William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back by Ian Doescher Page A

battle now
    Or, if not win, maintain my sense of right.
    But lo, Darth Vader cometh once again!
    Enter
D ARTH V ADER .
They duel, and Luke is forced to the edge of a deep cavern.
    VADER
    This is the end for thee, Skywalker. See,
    Thou art defeated now; resistance would
    Be futile. Let yourself not be destroy’d
    As Obi-Wan did, weak old man he was.
    [They duel. Darth Vader cuts off Luke’s right hand with his lightsaber.

    LUKE
    O horror! O vast pain exceeding words!
    VADER
    Thou shalt find no escape. Do not make me
    Destroy thee. Great importance shalt thou have
    Within the Empire’s power, and thine own
    Shall only grow with time. I prithee, join
    With me, and I your training shall complete.
    When our strength is combin’d, we shall conclude
    This bitter conflict and bring order to
    The galaxy entire.
    LUKE
    —I never shall
    Join with thee; I would rather be destroy’d.
    VADER
    [
aside:
] The boy doth admirably keep his head,
    But now I shall unleash the final blow.
    [
To Luke:
] If thou but knewest all the power of
    The dark side. Obi-Wan hath never told
    Thee of what happen’d to thy father, Luke.
    LUKE
    O, he hath spoken much. And he hath told
    Me of the truth—that thou didst slay him, aye,
    And without cause or mercy, murderer
    Most vile and wretched!
    VADER
    —No, I am thy father.
    LUKE
    Nay, ’tis not true! It is impossible!
    VADER
    Pray, search thy feelings, Luke. Thou knowest it
    Is true.
    LUKE
    —Nay!
    VADER
    —Luke, thou mayst the Emperor
    Destroy; he hath foreseen what thou wouldst do.
    It is thy destiny, come join with me—
    Together we shall rule the galaxy
    As son and father. Come now, Luke, it is
    The only way: the dark side is thy path.
    O join with me, and we shall be as one.
    [Luke looks down and drops into the cavern.
    LUKE
    I fall, and yet no death’s upon me yet.
    I fall, for ’tis a better path than hate.
    VADER
    He falls, and welcomes death instead of pow’r.
    He falls, but I can sense he liveth still.
    LUKE
    I have not died—but pass into this shaft.
    I have not died—though I may wish it so.
    VADER
    He hath not died—his heart screams in its fear.
    He hath not died—so may he yet be turn’d.
    [Luke falls onto a weather vane at the bottom of the shaft.
    LUKE
    I am held fast by this vane o’er the clouds.
    I am held fast by some mirac’lous pow’r.
    VADER
    He is held fast within the dark side’s grasp.
    He is held fast by his own clouded mind.
    [Exit Darth Vader.
    LUKE
    O Ben, I call to thee, but wilt thou hear?
    I do remember thou didst say thou couldst
    Not interfere in this, but O Ben, hear!
    Alas, my mentor’s gone fore’er, and gives
    No answer—e’en deserted by the dead.
    If he cannot appear and rescue me,
    Then I shall try the living: Leia, next
    I call to thee. I prithee, Leia, hear!
    Enter
C HEWBACCA , P RINCESS L EIA ,
and
L ANDO ,
aside in the
Millennium Falcon.
    LEIA
    [
aside:
] What is this voice that echoes in mine ears?
    ’Tis Luke, I know it is. Yet how is it
    That I do hear him when he is not nigh?
    No matter—more important ’tis that I
    Respond unto his call. [
To Lando:
] We must go back.
    LANDO
    What didst thou say?
    LEIA
    —I know where Luke is!
    LANDO
    —What
    About the fighters drawing near?
    CHEWBAC.
    —Egh, auugh!
    LEIA
    I prithee, Chewie: Han we could not save,
    But may yet rescue Luke, if we make haste.
    LANDO
    But what about the fighters, Princess?
    CHEWBAC.
    —Auugh!
    LANDO
    Pray, peace, good Wookiee, thou shalt have thy way.
    [They approach Luke in the ship. Lando breaks off from the others to let Luke in.
    What ties most deep do bind these souls as one!
    In all my workings as a bus’nessman,
    In all my making deals and earning more,
    I have forgotten what doth make life rich:
    ’Tis friendship, love, and sacrifice that make
    A life, and I too long have not liv’d well!
    Farewell, the former Lando, lonely man!
    Farewell to selfish pride and high ambition!
    Farewell to scoundrelhood and avarice!
    Farewell to all the things my life