William Shakespeare's The Jedi Doth Return (16 page)

We did indeed, and our decision’s made.

All rebel fighters for retreat prepare—

Our fleet is not sufficient to withstand

The might of this new Death Star’s thunderclap.

Thou shalt not have another chance as this

To mount attack upon the Empire, Sir.

We’ve no choice, General Calrissian.

Their vast firepow’r our ships cannot repel—

Betwixt our strength and theirs, too wide’s the gap!

But still I trust that Han will soon disarm

The shield. We must but give him time enough!

His mission is no easier than ours.

A thought hath come to me that we may use—

’Tis dangerous, but may yet worthy prove.

All ships move closer to the Star Destroy’rs,

Engage the giant ships at point-blank range.

At that close range, we’ll not last long against

A Star Destroyer’s harsh and vicious rap.

Yet shall we fare far better than we will

If we engage the Death Star! And belike

Our deaths shall mean their deaths as well. Lay on!

Thy fleet hath lost, and thy dear ones upon

The Endor moon shall not survive. Indeed,

My troops shall make them squeal in agony.

There’s nothing left for which to fight, and no

Escape for thee, my young apprentice. Thine

All’ance shall be destroy’d, as shall thy friends.

The cry of dying rebels—O, how sweet!

How like a song unto my spirit dark.

And now, young one, I feel thine anger rise.

I sense thy hatred, which doth stir my blood.

I sit here, all defenseless, in thy sight.

Take up thy weapon now, and strike me down

In all thy hate, and then your journey t’ward

The dark side of the Force shall be complete.

[
aside:
] This man is pure incarnate evil. Shall

He goad me past the point of no return?

But what else can I do? Shall I remain

And weakly watch the death of all I love?

Nay, I cannot—for I would rather die

Than live and know I did not fight for them.

I must have courage now, and come what may!

[Luke reaches out toward his lightsaber with the Force, drawing it into his hand. He tries to strike the Emperor but is stopped by Darth Vader’s lightsaber.

Ha, ha! Thy transformation hath begun!

Your steps draw ever closer unto me.

[Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader duel.

[
aside:
] Now shall I fight, if fight I must to save

My friends so dear.

[
aside:
]    —He is far stronger and

More subtly skill’d than when we last did meet.

[Luke Skywalker kicks Darth Vader off the balcony. Darth Vader stands up below, ready.

’Tis well, apprentice—thine aggressiveness

Shall serve thee well. Let all thy hatred flow

Within thee.

[Luke Skywalker turns off his lightsaber.

—Obi-Wan hath taught thee well.

I shall not fight thee, Father.

[Darth Vader climbs the balcony and strikes at Luke Skywalker.

—Unwise art

Thou so to lower thy defenses, boy!

[They continue to duel. Luke Skywalker jumps away from Darth Vader.

[
Aside:
] His nimbleness astounds me. Almost do

I wish I did not serve another’s will.

Imagine what we two could do, were I

Not subject to another’s ev’ry whim.

Thy thoughts betray thee, Father. I can feel

The good within thee, and the conflict, too.

There is no conflict.

—Aye, thou couldst not bring

Thyself to kill me earlier and I

Believe thou shalt not hurt me, even now.

Thou verily dost underestimate

The power of the dark side. If thou wilt

Not fight, then thou shalt meet thy destiny.

[Darth Vader throws his lightsaber toward Luke Skywalker, which hits the balcony where Luke stands. Luke falls and hides.

Ha ha, ’tis well! Now, Vader: finish it.

[
aside:
] What words shall I employ to find a son,

To drive him so to hatred that he shall

Attempt to strike me down, and then be turn’d

Unto the dark side? O, is this not strange?

Were e’er there words to such a purpose put?

[
To Luke:
] Thou canst not hide forever, Luke.

—I shall

Not fight thee.

—Give thyself unto the dark

Side. ’Tis the only way to help thy friends.

[
Aside:
] O what is this I sense within him now?

Another secret kept conceal’d from me?

Shall I e’er be the last to know my past?

[
To Luke:
] Indeed, thy thoughts betray thee, for thou hast

Strong feelings for thy friends, especially

For one thou dost call sister. Aye, thou hast

A sister, and a twin. Thy feelings have

Betray’d her too. ’Twas wise of Obi-Wan

To try to hide the girl from me, but now

His vast and utter failure is complete.

[
aside:
] O Leia, how my thoughts have giv’n thee o’er!

Fie, cursèd be my weak and changing mind

That e’er I did let Vader see its thoughts.

I wish’d that he would but as father see

His daughter there, and by her presence might

Be mov’d toward a better, nobler path.

But now I know he doth but wish to taunt

And draw me out by his discovery.

O Leia, ever since I first did see

Thee in the beam from R2’s light I knew

We shar’d a deep connection. Now have I

Been partner to her cause through many times

Of hardship: battles won and lost, the joys

That come from victory, and all the griefs

That flow when friends have perish’d. With regard

To this both noble and fair princess, I

Have gone from hope of romance to a far

More deep and greater form of love. I fain

Would give my life for her. But O! That I

Should here betray her so, e’en with my weak

And simple-minded thoughts—what folly! Nay,

Far more: what horrid, selfish knavery!

But how shall he, my father, use this knowledge?

Will he attempt to capture her again

And lock her in this Death Star as he hath

Before? Or shall he seek to kill her now,

Since he doth know she may a threat become?

Belike, boy, thou dost wonder how her fate

Shall alter’d be, since I do know of her.

Thus pay good heed to this I do declare:

If thou shalt not toward the dark side turn,

Mayhap she will.

[
aside:
]    —O thought more evil than

Whate’er I did or could imagine. [
Revealing himself:
]      Nay!

[Luke Skywalker fights Darth Vader passionately.

For Leia shall I strike thee down, thou brute!

For Han and all my friends I do attack!

For Ben, whom thou didst slaughter sans remorse,

For all thou hast destroy’d, I vengeance bring!

[Luke Skywalker strikes Darth Vader and cuts off his hand.

Ah!

—Good, my young apprentice. Thy strong hate

Hath made thee powerful, indeed. Fulfill

Thy destiny, and take thy father’s place

Beside me. Strike him down, and rule with me!

[Luke Skywalker looks at the stump of Darth Vader’s hand, and at his own gloved hand.

[
aside:
] My father’s hand, of wires and circuits made,

I have in fury sever’d quite. And here,

My hand, of wires and circuits also made,

For in another duel, another place,

He hath the living one dismemberèd.

’Tis plain to me what is transpiring here:

I do become like him. Torn up by hate,

More like machine than man with ev’ry scar,

Fulfilling the foul Emperor’s base will.

Shall this obsess’d, derang’d, and wicked man

Lead yet another Skywalker unto

A path of dark and evil? Shall it be

That I become the thing that I despise?

Protect me, Jedi ancestors, from such

A mangl’d Fate, so hopeless, grim and bleak.

[
To Emperor:
] I never shall be turn’d unto the dark.

Thy plan hath fail’d, thy Highness; I am Luke

Skywalker, Jedi Knight, just like my brave

And noble father.

—Then so be it, Jedi.

Thy proclamations foolish change not this:

I still control thy final destiny.

If thou shalt not be turn’d, then thou shalt be

Destroy’d! Bear witness to the terror and

The torment of the dark side of the Force!

[Emperor Palpatine strikes Luke Skywalker with lightning that flows through his hands. Luke falls. Darth Vader rises.

O agony!

—Young fool, ’tis only now

In this, thy final living moment, thou

Dost comprehend thy folly and my might.

[He continues to strike Luke with lightning.

Thy feeble skills are nothing when compar’d

To all the power of the dark side. Thou

Dost pay the rightful price for thy severe

And utter lack of vision. Aye, thy debt

Is due, and I am both thy creditor

And thy collector, too. What thou hast not

Repaid with thy belief I shall exact

From thine own flesh. And O, what joy it brings

To charge thee thus—my payment justly earn’d.

To wound thee, hurt thee, break thee, and, at last,

To bring to thee the death that I am ow’d.

[The Emperor continues to assault Luke with lightning.

O, Father, please, do not stand idly by—

Assist me, if thou ever mercy knew!

And now, young Luke Skywalker, thou shalt die.

[The Emperor gleefully assails Luke with lightning. Luke screams and writhes in pain.

My Father, gracious father, lend me aid!

Extend to me the grace I beg of thee!

[
aside:
] This torment is not only his, but mine.

His ev’ry shriek doth sound within my soul

As though ’twere I who were assaulted here.

What feeling’s this—my heart hath turn’d toward

The boy? My heart, that center of my soul

That I so long have hidden ’neath the dark

And evil deeds that well befit a Sith.

But how my heart doth groan as though it wakes

From lengthy sleep. It shakes my spirit, spurs

My aging wither’d body, and doth make

Me young again—I am a Jedi Knight,

By Obi-Wan instructed; Anakin,

The name by which my mother call’d me, calls

Me now to resurrect my former self.

Methinks I feel the Force within me here—

Not to perform the deeds of evil men

But to release myself from bitter hate

And rescue Luke, whose courage I behold.

It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul.

Be Anakin Skywalker now—recall

The man thou wert and rescue thy dear son!

[Darth Vader lifts Emperor Palpatine and throws him down a long shaft, where he is killed amid his lightning and flames.