How did fans react to the introduction of these characters when ESB was first released? How did they react to the reveal that the muppet was Obi-Wan’s master? How did they react to Darth Vader bowing to someone and calling someone “my master”?
You mean theatrically I didn’t see it in the theater. I saw it on a rental cassette I guess you call that VHS. 1984 Was it?
It was the first Star Wars I saw so I had no expectations at all. I grew up on the Muppets and Sesame Street so Yoda being a puppet did not phase me. I was young enough to suspend disbelief and to pretend he was real.
I just remember certain aspects like the Snow Walkers and Luke suspended upside down in the Wampa cave. Facing that Vision of Vader in the Cave that is Luke in the mask.
Luke trying to lift an X-wing with his mind. Knowing he could just barely float the lightsaber to him to escape the Wampa cave.
The Fade in of the Emperor hologram. The speech where the Emperor intones there is a great disturbance in the force, we have a new enemy, Luke Skywalker. The Son of Skywalker must not become a Jedi.
Then I finally saw Star Wars and oh yeah that is the dude who was a ghost in the Empire Strikes Back, Old Ben. He tells Luke about the force how he used to go by the name of Obi-Wan before Luke was born. Things didn’t really click until I saw return of the jedi in the theater and finally went back and rewatched the first film. Once all three films were on video there was a certain continuity if you will. Whether they were originally intended to be one piece, you had Mark Hamill age between each film and you watched Luke grow up.