William Shakespeare's Jedi the Last

by Ian Doescher

  PHASMA Hear my command, of steel made: execute.

  HOLDO My final act for ye, Resistance true.

  The ship is all prepar’d, and I do call

  The mighty power of lightspeed to come

  And bring a time for retribution hither.

  Adieu, remember me, my rebels sweet,

  To you who do remain within the fleet—

  Remember me. The Force shall go with ye—

  Sing, someday, songs of memory for me:

  Upon the bridge, aboard the Raddus good,

  With flag to breeze of deepest space unfurl’d,

  Here once the brave, embattled adm’ral stood,

  And fired the final shot heard round the world.

  [Holdo engages lightspeed and crashes the Raddus into the Finalizer. She dies. Exeunt all below in confusion amid the blast.

  SCENE 3.

  Aboard the Supremacy.

  Enter REY, KYLO REN, SUPREME LEADER SNOKE, and the PRAETORIAN GUARD.

  SNOKE Come closer, child, that I may see thy face.

  [Rey does not move.

  Thy strength is great—the darkness riseth up,

  And light doth come beside, to meet it there.

  I warn’d my young apprentice that as he

  Grew stronger, his own equal in the light

  Would rise as well—Skywalker, I assum’d,

  But ’twas not so. For once, my thought was wrong.

  [Snoke uses the Force to take Rey’s lightsaber from her.

  My words, were they not clear? Come closer yet.

  [Snoke uses the Force to drag Rey close to him.

  REY You underestimate Skywalker, yea—

  Ben Solo, too, for thus is he yet call’d.

  You underestimate e’en me, as well,

  And in the end ’twill be your downfall final.

  SNOKE Alas, hast thou seen aught, a weakness, mayhap,

  In mine apprentice? Thus thou hither cam’st?

  Ha! Foolish youth! ’Twas I who bridg’d your minds,

  I stok’d the fire of Ren’s conflicted soul,

  Full knowing he had not the strength to hide

  The blaze from thee, and thou—unsullied soul—

  Hadst neither wisdom nor experience,

  Nay, nor the patience, to resist the bait.

  Now, hear me: thou shalt give me Skywalker,

  Then I shall kill thee with the cruelest stroke.

  REY Nay, it shall never be.

  SNOKE —Forsooth, it shall.

  Give ev’rything to me, as I do will,

  Or I shall break thy body, piece by piece.

  E’en as thou sufferest, I sense thy thoughts,

  Which do betray thy master’s hidden place—

  The planet and the island and the shelters,

  I see them well within thy broken mind.

  Ha, good! Methought not Skywalker so wise—

  I shall give him, and all the Jedi Order,

  The death that he so keenly doth desire—

  Desire, indeed, and doth deserve as well.

  Once all the rebels weak hath been destroy’d,

  Our fleet shall make our way unto his planet,

  There to obliterate the island whole.

  No tidal wave was ever so immense

  As comes when the First Order rules the sea.

  REY [aside:] Come, Force, I need thee in this desp’rate hour.

  [Rey uses the Force to take her lightsaber from Snoke, but Snoke deflects her attempt. Her lightsaber returns to him, striking her on the way.

  SNOKE Thy childish hate redounds upon thy pate.

  Such spunk and guile, yet I shall break it still.

  Observe the situation far beyond—

  The undersiz’d Resistance, in their transports,

  Do die like fleas upon a mongrel’s back.

  Forthwith the fleet entire shall be destroy’d.

  For thee and those thou lovest, all is lost.

  REY [aside:] My lightsaber he watches by the Force—

  I shall another take, but not my own.

  Come, cross-shap’d lightsaber of Kylo Ren,

  I call thee to my hand, a foe to slay!

  SNOKE And still thou hast a fiery spit of hope,

  Like embers searching for a final glory.

  Thou hast the spirit of a Jedi true.

  REY No more of words—I come at you, you cur!

  [Aside:] He pushes me an ’twere a little task—

  I fall, back at the feet of Kylo Ren,

  My quick attack foreshorten’d by his pow’r.

  SNOKE Because of thy most Jedi-minded spirit,

  Thou art the perfect answer to death’s call.

  REY [aside:] Now, sans my power or my will, I spin—

  Brought, powerless and prone, to Kylo Ren,

  In perfect posture for an execution—

  Mine own. O, Ben, if ever, hear me now!

  SNOKE Apprentice worthy, son of darkness thou,

  The heir apparent to Lord Vader’s line—

  Where there was conflict, now I sense resolve,

  Where there was weakness, strength in thee abides.

  Complete thy training, grasp thy destiny!

  KYLO [aside:] I take the lightsaber, as he doth wish,

  E’en as I guard my thoughts most carefully.

  [To Rey:] I know what I must do.

  REY —Ben!

  SNOKE —Thinkest thou

  That even on the instant thou mayst turn him?

  Pathetic child and simple to a fault.

  I cannot be betray’d by anyone—

  I cannot beaten be; I see his mind.

  I see the pure intention of his will,

  And how it pleaseth me, like lover’s kiss.

  I see him turn the lightsaber around,

  That it may strike its mark with purpose true.

  [As Snoke speaks, Rey’s lightsaber next to him begins to move.

  And now, thou foolish child, he doth ignite

  The lightsaber to slay his one true foe!

  KYLO [aside:] He speaks, and it is so: the lightsaber

  Hath turn’d and is ignited—but not mine.

  The lightsaber beside him shows its light,

  And on the instant he is rent in twain.

  REY O, miracle, I am releas’d at once.

  SNOKE Et tu, brute Kylo! Then fall, Leader Snoke.

  [Snoke dies.

  REY Now Ben hath call’d my lightsaber to me—

  I take it in my hand, and we shall fight,

  Yet not as enemies, as once we were,

  But here as allies ’gainst the waiting guards.

  The battle’s on—two lightsabers as one!

  [Rey and Kylo begin fighting the Praetorian guard.

  KYLO How good this feels, to fight beside the girl,

  As if we two were made for combat shar’d.

  How we do spin and parry, dodge and duck,

  Two bodies in a swift, majestic dance,

  Made for this fight, this moment, and this chance.

  REY Come one, with whip made of electro-chain,

  Come two, with vibro-voulge for slicing foes—

  I care not how your weapons threaten me,

  For Rey doth fly by power of the sun!

  E’en as one doth, by chain link, pull me in,

  I twirl around and swiftly run him through.

  KYLO Come two at once, and with bisento arm’d,

  I throw ye off e’en as a third doth die!

  Around me they do stalk, like hungry wolves,

  Believing they shall, in their packlike movements,

  Trap Kyl
o Ren into an early death.

  Yet I do sense their trick, and slay them all.

  REY Ah! Cut upon my shoulder—focus, Rey!

  Feel now the concentration thou once felt

  Upon the island where Luke lately taught thee.

  Fie, trapp’d again, and in a hold too tight,

  My lightsaber in hand most useless caught—

  Ha, ha, I drop it into th’other hand,

  And slay the guard ere knows he how he fail’d.

  KYLO This one hath cunningly disarm’d me here,

  And catches me into a stranglehold.

  Across the way, I see Rey hath prevail’d,

  Looks she across to me, with final foe.

  Her lightsaber she tosses unto me

  (How much has chang’d since we in forest met!),

  I catch it, turn it on—and this one falls.

  [All guards lie dead.

  REY [to Kylo:] The fleet! Give them the order to stop firing—

  Time doth remain, wherein we’ll save the fleet.

  Ben, wherefore look’st thou solemn and delay?

  What is this pause I see upon thy face?

  KYLO The time hath come, to let old matters die.

  Snoke, Skywalker, the Sith, the Jedi line,

  The rebels, too: let it all die hereafter.

  Rey: join me, I beseech thee earnestly.

  We shall conclude this bitter conflict and

  Bring order to the galaxy entire—

  REY O, Ben, do not do this. Take not this path.

  KYLO Nay, nay, still thou hold’st on! Let go! The fears

  That once controll’d thee cannot get to thee

  At all! Wouldst thou about thy parents know?

  Or hast thou ever known, and hide it deep?

  Thou know’st the truth, and it shall set thee free:

  Say it, I bid thee.

  REY —They were nobody.

  KYLO They were a pair of filthy, wretched traders,

  Who dealt in junk and refuse all their days.

  They sold thee as a slave to fill their cups—

  A daughter gone to drink another day.

  They lie within a pauper’s grave upon

  The bleak and worthless desert of Jakku.

  Thou hast no rightful place within this tale.

  Thou camest, Rey, from nothing—nothing art thou,

  Thy root is nothing, yea, and nothing comes

  From nothing—nothing ever could. Dost hear?

  To me, though, thou art more. Thou something art.

  Join with me, please—it is thy destiny.

  Please, Rey, here stand I vuln’rable to thee.

  REY [aside:] Fear not, Rey, and pretend thou hearest him.

  Out, hand, and stretch toward him and his grasp,

  Resembling one who would be wont to join.

  Forsaking him and all his wayward plans,

  O reach out for my lightsaber at once,

  Retake thy rightful weapon in thy hand!

  Too late, by one small moment, for he hath

  Unleash’d his power, too, to take it back!

  Now here is something I have never seen,

  E’en on the island where so much was strange:

  Our powers both upon the saber work,

  Nigh me it’s pull’d, but nigh to him as well,

  My strength and his strength deadlock’d in a tug!

  Yet who shall win this battle for the weapon?

  Pray, focus, Rey, on all that thou hast learn’d,

  As if this were thy greatest lesson yet.

  To make thy training whole, be present now,

  Herein let calm come over thee, e’en as

  He harshly pulls against thee, strength to strength.

  Alas, we two are equal in our might.

  The lightsaber doth waver, but doth not

  Hie unto any master who doth call—

  Ne’er shall it, long as we are squarely fix’d.

  Ends not this battle with a winner, nay,

  Victorious shall neither of us be!

  E’en as we pull, the lightsaber doth shine,

  Resplendent with a burning at its core.

  So strongly is it torn asunder, it

  May rupture rather than choose him or me.

  Indeed, it shall! I see it coming on!

  Luke’s own lightsaber bursts in twain anon!

  Escape for now, amidst the fire and fray,

  Depart, and struggle on another day.

  [Exeunt Rey and Kylo severally.

  SCENE 4.

  Aboard the Finalizer.

  Enter ROSE TICO and FINN, amid flames.

  ROSE This sharp explosion did disrupt the scene,

  And all is hurly-burly ev’rywhere.

  Say, Finn, art thou alive? We must depart!

  There is a shuttle far across the bay,

  We may yet flee, if we are swift enow.

  Enter CAPTAIN PHASMA with several FIRST ORDER TROOPERS.

  PHASMA Stop, traitor! Into death thou shalt be lead!

  Enter BB-8 in AT-ST WALKER, firing on the FIRST ORDER TROOPERS. Several are killed.

  What unexpected treachery is this?

  I’ll fire upon the bigger threat, and then

  I’ll gladly kill FN-2187.

  [Amid the battle, the top of the AT-ST walker falls off, revealing BB-8 within.

  BB-8 Zilfflli zoomroil rooq roilflig blis flit zzwa

  Blik blavflew bleeflib blayzooz bloo flirbluu!

  FINN I’d not believe, if had mine eyes not seen—

  A droid of homicidal tendencies?

  ROSE Finn, look behind thee—Phasma comes for thee.

  I shall protect thee, though it cost my life.

  [Rose tries to shoot Phasma, but another trooper fires at her, forcing her aside.

  PHASMA Let us this most unhappy journey end,

  FN-2187. Thou hast been

  As swift as quicksilver, which courses through

  The nat’ral gates and alleys of the body.

  Thou art an insect in a system grand.

  FINN Let us unto this fight, thou dome of chrome.

  [Aside:] And now, ’tis on! With fervor I attack,

  And fight as never I have fought before—

  For all the rank First Order did to me,

  For our Resistance, mighty but assail’d,

  For Rose, she who hath giv’n me all her trust,

  For mine own self, to prove my spirit’s just.

  Fie, fie! Too near this precipice I stand,

  She knocks me back and I do fall—alas!

  [Finn falls into a bay.

  ROSE Nay!

  PHASMA —Now, for thee, thou lass of iron will.

  [Finn is lifted over Phasma on a rising platform.

  FINN Remember me? I fain would speak with thee.

  [Phasma turns toward Finn, who strikes her helmet.

  This final blow shall put thee in thy place.

  PHASMA I wounded am, but shall get up anon.

  Thou ever wert a magnet drawing scum.

  FINN Nay, if thou call’st me scum, say rebel scum.

  [The trap door beneath Phasma opens as the ship begins to collapse.

  BB-8 Blayzilf reej flirzzwa flliflib bleeblic zoon

  Flig zoodrooh blis, blikzilf bliproil rooq blay!

  [Rose climbs aboard the AT-ST.

  ROSE Finn, come aboard and we shall thither fly!

  FINN If I should now delay, the more fool I!

  [Exeunt.

  SCENE 5.

  Aboard the Supremacy.

  Enter GENERAL HUX.

  Enter KYLO REN on the ground, u
nconscious.

  HUX Now might I do it pat, now he is lying;

  And now I’ll do it. Snoke doth lie here dead,

  Thus I would be reveng’d. That would be scann’d:

  A man lets die my leader, and for that,

  I, loyal soul, do this same person send

  To death. O, this is hire and salary,

  But not revenge. Up, blaster, and know thou

  A better time. Too late now—he awakes!

  [To Kylo:] What happen’d here?

  KYLO —The girl hath murder’d Snoke.

  What happen’d then?

  HUX —She took a smaller craft,

  Once made for Snoke, wherewith she made escape.

  KYLO I know where she hath gone; we’ll follow on.

  I order thee to gather all our forces,

  To make our way to th’Resistance base below.

  There we shall finish this unpleasant act.

  HUX Dost thou presume to tell me, “finish this,”

  And move mine armies into battle, eh?

  Who dost thou think thou speakest to, thou knave?

  We have no leader—here he lieth slain!

  [Kylo Ren begins choking Hux using the Force.

  KYLO The bygone Supreme Leader, he is dead.

  HUX Long live the Supreme Leader, as I said.

  [Exeunt.

  SCENE 1.

  At the Rebel base on the planet Crait.

  Enter GENERAL LEIA ORGANA.

  LEIA This place shall likely see us stand and fall,

  This former Rebel base, upon bleak Crait.

  The shadows of the old Rebellion swirl

  Around me almost like no time had pass’d.

  Remember I when I was but a youth,

  The princess come from Alderaan’s sweet shores.

  The urgent moments when a group of rogues

  Did steal the Death Star plans from th’Empire’s banks,

  Deliv’ring it to me on Tantive IV.

  My rescue from our foes by Han and Luke,

  Whom I did scarcely know and did not trust,

  A short stormtrooper and a scoundrel pilot—

  How little knew I then how I would change,

  And how my heart would grow to love the men.

  The cold of Crait doth bring me back to Hoth,

  Where we fought walkers tall as buildings, and

  Where Han and I began our romance, too—

  A courtship plied with barbs and witticisms.

  Soon after, on the great Millenn’um Falcon,

  His hands held mine, his lips did kiss mine own,