STAR WARS: A NEW TRILOGY

STAR WARS: A NEW TRILOGY© 2022 by Bharat Krishnan

All rights reserved. No part of this novella may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including internet usage, without written permission from Indies United Publishing House, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First Edition December 2022

by Indies United Publishing House, LLC

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are use fictionally, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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OTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR

Skingrafters

Privilege

Table of Contents

Title Page

Episode VII

Episode VIII

Episode IX

About the Author

Episode VII

The Chosen One

At long last, the last remnants of the empire have surrendered thirty years after the battle of Endor. Now, truly, no star system will suffer any longer under imperial rule. But peace is always fragile! A terrorist group, THE FIRST ORDER, threatens the upcoming peace signing on the new capital of Hosnian Prime.

Chancellor Mon Mothma’s safety is paramount! To protect her and the rest of the galaxy, war heroes HAN SOLO AND CHEWBACCA have trained an army led by hotshot pilot and protégée of Han, POE DAMERON. Meanwhile, as senator Leia Organa Solo struggles to complete her life’s work with this treaty signing, her brother trains the grandson of Anakin Skywalker.

From the ashes of Darth Vader’s legacy, a new skywalker searches for his place in the galaxy. Ben, daughter of Han and Leia and nephew of the last Jedi, LUKE SKYWALKER, yearns to live up to his family’s name - but that’s impossible as long as they guard him from the truth. Frustrated, he hopes to learn more about the Jedi and Sith on a mission to Ilum, where he will finally craft a lightsaber of his own in anticipation of following in the footsteps of the skywalker legacy...

Act One, Scene One:

We open to the space above an ice planet, ILUM. The camera focuses on an x-wing that is coming out of hyperspace. It begins to plummet to the planet’s surface. It’s been doing barrel rolls ever since exiting hyperspace, and the droid attached to its top, BB-8, is squealing in fright. The ship appears to be crashing, but after it breaches Ilum’s atmosphere it pulls up and lands at the last moment. As BB-8 sighs in relief, BEN SKYWALKER exits the ship and stands amidst giant pillars of ice as he sees a second x-wing land beside him in a much calmer manner. It’s LUKE SKYWALKER, and he looks annoyed.

Luke: Ben, how many times do I have to tell you? The Force is not something you use for cheap thrills.

Ben: Come on, Uncle Luke. You’re telling me you never went for a joy ride?

Luke: It’s your dad who made the kessel run in 12 parsecs, not me.

Ben: And what about my granddad?

Luke gets very quiet

Ben: How long do you think you can hide the truth from me? I hear you and mom whispering at night. I see dad flinch when he looks into my eyes sometimes.

Luke: Your father loves you.

Ben: Then why won’t he tell me the truth?!

Luke: The truth is that he was on the wrong side of the war, but he was a talented Jedi once upon a time.

Ben: There’s more to it than that, though, isn’t there?

Luke gets quiet again before changing the subject

Luke: Believe it or not, I brought you here to get closer to your grandfather.

Ben looks intrigued but questions his uncle’s honesty.

Luke: It’s true. Close your eyes and open your mind, and perhaps you’ll even hear him on this planet. This is Ilum, where the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy came to secure the kyber crystals in their lightsabers. And now it’s your turn.

Ben looks awestruck. He never suspected his uncle would actually hope he’d hear his grandfather speak through the Force.

Luke: Go forward, inside that temple on the horizon. Return with your crystal.

Ben: You’re not coming?

Luke shakes his head

Luke: I cannot help you in this. The path of a Jedi is lonely.

After Ben leaves, looking back once, Luke returns to his ship where R2D2 beeps happily.

Act One, Scene Two

We are aboard a star destroyer. CAPTAIN PHASMA is marching towards the bridge, where she speaks with SENATOR CAEDUS ONASI via hologram. The senator tells her that he’s had enough of SENATOR LEIA ORGANA SOLO’s peacenik personality and that he grows weary for the time to strike. Phasma assures him that the hour is near thanks to Onasi’s work securing funds for his home planet of TELOS. They laugh that the New Republic is not aware that Telos has been bankrolling THE FIRST ORDER for years under the table. Phasma says that she is on her way right now to Ilum to introduce young Ben to the First Order for the first time, and that once she fights him she’ll know the full depth of his potential as a future recruit. Onasi is practically salivating at the possibility of turning the last Skywalker to their side, and comments that their special friend has special plans for him. He tells her to hurry as the treaty signing is scheduled for tomorrow, and once that happens his hands will be tied. When the hologram fades out, Phasma speaks to herself before leaving the room.

Phasma: I won’t let you down, father.

Act One, Scene Three

Ben goes through a series of trials in a cave on Ilum. He must test himself physically by leaping over ice sculptures, running alongside ice walls, and swinging off a cliff where he plummets into ice-cold water to swim against a heavy current. At the end of the current is a pulsating piece of crystal. When Ben touches it, he gets a vision of his grandfather – ANAKIN SKYWALKER. Though he’s never seen his grandfather like this, young and with his Padawan braid, he instantly recognizes him.

Ben: Grandfather?

Anakin turns to face him and Ben thinks he can see him at first, but then Anakin turns his lightsaber on and moves towards and through Ben. He is fighting a large reptilian beast with a blaster-proof hide called a GORGODON. The beast is able to push Anakin back so that he drops his lightsaber, and in the boy’s rage he uses the Force to pull the saber back to him and cut off the Gorgodon’s head.

The vision ends, and Ben places the small crystal into his pants and leaves.

Act One, Scene Four

Luke is meditating with his eyes closed, next to their x-wings. When he opens his eyes, he sees Ben running towards him with his new blue lightsaber at his side. Suddenly, Ben yells at Luke to look out. Luke is on it, turning behind him to see the emerging star destroyer deploy four tie fighters flanking a Lambda class shuttle like the one Luke stole to get to Endor so many years ago. Luke uses his green lightsaber to deflect the tie fighters that fire upon him as the shuttle lands.

Luke: Ben, your training!

The two fight as one unit, deflecting tie lasers as Phasma emerges from the shuttle. As two fighters fly too close to an ice mountain, Luke uses the Force to send a glacier down upon it. Ben is able to deflect blasts, but soon grows tired and instead runs after Phasma. Luke steps in to combat the two remaining fighters, reminding himself to berate Ben later for breaking formation.

Phasma: At last we meet, young skywalker.

Ben: Do I know you?

Phasma: No, but may I say it is an honor. You look so much like your grandfather.

Phasma has never met Anakin Skywalker, but the words have their intended effect on Ben as he hesitates. Phasma uses the opportunity to deploy a cable from her arm to tie him up. She then launches herself into the air with a jetpack, lifting the boy up and over one of the ice mountains. Ben activates his lightsaber and cuts himself free, landing atop the mountain and sliding into a fighting position. When Phasma lands, she deploys a flamethrower from her other arm and Ben is forced to roll out of position. He pushes her off the mountain with the Force, but when he looks over the cliff he sees that she’s holding on to an icicle.

Phasma: Do it, Ben. Finish me off and deal a fatal blow to the First Order. It’s what your grandfather would have done.

Ben: How do you know who he is?! I don’t even know!

In his rage that Phasma might know more than he does, Ben obliterates the icicle Phasma was holding on to for support, sending her plummeting into the icy waters below.

At this point, the two remaining tie fighters are gone and Luke turns his focus to his nephew.

Luke: Ben! Can you get down?

Without answering, Ben leaps down and lands gracefully.

Ben: Did I kill her?

Luke: Did you want to?

Ben avoids answering.

Ben: She said she knew my grandfather.

Luke: She was lying.

Ben: How do you know?

Luke gets somber and dark

Luke: There isn’t a living person besides me and your parents who’ve met your grandfather. He made sure of it.

Ben is shaken by the implications of that statement. The two fly away. After they leave, Phasma emerges from the water and takes off her helmet. After entering her shuttle, she activates a commlink to speak with her father again.

Phasma: It’s done. I saw into the boy’s heart and there is anger there. He is on a path that will lead him to the Knights of Rey. Then it will be up to our special friend to complete his journey.

Onasi: Excellent work, daughter. Soon the Skywalkers will be exposed as the frauds they are. Now return to Hosnian Prime. The First Order should be the first to sign this treaty…in blood.

Act One, Scene Five

Leia and CHANCELLOR MON MOTHMA are in a private room on HOSNIAN PRIME. They are talking about tomorrow’s signing ceremony, and C-3PO is present as Leia’s assistant. He reminds her that she is going to be late for date night with “General Solo.” She reminds C-3PO that her husband isn’t a general anymore, to which C-3PO replies that Han insists C-3PO call him that at all times. As the two leave their private chambers, we get a panoramic view of the planet as the new epicenter of the galaxy. There are children playing outside, food stalls, starships racing overhead, and different types of aliens interacting all around them.

Mon Mothma: Will Luke and Ben be able to make the signing?

Leia: I’m not sure, to be honest. We’ve been having more and more fights.

Mon Mothma: You and Ben? That’s typical for an 18-year old boy.

Leia: (rolling her eyes) Me and Luke! He wants to tell him the truth about our father…

Mon Mothma stops walking and faces Leia purposefully: The galaxy isn’t ready to know yet, but perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to let the boy know who his grandfather was.

Leia: That’s what I think too, but Luke says there’s a darkness in Ben that risks being lit by the truth.

Mon Mothma: The truth lights all things. We can choose for it to be the spark that triggers an explosion, or for it to be the illumination amidst darkness.

Leia nods

Act One, Scene Six

POE DAMERON is arriving at flight school the next day.

Han: Didn’t you get the memo, kid? No school today. Want to come with me to the treaty signing?

Poe: We can’t even get in one session on the flight simulator first?

Han: (rolls eyes) You remind me of my son.

Poe: Where is he? Not a good enough pilot to train in Red Squadron?

Han: Easy, wise guy.

Chewie growls at Poe’s lack of humility.

Han: Easy, Chewie.

Han places a hand on Poe to convey strength but also friendship

Han: You’re about the only person on Hosnian Prime who doesn’t know Luke took him to Ilum to get his lightsaber.

Poe: No way!

Poe is instantly humbled.

Han: We all have ways of securing the peace, and no one way is better than another. Remember that.

The three walk out of the building together. Han’s hand is around Poe’s shoulder.

Act One, Scene Seven

Mon Mothma is in the central square of the planet to sign the treaty. We are introduced to GRAND MOFF CIENA REE, who steps out from her star destroyer and arrives at Mon Mothma’s side to sign the treaty. As Ree walks towards Mon Mothma, people jeer at her side. She ignores it all and shakes the chancellor’s hand.

Ree: Today we secure peace in our time.

Mon Mothma: Thank you for coming.

Ree: I only wish we’d done this sooner.

As Ree smiles, shaking the chancellor’s hand and bringing her other hand to place upon the chancellor’s shoulder, Leia screams.

Leia: Watch out!

In an instant, Ree has activated a weapon on her hand to stab the chancellor in her back. As she jumps off the stage, she throws a smoke bomb into the crowd that was hidden in her shoe. She makes her getaway, but Leia is able to use the Force to sense her and the two engage in hand-to-hand combat away from the center of the action. Han seeks her out and, after joining the battle, forces Ree to retreat.

Meanwhile, stormtroopers have flooded the central square from Ree’s ship and are killing everything in sight. One of them is a man named FINN JARRUS. He hesitates to pull his trigger on an abandoned boy, something that Phasma notices. Finn runs away rather than facing Phasma’s wrath and throws his helmet down as he runs. Eventually, he runs into Poe. Poe begins to fight him, until Finn screams out that he wants peace. Poe doubts him until the boy says he’s had enough of killing. He heard about what “the Jedi” did to his friends on Ilum, and he wonders if he’s on the wrong side of the war.

Finn: I didn’t sign up to fight wizards and slaughter children.

Before Finn and Poe can speak further, a few stormtroopers rush their area and think Poe has taken Finn hostage. Poe retreats and Finn returns to Phasma’s ship.

Act One, Scene Eight

As Ree flees Hosnian Prime in a smaller ship, she crosses Luke and Ben in space. Luke tells Ben that he feels a disturbance in the Force, and Ben responds that he feels it too. They land in the central square, seeing a dead chancellor and a devastated Leia. As Han explains the situation to Ben and Luke, he can’t help but be proud of his son.

Han: I told you I had a good birthday present for you.

As Ben laughs, Luke shoots Leia a look of concern. Poe interrupts this family reunion.

Poe: Where do you think they’re going?

Han: I don’t have to guess; I know.

Leia: How?

Han: You forget who you’re talking to? I put a tracker on that Grand Moff girl. They’re headed to Takodana.

Poe: Well then, let’s fire up the guns! This is what we’ve been training for, I’ll get the rest of the gang!

Leia: Easy, cowboy.

Chewie growls in worry

Luke: What is it?

Han: I got a friend there

Chewie growls in frustration

Han: Well, I’m using the word friend liberally here.

Chewie growls in worry

Han: Relax, it’ll be fine.

Before anyone can confirm the plan, Poe is off to recruit his friends and blast off on an adventure.

Act Two, Scene One

Han, Chewie, Leia, Luke, and C-3PO are in the main hangar on Hosnian Prime. We see a few different types of space ships, and Chewie and C-3PO are having an argument as they enter.

Han: Leave him alone, Chewie. We’ll need the professor to talk to the hyperdrive on the way.

As Han and Chewie board the Millennium Falcon, Leia waits by the dock with Luke. They share a moment.

Leia: Luke, it’s time. You know it is. Takodana is where Han and I belong, but it’s not where Ben needs to be. With the chancellor dead, now more than ever we’ll need trained Jedi to protect us. And Ben can’t be a true Jedi until he faces the truth.

Luke: I know. I didn’t start a new Jedi Order because I didn’t want to have to explain the truth; I still don’t. But this one time, for Ben…I can live with that. I’ll have to live with that.

As Ben enters the hangar, ready to leave for takodana, Leia takes him aside.

Leia: Ben…you’re not going with us.

Ben: What do you mean? I have to protect you.

Leia: That’s not your job, it’s mine, and I’ve been doing a bad job of it for awhile now.

Ben: What do you mean, mom? I’ve learned so much from you.

Leia: Yes, but knowledge and wisdom aren’t the same thing. Wisdom requires failure, and it’s time I trusted you enough to allow for you to fail.

Ben looks at her confused.

Leia: I let Luke train you, but we both agreed to hide the truth about your grandfather from you.

Ben: Mom?

Leia: It’s time. We’ll need more people like Luke if we’re to make a stand against the First Order, if we’re to secure liberty for all in our time. Luke is going to take you somewhere, somewhere really special for our family. He didn’t want to at first because he sees a darkness in you and it scares him, but the truth is that there’s a darkness in all of us, son. We just have to not fear facing ourselves – the good, and the bad.”

Leia takes Ben’s face into her hands, putting their heads together.

Leia: It’s time you faced both sides of the Skywalker name. I have no doubt you’ll do us proud.

She leaves with the others, and Luke leads Ben to their x-wings.

Act Two, Scene Two

As the First Order nears Takodana, Phasma wraps up a conversation with her dad via hologram. Onasi is happy no one suspects him, and comments that Leia even asked if he was safe in the immediate aftermath. When their connection is severed, Phasma leaves her chambers to confront Finn about refusing to kill that child.

Phasma: Bring me the deserter.

As she instructs one of her men, GENERAL HAZNOI, to seize Finn, the man fires his blaster at an explosive cannister to create a distraction and then runs for an escape pod. Phasma chases him, but Finn is able to slide in and Phasma’s blaster bolt actually destroys the escape pod’s locking mechanism so that he’s trapped in there. Pressing a button, he watches as his pod is launched towards Takodana as Phasma looks on.

General Haznoi: Shall we fire upon the pod, captain?

Phasma: There’s nowhere to go but Takodana. I’ll deal with him personally there.

Haznoi: Captain, what’s so important about this planet? Why are we here?

Phasma: There’s no place better for spreading gossip in the galaxy than MAZ KANATA’s castle. If the First Order is going to control the narrative in the wake of Mothma’s assassination, we’re going to have to start here.

Act Two, Scene Three

As Finn’s escape pod lands amidst trees, he exits all flustered. Then, he’s flabbergasted. He’s never seen such greenery in his life. He lets himself stand and admire it for a minute, but then sees the star destroyer in the sky and runs towards a castle on the horizon. When he enters the temple, he sees all manner of sentient life. Aliens, humans, and bounty hunters. A twi’lek prostitute propositions him and then gets angry and bites him when he refuses.

Maz: Ah, don’t be like that Edes’ca! My apologies for her rudeness.

The little yellow alien flails her arms about to shoo Edes’ca off, and then turns to face Finn. Finn is startled by her appearance and falls backwards into the lap of an alien sitting in a chair. This alien growls at him and shoves him to the floor. Maz then jumps on top of his chest and looks deep into his eyes with her goggles.

Maz: I see in you great trouble. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

Before Finn can respond, Han Solo and his posse open the door. The room was rambunctious and rolling with music and laughter, but now goes silent.

Maz: Han! You got a lot of nerve showing your face here again.

Chewie growls in worry

Han: I told you I was using the term “friend” loosely.

As Maz walks up to Han and Leia, Finn sneaks away to the bar to hide amongst some aliens.

Maz: What the hell could you want now?

Leia: The chancellor is dead, Maz.

Maz looks genuinely sad before poking Han in his chest.

Chewie growls in anger

Maz: Oh calm down, you overgrown carpet! He’s a big boy.

Turning to face Han, she addresses him.

Maz: One of these days you’ll learn to call me before someone dies.

Han: Let bygones be bygones?

Maz: (rolling her eyes) of course. What do you need?

Before Han can answer, Poe spots Finn at the bar.

Poe: Hey! I know you! You’re First Order!

Again, the palace goes dead silent.

Leia waves her hand in a Jedi move and tells people to go back to their drinks.

Maz: Can I learn that?

Leia: No.

Turning to face Finn, she tells him she won’t judge him.

Finn: The First Order are here. I guess you could say I’m a refugee.

Poe: You fought on Hosnian Prime!

Finn: But I didn’t kill! Phasma was going to punish me again for disobeying orders…so I fled.

Leia: Punish you again?

Before Finn can respond, there are loud noises as the palace shakes. Walking outdoors, Maz sees that the First Order’s ships have arrived. A space battle is going on between the Red Squadron Han has trained and tie fighters. Finn is the first to react and bolts.

Han: Come on, chewie, let’s get back to the falcon. Leia?

Leia: I know.

As Han and Chewie run back to their ship, Poe leaves too for his x-wing. Leia sits on dirt ground and meditates as the space battle carries on above her. Using battle meditation, she empowers the x wings and compels the tie fighters to make stupid mistakes.

Running from battle, Finn trips over a root and sees Leia sitting there as a tie fighter swoops in to aim a killing blow. Finn fears Leia will be shot down by the tie fighter, but then Poe swoops in to destroy it at the last minute and send it crashing overhead. Maz commends Leia on her battle meditation skills and says that she should have trained Ben herself with skills like that. Leia says that she is only good at this and is lousy with a lightsaber and other Force powers, and agreed to have Luke teach her only because he said he’d teach her entire family. Maz comments that she wishes she knew the skywalkers a long time ago. Leia asks why but before Maz can answer there’s an explosion as the Millennium Falcon flies overhead to take out another fighter above them.

The battle reconfirms Finn’s doubts about going against the Jedi and the fight ends with Maz helping Finn escape and join the Republic. As she leads Finn to Poe and the rest of Red Squadron after the battle, Finn asks her what she sees in some stormtrooper and why is she doing this.

Maz: I once made a grave mistake, one the galaxy may not recover from. Helping you, helping everyone I can, is just my way of trying to right the scales and provide balance.

Face-to-face with Poe, Finn tells him that he was going to request a transfer from the Hosnian Prime mission and only came because he wanted to see the treaty signed. Poe is still doubtful of Finn’s intentions, but tells him that a wise man told him today that we all have ways of securing the peace, and that no way is better than another. Extending his hand in friendship, Poe waits for Finn to shake it. Finn has never seen a handshake in his life and doesn’t know what to do until Poe takes the man’s hand and puts it in his own.

Finn: I’ve had enough of war.

Poe: I believe you.

Act Two, Scene Four

As Ben and Luke emerge from hyperspace in their x-wings, we see the swampy planet of Dagobah.

Luke: Careful when you land, Ben. This planet doesn’t tolerate barrel rolls.

Ben: Ok, dad.

Ben says it in jest, but it’s also an indicator that he sees Luke as more of a father to him than Han, his actual dad. Using his thrusters, Ben darts past his uncle and brings the ship in for a perfect landing.

Luke: show off.

Ben: I heard some stories from dad about how you used to drag race T-16s on Tatooine.

Rolling his eyes, Luke removes R2D2 from his ship.

Luke: You never thought we’d be back here, did you, buddy?

R2D2 beeps agreement.

Ben: Where are we?

Luke: This is where I trained to be a Jedi, under the greatest teacher the Old Republic ever had.

Ben: Yoda?

Luke: You do read those books on occasion.

Ben: (rolling his eyes) Just on occasion.

Luke: Yoda taught me, my master…he even taught your grandfather.

Ben: Is he still here?

Luke looks wistfully at the old hut as the Force theme plays.

Luke: No one’s ever really gone. His essence surrounds us, binds this place to the Force, speaks to us through the wind.

Ben: So he died?

Luke: From a certain point of view.

Ben begins to unload his equipment.

Act Two, Scene Five

Luke and Ben are sparring with their lightsabers on Dagobah.

Luke: Close your eyes and let the Force guide you.

Ben nods his head but keeps his eyes open. The two jump on to a log to continue their sparring, and Luke eventually kicks Ben off where he tumbles and rolls down a big hill to land next to a cave. It speaks to him.

Vader’s disembodied voice: Unleash your anger.

Ben looks inside the cave and is horrified by what he’s heard

Luke: Ben?!

Luke arrives in front of the cave with Ben sprawled on the ground. Luke looks at the cave and flinches.

Luke: You’re not ready for that yet.

Ben stands up and speaks.

Ben: What is that?

Luke: A darkness designed to humble us all. Yoda chose this planet to live on because it has a natural connection to the Force – the light…and the dark.

Ben: You’ve been inside?

Closing his eyes, we hear the sound of Luke sparring with Vader from inside the cave in Empire. It ends with him cutting Vader’s head off and the sound of the helmet exploding to reveal Luke.

Luke: Yes…but I entered too soon.

Luke sees the look on Ben’s face and is frightened by his nephew’s enthusiasm.

Ben: It spoke to me

Luke: The dark side speaks to us all. I promise you that we won’t leave this planet without you facing your fear in the cave, but on your own terms when you’re ready.

Ben: On my own terms? When I’m ready?

Ben relaxes and so Luke relaxes too

Luke: Yes

Ben takes out his lightsaber and walks towards the cave.

Ben: I am ready, uncle.

Ben steps inside, and Luke closes his eyes. He’s about to go in after him, but as he steps towards the cave he hears Yoda’s voice.

Yoda: Trust him, you must. Trust in the Force.

Luke sighs and sits to meditate

As Ben enters the cave, he sees DARTH VADER standing before him.

Ben: How is this possible?

Vader: Search your feelings, and know that this is no mere vision.

Ben turns his lightsaber on and Vader does the same. He paces around Vader like a caged lion.

Ben: What are you?

Vader: I have come for you; just as I came for your uncle and your grandfather.

Vader lunges towards Ben and they spar ever so briefly.

Ben: You’re Vader, aren’t you? My uncle said you almost brought the Skywalker family to ruin. He said you were a genocidal maniac.

Vader: The Force speaks to us all in ways we are not always capable of understanding. I did what I must.

Vader lunges at Ben again and they spar further for a few more seconds.

Ben: You killed my grandfather.

Vader: Yes…and no.

Ben lunges at Vader, their lightsabers connecting briefly once more.

Ben: What do you mean by that?

Vader: Anakin Skywalker was weak, but his spirit still lives on the Mustafar system.

Ben lunges angrily at Vader again, but Vader is able to use the Force to freeze his body completely so that he is mid lunge.

Vader: The Jedi Council made a habit of lying to me when I was a Padawan, and now your family continues to lie to you. All of the answers you seek are on Mustafar. Seek it out, and live up to your family name at last.

Releasing Ben from the Force, Vader allows the boy to finish his lunge. Ben’s blue lightsaber strikes Vader down and he collapses into the ground like Obi-Wan did when Vader struck him in A New Hope. Ben looks horrified at what he’s done and what he’s heard.

Luke opens his eyes as Ben emerges from the cave.

Ben: Why did you bring me here?

Luke: It’s like your mother said, it’s time for the Jedi to rise once more to protect the galaxy.

Growing angry, Ben raises his voice.

Ben: But you never wanted to in the past!

Luke wants to ask what happened in the cave but is afraid to hear the answer.

Luke: And I still don’t want to raise an army for the Republic. That’s how the Old Republic fell, with Jedi becoming nothing more than enforcers for a dogmatic and corrupt way of life. But we can start from somewhere. The skywalker name must go on.

Ben: Then tell me about my grandfather!

Losing his temper, Luke steps towards his nephew.

Luke: What happened in there?

Ben takes a beat before responding.

Ben: I saw Vader

Luke steps back. It’s even worse than he imagined.

Luke: Did he speak to you? Did you fight him?

Nodding his head, Ben replies.

Ben: He told me to go to Mustafar, that all my questions would be answered there.

Horrified, Luke struggles to find the right words to restrain his nephew.

Luke: Vader killed your grandfather, he terrorized this entire family.

Ben: That’s what everyone tells me, but there’s more to it than that, isn’t there?!

Ben balls his free hand into a fist and looks at the sky as he speaks.

Ben: I’m not a fool. Ever since I was a child, I’ve heard my parents whisper Vader’s name. You’re not telling me something, something important!

Closing his eyes for a moment, Luke opens them again and looks Ben in the eyes.

Luke: You’re right. We’ve all been keeping something important from you. Finish your training with me here, and I promise I will answer your questions.

Ben returns his gaze to Luke and dares to hope for a moment.

Ben: How much longer?

Luke: For a Jedi, impatience is the worst vice. Always live in the present.

Hearing this, Ben gets frustrated again.

Ben: Mustafar isn’t far…will you take me there when we’re done?

Luke is horrified at the mention of the name.

Luke: There is nothing but evil on Mustafar.

Ben: He said grandpa’s spirit is there!

Luke: Ben, don’t let him manipulate you! You can’t trust him!

Ben: I can’t trust you!

There is a pregnant pause, and then Ben flees. Luke lets him go, remembering Yoda’s advice and thinking the boy just needs a minute to himself. Closing his eyes and sighing, he sees the Force ghost of Yoda when he opens them again.

Yoda: Both ways, trust runs. Brought him here to train, you did, yes. But also train you, he will. Make you a better master, hm?

Before Luke can answer, he hears Ben’s x-wing fire up and sees the boy leave for Mustafar.

Luke: I hope you’re right.

Yoda: Failed before, I have. A part of growing, failure is.

Luke looks at him with weary eyes

Yoda: Thinking you are, that if much failure I’ve seen, why then am I so short? Hmmm.

Luke: Master Yoda! Of course not!

Yoda: Trust in the Force, we must.

We see the swamp surrounding Luke and Yoda as the camera pans out.

Act Two, Scene Six

In a secluded part of Hosnian Prime near the sea, Phasma’s shuttle has landed and she is speaking with her father, Senator Onasi. She is in uniform, but her helmet is off and in her hands.

Phasma: The hour is near, father. The Knights of Rey report that the grandson of Darth Vader is on his way to Mustafar as we speak.

Onasi: At last the truth will come out. At last the galaxy will know what the skywalker name truly stands for, ruin and death.

Phasma smiles as her father massages her shoulder in a gesture of fondness.

Onasi: I am grateful you weren’t injured during the disaster on Takonada.

Phasma: On the contrary, father, it was quite a success.

Onasi: You have a strange definition of success, my child. Red Squadron did so much damage that I’ll need to secure further funds for the First Order the next time I’m home on Telos. If you’d only marry the prince, we’d have an unlimited line of credit.

Phasma grimaces before responding that she loathes the prince and would sooner sell her blood than marry him.

Onasi: But why do you call takonada a success?

Phasma puts her helmet back on before responding.

Phasma: It’s amazing, the power symbols have. When I wear this mask, I inspire fear throughout the galaxy.

Onasi: Yes, and?

Phasma: As I told General Haznoi, the narrative is what matters. In the gossip capital of the galaxy, the loudest voices in the Mid Rim saw x-wings blowing up our fleet hours after the chancellor was assassinated. First the Empire attacked and then the rebels attacked and it’s been back and forth for decades now. Trillions of galactic citizens have never known peace.

Onasi: And they blame us for it!

Phasma grabs her father by the shoulders before speaking again.

Phasma: No! You’ve spent far too much time on Hosnian Prime and not enough on Telos. They blame both sides.

Onasi ponders this and smiles.

Onasi: You’re breeding chaos.

Phasma: Yes

Onasi: That’s why you didn’t fire the star destroyer, isn’t it? You wanted it to be a bloodbath.

Phasma: To win at chess, you have to sacrifice a few pawns. Once in awhile, you might even have to sacrifice a queen.

Onasi: The people will blame both sides

Phasma: Yes, but only if they know they aren’t alone. It will be up to you and your colleagues from the Expansion Region and Mid Core to begin the disinformation campaign.

Onasi: A genius idea, my daughter.

Phasma: It’s Grand Moff Ree’s idea.

Onasi: Thank god she escaped.

Phasma: The knights of Rey are expecting her on Mustafar soon.

Onasi: I’ve never understood why she wants to align ourselves with a bunch of cultists.

Phasma: It is not always our place to understand, father

Onasi: Still, the grand moff granting Rey a personal audience? Has that happened before?

Phasma: A great deal of things are about to happen that have never happened before, father. Soon the Grand Moff will be able to publicly announce our alliance with the knights of Rey, and the Skywalker legacy will be ruined.

Act Three, Scene One

Ben Skywalker encounters erupting geysers of lava as he lands on a craggy piece of land on Mustafar. Exiting his x-wing, BB-8 beeps in worry.

Ben: I know it’s hot. Just stay with the ship and charge your cooling units. I’ll be back soon.

Ben explores the planet, coming across the native heat-resistant species piloting freighters across rivers of lava as they mine resources. Eventually, he comes across the place where Obi-Wan defeated Anakin. Ben does not know what the place represents, of course, but upon walking down the hill where his grandfather caught on fire, he feels a chill rush through him. Looking for the source of coldness amidst all this heat, a ROGGWART charges at him. Ben is only able to duck thanks to the power of the Force, and he sees the beastly dog with curved, sharp nails, thick gray skin, a forked tail, and gnashing teeth roll towards the same lava that lit Anakin Skywalker on fire. The roggwart stops before falling in, though, and regroups to charge at Ben. Young skywalker ignites his lightsaber and is able to slice off the beast’s tail, but not before a clawed hand cuts into his leg. As Ben cries out in pain, the roggwart jumps on top of him and holds him down as it gnashes its teeth, trying to eat him.

Ben: No!

His lightsaber is at his side, but Ben does not need it to dispatch the roggwart. The beast is thrown into the lava when Ben screams, pushing out with the Force. As he gets up and retrieves his weapon, we hear Vader breathing as Ben leaves this hallowed ground. And on the horizon, we see the outline of a hooded woman.

Ben continues walking and eventually comes across a fortress – Fortress Vader. It is a bit decrepit due to decades of disuse, but the power of the Force is overwhelming here and has preserved the interior. None have been able to enter…until Ben. As a skywalker, Ben is able to open the door. We see that same hooded woman from behind as Ben steps inside. Upon entering, he grabs his ears as a silent alarm bothers him.

Ben: The dark side! It’s too powerful here!

Ben looks from place to place to try and find something to stop the noise, but then remembers his training. He hears a voice he knows belongs to his grandfather.

Anakin: Clear your mind.

Ben closes his eyes, and when he opens them the sound is gone. When he opens them, he also sees the hooded woman.

Rey: I’ve waited so long to step inside these doors.

Activating his lightsaber, Ben becomes angry. And in his family’s fortress, his anger is magnified tenfold. He feels a great strength and the woman smiles as she removes her hood to show her face.

Rey: Good. Give in to your anger. It makes you worthy of your grandfather. Have you spoken to him here?

Ben is just about ready to cut this woman’s head off but hesitates upon hearing she may know his family.

Ben: You know my grandfather?

Rey cackles before answering

Rey: My dear boy. It appears I know him better than you.

Ben: I was on Dagobah…

Rey: He told me

Ben is furious with this reponse and throws his lightsaber at the woman in rage. She does a backflip and lands on stairs leading up to a room as the saber returns to Ben’s hands.

Ben: What do you mean, he told you?! He’s dead! I don’t even know what I’m doing here!

Rey: Focus, Ben. Let the dark side in and hear his voice.

Instead of doing what she says, Ben leaps onto the staircase with her and attacks. As he strikes toward her, she jumps back and ignites a LIGHTWHIP. Made of flexible material and smaller crystals instead of a large one that powers a regular lightsaber, Rey’s lightwhip envelops Ben’s blade and she pulls it away from him. Shocked, he can only look on in confusion as she then directs the Force to push him back down the stairs and onto his ass.

Ben: Who are you?

Rey does a front flip and lands behind him near the threshold of the fortress before turning around to kick him in the face. Splayed out, she answers him as she towers over his cowed body.

Rey: Your equal.

As Ben rises, he notices she’s turned off his lightsaber. He attempts to call it back, but before he can four figures emerge from above and come down the staircase. They are the KNIGHTS OF REY, and each carry a weapon of differing size.

Ben: You’re the only one with a lightsaber, the only one who can use the Force.

Rey: Yes

Ben: Why are you here?

Rey: To fulfill your destiny

Ben balls his hands into fists and loses his temper again. Pointing a finger at Rey, Force lightening leaves it to strike her. She is enveloped and shrieks in pain. When the knights try to intervene, though, she silences them with a look.

Rey: You truly are Vader’s own.

Ben is angry, but more than that he’s confused.

Ben: Vader?

Rey: Oh, you don’t know? I would have thought you only came because you knew it was time to fulfill your destiny.

Ben: What are you talking about?

Rey: Didn’t you wonder why you could hear him? His helmet was returned here shortly after the Battle of Endor, you know? I tracked it here, but it refuses to tell me its exact location. Only a skywalker can know.

Ben closes his eyes and focuses. Somehow, he knows Rey won’t attack him. He hears Vader’s breathing, and when he opens his eyes again, he’s crying.

Rey: Yes…you know. You know why only you could open this door. We are standing on hallowed ground, in Fortress Vader, and only Vader’s kin can allow others inside.

Ben is crushed. He falls to his knees and screams in agony. Suddenly, the four knights of Rey cannot breathe.

Rey: Enough of this, skywalker. Release them!

When Ben does not comply, Rey uses the Force to bring Ben to her. As he flies towards her, though, he is able to regain control of his body and corkscrews into her. The two collapse in a heap and the knights of Rey are released from Ben’s power. Three get up, but the fourth is dead.

Ben is horrified. It’s the first time he’s killed someone. Deep down he knows there’s no going back now.

Ben: Tell me about my grandfather.

Rey: Let me show you instead.

Act Three, Scene Two

Han and Chewie are helping their old friends, Nien Nunb and Admiral Ackbar, clean up from the attack on Hosnian Prime. As they clean up, Han sees Maz come to greet them.

Han: I’m glad Leia was able to convince you to come back with us. It’s not safe at your castle as long as the First Order saw you with us.

Maz replies dryly.

Maz: Thanks for that. You’ve rescued me from unlimited money and easy living.

Han: Hey, I said that same thing a few decades ago and look where I am now.

Maz: Cleaning trash like some cheap droid.

Chewie growls in laughter. Just then C-3PO appears.

C-3PO: I beg your pardon, Master Solo, but Princess Leia requests your presence. She’s about to address the Senate on the attack.

Han: It’s senator, threepio. I didn’t move to the core for her to be a princess.

C-3PO: I did try to call her senator at first, but her exact words were that “she liked things the old way.”

Han: Yeah? Me too. It was simpler when we were at war.

Maz: Well, if it’s any consolation I think we are again.

Chewie growls in worry as he leaves with Han, Maz, and threepio.

Act Three, Scene Three

We are in a large oval shaped room where senators from all over the galaxy are in the same floating seats from Episodes I-III. In the center of the room is Senator Organa Solo.

Leia: You all know by now that the First Order is to blame for the chancellor’s assassination. Murdered by cowards the moment she opened her arms to embrace peace.

Onasi: Why did she open them, then?

Some senators nod at the senator from Telos

Leia: Would you like the floor, senator?

Nodding, Onasi moves his seat to the center of the room to join Leia.

Onasi: First they fight and then we fight and then they fight back. Who can handle all this back and forth? It’s enough to make one want to tear the ears off a gundar!

Leia: Do you mean to tell this chamber that the First Order is not to blame? That they shouldn’t be punished?

Onasi: For this “cowardly attack” as you put it? Why would they do it? We’re at each other’s throats so much we’ve forgotten why the voters sent us here in the first place.

Leia: And why is that?

Onasi: Look, no one is bold enough to admit it, but crime was down under the Empire. Sure, some systems had it bad. Some systems had it bad under the Old Republic too. Some systems still have it bad! But by and large, crime went down under the Empire.

Several senators nod their heads in agreement with Onasi. Leia is disgusted and shows it on her face.

Leia: So there should be no retaliation for this assassination? For the execution of the greatest political leader in the galaxy?

Before Onasi can answer, a senator from Takodana answers, SENATOR KRENNIC WILL

Will: How do we even know she’s dead?

Leia: I beg your pardon?!

Will: I see no body.

A senator from Mon Cala nods his head in agreement as Onasi smiles from the sidelines.

Will: Without a body, how do we not know the Republic itself did this to distract from its own inability to control the chaos that’s engulfed far too many systems.

Leia: What?

Onasi: I quite agree, Senator Will. We have tied ourselves up in knots trying to duel with a rogue terrorist group, when all along we’ve ignored the real threats facing our galaxy.

From the rafters, Chewie growls in frustration

Han: I hear you buddy, but Leia isn’t doing herself any favors getting so upset.

Maz: Can you blame her?

Han: No…but I’m not a politician.

Leia attempts to seize back control of the chamber

Leia: This body will not stand for the gentleman from Telos trying to “both sides” this issue. Our leader is dead, and we need to act.

Onasi: On this matter, I agree with you wholeheartedly, senator. Let us act. I call for a vote to authorize a search for the chancellor’s body. If it is found, I promise you that I will be the first one to want an expanded force against the First Order. But let us not forget that it was them who came to us searching for peace. They’ll be back, never fear. Even if they did kill the chancellor, what power could they hope to gain without friends in the senate? Are you implying that this body is corrupt?

Leia: What?! No…

Onasi: All right, then. For the time being let us move on to the vote on whether or not to legalize spice on Sullust.

Leia retreats from the center of the room, devastated.

Act Three, Scene Four

From the ash fields of Mustafar, we see Ree emerge from her private shuttle. It’s a sith infiltrator she calls Renegade. Pressing a button on her arm, she activates a hologram of Phasma.

Phasma: Yes, grand moff?

Ree: Report.

Phasma: Everything is as you said. The senate is in disarray and the skywalkers are losing hope.

Ree: I have arrived on Mustafar. I will be present when Rey extinguishes the last light of hope in the skywalker clan.

Phasma: Good work disposing of the chancellor’s body so quickly.

Ree: There is nothing that cannot be accomplished with proper planning.

Phasma: You truly are a visionary.

Ree: You don’t have to suck up, captain. I already like you.

Phasma: I’m not sucking up for me, grand moff.

Ree: You can tell your father that he is in my good graces again. I trust whatever doubts he’s had in the past are behind him?

Phasma: Yes, grand moff. He said your alliance with the knights of Rey was genius.

Ree: The boy is on Mustafar; I saw his x-wing as I arrived. When he finishes the trial, I will be waiting to greet him.

Phasma: Trial?

Ree smiles as a lava geyser erupts near her

Ree: A trial by fire.

Act Three, Scene Five

Han is frustrated after seeing what happened to his wife in front of the entire senate, and vents to Poe in Han and Leia’s house. Finn wanders in, saying he just met with Leia as she requested him in case he had any useful info, and Han takes out some of his frustration on him as well. He makes a brusque comment that he bets Finn didn’t know anything important since he was just “some damn stormtrooper who can’t aim to save his life.” Chewie growls at Han for being rude, but Finn says he deserves it and he’s sorry it took him so long to jump ship. Poe is touched by Finn’s humility and honesty. C-3PO offers Finn a drink, but the ex-soldier says he’s never had a drink in his life.

Poe: In that case, we’ll take a whole bottle, threepio.

Finn and Poe leave after threepio gets them a bottle, leaving Han and Chewie alone.

Act Three, Scene Six

Rey and the knights have led Ben to the basement of Vader’s fortress. Here, below ground, they stand before a wall of fire.

Ben: What’s this?

Rey: It’s been calling to me for so long.

Ben: What has?

Rey: Your grandfather’s helmet. It’s on the other side of this wall.

Ben is aghast.

Ben: I’m just a tool for you, aren’t I?

Rey: Yes, but don’t kid yourself. You’ve been a tool for Luke this whole time. Your parents didn’t even trust you with the truth. At least I’ll always be honest with you.

There’s a hunger in Ben’s eyes. He hates her and respects her at the same time.

Ben: You will?

Rey: Always. I told you, I’m your equal.

Placing her hand on his chest, she lets out a surge in the Force that pulsates through his body. He receives a vision. It is as if he is Vader after Mustafar, getting the helmet placed on him. Coming to, he is frustrated.

Ben: Why didn’t they tell me?!

Rey: They feared the power of the dark side, the power of truth.

Ben has so many questions.

Ben: Who are you?

Rey: I’m no one. And in that, there is beauty. No one expects anything of you. No one tells you you’re crazy.

Ben is quiet as he processes what she’s saying.

Ben: The weight of the world has always been on my family. How could I ever live up to the legacy of war heroes and Jedi?

Rey coos at the boy, brushing the hair from his eyes.

Rey: Perhaps you can’t…but Luke Skywalker is not your only ancestor.

Ben flinches at her touch but doesn’t stop her.

Rey: You can live up to a greater legacy, the legacy of Vader. And in doing so, you will find what you need.

Ben is so angry, and that anger erupts now in a way that breaks the wall of fire. The knights are scared while Rey cackles like a mad woman. She, Ben, and the knights cross the wall to the other side, where we see Vader’s charred helmet trapped inside a glass box.

Rey: For so long, I was called a conspiracy theorist. No one dared believe me, that Luke Skywalker’s father was the infamous Darth Vader.

Ben: I’ve been so angry for so long.

There’s a torturous quality to his voice.

Rey: Anger is your family’s legacy. The legacy of the dark side. Go on, seize it at long last!

Ben walks towards the glass box. He hears his grandfather call to him.

Vader: It is your destiny.

When Ben touches the glass box, it shatters and launches him backwards. Out of the corner of the room, a DARKGHAST emerges. This beast resembles a rancor, except it has four arms and mandibles. The creature shrieks and uses three of its arms to grab the knights. It throws two into the wall of fire that has reformed behind Rey, killing them. As Rey watches in admiration and Ben watches in disgust, the darkghast eats the third knight.

Rey: They knew what they were getting into when they swore their allegiance to me, and now their purpose is served. They have what they always wanted, to be one with the Force.

Regaining his senses, Ben activates his lightsaber and attacks the darkghast. He must dodge claws half his size as it tries to grab him. As he lashes out at the beast’s feet, he finds that its skin is tougher than his weapon. Picking up one foot, it almost crushes him as he rolls out of its way.

Rey: Only together can we defeat it!

Ben attempts to focus his energy on the beast to push it aside, but Rey interjects.

Rey: You don’t need focus for this beast! You need passion! Passion fueled your grandfather, and it fuels the dark side!

Ben hesitates, and that’s enough for the darkghast to launch an arm against him. The boy slams into a stone wall and collapses. Turning to face Rey, the monster moves to attack her. Rey unleashes Force lightening, but it only holds him in place. The creature cannot move forward, but it isn’t being pushed back either.

Rey: Ben! I can’t hold it off much longer! If I die, so do the secrets of your family’s real legacy!

Ben stands up. He throws his lightsaber at the beast and chops off one of its arms, making the beast howl as Rey’s lightening brings it to its knees. With a piteous howl, the darkghast dies as Rey intensifies her lightening and moves to join Ben at his side. Ending the darkghast’s life, she kisses Ben on the lips.

Rey: I will never lie to you, boy. In my thirty years I’ve never spoken anything but the truth.

Exhausted, Ben kisses her back and embraces her.

Ben: Tell me everything.

Rey: It’s right in front of you.

Pointing to the charred helmet, she watches as Ben touches it. Every memory of murder surges through Ben’s brain. Images of the Jedi Purge on Coruscant and slaughtering rebels on countless worlds play through Ben’s head like a tape. He falls to his knees again under the weight of it all. It threatens to destroy him until Rey takes his hand away.

Rey: You had to know the truth.

Ben: It frightens me.

Rey: Good. Now rise, my apprentice.

Ben is hesitant until he sees Rey touch the helmet. She feels power surge through her body, but she doesn’t collapse.

Ben: You can handle its power?

Rey: I was made for this moment. In time, you will also learn to wield the power of Vader as your own.

Ben has made up his mind. He’s been lied to for so long, it’s time to go with the person who’s honest.

Ben: Teach me.

Act Three, Scene Seven

Back on Hosnian Prime, Han, Luke, Leia, Poe, Finn, Chewie, threepio, and R2D2 are in the Solo house. Drinking tea, Luke and Leia feel a great tremor in the Force and drop their cups. R2D2 beeps furiously as threepio goes to clean up the mess.

Han: What’s wrong?

Luke: I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

Leia: There’s been a rip in the Force. Something truly evil has been unleashed.

Chewie growls

Han: I agree, Chewie. Let’s check it out. Any idea where we’d go?

Luke: No…

Luke collapses to his knees and grabs at his chest

Leia: Luke, what is it?

Luke: You gave me your son and I failed you, both of you.

Han: What the hell…

Luke: He’s on Mustafar. He’s turned.

Frightened by the future, Finn holds Poe’s hand amidst the darkness.

Act Three, Scene Eight

As Ben and Rey emerge from Vader’s castle, they see Ciena Ree.

Ree: It’s done?

Rey touches Ben’s shoulder to let him know this new person is okay.

Rey: Rey Duranis and Ben Skywalker entered this castle, but Darth Zannah and her apprentice, Darth Revan, emerge.

Ree: Excellent. The time has come, then, for us to reveal our alliance. In time, Darth Zannah, you will be a greater ruler than even Palpatine.

Rey: All in good time, grand moff. For now, I serve at your pleasure.

Revan follows his master in kneeling to Ree, and the three return to their ships.

Episode VIII

Weapons of the Sith

Chaos! In the five years since Ben Skywalker’s fall to the dark side, DARTH ZANNAH and her apprentice, REVAN, have joined with GRAND MOFF REE to form a triumvirate of evil! System after system pledge allegiance to THE FIRST ORDER since the alternative is death. What was once a rogue terrorist network has transformed into a governing body to rival the Republic!

The tempestuous Darth Revan remains conflicted about his family’s legacy.  Desperate for answers, he follows his master to the Sith home planet of KORRIBAN, where Darth Zannah has learned of the existence of an ancient holocron holding information that could destroy the Republic once and for all! Supervised by Grand Moff Ree, SENATOR ONASI and CAPTAIN PHASMA manage the political side of this new war as Zannah and her apprentice seek to uncover the secrets of the Sith.

Aided by First Order turncoat FINN JARRUS, Han Solo and the rest of the Millennium Falcon’s crew have acquired information vital to the survival of the Republic – the identity of a spy within the Senate. With The First Order in pursuit, they race to Hosnian Prime to inform CHANCELLOR ORGANA SOLO of their discovery…

Act One, Scene One

We open to a riveting space battle. The millennium falcon jumps out of hyperspace and soars through an asteroid field as tie fighters race behind it. The Falcon is joined by two x-wings as the music from “Battle of Endor” plays. As a tie fighter gains on an x-wing, the x-wing does a flip and ends up behind it before blasting it and creating an explosion.

Poe: Great shot, Finn!

Finn: I hate flying

Poe: I know, buddy, but at least that ship’s roomier than the tie fighters you used to handle.

Finn looks like he’s about to throw up and doesn’t respond

Chewie growls nervously

Han: I know, buddy, I see it.

A cutlass-9 patrol fighter launches two concussion missiles at the Falcon. We see PHASMA inside.

Phasma: Don’t worry, father. Your daughter’s here to clean up your mess once again.

It’s clear she’s frustrated and is talking to herself. The Falcon fires some charges to confuse Phasma’s missiles, and barely avoids a direct hit. The resulting explosion sends Phasma off course, leaving her open for Poe to fire at her engines and stall them out.

Phasma: Ah!

As Poe races past her, it’s shown that Phasma is a sitting duck and Finn has an opportunity to finish off his old boss, but he hesitates. Before Poe can ask why, Han yells at everyone to jump to lightspeed again and ditch the First Order before they can regroup.

Act One, Scene Two

As our heroes return to Hosnian Prime and enter the hangar, Poe tries to talk to Finn about what happened. Finn gives him a hug but grows distant when Poe brings it up.

Finn: I said I’m fine, Poe!

Poe: All right…sorry I asked.

Luke, Leia, and C3PO greet them in the hangar and say they stopped their training early when they felt Han return.

Han: Any word from Ben?

Even after all these years, Han’s first question whenever he comes home is always about his son.

Luke: He’s still shutting me out. Ever since that business on Sullust last year, I haven’t been able to sense him.

Finn: He was never going to answer, right? He’s too far gone.

Leia: I don’t’ believe that!

Han holds her shoulders reassuringly.

Luke: Finn’s right, he never did answer. But at least before, I could sense him. I knew he was alive.

Han: Hold on, Luke…

Luke: He still is, I know he is. But it’s like he’s cut himself off from the Force.

Leia: We know that can’t be true.

Luke: Our connection has been fading for years, now. More likely this has just been a long time coming. The last threads of the old connection between master and apprentice.

Leia puts her hand on Luke’s shoulder reassuringly.

Leia: He’ll come back. We have to trust him.

Luke: We have to trust the Force, like Yoda said.

C-3PO: I beg your pardons, but isn’t there good news?

Poe: Yes!

Punching his hand in the air, Poe runs into the Falcon and comes back out with a data pad. Activating it, we see a video of Senator Onasi talking to Grand Moff Ree.

Leia: When was this? Where was this?

Han: Remember you sent us to check out that unauthorized shuttle on Ord Mandell? Well, now we know why it wasn’t cleared through the proper channels.

Leia: This happened this week?!

Han: Just days ago

Leia: So our worst fears are confirmed. The senate does have a spy. This can’t wait until next week’s session. I’ll call the members back at once.

C-3PO: Very well, chancellor. I shall send out a message immediately.

Act One, Scene Three

Zannah and Revan emerge from hyperspace in two ships. We see Revan pilot a StarViper class assault fighter that’s been modified to accommodate BB-8, and then we see Zannah next to him in a Basilisk class assault fighter. Both approach Korriban, where they prepare to land. As Zannah presses some buttons to initiate landing, Ree contacts her and they speak via hologram.

Rey: I’m busy

Ree: Believe me, so am I. That fool, Onasi, has finally done something too stupid to forgive.

Rey: What now?

Ree: The Falcon caught him on camera speaking to me. If they’d engaged, we could have ended it there and then, but they only did recon and I didn’t learn about it until just now.

Rey smiles

Ree: What’s so godamn funny?

Rey: Some people think the Force works in mysterious ways, but it’s shockingly predictable at times.

Ree: What do you mean?

Rey: We’ve been putting it off for so long, waiting for the right moment before exposing the Skywalkers, waiting for Revan to say when that moment is. But now our hand has been forced.

Ree: It’s time?

Rey: Yes. Let Onasi know he can redeem himself. The chancellor will want to call an emergency session to expose him. He must use the opportunity to reveal the truth.

Ree: And you forgive him?

Rey: Oh…no. The Sith do not forgive. When it’s done, have Phasma kill him.

Ree is shocked Rey would have Phasma kill her own father

Rey: You disagree with me?

Ree moves to quickly recover before offending Rey

Ree: No! Of course not. He’s a useful idiot who’s now played out his role.

Rey nods as she opens her ship door and we see the environment of Korriban as she leaves.

Act One, Scene Four

It is the next day and the senate has been called to order. Chancellor Organa Solo stands to the side of the chamber in an area with Han, Chewie, Luke, Poe, and Finn. A senator from Ithor, GILLOM, speaks from the center of the room.

Gillom: (translated) This war gets worse for trade by the day. It seems like every time we authorize more money for the Republic, an equal amount of funds is released to Ree’s forces. The only people benefitting are the defense companies! I will not vote for any more funding until someone can tell me what victory looks like. In the last year alone, we’ve lost 17 systems to the First Order.

Gillom’s speech is greeted with loud cheers. Leia lets him say his piece, but then floats her seat to the center of the room when she sees Onasi take his seat at last.

Leia: Senators, I promise I did not call you away from your home systems for nothing. I have vital news to the war effort, news that will change the course of this war and, I think, bring an end to hostilities sooner than you would expect.

A senator from Trandosha snarls at Leia to get on with it and that he’s had enough grandstanding from war heroes. Chewie growls at him, visibly angry.

Han: Easy, chewie, we got the last laugh, didn’t we? Czerka Corporation had to chase those trandoshan assholes out of Kashyyyk thanks to us.

Leia: It has come to my attention in the last 24 hours, and I do have proof to back up this allegation, that Senator Onasi has been passing information on to the First Order!

The oxygen is sucked out of the chamber as every seat spins to face Onasi. He does not deny it, he does not move at all.

Leia: Senator – do you deny it?

To her surprise, Onasi smiles.

Onasi: Chancellor, you claim to serve the Republic, but truly the only person you serve is yourself.

Some of the senators yell at Onasi.

Leia: Order, order, let him speak. The coward only has grandstanding left.

Onasi: On the contrary, chancellor, I have proof of my own of a plot against the Republic. You see, I’ve been a double agent for quite some time now. I do not deny that I am in contact with Grand Moff Ree.

At this, many more senators yell.

Onasi: ENOUGH!

Onasi shows his temper for the first time.

Leia: Senator, I am trying to be reasonable. How can we possibly believe you when you say you’ve been a double agent?

Onasi opens his hands and reveals a data recording.

Onasi: Did you all know that my father fought in the battle of Endor?

Leia rolls her eyes before responding

Leia: I think you’ve mentioned it seven or eight times…this week.

Onasi scoffs before continuing

Onasi: Well it just so happens that father dearest befriended a member of the ISB in the immediate aftermath. You know how ruthless the imperial security bureau can be. Dad brought him in for questioning, of course, and the man was turned to serve the Republic. But during his initial captivity, this former ISB officer admitted he once recorded a conversation featuring none other than Darth Vader himself.

Senators jump in fear, with a couple actually vomiting out of their seats. Luke’s face turns ashen.

Onasi: Of course, the consequence of recording the dark lord’s private conversations is death, but it wasn’t like he bugged Vader’s personal suite. It was just days before the emperor was due to land on the second Death Star and the emperor had ordered the ISB officer to uncover a leaker within the imperial ranks. Vader was picked up on one of many bugs throughout the Death Star.

Leia: Is there a point to all this, Onasi?

In her drive to get him to shut up, Leia forgets to call him by his honorific title. Onasi smiles; he knows he’s getting to her.

Onasi: After quite some work on my part, I was able to finish years of searching for this recording this week when Grand Moff Ree handed it to me.

The senator from Trandosha growls again that he will rip Onasi’s arms off himself if there’s any more grandstanding

Onasi: Fair enough, my friend, fair enough. The recording revealed that Darth Vader had a son, and that son is none other than Luke Skywalker!

The entire chamber goes silent, and then there is chaos. Almost the entire chamber thinks Onasi is lying until he pulls out a recording.

Han: He has to be bluffing

Luke: He is, I can feel it…but I can’t lie.

Poe and Finn: Why not?!

Leia: Luke’s right…it’s time to be the leader I told myself I would be when I accepted the position of chancellor.

Han is crestfallen and Chewie moans as Leia retakes the floor, moving to the center of the chamber.

Leia: Senators!

The room quiets from the chaos moments before.

Leia: What Senator Onasi says is true…my father was darth vader.

The room is outraged but Leia continues to press on.

Leia: I only learned this truth days before the battle of Endor. As far as I am concerned, Senator Bail Organa was my father.

Onasi: She admits her treachery! The skywalkers are nothing but frauds! For too long have they plagued our lives, ruining us for the sake of their arrogance and faith in this so-called Force. I call for a vote to remove the chancellor!

The Trandoshan senator howls yet again, seconding the motion. A senator from Mon Cala cries his assent as well, and the clerk of the Senate agrees a vote will be held in 24 hours. As the chamber argues and Leia is humiliated, Han can do nothing but comfort her. Finn takes a few steps back, perhaps disgusted himself that he fled the Empire only to wind up back in the care of the children of Vader.

Act One, Scene Five

Onasi returns to his chambers, thinking he’s weathered the fallout of his exposure as a spy. As he slams down a shot of whiskey and begins to change though, he sees Phasma enter from his bathroom.

Phasma: Keep your clothes on, father. It will make this easier.

She is holding a rifle. He is scared.

Onasi: I did everything Ree said…

Phasma: That’s Grand Moff Ree, father.

Onasi: Father…you wouldn’t kill your own, would you?

Phasma: You’re the one who taught me about survival of the fittest. You have proven that you are not fit, and you’ve forced me to choose between defending you and defending my title. Which did you pick when you left mom?

Onasi cannot speak. He grabs at his throat.

Phasma: My rifle? Oh…no. Far too messy. Besides, poison felt more appropriate for the killing of a senator. With any luck, some senators will think it’s the chancellor.

She watches as Onasi collapses to the ground and dies. Taking off her helmet, we see some tears in her eyes.

Phasma: Just like a Sith. Zannah orders me to do her dirty work as she galivants on Korriban.

Opening a window, Phasma jumps out and on to a speeder to race off.

Act One, Scene Six

Han and the rest of the crew are drinking at a bar the night after Leia and Luke have been exposed. A random citizen gets drunk enough to have the courage to come up to Luke and heckle him. Poe steps in and tells the citizen to step off, but Luke accepts the criticism as valid and offers to pay for the man’s drinks. The man gets defensive and throws a punch at Luke, and to everyone’s surprise Finn ends up blocking the punch and knocking the guy out. Poe is impressed and a cute scene occurs between them. They’ve become comfortable with each other over the past few years, and it’s turned into a quiet flirtation in the past couple of months. Returning to his table, Luke and Han share a laugh about how it was sometimes better when they were just rebels and didn’t have to actually run anything. Chewie growls assent and C-3PO offers commentary that he quite prefers being able to live on a civilized planet and not have to run around all the time, thank you very much. Luke asks where Leia is, and Han says he just hasn’t been able to get her to come out of her room. Just then, she does enter the bar. The bartender says she should leave, but she then announces that Senator Onasi is dead. Luke, Han, Poe, Finn, Chewie, and threepio all follow her to his room.

Act One, Scene Seven

As Revan walks alongside Zannah on Korriban, he keeps looking at Vader’s charred helmet, held in Zannah’s hand.

Zannah: You are troubled, my young apprentice. I feel your anger.

Revan: That helmet should be mine. But all these years, and I still can’t even touch it.

Zannah: Do you want pity?

Revan: Of course not.

Zannah: Good. You say this helmet is yours? Then take it.

Zannah throws it to him, but Revan lets it fall to the ground rather than catch it. As it lands, it lets out an echo in the Force that Zannah and Revan hear. A rumble follows, and two TUK’ATA emerge and launch themselves at the two Sith. These hounds with six-inch claws, three horns on its head, and poisonous stingers lining their back are also Force-sensitive. When the helmet hit the ground, it let out a “call” that the beasts heard.

Zannah: The helmet! I’ve heard tales of beasts that can communicate with the dark side on this planet.

Further angered that even animals can hear his grandfather’s voice, Revan ignites his lightsaber and charges at the beasts. They are unnaturally fast thanks to the power of the Force, and all we can see is a blur of blue blade and the beasts’ tails smashing into the rocks of Korriban. Throwing his lightsaber to cut the legs off one, Revan uses the Force to push the second one off a cliff to its death. Retrieving his lightsaber, he stands over the legless beast remaining and cuts off its head.

Zannah: You did well, my young friend. Your anger led you to victory.

Revan: You could have helped.

Zannah: I knew you would dispatch both yourself. A sith does not waste energy.

Revan: And if I failed?

Zannah: Then you would not have been worthy of being a Sith, and you would not have been worthy of my time.

The two begin walking again.

Zannah: We are close. There are a great many Sith lords buried here, but none as consequential as Exar Kun. Like you, he was once a Jedi.

Revan: He’s dead, though. So why should we go to his tomb?

Zannah kisses his cheek before answering, and Revan is repulsed and attracted at the same time.

Zannah: The dead speak more clearly than the living ever can.

Act One, Scene Eight

It’s past midnight by now, and Leia breaks into Senator Onasi’s private quarters. There’s crime scene tape and other evidence that the murder is being investigated.

Luke: How did you get it?

Leia: I’m the chancellor of the Republic. You know I’ve got friends everywhere.

Han: You know this is enough to charge you with murder, right? A politician breaking into a rival’s apartment hours after they exposed your darkest secret.

Leia rolls her eyes

Leia: You’re one to talk, spice smuggler.

Han: Hey! Former spice smuggler.

As everyone searches for evidence of foul play, Finn comes across a data pad in his private closet.

Finn: Hey this might be something.

Han is able to break into the unit and sees that it’s video footage recorded from a camera pointed at the front door.

Leia: Lucky he’s just like every other senator.

Poe: How so?

Leia: He’s paranoid enough to think people are trying to break into his place all the time.

Luke: That’s literally what we’re doing right now.

Leia rolls her eyes in a sisterly way without answering

Han: Slow down the footage, Finn.

As he does, Finn and the others notice the senator collapsing as someone stands in the corner of the frame.

Finn: I can’t find the volume on this thing.

Poe finds it and turns it up, and the two share a smile and nod.

Phasma: Just like a Sith. Zannah orders me to do her dirty work as she galivants on Korriban.

Finn: I’d know that voice anywhere. It’s Phasma.

Finn balls his hands into fists. He’s about to cry.

Finn: I could have killed her back in my x-wing. I could have saved a senator’s life.

Han: I wouldn’t lose much sleep over it, kid.

Poe comforts him and lets the boy cry on his shoulder.

Leia: It’s not your fault, Finn.

Finn: I should be better by now.

Leia: The very fact that you wish you’d been able to save Onasi means you are better. But it’s a journey, not a destination. None of us is perfect, as tonight’s events prove. Right, Luke?

Luke has been deep in thought since he heard Phasma.

Luke: Korriban…that’s the home world of the Sith. No wonder I can’t feel Ben.

Han and Leia’s ears perk up.

Han: He’s there?

Luke: I’ll be getting in the way if I go. I can’t face him, not on Korriban. If I can’t sense him from here I sure as hell won’t be of much use in the center of all that dark side power.

Luke is distraught, but Leia comforts him.

Leia: It’s okay. It’s not like the old days, there are more than three of us now.

Chewie growls in frustration.

Leia: Sorry, chewie. There are more than four of us now.

Chewie growls in appreciation.

Poe: We’ll go.

Poe holds Finn’s hand as he speaks.

Leia: Han, bring back our son.

Han: I’m gonna sure as hell try.

Act Two, Scene One

As Zannah and Revan approach a solid stone wall covered in dust, they see an inscription in the ancient Sith language. Neither of them can read it, and in his frustration, Revan turns on his lightsaber and tries to cut his way in.

Zannah: Patience, my apprentice.

Stepping right in front of the door, she touches Vader’s helmet to the inscription, and we hear his iconic breathing. Suddenly, the inscription turns to Basic language.

Zannah: Only those who embody the anger of the righteous may enter. The Force shall free you as it freed me.

Revan: What does it mean?

Zannah: It appears that Kun only wanted other fallen Jedi to have his knowledge. The anger of the righteous? That could never be a Sith like me.

Revan is confused and touches Zannah’s shoulder as if to reassure her.

Revan: But you are so powerful.

Zannah: Yes, but the light never entered my soul. My whole life has been devoted to the dark side. Kun wanted his holocron to be heard by someone like you, someone searching for answers the light side could not reveal.

As if to prove her point, Zannah unleashes Force lightening on the wall, but nothing happens.

Revan: I already struck it with my lightsaber…

Zannah: Your anger was not righteous. Think, my apprentice! Focus on how your family has failed you for so long. The questions you asked them can be answered once we breach this gateway and listen to Kun!

Revan closes his eyes and tries to focus, but nothing happens.

Zannah: I still feel the conflict in you. I still feel the life force of Ben Solo.

Revan: Do not speak that name!

Turning to face her, we see that Revan is angry and a little scared.

Revan: I killed Ben Skywalker.

Zannah: I know your uncle has communicated with you since you became my apprentice.

Revan is horrified and tries to do damage control.

Revan: He reaches out, sure, but I never answer!

Zannah coos in his ear, stroking his hair.

Zannah: I am not angry, young boy. I understand; he is your family. You were brave to not respond, brave to trust me.

She kisses his cheek.

Zannah: I must tell you, though, that the senate your mother works to protect has betrayed your name.

Revan: What do you mean?

Zannah: Just before we landed, I heard word from our spy in the senate. His name is Onasi and it turns out that he is a double agent.

Revan: What?

Zannah: I thought I could trust grand moff Ree to vet him, but I was mistaken.

Revan: Tell me everything

We hear Revan becoming angry. It takes effort for Rey not to smile as her plan is working.

Rey: I will never lie to you, my dear apprentice. You will always be able to trust me.

She touches Revan’s cheek before telling him the truth.

Zannah: Emperor Palpatine was notoriously paranoid, and one of his recordings found its way into the hands of an ISB agent. The recording dealt with the true identity of Vader, and of course this information found its way into the wrong hands over the years.

Revan: No…

Zannah: I’m afraid so, my young apprentice. Onasi learned the truth and exposed the skywalker clan in front of the entire senate.

Furious, Revan punches the stone door with his bare hand. Vibrations from his rage force the door open, and now Zannah’s maniacal smile is displayed for us to see as she cackles in delight.

Zannah: Good, good. You’ve done well, my beautiful apprentice. And, of course, I dispatched Phasma to murder Onasi.

Revan is exhausted by his momentary rage. Stumbling past the threshold of the tomb, his hand grabs a piece of rock to steady himself.

Zannah: I sense great potential in you, Darth Revan. In time, you will become more powerful than me or any other being in the galaxy.

She kisses him on the lips as she walks past him.

Zannah: Ben Solo is truly dead now.

Act Two, Scene Two

Back on Hosnian Prime, Luke collapses as he helps Leia with a routine task. C-3PO rushes to his aid, very concerned, but Luke waves him off.

Leia: I feel it too…

Luke: Han and the others better hurry

Act Two, Scene Three

As they walk through Exar Kun’s crypt towards the stone sarcophagus that houses his body, four tuk’ata launch themselves at Revan and Zannah. Drunk with power, Zannah uses Sith magic against them and drains their life forces. She suddenly looks younger as a few wrinkles on her face clear up.

Revan: What is this magic?

Zannah: The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities, some considered unnatural. That was the wisdom of Darth Sidious.

Revan: The emperor…

Zannah: Yes. He taught of a way to drain the life force of living beings in order to extend one’s own life.

Revan: You have his texts?!

Zannah: Some of them, but not all.

Revan: Who are you?

Zannah stops in front of Kun’s tomb.

Zannah: I was once no one. But now…

She touches the sarcophagus

Zannah: Now I shall be the ruler of the entire galaxy!

Cackling maniacally once again, she opens the sarcophagus and we see the holocron of exar kun sitting in the hands of his skeletal decomposed body.

Act Two, Scene Four

As Han, Chewie, Finn, and Poe land in the Falcon, Poe walks out to see nothing but dry atmosphere and the stench of the dark side around him.

Han: It doesn’t look like much

Finn: Don’t kid yourself. I smell evil here.

As they walk along a pathway towards the Valley of the Sith, they encounter a tuk’ata that hurts Poe. Finn is enraged and uses his blaster to distract the beast so that it doesn’t kill Poe. Chewie kills it with his bowcaster, and Poe and Finn share a sweet moment before the entire party moves on.

Act Two, Scene Five

Zannah touches the holocron, activating it and revealing the spirit of Exar Kun.

Exar Kun: Who wakes my slumber?!

Zannah and Revan back away in awe as his spirit takes up most of the camera shot. His spirit towers over them. Gathering her wits, Zannah kneels before speaking.

Zannah: Oh, mighty Kun, it is I, Zannah of the Sith. I wish to learn your secrets so that we can finally end the Jedi.

Kun: We? You have never walked the path of a Jedi. Do not lie to me; I see and know all!

Shocked, Zannah recovers quickly and explains how she took Revan under her wing.

Zannah: The final Skywalker is now a Sith under my tutelage. With your knowledge, we will be unstoppable in carrying out your will.

Kun: Speak, child! What do you desire?

Revan gulps before speaking.

Revan: To bring honor to my family name

Kun: Skywalker?

Revan: No…Vader.

Kun: Vader…I know the name…

Exar kun’s spirit takes Zannah and Revan to another dimension where we see Emperor Palpatine step down from a luxury ship onto the world of Korriban.

Both Zannah and Revan are at a loss for words.

Kun: He came to me decades ago, this one called Sidious. He said there would need to be a contingency.

Zannah: How did he enter?!

Kun: It was his suggestion to add the new protection to the entrance; it did not exist before. He told me that I should open for no one but his own kin.

Revan: He thought of Vader as his son?

Kun: Yes…but there was also another he knew Vader’s kin would bring…

We see flashes of images. A pregnant woman on Takodana, Maz holding a child, the mother dying in childbirth. Another image, years later, of the child who now looks like a 6-year old version of Rey. The child is levitating some books inside her room for fun.

Maz: Fly, child. I cannot teach you here.

More images. Maz putting the child on a ship, the ship getting hijacked by pirates, blaster fire as the child cries before being knocked out and carried away. Years later, we see a 15-year old girl in what looks to be an orphanage. There are only teenagers in a dark room, and we see the child using Force lightening to terrorize the others. We hear Rey’s now-familiar cackling before seeing a final image. Rey is joining a cult. A man we assume is the leader offers her a hand in friendship. She seizes it and then crushes it, throwing the man off a cliff.

Rey: Henceforth, you shall be known as the Knights of Rey.

They all bow to her and we are taken back inside the crypt.

Zannah: What…what was that?

Zannah is taken aback and Revan plays with his hands nervously.

Kun: You must have sensed your potential, Rey. Deep down, you know the truth. You know who you are.

Rey: I’m…I’m no one.

Kun: No!

Kun’s spirit takes up most of the camera shot again as he rages.

Kun: You are Rey Palpatine, the living embodiment of the dark side!

There is silence except for breathing that comes from Vader’s helmet, still held by Zannah. As she looks at it, it speaks to her.

Vader: What is thy bidding, my master.

Zannah turns from the helmet to Kun

Zannah: How is this possible?

Kun explains that Palpatine impregnated a random woman through the Force.

Kun: I do not know the rest of your story, how you came to find yourself in an orphanage on Taris or in a Vader cult later on. No one truly knows the will of the Force. Consider yourself lucky.

Kun’s spirit turns to face Revan now.

Kun: Sidious met his doom at the battle of Endor, but his private ship survives.

Zannah: Where?

Kun shakes his head back and forth before responding

Kun: You are eager, yes, but full of frustration. Your father was patient.

Gritting her teeth, lightening crackling at her fingertips, Zannah responds.

Zannah: He was not around to teach me

Kun: You cannot intimidate a spirit, human. Nonetheless, the ship you seek is on the very planet you abandoned.

Zannah: Taris…

Kun: Sidious said it would be part of the contingency, to have the ship steer itself there if ever he died.

Kun turns to face Revan once again

Kun: Your lightsaber…it is blue

Revan: How did you know?

Kun ignores the question

Kun: It is time. Ben Solo is dead and Darth Revan lives. You must go to Tatooine now and reclaim your birthright. Go to Tatooine and take back the red crystal of Darth Vader.

With hunger in his eyes, Revan cannot see the jealousy on Zannah’s face. She can’t believe the spirit had such important information for him.

Kun: Go to Tatooine, and seize your birthright, the most powerful weapon of the Sith.

Act Two, Scene Six

As Zannah and Revan leave the Valley of the Sith and approach their ships, Revan asks Zannah if she’s okay.

Zannah: No one’s ever asked me that before…

Revan: I care about you, master. You deserve happiness.

Zannah: And you deserve so much more than that family gave you

Revan: Maybe…maybe this is destiny…that we met…

Zannah touches his face and draws closer to him. She coos in his ear that they will rule the galaxy as the final descendants of good and evil, forging a new path that will result in peace at last. She kisses his lips again before speaking once more.

Revan: I care for you. When we first met, I admit I was jealous of your power. I still am. But I also feel passion.

Zannah runs a hand through his hair before speaking again.

Zannah: Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory.

Revan finishes the Code of the Sith for her.

Revan: Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me.

Grabbing him by the hair, she kisses him passionately and he holds her face as well after a moment. She speaks when their lips finally part.

Zannah: Only you can wield Vader’s saber. Now let us go to Tatooine, and free the galaxy from the tyranny of the Republic!

Revan: I wish we’d only brought one ship here. With a bed.

Zannah smiles

Zannah: Didn’t you hear Kun? Patience is the way of the Sith. All in due time, my apprentice.

Act Two, Scene Seven

Han and the gang arrive at the tomb only to find it’s sealed. As they try to enter, Han hears his son’s voice in his head.

Revan: Leave now while you still can

Han: Ben?

The others stop what they’re doing and look at Han as if he’s crazy

Han: Ben! Where are you?

Revan: For so long I waited for your approval, for mom’s.

Han: You always had it

Revan: I didn’t. If I did, you would have told me the truth.

Han: The truth is complicated. I’m sorry, son.

Revan: The truth is easy. Zannah has shown me that.

Han: Rey? She can’t be trusted. She’s manipulating you! Can’t you see that?

Revan: I see a lot clearer nowadays.

Han can’t breathe. He grabs his neck as someone is choking him. His friends yell and gather around him, helpless until Revan releases him.

Revan: Don’t follow me, dad. If I see you again, I’ll kill you.

Han calls out to his son again and again, but there is no response.

Act Two, Scene Eight

As Zannah and Revan’s ships launch into space, we see Zannah communicate with Grand Moff Ree. She tells Ree to take Phasma and get to Taris pronto and fills her in on what to expect to find there. She cannot go herself because she has to accompany Revan to Tatooine. Ree agrees to go with Phasma but tells Zannah not to order her around. There is tension between Zannah and Ree as we wonder who’s in charge of who, until Zannah tells Ree the truth she just learned, that she is Palpatine’s daughter, at which point Ree falls in line. Imperialis, the emperor’s ship, has ancient weapons in it that Ree wants for the first order, including a hyperspace jammer strong enough to ground the entire republic fleet.

Act Two, Scene Nine

Unable to crack the tomb, Han and the others return to their ship but run into a herd of tuk’ata on their way back. The beasts almost kill them, but they are saved by Maz who admits she knew Rey as a baby and raised her after the child’s mother died in childbirth. Maz knew the child deserved training after realizing she was force-sensitive, but only learned years later that the ship she put Rey on that was headed to Hosnian Prime to seek out Luke was hijacked. She blames herself for not going to hosnian prime with the child and says this all could have been so different. Han says it’s okay and wants to reconvene with Luke and Leia on hosnian prime to protect his wife and speak on her behalf ahead of the censure vote, but sends Chewie, Poe, and Finn to Taris after Maz tells them that that’s where Phasma and Ree are headed according to Maz’s spies. They want to chase after Zannah and Revan, but Maz is able to convince them that they can’t handle the daughter of Palpatine and the grandson of Vader yet. Maz’s spies tell her that Phasma and Ree have mentioned a super weapon on Taris and maybe Finn and the others will stand a chance against the Sith if they can find whatever Phasma and Ree are after. Han has them take the Falcon and rides back with Maz in her own ship.

Act Three, Scene One

As Finn, Poe, and Chewie blast off for Taris, Poe argues that he should be allowed to pilot the Falcon as Han’s protégée. Chewie growls at him to back off. Later on, during the flight, Poe and Finn are playing holochess and share a touching moment where we learn more about Poe’s parents who fought in the Battle of Endor. Finn reveals that he was born into captivity, and that his parents were too and fought in the Battle of Endor on the other side. Poe says both their parents were scared and just trying to survive, that the grunts of the imperials and rebels really aren’t that different.

Poe: We’re all just scared. But it’s how we manage that fear that defines who we are.

Finn: I’m still afraid, I still have nightmares. But I won’t freeze anymore. I’ve spent my whole life training for war, but for the first time I actually want to fight.

Poe: Why’s that?

Finn: Because I finally have something worth fighting for.

They’re about to kiss, but right before they can Chewie growls that they’re about to jump out of lightspeed. The moment is gone.

Act Three, Scene Two

Landing on Taris, we see raised platforms and futuristic-looking skyscrapers high above the greenery below. When Poe, Finn, and Chewie descend, a twi’lek man asks them for their papers. Poe uses his charm to try and convince him that they don’t need any papers, but the man is not amused and slaps them with a fine. He says they can keep their ship here for a day, but that it’s going to get towed tomorrow afternoon unless the fine has been paid by then. As they leave to explore the planet, Finn asks Poe why he was flirting.

Poe: It helps sometimes

Finn: Seems like all it did was get us in trouble

Poe: Yeah, that happens sometimes too.

Act Three, Scene Three

Finn, Poe, and Chewie have now entered a marketplace. They see aliens of all kinds selling goods and foods. They also see First Order troops and duck into a corridor to get out of the way. It’s here that they run into a little boy who asks them what they’re hiding from

Poe: Why do you think we’re hiding from something?

Boy: No one comes here unless they’re hiding, especially humans. You probably want to join your friend, huh?

Finn: What friend?

Boy: She looks like you, dark-skinned, I mean.

Chewie growls in excitement

Poe: Yeah Chewie, I know.

Turning to face the boy, Poe asks if this black person he saw was a human woman traveling with someone else. The boy confirms that it was.

Finn: Can you take us where they went?

Boy: They went to the sewers. I’m not allowed to play around there, but I think my friends can take you.

Motioning them to follow him, the boy leads them through some alleys to a group of little animals called porgs. After instructing them about where to take Finn, Poe, and Chewie, the boy prepares to leave.

Poe: Hey kid, thanks! And by the way, welcome to the resistance. That’s who we are.

Boy: Then why are you hiding?

Finn: We’re done hiding. This will help make things right.

Sharing a smile with Poe, Finn and the heroes follow the porgs.

Act Three, Scene Four

Ree and Phasma are in the sewers of Taris, fighting their way through all kinds of monsters. There are K’LOR SLUGS, 2-foot long worms with serpentine bodies and dozens of poisonous legs. There are also RAKGHOULS, humans infected with a plague of some kind that turns the sentient human into a mindless and blind clawed being with sharp teeth. Ree wields a modified DLT-20A blaster rifle that comes with a tighter grip and more firepower, while Phasma uses her flamethrower and other deadly instruments concealed in her special armor.

Phasma: What are these beasts?!

Ree: I came across them in my brief on the flight over. Rakghouls. It appears that the governing authority here conducted some medical experiments years ago on the poor. When the experiments went wrong, the higher ups banished these mutants to the sewers.

Phasma: That’s why the emperor hid Imperialis here, isn’t it? Because no one would check the sewers?

Ree: He truly was a genius. The sewers lead to an underground where today’s poor live now. That’s where Rey suggested we search.

As they continue fighting their way across the sewers, they see an opening to this underground city of the poor.

Act Three, Scene Five

Han has returned to Hosnian Prime with Maz and they are meeting with Luke and Leia and C-3PO in Leia’s chambers. He tells them that Ben and Rey accessed a tomb on Korriban belonging to someone called Exar Kun. Luke says that he came across that name in his research decades ago, that Kun is a Jedi who fell to the dark side.

Leia: Why didn’t you follow Ben?

Han: The others have it covered. Besides, I wanted to be here for support when the senate votes.

Leia then says the vote’s been cancelled in the wake of Senator Onasi’s death. The senate has been convinced by her to instead investigate the circumstances surrounding his death since it was suspicious, but they’re also investigating her and Luke. Luke says he doesn’t mind, that sunlight is the best disinfectant and perhaps this was overdue. He says he was a fool for thinking just because he didn’t open a new Jedi Academy he could hide the truth forever. He also says that if Rey and Ben were able to access the tomb, they must have discovered Kun’s holocron. Luke says that Rey’s sorcery will be at least strong enough to match him now, and that since they’ve visited exar Kun’s tomb he’ll have told Ben to find a weapon as well. Han says Ben already has a lightsaber, but Luke says that won’t be enough. Ben will want Vader’s kyber crystal. Luke then reveals that when he tried to destroy it, the crystal reformed before his own eyes. Unable to crack it, he buried it on Tatooine. So, then they go to Tatooine.

Act Three, Scene Six

In the sewers, Chewie saves Finn from a rakghoul, shooting it in the chest with his bowcaster right as it’s about to bite Finn. They’re in a dark, smelly, enclosed space and Finn has a mini meltdown and starts hyperventilating. The entire experience of being in the sewer reminds him of his upbringing as a stormtrooper. Especially with the knowledge that he’ll also be coming face-to-face with Phasma again, he loses it.

Poe: Hey! Finn! Remember what you told the boy; we’re done hiding!

Grabbing Finn by the head, he continues.

Poe: This is your choice to be down here, not Phasma’s. All right? Remember that and breathe.

Finn begins taking deeper, fuller breaths. His heart rate is still elevated but is coming down.

Poe: You’re not a buckethead anymore. You’re not just cannon fodder. You’re choosing this fight; you’re choosing to be brave.

Finn’s breath returns to normal, he’s succeeded in calming him down.

Poe: That’s it, Finn. Remember, always, that you are loved.

It’s the first time Finn has ever heard someone use the L word to describe him, and it gives him pause. He asks what love is, and Poe responds, “let me show you” and then kisses him.

Act Three, Scene Seven

Ree and Phasma exit the sewers and see where the poor live. It looks like the slums of Mumbai. As they arrive at the gates of shantytown, two Gamorrean guards ask them gruffly for ID and ask them to turn over any weapons. Ree makes like she’s going to comply, but then grabs a pistol tucked into her back and shoots them both dead. As they enter the area, the citizens all come out of their huts scared but also hopeful. The Gamorreans had been abusing them at every opportunity, physically and financially.

Ree: I am looking for a ship. It would be grand, perhaps grander than anything you’ve ever seen.

When no one answers her, Phasma turns on her flamethrower and burns a hut to the ground.

Ree: I will only repeat myself once – where is the ship?

An Ithorian woman, EWLAN, speaks, telling Ree and Phasma that she’s heard tale of a ship that has chased all the children away. When Ree asks what she means by that, the woman says there are no children in this shantytown anymore, including her own. Looking around, Ree notices that that’s true. The Ithorian goes on to state that most people assume the Gamorreans steal and sell them into slavery, and that may be true, but she has also heard that the children run away willingly when they get too close to a ship and hear it call to them. Ree is intrigued and demands she take them to the ship.

Act Three, Scene Eight

We see the Ithorian, Ree, and Phasma approach Imperialis, Palpatine’s luxury ship.

Ewlan: I cannot enter

Ree: Thank you for your help. Phasma, give our friend her reward.

As Ree approaches the ship, we hear Phasma fire a blaster bolt and hear Ewlan’s dead body hit the ground.

Ree: Yes…I can hear the ship call out to me.

Taking an imperial pin out of her vest, she places it against the ship’s entry console and hears the hiss of a door opening.

Phasma: You’ve figured it out!

Ree: Of course. That pin is proof that I am the current grand moff.

As they enter, they are mesmerized by the art and artifacts surrounding them. They come across a protocol droid called 11-4D that is basically an evil version of threepio.

11-4D: Ah, the maker said you’d come one day. Which of you is the master and which is the apprentice?

Phasma: What?

Ree: I am Grand Moff Ciena Ree of the First Order, the highest-ranking member of Emperor Palpatine’s Empire. You will obey me.

After thinking about it for a moment, 11-4D nods.

11-4D: Affirmative, master. That makes sense. Would you like me to still refer to this one as your apprentice?

As he points to Phasma, Ree chuckles.

Phasma: Just try it, bug head.

Ree asks the droid what its purpose is and how long it’s been here. The droid gives them both a tour of the ship and is able to open all the doors to show them more ancient Sith artifacts, including a portrait of a twi’lek Sith lord, Darth Gean, in the emperor’s bedroom.

Phasma: He must have been very important to merit a portrait in the emperor’s private quarters.

11-4D: She.

Phasma: Sorry?

11-4D: Darth Gean was female. She is widely credited with saving the Sith Order from extinction 500 years ago.

Ree acknowledges this before letting the droid lead them to the back of the ship. There she some mechanical parts herded into a closet, and a single weapon hidden amidst the parts.

Phasma: It can’t be!

Phasma recognizes a glowing sword.

Ree: What is it?

Phasma: They call it the darksaber…

Phasma is totally mesmerized. Ree is annoyed that she doesn’t know something.

Ree: What is a darksaber?

Before Phasma can answer, the droid responds.

11-4D: The darksaber is a weapon of the Mandalorians. It is strong enough to withstand a lightsaber and belonged to the descendants of House Vizsla for a thousand years. More recently, the emperor picked it up from that family and stored it here for a worthy heir to his legacy.

Phasma takes the weapon in her hands. She grins as the power of that weapon surges through her. It’s like she’s high on power.

11-4D: The weapon is able to absorb heat and the energy of blaster bolts. Attacking it only makes it stronger.

Ree: It is fitting that I should wield it, then.

As Ree moves to take the weapon from Phasma’s hands, the weapon shocks her.

Ree: What the hell?

11-4D: The weapon binds itself to whomever touches it first. Since your apprentice picked it up first, it will only respond to her.

Ree draws her blaster and points it to Phasma

Ree: Give it to me!

Phasma drops it to the ground, but when Ree tries to pick it up it shocks her again. Phasma suppresses a laugh.

Ree: Make yourself useful, then.

She turns to the droid, ordering him to find other weapons they can bring back to the First Order.

11-4D: The hyperspace jammer is particularly powerful. The emperor said it would be necessary one day.

Handing Ree a rectangular module a little smaller than her hand, the droid explains that it is powerful enough to be able to ground the entire Republic fleet when activated.

Phasma: They won’t be able to enter hyperspace?

11-4D: That is correct.

Ree smiles.

Ree: With the weaponry and tech on this ship, destroying the Republic will be almost too easy. Now let’s get to Tatooine. I’m eager to know if Darth Zannah was as successful as us.

Act Three, Scene Nine

As Ree and Phasma leave the ship, droid in tow, Chewie, Poe, and Finn confront them.

Ree: Deal with this scum, Phasma. FourDee and I will meet you at the ship.

As Ree and the droid escape through a path behind Imperialis, Phasma reveals the darksaber. Chewie opens fire with his bowcaster, but Phasma’s blade just absorbs the blast. She then charges Poe who fires his own gun, but she brings the blade down to cut the pistol in half before kicking Poe in the chest and sending him flying. Finn then attacks her, and she manages to cut off one of his hands. Fallen to the ground, Phasma lifts the darksaber again and is prepared to kill him when Chewie blasts her in the back of the chest with his bowcaster. She falls to the ground and Chewie lifts Finn up and runs off with Poe to find Ree before it’s too late.

Act Three, Scene Ten

Back above ground, we see Ree and her droid board a Lambda-class shuttle as Chewie, Finn, and Poe watch on helplessly. The shuttle doesn’t launch into space, though, instead navigating itself below the docking bay towards the underground housing the poor. We see Ree piloting the vessel and stopping to retrieve Phasma. When she thanks her for coming back, Ree says she only came back for the darksaber and tells Phasma not to screw up again, leaving Phasma feeling resentful that she murdered her own father for this woman and she’s still so cold.

Act Three, Scene Eleven

We see the twin suns of Tatooine as a space cruiser lands in Mos Eisley. Luke, Han, Leia, and C-3PO emerge from it.

C-3PO: I remember this like it was yesterday.

Luke: Yeah…a lot of memories tied up in this place.

Han: None of them good.

Leia: Oh, I don’t know. I killed a Hutt here, wasn’t all bad.

Han: Oh yeah. I remember that bikini. Wasn’t all bad.

Leia rolls her eyes.

Leia: Luke, where’d you hide the kyber crystal? At the farm?

Luke: No, it’d be too obvious there. I buried it in the middle of the Dune Sea.

Han: Where that sarlaac almost ate us? You should have just tossed it in that beast’s belly.

Luke: The dark side envelopes anything that comes into contact with the crystal. I thought the planet could benefit from not having a sarlaac driven mad by the Force.

Han chuckles

Han: Good call

Leia: Let’s buy some speeders and get to it

As they wander through a marketplace, they eventually find a Toydarian, WARDO, selling speeders.

Wardo: I gonna give you good price, but you gotta give collateral.

Han: What about the droid?

C-3PO: I beg your pardon, sir?

Wardo: Eh? How many languages he speak?

C-3PO: I am fluent in over six million dialects, but I am also not for sale. Isn’t that right, Master Luke?

Luke: We aren’t selling you, threepio. Relax.

C-3PO: See! Take note, Master Solo. Not everyone will go along with whatever you say.

Luke: Threepio, like he said. It’s just collateral.

As they buy the vehicles from Wardo, threepio complains as the three of them head out for the Dune Sea.

Act Three, Scene Twelve

The three heroes are racing across the Mushroom Mesa, a location in the North Dune Sea where, decades ago, young Anakin Skywalker raced in his podracer to secure his freedom from another Toydarian. As Luke races through the plains, he stops when he hears the faint whispers of his father cheering as he leaps into first place. Han and Leia stop as well to make sure he’s okay.

Han: What’s the matter, kid? You’re looking the same way you did when you realized Vader was on Endor.

Leia: Luke?

Luke: I feel like I’ve been here before…in another life.

Just then, Ree and Phasma stop by in their own speeders.

Ree: Nice of you to slow down for us

Leia: Ciena Ree! No wonder you were able to sneak up on us, your stench is identical to bantha fodder.

As Phasma takes out her darksaber, Luke activates his lightsaber and steps in front of Leia.

Luke: Leia, go find Ben! Han and I will handle this.

Leia looks reluctant to leave, but eventually climbs back on her speeder. She calls out to Ree once more before speeding away.

Leia: You’re gonna pay for assassinating the chancellor!

Ree: Perhaps. Or perhaps I’ll be remembered as the woman who was finally able to secure justice for Vader’s victims. So unfortunate for Ben to hear the truth from the Senate instead of his own parents.

Closing her eyes, Leia sends a surge out through the Force that topples Ree to the ground into the sand. Han laughs and even Luke can’t conceal a smirk.

Leia: I’ll be back to finish what I started

Ree speaks as she gets up and dusts herself off.

Ree: Oh, don’t worry. If there’s one thing I know it’s that the skywalkers enjoy causing pain. That’s why Ben is such a good fit as Darth Zannah’s apprentice. Or should I say, Darth Revan.

Before Leia can get off her speeder to attack Ree, Luke lunges at her but is blocked by Phasma’s darksaber. As their weapons sizzle, Luke orders Leia to get moving and find Ben before it’s too late.

Luke: What is this?

Phasma: You Jedi are so arrogant to think your weapon makes you invincible.

With Leia gone, a fight ensues between Phasma and Luke. Phasma shoots a cable around Luke to tie him up and then launches herself into the air, bringing Luke with her. He is able to use his lightsaber to cut the cord and lands in attack position back on the sand. Using the Force, he pulls her jetback off her and sends her crashing down at his feet. He is about to kill her when he hears the voice of his father warning him not to embrace the dark side.

Anakin: No, Luke! Don’t give in to your fear as I did! Save Ben as you saved me by setting a good example!

Luke hesitates long enough for Phasma to run away, jumping on her speeder to head back to Mos Eisley. While Phasma and Luke fight, Ree and Han fight. Ree almost kills Han before he’s able to disarm her and knock her out. She is now a captive of the Republic.

Han: Don’t tell Leia. She’s not gone ten minutes and I’m already picking up another woman.

Hiding a smile, Luke says Han should make his way back to threepio and the ship.

Luke: I’ll bring Ben back.

Han: May the Force be with you.

Nodding, Luke and Han part ways.

Act Three, Scene Thirteen

We hear a sarlaac roar and then see Revan, with an ignited lightsaber, pull himself up from a pit in the middle of the Dune Sea. Zannah is at the side of the pit.

Zannah: What a revolting creature

Revan: Only a Hutt could love such a creature

Zannah: I thought you were a goner when it swallowed you, my love.

Revan stops before responding. Passion, love. These are new concepts for him, and he is as happy as he’s ever been. He believes he’s finally found his purpose with Zannah.

Revan: Everything bleeds.

Zannah: I take it the crystal was not inside the belly of the beast, then?

Revan nods his assent and continues walking towards his speeder, with Zannah following for once. As they both get on their vehicles, Revan speaks again.

Revan: I can feel my grandfather’s presence here. I can hear echoes from his past.

Zannah: Trust your instincts. The dark side is strong here, that much is certain. That weapon was meant to be in your hands; it will make itself known to you.

Revan: But how to foc…

In the middle of his question, Revan stops and turns his head. He feels something. Turning his speeder on, he jets off and Zannah follows. Racing through the desert, they arrive at the lair of a KRAYT DRAGON. Zannah is turned on as she watches her young apprentice leap off his speeder and ignite his lightsaber to confront the infamous alpha beast of Tatooine.

Zannah: You never tire, do you my eager apprentice?

Revan: My passion fuels me more than any food could.

As he walks into the lair of the beast, we see the dark cave and then the 45-meter long reptile. Gnashing teeth and a tail are not enough to scare Revan, and the Sith apprentice begins to hurl stalagmites and stalactites from the cave at the beast. Its roars are enough to notify anyone within miles that there is a dragon here. Zannah smiles as she watches the fight.

Act Three, Scene Fourteen

Caught up to his sister, Luke and Leia now speed towards the krayt dragon’s lair. They heard its cries and know only one person out here would be foolish enough to provoke such a beast. As they arrive on scene, they see Zannah enamored by Revan’s fighting prowess. They see bloody scars across the boy’s body and notice the dragon has lost its tail and now walks with a limp.

Luke: Ben!

Turning to face the famed Jedi Master, Zannah attacks him with Sith lightening which he catches with his green lightsaber. She then activates her lightwhip and the two fight.

Zannah: You do not know the truth, pathetic Jedi! But you will, soon you will!

Luke: Whatever you think you learned on Korriban is a lie. A Sith is incapable of telling the truth.

Zannah: That’s rich coming from the son of Vader!

As Luke and Zannah duel, Leia sees her son tiring. She sees the dragon use one of its claws to tear into Revan’s back.

Revan: Ah!

The rage fuels him and he throws his blue lightsaber at the dragon’s head, but it only manages to nick the beast’s neck, drawing green blood that pools at Revan’s feet. Defenseless, tired, and fallen to the floor of the cave, he uses the Force to create a shield around himself as the beast tries to bite his head off. The dragon keeps bringing its head down on the Force shield, making it weaker and weaker as Revan uses his hands to back out of the cave. As the dragon steps outside the cave and readies itself to destroy the shield with one last headbutt, we see the beast back off and hesitate at the last moment. We see life reenter Revan’s body. The boy looks around and sees that his mother is meditating. He is in awe for a moment.

Zannah: The skywalkers continue to prove that they are their own worst enemies!

Zannah cackles as she takes a break from the lightsaber combat between her and Luke.

Zannah: Now, Darth Revan! Fulfill your destiny!

Focusing all of his anger on the dragon, Darth Revan’s eyes turn red and clouds open up over the sky. Lightening comes down from space and strikes the krayt dragon dead.

Zannah: Un-limited Pow-er!

Zannah uses the confusion to throw her lightwhip around the dragon’s head and rip it off, covering Revan in the blood of his enemy. When he emerges, he is holding Darth Vader’s kyber crystal.

Revan: At last.

Zannah joins him at his side, kissing his lips and making sure Luke and Leia see how badly they’ve failed.

Zannah: The legacy of the Sith lies now in your hands, Darth Revan.

Turning his lightsaber off, Revan opens it and uses the Force to exchange crystals. When he activates it again, the red sword of Vader is visible for all to see. Zannah is visibly turned on while Luke and Leia are horrified.

Revan: I’ll make you the same offer I made dad.

Revan’s voice is filled with pride.

Revan: Leave now. The galaxy is ours; it is inevitable. But you don’t have to die. Leave, disappear. Consider it a kindness. If I see either of you again…I’ll kill you.

Taking Zannah’s hand in his own, he jumps on to one single speeder, with Zannah hugging him from behind, and races off.

Act Three, Scene Fifteen

As we see Luke and Leia return to Mos Eisley, they share what happened with Han and threepio and decide to regroup on Hosnian Prime.

Han: At least we’re not leaving empty handed.

As he points to a tied-up Ree, Leia slaps her out of frustration. As they take off, we see Phasma smiling as she walks to her own ship, mask off.

Act Three, Scene Sixteen

Aboard their ships, Zannah tells Revan that from now on they’ll travel together everywhere on a star destroyer.

Revan: They’ll let you have one?

Zannah: Armed with that crystal, we have everything…I hear star destroyers have beds in them.

There is a smile in Revan’s voice as he speaks.

Revan: I still have doubts, but I can’t help but be happy when you’re around.

Zannah: Doubt is good, fear is good. Remember what I taught you.

Revan: Fear attracts the fearful, the strong, the weak, the innocent, the corrupt. Fear. Fear is my ally.

Zannah: We all have it, but only those brave enough to embrace it can conquer it. Only those who have the courage to embrace their basest instincts can overcome them and bend the Force to their will.

Revan: Yes master. I’ll be better from now on.

Zannah: My love, you are perfect just the way you are.

Revan doesn’t say anything to this, but from a closeup of his spaceship we see him crying. For the first time in his life, he feels loved by someone just the way he is. As the camera pans out, we see Zannah and Revan’s ships leave Tatooine towards the future.

Episode IX

Keepers of the Force

As Darth Revan seized his grandfather’s lightsaber, misery has swept through the galaxy these past three months. But where misery leads, hope always follows! Revan and his master, Darth Zannah, have felt an awakening in the Force, a beam of light from a new warrior.

Luke Skywalker hears the light call to him from Ryloth. With Han and R2-D2 at his side, the Millennium Falcon races to the homeland of the twi’leks to try and recruit this new warrior to their cause. If Luke can prove the Force exists beyond the skywalker name, the Republic might regain its faith in the Jedi and their ability to protect the galaxy. Han and Luke will have to get through the First Order, though. Ryloth fell to GRAND MOFF PHASMA and her troops years ago.

Meanwhile, the senate investigations of Skywalker and Onasi are almost over. All that remains is hearing from Republic captive and former Grand Moff Ciena Ree. Unknown to the senate, though, she’s been kidnapped by BAZINE NETAL, a bounty hunter, and taken to NAR SHADDAA, the home of the Hutts. As Leia and C-3PO try to stall the senate ahead of Ree’s planned testimony, Maz Kanata flies with Finn, Poe, and Chewie to rescue Ree...

Act One, Scene One

Finn, Poe, Chewie, and Maz are preparing to land on Nar Shaddaa. They are traveling in a Weequay pirate ship piloted by Maz. Even from space, we can see the bright orange lights of Nar Shaddaa’s cityscape. Though it is only a moon, it has a larger population density than any planet in the galaxy. Over one trillion beings live in this gangster’s paradise.

Maz: Coming in to land now.

As Maz enters the moon’s atmosphere, Chewie growls.

Poe: Yeah I know buddy, I wanted to fly this thing too

Maz looks back at them like they asked to wear her face as their own

Maz: No one flies the Golden Tide except me.

As the ship lands, our heroes exit the Golden Tide and enter a multi-colored metropolis that looks like something out of the future. A hologram of a Hutt greets them as a droid rolls out to collect their docking fee. Maz pays them while Finn walks up to the Hutt hologram. We see that one of Finn’s hands is bionic following the events of Episode VIII.

Finn: The First Order worked with this filth every once in awhile when I was a stormtrooper. If Maz is right and Ree was brought here by that bounty hunter, the Hutt who hired her is probably just waiting for the right moment to sell Ree back to Phasma.

Poe: Would Phasma even care?

Finn: Good point.

Maz: Whatever the Hutt has planned for Ree, we have to get her back before the senate realizes she’s gone. Her disappearing on the eve of her testimony won’t do Leia any favors.

As the heroes walk the city’s futuristic corridors, Maz takes the lead, elbowing her way in front of Finn

Maz: And you can rest assured that I am right. My spies are the best. Besides, I know this particular bounty hunter. Goes by the name Bazine.

Poe: Friend of yours?

Maz: She’s had a drink or two at my palace

Chewie growls in protest, and Maz waves him off

Maz: You know I’m loyal, you big hairball! Now come on!

As she races ahead of the pack, Finn and Poe shrug at each other and follow

Act One, Scene Two

Leia is in her chancellor quarters as threepio brings in the trandoshan senator from last movie, HOGIRK REGG.

Leia: Sentor Regg, to what do I owe the pleasure?

Regg: (translated) save your formalities. No one has seen the prisoner for days now. Her disappearance is siphoning off whatever little support the skywalker name still holds.

Leia: Need I remind you that before I was a skywalker, I was an Organa. It is not my brother’s Jedi skills but rather my political instincts that helped shape this prosperous New Republic. That is why even despite the constant smear attempts by you and others, there has never been a floor vote to remove me as chancellor.

Regg: Save your fancy words for someone who cares, Chancellor. We both know the truth, and when Ree fails to show up tomorrow the rest of the senate will know as well that you’re nothing but a blight upon this galaxy, just like your wookie-loving husband.

Leia: Oh..yes…I forgot, you rather loathe Han, don’t you? How much money did you lose when Czerka chased your family off Kashyyyk?

Snarling, Regg storms out.

Leia: The worst thing about this is that he’s right.

C-3PO: I beg your pardon, chancellor, but you must have a little more faith. Poe is Han’s own protegee, and that Finn character is pretty smart for a stormtrooper.

Leia: Former stormtrooper…but I do hope you’re right. We haven’t had good news in so long.

Act One, Scene Three

We see Revan and Zannah meditating on Ruusan. Vader’s helmet is levitating in front of Revan. Ruusan is an earthy planet, with plenty of greenery and streams. As Revan opens his eyes, he sees a plant grow and begin to strangle Zannah. Using nothing but his will, the plant breaks in two and falls at her feet.

Zannah: You learn quickly, my apprentice. The day will soon come when I run out of challenges for you.

Revan: I thought we challenge each other daily, Zannah

As he gets up, he kisses her and she can’t help but smile.

Zannah: Yes, but you know what I mean. We have grown to reach the apex of our powers this last month.

Revan: And the light has risen to meet us

Zannah: Yes…I have felt it too. That is why we are here.

Revan: It is time?

Zannah nods before the two begin running across the forest. As they run further into the forest, Vader’s helmet floating behind them, the flora and fauna of the planet emerge from all corners to try and strangle them to death. We see the red blades of both Zannah and Revan slice apart beast and plant. Finally, Zannah brings Revan to the center of a field.

Revan: What is this place?

Revan grabs his head. He hears echoes that mirror whispers from past Sith lords: Maul, Tyrannis, and then finally Vader’s “Nooooo!” The helmet recognizes its master’s cry and falls to the floor.

Zannah breathes in the evil present here before responding.

Zannah: Here is where the Sith died a thousand years ago.

Revan: What do you mean? How can grandfather be here?

Zannah: The spirits of all departed Sith gather here eventually. This is the place where Darth Bane, first of the New Sith Order, created the Rule of Two.

Revan: You mean…?

Zannah: Yes. Once the Sith had numbers to match the entire Jedi Order. But Bane saw the truth, saw that our large numbers diluted the strength of our order. Sith always crave power, and as long as the weak could gang up against the strong our power would never match the Jedi. It was Bane who realized there can only be two, one to embody the power of the dark side and the other to crave it.

Revan: If the Sith did number in the thousands, though…how did he kill them all?

Zannah: It is ancient magic. I learned of it on Taris soon after joining the Knights, but the power to wield such a magnificent weapon was not possible…until now

Revan: Now?

Zannah: Yes, Revan. Your strength, your lineage, your lightsaber! It gives us a chance to do what must be done! It gives us an opportunity to do what even my father could not do!

Revan: And what is that?

Zannah: We will create the same weapon Bane did so long ago, the thought bomb. With our combined focus, we will be able to wipe out every Force user in the galaxy.

Revan is floored. This is power he never dreamed of wielding.

Revan: It’s possible? To extinguish the light?

Zannah: Yes. As long as one is not afraid of the dark.

Act One, Scene Four

Finn, Poe, Chewie, and Maz are in a bar run by a short-tempered Zabrak. He swears at them in his native tongue as they return to their table at the side of the room.

Maz: That’s the last time I’ll ask a Zabrak for information.

Finn: If someone here’s seen Bazine, they aren’t talking.

Poe: This is the place for bounty hunters to drink, right?

Maz: That’s what my spies told me.

Poe: I got an idea

As Chewie growls at Poe, he leaves the table and walks to a table across the bar. Seated there is a Palliduvan, an albino humanoid race that counts Aurra Sing as one of its own, and a human playing cards.

Poe: What’s your name, friend?

The Palliduvan doesn’t even look up from his playing cards, instead choosing to display long fingernails that are hugging his deck close to his body. The human chuckles before looking up at Poe.

Drek: The name is Drek Fister, and this here’s Valen Song. But unless you’re interested in a game of Pazaak, I think it’s time you go if you want to keep all your fingers and toes together.

Poe: As a matter of fact, I was looking to play a round or two.

Valen looks up now.

Valen: Buy-in is 500 credits.

Poe: Steep price, but I’m in.

Act One, Scene Five

The Falcon is in the middle of a battle as it races through the forest of Ryloth. First Order fighters are firing at it as Han steers the ship and Luke fires the turret.

Han: Just like old times, huh?

Luke: Yeah, I was starting to miss it.

Han: That’ll teach us to reminisce.

Eventually, the Falcon is able to outmaneuver every ship. They either explode when crashing into trees or Luke shoots them down.

Luke: I see a village on the horizon. Let’s land there.

As the ship lands, though, native twi’leks run out to scream at them.

Han: What’s all the fuss about?

A young man, JART’BONDARA, is at the front of this team of twi’leks, and he is not happy.

Jart: Why are you here? You have led the First Order to us! They will be back with reinforcements for sure.

Looking at each other, Han shrugs

Han: Yeah, that was my bad.

Luke: We’ve come looking for someone. We’ll stay and help you fight any invaders, we promise.

Jart: I know who you are. Just because we’re in the Outer Rim doesn’t mean we’re hicks. You’re Luke Skywalker, son of Vader!

Hearing this, the other twi’leks become deathly quiet

Luke: …I’m sorry

Jart: You should be, after what your father did to my beautiful planet

Luke: Please…we can help.

Jart explains that he’s part of the Free Ryloth movement that has existed in one form or another since the Clone Wars. Ryloth has been conquered time and again for decades by various factions looking to exploit its resources. Jart’s own parents died at the hands of the Empire.

Han: Kid, I’m sorry

Jart: I’m not a child! I had to grow up fast.

Luke sympathizes with Jart and tells him he was drawn here by the Force and that he believes there’s a man on this planet who can bring peace once and for all. Jart says if the Force is real it’s only brought pain and misery to Ryloth. Han thinks they’re about to get kicked out and mentions they should go and they’re sorry for bothering them, but Jart insists they stay now in case the First Order comes back.

Act One, Scene Six

We are in the middle of an intense game of Pazaak. Poe ends up winning, and Valen makes a big fuss, swearing at Poe in Huttese.

Drek: He can’t pay, but he’s willing to take care of a situation for you if you know what I mean.

Poe: We need information.

Poe waves his friends over, at which point he reveals his New Republic badge and both Drek and Valen raise their guns.

Poe: Hey, hey, hey, we aren’t looking to create trouble with either of you.

Valen: You do intend to start trouble, though, eh?

Poe: My friends and I are looking for someone named Bazine. Any chance you can help us out?

Drek: She took a job for the Bliz family, right?

Finn: Bliz? Who is that?

Valen smiles evily before responding

Valen: You ever hear how sometimes getting what you want can be a terrible tragedy? Tessu Bliz is a Hutt crime lord who runs all the gambling from the Orange Lady to Club Vertica. You want Bazine, she’s probably drinking at the Orange Lady.

Drek: She did it?

Valen: Yeah

Finn: Did what?

Valen: Tessu heard the Republic had kidnapped the grand moff and hired Bazine to snag her. People will pay top dollar to watch that Ree woman fight in Tessu’s fighting arena.

Chewie growls in despair

Valen: Oh yes, you’ll have to fight Bazine and the Hutts if you want her back.

Act One, Scene Seven

Poe, Finn, Chewie, and Maz enter the Orange Lady. There are all kinds of aliens drinking liquids of various colors, and at the back of the room they see Bazine playing a virtual reality game involving darts and guns. As they head towards the back, Bazine sees them and recognizes Maz. She runs, slipping out a back door, and a chase scene follows. Bazine jumps on a speeder and races through the futuristic cityscape of Nar Shaddaa, making her speeder climb from the ground to be level with the skyscrapers of Nar Shaddaa. Poe jumps on a speeder and Finn grabs onto his back as the two follow in pursuit while Chewie and Maz try follow on foot. There is heavy traffic and Poe/Finn share some laughs as the chase scene continues. Eventually, Poe jumps off the speeder in midair to grab Bazine’s leg, but the bounty hunter is able to kick him off and Poe falls and lands on a building. He’s badly injured and Finn rides to the rescue. He force feeds Poe a Bacta pill that heals him, and when Poe awakes they share a tender moment. We think Bazine has gotten away, but just as she lands and begins walking through another crowded city block, we see Chewie’s arm come out of nowhere and punch her out.

Act One, Scene Eight

Bazine wakes up in an empty warehouse tied to a chair. After her initial protests, she agrees to lead them into Tessu’s palace. When she negotiates for payment, they refuse but then she says she can call the senate anytime and let them know where Ree is. When Poe asks how she has senate connections, she calls him hopelessly naïve for thinking a senator wouldn’t need a bounty hunter on retainer. Finn admires her gumption and suggests they pay her, to which Maz agrees free drinks at her palace for life if they get out of this alive. Bazine then tells them more about Tessu’s operation and about how she recruits slaves to fight as gladiators in her arena.

Act One, Scene Nine

Bazine is able to get them past initial security at Tessu’s palace, and they eventually make their way to the living quarters of fighters. Chewie and Maz stay back with Bazine to make sure she doesn’t double cross them, while Poe and Finn explore the palace. Just as they find Ree’s space, hearing her voice as she complains to someone about how “you won’t get away with this,” we see the person Ree is talking to exit Ree’s room. It’s Phasma in her helmet. She looks right at Finn and Poe and smiles.

Phasma: FN-2187. I had hoped you’d be dumb enough to come here.

Snapping her fingers, she has the two surrounded before they can draw their weapons.

Phasma: Of course, Tessu let me have first choice on saving Ree or letting her fight. The Hutts know how power works. I told her to have her fun, though. I myself placed a hefty bet on Ree making it past her first two fights only to die in the third. Let’s go ahead and make that third fight against the two of you, eh?

Snapping her fingers again, Finn and Poe are separated by the guards and placed in different cells.

Act One, Scene Ten

Han: You call this food?

Jart’Bondara is preparing dinner for his unwanted guests. There are a few other villagers helping as well.

Jart: You don’t have to eat it. You can always starve.

Han sees Luke sipping a stew gratefully and cringes

Luke: I ate this stuff on Dagobah

Luke shrugs as Han grimaces again

Han: Ugh. Swamp food.

Suddenly, they hear noises. Going to the edge of their village, Jart sees four AT-M6 walkers marching towards them.

Jart: Fighting positions, now!

The entire village comes alive as children run out of their houses and take up slingshot positions on top of trees while their mothers grab electric balls the size of their heads that they can throw at the walkers. Several dozen men reveal blasters of varying sizes. As the walkers get closer to the village, we hear the familiar hum of Luke activating his green lightsaber and Han drawing his DL-44. A battle ensues, and the twi’leks guerilla tactics are enough to take down two of the four AT-M6s. Luke is also able to cut the legs off another one, sending it crashing. However, many die in the process and the final AT-M6 is about to fire at the town square when it stops suddenly. We see that a horde of LYLEKS, insectoid predators that resemble the praying mantis, have launched themselves from trees above to land on the AT-M6. They have ripped open the hatch and are pulling out soldiers to dispose of with their pincers and mandibles.

Han: What the hell…

Luke closes his eyes, focusing on the Force, and when he opens them he sees that Jart is fiercely quiet and dedicated to watching the beasts. We see Jart moving his mouth, but no words come out. As the battle ends, Jart feels tired and collapses. A woman offers him a drink, at which point Luke confronts him.

Luke: It’s you!

Jart: What?

Luke: You’re the awakening in the Force I felt.

Han: This kid?

Luke: You’re the Republic’s last hope.

Jart: I don’t give a damn about the Republic and I don’t believe in the Force. But for the record, there’s no such thing as a last hope as long as you keep hope alive in your heart.

Act One, Scene Eleven

Finn and Poe’s jail cells are across the room from each other. A Weequay guard offers to give Finn a helmet and he freaks out, leaving the Weequay to laugh at him for creating a scene and leave. Poe comforts him, and Finn says he’ll never wear a helmet again. They share a funny, tender scene where we learn more about how the First Order kept Finn from the world, enclosed in every way including with a helmet that literally hid him from the true beauty of the world.

Finn: Poe?

Poe: Yeah?

Finn: I love you.

Poe: I know.

Act One, Scene Twelve

Chewie and Maz have grown frustrated by waiting and pay a fee to watch the games in Tessu’s arena. As the Hutt announces that the games are beginning, we see Ree in the first fight and Chewie growls after spotting Phasma in the audience sitting next to Tessu.

Maz: Well that was predictable. She must be loving this. She can report back a hero with Ree’s dead body and remain grand moff.

We watch as Ree fights her way through a round of monsters with nothing but a blaster and a spear. The second round of fighting features a Gamorrean with a shield, and Ree is able to kill him with the spear and then take his shield.

Tessu: (translated) We would not expect anything less from the former Grand Moff of the First Order.

At the word, former, Ree glares at Phasma standing by Tessu’s side. Phasma’s helmet is off and she returns the glare with a grin.

Tessu: This next fight just came together and is a special treat for all my most loyal patrons. Behold! Former stormtrooper Finn Jarrus and Republic Commander Poe Dameron!

Ree is visibly surprised that she’ll be fighting two of the First Order’s top targets. As they walk out into the arena, we see that Poe is equipped with two blasters while Finn has a lance and a shield. Ree drops her shield so that she’s wielding a blaster and a spear.

Ree: You shouldn’t have come for me. None of us are getting out of her alive.

Finn: I wouldn’t expect the First Order to understand this, but my new friends taught me that no one deserves to be left behind, not even scum like you.

Tessu: Begin!

As Ree starts to attack Finn and Poe, the two dodge and block her attacks. The crowd grows restless seeing the two men refuse to fight back. Finn tries to open the door they came out of, but a guard shocks him with an electric staff. Ree throws a spear at Finn and it cuts into his bionic arm. The crowd cheers until he pulls it out with zero pain, showing machinery where flesh and sinew should be. Seeing this, the crowd boos and Ree snarls. As she raises her blaster, Poe fires at her legs, causing her to roll away from them.

Poe: You don’t have to do this! If we work together, we can stop Tessu!

Ree: You fools! She owns half this moon! And besides, the First Order’s been searching for you for ages. I’ll be welcomed back as a God if I bring them your heads!

Finn: You forget so easily, Ree!

Ree: What’s that, FN-2187?

She spits out the name designation like it’s a curse.

Finn: The First Order doesn’t reward weakness, no matter what. You got yourself kidnapped, so you’re through. Even if you kill us, even if Tessu says you can go, you think Phasma is going to let you take over? From what I hear, she’s been having a ball without you.

Finn and Ree have been dueling with their spear and lance as this conversation’s been going on, but now Ree turns to see Phasma and knows Finn is telling the truth. Distracted, Finn presses his advantage and swings his lance to sweep her legs out from under her and knock her on her ass. The crowd cheers, but as Finn shows he can deliver the final blow he instead throws his lance aside and calls to the crowd.

Finn: People of Nar Shaddaa! You’ve been brainwashed, as I was once brainwashed by the evil men and women who profited from my ignorance. But I’m here today to tell you that there is a better way!

As the crowd goes quiet, Tessu the Hutt grumbles audibly, causing a few attendees to risk judging glances at her.

Finn: The Hutts think if they throw us a scrap here and there, we’ll be convinced that one day we can live as they do, without a care in the world. They think they can convince us to fight against each other, instead of uniting to protest their supremacy! But whatever our differences, and they are many, they are nothing compared to the oppression of the Hutts!

Maz and Chewie start a cheer from the audience, and others join in, prompting Tessu to snap her fingers and cause a guard to shoot one.

Finn: You see? Even the threat of insubordination causes them to panic! My brothers! If we band together, we can make Nar Shaddaa a great place to live! We can end the systemic oppression of the Hutts! Look at Tessu’s side? That is the Grand Moff of the First Order! Tessu does not care about you, only profit! Join us now and fight for your freedom!

As the crowd ponders their next move, Tessu yells that this is nonsense and it’s time to end the match. She declares that the Republic has ruined everyone’s good time once again and so now all three of the fighters must die. Tessu then orders Phasma into the arena to finish what Ree could not.

Phasma: Gladly

Phasma activates a jetpack and makes her way into the center of the arena, turning on a flamethrower from her arm that Poe barely rolls out of the way to avoid.

Ree throws her spear at Phasma, and the new grand moff catches it with her bare hands and breaks it, prompting cheers again from the crowd.

Tessu: I will match three bets made at random today! A special deal for my most special patrons!

Thrilled at this news, some audience members make their way to the betting stand to spend more money.

Phasma: You see? The people will always believe in the illusion of power, the illusion that they can achieve greatness without sacrifice.

Finn: Yeah? And what have you ever sacrificed?

Phasma loses it upon hearing her challenged like this from a former stormtrooper

Phasma: I killed my own father!

Ree: It wasn’t me, Phasma. I was only conveying Darth Zannah’s orders. She’s the true enemy here.

Phasma: You are a liar, and what’s worse is that you’re weak too.

Phasma kicks Ree in the chest, sending her flying, and draws a blaster.

Phasma: Any last words?

As Phasma and Ree have been focused on each other, Poe has been watching Chewie from the stands get closer and closer to him. Now, Chewie throws a smoke grenade into the stage and it goes off, masking all combatants. As Tessu howls in outrage, Phasma gets a kick to the head from Finn that takes off her helmet. We see that she has a cut on her face.

Finn: Turns out you bleed like anyone else

As Finn draws his lance to her neck, she spits in his face

Phasma: What happened to your mercy?

Finn: I still haven’t unlearned everything the First Order taught me

He slits her throat and Ree howls in laughter and appreciation, not noticing Chewie walk up behind her and knock her out. As Poe hugs him, our heroes exit through the audience now under the cover of chaos. By the time the smoke clears and Tessu is able to assert some order again, they are gone.

Act One, Scene Thirteen

Revan and Zannah have been trying to conjure a thought bomb, but it’s not working.

Zannah: The helmet. I was certain that it linked with the lightsaber would be more than enough power!

Revan: Maybe the helmet is the problem

Zannah: What do you mean?

Revan argues that Vader rejected the darkness at the end of his life, and that even when he was a dark side user the helmet was only necessary because he lost his true potential fighting Obi-Wan.

Revan: The helmet is a symbol of weakness, a false idol. I was a naïve fool for worshipping it for so long.

Throwing the helmet against a tree, Revan crushes the life out of a nearby animal in anger.

Revan: I will make my own helmet now. It will be a conduit for my power, and with that we’ll be able to conjure the thought bomb easily.

Zannah: Just because Vader turned to the light at the end, doesn’t mean he was a false idol.

Revan grows frustrated with Zannah now, but before it turns into a larger argument she tells him it’s been a long day and to come to bed in the star destroyer.

Act Two, Scene One

Leia is in her office. It’s the next morning, the morning of Ree’s testimony. Leia has been up all night and looks it, but threepio storms in as cheery as ever.

C-3PO: Chancellor Leia, I have Master Poe on the line for you!

Excited, Leia tells him to open the holocam. She is greeted by the sight of Poe, but also the sight of a tied-up Ree.

Leia: How soon can you be here?

Before Poe can answer, Maz butts in.

Maz: The Golden Tide is faster than the Falcon on a bad day

Leia rolls her eyes before responding.

Leia: Han isn’t here, Maz. You can save your insults.

Maz: Not insults, just truth, chancellor. We’ll be there on time, don’t worry.

Act Two, Scene Two

It’s the next morning on Ruusan and Revan has left bed to work on his new helmet. BB-8 is whirring around Revan’s workshop. Zannah comes to see him and suggest they go back to bed, but he’s too distracted. As she continues to try and convince him to return to bed, he snaps at her.

Revan: Do you not get enough attention?!

She’s visibly hurt. As an orphan, she never got enough attention. She storms out angrily, and instead of going after her Revan just keeps working on his helmet. We see Zannah leave the star destroyer, Vader’s helmet in her hand. Revan no longer cares about it.

Act Two, Scene Three

Back on Ryloth, Han is playing with a young boy. They share a laugh as Jart carries on with some errands in the background. Luke approaches him.

Luke: The Force works in mysterious ways, but there’s no challenging the fact that it’s chosen you. You can save the galaxy.

Jart: I can’t even save my friends! First the Republic stripped Ryloth’s forests for parts during the clone war, then Vader and his Empire turned my brothers and sisters into slaves, then that Darth Zannah woman came her a couple years ago with her apprentice. I lost a lot of good people in that battle.

Han: Ben was here?!

He’s stopped playing with the child at the mention of his son. Jart’s lekku flops in incredulity.

Jart: Of course you know the apprentice

Luke: Please…he’s my nephew, his son.

Jart laughs

Jart: Trouble consumes your family

Luke: You can end this all. I’ve felt it.

Jart: The only thing I’ve felt for a long time is pain.

Act Two, Scene Four

As the senate trial begins, we see Hogirk Regg and other senators sympathetic to his cause jeer as Chancellor Organa Solo enters. Regg states that his worst fears have been confirmed now, that Ree has escaped due to the incompetence of Leia. He calls for an immediate vote of no confidence and it appears that, this time, the vote will finally happen. After Regg’s motion is seconded though, Maz, Finn, and Poe appear with the senator, though. The senate is placated enough to decide there’s no need for a vote, and Regg is furious.

Regg: No matter that Ree is here now, the chancellor has not been honest with us about where she was yesterday!

Leia: Senator, you are right. I have not been honest about Ree’s whereabouts.

The senate gasps at this

Leia: I was not honest because I hoped to avoid clouding this legislative body further. I had hoped Ree would admit the truth today, but I see now that I must be the one to bring this news to light.

Regg: Enough grandstanding!

Several senators agree with him, and Leia can sense the senate is only just barely tolerating her right now.

Leia: The Galactic Senate has been corrupted by the Sith once before, and now I must admit that a Palpatine has invaded this body once again.

Some senators recoil in fear, while others like Regg become even angrier.

Regg: You expect us to believe more lies?

Leia: It’s the truth. Grand Moff Ree was operating under the orders of Darth Zannah, serving as an intermediary between Zannah and Senator Onasi.

Leia turns to Ree at last, having Chewie bring her to the center of the senate floor. Ree is quiet at first until Chewie growls and makes his frustration true.

Ree: Yes, all right. It’s true.

Ree pulls out a data pad and shares the contents with Leia, who then inserts it into a device to share it with everyone else.

Leia: Senators, please check your own data pads. I’ve just transmitted some personal correspondence between the First Order and the final remnants of the Sith.

A senator from Mon Cala says that this information must be verified, but that it appears that Leia has acted in good faith and deserves our gratitude for alerting us to the presence of the Sith. The senate then gives her a standing ovation and Regg flees in disgust.

Leia: Thank you for your faith in me, senator. I welcome verification methods, of course. In the meantime, I suggest we let the First Order know we have their grand moff. Perhaps we can finally negotiate an end to hostilities and fulfill Mon Mothma’s wishes.

As Chewie takes Ree away, the woman sneers in contempt of all this.

Act Two, Scene Five

We see Zannah angrily training on Ruusan. She’s jumping and running and flipping through an obstacle course she put together near the star destroyer. Through it all, Vader’s levitating, charred helmet is at her side. Finished, she’s panting heavily with her lightwhip activated as Revan steps off the ship. He’s wearing his new helmet.

Revan: Let’s go

He walks past her without a care, and Zannah is visibly hurt again. She thought someone looked up to her, worshipped her, for the first time in her life. Now Revan has moved on and she’s all alone again.

Zannah: Did I do something? Revan, I thought you loved me

Revan stops and looks at her.

Revan: Grandfather loved once, and it ruined him. My parents loved each other, and it left no time for me. They stuck me with my uncle the first opportunity they had.

Zannah is angry from her training, and she focuses on that. Her lightwhip crackles as she whips it to the ground and it hums.

Zannah: How tragic to be left to train with the greatest Jedi of our time

Revan: After we deploy the thought bomb, there’ll be time to talk about us.

His demeanor softens as he touches her arm and brushes her face with his fingers.

Revan: No longer will there be a master and an apprentice, only equals in pursuit of peace.

Zannah is unnerved by his determination. They’ve never discussed his not being an apprentice any longer. The Rule of Two demands that the apprentice will eventually kill the master.

Zannah: The Rule of Two…

Zannah looks as if she’s been stabbed in her heart.

Revan: Don’t look at me like that; I could never kill you. It’s dangerous to love anything but power, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still care for you. We will be together forever. With my new powers and the end of the Jedi, we will have eternity to take our rightful claim as the Keepers of the Force and uncover its secrets.

Zannah: You mean to end Bane’s legacy?

Revan: And what better place to do it than on Ruusan, where he himself saw the need for the Sith to reform and took bold action on his own. From a certain point of view, you could say I am living into Bane’s legacy.

Zannah: But the past has lessons to teach us if we wish to avoid making the mistakes of old.

Revan: Vader, Palpatine, all of it. It has nothing but pain to teach us, and in the new world we create there will be no place for pain. So let the past die! Together, we will make a new family and rule as justly as the greatest rulers the galaxy has ever known!

Zannah looks at Revan dumbfounded as he leaves to start creating the thought bomb. She worries that he’s losing his mind. He stops to look back at her before disappearing from view.

Revan: Coming?

Zannah: Yes…my love.

Act Two, Scene Six

Back on Ryloth, Jart is doing some chores as Luke follows him further into the forest. R2-D2 is helping Jart with his chores. Luke and Jart have a heart to heart where Luke shares how he just wanted to help his friends and it led to him becoming a Jedi and following in his father’s footsteps.

Jart: All my friends and family are dead or in hiding because of your father’s legacy.

Luke: I know…

Walking back to Jart’s house with him, Luke sees an inscription written into the side of his wooden door. It’s Jedi script.

Luke: What’s this?

Jart: Oh, it’s from my best friend, Firith. When we were kids, his dad was taken by the Confederacy during the Clone Wars. Firith never got over it; I always thought that’s why he was such a great fighter. He thought every imperial he killed would have answers about where his dad went. All that was left for Firith was a note from some general and that inscription at the end.

Luke: Jart…after the Battle of Endor, I searched far and wide for the first Jedi temple. I found it on the remote planet of Tython, and inside were books written in that same script.

As Luke runs his hand over the words written on the wooden door, Jart absorbs the implications of what Luke is saying.

Jart: The Jedi took Firith’s dad?

Luke: They would have thought the story they told him was a kindness, but I’ve no doubt Firith’s dad went on to become a great Jedi Knight.

Jart: Until your father killed him, right?

Luke: …most likely.

Jart: Wherever the Force leads, pain follows

Luke: You have a chance to end that cycle.

Jart: How do you know that?

Luke: I don’t…but I have faith.

R2-D2 beeps in appreciation, prompting a smile from Jart.

Act Two, Scene Seven

Threepio is handing out drinks as Finn, Poe, Chewie, and Maz celebrate. Leia can’t join in, nervous about what’s going on with Luke, Han, and Ben.

Leia: I feel a coldness whenever I think about him these days…he needs his mother.

Chewie growls

Poe: Chewie’s right; we should just go. Leia won’t be missed for awhile.

Finn shoots a look at Poe. He does not want to test his luck having just avoided death on Nar Shaddaa.

Maz: A mother’s love is the only thing that could bring Ben back now…

Finn: You aren’t talking about just Ben, are you…

Maz: I’m not Rey’s mother, but I did know her as a child. There’s still good in her, I know it. I might be the only one who knows it.

C-3PO: If I may, chancellor, this seems like a terrible idea

Chewie growls at threepio

C-3PO: Pipe down, you hairy oaf. I was going to say this seems like a terrible idea, but that’s never stopped us before.

Poe: Do we even know where they are, though?

Closing her eyes, Leia reaches out with the Force but opens her eyes in disappointment.

Leia: I haven’t been able to sense him in so long, but Luke will know.

Maz: To Ryloth, then

Leia: To Ryloth…for Ben

Maz: And for Rey

Finn: And for the Republic

Finn’s voice wavers, but Poe holds his hand and strengthens his resolve

Act Two, Scene Eight

Jart and Han are together working on a ship. Droids and twi’leks are running around in this makeshift shipyard. Han is speaking with a twi’lek female pilot.

Han: Remember to always check your power couplings before taking off.

Jart: It’s the least you can do, making sure our people have a chance to fly out of here if the imperials charge this place.

Han: Yeah, yeah…

There’s a pregnant pause when Han is debating whether to say something or not as the two work on ships, but Han decides to speak eventually.

Han: I heard what Luke learned about your friend…

Jart: Yeah?

Han: I’m sorry…I always felt like I abandoned my son, giving him to Luke to train

Jart: But at least that worked out real well, right?

Han: …I’m sorry…

Jart: That was a cheap blow. I shouldn’t have spoken so harshly.

Han: It’s the truth and I deserve it…but in spite of everything, I still would’ve had Luke train him

Jart: What?

Han: Ben’s something special; he deserved to know how to use his gift.

Jart: Is that what the Jedi are? Santa Claus?

Han: The Jedi can’t hand out the Force like presents. And don’t get me wrong, their arrogance created the Empire.

Jart: But?

Han: There was once a time when I’d say hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a blaster at your side, but now that I’ve seen my son, my wife, Luke…

Jart: What?

Han: I’ve seen the Force do incredible things. And Luke? I’ve known him for decades and never seen him so mesmerized by someone as he is with you.

Jart: Me?

Han: There’s something in you, begging to be released. If you don’t start getting it under control, it will control you.

Jart: Is that what happened to your son?

Han: …yes…his impatience was his undoing.

As the Force theme plays, Jart walks along the shipyard and sees his colleagues walking all around him.

Han: You can save them all.

Jart stops walking and looks Han in the eyes.

Jart: Then I will

Act Two, Scene Nine

With Luke and Han at his side, Jart decides to fly off to Ruusan with them. Jart addresses his village before leaving in the Falcon.

Jart: I have a chance to end the First Order’s oppression once and for all. We’ll take that shot, and then I’ll return as soon as possible.

Before he leaves, we see Jart embrace a pregnant female twi’lek. He touches the woman’s stomach before returning to the Falcon. Han grins as Jart enters the ship.

Han: It’s always about a girl

Jart: Shut up

Strapped in, Luke tells them to set a course for Ruusan and then alert Leia and the others to make their way there as well.

Act Three, Scene One

We see the Falcon and Maz’s Golden Tide landing on Ruusan next to the star destroyer. As our heroes get out of their ships, Luke and Leia collapse to the ground.

Han: Babe?! What’s wrong?

Getting up, Leia looks like she’s been slapped.

Leia: He’s close.

Jart: I feel…cold.

Luke: And?

Jart: And…like I’ve been here before

R2-D2 whistles in concern

C-3PO: You’re quite right, my friend. I also have a bad feeling about this.

Luke and Leia make their way into the forest as the others follow. Eventually, they see a clearing and spot Zannah and Revan with their eyes closed, mediating in the center. The thought bomb has taken on physical form above their heads, high as the trees. Vader’s helmet is levitating by Zannah’s side, and when it senses Luke in the vicinity it turns to face him.

Luke: Father…

We hear echoes of Anakin’s words from ROTJ.

Anakin: It is too late for me, son.

Opening his eyes, Revan in his new helmet knows his family is near and activates his lightsaber.

Leia: There’s no need for that, son.

Leia walks to the center of the clearing, looking her son in the eye.

Leia: If you want to strike me down, I won’t stop you. I failed you long ago.

Revan: Ben Skywalker is dead now. He was weak, and helpless, and has surrendered himself to someone better.

Leia: No! There is nothing better about the dark side! You rightly blame me for what’s happened, and so if you must strike me down to vanquish the pain in your own body then it is right that you do so. I am your mother and I will gladly absorb whatever pain of yours I can from now until eternity. But know that the dark side is not better. If you strike me down, it must be in the pursuit of something better, in pursuit of peace.

Revan takes his helmet off so that his mother can see his face. It’s aged with the dark side, and there is nothing but malice in Revan’s eyes as he recites the Sith code.

Revan: Peace is a lie, there is only passion

Luke: But even that isn’t true any longer, is it, Ben?

Luke looks at Zannah as he continues.

Luke: I feel the conflict in you, Rey. You don’t agree with him anymore, but you’re afraid to let go of the only person you think has ever loved you.

Maz steps out from our pack of heroes to speak now.

Maz: You are loved by others, Rey.

Seeing Maz, Zannah becomes furious and activates her lightwhip.

Zannah: How dare you show your face here!

Zannah brings her lightwhip to Maz’s face, only to be blocked by Luke’s lightsaber. The two engage in a final fight between the descendants of Vader and Palpatine, and as their blades hum and sizzle we can hear the echoes of Anakin and Palpatine.

Anakin: I’m not the Jedi I should be

Palpatine: Strike me down with all of your hatred

With each clash of lightsabers, we see Vader’s helmet levitate and move to stand at Zannah’s side. As the two fight on, Revan sees Jart standing next to Han and Leia

Revan: And who are you? My parents’ next charity case?

Before Jart can respond, Revan senses who he really is.

Revan: It’s you! The awakening I felt in the Force.

Revan sees Jart cocking a grin

Revan: It is good that you are all here. Soon the thought bomb will be ready to crush you and every other Force-sensitive being in the galaxy.

Jart: And where does that leave you?

Revan: You dare to speak to the Dark Lord of the Sith?!

Jart: I’m speaking to a spoiled, entitled brat. You are nothing more than that.

Activating his lightsaber, Revan charges at Jart and the two race deeper into the forest, leaving the others behind.

Act Three, Scene Two

Running to another spot away from the clearing, Luke and Zannah continue to duel in the darkest depths of the forest. Vader’s helmet races behind Zannah ad she jumps through the forest, shooting Force lightening back at Luke who continually blocks it with his lightsaber. Sunlight appearing through the leaves offers us only the briefest glimpses of their faces as they eventually stop and talk.

Zannah: My father ruined yours, and I shall do the same to you

Luke: Neither of us really knew our father. I know that anger, but you can’t give in to it, Rey!

Zannah: My name is Darth Zannah!

As her lightwhip wraps around Luke’s lightsaber, she pulls it away from him and pushes him into a tree with the Force. Luke stops before ramming into the tree, using the Force to instead crack the tree in half and bring it crashing down on Zannah. As she rolls out of the way, he summons his lightsaber back into his hand.

Luke: Palpatine tortured my father until he was only a shell of his true self. He used fear and lies and hate to make Vader hurt the only people he ever loved, until he became convinced that no being could love him ever again.

As they speak, we see Maz enter from stage left.

Luke: You are still capable of love, Rey! The dark side blinds you from it, but I see your goodness!

Their fight intensifies and Zannah becomes scared for the first time that Luke is stronger than her. His sword work is better than hers, as he pushes her back against trees and uses the Force to send vines to tie her up. He stands before her, ready to strike her down and she closes her eyes in fear.

Zannah: I thought the Jedi do not kill

Luke: I will end the conflict that plagues you

Bringing his lightsaber down, he cuts Vader’s helmet in half and hears the echoes of the past again.

Vader: Noooo!

In destroying the helmet, he has truly liberated the soul of the Chosen One from Anakin’s past. Turning off his lightsaber, Luke speaks again.

Luke: The legacy of the Sith will always endure as long as its weapons exist. That was always the most dangerous weapons of the Sith, not a lightsaber or a Death Star, but symbols of lies and fear and hate. As long as Vader’s soul survived in any capacity, you couldn’t declare truthfully that Anakin Skywalker had been redeemed. And if redemption wasn’t possible for my father, it wasn’t possible for any Sith.

As Luke speaks, the vines binding Zannah retreat of their own accord.

Luke: If you think striking me down will bring you peace, then activate your weapon and prove to the galaxy that you are nothing more than your father’s daughter.

Handing her back her lightwhip, Luke moves his head to indicate Maz’s presence.

Luke: Prove to Maz who you really are

We see Rey Palpatine hold her lightwhip, a close up of her face, and then the scene ends

Act Three, Scene Four

Away from everyone, Jart and Revan’s fight continues. As Revan charges the twi’lek with his lightsaber, Jart brings vines and tree branches to his defense.

Revan: You are nothing! How can you use the Force?

Jart: I’ve never known it by that name, but if this is my destiny so be it.

Revan: You are nobody! You have no destiny but to die at my hands!

Their fighting is unstructured and raw, with Jart using whatever natural resources he can to hold off Revan’s rage.

Jart: You think you’re so great because of your family? The same family you disavowed?

Revan: They held me back! I have become more powerful than Vader ever dreamed!

Jart: And therein lies your problem, Ben. Vader was never half as powerful as Anakin Skywalker!

Revan: Ben Skywalker is dead!

Revan’s rage is white hot as they continue to duel, with Jart tripping over roots in the ground and pushing Revan to stumble as well. Both of their faces are cut up.

Act Three, Scene Five

As Rey holds her lightwhip in her hand, Maz walks out to stand beside Luke.

Maz: Don’t kill Luke. I’m the one who abandoned you…I’m sorry.

Maz and Rey have an emotional moment where Maz apologizes for abandoning her and tells Rey to kill her if she really thinks it will bring her peace. Seeing the pain in Maz’s eyes, seeing Maz’s tears, Rey drops her lightwhip and declares that all she ever wanted was love. Maz then hugs her and says it’s okay, that there is a future for her that is bright and filled with love. She says that love is strength, not weakness as Revan thinks it is.

Rey: The thought bomb!

The three race back to the clearing.

Act Three, Scene Six

In running from Revan’s powers, Jart has unwittingly ended up back in the clearing. The thought bomb has been getting bigger and bigger, and now it towers over Han, Leia, and everyone else.

Revan: One big happy family, huh?

Leia: Don’t do it, Ben. Don’t let the dark side win.

Revan: I am the dark side! You are no longer my mother, Leia Organa Solo! You never even knew the Skywalker name. The dark side itself is my mother, and just as with you I have conquered it!

As Revan begins to chant in the ancient Sith language, his helmet levitates off his head and goes towards the thought bomb. Rey runs out to try and help him but is pushed back. Han and Leia try to walk towards their son but are pushed back as well.

Revan: Un-limited-power!

As he cries out in pleasure, the thought bomb comes crashing down upon him and intense winds wipe out the entire clearing. When the dust clears, everyone is covered in dirt and stands to see Darth Revan lying on his back.

Leia: Ben!

A scream of utmost pain comes from Leia’s lips as she races to hold her son in her arms. There is life in his eyes, and she smiles for a moment seeing this.

Leia: Speak to me! It’s okay, I’m here!

As Han walks towards them, he recognizes what she cannot.

Han: Leia…he’s gone.

We see tears in Han’s eyes as he cries silently. His son is alive, but his mind has been ripped to shreds. Luke admits the truth as he approaches Revan.

Luke: The dark side tore his mind past the point of recognition. It’s a fate worse than death.

Rey: Look what I almost did…

Maz: But you didn’t! You chose the light, Rey!

Hugging her tightly, Maz brushes her hands against Rey’s face.

Leia: I did this…

Chewie growls in protest

Han: Chewie’s right, babe. He was beyond our saving.

Leia: I don’t believe that…

Finn: There’s always a chance for redemption; I’m proof of that. Ben made his own decisions as an adult.

Finn is affected by another dark soul refusing to turn back to good and holds Poe’s hand for support.

Leia: I will never leave Ruusan.

Han and Luke: What?!

Leia: Maybe he was beyond saving, but we’ll never know for sure. I must stay here with him…it is my penance.

Han: What about the senate?

Leia: It’s time for the galaxy to take orders from someone who doesn’t have the skywalker blood in their veins.

Leia looks at her son’s eyes again and hears a sick gurgling in his voice

Leia: This is my destiny now.

Han: Well then, I guess it’s my destiny too. I’m not leaving your side.

Luke says he agrees that the time of the skywalkers has ended, but that he will help Jart and Rey craft a new way. Jart and Rey look at each other, really look at each other, for the first time here.

Rey: I’m not ready

Jart: Neither am I

Luke: Neither were we

Act Three, Scene Seven

Speaking from the Falcon, Luke and Leia discuss galactic politics via hologram. The Republic senate still has many things to uncover in ongoing investigations into how the Sith were able to infiltrate them and ongoing negotiations for peace with the First Order since they have Ree as a bartering piece, but Luke and Leia agree that it’s a start.

Luke: The Republic will always need the Jedi. It was a mistake to not restart the Order after Endor.

Jart: You’ll help us?

Luke: Yes…but only for awhile.

Rey: You’ve given the galaxy so much…and still you want to give more…

Luke: Our family has taken so much from the galaxy as well

Jart: Where should the New Jedi Order be? Hosnian Prime?

Luke: Wherever you want

Rey: …Poe…set a course for Tatooine

Act Three, Scene Eight

Months have passed as the camera opens on Skywalker Ranch. Next to Luke’s old home is the construction of the new Jedi Temple. We see droids working on the build site, and then we see Luke handing lightsabers to Jart and Rey.

Luke: This was my father’s and Obi-Wan’s weapons. Use them to protect and serve, never to destroy.

Jart takes Obi-Wan’s as Rey takes Luke’s.

Luke: The Skywalker name doesn’t matter anymore. It’s time for a new generation to become the Keepers of the Force.

Jart: But how will we teach them? We don’t even know ourselves.

Luke: With all their wisdom, the Jedi couldn’t sense the Sith from right under their noses. You’ll be okay.

As Luke walks away to his famous x-wing, R2-D2 inside, we see Jart and Rey holding their lightsabers and looking to the horizon as the two suns of Tatooine set.

About the Author

Bharat Krishnan calls himself a professional storyteller and amateur cook. After 10 years of working in politics, he tried to explain how the country went from Barack Obama to Donald Trump by writing Confessions of a Campaign Manager. Then he wrote Oasis, a desert-fantasy novel that examined what makes a family and how refugees should be treated. Bharat is always looking to make a political statement with his writing because he knows politics seeps into every aspect of society and believes we can’t understand each other without a firm, constant understanding of how politics affects us in all ways.