EXT. SPACE – ENDOR
The gas giant Endor lies suspended in the ether. In the foreground, its small moon. Turned away from their sun, these sides of both the gaseous titan and terrestrial moon are shrouded in deep night.
The Star Dreadnought Executor moves overhead toward the dark side of the moon, followed by two TIE fighters. The small, gray Lambda-class shuttle ST 321 rockets from the main bay of the ship and hustles toward the lunar disc.
As the Imperial shuttle closes in on the moon, it soon dawns that the ST 321 isn’t headed into the atmosphere; hidden in shadow, all but invisible save for the baleful red maw of its main docking bay, is the Empire’s new superweapon.
INT. ST 321/COCKPIT
The shuttle pilot makes contact with the war machine.
PILOT: Command station, this is ST 321. Code Clearance Blue. Deactivate the security shield.
INT. SUPERWEAPON/CONTROL ROOM
CONTROLLER #1: The security deflector shield will be deactivated when we have confirmation of your code transmission. Stand by.
Operators move about among the control panels. A shield operator hits switches beside a large screen, on which is a display of the superweapon, Endor and its moon, and a bright web delineating the invisible deflector shield.
INT. ST 321/COCKPIT
CONTROLLER #1: (O.S.) You are clear to proceed.
PILOT: We’re starting our approach.
INT. SUPERWEAPON/CONTROL ROOM
The control officer, LIEUTENANT ENDICOTT, moves to a viewport and watches as the ST 321 lands in the massive docking bay.
CONTROLLER #1: Lord Vader’s shuttle has entered the hangar bay field.
MOFF TIAAN JERJERROD, commander of this facility, enters the control room. A tall, confident technocrat, he currently wears an expression of displeasure upon his face.
MOFF JERJERROD: Lieutenant, what is the meaning of this?
OFFICER: Battle station commander on deck!
A tall, confident technocrat, Jerjerrod approaches the lieutenant. The moff’s brow is furrowed with unease.
MOFF JERJERROD: (cont’d) Why wasn’t I informed that Lord Vader was coming?
LT. ENDICOTT: We received no advance word, Moff Jerjerrod. Lord Vader’s shuttle simply arrived and –
MOFF JERJERROD: (interrupts) Nevermind that now! (glances out viewport) Have your men stand ready.
INT. SUPERWEAPON/MAIN DOCKING BAY
Imperial officers, non-coms, and stormtroopers assemble in two rows before the craft. Jerjerrod strides through the assembled personnel to the base of the shuttle ramp. Many of the personnel are uneasy about the new arrival, but the moff stands tall.
The exit hatch of the shuttle opens with a WHOOSH, revealing only darkness. Then, heavy FOOTSTEPS and MECHANICAL BREATHING. From this black void Darth Vader appears. The Dark Lord of the Sith looks over the assemblage as he walks down the ramp.
MOFF JERJERROD: Lord Vader, this is an unexpected pleasure. We’re honoured by your presence.
DARTH VADER: You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander. I’m here to put you back on schedule.
MOFF JERJERROD: I assure you, Lord Vader, my men are working as fast as they can.
DARTH VADER: Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them.
MOFF JERJERROD: (halts) I tell you, this construct will be operational as planned.
DARTH VADER: The emperor does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation.
MOFF JERJERROD: But he asks the impossible. I need more men.
DARTH VADER: Then perhaps you can tell him when he arrives.
MOFF JERJERROD: (aghast) The emperor’s coming here?
DARTH VADER: That is correct, Commander. And he is most displeased with your apparent lack of progress.
MOFF JERJERROD: We shall double our efforts.
DARTH VADER: I hope so, Commander, for your sake. The emperor is not as forgiving as I am.
Vader leaves Jerjerrod. Turning around, the moff departs in the opposite direction.
EXT. DAGOBAH – YODA’S HOUSE – EVENING
Once again, Artoo finds himself waiting around in the damp environs of this swampy region of the planet, and he’s none too happy about it. He beeps disconsolately to himself and turns to look at Yoda’s cottage. Warm yellow light escapes the oddly shaped windows to fight the gloom.
INT. YODA’S HOUSE – EVENING
We see the familiar face of YODA, THE JEDI MASTER. Sitting up under the covers of his small bed, his manner is frail, and his voice, though cheerful, seems weaker.
YODA: Hmmm. That face you make. Look I so old to young eyes?
Luke is sitting in a corner of the cramped space and, indeed, his look is woeful. Caught, he tries to hide it.
LUKE: No … of course not.
YODA: (chuckles) I do. (coughs) Yes, I do. (beat) Sick have I become. Old and weak. (points at Luke) When nine-hundred years old you reach, look as good you will not. Hmm?
Yoda chuckles at this, coughs.
YODA: Soon will I rest. Yes, forever sleep. (sighs) Earned it, I have.
LUKE: Master Yoda, you can’t die.
YODA: Strong am I with the Force … but not that strong. Twilight is upon me and soon night must fall. (beat) That is the way of things … the way of the Force.
LUKE: But I need your help. I’ve come back to complete the training.
YODA: No more training do you require. Already know you that which you need.
Yoda sighs and lies back on his bed.
LUKE: Then I am a Jedi.
YODA: (coughs) Not yet. One thing remains: Vader. You must confront Vader. Then, only then, a Jedi will you be. And confront him you will.
Luke is in agony. He is silent for a long moment, screwing up his courage. Finally he is able to ask.
LUKE: Master Yoda … is Darth Vader my father?
Yoda’s eyes are full of weariness and compassion. An odd, sad smile creases his face.
YODA: A question late in coming….
Luke watches him, each moment an eternity.
LUKE: Yoda, I must know.
YODA: (resigned) Your father he is.
Luke reacts as if cut.
YODA: Told you, did he?
LUKE: (nods) Yes.
A new look of concern crosses Yoda’s face. He closes his eyes.
YODA: Unexpected this is … and unfortunate.
LUKE: (perturbed) Unfortunate that I know the truth?
Yoda opens his eyes again and studies the youth.
YODA: No. (gathers strength) Unfortunate that you rushed to face him … that incomplete was your training. Not ready for the burden were you.
LUKE: (shakes head) I’m sorry.
Yoda beckons the young Jedi closer to him. His time is very short indeed.
YODA: Luke … Luke … do not … do not underestimate the powers of the emperor, or suffer your father’s fate, you will. (weakens) Luke, when gone am I, the last of the Jedi will you be. (falters) Luke, the Force runs strong in your family. Pass on what you have learned. Luke … (with great effort) There … is … another … Sk … Sky … walk … er…
His breath catches in his throat. The ancient green creature’s form slumps, and he dies. Luke stares at his dead master as he disappears in front of his eyes, leaving behind only his homespun garments.
EXT. SWAMP – X-WING – EVENING
Luke wanders back to where his ship is sitting. Artoo beeps a greeting, but is ignored by his depressed master. Luke kneels down, begins to help Artoo with the ship, then stops and shakes his head dejectedly.
LUKE: I can’t do it, Artoo. (beat) I can’t go on alone.
BEN: (O.C.) Yoda will always be with you.
Luke looks up to see the shimmering image of BEN KENOBI.
LUKE: Obi-Wan. (approaches Ben) Why didn’t you tell me? You told me Vader betrayed and murdered my father.
BEN: You father was seduced by the dark side of the Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened, he betrayed everything Anakin Skywalker believed in. The good man who was your father was destroyed. So what I told you was true – from a certain point of view.
LUKE: (incredulous) A certain point of view‽
BEN: Luke, you’re going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.
LUKE: You let me think I was training to face my father’s killer, not to slay my own flesh and blood!
Ben studies Luke in silence for a moment.
BEN: I don’t blame you for being angry. If I was wrong in what I did, it certainly wouldn’t have been for the first time. You see, what happened to your father was my fault.
As Ben speaks, Luke settles on a stump, interested in hearing the ghost’s tale. Artoo comes over to offer his comforting presence.
BEN: (cont’d) When I first knew him, your father was already a great pilot. But I was amazed how strongly the Force was with him. I took it upon myself to train him as a Jedi. I thought that I could instruct him just as well as Yoda. I was wrong. Palpatine sensed Anakin’s power, and lured him to the dark side. Such was my foolish pride. (beat) He is more machine, now, than man. Twisted and evil.
LUKE: I can’t do it, Ben.
BEN: To be a Jedi, Luke, you must confront and then go beyond the dark side – the side your father couldn’t get past. Impatience is the easiest door – for you, like your father. Only your father was seduced by what he found on the other side of the door, and you have held firm. You’re no longer so reckless now, Luke. You are strong and patient. And now, you must face Darth Vader again.
LUKE: I can’t kill my own father.
BEN: (discouraged) Then the emperor has already won. You were our only hope.
LUKE: Yoda spoke of another.
BEN: The other he spoke of … is your twin sister.
LUKE: (perplexed) But I have no sister.
BEN: To protect you both from the emperor, you were hidden from your father when you were born. The emperor knew, as I did, if Anakin were to have any offspring, they would be a threat to him. That is the reason why your sister remains safely anonymous.
Luke looks into the distance, trying to comprehend all this.
BEN: Bury your feelings deep down, Luke. They do you credit, but they could be made to serve the emperor.
EXT. SPACE – FOREST MOON
The Executor and several ships of the Imperial Starfleet rest in space above the forest moon. Four squads of TIE fighters escort a polished white Lambda toward the hidden superweapon.
INT. SUPERWEAPON/DOCKING BAY
Thousands of Imperial troops in tight formation fill the mammoth docking bay. Vader and Jerjerrod kneel before the royal shuttle.
The shuttle’s ramp lowered, the emperor’s Royal Guards come out and create a lethal perimetre around the opening. Then Emperor Palpatine himself appears, his small, bent frame slowly making its way down the ramp with the aid of a gnarled black cane.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: (beckons to Vader) Rise, my friend.
Vader rises and falls in next to the emperor as he slowly makes his way along the rows of troops. Jerjerrod and the other officers stay kneeling until Palpatine and Vader, followed by several Imperial dignitaries, pass by; only then do they join in the procession.
DARTH VADER: This vessel will be completed on schedule.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: You have done well, Lord Vader. And now I sense you wish to continue your search for young Skywalker.
DARTH VADER: Yes, my master.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: Patience, my friend. In time, he will seek you out. And when he does, you must bring him before me. He has grown strong. Only together can we turn him to the dark side of the Force.
DARTH VADER: As you wish.
EMPEROR PALPATINE: (grins) Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen.
He laughs to himself as they pass along the vast line of Imperial troops.