Return of the Jedi

Luke crouches (against the wall) as the monster starts to reach for him. Suddenly he notices a main door control panel halfway up the wall. As the Rancor moves in for the kill, Luke picks up a skull from the cave floor and hurls it at the panel. The giant overhead door comes crashing down on the beast's head, squashing

it like a sledgehammer on an egg.

A startled gasp is heard from the stunned court. There's consternation at this turn of events. Heads look to Jabba, who is actually turning red with anger. Leia cannot suppress her joy. Jabba utters harsh commands to his guards and they hurry off.

JABBA

(in Huttese subtitled)

Bring me Solo and the Wookiee. They will all suffer for this outrage.

INT. RANCOR PIT

The Rancor KEEPERS have come into the cage and are examining their dead beast. One of them breaks down and weeps. The other glares menacingly at Luke, who is unworried. Several guards rush into the holding tunnel and take Luke away.

INT. THRONE ROOM

The crowd of creepy courtiers parts as Han and Chewie are brought into the throne room, and other guards drag Luke up the steps.

LUKE

Han!

HAN

Luke!

LUKE

Are you all right?

HAN

Fine. Together again, huh?

LUKE

Wouldn't miss it.

HAN

How are we doing?

LUKE

The same as always.

HAN

That bad, huh? Where's Leia?

Luke looks to Leia.

LEIA

I'm here.

Threepio is standing behind the grotesque gangster as he strokes Leia like a pet cat. Several of the guards, including Lando, bring Luke from the other side of the room. Boba is standing behind Jabba.

Threepio steps forward and translates for the captives.

THREEPIO

Oh, dear. His High Exaltedness, the great Jabba the Hutt, has decreed that you are to be terminated immediately.

HAN

Good, I hate long waits.

THREEPIO

You will therefore be taken to the Dune Sea and cast into the pit of Carkoon, the nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlacc.

HAN

(to Luke)

Doesn't sound so bad.

THREEPIO

In his belly, you will find a new definition of pain and suffering, as you are slowly digested over a thousand years.

HAN

On second thought, let's pass on that, huh?

Chewie barks his agreement.

LUKE

You should have bargained, Jabba. That's the last mistake you'll ever make.

Jabba cackles evilly at this.

As the guards drag the prisoners from the throne room, a loud cheer rises from the crowd. Leia and Chewie exchange concerned looks, but Luke Skywalker, Jedi warrior, cannot suppress a smile.

EXT. TATOOINE SEA – SKIFF

Jabba's huge SAIL BARGE moves above the desert surface accompanied by two smaller SKIFFS. One of the skiffs glides close, revealing Luke, Han, and Chewie – all in bonds – surrounded by guards, one of whom is Lando in disguise.

HAN

I think my eyes are getting better. Instead of a big dark blur, I see a big light blur.

LUKE

There's nothing to see. I used to live here, you know.

HAN

You're gonna die here, you know. Convenient.

LUKE

Just stick close to Chewie and Lando. I've taken care of everything.

HAN

Oh... great!

INT. BARGE OBSERVATION DECK

Jabba the Hutt rides like a sultan in the massive antigravity ship. His entire retinue is with him, drinking, eating, and having a good time. Leia is watching her friends in the skiff when the chain attached to her neck is pulled tight and Jabba tugs the scantily clad princess to him.

JABBA

(in Huttese subtitled)

Soon you will learn to appreciate me.

Threepio wanders among the Sail Barge aliens, bumping into a smaller droid serving drinks, spilling them all over the place. The stubby droid lets out an angry series of beeps and whistles.

THREEPIO

Oh, I'm terribly sor... Artoo! What are you doing here?

Artoo beeps a quick reply.

THREEPIO

Well, I can see you're serving drinks, but this place is dangerous. They're going to execute Master Luke and, if we're not careful, us too!

Artoo whistles a singsong response.

THREEPIO

Hmm. I wish I had your confidence.

EXT. SARLACC PIT

The convoy moves up over a huge sand pit. The Sail Barge stops to one side of the depression, as does the escort skiff. But the prisoner's skiff moves out directly over the center and hovers. At the bottom of the deep cone of sand is a repulsive, mucous-lined hole, surrounded by thousands of needle-sharp teeth. This is the SARLACC. A plank is extended from the edge of the prisoner's skiff. Guards release Luke's bonds and shove him out onto the plank above the Sarlacc's mouth.

EXT. SAIL BARGE OBSERVATION DECK

Jabba and Leia are now by the rail, watching. Threepio leans forward and the slobbering villain mumbles something to him. As Threepio steps up to a comlink, Jabba raises his arm and the motley array of intergalactic pirates fall silent. Threepio's voice is amplified across loudspeakers.

THREEPIO

Victims of the almighty Sarlacc: His Excellency hopes that you will die honorably. But should any of you wish to beg for mercy, the great Jabba the Hutt will now listen to your pleas.

EXT. SKIFF

Han steps forward arrogantly and begins to speak.

HAN

Threepio, you tell that slimy piece of... worm-ridden filth he'll get no such pleasure from us. Right?

Chewie growls his agreement.

LUKE

Jabba! This is your last chance. Free us or die.

Lando moves unobtrusively along the skiff as Luke shoots a quick look of conspiracy to him.

INT. SAIL BARGE OBSERVATION DECK

The assembled monsters rock with mocking laughter as Artoo zips unnoticed up the ramp to the upper deck. Jabba's laughter subsides as he speaks into the comlink.

JABBA

(in Huttese subtitled)

Move him into position.

Jabba makes a thumbs-down gesture. Leia looks worried.

EXT. BARGE – UPPER DECK

Artoo appears from below and zips over to the rail facing the pit. Below, in the skiff, Luke is prodded by a guard to the edge of the plank over the gaping Sarlacc. Luke looks up at Artoo, then gives a jaunty salute: the signal the little droid has been waiting for. A flap opens in Artoo's domed head.

JABBA

(in Huttese subtitled)

Put him in.

EXT. SKIFF – PLANK

Luke is prodded and jumps off the plank to the cheers of the bloodthirsty spectators. But, before anyone can even perceive what is happening, he spins around and grabs the end of the plank by his fingertips. The plank bends wildly from his weight and catapults him skyward. In midair he does a complete flip and drops down on the end of the plank in the same spot he just vacated, but facing the skiff. He casually extends an open palm and – his lightsaber, which Artoo has sent arcing toward him, drops into his hand.

With samurai speed, Luke ignites it and attacks the guard who prodded him off the plank, sending the hapless monster screaming overboard. The other guards swarm toward Luke. He wades into them, lightsaber flashing. Lando struggles with another guard at the back of the skiff.

EXT. SARLACC PIT

A bewildered guard lands in the soft, sandy slope of the pit, and begins sliding. He claws desperately as a Sarlacc tentacle grabs him and pulls him screaming into the viscous mouth.

INT. SAIL BARGE

Jabba watches this and explodes in rage. He barks commands, and the guards around him rush off to do his bidding. The scuzzy creatures watching the action from the window are in an uproar.

EXT. SKIFF

Luke knocks another guard off the skiff and into the waiting mouth of the Sarlacc. He starts to untie Chewie's bonds.

LUKE

Easy, Chewie.

At that moment, the deck gunmen on the barge unleash a series of blasts from a big cannon on the upper deck. Lando is tossed from the deck of the rocking skiff. He manages to grab a rope, and dangles desperately above the Sarlacc pit.

LANDO

Whoa! Whoa! Help!

EXT. UPPER DECK – SAIL BARGE

With two swift strides, the dangerous Boba Fett ignites his rocket pack, leaps into the air, and flies from the barge down to the skiff.

EXT. SKIFF

Boba lands on the skiff and starts to aim his laser gun at Luke, who has freed Han and Chewie from their bonds. But before Boba can fire, the young Jedi spins on him, lightsaber sweeping, and hacks the bounty hunter's gun in half.