A Thousand Stars: Episode V, Part 2

[matril]

Well, that's enough setup, right? Let's get to our heroes! Show them heroically going forth, doing heroic things!

No, it's not going to be that easy. Our first look at Luke is an obscure figure riding a strange beast. He's so bundled up we can't see his face, until he briefly uncovers it to talk to Han. At least that conversation gives us the familiar camaraderie we know from the first film.

But immediately thereafter, Luke is attacked out of nowhere by a terrifying monster. Many assume this sequence was only added to explain the massive damage done to Luke's face because Mark Hamill was in an awful car crash. It's odd that everyone thinks that, when you can easily compare before and after pictures and see...pretty much the same facial features. Just a few little scars. But whatever, this attack wasn't a hasty last-minute insert. It's integral to plot and character development. For one thing, it establishes immediately that things are about to go very hard for our heroes. All the trials they endured last time? That's nothing compared to what's coming.

Next, more troubles and tribulations....