Originally created on Apr 04, 2007
In this blog I'll compare 'Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back' with the novelisation of Donald F. Glut.
Some time ago, I added the blog entry about the discrepancies between the novel and the movie 'A New Hope' (http://blogs.starwars.com/teekay-421/65). It turned out that the novelisation of Episode V doesn't differ that much from the actual movie. Glut may be a known and respected author; it seems he (had to?) stayed close to the final screenplay of Lawrence Kasdan. Nevertheless, the novel is still a nice read and it has some nice memories attached to it for many among us, I believe.
CHAPTER I
* The book says that Echo Base has been established for a month on Hoth when the movie starts.
* Grammar: When Luke is about to be attacked by the Wampa he mutters: "Son of a jumping...". Another Star Wars curse.
* In the book, the Viper Probe Droid appears after the Wampa had ambushed Luke.
* Jabba the Hutt is spelled correctly in the novel, compared to the spelling of his name in the novel of 'ANH'
* Terminology: Han Solo: "I'm going to pay off Jabba before he sends any more of his remotes, Gank Killers, and who knows what else. Gank Killers are favoured hunters by Huttese Crimelords. In 'A Guide to the Star Wars Universe', they are sourced as hailing from the 'Dark Empire' comic book, while in fact they appeared more than 10 years before the publication of that horrific EU monster.
* In the book, Han and Leia argue more in the southpassage. After Han says he can arrange Leia to be kissed by a Wookiee, the discussion goes on about Leia's feelings and about Han having 'the breeding of a Bantha'.
CHAPTER II
* You will find an amusing duel between a Wampa and the Viper Probe Droid in the book.
* When Luke hangs in the Wampa cave, he hears the voice of Ben Kenobi talking to him. "Think of the Lightsaber in your hand". Here is what the novel has to say about Ben's voice: "... it was that soothing spiritual presence which occasionally visited Luke in moments of stress and danger..."
* In the book, Ben's spirit that appears a bit later has more to say. He urges Luke to remain conscious and that he has to survive because he is the only hope.
* Astrology: When Han's Tauntaun freezes to death he mutters: "Deader than a Triton Moon". Triton is a planet located in the Mayagil Sector (Clack'dor VII).
CHAPTER III
* Code: 'Sector four-six-one-four by eight-eight-two': The location of Luke and Han according to Zev Senesca.
* When Luke is in the Bacta Tank, he mumbles about Yoda. "He doesn't make sense to me either, Chewie," Han replied.
* Terminology: "Commander Skywalker has been in dormo-shock but is responding well to the Bacta" is the diagnosis of 2-1B.
* Deleted Scene: In the novel 2-1B removes the protecting pad from Luke's face. This scène was filmed but not used in the movie.
* In the novel Han uses the expression: "You look strong enough to wrestle a Gundark" instead of "to pull the ears off a Gundark".
* Echo Station 38 is the Station where the Viper Probe Droid is discovered. In the novel they have contact with Echo Base. "What the ...? Oh no!"
* When the images of the Probot have reached the Executor, Darth Vader sees a different image than in the movie. In the novel he sees Snowspeeders instead of the Shield Generator.
CHAPTER IV
* In the novel it is Captain Need who says: "Our first catch of the day" and it is the Avenger that gets zapped by the Planetary Ion Cannon. In the movie the ISD is the Tyrant commanded by Captain Lennox.
* Code: In the Rebel briefing that Leia gives to Rogue Group she adds: "Code One Five will be transmitted when evacuation is complete".
CHAPTER V
* During the Battle of Hoth, the AT-AT Driver reads a different distance to the power generator than in the movie. In the novel it is "Six-Four-One". In the movie it is "17,28".
CHAPTER VI
* Vehicle: When a collision in the Echo Base blocks the passage for Leia to her transport, Han talks into his Comlink: "Transport C One Seven!". It seems this was the code for Thon's Orchard; the Rebel Transport Leia was destined to take.
* In the aftermath of the Battle of Hoth, two characters perish in the novel that are still alive in the chronology: Maximilian Veers and Derek Klivian (Hobbie). Hobbie crashed into Veers' cockpit. This is not correct and is considered a continuity error since Hobbie is one of the pilots during the Battle of Endor.
* In the novel, there is an added part where Piett actually has landed on Hoth and informs Vader that seventeen Ships have been destroyed. Vader says he really wants the Millennium Falcon.
* Technology: During the Falcon's escape from Hoth, Threepio notices something else is in need to be fixed than in the movie: "I noticed earlier that the entire main para-light system seems to have been damaged".
CHAPTER VII
* Threepio calculated other odds for successfully navigating an asteroid field in the novel: 2467 to 1. In the movie they're even slimmer with 3720 to 1.
CHAPTER VIII
* In the novel Vader receives twenty Holographic messages from Imperial Officers on the Executor.
* Technology: While preparing the repair the Falcon, Han says to Leia: "How are you with aMacrofuser, Your Holiness."
* When Luke meets Yoda for the first time, the small Jedi Master gives a glimpse of the future in the novel. When Luke says he's stranded because he cannot get his ship out, Yoda comments: "Have you tried? Have you tried?"
* In the novel it is Chewbacca who witnesses the kiss between Han and Leia in the Falcon. In the novel they even kiss twice.
* In the novel the voice of Ben Kenobi gives Yoda more reasons to accept Luke as his apprentice: "We've come this far. He is our only hope."
Chapter IX
Some of the scenes that differ most from the movie take place on Dagobah during Luke's training.
* For instance, Yoda starts with throwing a metal bar at Luke that he has to slice in two with his Lightsaber. At his first attempt, Luke fails.
* Fauna & Flora: "...Yoda chewed on his Gimer Stick, a short twig with three small branches at the far end."
* The introduction of the Bounty Hunters has always been one of my favorite parts in the novel. It mentions every one of them, except 4-LOM.
** Bossk: whose soft, baggy eyes gawked at Vader with huge bloodshot eyes.
** Zuckuss & Dengar: Two human types, battle-scarred by innumerable, unspeakable adventures. When Zuckuss is called a 'human type', there is no wonder that he was often mistaken for Dengar in the beginning.
** IG-88: a battered and tarnished chrome-colored droid.
** Boba Fett: He was dressed in a spacesuit, the kind worn by evil warriors defeated by the Jedi Knights during the Clone Wars. This probably could refer to the Battle of Galidraan that took place in 32 BBY, ten years before the Clone Wars.
CHAPTER X
* Another example of Yoda's expanded training are Seeker Droid balls that Yoda uses to test Luke. At first he uses two of them next he adds two more.
* During these tests, Yoda delivers the speech about the 'Dark Side of the Force' he says in the movie while sitting in Luke's backpack when he runs through the Dagobah jungle.
* In the novel, two Stormtroopers take away the corpse of Needa instead of two Naval Troopers.
* In the novel Threepio has already been shut down in the Falcon when it's hanging behind the Avenger.
* Sports & Gambling: The novel mentions 'Sabacc'. Han Solo: "A Tibanna gas mine. Lando won it in a Sabacc match, or so he claims..."
* Luke still has to run with Yoda on his back but it takes place much later in his training than in the movie. While running he slices another metal bar into four pieces.
CHAPTER XI
* In the novel, the Falcon is welcomed on Cloud City not only by Lando, Lobot and the Wing Guards but also by aliens and droids...
* In the novel Luke's vision about Cloud City doesn't happen when he's standing upside down. He first successfully completes this training and then goes into a meditation where he sees the city in the clouds.
* At the end of Luke's training, Luke cooks for Luke and himself in Yoda's hut. He fell asleep in front of the house but woke up and uttered Yoda once more that he had to leave to safe his friends.
CHAPTER XII
* When Han and Leia kiss goodbye in the Freezing Chamber, Han doesn't use his famous reply "I know". Instead he says "Just remember that, because I"ll be back". That's because Ford came up with the 'I know' line when they had to film the scene on set.
* In the novel, the deal with Vader is even worse for Lando because Vader is keeping a detachment of his troops on Cloud City, which he never did in the movie before Lando decided to revolt against the Imperials.
* In the novel, the duel between father and son starts differently. Luke utters the words: "Lord Vader. I feel your presence. Show yourself."
CHAPTER XIII
* Code: Lando uses "Code Force Seven", meaning the Wing Guards and Lobot overpowered the Imperials that escorted them back to Vader's ship.
* Vader speaks when he throws machinery at Luke. In fact he almost uses the same words as later in the duel: "You are beaten. It is useless to resist. You will join me or you will join Obi-Wan in death."
* Tijdens het duel krijgen Luke en Vader een bericht te horen via een intercom: "Fugitives heading toward Platform 327. Secure all transports. All security forces on alert."
* In the novel Luke falls from the weather vane and the Falcon picks him up while falling.
* Technology: When trying to repair the Falcon once more, Lando asks Chewie to the check the secondary deviation controls.
* In the novel, Luke and Vader do not have contact with their minds after Bespin when Luke rests in the Millennium Falcon.
CHAPTER XIV
None
The novel of 'TESB' sure brings back a few things. It doesn't differ that much from the movie and it doesn't add many new things. Most interesting is probably Luke's time on Dagobah because of the small and larger changes in it. If there is something I forgot to mention, please let me know.
Sompeetalay
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