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Sleeping
Sleeping
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK | |
Written by | |
Lawrence Kasdan | |
and | |
Leigh Brackett | |
From a story by George Lucas | |
EXT. GALAXY - PLANET HOTH | |
A Star Destroyer moves through space, releasing Imperial probe robots | |
from its underside. | |
One of these probes zooms toward the planet Hoth and lands on its ice- | |
covered surface. An explosion marks the point of | |
impact. | |
EXT. HOTH - METEORITE CRATER - SNOW PLAIN - DAY | |
A weird mechanical sound rises above the whining of the wind. A | |
strange probe robot, with several extended sensors, emerges from the | |
smoke-shrouded crater. The ominous mechanical probe floats across the | |
snow plain and disappears into the distance. | |
EXT. PLAIN OF HOTH - DAY | |
A small figure gallops across the windswept ice slope. The bundled | |
rider is mounted on a large gray snow lizard, a Tauntaun. Curving | |
plumes of snow rise from beneath the speeding paws of the two-legged | |
beast. | |
The rider gallops up a slope and reins his lizard to a stop. Pulling | |
off his protective goggles, Luke Skywalker notices something in the | |
sky. He takes a pair of electrobinoculars from his utility belt and | |
through them sees smoke rising from where the probe robot has crashed. | |
The wind whips at Luke's fur-lined cap and he activates a comlink | |
transmitter. His Tauntaun shifts and moans nervously beneath him. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Echo Three to Echo Seven. Han, | |
old buddy, do you read me? | |
After a little static a familiar voice is heard. | |
HAN | |
(over comlink) | |
Loud and clear, kid. What's up? | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Well, I finished my circle. I | |
don't pick up any life readings. | |
HAN | |
(over comlink) | |
There isn't enough life on this | |
ice cube to fill a space cruiser. | |
The sensors are placed, I'm going | |
back. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Right. I'll see you shortly. | |
There's a meteorite that hit the | |
ground near here. I want to check | |
it out. It won't take long. | |
Luke clicks off his transmitter and reins back on his nervous lizard. | |
He pats the beast on the head to calm it. | |
LUKE | |
Hey, steady girl. What's the | |
matter? You smell something? | |
Luke takes a small device from his belt and starts to adjust it when | |
suddenly a large shadow falls over him from behind. He hears a | |
monstrous howl and turns to see an eleven-foot-tall shape towering over | |
him. It is a Wampa Ice Creature, lunging at him ferociously. | |
LUKE | |
Aaargh! | |
Luke grabs for his pistol, but is hit flat in the face by a huge white | |
claw. He falls unconscious into the snow and in a moment the terrified | |
screams of the Tauntaun are cut short by the horrible snap of a neck | |
being broken. | |
The Wampa Ice Creature grabs Luke by one ankle and drags him away | |
across the frozen plain. | |
EXT. HOTH - REBEL BASE ENTRANCE - DAY | |
A stalwart figure rides his Tauntaun up to the entrance of an enormous | |
ice cave. | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGAR DECK | |
Rebel troopers rush about unloading supplies and otherwise securing | |
their new base. The rider, Han Solo, swings off his lizard and pulls | |
off his goggles. | |
He walks into the main hangar deck toward the Millennium Falcon, which | |
is parked among several fighters. Mechanics, R2 units, and various | |
other droids hurry about. Han stops at the Millennium Falcon where his | |
Wookiee copilot, Chewbacca, is welding on a central lifter. Chewie | |
stops his work and lifts his face shield, growling an irritated | |
greeting to his boss. | |
HAN | |
Chewie! | |
The Wookiee grumbles a reply. | |
HAN | |
All right, don't lose your temper. | |
I'll come right back and give you | |
a hand. | |
Chewbacca puts his mask back on and returns to his welding as Han | |
leaves. | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - COMMAND CENTER | |
A makeshift command center has been set up in a blasted area of thick | |
ice. The low-ceilinged room is a beehive of activity. Controllers, | |
troops, and droids move about setting up electronic equipment and | |
monitoring radar signals. | |
General Rieekan straightens up from a console at Han's approach. | |
RIEEKAN | |
Solo? | |
HAN | |
No sign of life out there, General. | |
The sensors are in place. You'll | |
know if anything comes around. | |
RIEEKAN | |
Commander Skywalker reported in yet? | |
HAN | |
No. He's checking out a meteorite | |
that hit near him. | |
RIEEKAN | |
(indicates radar | |
screen) | |
With all the meteor activity in this | |
system, it's going to be difficult | |
to spot approaching ships. | |
Taking a deep breath, Han blurts out what is on his mind. | |
HAN | |
General, I've got to leave. I | |
can't stay anymore. | |
Princess Leia, standing at a console nearby, is dressed in a short | |
white combat jacket and pants. Her hair is braided across her head in | |
a Nordic fashion. She overhears their conversation and seems somewhat | |
distressed. | |
RIEEKAN | |
I'm sorry to hear that. | |
HAN | |
Well, there's a price on my head. | |
If I don't pay off Jabba the Hut, | |
I'm a dead man. | |
RIEEKAN | |
A death mark's not an easy thing | |
to live with. You're a good | |
fighter, Solo. I hate to lose you. | |
HAN | |
Thank you, General. | |
He turns to Leia as Rieekan moves away. | |
HAN | |
(with feeling) | |
Well, Your Highness, I guess this | |
is it. | |
LEIA | |
That's right. | |
Leia is angry. Han sees she has no warmth to offer him. He shakes his | |
head and adopts a sarcastic tone. | |
HAN | |
(cooly) | |
Well, don't get all mushy on me. | |
So long, Princess. | |
Han walks away into the quiet corridor adjoining the command center. | |
Leia stews a moment, then hurries after him. | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - ICE CORRIDOR | |
LEIA | |
Han! | |
Han stops in the corridor and turns to face Leia. | |
HAN | |
Yes, Your Highnessness? | |
LEIA | |
I thought you decided to stay. | |
HAN | |
Well, the bounty hunter we ran | |
into on Ord Mantell changed my | |
mind. | |
LEIA | |
Han, we need you! | |
HAN | |
We? | |
LEIA | |
Yes. | |
HAN | |
Oh, what about you need? | |
LEIA | |
(mystified) | |
I need? I don't know what you're | |
talking about. | |
HAN | |
(shakes his head, | |
fed up) | |
You probably don't. | |
LEIA | |
And what precisely am I supposed | |
to know? | |
HAN | |
Come on! You want me to stay | |
because of the way you feel about | |
me. | |
LEIA | |
Yes. You're a great help to us. | |
You're a natural leader... | |
HAN | |
No! That's not it. Come on. | |
Aahhh - uh huh! Come on. | |
Leia stares at him, understanding, then laughs. | |
LEIA | |
You're imagining things. | |
HAN | |
Am I? Then why are you following | |
me? Afraid I was going to leave | |
without giving you a goodbye kiss? | |
LEIA | |
I'd just as soon kiss a Wookiee. | |
HAN | |
I can arrange that. You could use | |
a good kiss! | |
Angrily, Han strides down the corridor as Leia stares after him. | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - ANOTHER ICE CORRIDOR | |
A familiar stream of beeps and whistles herald the approach of Artoo- | |
Detoo and See-Threepio, who appear around a corner and move along an | |
ice wall toward the main hangar. | |
THREEPIO | |
Don't try to blame me. I didn't | |
ask you to turn on the thermal | |
heater. I merely commented that it | |
was freezing in the princess' | |
chamber. But it's supposed to be | |
freezing. How are we going to dry | |
out all her clothes? I really don't | |
know. | |
Artoo beeps a stream of protesting whistles. | |
THREEPIO | |
Oh, switch off. | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGAR DECK | |
The two robots stop at Han Solo's space freighter. Han and Chewie are | |
struggling with their central lifters. | |
HAN | |
(to Chewie) | |
Why do you take this apart now? | |
I'm trying to get us out of here | |
and you pull both of these. | |
Chewie grumbles in irritation. | |
THREEPIO | |
Excuse me, sir. | |
HAN | |
(to Chewie) | |
Put them back together right now. | |
THREEPIO | |
Might I have a word with you, | |
please? | |
HAN | |
What do you want? | |
THREEPIO | |
Well, it's Princess Leia, sir. | |
She's been trying to get you on | |
the communicator. | |
HAN | |
I turned it off. I don't want to | |
talk to her. | |
THREEPIO | |
Oh. Well, Princess Leia is wondering | |
about Master Luke. He hasn't come | |
back yet. She doesn't know where he | |
is. | |
HAN | |
I don't know where he is. | |
THREEPIO | |
Nobody knows where he is. | |
HAN | |
What do you mean, "nobody knows"? | |
Han glances at the fading light at the entrance of the ice cave as | |
night slowly begins to fall on the planet. | |
THREEPIO | |
Well, uh, you see... | |
Han jumps down off the lift, as Threepio follows him. | |
HAN | |
Deck Officer. Deck Officer! | |
THREEPIO | |
Excuse me, sir. Might I inqu... | |
Han abruptly puts his hand over Threepio's mouth as the deck officer | |
approaches. | |
DECK OFFICER | |
Yes, sir? | |
HAN | |
Do you know where Commander | |
Skywalker is? | |
DECK OFFICER | |
I haven't seen him. It's possible | |
he came in through the south entrance. | |
HAN | |
It's possible? Why don't you go | |
find out? It's getting dark out there. | |
DECK OFFICER | |
Yes, sir. | |
The deck officer leaves hurriedly, as Han takes his hand off Threepio's | |
mouth. | |
THREEPIO | |
Excuse me, sir. Might I inquire | |
what's going on? | |
HAN | |
Why not? | |
THREEPIO | |
Impossible man. Come along, Artoo, | |
let's find Princess Leia. Between | |
ourselves, I think Master Luke is | |
in considerable danger. | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - MAIN ICE TUNNEL | |
The deck officer and his assistant hurry toward Han as he enters the | |
tunnel. | |
DECK OFFICER | |
Sir, Commander Skywalker hasn't | |
come in through the south entrance. | |
He might have forgotten to check in. | |
HAN | |
Not likely. Are the speeders ready? | |
DECK OFFICER | |
Not yet. We're having some trouble | |
adapting them to the cold. | |
HAN | |
Then we'll have to go out on | |
Tauntauns. | |
DECK OFFICER | |
Sir, the temperature's dropping too | |
rapidly. | |
HAN | |
That's right. And my friends out | |
in it. | |
ASSISTANT OFFICER | |
I'll cover sector twelve. Have | |
com-control set screen alpha. | |
Han pushes through the troops and mounts a Tauntaun. | |
DECK OFFICER | |
Your Tauntaun'll freeze before you | |
reach the first marker. | |
HAN | |
Then I'll see you in hell! | |
Han maneuvers his mount out of the cave and races into the dark bitter | |
night. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE GORGE - DUSK | |
The jagged face of a huge ice wall sits gloomily in the dim twilight of | |
a Hoth day. Luke hangs upside down, ankles frozen into icy | |
stalactites, his extended arms within a foot of the snow floor. One | |
side of his face is covered in a dried mask of frozen blood. He opens | |
his eyes as a chilling moan of the hideous ice creature echoes off the | |
gorge walls. Luke pulls himself up, grabs hold of his ankles, and | |
futilely tries to unfasten the throngs. | |
Exhausted, he drops back into his hanging position. As he hangs there, | |
he spies his lightsaber lying near a pile of his discarded gear, about | |
three feet out of reach. | |
He focuses on the saber and, as his hand strains toward the weapon, he | |
squeezes his eyes tight in concentration. | |
Just as the ice creature looms over Luke, the lightsaber jumps into | |
Luke's hand. | |
The young warrior instantly ignites his sword, swinging up, and cuts | |
himself loose from the ice. He flops to the snow in a heap. The | |
startled creature moves back, his giant yellow eyes blinking. Luke | |
scrambles to his feet. He swings his lightsaber and the beast screams | |
in pain. | |
EXT. HOTH - ENTRANCE TO ICE GORGE - DUSK | |
Luke staggers out of the gorge into the dark and snowy twilight. Weak | |
and exhausted, he stumbles down a snow bank. | |
EXT. HOTH - SNOW PLAIN - DUSK | |
A small, lone figure riding a Tauntaun races through the hostile | |
vastness of snow and cold. As it runs, the Tauntaun's legs kick up | |
large clouds of snow and ice into the snowy air. | |
EXT. HOTH - OUTSIDE ICE HANGAR - DUSK | |
Artoo stands in the falling snow, beeping worriedly. Threepio moves | |
stiffly over to him. | |
THREEPIO | |
You must come along now, Artoo. | |
There's really nothing more we can | |
do. And my joints are freezing up. | |
Artoo beeps, long and low. | |
THREEPIO | |
Don't say thing like that! Of | |
course we'll see Master Luke again. | |
He'll be quite all right, you'll see. | |
(to himself) | |
Stupid little short-circuit. He'll | |
be quite all right. | |
Threepio turns to go back inside the main hangar as Artoo mournfully | |
keeps his vigil. | |
EXT. HOTH - SNOW DRIFT - DUSK | |
The wind is blowing quite strong now. Luke struggles to stay upright, | |
but a blast of freezing snow knocks him over. He struggles to get up, | |
but he can't. The young warrior from Tatooine drags himself a couple | |
of feet and then collapses. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGAR DECK - ENTRANCE - NIGHT | |
Princess Leia stands inside the dark entrance to the Rebel base, | |
waiting for a sign of the two Rebel heroes. She shivers in the cold | |
wind as, nearby, Chewie sits with his head in his hands. In the | |
background, Artoo and Threepio move through the doors. | |
A Rebel lieutenant moves to Major Derlin, an officer keeping watch with | |
the princess. | |
LIEUTENANT | |
Sir, all the patrols are in. | |
There's still no contact from | |
Skywalker or Solo. | |
THREEPIO | |
Mistress Leia, Artoo says he's been | |
quite unable to pick up any signals, | |
although he does admit that his own | |
range is far too weak to abandon | |
all hope. | |
Leia nods an acknowledgment, but she is lost in thought. | |
DERLIN | |
Your Highness, there's nothing | |
more we can do tonight. The shield | |
doors must be closed. | |
He turns to the lieutenant. | |
DERLIN | |
Close the doors. | |
LIEUTENANT | |
Yes, sir. | |
The lieutenant walks away. Chewie lets out a long, mournful howl, | |
somewhat like a coyote. At the same moment, Artoo begins a complex | |
series of efficient beeps. | |
THREEPIO | |
Artoo says the chances of survival | |
are seven hundred seventy-five... | |
to one. | |
Leia stands praying to herself as the huge metal doors slam across the | |
entrance of the ice cave. The loud booms echo throughout the huge | |
cavern. Chewie lets out another suffering howl. | |
THREEPIO | |
Actually, Artoo has been known to | |
make mistakes... from time to time. | |
Oh, dear, oh, dear. Don't worry | |
about Master Luke. I'm sure he'll | |
be all right. He's quite clever, | |
you know... for a human being. | |
EXT. HOTH - SNOW DRIFT - DUSK | |
Luke lies face down in the snow, nearly unconscious. Slowly he looks | |
up and sees Ben Kenobi, barely visible through the blowing snow. It is | |
hard to tell if Kenobi is real or a hallucination. | |
BEN | |
Luke... Luke. | |
LUKE | |
(weakly) | |
Ben? | |
BEN | |
You will go to the Dagobah system. | |
LUKE | |
Dagobah system? | |
BEN | |
There you will learn from Yoda, | |
the Jedi Master who instructed me. | |
The image of Ben fades, revealing a lone Tauntaun rider approaching | |
from the windswept horizon. | |
LUKE | |
(groaning faintly) | |
Ben... Ben. | |
Luke drops into unconsciousness. | |
Han pulls up and leaps off his mount. He hurries to his snow-covered | |
friend, cradling him in his arms. Han's Tauntaun lets out a low, | |
pitiful bellow. But Han's concern is with Luke, and he shakes him | |
urgently. | |
HAN | |
Luke! Luke! Don't do this, Luke. | |
Come on, give me a sign here. | |
Luke doesn't respond. Han begins frantically rubbing and slapping | |
Luke's unconscious face. As he starts to lift the youth, Han hears a | |
rasping sound behind him. He turns, just in time to see his Tauntaun | |
stagger and then fall over into the snow. | |
Han carries Luke to the moaning beast. Then, with a final groan, the | |
Tauntaun expires. | |
HAN | |
Not much time. | |
He pushes Luke's inert form against the belly of the dead beast. | |
LUKE | |
(moaning) | |
Ben... Ben... | |
HAN | |
Hang on, kid. | |
LUKE | |
Dagobah system... | |
Han ignites Luke's saber and cuts the beast from head to toe. He | |
quickly tosses it's steaming innards into the snow, then lifts Luke's | |
inert form and stuffs him inside the carcass. | |
HAN | |
(reeling from the | |
odor) | |
Whew... | |
LUKE | |
Dagobah... | |
HAN | |
This may smell bad, kid... | |
LUKE | |
(moaning) | |
Yoda... | |
HAN | |
...but it will keep you warm... | |
til I get the shelter built. | |
(struggling to get | |
Luke inside the | |
carcass) | |
Ooh... I thought they smelled bad | |
on the outside! | |
The wind has picked up considerably, making it difficult to move. Han | |
removes a pack from the dead creature's back, taking out a shelter | |
container. He begins to set up what can only be a pitiful protection | |
against a bitter Hoth night. | |
EXT. HOTH - SNOWDRIFT - DAWN | |
Four snub-nosed armored snowspeeders race across the white landscape. | |
INT. SNOWSPEEDER COCKPIT | |
There is only one pilot, Zev, in the enclosed two-man craft. He | |
concentrates on the scopes which ring his cockpit. He hears a low beep | |
from one of his monitors. | |
ZEV | |
(into transmitter) | |
Echo Base... I've got something! Not | |
much, but it could be a life form. | |
EXT. HOTH - SNOWDRIFT | |
The small craft banks and makes a slow arc, then races off in a new | |
direction. | |
INT. SNOWSPEEDER - COCKPIT | |
The pilot switches over to a new transmitter. | |
ZEV | |
(into transmitter) | |
This is Rogue Two. this is Rogue | |
Two. Captain Solo, so you copy? | |
Commander Skywalker, do you copy? | |
This is Rogue Two. | |
There is a sharp crackle of static, then a faint voice. | |
HAN | |
(filtered over | |
Zev's receiver) | |
Good morning. Nice of you guys | |
to drop by. | |
ZEV | |
(switching transmitters) | |
Echo Base... this is Rogue Two. I | |
found them. Repeat, I found them. | |
EXT. HOTH - SNOWDRIFT - DAY | |
The small shelter Han set up is covered with snow on the windward side. | |
A makeshift antenna rests gingerly on top the snowdrift. Han spots | |
Zev's snowspeeder approaching in the distance, and begins waving his | |
arms frantically at the tiny craft. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - MEDICAL CENTER | |
Strange robot surgeons adjust a mass of electronic equipment. A switch | |
is thrown and a sudden blinding flash obscures Luke in a bacta tank | |
filled with a thick, gelatinous slime. He begins to thrash about, | |
raving in delirium. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - MEDICAL CENTER - RECOVERY ROOM | |
Luke sits up in a recovery-room bed, weak but smiling. His face shows | |
terrible wounds from the Wampa's attack. Threepio and Artoo enter the | |
room. | |
THREEPIO | |
Master Luke, sir, it's so good | |
to see you fully functional again. | |
Artoo beeps his good wishes. | |
THREEPIO | |
Artoo expresses his relief, also. | |
Han and Chewie make their entrance. The Wookiee growls a greeting. | |
HAN | |
How are you feeling, kid? You | |
don't look so bad to me. In | |
fact, you look strong enough to | |
pull the ears off a Gundark. | |
LUKE | |
Thanks to you. | |
HAN | |
That's two you owe me, junior. | |
Han turns as Leia enters the room. He looks at her with a big, | |
devilish grin. | |
HAN | |
Well your Worship, looks like | |
you managed to keep me around for | |
a little while longer. | |
LEIA | |
(haughtily) | |
I had nothing to do with it. General | |
Rieekan thinks it's dangerous for | |
any ships to leave the system until | |
we've activated the energy shield. | |
HAN | |
That's a good story. I think you | |
just can't bear to let a gorgeous | |
guy like me out of your sight. | |
LEIA | |
I don't know where you get your | |
delusions, laser brain. | |
Chewie is amused; he laughs in his manner. Han, enjoying himself, | |
regards Chewie good-humoredly. | |
HAN | |
Laugh it up, fuzzball. But you | |
didn't see us alone in the south | |
passage. | |
Luke sparks to this; he looks at Leia. | |
HAN | |
She expressed her true feelings | |
for me. | |
Leia is flushed, eyes darting between Luke and Han. | |
LEIA | |
My...! Why, you stuck up,... half- | |
witted... scruffy-looking ...nerf- | |
herder! | |
HAN | |
Who's scruffy-looking? | |
(to Luke) | |
I must have hit pretty close to | |
the mark to get her all riled up | |
like that, huh, kid? | |
Leia looks vulnerable for a moment, then the mask falls again, and she | |
focuses on Luke. | |
LEIA | |
Why, I guess you don't know | |
everything about women yet? | |
With that she leans over and kisses Luke on the lips. Then she turns | |
on her heel and walks out, leaving everyone in the room slightly | |
dumbstruck. With some smugness, Luke puts his hands behind his head | |
and grins. | |
Suddenly, in the distance, the muffled sound of an alarm is heard. | |
ANNOUNCER | |
(over loudspeaker) | |
Headquarters personnel, report to | |
command center. | |
The voice repeats the order and Han, Chewie, Artoo, and Threepio hurry | |
out of the room, bidding farewell to Luke. | |
HAN | |
Take it easy. | |
THREEPIO | |
Excuse us, please. | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - COMMAND CENTER | |
Rieekan looks up grimly from a console screen. He calls over to Leia | |
and Han. | |
RIEEKAN | |
Princess... we have a visitor. | |
The group hurries over to Rieekan. | |
RIEEKAN | |
We've picked up something outside | |
the base in zone twelve, moving | |
east. | |
SENIOR CONTROLLER | |
It's metal. | |
LEIA | |
Then it couldn't be one of those | |
creatures that attacked Luke. | |
HAN | |
It could be a speeder, one of ours. | |
SENIOR CONTROLLER | |
No. Wait - there's something very | |
weak coming through. | |
Threepio steps up to the control panel and listens intently to the | |
strange signal. | |
THREEPIO | |
Sir, I am fluent in six million | |
forms of communication. This signal | |
is not used by the Alliance. It | |
could be an Imperial code. | |
The transmission ends in static. | |
HAN | |
It isn't friendly, whatever it is. | |
Come on, Chewie, let's check it out. | |
RIEEKAN | |
Send Rogues Ten and Eleven to | |
station three-eight. | |
EXT. HOTH - SNOW PLAIN - DAY | |
The dark probe robot moves past the smoldering ruins of station three- | |
eight and down a ridge toward the Rebel base. It raises a large | |
antenna from the top of its head and begins to send out a piercing | |
signal. | |
The probe droid has spotted Chewbacca who, not thirty feet away, has | |
popped his head over a snow bank. Instantly, the probe robot swings | |
around, its deadly ray ready to fire. But before it can get a shot | |
off, it is hit from behind by a laser bolt, and explodes in a million | |
pieces. | |
Han Solo replaces his blaster in its holster and peers intently at the | |
smoldering remains of the Imperial probe. | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - COMMAND CENTER | |
Leia and Rieekan listen to Han on the comlink. | |
HAN | |
(over comlink) | |
Afraid there's not much left. | |
LEIA | |
(into comlink) | |
What was it? | |
HAN | |
(over comlink) | |
Droid of some kind. I didn't hit | |
it that hard. It must have had a | |
self-destruct. | |
LEIA | |
(into comlink) | |
An Imperial probe droid. | |
HAN | |
(over comlink) | |
It's a good bet the Empire knows | |
we're here. | |
RIEEKAN | |
We'd better start the evacuation. | |
EXT. SPACE - IMPERIAL FLEET | |
Darth Vader's Star Destroyer, larger and more awesome than the five | |
Imperial Star Destroyers that surround it, sits in the vastness of | |
space. The six huge ships are surrounded by a convoy of smaller | |
spacecraft. TIE fighters dart to and fro. | |
INT. DARTH VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE - MAIN CONTROL DECK | |
Controllers working the vast complex of electronic controls hear | |
ominous approaching footsteps and look up from their controls. The | |
squat, evil-looking Admiral Ozzel and the young, powerfully built | |
General Veers, who have been conferring near the front, also feel the | |
approaching presence and turn toward it. Darth Vader, Lord of the | |
Sith, enters like a chill wind. As Vader moves across the wide bridge, | |
Captain Piett hurries up to Ozzel. | |
PIETT | |
Admiral. | |
OZZEL | |
Yes, Captain | |
PIETT | |
I think we've got something, sir. | |
The report is only a fragment from | |
a probe droid in the Hoth system, | |
but it's the best lead we've had. | |
OZZEL | |
(irritated) | |
We have thousands of probe droids | |
searching the galaxy. I want proof, | |
not leads! | |
PIETT | |
The visuals indicate life readings. | |
OZZEL | |
It could mean anything. If we | |
followed every lead... | |
PIETT | |
But, sir, the Hoth system is supposed | |
to be devoid of human forms. | |
Vader moves to a large screen showing an image of the Rebel snow base. | |
Rebel speeders can be seen approaching the base in the distance. | |
VADER | |
You found something? | |
PIETT | |
Yes, my lord. | |
VADER | |
(studying the image | |
on the console screen) | |
That's it. The Rebels are there. | |
OZZEL | |
My lord, there are so many uncharted | |
settlements. It could be smugglers, | |
it could be... | |
VADER | |
That is the system. And I'm sure | |
Skywalker is with them. Set your | |
course for the Hoth system. General | |
Veers, prepare you men. | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - TRANSPORT BAY | |
A captain issues instructions to two of his men at the entrance to the | |
main transport bay. Several Rebel transports behind them are being | |
loaded by men carrying heavy boxes and moving quickly, but not in | |
panic. | |
REBEL CAPTAIN | |
Groups seven and ten will stay | |
behind to fly the speeders. As | |
soon as each transport is loaded, | |
evacuation control will give | |
clearance for immediate launch. | |
REBEL FIGHTER | |
Right, sir. | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGAR DECK | |
Alarms sound. Troops, ground crews, and droids rush to their alert | |
stations. Armored snowspeeders are lined up in attack formation near | |
the main entrance. | |
In the midst of all this activity, Han does some frantic welding on the | |
lifters of the Millennium Falcon. | |
Han finishes his work and hops down to the hangar floor. He pulls out | |
his comlink, all the while eyeing problematic lifters. | |
HAN | |
(into comlink, to | |
Chewie) | |
Okay, that's it. Try it... Off! | |
Turn it off! Turn it off! Off! | |
Smoke rises from a minor explosion on the lifter. Exasperated, Han | |
surveys the new damage. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - MEDICAL CENTER | |
Luke dresses in readiness for the evacuation as his attending medical | |
droid stands by. | |
MEDICAL DROID | |
Sir, it will take quite a while | |
to evacuate the T-forty- sevens. | |
LUKE | |
Well, forget the heavy equipment. | |
There's plenty of time to get the | |
smaller modules on the transports. | |
MEDICAL DROID | |
Take care, sir. | |
LUKE | |
Thanks. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGAR DECK | |
Pilots, gunners, and R2 units scurry about. Luke, pulling on his | |
heavy-weather jacket, is headed toward a row of armored speeders. He | |
stops at the rear of the Millennium Falcon, where Han and Chewie are | |
trying to repair the right lifter with even more haste than before. | |
LUKE | |
Chewie, take care of yourself, | |
okay? | |
As Luke pats Chewie on the arm, Chewie puts his arms around Luke and | |
gives him a tight hug. Han is discussing the lifter with a repair | |
droid when he sees Luke. | |
HAN | |
Hi, kid. | |
(to droid) | |
There's got to be a reason for | |
it. Check it at the other end. | |
Wait a second. | |
(to Luke) | |
You all right? | |
LUKE | |
Yeah. | |
HAN | |
Be careful. | |
LUKE | |
You, too. | |
Luke smiles, then waves at his friend and walks on. After a few steps, | |
he stops and looks back. Han glances up and the two exchange a silent | |
communication, each wishing the other safety, happiness - many things, | |
all difficult to verbalize. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - CONTROL ROOM. | |
Alarms sound throughout the hidden Rebel base. In the control room, a | |
controller urgently gestures for General Rieekan to check a computer | |
scan. | |
CONTROLLER | |
General, there's a fleet of Star | |
Destroyers coming out of hyperspace | |
in sector four. | |
RIEEKAN | |
Reroute all power to the energy | |
shield. We've got to hold them till | |
all transports are away. Prepare | |
for ground assault. | |
Rieekan exits hurriedly. | |
INT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - VADER'S CHAMBER - MEDITATION CUBICLE | |
The dark cubicle is illuminated by a single shaft of light which falls | |
on the brooding Dark Lord as he sits on a raised meditation cube. | |
General Veers enters the room and approaches the silent, unmoving | |
Vader. Although seemingly very sure of himself, Veers is still not | |
bold enough to interrupt the meditating lord. The younger general | |
stands quietly at attention until the evil presence speaks. | |
VADER | |
What is it, General? | |
VEERS | |
My lord, the fleet has moves out | |
of light-speed. Com-Scan has | |
detected an energy field protecting | |
an area around the sixth planet of | |
the Hoth system. The field is | |
strong enough to deflect any | |
bombardment. | |
VADER | |
(angrily) | |
The Rebels are alerted to our | |
presence. Admiral Ozzel came out | |
of light-speed too close to the | |
system. | |
VEERS | |
He felt surprise was wiser... | |
VADER | |
He is as clumsy as he is stupid. | |
General, prepare your troops for a | |
surface attack. | |
VEERS | |
Yes, my lord. | |
Veers turns smartly and leaves as Vader activates a large viewscreen | |
showing the bridge of his mighty ship. Admiral Ozzel appears on the | |
viewscreen, standing slightly in front of Captain Piett. | |
OZZEL | |
Lord Vader, the fleet has moved | |
out of light-speed, and we're | |
preparing to... Aaagh! | |
VADER | |
You have failed me for the last | |
time, Admiral. Captain Piett. | |
Piett steps forward, as the admiral moves away, slightly confused, | |
touching his throat as it begins to constrict painfully. | |
PIETT | |
Yes, my lord. | |
VADER | |
Make ready to land out troops beyond | |
the energy shield and deploy the | |
fleet so that nothing gets off that | |
system. You are in command now, | |
Admiral Piett. | |
PIETT | |
Thank you, Lord Vader. | |
Piett's pleasure about his unexpected promotion is not an unmixed | |
emotion. He glances warily at the struggling Admiral Ozzel who, with a | |
final choke, stumbles and falls in a lifeless heap before him. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGAR DECK | |
With a sense of urgency, Leia quickly briefs a group of pilots gathered | |
in the center of the hangar. | |
LEIA | |
All troop carriers will assemble | |
at the north entrance. The heavy | |
transport ships will leave as | |
soon as they're loaded. Only two | |
fighter escorts per ship. The | |
energy shield can only be opened | |
for a short time, so you'll have | |
to stay very close to your transports. | |
HOBBIE | |
Two fighters against a Star Destroyer? | |
LEIA | |
The ion cannon will fire several | |
shots to make sure that any enemy | |
ships will be out of your flight | |
path. When you've gotten past the | |
energy shield, proceed directly to | |
the rendezvous point. Understood? | |
PILOTS | |
(in unison) | |
Right. Okay. | |
LEIA | |
Good luck. | |
DERLIN | |
Okay. Everyone to your stations. | |
Let's go! | |
The pilots hurry away. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - SNOW TRENCH - DAY | |
Rebel troops carry heavy bazooka-type weapons and position them along | |
the snow trench. Men hurriedly respond to their officers' yelled | |
orders and brace themselves against the rhythmic gusts of bitter-cold | |
wind. | |
Other troops load power packs into a gun turret and swing its guns into | |
position. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - POWER GENERATORS | |
Near the base power generators, troops rush to set up their heavy | |
battle equipment. Buzzing loudly, the generators send along, sparking | |
fingers of energy into the bitter Hoth wind. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - COMMAND CENTER | |
The long line of Rebel controllers is tense, as are Princess Leia and | |
General Rieekan, who are trying very hard not to show any fear. | |
RIEEKAN | |
Their primary target will be the | |
power generators. Prepare to | |
open the shield. | |
EXT. ICE PLAIN | |
The Rebel transport and two escort fighters begin their departure from | |
the ice planet. | |
EXT. SPACE - IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER | |
A huge Imperial Star Destroyer rest against a sea of stars, far above | |
the white surface of the planet Hoth. | |
INT. IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE | |
An Imperial controller approaches his commander. | |
CONTROLLER | |
Sir, Rebel ships are coming into | |
our sector. | |
CAPTAIN | |
Good. Our first catch of the day. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - COMMAND CENTER | |
WOMAN CONTROLLER | |
Stand by, ion control... Fire! | |
EXT. REBEL BASE ICE CAVE - ION CANNON | |
The giant ball-shaped ion cannon rotates into position and blasts two | |
red energy beams skyward. | |
EXT. SPACE - HOTH - REBEL TRANSPORT | |
The Rebel transport and its escort race away from the white planet, | |
closely followed by the two red energy beams. | |
As the Rebel transport races toward the waiting Imperial Star | |
Destroyer, it is overtaken by the two scarlet energy bolts. The | |
Imperial Star Destroyer is hit in the conning tower by the powerful | |
bolts, which set up fiery explosions on its metal hull. | |
The big Star Destroyer veers, then spins wildly out of control. As the | |
Imperial ship careers into deep space, the Rebel transport races away | |
to safety. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGAR DECK | |
Pilots, gunners, and troopers hurry to their stations and their | |
vehicles. | |
ANNOUNCER | |
(over loudspeaker) | |
The first transport is away. | |
Everyone cheers at the announcement, which echoes through the hangar. | |
Luke turns and walks on, heading toward his snowspeeder. His gunner, | |
Dack, a fresh-faced, eager kid, is glad to see him. They climb in. | |
DACK | |
Feeling all right, sir? | |
LUKE | |
Just like new, Dack. How about | |
you? | |
DACK | |
Right now I feel like I could take | |
on the whole Empire myself. | |
LUKE | |
(quietly, strapping | |
in) | |
I know what you mean. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN | |
A thin horizon line cuts across the bleak landscape. Small dot-size | |
objects begin to appear on the horizon, moving in the direction of the | |
Rebel base. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - SNOW TRENCH | |
A Rebel officer lifts a pair of electrobinoculars to his eyes. Through | |
the lens he sees a very close view of a giant Imperial snow walker. He | |
adjusts the view which then zooms back to reveal three more of the | |
ominous battle machines. Small flashes of yellow fire billow from the | |
guns of the lumbering snow walkers. | |
The officer lowers his binoculars as the regular rhythmic pounding | |
begins to make the ground vibrate. The pounding grows louder and is | |
accompanied by a high-pitched, metallic rattling. The officer speaks | |
into his comlink. | |
TRENCH OFFICER | |
Echo Station Three-T-Eight. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - CORRIDOR | |
Pilots and gunners race to their waiting snowspeeders. Ice and snow | |
begin falling from the walls of the corridor, shaken by the pounding | |
Imperial snow walker as they draw ever nearer. | |
TRENCH OFFICER | |
(over comlink) | |
We have spotted Imperial walkers! | |
CONTROLLER | |
Imperial walkers on the north | |
ridge. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - SNOW TRENCH | |
The Rebel troops aim their weapons at the horizon as explosions erupt | |
all around them. They are nervous and their grip on their weapons | |
tightens from the cold and from fear. | |
Behind the troops a dozen snowspeeders race through the sky. | |
INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Echo station Five-Seven. We're | |
on our way. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - BATTLEFIELD | |
The fleet of snowspeeders races above the ice field at full throttle. | |
They accelerate away from the base and head toward the distant walkers. | |
INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
All right, boys, keep tight now. | |
DACK | |
Luke, I have no approach vector. | |
I'm not set. | |
LUKE | |
Steady, Dack. Attack pattern | |
delta. Go now! | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - BATTLEFIELD | |
The cannons mounted on the walker head fire at the speeders. Other | |
walkers loom in the background. Two speeders race away past two of the | |
enormous walkers and bank to the right. | |
INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT | |
LUKE | |
All right, I'm coming in. | |
He turns his speeder and heads directly at one of the walkers, flying | |
toward its towering legs. The horizon twists as the speeder banks | |
between the legs. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Hobbie, you still with me? | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - BATTLEFIELD | |
Two speeders race directly at the head of a walker, then split and fly | |
past it. | |
Three other walkers march onward, firing all cannons. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - SNOWTRENCH | |
Rebel troops fire on the approaching walkers, as the snow and ice | |
explode all around them. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - BATTLEFIELD | |
A speeder banks through and away from the legs of a walker. Two other | |
speeders pass the first speeder from the opposite direction. Other | |
Rebel craft race just above the icy plain. | |
A giant walker head swivels and fires, striking a snowspeeder and | |
sending it crashing in a ball of flames. | |
INT. IMPERIAL SNOW WALKER - COCKPIT | |
General Veers and two walker pilots keep a careful eye on the racing | |
Rebel snowspeeders as they maneuver their lumbering war machine | |
forward. | |
Luke's speeder banks in from the side of Veers's walker and heads | |
straight for its viewport, blasting away. An explosion hits the walker | |
window, but dissipates, doing no harm. The speeder roars up and over | |
the impregnable war machine. | |
INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT | |
Luke looks back at the walker as it grows smaller in the distance. | |
LUKE | |
That armor's too strong for | |
blasters. | |
On the horizon, another walker moves up past Luke's cockpit window, | |
twisting out of sight as Luke banks and starts another run. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Rogue Group, use your harpoons | |
and tow cables. Go for the legs. | |
It might be our only chance of | |
stopping them. | |
(to Dack) | |
All right, stand by, Dack. | |
Dack is at the gunner's controls. | |
DACK | |
Luke, we've got a malfunction in | |
fire control. I'll have to cut in | |
the auxiliary. | |
LUKE | |
Just hang on. Hang on, Dack. Get | |
ready to fire that tow cable. | |
Barely keeping his seat in the tumbling ship, Dack struggles to set up | |
his harpoon gun. | |
Luke swings his speeder around and heads toward an oncoming walker. | |
Laser bolts and flak fill the air, creating a deadly obstacle course | |
for the tiny craft. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - BATTLEFIELD | |
Rogue Leader and another snowspeeder fly in tight formation toward the | |
walker as explosions burst all around them. | |
INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT | |
After sustaining a heavy volley of fire, Luke turns around to see if | |
Dack is all right. | |
LUKE | |
Dack? Dack! | |
Dack is lost. Blood streams down his forehead, which rests on his | |
smoldering controls. Out the back window, an Imperial walker recedes | |
in the distance. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - SNOW TRENCH AREA | |
Rebel troops fire the dishlike ray gun while explosions erupt around | |
them. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - BATTLEFIELD | |
Two walkers lumber toward the Rebel base as a speeder between them | |
explodes in a ball of flames. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - SNOW TRENCH | |
The dislike ray gun is hit by a laser bolt and instantly explodes. | |
INT. IMPERIAL SNOW WALKER - COCKPIT | |
Through the cockpit window, Veers and his pilot can see the Rebel power | |
generators in the distance. | |
A hologram of Darth Vader appears on a control panel screen. | |
VEERS | |
Yes, Lord Vader. I've reached the | |
main power generator. The shield | |
will be down in moments. You may | |
start your landing. | |
INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Rogue Three. | |
INT. WEDGE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE THREE - COCKPIT | |
WEDGE | |
(into comlink) | |
Copy, Rogue Leader | |
LUKE | |
(over comlink) | |
Wedge, I've lost my gunner. You'll | |
have to make this shot. I'll cover | |
for you. Set your harpoon. Follow | |
me on the next pass. | |
WEDGE | |
(into comlink) | |
Coming around, Rogue Leader. | |
INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Steady, Rogue Two | |
EXT. HOTH - BATTLEFIELD | |
Wedge's speeder races through the legs of one of the monstrous walkers. | |
INT. WEDGE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE THREE - COCKPIT | |
WEDGE | |
(to gunner) | |
Activate harpoon. | |
Wedge's gunner reaches for a firing switch to activate the harpoon. | |
The harpoon flashes out, and speeds toward the receding legs of the | |
walker. | |
EXT. HOTH - BATTLEFIELD | |
The harpoon hurtles toward the walker, In an instant it is embedded in | |
one of the walker's legs. | |
INT. WEDGE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE THREE - COCKPIT | |
WEDGE | |
(to gunner) | |
Good shot, Janson. | |
EXT. HOTH - BATTLEFIELD | |
The speeder Rogue Three races around one of the giant walker's feet, | |
trailing the cable behind it. Continuing around the back foot, Rogue | |
Three then circles the walker around the tail end. | |
INT. WEDGE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE THREE - COCKPIT | |
Wedge checks his controls and banks around the front of the walker. | |
WEDGE | |
One more pass. | |
JANSON | |
Coming around. Once more. | |
EXT. HOTH - BATTLEFIELD | |
The speeder sweeps left to right in front of the giant legs, towing the | |
cable behind it. | |
INT. WEDGE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE THREE - COCKPIT | |
JANSON | |
Once more. | |
Wedge swings the speeder between the legs of the giant walker. | |
JANSON | |
Cable out! Let her go! | |
WEDGE | |
Detach cable. | |
EXT. WEDGE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE THREE | |
The cable release on the back of the speeder snaps loose and the cable | |
drops away. | |
INT. WEDGE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE THREE - COCKPIT | |
JANSON | |
Cable detached. | |
EXT. HOTH - BATTLEFIELD | |
The speeder zooms away into the distance. The tangled legs of the | |
enormous war machine attempt a step, but as they do the giant Imperial | |
walker begins to topple. It teeters for a moment, and then crashes | |
onto the icy ground, sending snow and metal pieces flying. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - SNOW TRENCH | |
The troops in the trenches cheer at the sight of the crashing walker. | |
An officer gives a signal to his men and Rebel troops charge the fallen | |
war machine. | |
TRENCH OFFICER | |
Come on! | |
The troops run toward the downed walker, followed by two Rebel speeders | |
flying overhead. Just as they reach the walker, it explodes, the | |
impact throwing some of the men onto the frozen ground. | |
INT. WEDGE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE THREE - COCKPIT | |
Wedge lets out a triumphant yell, banking his speeder away from the | |
fallen walker. | |
WEDGE | |
(into comlink) | |
Whooha! That got him! | |
INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
I see it, Wedge. Good work. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - COMMAND CENTER | |
Large chunks of ice tumble into the command center as Leia and General | |
Rieekan monitor computer screens. | |
RIEEKAN | |
I don't think we can protect two | |
transports at a time. | |
LEIA | |
It's risky, but we can't hold out | |
much longer. We have no choice. | |
RIEEKAN | |
(into comlink) | |
Launch patrols. | |
LEIA | |
(to an aide) | |
Evacuate remaining ground staff. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGAR | |
Muffled distant explosions create widening cracks in the ice roof of | |
the hangar. Trying to ignore the noise and falling bits of snow, Han | |
works on one of the Falcon's lifters while Chewie works on one of the | |
wings. Noticing Chewie attach a wrong part, Han grows impatient. | |
HAN | |
No, no! No! This one goes there, | |
that one goes there. Right? | |
In another area of the hangar, Threepio watches as Artoo is raised up | |
into Luke's X-wing fighter. | |
THREEPIO | |
Artoo, you take good care of | |
Master Luke now, understand? And | |
... do take good care of yourself. | |
Oh, dear, oh, dear. | |
EXT. HOTH - BATTLEFIELD | |
The fierce battle on the vast snow plains of Hoth rages on. The | |
Imperial walkers continue their slow, steady assault on the Rebel base, | |
firing lasers as they lumber ever onward. In the snow trench, Rebel | |
troops fire large bazookalike guns and dishlike ray guns as explosions | |
erupt around them. A gun tower is hit by a laser bolt and instantly | |
explodes. Another blast destroys a ray gun. | |
INT. IMPERIAL SNOW WALKER - COCKPIT | |
General Veers studies various readouts on his control panel. | |
VEERS | |
All troops will debark for ground | |
assault. Prepare to target the | |
main generator. | |
EXT. HOTH - BATTLEFIELD | |
Luke's speeder and Rogue Two fly in formation, banking from right to | |
left and flying above the erupting battlefield. Flak bursts all around | |
them. | |
INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT | |
Luke, glancing over, sees Rogue Two on his left. His ship shudders as | |
flak bursts nearby. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Rogue Two, are you all right? | |
INT. ZEV'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE TWO - COCKPIT | |
ZEV | |
(into comlink) | |
Yeah. I'm with you, Rogue Leader. | |
INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
We'll set harpoon. I'll cover for you. | |
EXT. HOTH - BATTLEFIELD | |
The two speeders race across the horizon toward the giant walkers. | |
INT. ZEV'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE TWO - COCKPIT | |
ZEV | |
(into comlink) | |
Coming around. | |
INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Watch that cross fire, boys. | |
INT. ZEV'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE TWO - COCKPIT | |
ZEV | |
(into comlink) | |
Set for position three. | |
(to gunner) | |
Steady. | |
LUKE | |
(over comlink) | |
Stay tight and low. | |
EXT. ZEV'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE TWO | |
Luke's speeder moves in formation with Rogue Two, when suddenly Zev's | |
speeder is hit by a laser bolt. His ship bucks violently under the | |
impact and the cockpit explodes in a ball of flame. | |
Spewing smoke, the speeder hurtles toward a looming walker. Before | |
they collide. Rogue Two explodes in a million flaming pieces. | |
INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT | |
Desperately, Luke works the controls of his flak-buffeted ship. | |
Suddenly, the speeder is rocked by a huge explosion. Luke struggles | |
with the controls with a look of terror on his face. The speeder fills | |
with smoke, and electrical sparks jump about the cockpit. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Hobbie, I've been hit! | |
INT. REBEL BASE - COMMAND CENTER | |
Apart from the distant thunder of laser blasts, the corridor is | |
strangely quiet and empty. Running footsteps echo through the freezing | |
hallway, then Han appears. Cracks have appeared in some of the walls | |
and some pipes have broken, sending hot steam billowing into the | |
underground hallways. Han hurries into the command center. It is a | |
shambles, but some people are still at their posts. As he enters, a | |
gigantic cave-in almost obliterates the room. He finds Leia and | |
Threepio near one of the control boards. | |
HAN | |
You all right? | |
Leia nods. She is surprised to see him. | |
LEIA | |
Why are you still here? | |
HAN | |
I heard the command center had | |
been hit. | |
LEIA | |
You got your clearance to leave. | |
HAN | |
Don't worry. I'll leave. First | |
I'm going to get you to your ship. | |
THREEPIO | |
Your Highness, we must take this | |
last transport. It's our only hope. | |
LEIA | |
(to controller) | |
Send all troops in sector twelve | |
to the south slope to protect the | |
fighters. | |
A blast rocks the command center, throwing Threepio backward into Han's | |
arms. | |
ANNOUNCER | |
(over loudspeaker) | |
Imperial troops have entered the | |
base. | |
HAN | |
Come on... that's it. | |
LEIA | |
(to head controller) | |
Give the evacuation code signal. | |
And get to your transports! | |
Leia looks exhausted. Han grabs her and starts to lead her out. | |
As Han, Leia, and Threepio run out of the command center, the code | |
signal can be heard echoing off the corridor walls. | |
HEAD CONTROLLER | |
K-one-zero... all troops disengage. | |
THREEPIO | |
(to Han and Leia) | |
Oh! Wait for me! | |
EXT. BATTLEFIELD - SNOW TRENCH | |
Rebel troops retreat under the awesome Imperial onslaught. | |
OFFICER | |
Begin retreat! | |
SECOND OFFICER | |
Fall back! | |
Troops flee from the battle, the ground exploding around them. | |
EXT. HOTH - BATTLEFIELD | |
Three of the giant walkers, firing lasers, advance toward the Rebel | |
headquarters. | |
EXT. HOTH - SNOW TRENCH | |
Continuing their retreat, the Rebels see the walkers looming ever | |
nearer. | |
EXT. HOTH - BATTLEFIELD - ICE PLAIN | |
On the battlefield, Luke watches as a walker foot rises and moves over | |
him. He looks up at the underbelly of the huge walker, passing | |
overhead. | |
Running beneath the monstrous machine, Luke fires his harpoon gun at | |
the walker's underside. A thin cable follows the projectile from the | |
gun. The magnetic head and cable attach firmly to the metal hull. | |
Still running under the walker, Luke attaches the cable drum to his | |
belt buckle. Soon he is pulled up the cable and hangs dangling | |
underneath the walker. | |
The walker's giant feet continue to pound onward across the frozen | |
snow. Stray laser bolts whistle by Luke as he climbs up the cable to | |
the walker's hull, reaching a small hatch. Hanging precariously, Luke | |
cuts the solid metal hatch with his laser sword. | |
He takes a landmine from around his neck and throws it inside the | |
Imperial machine. Quickly, Luke starts down the cable and crashes onto | |
the icy ground far below. He lies unconscious as a giant rear leg | |
passes by - and just misses him. | |
The giant walker stops in mid-step. A muffled explosion comes from | |
within - and then the walker's mechanical insides are spewed out every | |
conceivable opening. The machine sits dead in its tracks, smoking like | |
a locomotive on stilts. | |
EXT. HOTH - BATTLEFIELD | |
Veers's walker continues to advance toward the Rebel base. The | |
smoldering walker that Luke exploded stands smoking just to the right | |
of Veers's path. | |
INT. IMPERIAL SNOW WALKER - COCKPIT | |
Inside his walker, General Veers prepares to fire on the Rebel power | |
generators. | |
VEERS | |
Distance to power generators? | |
PILOT | |
One-seven, decimal two-eight. | |
Veers reaches for the electrorangefinder and lines up the main | |
generator. | |
VEERS | |
Target. Maximum fire power. | |
EXT. HOTH - BATTLEFIELD | |
The Rebel troops continue their desperate retreat, pushed back by the | |
relentless Imperial assault. | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - ICE CORRIDORS | |
With Threepio lagging behind, Han and Leia race through the crumbling | |
ice corridors. Suddenly, there is an explosion. Han turns, grabs the | |
princess, and pulls her to the wall as a tremendous cave-in blacks | |
their path. | |
He takes the comlink from his pocket. | |
HAN | |
(into comlink) | |
Transport, this is Solo. Better | |
take off - I can't get to you. | |
I'll get the princess out on the | |
Falcon. | |
Han and Leia turn and race down the corridor. | |
THREEPIO | |
But... but... but... where are | |
you going? Uh... come back!! | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - COMMAND CENTER | |
Imperial troops have reached the base. As they push through the | |
blocked passageway, Darth Vader strides behind them. | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - ICE CORRIDOR | |
Han and Leia run toward the entrance of the main hangar where the | |
Millennium Falcon is docked. Threepio still lags behind. | |
THREEPIO | |
Wait! Wait for me! Wait! Stop! | |
The door to the hangar closes in his face. | |
THREEPIO | |
(exasperated) | |
How typical. | |
Quickly, the door reopens as Han reaches out and pulls the golden droid | |
through. | |
HAN | |
Come on. | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGAR | |
Chewie paces under the shelter of the Millennium Falcon's landing gear. | |
The giant Wookiee pats the underbelly of his beloved ship and barks a | |
few reassuring words. As he searches worriedly for his captain, | |
something at last catches his eye. | |
Chewie lets out a relieved shriek at seeing Han and Leia running toward | |
the ship. The Wookiee runs out into the falling ice, lets out a howl, | |
then runs up the ship's ramp. Han and Leia run up the ramp after him, | |
closely followed by Threepio. | |
HAN | |
Hurry up, goldenrod, or you're | |
going to be a permanent resident! | |
THREEPIO | |
Wait! Wait! | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - ICE CORRIDOR | |
Imperial troops run through the base corridors. Vader surveys the | |
place. A huge chunk falls, almost hitting him, but he calmly, | |
purposefully, continues around it. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGER - MILLENNIUM FALCON | |
A distant, huge, explosion rocks the hangar deck. Ice cakes come | |
crashing down on the Millennium Falcon. | |
INT. MAIN HANGAR - MILLENNIUM FALCON - MAIN HOLD | |
Han, standing before a control panel, is busy flipping switches as | |
Chewie watches a troublesome gauge. A worried Leia observes their | |
efforts. | |
HAN | |
(to Chewie) | |
How's this? | |
The Wookiee barks a negative reply. | |
LEIA | |
Would it helped if I got out and | |
pushed? | |
HAN | |
It might. | |
Threepio clanks into the hold. | |
THREEPIO | |
Captain Solo, Captain Solo... sir, | |
might I suggest that you... | |
Han gives the gold robot a devastating look. | |
THREEPIO | |
It can wait. | |
INT. MAIN HANGAR - MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
They move to the cockpit where Han flips some more switches. Leia | |
watches him, impatient, disbelieving. | |
LEIA | |
This bucket of bolts is never going | |
to get us past that blockade. | |
HAN | |
This baby's got a few surprises | |
left in her, sweetheart. | |
Han and Leia look out the cockpit window and see a squad of | |
stormtroopers rushing into the far side of the hangar. | |
Quickly, Han straps himself into the pilot's seat and Leia into the | |
navigator's chair. | |
INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGAR | |
Stormtroopers hurriedly set up a large bazookalike weapon. Behind them | |
the giant hangar doors open slowly. | |
EXT. MAIN HANGAR - MILLENNIUM FALCON | |
A laser gun appears on the Falcon and swings around to aim at the | |
Imperial troops. | |
The stormtroopers, preparing to fire their bazooka cannon, are hit by | |
the Falcon's fire and are thrown about in all directions. | |
INT. MAIN HANGAR - MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Chewie rushes into the cockpit. | |
HAN | |
Come on! Come on! Switch over. | |
Let's hope we don't have a burnout. | |
A laser hits the window near Chewie as he is settling into his chair. | |
Letting out a loud whelp, Chewie quickly pulls back on the controls and | |
the first stage of engine fire can be heard. Han flashes a big grin at | |
Leia. | |
HAN | |
See? | |
LEIA | |
Someday you're going to be wrong, | |
and I hope I'm there to see it. | |
Han looks at Chewie. | |
HAN | |
Punch it! | |
The roar of the Falcon's main engines blasts out everything as the ice- | |
cave wall rushes by outside the cockpit window. | |
INT. REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGAR | |
More stormtroopers run into the hangar, closely followed by Vader. | |
Hearing the loud roar of the Millennium Falcon's engines, Vader looks | |
toward the main hangar doors just in time to see the Falcon lift up and | |
disappear outside the cave. | |
EXT. HOTH - ICE SLOPE - DAY | |
Luke and two other pilots look up as the Millennium Falcon races above | |
them, flying very close to the ground. | |
The three pilots turn then, and trudge onward toward their X-wing | |
fighters, each going to his own ship. Luke waves farewell, then heads | |
toward his own fighter. | |
Artoo, seated on his cubbyhole, chirps an excited greeting as Luke | |
climbs aboard the spacecraft. | |
LUKE | |
Artoo! Get her ready for takeoff. | |
From his ship, Luke sees Wedge in his own X-wing, preparing for | |
takeoff. | |
WEDGE | |
Good luck, Luke. See you at | |
the rendezvous. | |
Luke smiles and nods at Wedge, then lowers himself into the cockpit of | |
his X-wing while Artoo waits in the cubbyhole, beeping impatiently. | |
LUKE | |
Don't worry, Artoo. We're going, | |
we're going. | |
The canopy over the X-wing lowers and snaps shut. | |
EXT. SPACE - LUKE'S X-WING | |
Luke's fighter, its wings closed, speeds away from the icy planet. | |
Soon it disappears into the stars. | |
INT. LUKE'S X-WING - COCKPIT | |
Luke, looking thoughtful, suddenly makes a decision. He flips several | |
switches. The stars shift as he takes his fighter into a steep turn. | |
The X-wing banks sharply and flies away in a new direction. | |
The monitor screen on Luke's control panel prints out a question from | |
the concerned Artoo. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
There's nothing wrong, Artoo. | |
I'm just setting a new course. | |
Artoo beeps once again. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
We're not going to regroup with | |
the others. | |
Artoo begins a protest, whistling an unbelieving, "What?!" | |
Luke reads Artoo's exclamation on his control panel. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
We're going to the Dagobah system. | |
Luke checks his readouts and makes a few adjustments. He rides along | |
with only the soft hum of the instruments to break the silence. | |
Finally, Artoo chirps up. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Yes, Artoo? | |
Artoo utters a soft, carefully phrased steam of whistles. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink, chuckling) | |
That's all right. I'd like to | |
keep it on manual control for a | |
while. | |
The little droid lets out a defeated whimper. Luke smiles, and | |
continues on his course. | |
EXT. SPACE - MILLENNIUM FALCON | |
The Millennium Falcon speeds away from Hoth, closely followed by one | |
huge Star Destroyer and four tiny TIE fighters. | |
As it is pursued, the Falcon races toward two very bright star-sized | |
objects. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Inside the cockpit, Chewie lets out a loud howl. Han checks as the | |
ship is buffeted by exploding flak. He appears to be doing six things | |
at once. | |
HAN | |
(harried) | |
I saw them! I saw them! | |
LEIA | |
Saw what? | |
HAN | |
Star Destroyers, two of them, | |
coming right at us. | |
Threepio bumps and bangs his way into the cockpit. | |
THREEPIO | |
Sir, sir! Might I suggest... | |
HAN | |
(to Leia) | |
Shut him up or shut him down! | |
(to Chewie) | |
Check the deflector shield! | |
Chewie barks a reply as he readjusts an overhead switch. | |
HAN | |
Oh, great. Well, we can still | |
outmaneuver them. | |
EXT. SPACE - MILLENNIUM FALCON - STAR DESTROYERS | |
The Millennium Falcon races toward one of the huge oncoming Star | |
Destroyers. Suddenly, the Falcon starts into a deep dive straight | |
down, closely followed by four TIE fighters. The underside of the Star | |
Destroyer continues on a collision course with two oncoming Star | |
Destroyers. Slowly, it starts to veer to the left. | |
INT. STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE | |
Out the front window, the two approaching Star Destroyers can be seen | |
veering to the left. | |
IMPERIAL OFFICER | |
Take evasive action! | |
Alarms sound all over the huge ship. The two other Star Destroyers get | |
closer, one of them moving over the bridge so close that it makes | |
brushing contact with it. | |
EXT. SPACE - MILLENNIUM FALCON - TIE FIGHTERS | |
The Millennium Falcon races away from the colliding Star Destroyers, | |
still followed by four TIE fighters. Laser bolts spark the pitch-black | |
skies. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Things have calmed down a bit, but the race isn't over yet. Chewie | |
barks at Han. Leia is still trying to recover from the steep dive. | |
The ship is buffeted by laser blasts. | |
HAN | |
Prepare to make the jump to light- | |
speed. | |
THREEPIO | |
But, sir! | |
The buffeting of lasers becomes louder and stronger. | |
LEIA | |
They're getting closer! | |
HAN | |
(with a gleam in his | |
eye) | |
Oh yeah? Watch this. | |
Expectantly, they look out the cockpit window as stars do not go into | |
hyperspace, but just sit there. | |
Han and Chewie look at each other and are thrown into an acute state of | |
concern. | |
LEIA | |
Watch what? | |
Han tries again. Still nothing. | |
HAN | |
I think we're in trouble. | |
THREEPIO | |
If I may say so, sir, I noticed | |
earlier that the hyperdrive | |
motivator has been damaged. It's | |
impossible to go to light-speed! | |
HAN | |
We're in trouble! | |
The explosions become heavier. | |
EXT. SPACE - MILLENNIUM FALCON - TIE FIGHTERS - STAR DESTROYER | |
The Falcon races into the starry vastness, followed by the four | |
Imperial TIE fighters and an Imperial Star Destroyer. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Stars race by as flak bursts outside the Falcon's window. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - HOLD | |
Han works furiously at some control panels while giving various orders | |
to Chewie. | |
HAN | |
Horizontal boosters...! | |
(Chewie barks) | |
Alluvial dampers...! Well that's | |
not it. | |
(Chewie barks) | |
Bring me the hydrospanners! | |
Chewie hurries over to the pit and places the tools on the edge. | |
HAN | |
I don't know how we're going to | |
get out of this one. | |
Suddenly, a loud thump hits the side of the Falcon, causing it to lurch | |
radically. Chewie barks. The tools fall into the pit on top of Han. | |
HAN | |
Oww! Chewie! | |
More turbulence rocks the ship. | |
HAN | |
That was no laser blast! Something | |
hit us. | |
LEIA | |
(over comlink) | |
Han, get up here! | |
HAN | |
Come on, Chewie! | |
Han climbs out of the hold like a shot. Both he and Chewie run out of | |
the hold and toward the cockpit. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Out the front cockpit window, they see hundreds of asteroids racing by. | |
LEIA | |
Asteroids! | |
Han changes places with Leia who has been at the controls, and Chewie | |
gets into his chair. Han works his controls as a chunk of rock crosses | |
in front of the ship. | |
HAN | |
Oh, no! Chewie, set two-seven- | |
one. | |
LEIA | |
What are you doing? You're not | |
actually going into an asteroid | |
field? | |
HAN | |
They'd be crazy to follow us, | |
wouldn't they? | |
Another asteroid thumps against the ship and Leia winces at the jolt. | |
LEIA | |
You don't have to do this to | |
impress me. | |
THREEPIO | |
Sir, the possibility of successfully | |
navigating an asteroid field is | |
approximately three thousand, seven | |
hundred and twenty to one. | |
HAN | |
Never tell me the odds! | |
EXT. ASTEROID BELT - MILLENNIUM FALCON | |
The Falcon turns into the asteroid storm and as the ship completes its | |
turn, asteroids start coming straight at the cockpit windows. | |
A large asteroid tumbles away from the Falcon's path at top speed. | |
Several smaller asteroids crash into the big one, creating small | |
explosions on its surface. Other asteroids of all sizes pass by in | |
every direction, some colliding and exploding. The tiny Millennium | |
Falcon veers around the big asteroid and races past it through the rain | |
of rocks, followed by four TIE fighters, which bob and weave around the | |
asteroids. | |
One of the pursuing TIE fighters connects with an asteroid and | |
explodes. The other fighters are pelted with a steady stream of | |
smaller explosions. | |
Two huge asteroids tumble toward the Millennium Falcon, which quickly | |
banks around both of them. The three TIE fighters follow in hot | |
pursuit until one of the fighters scrapes an asteroid and tumbles out | |
of control into deep space. | |
EXT. SPACE - STAR DESTROYER - ASTEROID BELT | |
The massive Star Destroyer blasts oncoming asteroids as it follows the | |
Falcon. Smaller asteroids explode across its vast surface. | |
EXT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - TIE FIGHTERS - ASTEROID BELT | |
The Falcon twists on its side as it races around an oncoming asteroid. | |
Two TIE fighters follow in the distance, coming from either side. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Asteroids race by the cockpit window as Han pilots his trusty craft | |
through the dangerous field. | |
Looking out the cockpit window, the Falcon crew sees a big asteroid | |
drop past the window, narrowly missing their ship. | |
Chewie barks in terror as a slightly smaller asteroid comes especially | |
close - to close - and bounces off the Falcon with a loud crunch. | |
Threepio's hands cover his eyes. He manages a short peek at the | |
cockpit window. Princess Leia sits stone-faced, staring at the action. | |
Han gives her a quick look. | |
HAN | |
You said you wanted to be around | |
when I made a mistake; well, this | |
could be it, sweetheart. | |
LEIA | |
I take it back. We're going to | |
get pulverized if we stay out here | |
much longer. | |
The group watches as more asteroids race by outside the window. | |
HAN | |
I'm not going to argue with that. | |
THREEPIO | |
Pulverized? | |
HAN | |
I'm going in closer to one of | |
those big ones. | |
LEIA | |
Closer? | |
THREEPIO | |
Closer?! | |
Chewbacca barks the same word, only louder. | |
EXT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - ASTEROID BELT | |
The Millennium Falcon dives toward the surface of one of the moon-sized | |
asteroids. There is a continued display of explosions against the | |
starry void as smaller asteroids collide with larger chunks of rock. | |
The two remaining TIE fighters follow the Falcon to the large asteroid. | |
The Falcon skims the surface of the giant asteroid as, all the while, | |
small asteroids explode on the surface of the ship. | |
The TIE fighters approach the Falcon, but a giant asteroid hurtles | |
directly into their path. As the asteroid continues on its way, it | |
leaves remains of the two exploded TIE fighters to tumble into deep | |
space. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Rattled by the violent rocking of the starship, Threepio is nearly in | |
hysterics. | |
THREEPIO | |
Oh, this is suicide! | |
Han notices something on his main scope and nudges his faithful | |
Wookiee, pointing. | |
HAN | |
There. That looks pretty good. | |
LEIA | |
What looks pretty good? | |
HAN | |
Yeah. That'll do nicely. | |
THREEPIO | |
(to Leia) | |
Excuse me, ma'am, but where are | |
we going? | |
Out the cockpit window, they see that they are skimming the surface of | |
the enormous asteroid and nearing a large crater. | |
EXT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - GIANT ASTEROID CRATER | |
The Millennium Falcon dives into the huge crater and disappears. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
LEIA | |
I hope you know what you're doing. | |
HAN | |
Yeah, me too. | |
INT. GIANT ASTEROID CRATER | |
The Falcon races down into the crater. The walls are barely visible as | |
the ship speed through the tunnellike opening. A small cave appears on | |
one side of the crater, and the Falcon turns, slows, and scoots into | |
it. | |
EXT. SPACE - LUKE'S X-WING | |
The tiny X-wing speeds toward the cloud cover of Dagobah. Artoo, | |
riding on the back of the fighter, turns his head back and forth with | |
some anxiety. | |
INT. LUKE'S X-WING - COCKPIT | |
Luke watches Artoo's words as they are translated and screened on the | |
computer scope. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Yes, that's it. Dagobah. | |
Artoo beeps a hopeful inquiry. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
No, I'm not going to change my | |
mind about this. | |
(getting a little nervous) | |
I'm not picking up any cities or | |
technology. Massive life-form | |
readings, though. There's something | |
alive down there... | |
Artoo beeps, this time a slightly worried question. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Yes, I'm sure it's perfectly safe | |
for droids. | |
EXT. SPACE - DAGOBAH - LUKE'S X-WING | |
The X-wing continues its flight through the twilight above the cloud- | |
covered planet. | |
INT. LUKE'S X-WING - COCKPIT | |
Luke sees the cloud race by as he takes his craft closer to the planet. | |
He must operate his controls carefully since the cloud cover has | |
completely obscured his vision. An alarm buzzes in the background, | |
Artoo beeps and whistles frantically. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
I know, I know! All the scopes are | |
dead. I can't see a thing! Just | |
hang on, I'm going to start the | |
landing cycle... | |
The blast of the retrorockets is deafening, drowning out Artoo's | |
electronic squeals. Suddenly, there is a cracking sound as if limbs | |
were being broken off trees and then a tremendous jolt as the | |
spacecraft stops. Luke pulls a switch and his canopy pops open. | |
EXT. DAGOBAH - DUSK | |
The mist-shrouded X-wing fighter is almost invisible in the thick fog. | |
Luke climbs out onto the long nose of the spacecraft as Artoo pops out | |
of his cubbyhole on the back. The young warrior surveys the fog, which | |
is barely pierced by the ship's landing lights. About all he can make | |
out are some giant, twisted trees nearby. Artoo whistles anxiously. | |
LUKE | |
No, Artoo, you stay put. I'll | |
have a look around. | |
Artoo lets out a short beep. As Luke moves along the nose, Artoo loses | |
his balance and disappears with a splash into the boggy lake. | |
LUKE | |
Artoo? | |
Luke kneels and leans over the plane looking for Artoo, but the water | |
is still and reveals no sign of the little droid. | |
LUKE | |
Artoo! Where are you? | |
A small periscope breaks the surface of the water and a gurgly beep is | |
heard. The periscope starts to move to shore. Relieved, Luke starts | |
running along the nose of the fighter to its tip. | |
LUKE | |
Artoo! You be more careful. | |
The outline of the shore is now more than ten feet away. | |
Luke jumps off the plane into the water, scrambles up to the shore, and | |
turns to look for Artoo. The periscope still steadily moves toward | |
shore. | |
LUKE | |
Artoo - that way! | |
Suddenly, through the thick fog layer, a dark shape appears, moving | |
toward the little droid. The dark, sinuous bog beast dives beneath the | |
swampy water, making a loud clunk against Artoo's metal hull. The | |
droid disappears from sight, uttering a pathetic electronic scream. | |
Holding his ignited lightsaber before him, Luke wades a few feet into | |
the murky pool, looking for any sign of his little friend. | |
LUKE | |
Artoo! | |
The black surface is still as death itself... until a few bubbles begin | |
to appear. Then, phheewaat!! The runt-size robot is spit out of the | |
water, makes a graceful arc, and comes crashing down into a patch of | |
soft gray moss. | |
LUKE | |
Oh, no! Are you all right? Come | |
on. You're lucky you don't taste | |
very good. Anything broken? | |
Luke helps Artoo to his feet and begins wiping the mud and roots from | |
his round metal body. Artoo responds with feeble, soggy beeps. | |
LUKE | |
If you're saying coming here was | |
a bad idea, I'm beginning to agree | |
with you. Oh, Artoo, what are we | |
doing here? It's like... something | |
out of a dream, or, I don't know. | |
Maybe I'm just going crazy. | |
As Luke glances around at the spooky swamp jungle that surrounds him, | |
Artoo ejects a stream of muddy water from one of his cranial ports. | |
EXT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - VADER'S CHAMBER | |
Admiral Piett hesitates in the entryway to Vader's private cubicle. | |
After a moment, he steps into the room and pauses at the surprising | |
sight before him. | |
Darth Vader, his back turned, is silhouetted in the gloom on the far | |
side of the chamber. A black, insectlike droid attends him. Among the | |
various apparatuses surrounding them, a respirator tube now retracts | |
from Vader's uncovered head. The head is bald with a mass of ugly scar | |
tissue covering it. The black droid then lowers the mask and helmet | |
onto Vader's head. When it is in place, the Dark Lord turns to face | |
Piett. | |
VADER | |
Yes, Admiral? | |
PIETT | |
Our ships have sighted the | |
Millennium Falcon, lord. But... | |
it has entered an asteroid field | |
and we cannot risk... | |
VADER | |
(interrupting) | |
Asteroids do not concern me, | |
Admiral. I want that ship and | |
not excuses. | |
PIETT | |
Yes, lord. | |
EXT. ASTEROID CAVE - MILLENNIUM FALCON | |
The pirate starship rests in a dark, dripping asteroid cave. It is so | |
dark that the cave's exact dimensions are impossible to determine. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Han and Chewie busily shut down the engine and all electronic systems. | |
Threepio and Leia watch worriedly. | |
HAN | |
I'm going to shut down everything | |
but the emergency power systems. | |
THREEPIO | |
Sir, I'm almost afraid to ask, | |
but... does that include shutting | |
me down, too? | |
Chewie barks "yes". But Han thinks otherwise. | |
HAN | |
No, I need you to talk to the | |
Falcon, find out what's wrong with | |
the hyperdrive. | |
Suddenly, the ship lurches, causing all the loose items in the cockpit | |
to go flying. Chewie howls. | |
THREEPIO | |
Sir, it's quite possible this | |
asteroid is not entirely stable. | |
HAN | |
Not entirely stable? I'm glad you're | |
here to tell us these things. Chewie, | |
take the professor in the back and | |
plug him into the hyperdrive. | |
THREEPIO | |
Oh! Sometimes I just don't | |
understand human behavior. After | |
all, I'm only trying to do my job | |
in the most... | |
The sliding door closes behind the indignant Threepio as Chewie and he | |
move back to the hold. Suddenly, the ship lurches again, throwing Leia | |
across the cabin into Han's arms. Then, abruptly, the motion stops as | |
suddenly as it started. With some surprise, Han and Leia realize they | |
are in each other's arms. | |
LEIA | |
Let go. | |
HAN | |
Sshh! | |
LEIA | |
Let go, please. | |
Leia flushes, averting her eyes. She's not exactly fighting to get | |
free. But, of course, Han blows it... | |
HAN | |
Don't get excited. | |
The anger rises in Leia. | |
LEIA | |
Captain, being held by you isn't | |
quite enough to get me excited. | |
HAN | |
Sorry, sweetheart. We haven't | |
got time for anything else. | |
Han grins quickly wickedly at Leia as he turns and exits through the | |
door. Leia's confused emotions show clearly on her lovely face. | |
EXT. DAGOBAH - BOG CLEARING - DUSK | |
The mist has dispersed a bit, but it is still a very gloomy-looking | |
swamp. | |
Luke pulls an equipment box from the shore to the clearing. He ignites | |
a little fusion furnace and warms his hands before it. Taking a power | |
cable, he plugs it into Artoo's noselike socket. | |
LUKE | |
Ready for some power? Okay. | |
Let's see now. Put that in | |
there. There you go. | |
The droid whistles his appreciation. Luke then opens a container of | |
processed food and sits before the thermal heater. | |
LUKE | |
(sighs) | |
Now all I have to do is find this | |
Yoda... if he even exists. | |
Nervously, he looks around at the foreboding jungle. | |
LUKE | |
Still... there's something familiar | |
about this place. I feel like... | |
I don't know... | |
STRANGE VOICE | |
Feel like what? | |
Luke jumps out of his skin. Artoo screeches in terror. The young | |
warrior grabs for his lightsaber as he spins around, looking for the | |
speaker. Mysteriously standing right in front of Luke is a strange, | |
bluish creature, not more than two feet tall. The wizened little thing | |
is dressed in rags. It motions toward Luke's sword. | |
LUKE | |
(looking at the | |
creature) | |
Like we're being watched! | |
CREATURE | |
Away with your weapon! I mean | |
you no harm. | |
After some hesitation, Luke puts away his weapon, although he really | |
doesn't understand why. Artoo watches with interest. | |
CREATURE | |
I am wondering, why are you here? | |
LUKE | |
I'm looking for someone. | |
CREATURE | |
Looking? Found someone, you have, | |
I would say, hmmm? | |
The little creature laughs. | |
LUKE | |
(Trying to keep from | |
smiling) | |
Right. | |
CREATURE | |
Help you I can. Yes, mmmm. | |
LUKE | |
I don't think so. I'm looking | |
for a great warrior. | |
CREATURE | |
Ahhh! A great warrior. | |
(laughs and shakes | |
his head) | |
Wars not make one great. | |
With the aid of a walking stick, the tiny stranger moves over to one of | |
the cases of supplies. He begins to rummage around. | |
Artoo moves to the edge of the case - standing almost eye level to the | |
creature who is carelessly handling the supplies - and squeaks his | |
disapproval. | |
Their tiny visitor pick up the container of food Luke was eating from | |
and takes a bite. | |
LUKE | |
Put that down. Hey! That's my | |
dinner! | |
The creature spits out the bite he has taken. He makes a face. | |
CREATURE | |
How you get so big, eating food | |
of this kind? | |
He flips the container in Luke's direction and reaches into one of | |
Luke's supply cases. | |
LUKE | |
Listen, friend, we didn't mean to | |
land in that puddle, and if we | |
could get our ship out, we would, | |
but we can't, so why don't you just... | |
CREATURE | |
(teasing) | |
Aww, cannot get your ship out? | |
The creature spots something of interest in Luke's case. Luke loses | |
patience and grabs the case away. The creature retains his prize - a | |
tiny power lamp - and examines it with delight. | |
LUKE | |
Hey, you could have broken this. | |
Don't do that. Ohhh... you're | |
making a mess. Hey, give me that! | |
CREATURE | |
(retreating with | |
the lamp) | |
Mine! Or I will help you not. | |
Clutching its treasure, the creature backs away from Luke, drawing | |
closer to Artoo. As Luke and the creature argue, one of Artoo's little | |
arms slowly moves out toward the power lamp, completely unnoticed by | |
the creature. | |
LUKE | |
I don't want your help. I want | |
my lamp back. I'll need it to | |
get out of this slimy mudhole. | |
CREATURE | |
Mudhole? Slimy? My home this is. | |
Artoo grabs hold of the lamp and the two little figures are immediately | |
engaged in a tug-of-war over it. | |
Artoo beeps a few angry, "Give me thats." | |
CREATURE | |
Ah, ah, ah! | |
LUKE | |
Oh, Artoo, let him have it! | |
CREATURE | |
Mine! Mine! | |
LUKE | |
Artoo! | |
CREATURE | |
Mine! | |
The creature lets go with one hand and pokes Artoo lightly with one | |
finger. Artoo reacts with a startled squeal, and lets go. | |
CREATURE | |
Mine! | |
LUKE | |
(fed up) | |
Now will you move along, little | |
fella? We're got a lot of work | |
to do. | |
CREATURE | |
No! No, no! Stay and help you, | |
I will. | |
(laughs) | |
Find your friend, hmm? | |
LUKE | |
I'm not looking for a friend. | |
I'm looking for a Jedi Master. | |
CREATURE | |
Oohhh. Jedi Master. Yoda. You | |
seek Yoda. | |
LUKE | |
You know him? | |
CREATURE | |
Mmm. Take you to him, I will. | |
(laughs) | |
Yes, yes. But now, we must eat. | |
Come. Good food. Come. | |
With that, the creature scurries out of the clearing, laughing merrily. | |
Luke stares after him. All he sees is the faint light from the small | |
power lamp moving through the fog. Luke makes his decision and starts | |
after the creature. | |
CREATURE | |
(in the distance) | |
Come, come. | |
Artoo, very upset, whistles a blue streak of protest. | |
LUKE | |
Stay here and watch after the | |
camp, Artoo. | |
Artoo beeps even more frantically. But as Luke disappears from view, | |
the worried little droid grows quieter, and utters a soft electronic | |
sigh. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - MAIN HOLD AREA | |
Threepio whistles and beeps a strange dialect into the control panel in | |
front of him. The control panel whistles back a few mystifying beeps. | |
THREEPIO | |
Oh, where is Artoo when I need | |
him? | |
Han enters the hold area and kneels on the floor near the control box. | |
THREEPIO | |
Sir, I don't know where your ship | |
learned to communicate, but it | |
has the most peculiar dialect. I | |
believe, sir, it says that the | |
power coupling on the negative | |
axis has been polarized. I'm | |
afraid you'll have to replace it. | |
HAN | |
Well, of course I'll have to replace | |
it. | |
He hands a wire coil up to Chewie who is working near the ceiling. | |
HAN | |
Here! And Chewie... | |
Chewie brings his head back through the trap door in the ceiling and | |
whines. Han glances back at Threepio, then speaks quietly to Chewie so | |
only he can hear. | |
HAN | |
(continuing) | |
... I think we'd better replace | |
the negative power coupling. | |
Leia finishes welding the valves she has been working on and attempts | |
to reengage the system by pulling a lever attached to the valve. It | |
doesn't budge. Han notices her struggle, and moves to help her. She | |
rebuffs him. | |
HAN | |
Hey, Your Worship, I'm only | |
trying to help. | |
LEIA | |
(still struggling) | |
Would you please stop calling me | |
that? | |
Han hears a new tone in her voice. He watches her pull on the lever. | |
HAN | |
Sure, Leia. | |
LEIA | |
Oh, you make it so difficult | |
sometimes. | |
HAN | |
I do, I really do. You could be | |
a little nicer, though. | |
(he watches her | |
reaction) | |
Come on, admit it. Sometimes you | |
think I'm all right. | |
She lets go of the lever and rubs her sore hand. | |
LEIA | |
Occasionally... | |
(a little smile, | |
haltingly) | |
... when you aren't acting like | |
a scoundrel. | |
HAN | |
(laughs) | |
Scoundrel? Scoundrel? I like | |
the sound of that. | |
With that, Han takes her hand and starts to massage it. | |
LEIA | |
Stop that. | |
HAN | |
Stop what? | |
Leia is flushes, confused. | |
LEIA | |
Stop that! My hands are dirty. | |
HAN | |
My hands are dirty, too. What | |
are you afraid of? | |
LEIA | |
(looking right | |
into his eyes) | |
Afraid? | |
Han looks at her with a piercing look. He's never looked more | |
handsome, more dashing, more confident. He reaches out slowly and | |
takes Leia's hand again from where it is resting on a console. He | |
draws it toward him. | |
HAN | |
You're trembling. | |
LEIA | |
I'm not trembling. | |
Then with an irresistible combination of physical strength and | |
emotional power, the space pirate begins to draw Leia toward him... | |
very slowly. | |
HAN | |
You like me because I'm a scoundrel. | |
There aren't enough scoundrels in | |
your life. | |
Leia is now very close to Han and as she speaks, her voice becomes an | |
excited whisper, a tone completely in opposition to her words. | |
LEIA | |
I happen to like nice men. | |
HAN | |
I'm a nice man. | |
LEIA | |
No, you're not. You're... | |
He kisses her now, with slow, hot lips. He takes his time, as though | |
he had forever, bending her body backward. She has never been kissed | |
like this before, and it almost makes her faint. When he stops, she | |
regains her breath and tries to work up some indignation, but finds it | |
hard to talk. | |
Suddenly, Threepio appears in the doorway, speaking excitedly. | |
THREEPIO | |
Sir, sir! I've isolated the | |
reverse power flux coupling. | |
Han turns slowly, icily, from their embrace. | |
HAN | |
Thank you. Thank you very much. | |
THREEPIO | |
Oh, you're perfectly welcome, sir. | |
The moment spoiled, Han marches out after Threepio. | |
EXT. SPACE - ASTEROID FIELD | |
The Imperial fleet moves through the asteroid-filled void, intently | |
seeking its prey. | |
INT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE | |
Asteroids collide, creating a fireworks display outside the bridge | |
window. Darth Vader stands, staring out the window above the control | |
deck. Then slowly turns toward the bridge. Before him are the | |
hologram images of twenty battleship commanders. One of these images, | |
the commander of a ship that has just exploded, is fading away quickly. | |
Another image, in the center and a little apart from the others, is | |
faded and continually disrupted by static. It is the image of Captain | |
Needa, commander of the Star Destroyer most hotly on the tail of the | |
Millennium Falcon. Admiral Piett and an aide stand behind the Dark | |
Lord. | |
NEEDA | |
(in hologram) | |
... and that, Lord Vader, was the | |
last time they appeared in any of | |
our scopes. Considering the amount | |
of damage we've sustained, they | |
must have been destroyed. | |
VADER | |
No, Captain, they're alive. I | |
want every ship available to | |
sweep the asteroid field until | |
they are found. | |
The Imperial star captains fade out one by one as Vader turns to | |
Admiral Piett. | |
PIETT | |
Lord Vader. | |
VADER | |
Yes, Admiral, what is it? | |
The admiral is scared, his face white as a sheet. | |
PIETT | |
The Emperor commands you make | |
contact with him. | |
VADER | |
Move the ship out of the asteroid | |
field so that we can send a clear | |
transmission. | |
PIETT | |
Yes, my lord. | |
EXT. ASTEROID FIELD - VADER'S STAR DESTROYER | |
Vader's Imperial Star Destroyer moves against the vast sea of stars | |
away from the rest of the fleet. | |
INT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - VADER'S CHAMBER | |
The Dark Lord, Darth Vader, is alone in his chamber. A strange sound | |
enters the room and a light begins to play across Vader's black figure. | |
He looks up and bows quickly. | |
A twelve-foot hologram of the Galactic Emperor materializes before | |
Vader. The Emperor's dark robes and monk's hood are reminiscent of the | |
cloak worn by Ben Kenobi. His voice is even deeper and more | |
frightening than Vader's. | |
VADER | |
What is thy bidding, my master? | |
EMPEROR | |
There is a great disturbance in | |
the Force. | |
VADER | |
I have felt it. | |
EMPEROR | |
We have a new enemy - Luke | |
Skywalker. | |
VADER | |
Yes, my master. | |
EMPEROR | |
He could destroy us. | |
VADER | |
He's just a boy. Obi-Wan can no | |
longer help him. | |
EMPEROR | |
The Force is strong with him. The | |
son of Skywalker must not become a | |
Jedi. | |
VADER | |
If he could be turned, he would | |
become a powerful ally. | |
EMPEROR | |
Yes. Yes. He would be a great | |
asset. Can it be done? | |
VADER | |
He will join us or die, my | |
master. | |
Vader kneels. The supreme Emperor passes a hand over the crouched Lord | |
of the Sith and fades away. | |
EXT. DAGOBAH - CREATURE'S HOUSE - NIGHT | |
A heavy downpour of rain pounds through the gnarled trees. A strange | |
baroque mud house sits on a moss-covered knoll on the edge of a small | |
lagoon. The small, gnomish structure radiates a warm glow from its | |
thick glass windows. As rain tap-dances a merry tune on Artoo's head, | |
the stubby little droid rises up on his tip-toes to peek into one of | |
the glowing portals. | |
INT. CREATURE'S HOUSE | |
Artoo, peeking in the window, sees the inside of the house - a very | |
plain, but cozy dwelling. Everything is in the same small scale as the | |
creature. The only thing out of place in the miniature room is Luke, | |
whose height makes the four-foot ceiling seem even lower. He sits | |
cross-legged on the floor of the living room. | |
The creature is in an adjoining area - his little kitchen - cooking up | |
an incredible meal. The stove is a steaming hodgepodge of pots and | |
pans. The wizened little host scurries about chopping this, shredding | |
that, and showering everything with exotic herbs and spices. He rushes | |
back and forth putting platters on the table in front of Luke, who | |
watches the creature impatiently. | |
LUKE | |
Look, I'm sure it's delicious. | |
I just don't understand why we | |
can't see Yoda now. | |
CREATURE | |
Patience! For the Jedi it is | |
time to eat as well. Eat, eat. | |
Hot. Good food, hm? Good, hmm? | |
Moving with some difficulty in the cramped quarters, Luke sits down | |
near the fire and serves himself from the pot. Tasting the unfamiliar | |
concoction, he is pleasantly surprised. | |
LUKE | |
How far away is Yoda? Will it | |
take us long to get there? | |
CREATURE | |
Not far. Yoda not far. Patience. | |
Soon you will be with him. | |
(tasting food from | |
the pot) | |
Rootleaf, I cook. Why wish you | |
become Jedi? Hm? | |
LUKE | |
Mostly because of my father, I | |
guess. | |
CREATURE | |
Ah, your father. Powerful Jedi | |
was he, powerful Jedi, mmm. | |
LUKE | |
(a little angry) | |
Oh, come on. How could you know | |
my father? You don't even know | |
who I am. | |
(fed up) | |
Oh, I don't know what I'm doing | |
here. We're wasting our time. | |
The creature turns away from Luke and speaks to a third party. | |
CREATURE | |
(irritated) | |
I cannot teach him. The boy has | |
no patience. | |
Luke's head spins in the direction the creature faces. But there is no | |
one there. The boy is bewildered, but it gradually dawns on him that | |
the little creature is Yoda, the Jedi Master, and that he is speaking | |
with Ben. | |
BEN'S VOICE | |
He will learn patience. | |
YODA | |
Hmmm. Much anger in him, like his father. | |
BEN'S VOICE | |
Was I any different when you | |
taught me? | |
YODA | |
Hah. He is not ready. | |
LUKE | |
Yoda! I am ready. I... Ben! I | |
can be a Jedi. Ben, tell him I'm | |
ready. | |
Trying to see Ben, Luke starts to get up but hits his head on the low | |
ceiling. | |
YODA | |
Ready, are you? What know you | |
of ready? For eight hundred years | |
have I trained Jedi. My own counsel | |
will I keep on who is to be trained! | |
A Jedi must have the deepest | |
commitment, the most serious mind. | |
(to the invisible | |
Ben, indicating Luke) | |
This one a long time have I watched. | |
All his life has he looked away... | |
to the future, to the horizon. | |
Never his mind on where he was. | |
Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. | |
Adventure. Heh! Excitement. Heh! | |
A Jedi craves not these things. | |
(turning to Luke) | |
You are reckless! | |
Luke looks down. He knows it is true. | |
BEN'S VOICE | |
So was I, if you'll remember. | |
YODA | |
He is too old. Yes, too old to | |
begin the training. | |
Luke thinks he detects a subtle softening in Yoda's voice. | |
LUKE | |
But I've learned so much. | |
Yoda turns his piercing gaze on Luke, as though the Jedi Master's huge | |
eyes could somehow determine how much the boy had learned. After a | |
long moment, the little Jedi turns toward where he alone sees Ben. | |
YODA | |
(sighs) | |
Will he finished what he begins? | |
LUKE | |
I won't fail you - I'm not afraid. | |
YODA | |
(turns slowly toward | |
him) | |
Oh, you will be. You will be. | |
EXT. SPACE - STAR DESTROYERS - ASTEROID FIELD | |
The Imperial fleet around Vader's ship is surrounded by the asteroid | |
storm. Asteroids big and small pelt the vast exteriors of the menacing | |
ships. One of the smaller Imperial vessels is hit by a huge asteroid | |
and explodes in a brilliant flash of light. | |
INT. ASTEROID CAVE - MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
The cockpit is quiet and lit only by the indicator lights on the | |
control panel. Princess Leia sits in the pilot's seat. | |
She runs her hand across the control panel as she thinks of Han and the | |
confusion he has created within her. Suddenly, something outside the | |
cockpit window catches her eye. The reflection of the panel lights | |
obscures her vision until a soft suctionlike cup attaches itself to the | |
windscreen. Leia | |
moves closer to see what it might be. Large, yellow eyes flash open | |
and stare back at her. Startled, she jumps back into her seat, her | |
heart pounding. There is a scurry of feet and a loud screech, and in | |
an instant the eyes are gone. The young princess catches her breath, | |
jumps out of her chair, and races from the cockpit. | |
INT. ASTEROID CAVE - MILLENNIUM FALCON - HOLD AREA | |
The lights go bright for a second then out again. Threepio and | |
Chewbacca watch as Han finishes with some wires. | |
THREEPIO | |
Sir, if I may venture an opinion... | |
HAN | |
I'm not really interested in your | |
opinion, Threepio. | |
Leia rushes into the cabin just as Han drops the final floor panel into | |
place. | |
LEIA | |
(out of breath) | |
There's something out there. | |
HAN | |
Where? | |
LEIA | |
Outside, in the cave. | |
As she speaks, there comes a sharp banging on the hull. Chewie looks | |
up and barks anxiously. | |
THREEPIO | |
There it is. Listen! Listen! | |
HAN | |
I'm going out there. | |
LEIA | |
Are you crazy?! | |
HAN | |
I just got this bucket back | |
together. I'm not going to let | |
something tear it apart. | |
He and Chewie grab their breath masks off a rack and hurry out. Leia | |
follows. | |
LEIA | |
Then I'm going with you. | |
THREEPIO | |
I think it might be better if I | |
stay here and guard the ship. | |
(hears another | |
mysterious noise) | |
Oh, no. | |
EXT. ASTEROID CAVE - MILLENNIUM FALCON | |
It is very dark inside the huge asteroid cave, too dark to see what is | |
attacking the ship. | |
Leia stamps her foot on the floor of the cave. | |
LEIA | |
This ground sure feels strange. | |
It doesn't feel like rock at all. | |
Han kneels and studies the ground, then attempts to study the outline | |
of the cave. | |
HAN | |
There's an awful lot of moisture | |
in here. | |
LEIA | |
I don't know. I have a bad feeling | |
about this. | |
HAN | |
Yeah. | |
Chewie barks through his face mask, and points toward the ship's | |
cockpit. A five-foot-long shape can be seen moving across the top of | |
the Falcon. The leathery creature lets out a screech as Han blasts it | |
with a laser bolt. | |
HAN | |
(to Leia) | |
Watch out! | |
The black shape tumbles off the spaceship and onto the ground in front | |
of the princess. Han bends down to investigate the dead creature. | |
HAN | |
Yeah, that's what I thought. | |
Mynock. Chewie, check the rest | |
of the ship, make sure there | |
aren't any more attached. They're | |
chewing on the power cables. | |
LEIA | |
Mynocks? | |
HAN | |
Go on inside. We'll clean them | |
off if there are any more. | |
Just then, a swarm of the ugly creatures swoops through the air. Leia | |
puts her arms over her head to protect herself as she runs toward the | |
ship. Chewie shoos another Mynock away with his blaster. Several of | |
the batlike creatures flap their wings loudly against the cockpit | |
window of the Falcon. Inside, Threepio shudders at their presence. | |
THREEPIO | |
Ohhh! Go away! Go away! Beastly | |
little thing. Shoo! Shoo! | |
Han looks around the strange, dripping cave. | |
HAN | |
Wait a minute... | |
He unholsters his blaster and fires at the far side of the huge cave. | |
The cavern begins to shake and the ground starts to buckle. | |
Chewie barks and moves for the ship, followed closely by Leia and Han. | |
The large wings of the Mynocks flap past them as they protect their | |
faces and run up the platform. | |
INT. ASTEROID CAVE - MILLENNIUM FALCON - ENTRY AREA | |
As soon as Han and Leia are on board, Chewie closes the main hatch. | |
The ship continues to shake and heave. | |
HAN | |
All right, Chewie, let's get | |
out of here! | |
The Wookiee heads for the cockpit as Han, followed by Threepio, rushes | |
to the hold area and checks the scopes on the control panel. Leia | |
hurries after. | |
LEIA | |
The Empire is still out there. | |
I don't think it's wise to... | |
Han rushes past her and heads for the cockpit. | |
HAN | |
(interrupting) | |
No time to discuss this in | |
committee. | |
And with that he is gone. The main engines of the Falcon begin to | |
whine. Leia races after him, bouncing around in the shaking ship. | |
LEIA | |
(angry) | |
I am not a committee! | |
INT. ASTEROID CAVE - MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Han is already in the pilot's seat pulling back on the throttle. The | |
cave-quake has greatly diminished. | |
LEIA | |
You can't make the jump to light- | |
speed in this asteroid field... | |
HAN | |
Sit down, sweetheart. We're | |
taking off! | |
As the ship begins to move forward, Chewie barks. He notices something | |
out the window ahead. Threepio sees it too. | |
THREEPIO | |
Look! | |
HAN | |
I see it, I see it. | |
Suddenly, a row of jagged white stalagmites and stalactites can be seen | |
surrounding the entrance. And as the Falcon moves forward, the | |
entrance to the cave grows ever smaller. Han pulls hard on the | |
throttle, sending his ship surging forward. | |
THREEPIO | |
We're doomed! | |
LEIA | |
The cave is collapsing. | |
HAN | |
This is no cave. | |
LEIA | |
What? | |
Leia's mouth drops open . She sees that the rocks of the cave entrance | |
are not rocks at all, but giant teeth, quickly closing around the tiny | |
ship. Chewie howls. | |
INT. SPACE SLUG MOUTH | |
The Millennium Falcon, zooming through the monster's mouth, rolls on | |
its side and barely makes it between two of the gigantic white teeth | |
before the huge jaws slams closed. | |
EXT. CAVE ENTRANCE - GIANT ASTEROID | |
The enormous space slug moves its head out of the cave as the Falcon | |
flies out of its mouth. The monster tilts its head, watching the | |
starship fly away. | |
EXT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - GIANT ASTEROID | |
The Falcon races out of the asteroid crater and into the deadly rain of | |
the asteroid storm. | |
EXT. DAGOBAH - DAY | |
With Yoda strapped to his back, Luke climbs up one of the many thick | |
vines that grow in the swamp. Panting heavily, he continues his course | |
- climbing, flipping through the air, jumping over roots, and racing in | |
and out of the heavy ground fog. | |
YODA | |
Run! Yes. A Jedi's strength | |
flows from the Force. But beware | |
of the dark side. Anger... fear... | |
aggression. The dark side of | |
the Force are they. | |
Easily they flow, quick to join | |
you in a fight. If once you | |
start down the dark path, forever | |
will it dominate your destiny, | |
consume you it will, as it did | |
Obi-Wan's apprentice. | |
LUKE | |
Vader. Is the dark side stronger? | |
YODA | |
No... no... no. Quicker, easier, | |
more seductive. | |
LUKE | |
But how am I to know the good side | |
from the bad? | |
YODA | |
You will know. When you are calm, | |
at peace. Passive. A Jedi uses | |
the Force for knowledge and | |
defense, never for attack. | |
LUKE | |
But tell me why I can't... | |
YODA | |
(interrupting) | |
No, no, there is no why. Nothing | |
more will I teach you today. | |
Clear your mind of questions. | |
Mmm. Mmmmmmmm. | |
Artoo beeps in the distance as Luke lets Yoda down to the ground. | |
Breathing heavily, he takes his shirt from a nearby tree branch and | |
pulls it on. | |
He turns to see a huge, dead, black tree, its base surrounded by a few | |
feet of water. Giant, twisted roots form a dark and sinister cave on | |
one side. Luke stares at the tree, trembling. | |
LUKE | |
There's something not right here. | |
Yoda sits on a large root, poking his Gimer Stick into the dirt. | |
LUKE | |
I feel cold, death. | |
YODA | |
That place... is strong with the | |
dark side of the Force. A domain | |
of evil it is. In you must go. | |
LUKE | |
What's in there? | |
YODA | |
Only what you take with you. | |
Luke looks warily between the tree and Yoda. He starts to strap on his | |
weapon belt. | |
YODA | |
Your weapons... you will not | |
need them. | |
Luke gives the tree a long look, than shakes his head "no." Yoda | |
shrugs. Luke reaches up to brush aside some hanging vines and enters | |
the tree. | |
INT. DAGOBAH - TREE CAVE | |
Luke moves into the almost total darkness of the wet and slimy cave. | |
The youth can barely make out the edge of the passage. Holding his lit | |
saber before him, he sees a lizard crawling up the side of the cave and | |
a snake wrapped around the branches of a tree. Luke draws a deep | |
breath, then pushes deeper into the cave. | |
The space widens around him, but he feels that rather than sees it. | |
His sword casts the only light as he peers into the darkness. It is | |
very quiet here. | |
Then, a loud HISS! Darth Vader appears across the blackness, | |
illuminated by his own just-ignited laser sword. Immediately, he | |
charges Luke, saber held high. He is upon the youth in seconds, but | |
Luke sidesteps perfectly and slashes at Vader with his sword. | |
Vader is decapitated. His helmet-encased head flies from his shoulders | |
as his body disappears into the darkness. The metallic banging of the | |
helmet fills the cave as Vader's head spins and bounces, smashes on the | |
floor, and finally stops. For an instant it rests on the floor, then it | |
cracks vertically. The black helmet and breath mask fall away to | |
reveal... Luke's head. | |
Across the space, the standing Luke gasps at the sight, wide-eyed in | |
terror. | |
The decapitated head fades away, as in a vision. | |
EXT. DAGOBAH - CAVE - DUSK | |
Meanwhile, Yoda sits on the root, calmly leaning on his Gimer Stick. | |
EXT. SPACE - VADER'S STAR DESTROYER | |
Vader's Imperial Star Destroyer moves through space, guarded by its | |
convoy of TIE fighters. | |
INT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE - CONTROL DECK | |
Vader stands in the back control area of his ship's bridge with a | |
motley group of men and creatures. Admiral Piett and two controllers | |
stand at the front of the bridge and watch the group with scorn. | |
PIETT | |
Bounty hunters. We don't need | |
that scum. | |
FIRST CONTROLLER | |
Yes, sir. | |
PIETT | |
Those Rebels won't escape us. | |
A second controller interrupts. | |
SECOND CONTROLLER | |
Sir, we have a priority signal | |
from the Star Destroyer Avenger. | |
PIETT | |
Right. | |
The group standing before Vader is a bizarre array of galactic fortune | |
hunters There is Bossk, a slimy, tentacled monster with two huge, | |
bloodshot eyes in a soft baggy face; Zuckuss and Dengar, two battle- | |
scarred, mangy human types; IG-88, a battered, tarnished chrome war | |
droid; and Boba Fett, a man in a weapon-covered armored space suit. | |
VADER | |
... there will be a substantial | |
reward for the one who finds the | |
Millennium Falcon. You are free | |
to use any methods necessary, but | |
I want them alive. No disintegrations. | |
BOBA FETT | |
As you wish. | |
At that moment, Admiral Piett approaches Vader in a rush of excitement. | |
PIETT | |
Lord Vader! My lord, we have | |
them. | |
EXT. IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER, AVENGER - ASTEROID BELT | |
The Millennium Falcon speeds through deep space, closely followed by a | |
firing Imperial Star Destroyer. A large asteroid about the same size | |
as the Falcon tumbles rapidly toward the starship. The tiny Falcon | |
banks to avoid the giant asteroid as smaller rocks pelt its surface. | |
Then the small craft roars under the asteroid which explodes harmlessly | |
on the hull of the vast Star Destroyer. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
The ship shudders as flak explodes near the cockpit window. Threepio | |
checks a tracking scope an the side control panel while Leia watches | |
tensely out the window. | |
THREEPIO | |
Oh, thank goodness we're coming | |
out of the asteroid field. | |
Chewie barks excitedly as the rain of asteroids begins to subside. A | |
bolt from the Star Destroyer sets up a fiery explosion on the back side | |
of the Falcon, causing it to lurch to one side. | |
EXT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - STAR DESTROYER, AVENGER - ASTEROID FIELD | |
The Falcon is hit hard by another bolt from the Star Destroyer which | |
creates a huge explosion near the cockpit of the smaller ship. The | |
Falcon tilts steeply, then rights itself. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Han corrects the angle of his ship. | |
HAN | |
Let's get out of here. Ready for | |
light-speed? One... two... three! | |
Han pulls back on the hyperspace throttle and - nothing happens. Flak | |
bursts continue to rock the ship. | |
HAN | |
(frantic) | |
It's not fair! | |
Chewie is very angry and starts to growl and bark at his friend and | |
captain. Again, Han desperately pulls back on the throttle. | |
HAN | |
The transfer circuits are working. | |
It's not my fault! | |
Chewie puts his head in his hands, whining. | |
LEIA | |
(almost expecting | |
it) | |
No light-speed? | |
HAN | |
It's not my fault. | |
THREEPIO | |
Sir, we just lost the main rear | |
deflector shield. One more direct | |
hit on the back quarter and we're | |
done for. | |
Han pauses for a moment, makes a decision, and pulls back on a lever. | |
HAN | |
Turn her around. | |
Chewie barks in puzzlement. | |
HAN | |
I said turn her around! I'm | |
going to put all power in the | |
front shield. | |
LEIA | |
You're going to attack them?! | |
THREEPIO | |
Sir, the odds of surviving a | |
direct assault on an Imperial | |
Star Destroyer... | |
LEIA | |
Shut up! | |
EXT. SPACE - MILLENNIUM FALCON - ASTEROID FIELD | |
The Falcon banks, makes a steep, twisting turn. In the next moment it | |
is racing toward the Star Destroyer, looking very small against the | |
massive surface of the Imperial ship. As it moves across the surface | |
of the Star Destroyer, the Falcon bobs and weaves to avoid the numerous | |
flak bursts. | |
INT. STAR DESTROYER, AVENGER - BRIDGE | |
The tiny Falcon heads directly for the Avenger's bridge. The Imperials | |
stationed there are stunned to see the small spaceship racing low | |
across the hull, headed directly at the huge windows of the bridge | |
area. Alarms go off everywhere. The Destroyer's commander, Captain | |
Needa, can scarcely believe his eyes. | |
NEEDA | |
They're moving to attack | |
position! Shields up! | |
Needa and his men duck as the Falcon nears the bridge window. At the | |
last minute, the Falcon veers off and out of sight. All is quiet. | |
NEEDA | |
Track them. They may come | |
around for another pass. | |
TRACKING OFFICER | |
Captain Needa, the ship no longer | |
appears on our scopes. | |
NEEDA | |
They can't have disappeared. No | |
ship that small has a cloaking | |
device. | |
TRACKING OFFICER | |
Well, there's no trace of them, | |
sir. | |
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER | |
Captain, Lord Vader demands an | |
update on the pursuit. | |
NEEDA | |
(drawing a breath) | |
Get a shuttle ready. I shall | |
assume full responsibility for | |
losing them, and apologize to Lord | |
Vader. Meanwhile, continue to | |
scan the area. | |
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER | |
Yes, Captain Needa. | |
EXT. DAGOBAH - BOG - DAY | |
Luke's face is upside-down and showing enormous strain. He stands on | |
his hands, with Yoda perched on his feet. Opposite Luke and Yoda are | |
two rocks the size of bowling balls. Luke stares at the rocks and | |
concentrates. One of the rocks lifts from the ground and floats up to | |
rest on the other. | |
YODA | |
Use the Force. Yes... | |
Yoda taps Luke's leg. Quickly, Luke lifts one hand from the ground. | |
His body wavers, but he maintains his balance. Artoo, standing nearby, | |
is whistling and beeping frantically. | |
YODA | |
Now... the stone. Feel it. | |
Luke concentrates on trying to lift the top rock. It rises a few feet, | |
shaking under the strain. But, distracted by Artoo's frantic beeping, | |
Luke loses his balance and finally collapses. Yoda jumps clear. | |
YODA | |
Concentrate! | |
Annoyed at the disturbance, Luke looks over at Artoo, who is rocking | |
urgently back and forth in front of him. | |
Artoo waddles closer to Luke, chirping wildly, then scoots over the | |
edge of the swamp. Catching on, Luke rushes to the water's edge. The | |
X-wing fighter has sunk, and only the tip of its nose shows above the | |
lake's surface. | |
LUKE | |
Oh, no. We'll never get it out | |
now. | |
Yoda stamps his foot in irritation. | |
YODA | |
So certain are you. Always with | |
you it cannot be done. Hear you | |
nothing that I say? | |
Luke looks uncertainly out at the ship. | |
LUKE | |
Master, moving stones around is | |
one thing. This is totally | |
different. | |
YODA | |
No! No different! Only different | |
in your mind. You must unlearn | |
what you have learned. | |
LUKE | |
(focusing, quietly) | |
All right, I'll give it a try. | |
YODA | |
No! Try not. Do. Or do not. | |
There is no try. | |
Luke closes his eyes and concentrates on thinking the ship out. | |
Slowly, the X-wing's nose begins to rise above the water. It hovers | |
for a moment and then slides back, disappearing once again. | |
LUKE | |
(panting heavily) | |
I can't. It's too big. | |
YODA | |
Size matters not. Look at me. | |
Judge me by my size, do you? | |
Hm? Mmmm. | |
Luke shakes his head. | |
YODA | |
And well you should not. For my | |
ally in the Force. And a powerful | |
ally it is. Life creates it, makes | |
it grow. Its energy surrounds us | |
and binds us. Luminous beings | |
are we... | |
(Yoda pinches | |
Luke's shoulder) | |
... not this crude matter. | |
(a sweeping gesture) | |
You must feel the Force around you. | |
(gesturing) | |
Here, between you... me... the | |
tree... the rock... everywhere! | |
Yes, even between this land and | |
that ship! | |
LUKE | |
(discouraged) | |
You want the impossible. | |
Quietly Yoda turns toward the X-wing fighter. With his eyes closed and | |
his head bowed, he raises his arm and points at the ship. | |
Soon, the fighter rises above the water and moves forward as Artoo | |
beeps in terror and scoots away. | |
The entire X-wing moves majestically, surely, toward the shore. Yoda | |
stands on a tree root and guides the fighter carefully down toward the | |
beach. | |
Luke stares in astonishment as the fighter settles down onto the shore. | |
He walks toward Yoda. | |
LUKE | |
I don't... I don't believe it. | |
YODA | |
That is why you fail. | |
Luke shakes his head, bewildered. | |
EXT. SPACE - IMPERIAL FLEET | |
The fleet around Vader's Star Destroyer now includes Needa's Star | |
Destroyer, the Avenger. | |
INT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE | |
VADER | |
Apology accepted, Captain Needa. | |
Clutching desperately at his throat, Captain Needa slumps down, then | |
falls over on his back, at the feet of Darth Vader. Two stormtroopers | |
pick up the lifeless body and carry it quickly away as Admiral Piett | |
and two of his captains hurry up to the Dark Lord. | |
PIETT | |
Lord Vader, our ships have | |
completed their scan of the area | |
and found nothing. If the | |
Millennium Falcon went into light- | |
speed, it'll be on the other side | |
of the galaxy by now. | |
VADER | |
Alert all commands. Calculate | |
every possible destination along | |
their last know trajectory. | |
PIETT | |
Yes, my lord. We'll find them. | |
VADER | |
Don't fail me again, Admiral. | |
Vader exits as the admiral turns to an aide, a little more uneasy than | |
when he arrived. | |
PIETT | |
Alert all commands. Deploy the fleet. | |
EXT. SPACE - IMPERIAL FLEET | |
Vader's ship moves away, flanked by its fleet of smaller ships. the | |
Avenger glides off into space in the opposite direction. No one on | |
that ship or on Vader's is aware that, clinging to the side of the | |
Avenger, is the pirateship, the Millennium Falcon. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
THREEPIO | |
Captain Solo, this time you have | |
gone too far. | |
(Chewie growls) | |
No, I will not be quiet, Chewbacca. | |
Why doesn't anyone listen to me? | |
HAN | |
(to Chewie) | |
The fleet is beginning to break | |
up. Go back and stand by the | |
manual release for the landing claw. | |
Chewie barks, struggles from his seat, and climbs out of the cabin. | |
THREEPIO | |
I really don't see how that is | |
going to help. Surrender is a | |
perfectly acceptable alternative | |
in extreme circumstances. The | |
Empire may be gracious enough... | |
Leia reaches over and shuts off Threepio, mid-sentence. | |
HAN | |
Thank you. | |
LEIA | |
What did you have in mind for | |
your next move? | |
HAN | |
Well, if they follow standard | |
Imperial procedure, they'll dump | |
their garbage before they go to | |
light-speed, then we just float | |
away. | |
LEIA | |
With the rest of the garbage. | |
Then what? | |
HAN | |
Then we've got to find a safe | |
port somewhere around here. Got | |
any ideas? | |
LEIA | |
No. Where are we? | |
HAN | |
The Anoat system. | |
LEIA | |
Anoat system. There's not much | |
there. | |
HAN | |
No. Well, wait. This is | |
interesting. Lando. | |
He points to a computer mapscreen on the control panel. Leia slips out | |
of her chair and moves next to the handsome pilot. Small light points | |
representing several systems flash by on the computer screen. | |
LEIA | |
Lando system? | |
HAN | |
Lando's not a system, he's a man. | |
Lando Calrissian. He's a card | |
player, gambler, scoundrel. You'd | |
like him. | |
LEIA | |
Thanks. | |
HAN | |
Bespin. It's pretty far, but I | |
think we can make it. | |
LEIA | |
(reading from the | |
computer) | |
A mining colony? | |
HAN | |
Yeah, a Tibanna gas mine. Lando | |
conned somebody out of it. We | |
go back a long way, Lando and me. | |
LEIA | |
Can you trust him? | |
HAN | |
No. But he has no love for the | |
Empire, I can tell you that. | |
Chewie barks over the intercom. Han quickly changes his readouts and | |
stretches to look out the cockpit window. | |
HAN | |
(into intercom) | |
Here we go, Chewie. Stand by. | |
Detach! | |
Han leans back in his chair and gives Leia an invisible smile. She | |
thinks for a moment, shakes her head; a grin creeps across her face and | |
she gives him a quick kiss. | |
LEIA | |
You do have your moments. Not | |
many, but you have them. | |
EXT. SPACE - IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER | |
As the Avenger Star Destroyer moves slowly into space, the hatch on its | |
underbelly opens, sending a trail of junk behind it. Hidden among the | |
refuse, the Falcon tumbles away. In the next moment, the Avenger roars | |
off into hyperspace. The Falcon's engines are ignited, and it races | |
off into the distance. Amidst the slowly drifting junk, Boba Fett's | |
ship appears and moves after the Falcon. | |
EXT. DAGOBAH - BOG - CLEARING - DAY | |
In the clearing behind Yoda's house, Luke again stands upside-down, but | |
his face shows less strain and more concentration than before. Yoda | |
sits on the ground below the young warrior. On the other side of the | |
clearing, two equipment cases slowly rise into the air. Nearby Artoo | |
watches, humming to himself, when suddenly he, too, rises into the air. | |
His little legs kick desperately and his head turns frantically, | |
looking for help. | |
YODA | |
Concentrate... feel the Force | |
flow. Yes. Good. Calm, yes. | |
Through the Force, things you | |
will see. Other places. The | |
future... the past. Old friends | |
long gone. | |
Luke suddenly becomes distressed. | |
LUKE | |
Han! Leia! | |
The two packing boxes and Artoo fall to the ground with a crash, then | |
Luke himself tumbles over. | |
YODA | |
(shaking his head) | |
Hmm. Control, control. You must | |
learn control. | |
LUKE | |
I saw... I saw a city in the | |
clouds. | |
YODA | |
Mmm. Friends you have there. | |
LUKE | |
They were in pain. | |
YODA | |
It is the future you see. | |
LUKE | |
Future? Will they die? | |
Yoda closes his eyes and lowers his head. | |
YODA | |
Difficult to see. Always in | |
motion is the future. | |
LUKE | |
I've got to go to them. | |
YODA | |
Decide you must how to serve | |
them best. If you leave now, | |
help them you could. But you | |
would destroy all for which they | |
have fought and suffered. | |
Luke is stopped cold by Yoda's words. Gloom shrouds him as he nods his | |
head sadly. | |
EXT. BESPIN SYSTEM - MILLENNIUM FALCON - DAWN | |
The powerful pirate starship blasts through space as it heads toward | |
the soft pink planet of Bespin. | |
EXT. BESPIN SURFACE - MILLENNIUM FALCON | |
It is down on the gaseous planet. Huge billowing clouds form a canyon | |
as the ship banks around them, heading toward the system's Cloud City. | |
Suddenly, two twin-pod cloud cars appear and move toward the Falcon. | |
The cloud cars draw up alongside the starship. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
One of the cloud cars opens fire on the Falcon, its flak rocking the | |
ship. Chewie barks his concern. | |
HAN | |
(into transmitter) | |
No, I don't have a landing | |
permit. I'm trying to reach | |
Lando Calrissian. | |
More flak bursts outside the cockpit window and rattles the ship's | |
interior. Leia looks worried. | |
HAN | |
(into transmitter) | |
Whoa! Wait a minute! Let me | |
explain. | |
INTERCOM VOICE | |
You will not deviate from your | |
present course. | |
THREEPIO | |
Rather touchy, aren't they? | |
LEIA | |
I thought you knew this person. | |
Chewie barks and growls at his boss. | |
HAN | |
(to Chewie) | |
Well, that was a long time ago. | |
I'm sure he's forgotten about | |
that. | |
INTERCOM VOICE | |
Permission granted to land on | |
Platform Three-two-seven. | |
HAN | |
(into transmitter) | |
Thank you. | |
Angry, Han snaps off the intercom. Chewie looks at him and grunts. | |
Han turns to the worried princess and her droid. | |
HAN | |
There's nothing to worry about. | |
We go way back, Lando and me. | |
Leia doesn't look convinced. | |
LEIA | |
Who's worried? | |
EXT. CLOUD CITY - MILLENNIUM FALCON - CLOUD CARS | |
The clouds part to reveal a full view of the city as it bobs in and out | |
of the cloud surface. The cloud cars and the Falcon head for the | |
gleaming white metropolis. | |
EXT. CLOUD CITY - LANDING PLATFORM - MILLENNIUM FALCON | |
With the cloud cars still guarding it, the Falcon lands on one of the | |
Cloud City's platforms. | |
EXT. LANDING PLATFORM - DOOR OF MILLENNIUM FALCON | |
Han and Leia stand at the open door, armed. Behind them, Chewie, also | |
armed, surveys the scene warily. | |
THREEPIO | |
Oh. No one to meet us. | |
LEIA | |
I don't like this. | |
HAN | |
Well, what would you like? | |
THREEPIO | |
Well, they did let us land. | |
HAN | |
Look, don't worry. Everything's | |
going to be fine. Trust me. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - CORRIDOR - DAY | |
Lando Calrissian, a suave, dashing black man in his thirties, leads a | |
group of aides and some Cloud City guard rapidly toward the landing | |
platform. | |
The group, like the other citizens of the city, is a motley collection | |
of aliens, droids, and humans of all descriptions. Lando has a grim | |
expression on his face as he moves onto the landing platform. | |
EXT. LANDING PLATFORM - DOOR OF MILLENNIUM FALCON | |
HAN | |
See? My friend. | |
(to Chewie) | |
Keep your eyes open, okay? | |
Chewie growls as Han walks down the ramp. Lando and his men head | |
across the bridge to meet the space pirate. | |
EXT. CLOUD CITY - LANDING PLATFORM | |
Lando stops ten feet from Han. The two men eye each other carefully. | |
Lando shakes his head. | |
LANDO | |
Why, you slimy, double-crossing, | |
no-good swindler! You've got a | |
lot of guts coming here, after | |
what you pulled. | |
Han points to himself innocently, mouthing, "Me?" | |
Lando moves threateningly toward Han. Suddenly, he throws his arms | |
around his startled, long-lost friend and embraces him. | |
LANDO | |
(laughs) | |
How you doing, you old pirate? | |
So good to see you! I never thought | |
I'd catch up with you again. Where | |
you been? | |
The two old friends embrace, laughing and chuckling. | |
EXT. LANDING PLATFORM - DOOR OF MILLENNIUM FALCON. | |
THREEPIO | |
Well, he seems very friendly. | |
LEIA | |
(wary) | |
Yes... very friendly. | |
EXT. CLOUD CITY - LANDING PLATFORM | |
LANDO | |
What are you doing here? | |
HAN | |
(gestures toward | |
the Falcon) | |
Ahh... repairs. I thought you | |
could help me out. | |
LANDO | |
(in mock panic) | |
What have you done to my ship? | |
HAN | |
Your ship? Hey, remember, you | |
lost her to me fair and square. | |
Chewie growls a reserved greeting. Lando suddenly notices the princess | |
and smiles. | |
LANDO | |
Hello. What have we here? | |
Welcome. I'm Lando Calrissian. | |
I'm the administrator of this | |
facility. And who might you be? | |
LEIA | |
Leia. | |
LANDO | |
Welcome, Leia. | |
Lando bows before Leia and kisses her hand. | |
HAN | |
All right, all right, you old | |
smoothie. | |
Han takes Leia by the hand and steers her away from Lando. | |
THREEPIO | |
Hello, sir. I am See-Threepio, | |
human-cyborg relations. My | |
facilities are at your... | |
Before Threepio can finish his self-introduction, Lando has turned to | |
follow Han and Leia, who are walking toward the city. | |
THREEPIO | |
Well, really! | |
Lando, his aide, Lobot, and Han lead the way across the bridge, | |
followed by Threepio, Chewie and Leia. | |
LANDO | |
What's wrong with the Falcon? | |
HAN | |
Hyperdrive. | |
LANDO | |
I'll get my people to work on it. | |
HAN | |
Good. | |
Lando turns to Leia. | |
LANDO | |
You know, that ship saved my life | |
quite a few times. She's the | |
fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - CORRIDOR | |
The group has crossed the narrow bridge and entered the city. They | |
walk down the lovely Art Deco passageway, rounding several corners and | |
passing many small plazas as they go. Threepio lags a bit behind. | |
HAN | |
How's the gas mine? Is it | |
paying off for you? | |
LANDO | |
Oh, not as well as I'd like. | |
We're a small outpost and not | |
very self-sufficient. And I've | |
had supply problems of every kind. | |
I've had labor difficulties... | |
(catches Han | |
grinning at him) | |
What's so funny? | |
HAN | |
You. Listen to you - you sound | |
like a businessman, a responsible | |
leader. Who'd have thought that, | |
huh? | |
Lando is reflective. He looks at Han a moment. | |
LANDO | |
You know, seeing you sure | |
brings back a few things. | |
HAN | |
Yeah. | |
LANDO | |
(shakes his head) | |
Yeah. I'm responsible these days. | |
It's the price you pay for being | |
successful. | |
Han and Lando laugh together, and the group moves on through the | |
corridor. | |
The lagging Threepio passes a Threepio-type silver droid who is coming | |
out of a door. | |
THREEPIO | |
Oh! Nice to see a familiar face. | |
SECOND THREEPIO | |
(mumbles) | |
E chu ta! | |
THREEPIO | |
How rude! | |
Threepio stops, watching the silver droid move away. Then he hears the | |
muffled beeping and whistling of an R2 unit coming from within the | |
room. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - ANTEROOM | |
Curious, Threepio enters the room. | |
THREEPIO | |
That sounds like an R2 unit in | |
there. I wonder if... | |
Threepio walks through the doorway to the main room. He looks in. | |
THREEPIO | |
Hello? How interesting. Oh, my. | |
MAN'S VOICE | |
(from within) | |
Who are you? | |
THREEPIO | |
Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I... I | |
didn't mean to intrude. No, no, | |
please don't get up. No! | |
A laser bolt to Threepio's chest sends him flying in twenty directions. | |
Smoldering mechanical arms and legs bounce off the walls as the door | |
whooshes closed behind him. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - CORRIDOR | |
Lando, Han, and Leia continue down the corridor unaware of Threepio's | |
dreadful accident. Chewbacca glances around, sniffs the air, but | |
shrugs his shoulders and follows the group. | |
EXT. DAGOBAH - BOG - DUSK | |
In the bright lights of the fighter, Luke loads a heavy case into the | |
belly of the ship. Artoo sits on top of the X-wing, settling down into | |
his cubbyhole. Yoda stands nearby on a log. | |
YODA | |
Luke! You must complete the | |
training. | |
LUKE | |
I can't keep the vision out of my | |
head. They're my friends. I've | |
got to help them. | |
YODA | |
You must not go! | |
LUKE | |
But Han and Leia will die if I | |
don't. | |
BEN'S VOICE | |
You don't know that. | |
Luke looks toward the voice in amazement. Ben has materialized as a | |
real, slightly shimmering image near Yoda. The power of his presence | |
stops Luke. | |
BEN | |
Even Yoda cannot see their fate. | |
LUKE | |
But I can help them! I feel | |
the Force! | |
BEN | |
But you cannot control it. This | |
is a dangerous time for you, | |
when you will be tempted by the | |
dark side of the Force. | |
YODA | |
Yes, yes. To Obi-Wan you listen. | |
The cave. Remember your failure | |
at the cave! | |
LUKE | |
But I've learned so much since | |
then. Master Yoda, I promise to | |
return and finish what I've begun. | |
You have my word. | |
BEN | |
It is you and your abilities the | |
Emperor wants. that is why your | |
friends are made to suffer. | |
LUKE | |
And that is why I have to go. | |
BEN | |
Luke, I don't want to lose you to | |
the Emperor the way I lost Vader. | |
LUKE | |
You won't. | |
YODA | |
Stopped they must be. On this | |
all depends. Only a fully trained | |
Jedi Knight with the Force as his | |
ally will conquer Vader and his | |
Emperor. If you end your training | |
now, if you choose the quick and | |
easy path, as Vader did, you will | |
become an agent of evil. | |
BEN | |
Patience. | |
LUKE | |
And sacrifice Han and Leia? | |
YODA | |
If you honor what they fight for | |
... yes! | |
Luke is in great anguish. He struggles with the dilemma, a battle | |
raging in his mind. | |
BEN | |
If you choose to face Vader, you | |
will do it alone. I cannot | |
interfere. | |
LUKE | |
I understand. | |
(he moves to his | |
X-wing) | |
Artoo, fire up the converters. | |
Artoo whistles a happy reply. | |
BEN | |
Luke, don't give in to hate - | |
that leads to the dark side. | |
Luke nods and climbs into his ship. | |
YODA | |
Strong is Vader. Mind what you | |
have learned. Save you it can. | |
LUKE | |
I will. And I'll return. I promise. | |
Artoo closes the cockpit. Ben and Yoda stand watching as the roar of | |
the engines and the wind engulf them. | |
YODA | |
(sighs) | |
Told you, I did. Reckless is | |
he. Now matters are worse. | |
BEN | |
That boy is our last hope. | |
YODA | |
(looks up) | |
No. There is another. | |
EXT. SPACE - PLANET DAGOBAH | |
Luke's tiny X-wing rockets away from the green planet of Dagobah and | |
off into space. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - LIVING QUARTERS - DAY | |
Within the quarters assigned her on Cloud City, Leia paces in | |
agitation. She has changed from her cold-weather pants and jacket to a | |
lovely dress. Her hair is down, tied back with ribbons. She moves | |
from a large, open window and turns to see Han entering through the | |
doorway. | |
HAN | |
The ship is almost finished. | |
Two or Three more things and | |
we're in great shape. | |
LEIA | |
The sooner the better. Something's | |
wrong here. No one has seen or | |
knows anything about Threepio. | |
He's been gone too long to have | |
gotten lost. | |
Han takes Leia by the shoulders and gently kisses her forehead. | |
HAN | |
Relax. I'll talk to Lando and | |
see what I can find out. | |
LEIA | |
I don't trust Lando. | |
HAN | |
Well, I don't trust him, either. | |
But he is my friend. Besides, | |
we'll soon be gone. | |
LEIA | |
And then you're as good as gone, | |
aren't you? | |
Not speaking, Han considers her words and gazes at her troubled face. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - JUNK ROOM | |
The room is piled high with broken and discarded machine parts. Four | |
Ugnaughts, small hoglike creatures, separate the junk and throw some | |
pieces onto a conveyer belt which moves briskly toward a pit of molten | |
metal. Pieces of Threepio's golden body move down the belt. Chewie | |
enters the room and spots an Ugnaught picking up and inspecting | |
Threepio's head. The Wookiee barks a command, startling the Ugnaught, | |
then reaches to grab the head. But the Ugnaught tosses it away from | |
him to another Ugnaught. This game of keep-away goes on until | |
Threepio's head falls from their grip and bounces with a clang onto the | |
ground. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - LIVING QUARTERS - DAY | |
The door zaps open. Chewbacca walks in, carrying a packing case of | |
Threepio, arms and legs hanging over the edge. | |
LEIA | |
What happened? | |
Chewie sets the case on a table, grunting and groaning an explanation. | |
HAN | |
Where? Found him in a junk pile? | |
LEIA | |
Oh, what a mess. Chewie, do you | |
think you can repair him? | |
The giant Wookiee studies the array of robot parts. He looks at the | |
princess and shrugs sadly. | |
HAN | |
Lando's got people who can fix | |
him. | |
LEIA | |
No, thanks. | |
There is a buzz and the door slides open, revealing Lando. | |
LANDO | |
I'm sorry. Am I interrupting | |
anything? | |
LEIA | |
Not really. | |
LANDO | |
You look absolutely beautiful. | |
You truly belong here with us | |
among the clouds. | |
LEIA | |
(coolly) | |
Thank you. | |
LANDO | |
Will you join me for a little | |
refreshment? | |
Han looks at Lando suspiciously, but Chewie barks at the mention of | |
food and licks his lips. | |
LANDO | |
Everyone's invited, of course. | |
Leia takes Lando's proffered arm, and the group turns to go. Lando | |
spots Threepio's remains. | |
LANDO | |
Having trouble with you droid? | |
Han and Leia exchange a quick glance. | |
HAN | |
No. No problem. Why? | |
Han and Leia move arm-in-arm through the door, followed by Lando and | |
Chewie. The door slides closed behind them. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - CORRIDOR - DAY | |
Leia walks between Han and Lando as Chewie follows a short distance | |
behind. Long shafts of light pour across the corridor between tall, | |
pure-white columns. | |
LANDO | |
So you see, since we're a small | |
operation, we don't fall into | |
the... uh... jurisdiction of the | |
Empire. | |
LEIA | |
So you're part of the mining | |
guild then? | |
LANDO | |
No, not actually. Our operation | |
is small enough not to be noticed... | |
which is advantageous for everybody | |
since our customers are anxious | |
to avoid attracting attention to | |
themselves. | |
The group walks into another corridor and heads for a huge doorway at | |
the far end. | |
HAN | |
Aren't you afraid the Empire's | |
going to find out about this | |
little operation and shut you down? | |
LANDO | |
That's always been a danger looming | |
like a shadow over everything we've | |
built here. But things have | |
developed that will insure security. | |
I've just made a deal that will | |
keep the Empire out of here forever. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - DINING ROOM | |
The mighty doors to the dining room slide open and the group enters the | |
dining room. At the far end of a huge banquet table sits Darth Vader. | |
Standing at his side and slightly behind him is Boba Fett, the bounty | |
hunter. | |
Faster than the wink of an eye, Han draws his blaster and pops off a | |
couple of shots directly at Vader. The Dark Lord quickly raises his | |
hand, deflecting the bolts into one of the side walls, where they | |
explode harmlessly. Just as quickly, Han's weapon zips into Vader's | |
hand. The evil presence calmly places the gun on the table in front of | |
him. | |
VADER | |
We would be honored if you would | |
join us. | |
Han gives Lando a mean look. | |
LANDO | |
I had no choice. They arrived | |
right before you did. I'm sorry. | |
HAN | |
I'm sorry, too. | |
EXT. LUKE'S X-WING - BESPIN SYSTEM | |
Luke's X-wing races through thick clouds toward Cloud City. | |
INT. LUKE'S X-WING - COCKPIT | |
Luke is grim-faced as he pilots his course toward Bespin's shining | |
city. Artoo's beeps and whistles are transmitted onto the scope. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
No, Threepio's with them. | |
Artoo whistles another worried inquiry. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Just hang on. We're almost there. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - LARGE CELL | |
Chewbacca is in a Cloud City prison cell. The stark room is flooded | |
with hot light. To add to Chewie's misery, a high-pitched whistle | |
screeches loudly. Chewie is going mad. He hits the wall with giant | |
fists as he paces back and forth across the cell floor. The upper | |
lights go off abruptly. The prisoner rubs his eyes and moves to a | |
wall, where he listens for a moment. Then, moaning to himself, he | |
moves to a platform where the disassembled pieces of Threepio lie. He | |
picks up the golden droid's head and meditates on it for a moment, | |
barking a few philosophical remarks. Chewie sticks the robot's head on | |
its torso and starts adjusting wires and circuits. | |
Suddenly, the lights in Threepio's eyes spark to life as Chewie touches | |
two connectors together. Threepio immediately begins to speak, but his | |
voice is so slow and so low as to be nearly unintelligible. | |
THREEPIO | |
Mmmm. Oh, my. Uh, I, uh - Take | |
this off! I, uh, don't mean to | |
intrude here. I, don't, no, no, | |
no... Please don't get up. No! | |
Chewie looks at Threepio in bewilderment, then scratches his furry | |
head. He gets an idea and adjusts some connections, whereupon Threepio | |
immediately begins speaking normally. | |
THREEPIO | |
Stormtroopers? Here? We're in | |
danger. I must tell the others. | |
Oh, no! I've been shot! | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - PRISON ENTRY AREA | |
Darth Vader strides through the room as two stormtroopers prepare an | |
elaborate torture mechanism. Han is strapped to a rack which tilts | |
forward onto the torture device. Vader activates the mechanism, | |
creating two bursts of sparks, one of which strikes Han's face. | |
The door opens, and Vader leaves the torture room just as Han screams a | |
sharp, piercing cry of agony. Darth Vader moves to the holding | |
chamber, where Lando and Boba Fett await him. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - HOLDING CHAMBER | |
LANDO | |
Lord Vader. | |
VADER | |
(to Fett) | |
You may take Captain Solo to | |
Jabba the Hut after I have | |
Skywalker. | |
Han's screams filter through the torture room door. | |
BOBA FETT | |
He's no good to me dead. | |
VADER | |
He will not be permanently damaged. | |
LANDO | |
Lord Vader, what about Leia and | |
the Wookiee? | |
VADER | |
They must never again leave this | |
city. | |
LANDO | |
That was never a condition of our | |
agreement, nor was giving Han to | |
this bounty hunter! | |
VADER | |
Perhaps you think you're being | |
treated unfairly. | |
LANDO | |
No. | |
VADER | |
Good. It would be unfortunate if | |
I had to leave a garrison here. | |
Vader turns and sweeps into the elevator with Boba Fett. Lando walks | |
swiftly down another corridor, muttering to himself. | |
LANDO | |
This deal's getting worse all | |
the time. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - LARGE CELL | |
Chewie now has a little more of Threepio back together. One arm is | |
connected, but the legs are yet to be attached. There is one small | |
problem, however. It seems the Wookiee has managed to put the droid's | |
head on backwards. | |
THREEPIO | |
Oh, yes, that's very good. I like | |
that. Oh! Something's not right | |
because now I can't see. Wait. | |
Wait! Oh, my! what have you done? | |
I'm backwards, you stupid furball. | |
Only an overgrown mophead like you | |
would be stupid enough... | |
Threepio is cut off in mid-sentence as Chewie angrily deactivates a | |
circuit and the droid shuts down. The Wookiee smells something and | |
sits up. The door to the chamber slides open and a ragged Han Solo is | |
shoved into the room by two stormtroopers. Barking his concern, the | |
huge Wookiee gives Han a big hug. Han is very pale, with dark circles | |
under his eyes. | |
HAN | |
I feel terrible. | |
Chewie helps Han to a platform and then turns as the door slides open | |
revealing Leia. She, too, looks a little worse for wear. The troopers | |
push her into the cell, and the door slides closed. She moves to Han, | |
who is lying on the platform, and kneels next to him, gently stroking | |
his head. | |
LEIA | |
Why are they doing this? | |
HAN | |
They never even asked me any | |
questions. | |
The cell door slides open. Lando and two of his guards enter. | |
LEIA | |
Lando. | |
HAN | |
Get out of here, Lando! | |
LANDO | |
Shut up and listen! Vader has | |
agreed to turn Leia and Chewie | |
over to me. | |
HAN | |
Over to you? | |
LANDO | |
They'll have to stay here, but at | |
least they'll be safe. | |
LEIA | |
What about Han? | |
LANDO | |
Vader's giving him to the bounty | |
hunter. | |
LEIA | |
Vader wants us all dead. | |
LANDO | |
He doesn't want you at all. He's | |
after somebody called Skywalker. | |
HAN | |
Luke? | |
LANDO | |
Lord Vader has set a trap for him. | |
Leia's mind is racing. | |
LEIA | |
And we're the bait. | |
LANDO | |
Well, he's on his way. | |
Han's rage peaks. | |
HAN | |
Perfect. You fixed us all pretty | |
good, didn't you? | |
(spits it out) | |
My friend! | |
Han hauls off and punches Lando. The two friends are instantly engaged | |
in a frantic close-quarters fight. The guards hit Han with their rifle | |
butts and he flies across the room. Chewie growls and starts for the | |
guards. They point their laser weapons at the giant Wookiee, but Lando | |
stops them. | |
LANDO | |
Stop! I've done all I can. I'm | |
sorry I couldn't do better, but | |
I have my own problems. | |
HAN | |
Yeah, you're a real hero. | |
Lando and the guards leave. Han wipes the blood from his chin as Leia | |
and Chewie help him up. | |
LEIA | |
(dabs at his wound) | |
You certainly have a way with | |
people. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - CARBON-FREEZING CHAMBER | |
Four armor-suited stormtroopers stand at the ready in the large | |
chamber, which is filled with pipes and chemical tanks. In the middle | |
of the room is a round pit housing a hydraulic platform. Darth Vader | |
and Lando stand near the platform. | |
VADER | |
This facility is crude, but it | |
should be adequate to freeze | |
Skywalker for his journey to the | |
Emperor. | |
An Imperial soldier appears. | |
IMPERIAL SOLDIER | |
Lord Vader, ship approaching. | |
X-wing class. | |
VADER | |
Good. Monitor Skywalker and allow | |
him to land. | |
The soldier bows and leaves the chamber. | |
LANDO | |
Lord Vader, we only use this | |
facility for carbon freezing. If | |
you put him in there, it might | |
kill him. | |
VADER | |
I do not want the Emperor's prize | |
damaged. We will test it... on | |
Captain Solo. | |
Lando's face registers dismay. | |
EXT. SPACE - BESPIN SYSTEM - LUKE'S X-WING | |
Luke's X-wing moves through the clouds as it nears the city. | |
INT. LUKE'S X-WING - COCKPIT | |
Encountering no city guards, Luke scans the display panel with concern. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - CARBON-FREEZING CHAMBER | |
There is a great activity on the carbon-freezing platform. Six | |
Ugnaughts frantically prepare the chamber for use. A special | |
coffinlike container is put in place. With Boba Fett in the lead, a | |
squad of six stormtroopers brings in Han, Leia and Chewie. Strapped to | |
Chewie's back, with only his head, torso, and one arm assembled, is | |
Threepio. Threepio's head faces the opposite direction from Chewie's | |
and the droid is constantly twisting around in a vain effort to see | |
what is happening. His one attached arm is animate and expressive, | |
intermittently pointing, gesturing, and covering his eyes. The | |
remaining pieces of his body are randomly bundled to the Wookiee's back | |
so that his legs and other arm stick out at odd angles from the pack. | |
THREEPIO | |
If only you had attached my legs, | |
I wouldn't be in this ridiculous | |
position. Now, remember, Chewbacca, | |
you have a responsibility to me, | |
so don't do anything foolish. | |
HAN | |
(to Lando) | |
What's going on... buddy? | |
LANDO | |
You're being put into carbon freeze. | |
Boba Fett moves away from the group to Darth Vader. | |
BOBA FETT | |
What if he doesn't survive? He's | |
worth a lot to me. | |
VADER | |
The Empire will compensate you | |
if he dies. Put him in! | |
Realizing what is about to happen, Chewie lets out a wild howl and | |
attacks the stormtroopers surrounding Han. Within seconds, other | |
Imperial reinforcements join the scuffle, clubbing the giant Wookiee | |
with their laser weapons. | |
From the instant of Chewie's first move, Threepio begins to scream in | |
panic while he tries to protect himself with his one arm. | |
THREEPIO | |
Oh, no! No, no, no! Stop, | |
Chewbacca, stop...! | |
The stormtroopers are about to bash Chewie in the face. | |
HAN | |
Stop, Chewie, stop! Do you hear | |
me? Stop! | |
THREEPIO | |
Yes, stop, please! I'm not ready | |
to die. | |
Han breaks away from his captors. Vader nods to the guards to let him | |
go and the pirate breaks up the fight. | |
HAN | |
Chewie! Chewie, this won't help | |
me. Hey! | |
Han gives the Wookiee a stern look. | |
HAN | |
Save your strength. There'll be | |
another time. The princess - you | |
have to take care of her. You | |
hear me? | |
Han winks at the Wookiee, who wails a doleful farewell. | |
In a flash the guards have slipped binders on Chewbacca, who is too | |
distraught to protest. Han turns to Princess Leia. They look | |
sorrowfully at one another, then Han moves toward her and gives her a | |
final, passionate kiss. | |
LEIA | |
I love you! | |
HAN | |
I know. | |
Tears roll down Leia's face as she watches the dashing pirate walk to | |
the hydraulic platform. Han looks one final time at his friends - and | |
then, suddenly, the platform drops. Chewie howls. Leia turns away in | |
agony. | |
Lando winces in sorrow; it makes a life-changing impression on him. | |
Instantly, fiery liquid begins to pour down in a shower of sparks and | |
fluid as great as any steel furnace. Holding Leia, Chewie half-turns | |
away from the sight, giving Threepio a view of the procedure. | |
THREEPIO | |
What... what's going on? Turn | |
round, Chewbacca, I can't see. | |
Oh... they've encased him in | |
carbonite. He should be quite | |
well-protected - if he survives | |
the freezing process, that is. | |
Chewie is in no mood for technical discussion; he gives the droid an | |
angry glance and bark. | |
A huge mechanical tong lifts the steaming metal-encased space pirate | |
out of the vat and stands him on the platform. Some Ugnaughts rush | |
over and push the block over onto the platform. They slide the | |
coffinlike structure to the block and lift the metal block, placing it | |
inside. They then attach an electronic box onto the structure and step | |
away. Lando kneels and adjusts some knobs, measuring the heat. He | |
shakes his head in relief. | |
VADER | |
Well, Calrissian, did he survive? | |
LANDO | |
Yes, he's alive. And in perfect | |
hibernation. | |
Vader turns to Boba Fett. | |
VADER | |
He's all yours bounty hunter. | |
Reset the chamber for Skywalker. | |
IMPERIAL OFFICER | |
Skywalker has just landed, my | |
lord. | |
VADER | |
Good. See to it that he finds | |
his way here. Calrissian, take | |
the princess and the Wookiee to | |
my ship. | |
LANDO | |
You said they'd be left in the | |
city under my supervision. | |
VADER | |
I am altering the deal. Pray I | |
don't alter it any further. | |
Lando's hand instinctively goes to his throat as he turns to Leia, | |
Chewie, and Threepio. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - CORRIDOR - DAY | |
As Luke and Artoo move carefully down a deserted corridor, they hear a | |
group of people coming down a side hallway. Artoo lets out an excited | |
series of beeps and whistles. Luke glares at the tiny droid, who stops | |
in his tracks with a feeble squeak. | |
Boba Fett enters from a side hallway followed by two guards pushing the | |
floating, encased body of Han Solo. Two stormtroopers, who follow, | |
immediately spot Luke and open fire on him. The youth draws his weapon | |
and blasts the two troopers before they can get off a second shot. The | |
two guards whisk Han into another hallway as Fett lowers his arm and | |
fires a deadly laser at Luke, which explodes to one side and tears up a | |
huge chunk of wall. | |
Luke rushes to a side hallway, but by the time he reaches it, Fett, | |
Han, and the guards are gone. A think metal door blocks the passage. | |
Luke turns to see Leia, Chewie, Threepio, and Lando being herded down a | |
second hallway by several other stormtroopers. Leia turns just in time | |
to see Luke. | |
LEIA | |
Luke! Luke, don't - it's a | |
trap! It's a trap! | |
Before she can finish, she is pulled through a doorway and disappears | |
from sight. Luke races after the group, leaving little Artoo trailing | |
behind. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - ANTEROOM | |
Luke runs into an anteroom and stops to get his bearings. Leia and the | |
others are nowhere to be seen. Behind Luke, Artoo scoots down the | |
corridor toward the anteroom when suddenly a giant metal door comes | |
slamming down, cutting off Luke's exit. Several more doors clang shut, | |
echoing through the chamber. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - HALLWAY LEADING TO ANTEROOM | |
Artoo stands with his nose pressed against the giant metal door. He | |
whistles a long sigh of relief and, a little dazed, wanders off in the | |
other direction. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - CARBON-FREEZING CHAMBER - ANTEROOM | |
Luke cautiously walks forward among hissing pipes and steam. Seeing an | |
opening above him, he stops to look up. As he does, the platform he | |
stands on begins to move. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - CARBON-FREEZING CHAMBER | |
Luke rises into the chamber, borne by the platform. The room is | |
deathly quiet. Very little steam escapes the pipes and no one else | |
seems to be in the large room. Warily, Luke walks toward the stairway. | |
Steam begins to build up in the chamber. Looking up through the steam, | |
Luke sees a dark figure standing on a walkway above him. Luke holsters | |
his gun and moves up the stairs to face Vader. He feels confident, | |
eager to engage his enemy. | |
VADER | |
The Force is with you, young | |
Skywalker. But you are not a | |
Jedi yet. | |
Luke ignites his sword in answer. In an instant, Vader's own sword is | |
lit. Luke lunges, but Vader repels the blow. Again Luke attacks, and | |
the swords of the two combatants clash in battle. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - CORRIDOR | |
Leia, Lando, and Chewie, with Threepio on his back, march along, | |
guarded by six stormtroopers. The group reaches an intersection where | |
Lobot and a dozen of Lando's guards stand at attention. | |
The guards immediately aim their weapons at the startled stormtroopers. | |
Taking the stormtroopers' weapons from them, Lobot hands one to Leia | |
and one to Lando. | |
LANDO | |
Well done. Hold them in the | |
security tower - and keep it | |
quiet. Move. | |
As Lando's guards quickly march the stormtroopers away, Lando begins to | |
undo Chewie's binding. | |
LEIA | |
What do you think you're doing? | |
LANDO | |
We're getting out of here. | |
THREEPIO | |
I knew all along it had to be a | |
mistake. | |
Chewie turns on Lando and starts to choke him. | |
LEIA | |
Do you think that after what you | |
did to Han we're going to trust | |
you? | |
Lando tries to free himself from Chewie. | |
LANDO | |
(choking) | |
I had no choice... | |
Chewie barks ferociously. | |
THREEPIO | |
(to Chewie) | |
What are you doing? Trust him, | |
trust him! | |
LEIA | |
Oh, so we understand, don't we, | |
Chewie? He had no choice. | |
LANDO | |
I'm just trying to help... | |
LEIA | |
We don't need any of your help. | |
LANDO | |
(choking) | |
H-a-a-a... | |
LEIA | |
What? | |
THREEPIO | |
It sounds like Han. | |
LANDO | |
There's still a chance to save | |
Han... I mean, at the East | |
Platform... | |
LEIA | |
Chewie. | |
Chewie finally releases Lando, who fights to get his breath back. | |
THREEPIO | |
(to Lando) | |
I'm terribly sorry about all this. | |
After all, he's only a Wookiee. | |
EXT. CLOUD CITY - EAST LANDING PLATFORM - BOBA FETT'S SHIP | |
The two guards slide Han's encased body into an opening in the side of | |
the bounty hunter's ship. Boba Fett climb aboard on a ladder next to | |
the cargo hold. | |
BOBA FETT | |
Put Captain Solo in the cargo | |
hold. | |
And with that, the door slams shut. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - CORRIDOR | |
Lando, Leia, and Chewie run down a Cloud City corridor when suddenly | |
they spot Artoo who rushes toward them, beeping wildly. | |
THREEPIO | |
Artoo! Artoo! Where have you | |
been? | |
Chewie turns around to see the stubby droid, causing Threepio to be | |
spun out of sight of his friend. | |
THREEPIO | |
Turn around, you wooly...! | |
(to Artoo) | |
Hurry, hurry! We're trying to | |
save Han from the bounty hunter! | |
Whistling frantically to Threepio, Artoo scoots along with the racing | |
group. | |
THREEPIO | |
Well, at least your still in | |
one piece! Look what happened to | |
me! | |
EXT. EAST LANDING PLATFORM - SIDE BAY | |
An elevator door slides open and Lando, Leia, and Chewbacca race for a | |
large bay overlooking the East Landing Platform. | |
Just as they arrive, Boba Fett's ship takes off against a cloudy sunset | |
sky. | |
In wild anguish, Chewie howls and starts firing at the ship. | |
THREEPIO | |
Oh, no! Chewie, they're behind | |
you! | |
A laser bolt explodes near the princess. Everyone turns to see what | |
Threepio has already spotted coming from the other direction; a squad | |
of stormtroopers running toward them. Artoo peeks out from the | |
elevator. | |
Leia and Chewbacca start firing at the troopers as Lando makes a break | |
for the elevator. Laser bolts continue to explode around the princess | |
and the Wookiee, but they refuse to budge. Lando sticks his head out | |
of the elevator and motions for the pair to run, but they barely | |
notice. They seem possessed, transported, as all the frustration of | |
captivity and anger of loss pour through their death-dealing weapons. | |
But after a few moments, they begin to move through the rain of laser | |
fire toward the elevator. Once they are inside, the door slams shut | |
and the stormtroopers race forward. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - CARBON-FREEZING CHAMBER | |
Luke and Vader are locked in combat on the platform overlooking the | |
chamber. Their swords clash, the platform sways. Luke aggressively | |
drives Vader back, forcing Vader to use defensive tactics. | |
VADER | |
You have learned much, young one. | |
LUKE | |
You'll find I'm full of surprises. | |
Vader makes two quick moves, hooking Luke's sword out of his hand and | |
sending it flying. Another lightning move at Luke's feet forces the | |
youth to jump back to protect himself. Losing his balance, Luke rolls | |
down the stairs to the circular carbon-freezing platform. There he | |
sprawls on the floor, surprised and shaken. Just in time he looks up | |
to see Vader, like a giant black bird, flying right at him. Luke rolls | |
away as Vader lands. Crouching, Luke keeps his gaze steadily on his | |
enemy. | |
VADER | |
Your destiny lies with me, | |
Skywalker. Obi-Wan knew this to | |
be true. | |
LUKE | |
No! | |
Behind Luke the hydraulic elevator cover has opened noiselessly. All | |
the while, Luke slowly, cautiously moves back, away from the Dark Lord. | |
Suddenly, Vader attacks so forcefully that Luke loses his balance and | |
falls back into the opening. There is a rumble, and in an instant | |
freezing steam rises to obscure Vader's vision. Vader turns aside and | |
deactivates his sword. | |
VADER | |
All to easy. Perhaps you are not | |
as strong as the Emperor thought. | |
Through the steam behind Vader something blurs upward. Liquid metal | |
begins to pour into the pit. | |
Vader turns around - and then looks up. He sees Luke, who has leaped | |
fifteen feet straight up and who now hangs from some hoses on the | |
carbonite outlet. | |
VADER | |
Impressive... most impressive. | |
Luke jumps down to the platform where he is separated from Vader by the | |
steaming carbonite pit. He raises his hand. His sword, which had | |
fallen on another part of the platform, swiftly jumps into his | |
outstretched hand and is instantly ignited. Vader immediately lights | |
his sword as well. | |
VADER | |
Obi-Wan has taught you well. You | |
have controlled your fear... now | |
release your anger. | |
Luke is more cautious, controlling his anger. He begins to retreat as | |
Vader goads him on. As Luke takes a defensive position, he realizes he | |
has been foolhardy. A quick sword exchange and Luke forces Vader back. | |
Another exchange and Vader retreats. Luke presses forward. | |
VADER | |
Only your hatred can destroy me. | |
Breathing hard, Luke jumps in the air, turning a somersault over Vader. | |
He lands on the floor and slashes at Vader as the room continues to | |
fill up with steam. | |
Vader retreats before Luke's skillful sword. Vader blocks the sword, | |
but looses his balance and falls into the outer rim of pipes. The | |
energy Luke has used to stop Vader has brought him to the point of | |
collapse. Luke moves to the edge and looks down, but sees no sign of | |
Vader. He then deactivates his sword, hooks it on his belt, and lowers | |
himself into the pit. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - TUNNEL AND REACTOR CONTROL ROOM | |
Moving through a tunnellike entrance, Luke cautiously approaches the | |
reactor room. He ignites his sword and moves into the room and toward | |
a large window as Vader enters. | |
Luke raises his sword and moves forward to attack. | |
Behind Luke a large piece of machinery detaches itself from the wall | |
and comes smashing forward toward his back. Luke turns and cuts it in | |
half just as another machine comes hurtling at him. Using the Force, | |
Luke manages to deflect it and send it flying as if it had hit an | |
invisible shield. | |
A large pipe detaches and comes flying at Luke. He deflects it. | |
Sparking wires pull out of the wall and begin to whip at the youth. | |
Small tools and equipment come flying at him. Bombardment from all | |
sides, Luke does his best to deflect everything, but soon he is | |
bloodied and bruised. Finally, one machine glances off his and goes | |
flying out the large window. A fierce wind blows into the room, | |
unmoving, stands the dark, rocklike figure of Vader. | |
A piece of machinery hits Luke and he is knocked out of the window. | |
INT. GANTRY - OUTSIDE CONTROL ROOM - REACTOR SHAFT | |
Luke falls onto the gantry, rolls, and hangs over the edge, holding his | |
deactivated sword in hand. He puts the sword on his belt and begins to | |
scramble up. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - CORRIDOR LEADING TO LANDING PLATFORM | |
Leia, Lando, Chewie and the droids come round a corner and head for the | |
door to the landing platform. They glimpse the Millennium Falcon for a | |
moment before the door slams shut. The group ducks into an alcove as | |
stormtroopers arrive at the end of the corridor. The troopers send a | |
rain of laser bolts at the group. Chewie returns their fire as Lando | |
punches desperately at the door's control panel. | |
LANDO | |
The security codes has been changed! | |
THREEPIO | |
Artoo, you can tell the computer | |
to override the security system. | |
Threepio points to a computer socket on the control panel. Artoo beeps | |
and scoots toward it. Lando meanwhile has connected up to the panel's | |
intercom. | |
LANDO | |
Attention! This is Lando | |
Calrissian. The Empire has takes | |
control of the city. I advise | |
everyone to leave before more | |
Imperial troops arrive. | |
Artoo takes off a computer cover and sticks his computer arm into the | |
socket. Suddenly, a short beep turns into a wild scream. Artoo's | |
circuits light up, his head spins wildly, and smoke begins to seep out | |
underneath him. Quickly, Chewie pulls him away. | |
LANDO | |
This way. | |
Lando, Leia, Artoo, and Chewie flee down the corridor. As he scoots | |
along with them, Artoo sends some angry beeps Threepio's way. | |
THREEPIO | |
Don't blame me. I'm an interpreter. | |
I'm not supposed to know a power | |
socket from a computer terminal. | |
INT. CLOUD CITY - CORRIDOR | |
In a panic, Cloud City residents are trying to get out of the city. | |
Some carry boxes, others packages. They run, then change direction. | |
Some are shooting at stormtroopers, others simply try to hide. | |
Other stormtroopers pursue Lando, Leia, and Chewie who are firing back | |
at them. Artoo works on another door to the landing platform while | |
Threepio berates him for his seeming ineptitude. | |
THREEPIO | |
What are you talking about? We're | |
not interested in the hyperdrive | |
on the Millennium Falcon. It's | |
fixed! Just open the door, you | |
stupid lump. | |
Chewie, Leia, and Lando retreat along the corridor. A triumphant beep | |
from Artoo - and the door snaps open. | |
THREEPIO | |
(to Artoo) | |
I never doubted you for a second. | |
Wonderful! | |
Artoo lays a cloud fog, obscuring everything, as the group dashes | |
outside. | |
EXT. LANDING PLATFORM - CLOUD CITY - DUSK | |
They race for the Millennium Falcon as a battalion of stormtroopers | |
reaches the main door. Lando and Leia hold off the troops as the | |
droids get on board with Chewie. As Chewie bounds to the ship the | |
Threepio on his back, Threepio hits his head on the top of the ramp. | |
THREEPIO | |
Ouch! Oh! Ah! That hurt. Bend | |
down, you thoughtless... Ow! | |
Chewie starts up the ship. The giant engines begin to whine as Lando | |
and Leia race up the ramp under a hail of laser fire. | |
LANDO | |
Leia! Go! | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - CORRIDOR | |
Artoo drags the partially assembled Threepio down the corridor of the | |
Falcon. | |
THREEPIO | |
I thought that hairy beast would | |
be the end of me. Of course, I've | |
looked better. | |
Artoo beeps understandingly. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Chewie works the controls as Leia sits in Han's seat and Lando watches | |
over their shoulders. As Chewie pulls back on the throttle, the ship | |
begins to move. | |
EXT. CLOUD CITY - LANDING PLATFORM - DUSK | |
The Millennium Falcon lifts gracefully into the twilight sky and roars | |
away from the city. Troops fire after it and TIE fighters take off in | |
pursuit. | |
INT. GANTRY - OUTSIDE CONTROL ROOM - REACTOR SHAFT | |
Luke moves along the railing and up to the control room. | |
Vader lunges at him and Luke immediately raises his lit sword to meet | |
Vader's. Sparks fly as they duel, Vader gradually forcing Luke | |
backward toward the gantry. | |
VADER | |
You are beaten. It is useless | |
to resist. Don't let yourself | |
be destroyed as Obi-Wan did. | |
Luke answers by rolling sideways and thrusting his sword at Vader so | |
viciously that he nicks Vader on the shoulder. The black armor sparks | |
and smokes and Vader seems to be hurt, but immediately recovers. | |
Luke backs off along the narrow end of the gantry as Vader comes at | |
him, slashing at the young Jedi with his sword. Luke makes a quick | |
move around the instrument complex attached to the end of the gantry. | |
Vader's sword comes slashing down, cutting the complex loose; it begins | |
to fall, then is caught by the rising wind and blown upward. | |
Luke glances at the instrument complex floating away. At that instant, | |
Vader's sword comes down across Luke's right forearm, cutting off his | |
hand and sending his sword flying. In great pain, Luke squeezes his | |
forearm under his left armpit and moves back along the gantry to its | |
extreme end. Vader | |
follows. The wind subsides. Luke holds on. There is nowhere else to | |
go. | |
VADER | |
There is no escape. Don't make | |
me destroy you. You do not yet | |
realize your importance. You | |
have only begun to discover your | |
power. Join me and I will complete | |
your training. With our combined | |
strength, we can end this destructive | |
conflict and bring order to the | |
galaxy. | |
LUKE | |
I'll never join you! | |
VADER | |
If you only knew the power of the | |
dark side. Obi-Wan never told | |
you what happened to your father. | |
LUKE | |
He told me enough! It was you | |
who killed him. | |
VADER | |
No. I am your father. | |
Shocked, Luke looks at Vader in utter disbelief. | |
LUKE | |
No. No. That's not true! | |
That's impossible! | |
VADER | |
Search your feelings. You know | |
it to be true. | |
LUKE | |
No! No! No! | |
VADER | |
Luke. You can destroy the Emperor. | |
He has foreseen this. It is your | |
destiny. Join me, and together | |
we can rule the galaxy as father | |
and son. Come with me. It is the | |
only way. | |
Vader puts away his sword and holds his hand out to Luke. | |
A calm comes over Luke, and he makes a decision. In the next instant | |
he steps off the gantry platform into space. The Dark Lord looks over | |
the platform and sees Luke falling far below. The wind begins to blow | |
at Vader's cape and the torrent finally forces him back, away from the | |
edge. The wind soon fades and the wounded Jedi begins to drop fast, | |
unable to grab onto anything to break his fall. | |
INT. REACTOR SHAFT | |
Suddenly Luke is sucked into an exhaust pipe in the side of the shaft. | |
When Vader sees this, he turns and hurries off the platform. | |
INT. EXHAUST PIPE | |
Luke tumbles through the exhaust pipe. | |
He slides to the end of the slickly polished pipe and stops as his feet | |
hit a circular grill and knock it open. Luke claws at the surface of | |
the pipe, trying to keep from sliding out into space. | |
EXT. BOTTOM OF CLOUD CITY - WEATHER VANE - DUSK | |
Unable to hang onto the pipe, Luke tumbles out, emerging at the | |
undermost part of Cloud City. Reaching out desperately, he manages to | |
grab onto on electronic weather vane. | |
LUKE | |
Ben... Ben, please! | |
Luke tries to pull himself up on the weather vane but slips back down. | |
He hooks one of his legs around the fragile instruments. All the | |
while, a powerful current of air rushes out at him from the exhaust | |
pipe. | |
LUKE | |
Ben. Leia! | |
There is an ominous cracking sound from the base of the | |
weather vane and a piece breaks off, falling into the clouds far below. | |
LUKE | |
Hear me! Leia! | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Leia seems to be lost in a fog, her expression troubled. Chewie is | |
busy operating the ship. Lando stands next to the Wookiee, watching a | |
readout on the control panel. | |
LEIA | |
Luke... We've got to go back. | |
Chewie growls in surprise. | |
LANDO | |
What? | |
LEIA | |
I know where Luke is. | |
LANDO | |
But what about those fighter? | |
Chewie barks in agreement with Lando. | |
LEIA | |
Chewie, just do it. | |
LANDO | |
But what about Vader? | |
Chewie turns on Lando, the newcomer, with an ominous growl. | |
LANDO | |
All right, all right, all right. | |
EXT. CLOUD CITY - MILLENNIUM FALCON - DUSK | |
The Falcon makes a graceful banking turn back toward Cloud City. | |
EXT. CLOUD CITY - LANDING PLATFORM | |
Vader enters the landing platform and watches as the speck that is the | |
Falcon disappears. The wind blows at his cape. | |
He turns to two aides who are standing near the entrance to the landing | |
platform. | |
VADER | |
Bring my shuttle. | |
EXT. BOTTOM OF CLOUD CITY - WEATHER VANE | |
Nearly unconscious, Luke hangs upside-down on the weather vane as his | |
body shifts in the wind. | |
EXT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - BOTTOM OF CLOUD CITY | |
The Falcon dives to the underside of the floating city. Three TIE | |
fighter close in on the starship. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON | |
Leia tries to remain calm. | |
LANDO | |
(pointing out the | |
cockpit window) | |
Look, someone's up there. | |
LEIA | |
It's Luke. Chewie, slow down. | |
Slow down and we'll get under him. | |
Lando, open the top hatch. | |
Lando rushes out of the cockpit. | |
EXT. BOTTOM OF CLOUD CITY - WEATHER VANE | |
Luke hangs by one arm from the crossbar of the weather vane. He slips | |
from the bar and grabs onto the pole of the vane as the Falcon banks | |
toward him. The Falcon positions itself under Luke as Lando moves up | |
through the opening of the hatch. Luke begins to slide and finally | |
falls from the vane into space. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Out the cockpit window, Leia sees Luke falling from the bottom of the | |
city. The ship gains on him. | |
LEIA | |
Okay. Easy, Chewie. | |
The Falcon closes in on Luke. | |
EXT. BOTTOM OF CLOUD CITY | |
Three TIE fighters race toward the Falcon, firing away. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - HATCH | |
The hatch pops open with a hiss of pressure. Lando reaches out to help | |
the battered warrior inside the ship. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Flak bursts all around it as the Falcon banks away from the city. Leia | |
and Chewie struggle with the controls. | |
LEIA | |
(into intercom) | |
Lando? | |
LANDO | |
(over intercom) | |
Okay, let's go. | |
EXT. BOTTOM OF CLOUD CITY | |
The Falcon races away. It is closely followed by three TIE fighters, | |
all of which keep up a heavy laser assault on the fleeing starship. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Explosions erupt all around the cockpit, buffeting the ship wildly. | |
Chewie howls as he frantically tries to control the ship. | |
Leia and Chewie turns to see Luke, bloody and battered, enter the | |
cockpit supported by Lando. Leia jumps up and hugs him while Chewie | |
barks in joyous relief. | |
LUKE | |
Oh, Leia. | |
LANDO | |
All right, Chewie. Let's go. | |
Leia helps Luke from the cockpit as another huge blast rocks the ship. | |
EXT. SPACE - CLOUD CITY - DAY | |
The Falcon, still followed by the three TIE fighters, races away from | |
the cloud-covered city. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - SLEEPING QUARTERS | |
Luke rests on a cot, his injured arm wrapped in a protective cuff. | |
Leia gently wipes his face. The ship lurches again. | |
LEIA | |
I'll be back. | |
She kisses him, then leaves the quarters. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
All over the ship muted alarm buzzers sound. Lando anxiously watches | |
the flashing lights on the control panel and hurriedly adjusts some | |
switches. Seated next to him, Chewie points out a new blip appearing | |
on the panel. Leia, watching over their shoulders, recognizes the | |
shape. | |
LEIA | |
Star Destroyer. | |
LANDO | |
All right, Chewie. Ready for | |
light-speed. | |
LEIA | |
If your people fixed the | |
hyperdrive. | |
Another explosion rocks the ship. Leia notices as a green light on the | |
panel next to her flashes on. | |
LEIA | |
All the coordinates are set. | |
It's now or never. | |
Chewie barks in agreement. | |
LANDO | |
Punch it! | |
The Wookiee shrugs and pulls back on the light-speed throttle. The | |
sound of the ion engine changes...it is winding up. Faces are tense, | |
expectant. But nothing happens, and the engine goes off. Chewie lets | |
out a frustrated howl. The flak still violently rocks the ship. | |
LANDO | |
They told me they fixed it. I | |
trusted them to fix it. It's not | |
my fault! | |
Chewie gets up from his chair and starts out of the cockpit. He gives | |
Lando and angry shove as he storms past him. | |
EXT. SPACE | |
In the distance the TIE fighters continue their chase, still shooting | |
lasers. Vader's Star Destroyer moves behind them, determinedly | |
following the Falcon. | |
INT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE | |
Vader stands on the bridge looking out the window as Admiral Piett | |
approaches him. | |
PIETT | |
They'll be in range of our | |
tractor beam in moments, my lord. | |
VADER | |
Did your men deactivate the | |
hyperdrive on the Millennium | |
Falcon? | |
PIETT | |
Yes, my lord. | |
VADER | |
Good. Prepare the boarding party | |
and set your weapons for stun. | |
PIETT | |
Yes, my lord. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON | |
Beeping while he works, Artoo is busy connecting some wires to Threepio | |
who now has one leg attached. | |
Chewie enters through the doorway, grunting to himself. | |
THREEPIO | |
Noisy brute. Why don't we just | |
go into light-speed? | |
Artoo beeps in response. | |
THREEPIO | |
We can't? How would you know the | |
hyperdrive is deactivated? | |
Artoo whistles knowingly. | |
THREEPIO | |
The city's central computer told | |
you? Artoo-Detoo, you know better | |
than to trust a strange computer. | |
Ouch! Pay attention to what | |
you're doing! | |
Chewie is in the pit. He is trying to loosen something with an | |
enormous wrench. Frustrated, he uses the wrench like a club and hits | |
the panel... | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Leia and Lando, seated in front of the control panel, are suddenly | |
sprayed by a shower of sparks. | |
INT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE | |
Vader stands on the bridge, watching as the Millennium Falcon is chased | |
by the TIE fighters. As his Destroyer draws nearer, Vader's breathing | |
gets slightly faster. | |
VADER | |
Luke. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - SLEEPING QUARTERS | |
Luke realizes that Vader's ship is very near. He feels resigned to his | |
fate. He senses that he is beaten, more emotionally than physically. | |
LUKE | |
Father. | |
INT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE | |
VADER | |
Son, come with me. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - SLEEPING QUARTERS | |
LUKE | |
(moaning) | |
Ben, why didn't you tell me? | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Lando and Leia are at the controls of the Falcon. Meanwhile, in the | |
ship's hold, Chewie continues to work frantically on the hyperdrive | |
mechanism. | |
LANDO | |
(into intercom) | |
Chewie! | |
EXT. SPACE | |
The Falcon races through space followed very closely by the TIE | |
fighters and the huge Imperial Star Destroyer. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Luke enters the cockpit and looks out the window. He is almost | |
unconscious with pain and depression. | |
LUKE | |
It's Vader. | |
INT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE | |
VADER | |
Luke... it is your destiny. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
LUKE | |
Ben, why didn't you tell me? | |
INT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE | |
PIETT | |
Alert all commands. Ready for | |
the tractor beam. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - HOLD | |
Artoo races to a control panel and starts working on a circuit board. | |
Furious, Threepio stands on one leg, yelling. | |
THREEPIO | |
Artoo, come back at once! You | |
haven't finished with me yet! | |
You don't know how to fix the | |
hyperdrive. Chewbacca can do | |
it. I'm standing here in pieces, | |
and you're having delusions of | |
grandeur! | |
Artoo moves a circuit on a control panel. Suddenly, the control panel | |
lights up. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Leia and Lando are thrown into their seats as the Millennium Falcon | |
unexpectedly shoot into hyperspace. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - HOLD | |
The ship tilts up and Artoo topples into the pit on top of Chewie. | |
THREEPIO | |
Oh, you did it! | |
EXT. SPACE | |
The Falcon soars into infinity and away from the huge Star Destroyer | |
which seems, by contrast, to stand still. | |
INT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE | |
Admiral Piett and another captain glance at Vader in terror. Vader | |
turns slowly and walks off the bridge, his hands held behind his back | |
in a contemplative gesture. | |
EXT. SPACE - REBEL CRUISER | |
The Millennium Falcon is attached to a huge Rebel cruiser by a docking | |
tube. Rebel fighters move about the giant cruiser, and a Rebel | |
transport ship hovers near the fleet. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
Lando sits in the pilot's seat as he talks into the comlink. Chewie | |
busily throws a variety of switches in preparation for takeoff. | |
LANDO | |
(into comlink) | |
Luke, we're ready for takeoff. | |
LUKE | |
(over comlink) | |
Good luck, Lando | |
LANDO | |
(into comlink) | |
When we find Jabba the Hut and | |
that bounty hunter, we'll contact | |
you. | |
INT. STAR CRUISER - MEDICAL CENTER | |
Luke speaking into the comlink as a medical droid works on his hand. | |
Leia stands near him while Threepio and Artoo look out the window. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
I'll meet you at the rendezvous | |
point on Tatooine. | |
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT | |
LANDO | |
(into comlink) | |
Princess, we'll find Han. I | |
promise. | |
INT. STAR CRUISER - MEDICAL CENTER | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Chewie, I'll be waiting for your | |
signal. | |
Chewie's wail comes over the comlink. | |
LUKE | |
(into comlink) | |
Take care, you two. May the | |
Force be with you. | |
Luke looks down at his hand. A metalized type of bandage has been | |
wrapped around his wrist. The medical droid makes some adjustments in | |
a tiny electronic unit, then pricks each one of Luke's fingers. | |
LUKE | |
Ow! | |
Luke wriggles his fingers, makes a fist, and relaxes it. His hand is | |
completely functional. | |
He gets up and walks over to Leia. There is a new bond between them, a | |
new understanding. Leia is thinking about Han; Luke is thinking about | |
his uncertain and newly complicated future. Together they stand at the | |
large window of the medical center looking out on the Rebel Star | |
Cruiser and a dense, luminous galaxy swirling in space. | |
Luke puts his arm around Leia. The droids stand next to them, and | |
Threepio moves closer to Artoo putting his arm on him. The group | |
watches as the Millennium Falcon moves into view, makes a turn, and | |
zooms away into space. | |
EXT. SPACE - REBEL STAR CRUISER | |
While Luke, Leia, and the droids stand, looking out the window of the | |
star cruiser, two escort fighters join the large ship. Slowly, the | |
cruiser turns and moves away into space. | |
DISSOLVE TO | |
EXT. GALAXY - SPACE | |
END CREDITS FADE IN AND OUT OVER BACKGROUND | |
THE END |