EXT. RIDGE OVERLOOKING SHIELD GENERATOR – DAY
Han, Leia, Chewbacca, the ‘droids, Wicket, and another Ewok scout, PAPLOO, hide on a ridge overlooking the massive Imperial shield generator. At the base of the generator is the Imperial landing platform. As they watch, the shuttle carrying Luke and Vader takes off and flies toward space. Leia studies the installation.
LEIA: The main entrance to the control bunker’s on the far side of that landing platform. This isn’t gonna be easy.
HAN: Hey, don’t worry. Chewie and me got into a lot of places more heavily guarded than this.
Wicket and Paploo are chattering away in Ewok language. They speak to Threepio.
LEIA: What’s he saying?
C-3PO: He says there’s a secret entrance on the other side of the ridge.
EXT. SPACE – REBEL FLEET
The vast Rebel fleet hangs in deep space. The Home One is up at the front, but now the Millennium Falcon roars up to a spot ahead of it, tiny in comparison.
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON/COCKPIT
Lando is in the pilot seat. His Sullustan copilot, NIEN NUNB, is seated right beside him. Lando speaks into his comlink.
LANDO: Admiral, we’re in position. All fighters accounted for.
INT. HOME ONE/BRIDGE
ADM. ACKBAR: Proceed with the countdown. All groups assume attack coordinates.
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON/COCKPIT
Nunb chitters something in his native tongue. Lando turns to his copilot.
LANDO: Don’t worry, my friends are down there. They’ll have that shield down on time.
The copilot grunts a reply.
LANDO: (to himself) Or this’ll be the shortest offensive of all time.
INT. HOME ONE/BRIDGE
ADM. ACKBAR: All craft, prepare to jump to hyperspace on my mark.
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON/COCKPIT
LANDO: Alright. Stand by.
INT. HOME ONE/BRIDGE
ADM. ACKBAR: Mark.
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON/COCKPIT
Lando pulls a lever, and the stars outside begin to streak.
EXT. SPACE – REBEL FLEET
We are treated to an awesome sight: first the Millennium Falcon, then the fighters, then, in large segments, the huge capital ships roar into hyperspace.
INT. HOME ONE/BRIDGE
The stars streak by Ackbar on his bridge.
EXT. SPACE –- REBEL FLEET
The remainder of the Rebel fleet disappears into hyperspace.
EXT. FOREST MOON – RIDGE OVERLOOKING GENERATOR BUNKER – DAY
Han, Leia, Chewie, the 'droids, and Wicket have reunited with the Rebel strike squad. The entire group is spread through the thick undergrowth. Below them is the bunker that leads into the generator. Four Imperial scout troopers, their speeder bikes parked nearby, keep watch over the bunker entrance.
EXT. GENERATOR BUNKER – DAY
Paploo has slipped out of the undergrowth near where the Imperial scouts are lounging. He silently swings his short, sinewy body onto one of the scout’s speeder bikes and, knowing exactly how to do it, fires up the bike’s engine fires up with a tremendous ROAR. The scouts leap up in surprise.
SCOUT TROOPER #10: Look! Over there! Stop him!
The scouts race toward Paploo just as his speeder zooms away into the forest. Three of the scout troopers jump on their bikes and speed away in pursuit. The fourth watches them go from his post at the door.
EXT. RIDGE – DAY
Han, Leia, and Chewie exchange delighted looks.
HAN: Not bad for a little furball. There’s only one left. (to Threepio) You stay here. We’ll take care of this.
Han and the Wookiee nod at each other and slip down with Leia toward the bunker. Threepio moves to stand next to Wicket and Artoo.
EXT. GENERATOR BUNKER – DAY
Han sneaks up behind the remaining Imperial scout, taps him on the shoulder and lets the scout chase him behind the bunker into the arms of the waiting Rebel strike team.
INT. GENERATOR BUNKER/ENTRANCE – DAY
The group enters the bunker silently, leaving one lookout dressed in the scout trooper’s uniform behind.
INT. SUPERWEAPON/EMPEROR’S THRONE ROOM
The turbolift opens. Vader and Luke enter the room alone. They walk across the dark space to stand before the throne, father and son side-by-side beneath the gaze of Emperor Palpatine.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: Welcome, young Skywalker. I have been expecting you.
Luke peers at the hooded figure defiantly. The emperor then looks down at Luke’s binders.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: You no longer need those.
The emperor motions ever so slightly with his finger and Luke’s binders fall away, clattering to the floor. Luke looks down at his own hands, free now to reach out and grab Palpatine’s neck. He does nothing.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: Guards, leave us.
The red-cloaked guards turn and disappear behind the turbolift.
The emperor gets down from his throne and walks up very close to Luke. The emperor looks into his eyes and, for the first time, we can perceive the evil visage within the hood clearly. Eyes, feral yellow and sunken like tombs; the flesh decayed beneath skin weathered by virulent storms, lined by holocaust; the grin, a death’s-grin.
DARTH VADER: His lightsaber.
Vader extends a gloved hand toward the emperor, revealing Luke’s lightsaber. The emperor takes it.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: Ah, yes, a Jedi’s weapon. (to Luke) Much like your father’s.
LUKE: You won’t convert me as you did my father.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: I did not turn him to the dark side. That is something he did for himself – as you will do for yourself.
LUKE: Never.
EMPEROR: (laughs) We shall see.
Palpatine returns to his throne.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: Tell me, young Skywalker – who has been involved in your training until now?
Luke is silent. He will reveal nothing.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: Oh, I know it was Obi-Wan Kenobi at first. Of course, we are familiar with the talent Obi-Wan Kenobi had when it came to training Jedi. (nods to Vader)
Luke tenses with fury.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: (cont’d) So, in your early training you have followed your father’s path, it would seem. But alas, Obi-Wan is now dead, I believe; his elder student, here, saw to that. (gestures to Vader) So tell me, my young Jedi – who continued your training?
Luke holds silent, struggling to maintain his composure.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: (cont’d) There was one called … Yoda. An aged master Jed – Ah, I see by your countenance I have hit a chord, a resonant chord indeed. Yoda, then. (beat) This Yoda, lives he still?
Luke focuses on the emptiness of space beyond the window behind Palpatine’s chair, filling his mind with this black nothing.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: (cont’d) Ah. He lives not. (smiles) Very good, young Skywalker, you almost hid this from me. But you could not. And you cannot. Your deepest flickerings are to me apparent. Your nakedest soul.
The emperor leans forward ever-so-slightly.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: I look forward to completing your training. In time, you will call me master.
INT. FOREST MOON – GENERATOR BUNKER/MAIN CONTROL ROOM – DAY
Han, Leia, Chewie, and the Rebel strike team storm through a door and enter the main control room, taking all of the personnel prisoner.
HAN: Alright! Up! Move! C’mon! Quickly! Quickly! (nods to Chewie) Chewie.
Chewbacca and the other Rebel troops herd the generator controllers away from their panels. Leia glances at one of the screens on the control panel.
LEIA: Han! Hurry! The fleet will be here any moment.
HAN: Charges! C’mon! C’mon!
INT. SUPERWEAPON/EMPEROR’S THRONE ROOM
EMPEROR PALPATINE: I am old. My body is dying; my will alone sustains it. In time, it, too, will fail me. When that time arrives, there must be one to hold my Empire together against maelstrom without and within. (points at Luke) You will be my successor.
LUKE: Me?
EMPEROR PALPATINE: You are both young and your father’s son.
LUKE: I hold to the ideals of the Rebel Alliance. I will never continue your tyranny over the Galaxy.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: The Empire is but an extension of its emperor. I am a harsh master, it is true; it is a harshness borne of the fires of the Clone Wars. You have not been singed by those flames. You would be a gentle master. You but want for power.
Palpatine’s words strike a nerve in Luke. He tries to repress the sensation.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: (cont’d) Have you never wanted power, my son? Power to strike back at your enemies, to avenge wrongs, to keep those you love safe from harm? Of course you have. (pats armrest) That power is seated here.
LUKE: (stressed) The dark side of the Force is evil.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: Other men’s words, other men’s shackles. Would you be a child all your life?
LUKE: Soon I’ll be dead, and you with me.
The emperor laughs.
EMPEROR: Perhaps you refer to the imminent attack of your Rebel fleet?
Luke looks up sharply.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design. Your friends up there on the sanctuary moon (indicates forest moon) are walking into a trap, as is your Rebel fleet. (beat) It was I who allowed the Alliance to know the location of the shield generator. It is quite safe from your pitiful little band. An entire legion of my best troops awaits them.
Luke’s look darts from Palpatine to Vader and, finally, to the lightsaber hilt by the emperor’s hand.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: And that is just the beginning of my surprise -– but, of course, I don’t wish to spoil it for you. (snickers)