[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.
VaderAh!Emperor—Good, my young apprentice. Thy strong hateHath made thee powerful, indeed. FulfillThy destiny, and take thy father’s placeBeside 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.
Luke[ 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 manLead yet another Skywalker untoA path of dark and evil? Shall it beThat I become the thing that I despise?Protect me, Jedi ancestors, from suchA 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 LukeSkywalker, Jedi Knight, just like my braveAnd noble father.Emperor—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 beDestroy’d! Bear witness to the terror andThe 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.
LukeO agony!Emperor—Young fool, ’tis only nowIn this, thy final living moment, thouDost comprehend thy folly and my might.[He continues to strike Luke with lightning.
Thy feeble skills are nothing when compar’dTo all the power of the dark side. ThouDost pay the rightful price for thy severeAnd utter lack of vision. Aye, thy debtIs due, and I am both thy creditorAnd thy collector, too. What thou hast notRepaid with thy belief I shall exactFrom thine own flesh. And O, what joy it bringsTo 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.
LukeO, Father, please, do not stand idly by—Assist me, if thou ever mercy knew!EmperorAnd now, young Luke Skywalker, thou shalt die.