Return of the Jedi

EMPEROR

Good! Your hate has made you powerful. Now, fulfill your destiny and take your father's place at my side!

Luke looks at his father's mechanical hand, then to his own mechanical, black-gloved hand, and realizes how much he is becoming like his father. He makes the decision for which he has spent a lifetime in preparation. Luke steps back and hurls his lightsaber away.

LUKE

Never! I'll never turn to the dark side. You've failed, Your Highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me.

The Emperor's glee turns to rage.

EMPEROR

So be it... Jedi.

EXT. FOREST – GENERATOR BUNKER

Han and several of the fighters run out of the bunker and race across the clearing.

HAN

Move! Move!

A shock wave knocks them flat as the bunker explodes, followed by a spectacular display as the huge shield-generator radar dish explodes along with the bunker.

INT. REBEL STAR CRUISER – BRIDGE

Ackbar, sitting in his control chair, speaks into the radio.

ACKBAR

The shield is down! Commence attack on the Death Star's main reactor.

LANDO

We're on our way. Red Group, Gold Group, all fighters follow me.

(laughs)

Told you they'd do it!

The Falcon, followed by several smaller Rebel fighters, heads toward the unfinished superstructure of the Death Star.

INT. EMPEROR'S TOWER – THRONE ROOM

Luke stands still, as the Emperor reaches the bottom of the stairs. The Emperor's laughter has turned to anger. He raises his arms toward Luke.

EMPEROR

If you will not be turned, you will be destroyed.

Blinding bolts of energy, evil lightning, shoot from the Emperor's hands at Luke. Even in his surprise, the young Jedi tries to use the Force to deflect them. At first he is half successful, but after a moment the bolts of energy are coming with such speed and power the young Jedi shrinks before them, his knees buckling. The wounded Vader struggles to his feet, and moves to stand at his master's side.

EMPEROR

Young fool... only now, at the end, do you understand.

Luke is almost unconscious beneath the continuing assault of the Emperor's lightning. He clutches a canister to keep from falling into the bottomless shaft as the bolts tear through him.

EMPEROR

Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the dark side. You have paid the price for your lack of vision.

Luke writhes on the floor in unbearable pain, reaching weakly up toward where Vader stands watching.

LUKE

(groans)

Father, please. Help me.

Again Vader stands, watching Luke. He looks at his master, the Emperor, then back to Luke on the floor.

EMPEROR

Now, young Skywalker... you will die.

Although it would not have seemed possible, the outpouring of bolts from the Emperor's fingers actually increases in intensity, the sound screaming through the room. Luke's body writhes in pain.

Vader grabs the Emperor from behind, fighting for control of the robed figure despite the Dark Lord's weakened body and gravely weakened arm. The Emperor struggles in his embrace, his bolt-shooting hands now lifted high, away from Luke. Now the white lightning arcs back to strike at Vader. He stumbles with his load as the sparks rain off his helmet and flow down over his black cape. He holds his evil master high over his head and walks to the edge of the abyss at the central core of the throne room. With one final burst of his once awesome strength, Darth Vader hurls the Emperor's body into the bottomless shaft.

The Emperor's body spins helplessly into the void, arcing as it falls into the abyss. Finally, when the body is far down the shaft, it explodes, creating a rush of air through the room. Vader's cape is whipped by the wind and he staggers, and collapses toward the bottomless hole. Luke crawls to his father's side and pulls him away from the edge of the abyss to safety. Both the young Jedi and the giant warrior are too weak to move.

EXT. / INT. – SPACE BATTLE – FIGHTER AND DEATH STAR

Rebel fighters follow the Falcon across the surface of the Death Star to the unfinished portion, where they dive into the super-structure of the giant battle station, followed by many TIE fighters.

WEDGE

I'm going in.

LANDO

Here goes nothing.

Three X-wings lead the chase through the ever-narrowing shaft, followed by the Falcon and four other fighters, plus TIE fighters who continually fire at the Rebels. Lights reflect off the pilot's faces as they race through the dark shaft.

LANDO

Now lock onto the strongest power source. It should be the power generator.

WEDGE

Form up. And stay alert. We could run out of space real fast.

The fighters and the Falcon race through the tunnel, still pursued by the TIE fighters. One of the X-wings is hit from behind and explodes.

LANDO

Split up and head back to the surface. See if you can get a few of those TIE fighters to follow you.

PILOT

Copy, Gold Leader.

The Rebel ships peel off pursued by three of the TIE's, while Lando and Wedge continue through the main tunnel. It narrows, and the Falcon scrapes the side dangerously. Two other TIE fighters continue to blast away at them.

LANDO

That was too close.

Nien Nunb agrees. The battle between the Rebel and Imperial fleet rages on. Several cruisers fire at the giant Super Star Destroyer.

INT. REBEL STAR CRUISER – BRIDGE

ACKBAR

We've got to give those fighters more time. Concentrate all fire on that Super Star Destroyer.

X-wings pilots head across the surface of the huge battleship.

INT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER – BRIDGE