Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

*This page is dedicated to an alternative version of Return of the Jedi, integrating minor characters and elements from the prequel trilogy.*

## Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

### Starring

Mark Hamill
Carrie Fisher
Harrison Ford

## Chronological information

### Proceded by

*Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back*

***Star Wars: Return of the Jedi***, originally marketed as simply ***Return of the Jedi***, is a 1983 film directed by Richard Marquand. It is the third and final film in the Star Wars original trilogy.

The film is set six months after the Empire's invasion of Cloud City, when Luke Skywalker and friends travel to Tatooine to rescue their friend Han Solo from the vile Jabba the Hutt. The Empire prepares to crush the Rebellion with a more powerful Death Star, while the Rebel fleet mounts a massive attack on the space station. Luke Skywalker confronts his father, Darth Vader, in a final climactic duel before the evil Emperor.

## Opening crawl

*Luke Skywalker has returned to*
*his home planet of Tatooine in*
*an attempt to rescue his*
*friend Han Solo from the*
*clutches of the vile gangster*
*Jabba the Hutt.*
*Little does Luke know that the*
*Galactic Empire has secretly*
*begun construction on a new*
*armored space station even*
*more powerful than the first*
*dreaded Death Star.*
*When completed, this ultimate*
*weapon will spell certain doom*
*for the small band of rebels*
*struggling to restore freedom*
*to the galaxy...*
## Synopsis

### Vader's Arrival on the Death Star

Taking place six months after the events of The Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, lands in the docking bay of the second uncompleted Death Star, which the Empire is creating, and is more powerful than the first. He is greeted by Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod, but demands construction be put back on schedule in order to complete the Death Star on time. Jerjerrod argues that they need more men, but quickly agrees to double their efforts when he learns that the Emperor is coming.

### Arrival at Jabba's Palace

Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker and his company have arrived on Tatooine in an attempt to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt's desert palace.

First the droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO, arrive with a holographic message from Skywalker pleading Jabba to release Solo, but in exchange the two droids are presented as gifts to the crime lord; Luke promises that both are hardworking and that they will serve him well, which Jabba agrees to silently. However, when the message finishes he states that there will be no bargain and that he won't give up his "favorite decoration". The two droids are then sent to their quarters where they meet some new friends (this turns out to be a very loose statement, as the droids harshly bark at the two when they explain what they can do). Threepio is ordered to be Jabba's interpreter, while Artoo is tasked with working on the Khetanna.

That evening, the Max Rebo Band (led by Sy Snootles) entertains the Hutt's guests. Jabba, engaged by the graceful gyrations of his collared slave girl Oola, starts tugging on her chain and commanding her to come to him on his throne. Oola fearfully resists him, and in annoyance, Jabba pushes a hidden button on his throne, and Oola is dropped through a hidden trapdoor at the foot of his throne, into the pit of the Rancor monster, which immediately devours her.

### Saving Han Solo

Later, Princess Leia Organa (in the guise of bounty hunter Boushh) arrives with Chewbacca as her "prisoner" to collect part of the bounty Jabba himself sought after years earlier when he put a price on Solo's head. After much bargaining (including Leia threatening Jabba with a thermal detonator), Jabba settles on a deal, and has Chewbacca imprisoned.

That night, Leia releases Han Solo from his carbonite coffin, and after revealing her identity to him, she kisses him. As they prepare to escape, they are caught by Jabba and his minions. Ignoring Han's pleas, Jabba has the captain thrown in prison with Chewbacca. Although Lando Calrissian (disguised as one of Jabba's prison guards) tries to sneak off with Leia, Jabba stops them and orders a Gamorrean guard to bring Leia to him. Leia is forced to become Jabba's newest slave girl, and chained to the dais as a trophy.

### Luke Arrives at Jabba's Palace

Later on, Luke arrives at the palace. Jabba, and most of his minions are asleep, but are awoken by Bib Fortuna (who, in trying to impede the Jedi's entrance, is Force-tricked into welcoming him). Leia, now accustomed to Jabba's ways, remains silent beside the Hutt, despite her rising hope at seeing Luke. Luke demands that Jabba release Han and his other friends, but Jabba refuses the young Jedi's offer. Luke uses the Force to pull a nearby blaster and attempts to shoot Jabba, but the Hutt activates the trapdoor to protect himself, dropping the Jedi and an unfortunate guard into the Rancor pit.

After a huge battle with the Rancor (which manages to devour the fallen guard), Luke ultimately kills the monster by crushing it under the gate of its compound, piercing its neck with the spikes at the bottom of the gate. He is then recaptured and brought up by Jabba's minions. Jabba, furious, chokes Leia until she falls back on his belly, and orders the prisoners to be brought before him. Luke, Han, and Chewbacca are brought before Jabba, exchanging relief at each other's safety as Leia struggles with Jabba to sit upright before him.

Using C-3PO as a translator, Jabba sentences Luke and his friends to be taken to the Dune Sea for termination (over a course of a thousand years) by the man-eating Sarlacc at the Great Pit of Carkoon. Luke warns Jabba that he's made his last mistake, at which the Hutt laughs in amusement.

### The Emperor arrives

Luke and R2-D2 arrive on Dagobah to find a terminally-ill Yoda. Luke has returned to complete his Jedi training, but Yoda declares no further training is required. All that remains for Luke is to confront Vader. Yoda then reveals that Vader is indeed his father. The 900-year-old Jedi Master gives one last mention of wisdom to the young Jedi before he dies (and disappears the way Ben Kenobidid in A New Hope, thereby becoming one with the force).

As Luke approaches his X-wing, the spirit form of Obi-Wan confirms that Vader was once Anakin Skywalker, a former Jedi Knight who turned to the dark side of the Force. Kenobi also reveals that Luke has a twin sister, hidden from Luke at birth as protection from the Emperor. Luke senses that his sister is Leia. Kenobi warns Luke to bury his feelings, for they could in time "serve the Emperor".

### Returning to Degobah

Luke and R2-D2 arrive on Dagobah to find a terminally-ill Yoda. Luke has returned to complete his Jedi training, but Yoda declares no further training is required. All that remains for Luke is to confront Vader. Yoda then reveals that Vader is indeed his father. The 900-year-old Jedi Master gives one last mention of wisdom to the young Jedi before he dies (and disappears the way Ben Kenobidid in A New Hope, thereby becoming one with the force).

As Luke approaches his X-wing, the spirit form of Obi-Wan confirms that Vader was once Anakin Skywalker, a former Jedi Knight who turned to the dark side of the Force. Kenobi also reveals that Luke has a twin sister, hidden from Luke at birth as protection from the Emperor. Luke senses that his sister is Leia. Kenobi warns Luke to bury his feelings, for they could in time "serve the Emperor".

### The Battle of Endor begins

The Rebels enter the heart of the shield generator, only to be taken prisoner by the Imperial forces. The fleet emerges from hyperspace for the battle, but discovers the shield is still up. As they contemplate their options, the Imperial fleet, which they were led to believe was away, appears and an intense battle begins. Han and the strike team are led out of the bunker by the stormtroopers, but the droids and the Ewoks have already orchestrated the attack on the Empire, and another intense battle commences with the Rebels and Ewoks on one side, the Empire on another. Darth Sidious shows to Luke the full power of the Death Star, and the station, now fully operational, destroys one of the Alliance's ships. Meanwhile, on Endor, the battle continues, with casualties (Rebel, stormtrooper, and Ewok) already mounting. Eventually, Han, Leia, and Chewbacca gain access to the bunker.

### Meeting the Emperor

Vader arrives in his shuttle on a docking bay, and Luke, having already surrendered to the Empire, talks with Vader in an attempt to bring the Sith Lord out of the dark side of the Force, but to no avail. The Empire takes Luke into custody for transportation to the Death Star. The next day, the Rebels attempt to locate the shield generator, and the Rebel fleet enters hyperspace from Sullust to prepare for the final attack. Luke and Vader finally enter the Death Star and confront the Emperor, who looks forward to completing Luke's training and believes that while Vader would never turn from the dark side, neither would Luke. He also reveals that it was he who coordinated the Rebels finding the secret plans and locating the shield generator so that the Alliance can fall into a trap of Sidious' devising.

### Duel between father and son

Back on the Death Star, Luke, with the encouragement of Sidious, lashes out at him with his lightsaber, only to be deflected by Vader, and the final duel between father and son begins. As Luke climbs onto a balcony, Vader throws his lightsaber at his son. It misses Luke and knocks the balcony down, taking Luke with it. Vader stalks for a hidden Luke to let down his guard, while quietly sensing within his son's mind that Luke has a sister. Vader threatens to turn her to the dark side if Luke will not, but Luke responds viciously in intense saber fighting of Form V, up to the point where Luke strikes off Vader's right mechanical hand (just as Vader cut off Luke's in The Empire Strikes Back). Sidious encourages Luke to kill his father so the young Jedi can take Vader's place at his side. But Luke controls his anger and throws his lightsaber aside. He declares himself to be a Jedi Knight as his father Anakin was before he turned over to the dark side and turned into Darth Vader.

### Destroying the Emperor

Han, Leia, and Chewbacca escape from the bunker, just in time for its destruction, thus bringing down the shield. The Alliance is now free to attack the half-completed Death Star. On the Death Star, an enraged Sidious declares that if Luke will not turn to the dark side, he will be destroyed, and uses Force lightning against the young Jedi. He slowly increases the intensity of the lightning,torturing Luke. He then calls out to his father to help him. But as the Emperor prepares to deliver the killing bolts, Vader must make a choice, he looks at Luke and then the Emperor, conflicted whether to save his son or to continue serving his vile Master (just like when Anakin had to choose between Darth Sidious or the Jedi Order in Revenge of the Sith).

Moved by his son's cries for help, Vader makes his decision — he cannot let one of the two last remaining links to his deceased wife, Padmé Amidala, die. With that, he lifts the Emperor into the air and throws him into the Death Star's power core/ reactor shaft. The Emperor disappears into the abyss, screaming, and then he is gone. There is an explosion but during the process of killing Sidious, his lightning enters Vader's organic remains, striking Vader's life support system and his respirator (Vader's mechanical lungs), mortally wounding him. The Millennium Falcon and its remaining Rebel fighters enter the bowels of the Death Star, and some fighters engage in a point-blank attack on the Super Star Destroyer, causing the Imperial flagship's destruction.

### Death of Anakin Skywalker

Back on the Death Star, in the middle of an evacuation, Luke has carried his father's ravaged body to the foot of an Imperial shuttle. Vader stops Luke and asks him to remove his mask so that he can look upon the face of his son, just for once, with his "own eyes."

Luke removes the mask and sees the face of his father, Anakin Skywalker. Anakin's face is revealed to be pale white (from not seeing natural sunlight in 23 years), and his head remaining with some scars after healing for 23 years from his duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi (as depicted in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith).

Anakin tells Luke that his son was right — he did have good left in him, and asks him to tell his sister the same. With that, Anakin Skywalker, the redeemed Jedi Knight, smiles at his son and dies peacefully. Luke bows his head in sadness.

### The Galaxy Celebrates

That evening, Luke sets a funeral pyre ablaze to burn the body of his father, still encased in the armor of Darth Vader. His father's organic body had become one with the Force. Through the midst of the rising flames and fireworks, Rebel fighters streak across the sky in celebration of one of the greatest Rebel victories in the Galactic Civil War. The planets Bespin, Tatooine and Coruscant celebrate this victory over the Empire. Luke is reunited with Han, Lando, R-2, C-3PO, Chewbacca, the surviving Rebel fleet. Walking among the cheering crowds, he reunites with Leia. Luke then catches sight of the spirit figures of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and a redeemed Anakin Skywalker. Luke is pleased - not only is he now and forever a Jedi, but his father is once again on the light side of the Force. Leia takes Luke by the hand and they rejoin their friends and colleagues as the spirits of Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Anakin continue to look on with pride.

## Cast

* Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker
* Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa
* Harrison Ford as Han Solo
* Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian
* Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi
* Frank Oz as the voice of Yoda