A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… In the second installment of our series on Star Wars and mythology, we’re unpacking the most powerful symbols in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Considered by most to be the best of the Star Wars movies, Empire has no shortage of philosophy and mythic symbolism to mine. We’ll explore the sacred space of darkness and light that Yoda inhabits on Dagobah, and compare his understanding of the Force—which draws deeply on Buddhist philosophy—to what we learned about it in Episode IV. We’ll meditate on the revelation of Luke Skywalker’s parentage—arguably one of the most important moments in cinema history—and its significance to the hero’s journey.