William Shakespeare's The Jedi Doth Return

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

Luke

My Father, gracious father, lend me aid!
Extend to me the grace I beg of thee!

Vader

[ 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.

Luke

O Father, thou hast sav’d me from great woe—
And thou hast sav’d thyself. Now, let us go!

[Exeunt.

Scene 3.

Inside the shield generator bunker on Endor / Space / Inside the second Death Star.

EnterIMPERIAL COMMANDERandIMPERIAL TROOPSon left side of stage.HAN SOLOappears in viewscreen, dressed as an Imperial AT-ST pilot.

Han

The battle’s over, my commander. All
The rebels have been routed, and abscond
Unto the forest. Reinforcements are
Requir’d to aid us in our quick pursuit.

TROOPS

Hurrah!

Command.

—Send thou three squads to bring them help!
Pray, open up the back door speedily.
What joy! The rebels know defeat today,
And we’ll rejoice to bear the news unto
Our officers superior. Go now!

[The Imperial troops open the back door and are met by Ewoks and rebels, who disarm them.

Han

A cunning line! And you are quite the catch—
Deceiv’d by rebels playing Empire’s part!
We dangled all your hopes for victory
As bait to draw you in and hold you fast,
And now we take the bunker in our care.
Let fall your weapons, else I shall release
Your lives unto these creatures’ fearsome pow’r!
Perchance they seem not vicious, yet they have
What thou canst never know: fierce bravery.

EnterPRINCESS LEIAandCHEWBACCA, joined byHAN SOLO, into the bunker. The Imperial troops remain guarded by the rebels at the back door.

Leia

This bunker shall anon destroyèd be,
And then our friends may strike their final blow.

Han