Welcome to Spinnaker’s History of Star Wars! To celebrate the upcoming release of Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, we are looking back at the past seven episodes as well as Rogue One all leading up to the review of the new movie. Every day from Dec. 7 to Dec. 15 a new review will be posted. So enjoy, and may the force be with you. Always.

Heroes winning and the forces of good prevailing gets boring every once in a while, doesn’t it? The Empire Strikes Back continued the Skywalker saga by taking it in new, darker directions. Where A New Hope was optimistic, Empire was distinctively more sinister.

While George Lucas remained a guiding creative force in his saga, he enlisted director Irvin Kershner and screenwriters Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan to propel this new film.

Empire takes the audience on an emotional journey that reveals the deepest depths of the characters. We see Vader and his oppressive Empire bring them to their most vulnerable state, further cementing their bond to one another in sometimes heartbreaking ways. One thing that Lucas established with A New Hope was that character development and the audience’s attachment to them was vital to the success of Star Wars, and Empire shines in that department.

While dark and brooding, the film is also romantic. Perhaps the greatest Star Wars script in the saga creates an unbridled chemistry between Princess Leia and Han Solo. The dialogue between the two is sharp and even scathing, yet their relationship tightens with every verbal jab—every snarky rebuttal.

Meanwhile, Luke travels to the swampy planet Dagobah in search of our favorite little green guy, Yoda (Frank Oz). Yoda’s initial portrayal is outrageously funny as he acts out like a rambunctious child, challenging Luke’s conventional wisdom of what a warrior looks like. Yoda teaches Luke about the Force and shows him that strength comes in many shapes and sizes. Victories are short-lived, though, as a new danger constantly looms over our heroes.

Our hopes are crushed in front of our very eyes. Our empathy is heightened, and we’re threatened multiple times by the idea that the good guys may not actually come out on top. And in many cases, they don’t.

A courtesy spoiler alert for anybody who has yet to find out: Han and Leia are betrayed by Han’s once good friend Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams). With Lando’s help, the Empire traps them on Cloud City. Han is tortured and ultimately frozen in carbonite. Darth Vader uses their pain to lure Luke into his trap, where he confronts him in their first lightsaber battle. Vader, with the powers of the dark side at his disposal, severs the young Skywalker’s hand. It’s at this point that he drops the monumental reveal that he is indeed Luke Skywalker’s father. Can we say “O.G. plot twist?”

The only victory for the Rebellion (and for our heroes) in this episode is escape. They’re weakened and devastated, but the bombshell knowledge about Luke’s origins drives him forward in the pursuit of truth while the Rebellion attempts to reorganize to fight the evil Empire.

A New Hope told the story of a group of unique characters centered around a common goal. Empire sees them separating and fighting their own individual battles—facing their biggest, most inward fears. It’s in these moments of questioning and vulnerability that we get to truly understand them. They’re ultimately the primary reason Empire takes this most impressive franchise to new heights. It’s a chilling sequel that remains endearing and full of surprises.

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