Return of the Jedi

BOUSHH

Just relax for a moment. You're free of the carbonite.

Han touches his face with his hand and moans.

BOUSHH

Shhh. You have hibernation sickness.

HAN

I can't see.

BOUSHH

You eyesight will return in time.

HAN

Where am I?

BOUSHH

Jabba's palace.

HAN

Who are you?

The bounty hunter reaches up and lifts the helmet from his head, revealing the beautiful face of PRINCESS LEIA.

LEIA

Someone who loves you.

HAN

Leia!

LEIA

I gotta get you out of here.

As Leia helps her weakened lover to stand up, the relative quiet is pierced by an obscene HUTTESE CACKLE from the other side of the alcove.

HAN

What's that? I know that laugh.

The curtain on the far side of the alcove opens, revealing Jabba the Hutt, surrounded by Bib and other aliens. He laughs again, and his gross cronies join in a cacophony of alien glee.

HAN

Hey, Jabba. Look, Jabba, I was just on my way to pay you back, but I got a little sidetracked. It's not my fault.

Jabba laughs.

JABBA

(in Huttese subtitled)

It's too late for that, Solo. You may have been a good smuggler, but now you're Bantha fodder.

HAN

Look...

JABBA

(continuing; in Huttese subtitled)

Take him away!

The guards grab Han and start to lead him away.

HAN

Jabba... I'll pay you triple! You're throwing away a fortune here. Don't be a fool!

Han is dragged off, as Lando quickly moves forward and attempts to lead Leia away.

JABBA

(in Huttese subtitled)

Bring her to me.

Jabba chuckles as Lando and a second guard drag the beautiful young princess toward him. Threepio peeks from behind a monster and quickly turns away in disgust.

LEIA

We have powerful friends. You're gonna regret this...

JABBA

(in Huttese subtitled)

I'm sure.

Inexorably her lovely face moves to within a few inches of Jabba's ugly blob of a head, and Leia turns away in disgust.

LEIA

Ugh!

THREEPIO

Ohhh, I can't bear to watch.

INT. DUNGEON CELL

The heavy metal door of the dungeon whines and slowly creaks open. A guard throws the blinded star captain into the dark cell and the door slams shut behind him, leaving only a thin sliver of light from a crack in the door. Han is trying to collect himself when suddenly a growl is heard from the far side of the cell. He jumps back against the cell door and listens.

HAN

Chewie? Chewie, is that you?

The shadowy figure lets out a crazy yell and races toward Han, lifting him off the ground with a big hug that carries them into the light, revealing Chewie.

HAN

Ah! Chew – Chewie!

The giant Wookiee barks with glee.

HAN

Wait. I can't see, pal. What's goin' on?

Chewie barks an excited blue streak.

HAN

Luke? Luke's crazy. He can't even take care of himself, much less rescue anybody.

Chewie barks a reply.

HAN

A... Jedi Knight? I – I'm out of it for a little while, everybody gets delusions of grandeur.

Chewie growls insistently. He holds Han to his chest and pets his head.

HAN

I'm all right, pal. I'm all right.

INT. MAIN GATE AND HALL – JABBA'S PALACE

Noisily, the main gate lifts to flood the blackness with blinding LIGHT and reveal the silhouetted figure of LUKE SKYWALKER. He is clad in a robe similar to Ben's and wears neither pistol nor laser sword. Luke strides purposefully into the hallway. Two giant guards move to block Luke's path. Luke halts.

Luke raises his hand and points at the puzzled guards, who immediately lower their spears and fall back. The young Jedi lowers his hand and moves on down the hallway.

Bib Fortuna appears out of the gloom. He speaks to Luke as they approach each other, but Luke doesn't stop and Bib must reverse his direction and hurry alongside the young Jedi in order to carry on the conversation. Several other guards fall in behind them in the darkness.

LUKE

I must speak with Jabba.

Bib answers in Huttese, shaking his head in denial. Luke stops and stares at Bib; he raises his hand slightly.

LUKE

You will take me to Jabba now!

Bib turns in hypnotic response to Luke's command, and Luke follows him into the gloom.

LUKE

You serve your master well.

Bib responds.

LUKE

And you will be rewarded.

INT. JABBA'S THRONE ROOM

Jabba is asleep on his throne, with Leia lying in front of him. Salacious sits by Jabba's tail, watching it wriggle. Leia is now dressed in the skimpy costume of a dancing girl; a chain runs from a manacle/necklace at her throat to her new master, Jabba the Hutt. Threepio stands behind Jabba as Bib comes up to the gangster slug.

THREEPIO

At last! Master Luke's come to rescue me.

BIB

Master.

Jabba awakens with a start and Bib continues, in Huttese.

BIB

... Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight.

JABBA

(in Huttese subtitled)

I told you not to admit him.

LUKE

I must be allowed to speak.

BIB

(in Huttese subtitled)

He must be allowed to speak.

Jabba, furious, clobbers Bib and shoves him away.

JABBA

(in Huttese subtitled)

You weak-minded fool! He's using an old Jedi mind trick.

Luke stares hard at Jabba.

LUKE

You will bring Captain Solo and the Wookiee to me.

JABBA

(in Huttese subtitled)

Your mind powers will not work on me, boy.

LUKE

Nevertheless, I'm taking Captain Solo and his friends. You can either profit by this... or be destroyed! It's your choice. But I warn you not to underestimate my powers.

Jabba's laugh is mean and loud. Threepio attempts to warn Luke about the pit.

THREEPIO

Master Luke, you're standing on...

JABBA

(in Huttese subtitled)

There will be no bargain, young Jedi. I shall enjoy watching you die.

Luke reaches out, and a pistol jumps out of a guard's holster and flies into Luke's hand. The bewildered guard grabs for it as Jabba raises his hand.

JABBA

Bascka!

The floor suddenly drops away, sending Luke and the hapless guard into the pit. The pistol goes off, blasting a hole in the ceiling. Jabba laughs and his courtiers join in. Leia starts forward but is restrained by a human guard – Lando, recognizable behind his mask. She looks at him and he shakes his head "no."

INT. RANCOR PIT

Luke and the guard have dropped twenty-five feet from a chute into the dungeonlike cage. Luke gets to his feet as the guard yells hysterically for help. A crowd gathers up around the edge of the pit as the door in the side of the pit starts to RUMBLE open. The guard screams in panic. Luke looks calmly around for a means of escape.

THREEPIO

Oh, no! The Rancor!

At the side of the pit, an iron door rumbles upward and a giant, fanged RANCOR emerges. The guard runs to the side of the pit and tries futilely to scramble to the top. The hideous beast closes in on him.

The Rancor moves past Luke, and as the guard continues to scramble, the Rancor picks him up and pops him into its slavering jaws. A few screams, and the guard is swallowed with a gulp. The audience cheers and laughs at the guard's fate.

The monster turns and starts for Luke. The young Jedi dashes away just ahead of the monster's swipe at him, and picks up the long arm bone of an earlier victim. The monster grabs Luke and brings him up to his salivating mouth. At the last moment, Luke wedges the bone in the monster's mouth and is dropped to the floor. The monster bellows in rage and flails about, hitting the side of the pit, causing an avalanche.

The monster crushes the bone in its jaws and sees Luke, who squeezes into a crevice in the pit wall. Luke looks past the monster to the holding cave beyond. On the far side of the holding cave is a utility door-if only he can get to it. The Rancor spots Luke and reaches into the crevice for him. Luke grabs a large rock and raises it, smashing it down on the Rancor's finger.

HOLDING TUNNEL – RANCOR PIT

The Rancor lets out a loud howl as Luke makes a run for the holding cave. He reaches the door and pushes a button to open it. When he succeeds, he sees a heavy barred gate between him and safety. Beyond the gate two guards look up from their dinner. Luke turns to see the monster heading for him, and pulls with all his might on the gate. The guards move to the gate and start poking at the young Jedi with spears, laughing.