Star Wars 44: The Empire Strikes Back: Duel a Dark Lord, a part of the Marvel Star Wars comic book series, represents its forty-fourth installment.
Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 show up in Cloud City, initiating a search for their companions. Darth Vader hands over the carbonite-encased Han Solo to Boba Fett and directs the Ugnaught laborers to prepare the carbon-freezing chamber once more, this time for Skywalker. He then commands his officers to bring Leia and Chewbacca to his starship. Lando Calrissian protests, stating that the agreement stipulated their remaining in the city. Vader retorts with a menacing tone, declaring an alteration to the terms of their deal.
As the Imperial soldiers begin to escort Leia and Chewbacca toward the vessel, they encounter Luke. A gunfight erupts, causing the group to scatter. Lando, burdened by guilt for his betrayal of Han, instructs his own personnel to subdue the stormtroopers. He liberates Leia, Chewbacca, and the partially repaired C-3PO. Their attempt to reach the landing platform and rescue Han proves futile, as they arrive too late. Boba Fett departs with Han's frozen form, heading towards his employer, Jabba the Hutt. They then board the Millennium Falcon and flee Cloud City.
Simultaneously, Luke makes his way to the carbon freezing facility, where he is met by Darth Vader. Igniting their lightsabers, they engage in a duel that leads them to a platform suspended above one of the city's ventilation shafts. Vader severs Luke's right hand with his lightsaber. Luke accuses Vader of murdering his father, to which Vader responds, "No, Luke. I am your father." Overwhelmed by the revelation, Luke throws himself off the platform, plummeting towards what seems to be his demise.
As he falls through the network of tunnels beneath the city, he is eventually ejected and left clinging to a sensor vane on the underside of the floating metropolis. He uses the Force to project his thoughts to Leia. Hearing Luke's telepathic plea for assistance, Leia commands Lando to reverse the Falcon's course and retrieve him. They rescue Luke and rendezvous with the Rebel Fleet.
Aboard a medical frigate, Luke receives medical attention, and a cybernetic hand replaces his lost one. He now faces the dual burden of his failure to save Han and the shocking truth that Darth Vader, the galaxy's most formidable villain, is his father.