'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back' 40th Anniversary: Mark Hamill shares backstage photo with ensemble cast
40 years ago, 'Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back' released in theaters and redefined the franchise and the science fiction genre in general. Technical brilliance and intense character development aside, this was the movie that gave us the iconic "No, I am your father" moment, and that alone should rank it among the most important films ever made.
'The Empire Strikes Back' had a massive cultural impact that is felt to this day, especially by every child named Luke born after 1980. It's also had an impact on the amazing actors who brought the movie to life and none more so than Mark Hamill.
The Luke Skywalker actor celebrated the movie's anniversary with a Twitter post where he shared a rare behind the scenes set photo of himself, Harrison Ford, George Lucas, and Carrie Fisher. Hamill captioned the post, "May The 21st Also Be The 40th Anniversary Of The Moment That Ruined Luke's Father's Day".
Well, predictably, the fans have chimed in with comments about the movie, the moment, and the madness. "The 'I Am Your Father' scene is truly a landmark plot twist in film history," one fan tweeted, replying to Hamill's post. "Thank you for being such an integral part of @starwars and bringing #LukeSkywalker to life. May the Force Be With You. #EmpireStrikesBack."
"The anniversary of one of the best SW movies," another fan tweeted. "I wonder if Vader promised Luke some yummy cookie."
"Gotta hand it to Daddy Vader though he disciplined Luke enough to beat him in Return," another fan wrote.
All joking aside though, 'Empire Strikes Back' made waves when it first arrived in theaters, shocking fans and changing the way they saw the franchise as a whole. Where its predecessor was a light fantastical adventure, 'Episode V' took things to a darker place than ever before and this scene was a huge part of that.
"It was so scandalous! Yes, I was in the movie theater for it," one fan tweeted. Even today, when someone who doesn't know the twist (which is a rarity because of how popular the scene is) discovers that Darth Vader is Luke's father, the shock they display is a treat for every hardcore fan who has rewatched the movie over and over.
More than any other movie in the franchise, 'Empire Strikes Back' transformed the series and the expectations of fans. Nothing would ever be the same again.
'Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back' was released in theaters on May 21, 1980.