Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back opened in theaters thirty years ago today, on May 21st 1980.
And thirty years later, it's still the finest chapter of the entire Star Wars cinematic saga.
Okay, I've watched The Empire Strikes Back... Lord only knows how many times over the years, all the way back to when it first came out in theaters in 1980. And there is one thing about this movie that has always, always bugged me...
In the "betrayal" scene where Lando is taking Han, Leia and Chewie through Cloud City, the door opens and there's Darth Vader seated at the far end of a fully-loaded banquet table. Han shoots, Vader deflects the blaster bolts with his hand then forces Han's gun to fly into his outstretched palm. Then Vader says "We would be honored if you would join us." Boba Fett enters from stage right behind Vader, Lando says "I'm sorry..." blah blah blah, and the last thing we see of the scene is Han, Leia, Chewie and Lando going into the room, Vader takes his seat again and the doors to the room slide shut.
Here's what I can't figure out:
I would love to know what happened next in that banquet room. I mean, did our heroes actually have dinner with Darth Vader, or what?
Is there any fiction out there - officially sanctioned or otherwise - that has ever offered a suggestion of what happened in that banquet hall after the doors closed?
Or is this just something that's never meant to be answered?
It's a situation so weird, I haven't even been able to figure out in my own mind what might have taken place after we see them go in.
What do you think? Or better yet, what do you know? 'Cuz I sure as heck don't :-)
