by James Kahn
BEN
Anakin was a good friend.
Luke turns with interest at this. As Ben speaks, Luke settles on
a stump, mesmerized. Artoo comes over to offer his comforting
presence.
BEN
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. My pride has
had terrible consequences for the galaxy.
Luke is entranced.
LUKE
There's still good in him.
BEN
I also thought he could be turned back to the
good side. It couldn't be done. He is more
machine now than man. Twisted and evil.
LUKE
I can't do it, Ben.
BEN
You cannot escape your destiny.
LUKE
I tried to stop him once. I couldn't do it.
BEN
Vader humbled you when first you met him,
Luke...but that experience was part of your
training. It taught you, among other things,
the value of patience. Had you not been so
impatient to defeat Vader then, you could
have finished your training here with Yoda.
You would have been prepared.
LUKE
But I had to help my friends.
BEN (grinning at Luke's indignation)
And did you help them? It was they who had to
save you. You achieved little by rushing back
prematurely, I fear.
LUKE (with sadness)
I found out Darth Vader was my father.
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
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
But I have no sister.
BEN
Hmm. 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
Leia! Leia's my sister.
BEN
Your insight serves you well. Bury your
feelings deep down, Luke. They do you credit.
But they could be made to serve the Emperor.
Luke looks into the distance, trying to comprehend all this.
BEN (continuing his narrative)
When your father left, he didn't know your
mother was pregnant. Your mother and I knew
he would find out eventually, but we wanted
to keep you both as safe as possible, for as
long as possible. So I took you to live with
my brother Owen on Tatooine... and your mother
took Leia to live as the daughter of Senator
Organa, on Alderaan.
Luke turns, and settles near Ben to hear the tale.
BEN (attempting to give solace with his words)
The Organa household was high-born and
politically quite powerful in that system.
Leia became a princess by virtue of
lineage... no one knew she'd been adopted, of
course. But it was a title without real
power, since Alderaan had long been a
democracy. Even so, the family continued to
be politically powerful, and Leia, following
in her foster father's path, became a senator
as well. That's not all she became, of
course... she became the leader of her cell
in the Alliance against the corrupt Empire.
And because she had diplomatic immunity, she
was a vital link for getting information to
the Rebel cause. That's what she was doing
when her path crossed yours... for her foster
parents had always told her to contact me on
Tatooine, if her troubles became desperate.
Luke is overwhelmed by the truth, and is suddenly protective of
his sister.
LUKE
But you can't let her get involved now, Ben.
Vader will destroy her.
BEN
She hasn't been trained in the ways of the
Jedi the way you have, Luke ... but the Force
is strong with her, as it is with all of your
family. There is no avoiding the battle. You
must face and destroy Vader!
52 EXT SPACE - REBEL FLEET 52
The vast Rebel Fleet stretches as far as the eye can see.
Overhead a dozen small Corellian battleships fly in formation.
Fighters and battlecruisers surround the largest of the Rebel
Star Cruisers, the HEADQUARTERS FRIGATE.
53 INT HEADQUARTERS FRIGATE - MAIN BRIEFING ROOM 53
Hundreds of Rebel commanders of all races and forms are assembled
in the WAR ROOM. WEDGE is among them. In the center of the room
is a holographic model depicting the half-completed Imperial
Death Star, the nearby Moon of Endor, and the protecting
deflector shield.
MON MOTHMA, the leader of the Alliance, enters the room. She is a
stern but beautiful woman in her fifties. Conferring with her are
several military leaders, including GENERAL MADINE and ADMIRAL
ACKBAR (a salmon-colored Mon Calamari). Lando moves through the
crowd until he finds Han and Chewie, standing next to Leia and
the two droids.
Han peers at Lando's new insignia on his chest, and is amused.
HAN
Well, look at you, a general, huh?
LANDO
Oh, well, someone must have told them about
my little maneuver at the battle of Taanab.
HAN (sarcastic)
Well, don't look at me, pal. I just said you
were a fair pilot. I didn't know they were
lookin' for somebody to lead this crazy
attack.
LANDO (smiling)
I'm surprised they didn't ask you to do it.
HAN
Well, who says they didn't. But I
ain't crazy. You're the respectable
one, remember?
Mon Mothma signals for attention, and the room falls
silent.
MON MOTHMA
The Emperor has made a critical error and the
time for our attack has come.
This causes a stir. Mon Mothma turns to a holographic model of
the Death Star, the Endor moon and the protecting deflector
shield in the center of the room.
MON MOTHMA
The data brought to us by the Bothan spies
pinpoints the exact location of the Emperor's
new battle station. We also know that the
weapon systems of this Death Star are not yet
operati
onal. With the Imperial Fleet spread
throughout the galaxy in a vain effort to
engage us, it is relatively unprotected. But
most important of all, we've learned that the
Emperor himself is personally overseeing the
final stages of the construction of this
Death Star.
A volley of spirited chatter erupts from the crowd. Han turns to
Leia as Chewie barks his amazement.
MON MOTHMA (cont)
Many Bothans died to bring us this
information. Admiral Ackbar, please.
Admiral Ackbar steps forward and points to the Death Star's force
field and the Moon of Endor.
ACKBAR
You can see here the Death Star orbiting the
forest Moon of Endor. Although the weapon
systems on this Death Star are not yet
operational, the Death Star does have a
strong defense mechanism. It is protected by
an energy shield, which is generated from the
nearby forest Moon of Endor. The shield must
be deactivated if any attack is to be
attempted. Once the shield is down, our
cruisers will create a perimeter, while the
fighters fly into the superstructure and
attempt to knock out the main reactor.
There's a concerned murmur.
ACKBAR (cont)
General Calrissian has volunteered to lead
the fighter attack
Han turns to Lando with a look of respect.
HAN
Good luck.
Lando nods his thanks.
HAN
You're gonna need it.
ACKBAR
General Madine.
Madine moves center stage.
GENERAL MADINE
We have stolen a small Imperial shuttle.
Disguised as a cargo ship, and using a secret
Imperial code, a strike team will land on the
moon and deactivate the shield generator.
The assembly begins to mumble among themselves.
THREEPIO
Sounds dangerous.
LEIA (to Han)
I wonder who they found to pull that off.
GENERAL MADINE
General Solo, is your strike team assembled?
Leia, startled, looks up at Han, surprise changing to admiration.
HAN
Uh, my team's ready. I don't have a command
crew for the shuttle.
Chewbacca raises his hairy paw and volunteers. Han looks up at
him.
HAN
Well, it's gonna be rough, pal. I didn't want
to speak for you.
Chewie waves that off with a huge GROWL.
HAN (smiles)
That's one.
LEIA
Uh, General... count me in.
VOICE (OS)
I'm with you, too!
They turn in that direction and peer into the crowd as there are
more cheers. The commanders part, and there at the back stands
Luke. Han and Leia are surprised and delighted.
Leia moves to Luke and embraces him warmly. She senses a change
in him and looks into his eyes questioningly.
LEIA
What is it?
LUKE (hesitant)
Ask me again sometime.
Han, Chewie, and Lando crowd around Luke as the assembly breaks
up.
HAN
Luke.
LUKE
Hi, Han... Chewie.
Artoo beeps a singsong observation to a worried Threepio.
THREEPIO
"Exciting" is hardly the word I would use.
54 INT HEADQUARTERS FRIGATE - MAIN DOCKING BAY 54
The Millennium Falcon rests beyond the stolen IMPERIAL SHUTTLE,
which looks anomalous among all the Rebel ships in the vast
docking bay. Chewie barks a final farewell to Lando and leads
Artoo and Threepio up the shuttle, crowded now with the Rebel
strike team loading weapons and supplies. Lando turns to face
Han. Luke and Leia have said their good-byes and start up the
ramp.
HAN
Look. I want you to take her. I mean it. Take
her. You need all the help you can get. She's
the fastest ship in the fleet.
LANDO
All right, old buddy. You know, I know what
she means to you. I'll take good care of her.
She-she won't get a scratch. All right?
HAN (looks at him warmly)
Right. I got your promise now. Not a scratch.
LANDO
Look, would you get going, you pirate.
Han and Lando pause, then exchange salutes.
LANDO
Good luck.
HAN
You, too.
Han goes up the ramp. Lando watches him go and then slowly turns
away.
55 INT IMPERIAL SHUTTLE - COCKPIT 55
Luke is working on a back control panel as Han comes in and takes
the pilot's seat. Chewie, in the seat next to him, is trying to
figure out all the Imperial controls.
HAN
You got her warmed?
LUKE
Yeah, she's comin' up.
Chewie growls a complaint.
HAN
No. I don't think the Empire had Wookiees in
mind when they designed her, Chewie.
Leia comes in from the hold and takes her seat near Luke.
Chewie barks and hits some switches. Han's glance has stuck on
something out the window the Millennium Falcon. Leia nudges him
gently.
LEIA
Hey, are you awake?
HAN
Yeah, I just got a funny feeling. Like I'm
not gonna see her again.
Chewie, hearing this, stops his activity and looks longingly out
at the Falcon, too. Leia puts a hand on Han's shoulder.
LEIA (softly)
Come on, General, let's move.
Han snaps back to life.
HAN
Right. Chewie, let's see what this piece of
junk can do. Ready, everybody?
LUKE
All set.
THREEPIO
Here we go again.
HAN
All right, hang on.
56 EXT SPACE - THE REBEL FLEET 56
The stolen Imperial shuttle leaves the main docking bay of the
Headquarters Frigate, lowers its wings into flight position, and
zooms off into space.
57 INT EMPEROR'S THRONE ROOM 57
The converted control room is dimly lit, except for a pool of
light at the far end. There the Emperor sits in an elaborate
control chair before a large window which looks out across the
half-completed Death Star to the giant green moon of Endor.
Darth Vader, standing with other members of the Imperial council,
cautiously approaches his master. The ruler's back is to Vader.
After several tense moments, the Emperor's chair rotates around
to face him.
VADER
What is thy bidding, my Master?
EMPEROR
Send the fleet to the far side of Endor.
There it will stay until called for.
VADER
What of the reports of the Rebel fleet
massing near Sullust?
EMPEROR
It is of no concern. Soon the Rebellion will
be crushed and young Skywalker will be one of
us! Your work here is finished, my friend. Go
out to the command ship and await my orders.
VADER
Yes, my Ma
ster.
Vader bows, then turns and exits the throne room as the Emperor
walks toward the waiting council members.
58 EXT SPACE - DEATH STAR - MOON 58
There is a great deal of Imperial traffic in the area as
construction proceeds on the Death Star. Transports, TIE
fighters, and a few Star Destroyers move about. Now the huge
Super Star Destroyer announces itself with a low roar and soon
fills the frame.
59 INT STOLEN IMPERIAL SHUTTLE - COCKPIT 59
Han looks back at Luke and Leia as Chewie flips several switches.
Through the viewscreen, the Death Star and the huge Super Star
Destroyer can be seen.
HAN
If they don't go for this, we're gonna have
to get outta here pretty quick, Chewie.
Chewie growls his agreement.
CONTROLLER (over radio)
We have you on our screen now. Please
identify.
HAN
Shuttle Tydirium requesting deactivation of
the deflector shield.
CONTROLLER (over radio)
Shuttle Tydirium, transmit the clearance code
for shield passage.
HAN
Transmission commencing.
