This is arguably the only movie of the original trilogy in which Darth Vader serves as the chief antagonist. In Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983), Darth Vader serves as Grand Moff Tarkin's and Emperor Palpatine's henchman, while in this movie he is free to do whatever he wants, including attacking Hoth, capturing the Millennium Falcon, torturing Han Solo, and placing Solo in carbonate.