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Return of the Jedi
Movie title: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Movie description: After rescuing Han Solo from carbonite on Tatooine, the next move for the Rebels is clear: stop the Empire once and for all. But it's not so simple - after retrieving highly classified information from Bothan spies, the Rebellion learns of a new superweapon that the Empire already has nearly complete - a Second Death Star, protected by an energy shield on the nearby forest moon of Endor. Even as the mission is underway, Luke Skywalker is conflicted by the knowledge that Vader is his father. Hedging against all odds, Luke dearly hopes that perhaps there is still good in the dark, ebony-clad warrior known as Darth Vader. But the Emperor is more sinister than Luke knows and has other plans for the young Jedi Knight. If the Rebellion fails, there will be no one left to stop the Empire from permanent galactic control.
Date published: May 25, 1983
Duration: 132 mins
Director(s): Director: Richard Marquand, Writers: George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan
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Luke Skywalker has returned to
his home planet of Tatooine in
an attempt to rescue his
friend Han Solo from the
clutches of the vile gangster
Jabba the Hutt.
Little does Luke know that the
GALACTIC EMPIRE has secretly
begun construction on a new
armored space station even
more powerful than the first
dreaded Death Star.
When completed, this ultimate
weapon will spell certain doom
for the small band of rebels
struggling to restore freedom
to the galaxy…
PLOT SYNOPSIS
It has been about one year since Luke discovered the awful truth of his parentage: Darth Vader is his father. Since then, Luke has worked tirelessly to find a way to defeat the Empire, while secretly hoping to somehow change his father for good.
Above the forest moon of Endor looms a deadly new battle station. Larger than its predecessor but still under construction, the DS-2 Death Star II Mobile Battle Station, dubbed the ‘Death Star II’ is the Empire’s new powerful weapon, protected by a massive energy shield transmitted from the moon above which it orbits.
Leaving the hangar of a nearby star destroyer, Darth Vader travels to the new battle station aboard a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle. He lands in a hangar on the Death Star II and is greeted by the Imperial officer in charge of the station’s construction: Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod. Nervous about the Sith Lord’s arrival, Jerjerrod attempts to greet him with a smile before being reprimanded by Vader for his slow rate of progress on the Second Death Star’s construction.
To drive his point him, Darth Vader warns Moff Jerjerrod that the Emperor is coming to personally view the station’s progress to which Jerjerrod is clearly distressed. Darth Vader storms off leaving the Imperial Moff feeling alarmed and panicked.
In a change of scenes, C-3PO and R2-D2 slowly walk along a desert pathway on Tatooine heading to the looming palace of Jabba Desilijic Tiure – also known as ‘Jabba the Hutt’. As they walk, C-3PO mutters his fear about approaching Jabba, though R2 seems less concerned. Soon, they arrive at a massive central gate, where C-3PO reluctantly knocks.
A TT-8L/Y7 gatekeeper droid emerges from a small sliding cover in the gate and, speaking Huttese, gruffly asks C-3PO what they are doing. Speaking Huttese back, C-3PO introduces R2 and informs the unfriendly droid they hope to meet Jabba.
The droid disappears and soon after the massive gate rises, allowing the two unsuspecting droids to enter. They are soon greeted by Gamorrean guards and Jabba’s right-hand man, a pale-skinned Twi’lek named Bib Fortuna.
Fortuna takes C-3PO and R2 to Jabba’s main audience chambber where R2-D2 plays a hologram message of Luke Skywalker who notifies Jabba that he seeks an audience with him to bargain for Han Solo’s life and offers his two droids as a gift to Jabba. After the message concludes, Jabba laughs derisively as he has no intention of losing his “favorite decoration”, gesturing to a far wall where the block of Han frozen in carbonite hangs. His ghoulish Kowakian monkey lizard known as Salacious B. Crumb laughs maniacally along with him.
R2 and C-3PO are taken to a chamber in the lower levels where droids are being tortured. Alarmed, they are led to the cruel droid, EV-9D9, who determines that C-3PO should serve as Jabba’s new interpreter and R2 should work on board Jabba’s sail barge.
Back in Jabba’s main audience chamber, Max Rebo and his band, including Rystáll Sant, Lyn Me, Greeata Jendowanian and several others play catchy songs and dance. While the band performs the song, ‘Jedi Rocks’, Jabba’s green-skinned Twi’lek slave, Oola, twirls before the Hutt, but becomes uncomfortable and resists when he tries to pull her closer using the chain she is bound to.
Angry for being embarrassed by her, Jabba opens a trap door in front of his seat, causing Oola to fall down below into a pit. Dazed, she looks around before realizing that she is in the pit of the rancor known as Pateesa. A gate below opens, allowing the massive rancor with elongated arms and powerful claws to grab Oola screams out before being eaten.
Above in the main audience chamber, several of Jabba’s guests turn their attention to a tunneled entrance when they hear a Wookiee growl and a guard is thrown backward. The Ubese bounty hunter “Boushh” emerges from the entrance bringing Chewbacca in chains before Jabba, hoping to collect the bounty on Han’s Wookiee friend.
Boushh tries to bully Jabba into paying 50,000 credits for Chewbacca with a thermal detonator, to which they eventually settle on a sum of 35,000 credits and Chewie is handed over to Jabba’s men.
That night, after the dancing and festivities are over and everyone is sleeping, Boushh tiptoes quietly across the dark audience chamber to where Han Solo hangs on the wall, frozen in carbonite. There, he deactivates the suspension controls, causing Solo’s block to fall to the ground- making a sound. Boushh looks around, but no one seems to have woken up. He then manipulates the side control panel, deactivating the carbonite.
Han’s body within the carbonite begins to glow red. Soon, the carbonite covering him begins melting away – a high-pitched sound emitting from the carbonite as it melts. Han’s body falls to the ground, and Boushh picks him up, causing Solo’s cold body to tremble as he wakes up.
Blind from hibernation sickness, Han asks who it is that rescued him. Removing Boushh’s helmet, Leia reveals herself, having impersonated the recently-deceased Boushh in order to rescue Han. But just before the two can escape the palace, Jabba’s loud booming laughter echoes around the walls and he pulls back the curtains to reveal he has them surrounded.
Han is taken and thrown into a prison cell below with Chewbacca, while Leia is forced to replace the late Oola, as Jabba’s slave. Luke’s mission to rescue Han seems to have failed – but then Luke himself arrives at Jabba’s palace, garbed in a black cloak and hood, somewhat reminiscent of the Jedi of old.
Standing before Jabba, Luke demands that he release Han and Chewbacca, to which Jabba rejects Skywalker’s demands, releasing his trap door and dumping Luke (and an unlucky Gamorrean guard standing too close to the trap door) into the pit of the rancor.
The rancor (known as Pateesa) quickly eats the Gamorrean guard before turning her attention to Luke. Fearful, Luke searches for anything he can find to protect himself, eventually grabbing a large femur bone just before he is grabbed and lifted by the rancor towards its mouth. Luke wedges the bone between its upper and lower jaws, causing the rancor to drop him and Luke hides under a shelf of rock.
With her powerful jaws, Pateesa snaps the bone and attempts to grab Luke from under the rocky crevice he is hiding. Luke smashes her fingers with a large rock and darts to the other side of the room as Pateesa yells out in pain.
He then attempts to exit through the backdoor that the rancor’s owner had gone through, but gate behind the door is locked. Panicked and flustered while pulling at the gate, Luke turns around to see the rancor angrily approaching.
Just as the rancor ducks her head to under the gate to enter the back chamber and finish Luke though, he throws a rock across the room precisely hitting the gate controls and causing the large gate to close, crushing Pateesa and killing her.
Jabba is extremely upset, as is the rancor’s master, Malakili. As punishment, Jabba has Han, Luke, and Chewbacca all taken aboard sand skiffs out to the Great Pit of Carkoon located in the Dune Sea where the ‘Almight Sarlacc’ lies.
Jabba attempts to execute Luke first. As Luke steps out onto the plank of a small skiff, he pretends to fall in, but grabs the edge of the plank as he falls, pulling himself back up. From Jabba’s large sail barge, R2-D2 launches Luke’s new lightsaber to him. Luke catches it and ignites its brilliant green blade, deflecting blaster bolts from Jabba’s Weequay and Nikto thugs and rapidly attacking them. Han is freed from his hand cuffs (now being able to see somewhat), and Chewbacca snaps into action attacking Jabba’s henchmen.
Lando Calrissian, who had been in disguise as a skiff guard to Jabba for quite some time, also began fighting down Jabba’s guards to rescue Han, Luke, and Chewbacca. Inside Jabba’s barge, Leia decides to take offensive action as well, blowing the power to the barge to make the lights go out before jumping behind Jabba and wrapping her chain around his neck, choking him to death.
Meanwhile, Han is lucky enough to accidentally jab the butt of his staff into Boba’s jetpack, causing it to malfunction, forcing Boba to crash into the side of Jabba’s sail barge before falling into the Almighty Sarlacc’s pit and be swallowed. He later manages to rescue to Lando from one of the Sarlacc’s tentacles by shooting it with a blaster and pulling Lando back up to safety.
After defeating Jabba and all of his men, Leia, Luke, Lando, and the rest of the group then use one of the skiffs to leave the Dune Sea and head back to town, planning to eventually regroup with the Rebel Alliance.
Han, Leia, Chewbacca head in the Millennium Falcon to the Rebel Alliance’s rendezvou point near Sullust while Luke and R2-D2 fly in his X-wing to Dagobah where they plan to meet Yoda again.
Meanwhile, on the Second Death Star, Darth Vader kneels in a hangar bay along with several legions of stormtroopers as Emperor Palpatine himself descends the boarding ramp, flanked by Imperial guards in gleaming red armor. Palpatine compliments Vader for putting the construction of the Death Star II back on schedule and looks forward to their plans of turning Luke to the Dark Side.
On Dagobah, Yoda is pleased to see Luke, but tells him that he has grown old and is about to die, having reached 900 years of age. He admits to Luke that he knew Vader is Luke’s father – and that Luke has one thing remaining to become a Jedi: confront Darth Vader. Luke struggles with this, feeling inside the conflict of having to kill his own father.
Yoda gives Luke encouragement, but also reminds him that after Yoda dies, Luke will be the last remaining Jedi in the galaxy. In his dying breaths, Yoda then tells Luke that there is another Skywalker, before dying in front of Luke.
Later, as Luke contemplates what Yoda has told him, Obi-Wan’s spirit then appears to him on Dagobah. Obi-Wan admits that, while he hadn’t told Luke the whole truth about his father, what he did tell Luke was still technically correct from a certain point of view. He also helps Luke realize who the other Skywalker is that Yoda spoke of – Leia. It is then that Luke learns that Leia is his twin sister.
Across the galaxy, above Sullust, the Rebel fleet is gathering, preparing for an all-out attack on the Empire’s new Death Star. Several prominent military leaders are present, including the Mon Calamarian Admiral Gial Ackbar – a brilliant military strategist, as well as General Crix Madine. In addition, the famous former chancellor and Rebel Alliance founder, Mon Mothma, is on board.
In their debriefing, Mothma informs the assembled Rebel teams that Bothan Spies were able to successfully locate the hiding place of the Death Star II on the far side of the forest moon of Endor, paying for the information with their lives. Admiral Ackbar then explains that the Second Death Star is well-protected by an energy shield transmitted from the moon of Endor and which must first be destroyed in order to attempt an attack on the Death Star II.
General Madine then explains that they have obtained a stolen Imperial shuttle known as Tydirium (previously obtained during Operation Yellow Moon in the Corva sector), which they can use to place a strike team on the forested moon to deactivate the energy shield protecting the Death Star II. The strike team is to be led by none other than General Han Solo, while General Lando Calrissian is to lead the Rebel Alliance fleet alongside Admiral Ackbar for a space attack on the Second Death Star once the shield is down.
Luke walks in during the debriefing and volunteers to go with Han, Leia, and Chewbacca to lead the Rebel strike team on the moon of Endor. As Leia greets Luke, she can tell something is different and Luke acknowledges he will tell her more about it at a later time.
As they head to the hangar bay and prepare for their respective missions, Han insists that Lando take the Millennium Falcon to lead the Rebel fleet to which Lando is initially hesitant, but quickly agrees – though Han makes him promise that Lando won’t get as much as even a scratch on his ship.
As the Rebel fleet appears for their massive offensive, Emperor Palpatine can sense what they are about to do and commands that the Imperial fleet be moved to the far side of Endor, effectively setting a trap by anticipating that it will cause the Rebels to draw near to the Death Star II without meeting Imperial aerial resistance. He then confers with his several of his Imperial advisors including Sate Pestage, Ars Dangor, and Janus Greejatus.
Meanwhile, Han leads his strike team past Imperial security above the atmosphere of the moon of Endor, breathing a sigh of relief when the stolen Imperial security codes work to get them in. However, Luke can sense that Vader knows he is on the stolen shuttle and grows worried that he is endangering the mission. Setting a trap though, Vader commands his men to let the shuttle pass without acknowleding that he knows Luke is on board the shuttle.
After landing on the moon and wearing green camoflauge, Han leads his strike team along with Luke, Leia, and Chewbacca, to investigate a back door to the energy shield’s facilities. Unfortunately, Han steps on a twig that alerts Imperial scout troopers to their presence, forcing him and his team to attack the troopers. A few of the scout troopers take off on 74-Z speeder bikes, so Luke and Leia hijack remaining speeder bikes to pursue them before they can alert the main Imperial forces to the Rebels’ presence.
During the speeder bike chase, Luke demonstrates again his improved powers as a Jedi Knight, agilely swooping between massive trees to destroy one scout trooper, before cutting down another with his lightsaber after falling off his own speeder bike.
In the chase though, Leia’s speeder bike is hit and she is forced to jump off, falling and landing in the forest. After waking up on the ground in a daze, she finds herself confronted by a short furry native creature pointing a spear at her. The creature – an Ewok named Wicket – is very suspicious of Leia, until she gives him food and manages to convince him that she is a friend. Wicket then leads her to his home.
Meanwhile, Luke regroups with Han, but only to realize that neither of them knows where Leia is. Together along with Chewbacca, C-3PO and R2-D2, they search for Leia in the forest, but eventually are caught in a net-like trap set by Ewoks who discover them, including Teebo – an Ewok known for his hunting skills, who points his staff at the group distrustfully.
Seeing no way to easily escape without causing a commotion, Luke convinces them to let the Ewoks take them prisoner, and they are led back to the Ewok’s nearby home built into the sides of the massive trees – called Bright Tree Village. Still prisoners, they find Leia there who tries to convince the Ewoks to let her friends go, but they refuse.
The Ewoks become enchanted however by C-3PO and his gleaming golden plating, instantly considering him some sort of god. Taking advantage of this, Luke instructs C-3PO to tell the Ewoks to release them, else Threepio will become angry and use his ‘magic’ on them. C-3PO reluctantly agrees, but still is unsuccessful until Luke using the force to lift him into the air, causing the Ewoks to shout out in fright, and listen to him, quickly releasing Luke, Han, and Chewbacca from their tied restraints.
It doesn’t take long for Han and the crew to become friends with the furry Endor natives. That night, several Ewoks including the village shaman- Logray, Chief Chirpa, Wicket, and many other listen as C-3PO tells them stories of the Rebel Alliance and their battles and travels across the galaxy. The Ewoks are fascinated and amazed by the adventures of their new friends and receive them as official members of their tribe.
A celebration starts, but Leia rushes out of the village’s large hut when she realizes Luke is missing and can tell he’s been acting strangely. Walking along suspended wooden bridges between the trees, she finds Luke standing outside in the dark, pensive as he looks out across the foggy village in the night.
Luke appears reluctant to talk at first, but as Leia asks him questions, he explains that Darth Vader is hunting him and so Luke must go to face him. After more hesitation, he reveals to Leia that Vader is in fact his father. Leia is surprised to which Luke admits there is more he must tell her. “The Force is strong in my family.” He says. “My father has it. I have it. And… my sister has it.”
Luke looks at Leia intently. As she contemplates his words, Luke’s meaning suddenly makes sense and she lets out a small gasp, realizing Luke is her brother and Darth Vader is also her father. Overwhelmed by emotion, she doesn’t know what to say, but eventually admits that she knows it’s true – somehow, she’s always known.
Luke repeats that he must face Vader and try to turn him back, even though Leia wishes him to run away from Vader. Leia tries to convince him to stay, but Luke is set on facing him. He gives Leia a kiss on the cheek before leaving her to go and find his dark father.
As Luke leaves, Leia stares out into the fog, thinking deeply about the shocking discovery Luke has revealed to her when Han arrives. He asks her if she’s okay, to which Leia acts evasive, telling him she just wants to be alone and doesn’t walk to talk about things. Han becomes frustrated, hinting that he saw Luke and her together and is unclear of his relationship with her anymore. Wading through a turmoil of emotions Leia asks Han to hold her, causing him further confusion.
At the Imperial shield generator’s base, several AT-ATs prowl the perimeter as a single Lambda-class T-4a shuttle – ST 321 – descends into the moon’s atmosphere and lands on an elevated landing platform. Darth Vader descends and enters the base to be greeted by Commander Altadan Igar who turns Luke over to Vader, explaining that Luke had surrendered to them, but believes there are more Rebels hiding on Endor’s moon.
Vader instructs Igar and his men to leave, allowing him to speak with Luke in private. Vader tells Luke that the emperor is expecting him, but Luke resists Vader’s warnings, telling his father he can still sense good in him. Vader chastises Luke for referring to him as Anakin Skywalker, claiming that the name is meaningless to him.
Darth Vader then changes the subject noting that Luke has constructed a new lightsaber and concluding that Luke is indeed powerful, just as the emperor had foreseen. Luke however ignores Vader’s words and persists in trying to convince Vader to reject the Dark Side and come with him- claiming he can feel good in him. His dark father however tells him that it is “too late” for him.
The following day, Han prepares his strike team to infiltrate the shield generator while General Lando Calrissian, ‘Gold Leader’, pilots the Millennium Falcon along with Sullustan co-pilot, Nien Nunb in preparation for a space attack on the Death Star II as soon as the shield generator by Han’s men is destroyed. The Alliance fleet is directed into positions by Admiral Ackbar and his team, flying in the MC80A Type Heavy Star Cruiser, Home One.
Down below in the forests, Han and Leia are led by the Ewoks to a hidden back door bunker of the Imperial facility where security is much smaller. While Han becomes encouraged though, he is concerned when he sees an Ewok known as Paploo hijack one of the scout trooper speeders, taking off into the forest.
His concern quickly fades though when Paploo draws several scout troopers after him on speeder bikes, leading them away from the bunker and making the task for Han’s strike team easier. Breaking open the bunker doors, Han and his team apprehend Imperial Major Hewex and his men, successfully taking control of the shield generator.
However, Han’s victory is short-lived as the emperor had predicted the Rebels’ strike and sent a skilled legion led by Imperial Colonel Dyer. Han manages to throw a toolbox at the colonel, knocking him off the platform to his death before Solo and his team are quickly surrounded within the Imperial shield generator control room. Held at gunpoint by Lieutenant Renz – Leia, Han and their team are quickly captured and escorted back out to the forest for execution just as the Alliance’s fleet has arrived to attack and realizes that the shield generator is still active. The Rebels’ attack appears all but doomed!
Meanwhile, on the Death Star II, Darth Vader formally presents Luke Skywalker to his master, Emperor Palpatine. With shrunken, wrinkled skin and an evil cackle, Palpatine greets the young Jedi, speaking confidently of his ability to turn Luke to the Dark Side as well as destroy Luke’s friends.
The evil emperor reveals that he knows of the strike team on the forest moon of Endor and has already prepared some of his best troops to capture them, and that he has hidden his Imperial fleet from the Death Star II so as to lure the Rebel fleet towards them before being surrounded.
As the emperor continues to speak, Luke’s fear for his friends grows stronger and stronger- for he can see out the viewport that indeed, the Alliance’s fleet is trapped on all sides as the Imperial fleet closes in. Palpatine’s techniques continue working, and he senses Luke’s anger growing. The emperor continues speaking to him – goading Skywalker into drawing upon his anger to attack the emperor, while Vader watches, saying nothing.
Luke looks at his lightsaber, which rests on the armrest next to Palpatine. The emperor can sense Luke’s desire to strike him down and encourages him to give in to the Dark Side and do just that. Luke resists, staring out the viewport, but that only brings him more frustration as he watches his friends fight and get shot down in space.
Shortly prior, the Rebel Alliance’s fleet had arrived in position to attack the Second Death Star only to find the shield generator still operating. Suddenly, they realize that the Empire’s hidden massive fleet is behind them, cornering them on all sides. Panicked, Admiral Ackbar yells out, “It’s a trap!” to the fleet and Calrissian orders all ships to pull of their attack on the Death Star II to engage the rapidly approaching fleet.
Down on the forest moon of Endor, all hope appears lost as General Solo and his team are surrounded in the forests by the emperor’s legion. However, C-3PO calls out from his hiding place in the forest, creating a distraction amongst the troopers, just as dozens of Ewoks rise up from the ferns of the forest, surrounding the stormtroopers and rapidly attack.
Soon, and all-out battle is taking place. The Empire attempts to neutralize the small furry creatures using their power AT-ST tanks, however, the Ewoks easily hide amongst the ferns and materialize above the troopers in the trees, throwing staffs, rocks and sticks to attack.
In the space battle above, Lando picks off TIE interceptors while Wedge Antilles -flying an X-wing as ‘Red Leader’, and Arvel Crynyd – flying an A-wing as ‘Green Leader’ coordinate defenses around the Nebulon-B medical frigates. But something feels amiss as Lando realizes that only the fighters are attacking them while the Imperial star destroyers lurk beyond, holding their fire.
To push Luke’s boiling anger over the edge, Emperor Palpatine suddenly orders that the Death Star II fire on one of the Rebels’ large MC80 Star Cruisers, blowing it to pieces. Out in space, Lando is shocked as he realizes that the Death Star II is actually operational, while Luke views the destruction of his friends from within the battle station, his anger nearly exploding.
Hope for the Rebels appears lost on every battle – Admiral Ackbar declares that the Rebel fleet will soon have to retreat as another MC80 Star Cruiser is blown apart, and on Endor, despite the Ewok’s massive aid in the battle, it is clear that the Empire’s AT-ST tanks will prove their doom even if the Rebels can defeat all the ground soldiers. All the while, Luke watches on, helpless and frustrated that he cannot do anything to save his dying friends.
At last, Luke can wait no longer, reaching out, his lightsaber flies into his hand and he ignites it, striking at the Dark Lord. But before his blade can kill the emperor, Vader blade blocks him, and the two begin a fierce duel as the emperor watches, pleased that he can feel Luke’s hatred slowly threatening to turn him to the Dark Side.
Luke swings swiftly and angrily while Darth Vader fights equally fiercely, though with the slightest bit of hesitation. Soon, Luke gains the upper hand, kicking Vader down a flight of steps, before realizing the anger he feels could take him over and tries to refuse any more fighting, having gained control of his emotions and dispelled his anger.
Darth Vader approaches him though and attacks, forcing Luke to defend himself. The two duel fiercely again, and Luke barely manages to evade Vader’s attacks before leaping backwards onto a catwalk, claiming he can feel the good in his father. Vader denies Luke’s claims, throwing his swinging blade at Luke who manages to barely dodge before the catwalk suspensions are destroyed and the platform collapses in a shower of sparks, with Luke quickly jumping to hide.
In the battles outside, the Rebels know that everything depends on destroying the shield generator. While the fleet is in serious danger surrounded by Imperial stary destroyers, down below on the forest moon of Endor a new tactic evolves that gives the band of warriors a fighting chance. Chewbacca and two Ewoks – Widdle Warrick and Wunka – swing together on a vine above an AT-ST, landing on its top and hijacking the tank by pulling out its Imperial drivers- Major Newland and Lieutenant Blanaid.
They then drive the AT-ST to shoot down other Imperial tanks and stormtroopers while Ewoks are able to use two massive logs swinging towards each other on vines to smash the head of another AT-ST, destroying it. With the captured tank on their side, the tide of the battle has now turned the in Rebels’ favor.
Unable to open the Imperial bunker’s blast doors, Han then comes up with the idea of impersonating an AT-ST pilot from within its cockpit while radioing to the command team, tricking them into thinking that the Empire has defeated the Rebels in the forest, and requesting the bunker doors be opened for reinforcements.
Falling for Han’s trick, an Imperial Major Hewex opens the blast doors, sending out several troopers who are immediately surrounded by the hiding Ewoks and Han’s team. Together, they infiltrate the bunker and set up several detonators, managing to explode the entire shield generator in a massive burst of fire and light.
Admiral Ackbar quickly realizes the shield generator is down, and immediately commands all ships to commence an attack on the Death Star II, realizing their one chance at victory has finally arrived. Lando leads several ships straight toward the battle station, while Admiral Ackbar’s cruisers and remainder of the fleet hold out a defensive against the Imperial star destroyers, attempting to buy Lando time.
Within the emperor’s throne room, Luke hides in the shadows as Darth Vader searches for him, seeking to end Luke for refusing to fight. Unable, to find him, Vader changes to a new tactic, sensing Luke’s thoughts. Unable to fully control them, Luke’s thoughts stray to the revelation of another hope if he fails – causing Darth Vader to realize he has a sister that perhaps he could turn to the Dark Side if Luke won’t.
Vader’s sinister seduction works and Luke jumps out, enraged and attacks the ebony-clad figure with his lightsaber, attacking more fiercely than ever. Darth Vader is quickly overwhelmed, unable to parry Luke’s blows. In a quick motion, Luke shoves Vader’s crimson blade to the side before cutting off the Sith’s right hand, knocking his lightsaber away and cowering over his defeated father.
Emperor Palpatine cackles in delight at Luke’s strength in attacking with anger and encourages him to take his father’s place. As Luke calms himself, he deactivates his lightsaber and tosses it to the side, declaring himself to be a Jedi and that he will never turn to the Dark Side.
Furious, Emperor Palpatine extends his fingers towards Luke, unleashing a deadly storm of Force lightning, knocking Luke over and shocking the young Jedi in a most tortuous scene of screams and pain. Palpatine mutters angrily as he continues to shock and burn Luke, while Vader quietly watches the events impassively.
Unable to handle much more pain, Luke writhes on the floor and screams out to his father, pleading with him for help. Vader continues to watch on, hesitating as he views the extreme suffering of his son. After a long barrage of tortuous lightning, the emperor pauses in sinister triumph before declaring that he will now kill Luke.
But as Palpatine again tortures Luke, Darth Vader no longer stand and watch his son die. In a moment of decisive action, Vader grabs the unsuspecting emperor from behind, lifting him in the air and hurtling him over the edge of a large shaft leading deep into the Death Star II’s core. Shouts of defiance and surprise slowly fade as the emperor plumets to his death.
Outside of the Death Star II, Lando, Wedge, and several Rebel fighters enter the Death Star’s shafts, flying towards the main reactor with TIE interceptors hot in pursuit. During their flight, Admiral Ackbar successfully directs his fleet to take out the bridge deflector shields on the super star destroyer, Executor. Before Admiral Piett’s team can intensify the forward batteries to cover the shielding gap, Arvel Crynyd is hit and his A-wing spins wildly out of control, crashing directly through the command bridge, effectively destroying the super star destroyer’s entire control system, causing it to plunge headfirst into the Death Star II in a massive explosion.
Meanwhile, Luke speaks compassionately with his father – planning to carefully carry him off of the Death Star II. Before reaching a ship to depart however, Vader asks Luke to take his mask off so that he can look upon Luke with his own eyes. Luke is fearful Vader will die, but, having had his suit’s circuitry and respiratory destroyed by the emperor’s Force lightning, Vader explains to Luke that nothing can stop him from dying now.
Obligingly, Luke carefully removes his father’s helmet as Vader looks upon him fondly, before telling Luke to leave him behind. Luke is resistant, wanting to save his father to which Vader proudly tells Luke that he has already saved him – that Luke was indeed right about him all along. In peaceful solemnity, Anakin looks gratefully at his son before taking his final dying breath.
Luke manages to drag his father’s body to a Lambda-class shuttle and depart as Wedge, Lando and their team arrive at the Second Death Star’s main reactor. The group unleashes a large volley of blasts from their starfighters, destabilizing the reactor and causing it to collapse on itself, setting off a chain reaction throughout the entire battle station. The Rebel fighters race to exit the construction shafts and manage to barely escape into free space as the battle station explodes in a massive shower of sparks and machinery.
Luke manages to drag his father’s body to a Lambda-class shuttle and depart as Wedge, Lando and their team arrive at the Second Death Star’s main reactor. The group unleashes a large volley of blasts from their starfighters, destabilizing the reactor and causing it to collapse on itself, setting off a chain reaction throughout the entire battle station. The Rebel fighters race to exit the construction shafts and manage to barely escape into free space as the battle station explodes in a massive shower of sparks and machinery.
In the Millennium Falcon, Lando and Nien shout for joy while, from the trees below, Ewoks cheer in triumphant bliss as they view the Death Star II explode above the atmosphere. Leia reveals to Han that Luke is her brother before passionately kissing him.
That night, Luke gives his father a proper Jedi’s death, burning his ebony-clad body on the forest moon of Endor while fireworks explode above – and all across the galaxy, celebrations of the Empire’s defeat are held – including over Cloud City, Tatooine, Naboo, Coruscant and many other planets.
On Endor’s moon, as Ewoks dance and twilight sets in, Luke steps aside from the celebrations on Bright Tree Village to peer out over the horizon – and the Force spirits of Anakin, Yoda, and Obi-Wan appear smiling in approval as balance has been brought back to the Force.
I think it would have been cool if Palpatine had busted out a lightsaber, but then again, maybe that would have looked strange
Good movie except for that whole Jabba scene…