Force in Focus: The Empire Strikes Back Action Figures Wave 3

Roll Call
AT-AT Commander/General Veers
Luke Skywalker (Hoth Outfit)
R2-D2 w/Sensorscope
Bespin Security Guard II
Cloud Car Pilot
4-LOM
C-3PO w/removable limbs
Imperial TIE Fighter Pilot
Zuckuss

Firsts and Other Notables
This wave of figures is arguably most known for the Zuckuss/4-LOM mixup, in which Kenner mislabels the figures: 4-LOM is the droid bounty hunter, but is called Zuckuss on his aciton figure packaging, while the bug-like Zuckuss is incorrectly labeled 4-LOM.

The Zuckuss figure (advertised as 4-LOM) was this wave's mailaway figure, offered ahead of the wave's release in stores. It also has a soft goods cloak.

Force in Focus: The Empire Strikes Back Action Figures Wave 2

Dengar
Han Solo (Bespin Outfit)
Lobot
Ugnaught
AT-AT Driver
Princess Leia (Hoth Outfit)
Imperial Commander
Rebel Commander
2-1B

The second wave of Empire Strikes Back action figures is, like the first wave, fairly democratic, containing an assortment of figures culled from various settings/character classes from across the film, rather than focusing on one particular area. There's two main characters (new versions of Han and Leia), one from the Bespin setting and another from the Hoth setting, one bounty hunter (Dengar), an alien (Ugnaught), a droid (2-1B), three troop builders (AT-AT Driver, Imperial Commander, Rebel Commander) and one Lobot (Lobot).

Force in Focus: Star Wars #44

"Duel a Dark Lord!"
February 1981

In a Nutshell
Luke learns Darth Vader is his father.

Writer/Editor: Archie Goodwin
Artists: Al Williamson & Carlos Garzon
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Letterer: Rick Veitch
Editor-in-Chief: James Shooter

Plot
Lando announces that Han has survived the carbon freezing process. Pleased, Darth Vader gives Han to Boba Fett, and orders the chamber reset for Luke, then tells Lando he's leaving a garrison in the city, another alteration to their deal. Outside, Luke exchanges fire with Boba Fett and some Stormtroopers, before entering the chamber to face Vader. Lando then secretly communicates with his security forces, capturing the Stormtroopers escorting Leia & Chewbacca and promising to help them rescue Han. Elsewhere, Luke and Vader's duel takes them out onto a reactor gantry suspended over a large shaft. Leia and the others arrive too late to stop Boba Fett, but Lando says they can still make it to the Falcon. At the reactor core, Vader cuts off Luke's hand, after which he urges Luke to join him, saying together they can defeat the Emperor. When Luke refuses, Vader tells him the truth about his father: Vader is Luke's father. A disbelieving Luke lets go of the gantry, plummeting down the shaft, eventually landing perched on a weather vane on the underside of the city. As the Millennium Falcon prepares to flee Bespin, Luke reaches out to Leia in the Force, desperate for help. She turns the Falcon around, managing to catch Luke just as the vane gives way. As the Imperials close in, Artoo repairs the ship's hyperdrive, enabling them to escape to hyperspace. Later, they rendezvous with the Rebel fleet, and Luke receives a new cybernetic hand, then wishes Lando and Chewbacca well as they depart to rescue Han.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #43

"Betrayal at Bespin"
January 1981

In a Nutshell
Han is betrayed by Lando and frozen in carbonite by Darth Vader.

Writer/Editor: Archie Goodwin
Artists: Al Williamson & Carlos Garzon
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Letterer: Rick Veitch
Editor-in-Chief: James Shooter

Plot
The Millennium Falcon arrives at Cloud City on Bespin and receives a chilly reception, but Han's old friend Lando Calrissian quickly drops the ruse and warmly embraces his old friend, promising to help repair the ship. Meanwhile, on Dagobah, Luke enters a cave steeped in the Dark Side and battles a vision of Darth Vader which, when defeated, reveals Luke's face beneath the mask. On Bespin, Chewbacca turns up with Threepio, who's been blasted into pieces, while on Dagobah, Luke experiences a vision of his friends suffering and dying. Lando invites everyone to dinner, but they arrive to find Darth Vader & Boba Fett waiting for them. On Dagobah, Luke decides to leave to rescue his friends, over Yoda and Obi-Wan's warnings. On Bespin, as Han is tortured, Lando explains Vader only wants Luke. Vader proceeds to test Lando's carbon freezing process on Han, hoping to use it to capture Luke alive. As Han is lowered into the chamber, Leia declares her love for him, just as Luke arrives at Cloud City.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #42

"To Be A Jedi"
December 1980

In a Nutshell
Luke trains on Dagobah, the Millennium Falcon heads to Bespin.

Writer/Editor: Archie Goodwin
Artists: Al Williamson & Carlos Garzon
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Letterer: Rick Veitch
Editor-in-Chief: James Shooter

Plot
On Dagobah, Luke meets a small, gnome-like creature who promises to take him to Yoda, while hidden inside the asteroid field, Han & Leia grow closer as they repair the Falcon. Vader interrupts his search for the ship to meet with the Emperor, who warns him of the potential threat of Luke, to which Vader vows to turn the boy to the Dark Side, or kill him. On Dagobah, a frustrated Luke realizes his new friend is in fact Yoda himself, who is reluctant to train him, but Luke, with some assistance from Obi-Wan, prevails. Back in the asteroid field, Han realizes the cave they're hiding in is actually alive, and the Falcon races out just as the creature tries to eat the ship. On Dagobah, Luke's training commences, and though he makes great strides, he's unable to rescue his ship from the swamp, a task Yoda completes with ease. Meanwhile, Darth Vader is giving marching orders to a group of bounty hunters, including Boba Fett, tasked with locating the Millennium Falcon when the ship suddenly emerges from the asteroid field. But it disappears just as quickly, with Han buzzing one of the Star Destroyers then attaching to the side of it and shutting down the Falcon's systems. Believing the ship jumped to lightspeed, the Imperial fleet dumps its garbage just before it does the same, allowing the Falcon to float away unnoticed. Scanning nearby systems, Han sets a course for Bespin, home of an old friend of his, not realizing the Falcon is being followed by Boba Fett.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #41

"Imperial Pursuit!"
November 1980

In a Nutshell
The Imperials drive the Rebels off Hoth

Writer/Editor: Archie Goodwin
Artists: Al Williamson & Carlos Garzon
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Letterer: Rick Veitch
Asst. Editor: Dan Fingeroth
Editor-in-Chief: James Shooter

Plot
Luke scrambles out of his crashed Snowspeeder and, using a harpoon gun, his lightsaber, and a concussion charge, manages to bring down an approaching walker. Back at the Rebel base, with the Imperials closing in, Han tries to get Leia to her transport, but their access is cutoff, forcing Leia to go with Han to the Falcon. Just as the Imperials are about to blast the ship, Han manages to take off, their escape watched by Luke as he scrambles to his waiting X-wing, and Vader orders his troops to capture the ship. In space, Han manages to evade the pursuing Star Destroyers, but is stunned to discover the hyperdrive is broken. Luke sets a course for Dagobah as Han scrambles to fix the hyperdrive, but he stops when the ship is hit with an asteroid. Han proceeds to recklessly dive into the asteroid field, hoping to use it to shake the pursuing TIE fighters. Eventually, he finds a cave on one of the larger asteroids and flies inside, hidden from the Imperials. Meanwhile, Luke crash lands on Dagobah, his arrival watched by a shadowy figure.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #40

"Battleground Hoth!"
October 1980

In a Nutshell
The Battle of Hoth begins.

Writer/Editor: Archie Goodwin
Artists: Al Williamson & Carlos Garzon
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Letterer: Rick Veitch
Asst. Editor: Danny Fingeroth
Editor-in-Chief: James Shooter

Plot
With the Rebel base on high alert, a recovering Luke tries to tell Leia how he feels about her before thanking Han for saving his life. Meanwhile, Darth Vader executes Admiral Ozzel for emerging from hyperspace too close to the planet, alerting the Rebels of their imminent attack. On Hoth, Leia briefs the Rebels on their escape plan as Han and Chewie scramble to get the Falcon ready to fly. Luke bids them goodbye, then climbs into his Snowspeeder to help the defense of the base against the Imperial forces and their massive walkers. With their armor shielded against the vehicles' blasters, the Rebels are forced to use tow cables to bring down the Imperial walkers, but Luke is shot down as he moves into position for another attack, his ship crashing right into the path of an oncoming walker.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #39

"The Empire Strikes Back"
September 1980

In a Nutshell
An Imperial Probe discovers the location of the Rebel's new base on Hoth.

Writer/Editor: Archie Goodwin
Artists: Al Williamson & Carlos Garzon
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Letterer: Jim Novak
Assistant Editor: Jo Duffy
Editor-in-Chief: James Shooter

Plot
Patrolling on the ice world of Hoth, Luke is about to investigate a nearby meteorite when he's attacked by some kind of creature. Later, Han returns to the Rebel's Echo Base having finished his own patrol, and announces his intent to leave the Rebellion to square his debt with Jabba the Hutt. Elsewhere, Luke awakens upside down inside a cave, and uses the Force to call his lightsaber to his hand, freeing himself and fighting off the creature before fleeing into the freezing night. At Echo Base, Han learns Luke is missing and races off into the night to find him, while Luke is visited by the spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi, who advises him to go to Dagobah, to learn the ways of the Force from Yoda. Just then, Han comes across the nearly dead Luke, and erects shelter. The next morning, however, a patrol Snowspeeders tracks down Han and Luke, and after a trip to the bacta tank, Luke is pronounced out of danger. Just then, the same creatures which attacked him attack the base. At the same time, their scanners detect the presence of an Imperial Probe Droid - the meteorite Luke spotted earlier. Han and Chewbacca manage to destroy it, but not before it transmits its data to the Imperial fleet. The data is received by Darth Vader's massive new Star Destroyer, and though his officers aren't sure if the data points to Rebel activity, Vader is certain, and orders the fleet to the Hoth system at full speed.