader stood near the Emperor was that he wanted to save his son while the Emperor tortured Luke with lightning, but his loyalty to the Emperor got in the way.
Question: Why did Palpatine ever want an apprentice? If I am correct, he always intended to dispose of Darth Maul, Count Dooku, and Darth Vader when they were no longer useful to him. And probably Luke, if Luke had accepted his offer. Why not work alone?
Answer: Because an Apprentice does the emperor's bidding, dispatches orders, acts as an emissary, intimidates enemies, is a spy, and so on. Having minions at one's disposal is a show of power, and supreme leaders would not do those things themselves. It dilutes their authority, and they would look weak and ineffective. As you pointed out, when the current apprentice is no longer as useful or obedient or becomes too powerful and poses a threat, they are replaced.
That's the rule of two for the Sith, there's always a Master and an Apprentice. No more, no less. In order to remain a Sith Master, Sidious must have an apprentice.
Answer: Succumbing to the dark side comes with it a megalomania that has you wanting to display proof of your omnipotence by training a skilled and powerful apprentice who starts out THINKING he's going to kill you and take your place someday but in the end is forever your obedient slave (or so you think.) Likewise, Sith apprentices all have an unspoken desire to eventually pull the ultimate power move by killing their master and taking their place as head honcho when they least expect it (or so they think). This of course results in Sith relationships always becoming weird and twisted, vaguely BDSM-like mind games.
Question: Exactly how did Darth Vader die at the end of the movie?
Answer: The breathing apparatus (similar to a respirator) built into Vader's suit was shorted out by an errant bolt of Force lightning when Vader picked up Emperor Palpatine and threw him down the shaft; watch closely during this scene and you'll see electricity arcing on Vader's torso. Removing Vader's mask had no effect since he was already dying; when Vader asked Luke to help remove the mask, Luke said, "But you'll die." to which Vader replied, "Nothing can stop that now." Vader simply wanted to look upon Luke with his own eyes rather than through the mask for once.
While Vader is dying Luke said that he won't leave him he's got to save him. Vader said "you already have Luke". What did Vader mean by that?
By rising up against Palpatine and saving Luke's life, Vader finally broke free from the dark side of the Force; though it cost him his life, Vader meant that Luke had ultimately helped him find redemption.
Answer: Vader's entire suit is a life support system. As he was pretty much invincible for most of his appearances he has never been in danger. The Emperor is the first person on screen to actually damage the life support system itself, so Vader is dying as soon as he is zapped. Luke tells him he will die if the helmet is removed, but Vader says he is already dead, as we can see his cranial injuries and pale skin, plus he cannot even move his arms and legs which are cybernetic. He's pretty much a goner.
Answer: During the duel, the injuries Vader sustained from Palpatine's electrical bolts as he was being thrown into the shaft were a factor. Once Luke removed Vader's helmet as he requested, it sealed his fate as he could not survive without the life support system built into his damaged suit that kept him breathing and his body functioning.
Question: Why doesn't Leia see Yoda, Anakin, and Obi-Wan's ghosts at the end of the movie (if she does, she doesn't seem to have much of a reaction to it)? I know she hasn't been trained yet, but when Luke was on Hoth (in Episode V), he was able to see Obi-wan's ghost before he had any training, and he heard Obi-wan talking to him during the attack on the first Death Star.
Answer: The precise mechanism is somewhat unclear at this point, leaving us with no particularly good answer, but there are undoubtedly possibilities. Even in the first film, Luke has had a small amount of training with Obi-Wan; it's not much, but it could be enough to allow him to see them. Leia's had nothing at all, so possibly she's simply not capable of it. Alternatively, the 'ghosts' may simply have chosen to appear only to Luke for reasons of their own; two of them wouldn't be recognised by Leia anyway, making it a bit pointless to appear to her.
She didn't really look TBH. She went over to Luke, hugged him, then brought Luke back to the Ewok party.
Answer: She doesn't see them. Her focus is on Luke staring off and daydreaming during a massive celebration.
Answer: Try to imagine what your reaction would be if you suddenly came upon three ghosts out of nowhere. Ghosts, mind you - glowing apparitions of dead people beyond the grave right there before your eyes! Regardless if you find such things scary or not, it would probably be quite a shock, require lots of explaining, and certainly kill the celebratory mood for the time being.
Question: Does anyone know what Luke's Sith name would have been had he turned to the Dark Side?
Answer: No. As, being the hero of the piece, there was no chance of it actually happening, it's highly unlikely that the subject was ever considered. Even when Luke temporarily joined the Dark Side in the EU comics, no Sith name was ever given.
I don't think there was any planned name for if he turned to the dark side. However, in a theoretical ending to this movie, Luke waits for Vader to die then puts on the mask and becomes the new Darth Vader. Assuming he would have killed Darth Vader instead of ending up being hit with Palpatine's lightning, the same thing could've happened. It would be more convenient for the emperor.
Trivia: Anakin Skywalker's first name is first mentioned in this film. His name comes from a friend of George Lucas, British film director Ken Annakin.
Suggested correction: Actually his first name first revealed in Empire Strikes Back when he is on call with the Emperor. He says, "I have no doubt that this boy is the offspring of Anakin Skywalker."
Anakin's name was not used in the original release of "The Empire Strikes Back", therefore the trivia is correct. George Lucas retconned the special edition release and added "Anakin." Originally Luke was referred to as the "son of Skywalker."
Question: After Anakin becomes Darth Vader, he seems ruthless, actually evil. "From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!" Is just one quote. That being the case, this movie makes it seem like Anakin knows that he's evil and wishes he wasn't. Basically, my question is, why didn't Anakin turn on Palpatine sooner? Or simply leave the Sith?
Answer: Darth: "Obi-Wan once thought as you do. You don't know the power of the dark side. I must obey my master." It's implied that the dark side is intoxicating, once you totally give in to the dark side it has a hold on you, and appeals to morality and rationalization are useless against your lust for its power. (On a symbolic level, the dark side is a metaphor for vice. Darth Vader is an addict and abusive parent. It's actually funny how many scenes still make sense if you replace "the dark side" with "the bottle" or similar).
If we bring the prequels into it, it's one of the criticisms of those films that they only make the question of how much Anakin is a "true believer" more confusing. But it stands to reason that at first Anakin may feel vindicated in his resentment toward the Jedi. Later on, Vader may not feel that as strongly, but by then his anger has turned toward himself for failing to save Padme. He may feel that a man as terrible as he does not deserve to be "rescued" from the dark side, leading to a feedback loop where he only gets further enamored with its power and does more evil things which causes him to hate himself even more, and so it goes.
Answer: Anakin was seduced by the emperor to think that the Jedi were evil. This was partly fueled by anger &fear, thinking Padme would die if Palpatine didn't help save her. After he turned to Darth Vader & joined the dark side, he eventually realised the true nature of the Emperor, but he was to weak to do anything about it. Darth Vader still wanted to rule the galaxy, but didn't want the emperor controlling everything. He just wanted to use Luke to help overthrow the emperor and take over the galaxy. It wasn't until he found out he had a daughter also, and saw Luke about to die by the hands of the emperor, that he realised that Luke was right & he needed to switch sides.
Vader was not just using Luke to kill the Emperor. He actually did want to rule the galaxy as father and son - if Luke would turn to the Dark Side, that is.
