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star wars - After Hoth, why did Vader pursue the Millennium Falcon instead of Luke's X-Wing?


In The Empire Strikes Back film, the opening crawl says:




The evil lord Darth Vader, obsessed with finding young Skywalker, has dispatched thousands of remote probes into the far reaches of space....



It has also been established in Return of the Jedi that Force users can sense each other:



Chewie whines nervously. Luke stares at the Huge Super Star Destroyer that looms ever larger before them.


LUKE: Vader's on that ship.



If Darth Vader is obsessed with finding Luke and he can sense his presence, the obvious thing to do would be to follow Luke's X-Wing after the battle of Hoth rather than the Millennium Falcon. Why didn't he?



Answer




Because Luke escapes Hoth undetected while the Falcon does not


At the risk of answering the question with the question, it seems that Luke just got lucky. After talking to Wedge on the planet, Luke is seen alone in space leisurely setting a new course to Dagobah:



EXTERIOR: SPACE -- LUKE'S X-WING


Luke's fighter, its wings closed, speeds away from the icy planet. Soon it disappears into the stars.


INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT


Luke, looking thoughtful, suddenly makes a decision. He flips several switches. The stars shift as he takes his fighter into a steep turn. The X-wing banks sharply and flies away in a new direction. The monitor screen on Luke's control panel prints out a question from the concerned Artoo.


LUKE: (into comlink) There's nothing wrong, Artoo. I'm just setting a new course.



Han on the other hand is instantly in trouble:




EXTERIOR: SPACE -- MILLENNIUM FALCON


The Millennium Falcon speeds away from Hoth, closely followed by one huge Star Destroyer and four tiny TIE fighters. As it is pursued, the Falcon races toward two very bright star-sized objects.


INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT


Inside the cockpit, Chewie lets out a loud howl. Han checks as the ship is buffeted by exploding flak. He appears to be doing six things at once.


HAN: (harried) I saw them! I saw them!


LEIA: Saw what?


HAN: Star Destroyers, two of them, coming right at us.



If Luke had left with Solo, then it is quite reasonable to assume that Vader would have had the ability to sense him eventually (this becomes more apparent in ROTJ) and pursue him specifically (whether he was in the Falcon or his own X-Wing). As it is, The Empire isn't even aware there is an X-Wing alone in deep space headed off to a remote planet inhabited by the galaxy's last Jedi Master. Vader's ability to sense Luke is not omniscient. In fact, it is outlined in ESB as very limited. He reaches out to Luke only when he already knows generally where Luke is and while he still close by ... and even then it seems a "loose" connection:




INTERIOR: VADER'S STAR DESTROYER -- BRIDGE


Vader stands on the bridge, watching as the Millennium Falcon is chased by the TIE fighters. As his Destroyer draws nearer, Vader's breathing gets slightly faster.


VADER: Luke.


INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- SLEEPING QUARTERS


Luke realizes that Vader's ship is very near. He feels resigned to his fate. He senses that he is beaten, more emotionally than physically.


LUKE: Father.



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