Continuity mistake: Widescreen version: When Luke and Vader are fighting in the carbon-freezing chamber, as Vader says, "Only your hatred can destroy me.", the hose hanging from the ceiling behind Luke is pointed straight down, but in the previous shot, it was bent. This has nothing to do with camera angles - watch the smoke coming from it, it changes direction as well. (01:40:40)
Continuity mistake: When Vader addresses the bounty hunters, Piett says, "Bounty hunters-We don't need their scum.", and starts walking towards a corner. In the next shot, he is already at that corner. (01:03:20)
Continuity mistake: When Luke first meets Vader in Cloud City, in the shot from behind him after he walks up the stairs, his arms are positioned differently from the previous shot. (01:36:55)
![Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back mistake picture](/images/screenshots/10000-10999/10100_sm.jpg)
Continuity mistake: When Luke is hanging upside down in the monster's cave he uses the Force to get his lightsaber. In the shot from Luke's POV it's about 3/4 buried in snow, but in the reverse it's only about 1/4 buried.
Continuity mistake: When Luke uses the Force to lift a rock, there are different rocks in the wideshot and the close-up, and the distance between the rocks on the ground changes between the two shots. (01:05:45)
Continuity mistake: In the shot from behind Luke right before he falls into the carbon-freezing chamber, Vader's lightsaber is pointed at his chest, but in the previous shot, the sabre was held in a different angle.
Continuity mistake: In the second shot of Luke in his X-wing after he leaves Hoth, some white wires on his right are in a different position from the previous shot. This also happens in the third shot of him as he's approaching Dagobah.
Continuity mistake: During the battle of Hoth, the weather keeps changing between shots. The sky alternates between being totally clear of clouds, clear with some clouds, and very grey and overcast.
Continuity mistake: When Vader attempts to turn Luke to the dark side, he says, "With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy." As the second shot begins, Luke is standing much closer to the structure he's holding onto, than in the previous shot. (01:46:20)
Continuity mistake: When Yoda levitates Luke's X-wing, Luke comes over to watch, and his jacket is open. Two shots later, his jacket is closed. (01:09:05)
Continuity mistake: During the battle of Hoth, Wedge flies a full circle around the AT-AT walker and when the walker begins to fall, you can see the cable around its legs, but in a side view of the walker falling, the cable is nowhere to be seen.
Suggested correction: The cable is thin and we only see closer in shots until the walker falls, but you still can see it, barely in 1080p, right as the head hits as a line between the top of the front leg connecting to the back leg.
Continuity mistake: When Han says "Watch this!" when trying to get the Millennium Falcon to jump into hyperspace, C3PO turns his head around twice. (00:37:40)
Continuity mistake: When Han attempts to shoot Vader, Vader deflects the bolts into the walls. As he says, "We would be honored if you would join us," you can see burn marks by the door and on the wall to the left. Two shots later, the burn mark by the door has changed shape and size, and in the last shot of the scene, the other one has disappeared. (01:25:05)
Continuity mistake: During the first scene in the lightsaber duel, Luke is holding his in different angles between shots, depending on the camera angle. (01:41:05)
Continuity mistake: Just after the Falcon leaves the hangar on Hoth, we see Luke watching the Falcon as it rises up into the sky. Look closely at Luke's head - he is looking at a point ahead of where the Falcon actually is. (00:35:45)
Continuity mistake: When Han punches Lando, Lando's cape stays on his back, but in the following shots, it's folded over his arm., before he puts it back on again. (01:29:45)
Continuity mistake: When Luke crash lands on Dagobah, the view through his cockpit is crystal clear. But when the canopy pops open, the glass is dark tinted. (00:39:45)
Continuity mistake: When Lando invites Han, Leia and Chewbacca for refreshments at Cloud City, we see a box containing C-3PO's remains and the head of C-3PO is looking to the right. But when the four of them leave the room, we see a close up of C-3PO's head and it is now looking to the left. (01:27:30)
Continuity mistake: Widescreen version: In the shot where Luke's hand is cut off, two of the poles that Vader just cut through can be seen in the lower right hand corner. The poles are much closer together than in the rest of the scene. (01:45:55)
Continuity mistake: At the rebel base, Leia is informed that there is nothing more can do about Han and Luke until the morning and agrees to the hangar doors being closed. In the wide shot, you can see the doors starting to close, although the code hasn't been put in yet. In the next shot the code is put in and the doors start closing again. (00:12:10)