In Episode 28, we conclude our time with The Empire Strikes Back, and our exploration of perhaps the best Star Wars film and score ever made. In this episode, we make our way through some remaining themes and motifs, as well as the major action setpieces of the film, and ask the biggest question of all: is this the best film score ever written?

Episode notes:

2:41 – The Days of Han and Leia

6:37 – Tchaikovsky’s Star Wars

11:51 – Han’s Soli

14:21 – Williams’ melodic patterns

15:27 – A polite argument (for strings)

20:14 – Melodus interruptus

24:22 – Bespin Cellos

25:51 – I love cue (I know)

30:48 – Resolving Solo and the Princess

36:32 – Bassoon Fett

43:36 – The droids dance

52:43 – The droids return in Solo

54:18 – Hyperspace strings

58:28 – Empire’s action ostinati

1:05:24 – Lando’s palace, where all your dreams come true

1:07:42 – A choir in the clouds

1:11:34 – The magic tree

1:15:10 – The synth side of the force

1:17:52 – John Williams’ best action cue, ever?

1:25:08 – The space tritone

1:28:31 – Looping the woodwinds

1:29:43 – The battle in the snow

1:34:29 – The Carbonite Procession, and John Williams’ greatest finale ever?

1:40:32 – The end credits

1:45:43 – The greatest score ever written?

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