Star Wars: Episode VII The Dark Shadow

STAR WARS: EPISODE VII

The Dark Shadow

Concept Art

Production Notes

Characters

In the book, The Art of The Force Awakens, one of the characters, a Jedi named Kira, is described as a “loner, hothead, gear-headed, badass.” The other teen was most often referred to as Sam, and mostly appears depicted with a blaster, which seems to indicate that he didn’t have Force powers himself
As George continued to develop the story, he also changed her name a couple of times. She was also called Thea and, honest-to-God, Winkie. Thea appears to be the name when George stepped away as there is concept art from the first couple of months of art development that uses that name
While George referred to the latter as Thea, it’s likely he referred to the former as Skylar. That name is found in storyboards in The Art of The Force Awakens that also use the name Thea and Pablo Hidalgo has confirmed that the name “Skylar” came from George
”So, the late-2012 idea of a Luke Skywalker haunted by the betrayal of one of his students, in self-imposed exile & spiritually in ‘a dark place’, not only precedes Rian Johnson’s involvement in Star Wars but J.J. Abrams’, as well,”
“Luke was being described as a Col. Kurtz type, hiding from the world in a cave,”
“Gangsters, like the Hutts, are taking advantage of the situation, and there is chaos. The key person Is Darth Maul, who had been resurrected in the Clone Wars cartoons – he brings all the gangs together. One is with a set of cybernetic legs like a spider, and then later on he has metal legs and he was a bit bigger, more of a superhero. Darth Maul trained a girl, Darth Talon, who was in the comic books, as his apprentice. She was the new Darth Vader, and most of the action was with her. So these were the two main villains of the trilogy. Maul eventually becomes the godfather of crime in the universe because, as the Empire falls, he takes over.”
“Darth Maul trained a girl, Darth Talon, who was in the comic books, as his apprentice. She was the new Darth Vader, and most of the action was with her. So these were the two main villains of the trilogy. Maul eventually becomes the godfather of crime in the universe because, as the Empire falls, he takes over.”
The tattoos are a lot simpler. They follow a rhythm and they flow. And that’s the evil thing puppeteering her from behind.” The character also seems to appear in a series of storyboards titled Seduction from February 2013, the earliest known storyboards from the movie.
The original saga was about the father, the children, and the grandchildren. I mean, that’s not a secret, anyway, it’s even in the novels and everything. And then the children were in their 20s and everything and so it wasn’t [The] Phantom Menace again.
Ford’s least expected late-career reprise was his return to the world of Star Wars. “I was surprised,” he concedes. The first call came from George Lucas. “It was proposed that I might make another appearance as Han Solo. And I think it was mentioned, even in the first call, that he would not survive. That’s something I’d been arguing for for some period of time” — Ford had unsuccessfully lobbied for Solo to die in Return of the Jedi in 1983 — “so I said okay.”
Around the release of the book Bloodlines, Pablo Hidalgo revealed that Casterfo was “ a character that existed, in various forms, in the earliest versions of the TFA story.”

Plot

“Episode VII, VIII, and IX would take ideas from what happened after the Iraq War. “Okay, you fought the war, you killed everybody, now what are you going to do?” Rebuilding afterwards is harder than starting a rebellion or fighting the war. When you win the war and you disband the opposing army, what do they do? The stormtroopers would be like Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist fighters that joined ISIS and kept on fighting. The stormtroopers refuse to give up when the Republic win.
They want to be stormtroopers forever, so they go to a far corner of the galaxy, start their own country and their own rebellion.
There’s a power vacuum so gangsters, like the Hutts, are taking advantage of the situation, and there is chaos. The key person is Darth Maul, who had been resurrected in The Clone Wars cartoons — he brings all the gangs together.”
“The movies are about how Leia – I mean, who else is going to be the leader? – is trying to build the Republic. They still have the apparatus of the Republic but they have to get it under control from the gangsters. That was the main story. By the end of the trilogy, Luke would have rebuilt much of the Jedi, and we would have the renewal of the New Republic, with Leia, Senator Organa, becoming the Supreme Chancellor in charge of everything. So she ended up being the Chosen One.”
The midi-chlorians within Force-sensitive beings communicate directly with the Whills, allowing the super-powerful beings to control the galaxy. “Back in the day, I used to say ultimately what this means is we’re just cars, vehicles, for the Whills to travel around in […] We’re vessels for them,”
The outline George created in early 2012 was about a 14-year-old girl named Taryn who set out to become a Jedi Knight
According to the book Star Wars Fascinating Facts, it was George who based the story around “a young woman’s quest to become a Jedi Knight.” In an allusion to the movie Apocalypse Now, Lucas likened her quest to find Luke to “Willard going up river seeking out Colonel Kurtz.”
And according to Lucasfilm Story Group member Pablo Hidalgo, George’s ideas also included a son of Han and Leia being seduced to the dark side.
In the new backstory, Maul would train Talon as his new apprentice, effectively making her the Darth Vader of this new story while Maul would take after Darth Sidious, establishing power by means of consolidating a crime network from the shadows as he did during the Clone Wars, becoming a new threat in the wake of a fallen Galactic Empire.
“It starts out a few years after Return of the Jedi and we establish pretty quickly that there’s this underworld, there are these offshoot stormtroopers who started their own planets, and that Luke is trying to restart the Jedi. He puts the word out, so out of 100,000 Jedi, maybe 50 or 100 are left. The Jedi have to grow again from scratch, so Luke has to find two- and three-year-olds, and train them. It’ll be 20 years before you have a new generation of Jedi.”
“By the end of the trilogy Luke would have rebuilt much of the Jedi, and we would have the renewal of the New Republic, with Leia, Senator Organa, becoming the Supreme Chancellor in charge of everything”
Apparently, the initial plan for Star Wars: Episode 7 was that Luke, over the course of that movie, would rediscover his vitality and train this new Jedi. So basically, what we got from the Rey/Luke storyline in The Last Jedi was initially supposed to be the bones for George Lucas’ Episode 7. Imagine an alternate universe where Episode 7 was Luke reluctantly training a new Jedi – it would be completely different.
Also, in the treatment George handed over in 2012, Luke Skywalker died in Episode VIII
Early on I tried to write versions of the story where [Rey] is at home, her home is destroyed, and then she goes on the road and meets Luke. And then she goes and kicks the bad guy’s ass. It just never worked and I struggled with this. This was back in 2012. It just felt like every time Luke came in and entered the movie, he just took it over. Suddenly you didn’t care about your main character anymore because, ‘Oh f–k, Luke Skywalker’s here. I want to see what he’s going to do
So, the late-2012 idea of a Luke Skywalker haunted by the betrayal of one of his students, in self-imposed exile & spiritually in “a dark place”, not only precedes Rian Johnson’s involvement in Star Wars but J.J. Abrams’, as well.

Settings

“This was a very early take on Luke’s temple, way back when there was still no director. This artwork was shown to George Lucas in a presentation. Doug [Chiang] came back and said, “Congratulations, James. You got a George “Fabulouso” stamp.” VFX art director James Clyne recalls.
Adds Lucasfilm executive creative director Doug Chiang, “After working with George on the prequels for seven years, I knewin some ways how to anticipate what forms he would like – which is really good, because he still likes those forms. So for the Jedi temple, he loved that bell shape. It’s reminiscent of some of the imagery that [original Star Wars trilogy concept artist] Ralph McQuarrie painted way back.”
Another late 2012/early 2013 idea appears to be Mono Lake in California as inspiration for the planet that would become Jakku. A planet strewn with junk comes from Michael Arndt at the very first meeting of the design team on January 9th
While not much about Han Solo or Leia Organa’s roles in George and Michael’s treatment is known, there are several pieces of concept art from early 2013 of the Millennium Falcon on or above the planet of Felucia, which was briefly glimpsed during the Order 66 Jedi purge montage in Star Wars Episode III — Revenge of the Sith. During an art review meeting in February 2013 glimpsed in the official behind the scenes documentary included with the home release, an entire artboard can be seen devoted to the planet. Lucasfilm Story Group member Pablo Hidalgo has confirmed that Felucia factored into George’s plans at some point.
Some of the early MacGuffins of the movie — the thing that drives a movie’s plot — were a search for Darth Vader’s remains, or a quest to the underwater wreckage of the second Death Star to recover a key piece of history about sacred Jedi sites in the galaxy.
So when the adventure’s over, Kira finds a hidden map inside the Emperor’s tower of the second Death Star. And the map tells you where the Jedi are and where Luke is hiding — Ian McCaig.

Cast

Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker: A Jedi Master and hero of the Rebel Alliance, Luke has been missing in exile for 5 years and along with it, any hope of the restoration of the Jedi Order and peace for the galaxy.
Harrison Ford as Han Solo: Former General and hero of the Rebel Alliance and estranged husband of Senator Leia Organa, Han now finds himself alone in the galaxy and down on his luck after a dark event split his family to the core.
Carrie Fisher as Senator Leia Organa: Senator for New Alderaan in the New Republic Galactic Senate, Leia struggles to maintain peace in the Senate and galaxy at large hunting for the mythical “Godfather of crime” whilst searching for her missing brother.
Shailene Woodley as Thea: An orphaned teenage scavenger and junk shop trader, Thea has all her life been plagued with dreams of the Jedi and adventures away from the world she finds herself in.
Nicholas Hault as Skyler: A young and charming Archeologist graduate from the New Republic Historical Restoration Initiative, Skyler has been tasked by Senator Leia Organa to seek out lost Jedi relics and locations thought purged by the Empire in the hopes of finding her lost brother Luke Skywalker.
Adam Driver as Ben Solo: The estranged Force Sensitive son of Han Solo and Leia Organa, now a drifter throughout the Mid and Outer Rim, using his Force powers to make his way in the galaxy.
Kandyse McClure as Darth Talon: The Dark Side apprentice and assassin of Maul, Talon seeks to hone her skills against Order 66 Jedi survivors, seeking them out to kill them and any hopes of the Jedi returning to foil her master's plans.
Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca: Hero of the rebellion now living in peace with his family on Kashyyyk, until an old friend calls to him for help for one last mission.
Anthony Daniels as C3PO: The faithless protocol droid gifted to Leia Organa as a wedding present by her brother Luke Skywalker, aids Senator Organa in her duties as New Republic Senator.
Michael Fassbender as Moff Tidius: An ambitious former Imperial Officer stationed on Kubindi, he has risen to command of the planet Kubindi and named himself “Moff”, a world still controlled by Empire Imperialists with ties to wider criminal gangs.
Nicole Kidman as Senator Carise Sindian: The Senator for Arkanis, she is a strong supporter of the Centrist movement with shadowy ties to the galactic underworld.
Michael B. Jordan as Senator Ransolm Casterfo: A young Populist Senator for Riosa who idolises Leia Organa, his parents were slaughtered by the Empire when he was young
Ray Park & Sam Witwer as Maul: The former Sith Apprentice of the Emperor, thought to have been killed by Obi-Wan Kenobi on Naboo 61 years ago, has slowly been accumulating power in the wake of the Empire’s defeat from the shadows.
Denis Lawson as Wedge Antilles: A former Rebel Alliance pilot and hero, now does clandestine work for Senator Leia Organa
.. as Chancellor Lanever Villecham: The 3rd New Republic Chancellor newly appointed to oversee the New Republic Senate.
Daniel Craig as Rudian Sha: A former Jedi Padawan who survived Order 66 and was in hiding during the Empire’s reign, now wears his Jedi robes proudly in search of other Jedi.

Backstory Timeline

32BBY - Trade Federation blockade of Naboo, Battle of Naboo, Anakin Skywalker becomes the apprentice of Obi-Wan Kenobi, supposed death of Darth Maul
22BBY - Clone Wars begins between the Separatists and the Galactic Republic
19BBY - End of the Clone Wars, Order 66 Jedi Purge, fall to the darkside of Anakin Skywalker as Darth Vader, death of Padme Amidala, birth of twins Luke and Leia Skywalker, creation of the Galactic Empire
0BBY - Galactic Civil War begins, destruction of Death Star, birth of Talon
3ABY - Luke SKywalker learns that Darth Vader is his father
4ABY - Death of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, destruction of Death Star II. Death of Jabba the Hutt. Leia Organa is revealed as the secret twin sister of Luke Skywalker
5ABY - Leia Organa is taken by Luke Skywalker as his first Jedi apprentice. Skyler is born
6ABY - Maul finds an orphaned Talon and takes her as a Dark Side apprentice. The Battle of Sedilla takes place.
8ABY - Leia falls pregnant and relinquishes her role as a Jedi
9ABY - The Empire officially surrenders, the New Republic government is created. Mon Mothma is elected as first New Republic Chancellor. Ben Solo is born.
10ABY - Chewbacca returns to his family on Kashyyyk. Han Solo begins a Ship Racing career
12ABY - Thea is born
19ABY - Ben Solo is taken by Luke Skywalker as a Jedi Padawan as the behest of Leia Organa
24ABY - Ben Solo attempts to kill an unarmed prisoner on a Jedi mission, stopped by Luke Skywalker and runs away. Separation of Leia Organa and Han Solo. Luke SKywalker vanishes into exile with R2-D2
29ABY - Present day

Plot

In space over the moon port of Boggishh Den II, a T-6 shuttle drops out of hyperspace over the ringed gas giant and approaches the Moon Port, stationed on a partially destroyed moon. A hooded figure departs the ship and walks through the port to a bar, full of illegal traders and criminals. The hooded figure asks the barman for a drink and waits at the bar. A death stick dealer offers him death stickers and the hooded figure waves his hand toward the dealer and uses a Jedi Mind Trick to tell him he doesn’t want the death sticks and that he should stop selling them. A red Twi’lek barmaid is serving drinks to a group of spice pilots who grope her and tell her to join them, as she refuses they forcibly pull her by her lekku to the seat at their table. The hooded figure removes his hood, revealing his Jedi robes underneath. He approaches the table and asks them to let the lady go, they laugh and ask why he is dressed like a Jedi and that they don’t exist. He says he used to be as one of the spice pilots asks “let’s see” and shoots his blaster at the man, who ignites a blue lightsaber and deflects the blaster bolt back at the shooter killing him. The rest of the pilots decide to leave it and offer the girl to the Jedi. He asks her if she is alright and she kindly thanks him for saving her and offers if there is anything she can do to repay him. He asks about somebody he is planning to meet here, a former Jedi who left a calling beacon to this location. She says he is the first she’s ever seen and he says that the journey might not be wasted after all and introduces himself as Rudian Sha, she says her name is Talon.

Talon takes the Jedi back to her apartment where they kiss, she pushes him down on the bed and he takes off his robe and belt with a lightsaber on it. Talon kneels and sits on top of him before suddenly Force pulling 2 red lightsabers to each hand and stabbing him through the chest before the Jedi can react quick enough. She tells him that she expected more of a challenge and surmises that he must’ve been a Padawan at best before retracting her lightsabers, adorning a black hood and leaving, as Rudian Sha lays dead on the bed.

On Coruscant, the New Republic Galactic Senate is in session led by the new Chancellor, the Tarsunt Lanever Villecham, celebrating 20 years since the Empire officially surrendered and the New Republic was formed. Villecham promises to continue the good work of his predecessor Chancellors in continuing the stability the galaxy needs and hopes to put to bed the division that is rising in the Senate between different factions of Senators, the Centrists who favour more central power to the Senate and increases military, and the Populists who favour individual planets having more autonomy over their sectors. The Chancellor invites the Senator for New Alderaan, Leia Organa to make a speech. Leia thanks the Chancellor and wishes him a prosperous next 5 years as Chancellor, also takes the time to thank her father Bail Organa, who along with the New Republic’s first Chancellor Mon Mothma, established the Rebel Alliance that gave them the opportunity to restore the Republic. She also takes the time to again propose a Senate Investigation into the so-called Godfather of Crime, a fabled underworld figure who presides over all the criminal gangs in the galaxy, which brings jeers from the Senate. Senator Carise Sindian speaks out saying Leia has pushes this nonsense before saying that if such a person exists, why haven’t they become more known and that it isn’t feasible for 1 individual to amount power over the many different criminal gangs like the Hutts, Black Sun, Pykes, Imperials etc. and jokes that, for a Populist Senator, she seems to be a War Monger.

On the planet Sedilla, the site of a great battle between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance, lies hundreds of downed and destroyed ships laying across the face of the planet, including Star Destroyers and one Super Star Destroyer. Since the battle, settlers have arrived on the planet and set up settlements scavenging the wrecked ships for parts and selling them. At one of the space ports, a small freighter lands and leaving the ship is a young handsome man who asks the small robots to fuel his ship and where he can find a tour guide on the planet. They point to the town just outside the space port.

In town, he arrives at a garage and finds a young woman selling parts to a trader, bargaining him up. He asks if the owner of the shop is in and she says that she is the owner, he says she isn’t what he expected to find as a garage junk shop owner on a backwater planet in the outer rim. She asks him what he’s after and if nothing else, to stop bothering her she’s busy. He introduces himself as Skyler, an archeologist from the New Republic Historical Restoration Initiative and he’s looking for the Super Star Destroyer Eclipse, he believes it was at the Battle of Sedilla 23 years ago. He asks for her name but she just says that the ship might be here, she doesn’t know the names she just sees spare parts. He offers her Republic credits to take her to the Super Star Destroyer but she says she’s not a tour guide, and if he’s not buying her parts then he can leave and usher him out of her shop.

At the back of her shop, she has created her own speeder bike and packs up a bag and sets off into the former battlefield, passing many downed Imperial and Rebel ships of all shapes and sizes, passing other scavengers along the way. Using impressive acrobatic and diving skills, she makes her way inside into the engine room of a ship that has crash landed into one of the rock pools on the planet and begins scavenging parts.

At the casino planet Dunstaa, a young tall dark and handsome leather jacket wearing man enters the main casino floor and steals a drink from a waiter droid as he enters. He walks through a crowd and also steals casino chips from a person in the crowd and makes his way to a casino table to enter a game of Sabacc. A senior alien figure at the table asks if the man is old enough to play, he tells the alien not to worry and that his old man taught him everything there is to know about the game. As the game starts, Talon arrives in the casino looking through the crowd for somebody before sensing somebody, the young man, who has amassed a fair amount of casino chips senses her arriving. They look through the crowd searching before finally locking eyes with each other. Distracted, he plays a hand and loses, to the joy of the other players who comment that he has been on a winning streak since arriving. As he looks back up through the crowd, Talon has gone. The man withdraws from the game and looks through the crowd for Talon and spots her at the bar, eyeballing up an alien man who has just entered the casino. The man watches from afar and spots that he has a lightsaber on his belt and appears to be another former Jedi who has stopped and is looking through the crowd. The man approaches the alien Jedi and tells him that it’s a honeytrap and for him to leave quickly, saying Jedi Hunters are in the building. The Jedi searches his feelings and leaves as the man smiles. As he turns around, Talon is right in front of his face and pushes him against a column and angrily asks what he’s doing. He says that the alien was her type, especially a former Jedi. She asks how he knows he was a former Jedi, and she searches his feelings with the Force and confirms he is Force Sensitive. She asks who he is, he says his name is Ben. Casino security suddenly surround Talon and Ben and say that he needs to leave, he’s wanted in connection with fiddling casino games on 6 other casino planets in the surrounding sectors. Talon steps aside to let the Casino security take Ben, who using a combination of the Force and blunt force defends himself against the 5 security guards. Talon is impressed, commenting that he uses the Force like a hammer but he has potential and drive. More security guards along with planetary police, the security also try to apprehend Talon. She ignites her lightsabers and dismembers 1 of the guards before the police open fire and she deflects the blaster bolts back. Ben makes a run for it and Talon follows.

As the young garage owner returns, she finds Skyler sat in her chair out front waiting for her. She asks what he’s still doing here after she told him no and that she isn’t a planet tour guide. He reveals that he knows she is the only scavenger who knows where the Super Star Destroyer is as he’s asked every other scavenger around and none have reported seeing one. He says he’s been tasked by Senator Leia Organa to find this particular ship as it used to be the flagship of Emperor Palpatine and contains information that is vital to the Senator, that would help her find her lost brother. He also reveals that he knows her name is Thea and that yes he would accept her invitation to a drink and food. She smiles and says despite his charming demeanour, she still doesn’t know where the ship is and apologises for wasting his time.

That night as Thea sleeps, she begins to dream of a rocky waterworld planet. As the dream deepens, she sees a giant bell shaped building on the edge of a cliff, before falling into a dark cave. Inside the cave, she sees Luke Skywalker stood in Jedi robes. As she approaches Luke, the cave starts filling up with sand and consumes them both as they both drown in sand. Thea suddenly awakens.

Not being able to sleep, she activates a security hologram footage she scavenged and on it is young Luke Skywalker wielding his green lightsaber fighting Stormtroopers on board an imperial ship during the Battle of Sedilla. Thea activates so scavenged training droids she found and picks up a wooden lightsaber she made, and begins to copy the lightsaber techniques of Luke Skywalker from the security hologram.

Skyler is sleeping on his ship in the space before being awakened by a loud knocking. Thea is stood in his ship and says she will take him to the Super Star Destroyer, saying it is buried in a desert on the far side of the planet and to get up as it’s a long ride.

At her apartment in the Political sector on Coruscant, Leia is hosting a meeting between other Populist Senators and some former Rebel heroes. Senator Ransolm Casterfo is among them and asks to see some evidence, as at the minute support for Leia in the senate is waning due to unfounded accusations. C3PO arrives in the room and apologises for the interruption and introduces Mon Mothma. Leia greets Mon and says that now everybody is here, she will reveal what she knows. The blinds are closed on her apartment and she presents a working theory, saying that since the fall of the Empire, there was initial carnage and infighting between pretty much all of the known major criminal gangs in the galaxy. Suddenly 5 years after the fall of the Empire, this infighting was slowly eradicated and almost harmonious peace between rival gangs. She reveals that Wedge Antilles has been secretly working undercover and many times has come across gangs that refer to the “Godfather”, somebody who sits above all the criminal gangs and that they are working together for greater prosperity under the Godfather, who takes his cut from them all and keeps the peace between them for greater riches. Leia says they need irrefutable proof that he exists to get the Senate to act as at the minute, the Godfather’s identity remains a shadowy mystery.

On their speeder bikes, Thea and Skyler arrive into a rocky sandy desert past the rock pool environment far from the rest of the battle ravaged land near the settlements. He says he doesn’t see a Super Star Destroyer just land. She gets her droid DN-4 to fly upwards and scans the surface to reveal that what look like natural rock formations is actually the Super Star Destroyer crashed in the sand. He says it’s impressive that the sand has concealed it all this time. She takes him to an area where the top of the bridge is visible hidden by a boulder field created when the ship crashed to access the ship. Thea asks Skyler what he’s looking for, he says he’s looking for a safe in the Emperor’s throne room, a vault that contains an ancient Jedi map that contains all the temple locations throughout the known galaxy. Thea asks why the Emperor would have that, he tells her that the Emperor was secretly a Sith Lord, the enemy of the Jedi, and he was searching for an ancient power that held the key to immortality, and believed the secret was hidden with the Jedi. As they reach the throne room of the Emperor, they search and find the vault but it is empty. A disappointed Skyler says there is only one other place it could be, if it still exists. Thea asks where and he says on the second Death Star in the Endor system. Thea queries saying it was blown up, Skyler says parts of the stations may have survived intact, if they didn’t burn up in the atmosphere entering Endor’s forest moon. As they leave the ship, they find they are surrounded by Pirates. The pirate leader welcomes Skyler and says they meet again before he asks Skyler to hand over the treasure. Skyler says there is no treasure this time, Thea asking if he knows the pirates. Skyler says he’s ran into them before on occasions. The pirate leader says Skyler always has treasure, and if it’s not valuable then they will have to take the girl. Thea tells the leader she isn’t Skyler’s girl and she isn’t going anywhere. The pirate leader tells her she is and has his goons go to grab her. She fights them off using her wooden lightsaber and knocks them to the ground as Skyler shoots back at them. Thea uses the pirates as shields as she is being fired at, before blocking one of the blasting bolts instinctively with her wooden lightsaber, shattering it. Skyler shouts at her to pick up a blaster and run, which she does as they head for their speeders. Thea’s speeder is blasted and she jumps on the back of Skyler’s and shoots at the chasing pirates managing to blow up their speeders.

As they make it back to town, Skyler thanks her for her services and offers her the New Republic credits. She turns them down saying that currency is worthless out here. He offers her to come with him, but she refuses, saying this is her home. He says the pirates will know where her home is and have probably already sacked it, her only chance is to come with him. She reluctantly agrees and enters Skyler’s ship and as it leaves orbit, looking back at the only home she has known.

On board Talon’s Kom'rk-class fighter ship, Talon receives an incoming transmission. She opens it and a hooded figure appears who she addresses as Master. He tells her to go to Kubindi and bring Moff Tidius in line, he has had his Imperial forces attack a Pyke spice shipment and seize it for his own gain and this cannot be allowed to happen. He tells her to bring him in line, or kill him and replace him as leader and to remind him that he is only the leader of that planet because he allows it. Talon confirms she will do. Ben emerges in the cockpit and asks who that was. Talon tells him best not to ask and that he will find out soon if he’s lucky enough to meet him. She asks how a Force-Sensitive loner ended up on her ship and asks where he comes from, she says she senses a great conflict in him, a greater anger and hatred. He says when he was growing up, his parents were always too busy for him and he grew up being looked after by droids and aids mostly before being shipped off to train under his uncle. Talon asks a Jedi and Ben replies that it was the idea of a Jedi, but far from the Jedi Order of old. He says his uncle was weak and rejected him so he left and now he makes his own way in the galaxy. Talon says she believes destiny brought him to her and to come with her to Kubindi to deal with this rogue Imperial and Ben smiles in agreement.

In a crowded bar in some backwater outer rim planet, a holonet broadcast is displaying the news, including the casino footage of Talon and Ben fighting local police. A grumbly voice in the crowd shouts to the bar droid to play that back, and through the crowd emerges a drunk and rough looking Han Solo. The droid plays the holonet broadcast and Han watches the footage closely, identifying Ben as his son. He stumbles to leave and the droid says he hasn’t paid his bar tab, he shouts he will pay it when he returns.

At night time on Coruscant, a small private taxi ship arrives in The Works on Coruscant, arriving in an old factory. Out of the ship gets Carise Sindian who anxiously waits around in the cold environment. A dark hooded figure with a cane approaches, reminiscent of the look of the Emperor in his final days of the Empire. She asks why he would request to meet on Coruscant of all places and how dangerous it is for her. The hooded figure says that people can’t see what is right in front of them and that this place was a successful hiding in plain site base for his master years ago, pulling his hood down to reveal an elderly Darth Maul. She addresses him as Godfather and says that Leia Organa is becoming a problem that won’t go way, and is still searching to find out his identity to hunt him down. Maul says she is persistent and that simply killing her would only ignite the rumours, they must discredit her instead. Carise says she has tried to do that before, but Leia’ reputation as a war hero and Republic found has too strong of a standing. Maul tells her that they must discredit her past and go further back. He tells her that he has launched some valuable information and that Leia Organa is the secret sister of Luke Skywalker, and that both of them are the children of Darth Vader. Carise asks how he knows this, he says he has discovered hidden footage of Leia’s father confirming this to her from a recording made when she was young, one she keeps stored in his home on New Alderaan. Maul tells Carise to pass this information to somebody Leia trusts, and it must be them who out her to ensure the discrediting runs deep enough. He also says that he is having trouble with a rogue Imperial who has decided to disobey one of his orders, he may need her help on it.

Over Kashyyyk, the Millenium Falcon drops out of hyperspace and descends to the planet. Han Solo departs the ship and makes his way through a Wookiee village to find Chewbacca, now back living with his family consisting of his wife Mallatobuck and child Lumpawaroo. Han is greeted warmly by them but Chewbacca comments that Han smells and needs a bath. He says that he needs Chewbacca’s help for one last time, the most important mission of his life, to save his son and bring him home. He says he regrets asking to take Chewbacca away from his family that he was away from for so long, but he wouldn’t do it if he wasn’t desperate and that he hasn’t got anybody else to turn to. Chewbacca looks at his family and his wife assures him to go with Han.

Over Endor’s Forest Moon, Skyler’s ship arrives. He begins scanning the surfacing for wreckage of the Death Star that exploded 25 years ago. After his scan is complete, he calculates all the wreckage back together to how the Death Star was and forecasts the explosion and debris direction to work how where the Emperor's throne room might have gone.`He detects that it might still be in good condition but it’s under the surface of one of Endor’s seas. The ship descends down and hovers over the spot where Skyler calculates the throne room tower to be. He asks her to pilot the ship and he will go down, but Thea tells him she will go, she is obviously the better diver. Skyler agrees and directs her to the top of the tower and in the throne room behind a wall is a secret vault, in there is where the map would be.

Thea dives into the sea with scuba gear and a small breathing apparatus and swims down to the sea before wreckage of the huge Death Star comes into visibility. She spots the tower and swims towards it, the viewing windows all shattered as she swims through them to see the familiar looking Throne Room. Looking around the wreck, she looks at the wall to the left of the Emperors throne and heads towards it. Sensing this is the place, she tries to press the button on the wall to release the door but it obviously doesn’t work due to the length of time and destruction of it under water. She tries to pry the door open with a piece of metal railing but the door is too heavy. She composes herself and tries again, the door begins to open but not due to the force of the railing against it, Thea is inadvertently using the Force to open it. The opens just enough for her to fit through to find lots of cargo boxes, she opens ones to find some vases, opens another a mask. The next one she opens is pressure sealed and out floats a case holding a severed hand holding a silver lightsaber that shocks Thea as the glass on the case shatters under the water pressure. She takes the lightsaber out of the hand and attaches it to her belt and then checks her oxygen, which is running low. She takes a second to breathe and concentrate before deciding which box to check next. She chooses and finds a spherical star map and believes this is it. She makes her way back to the surface of the sea and hands it to Skyler who helps her aboard the ship.

As Thea is drying herself, Skyler plugs in the star map to reveal the galaxy and orange lights begin to appear in different systems throughout the galaxy. Red lights then begin appearing and some of the orange lights turn red, leaving only a handful of orange lights left. Skyler surmises these are the Jedi Temples and that the red ones were probably raided by the Empire for its secrets, leaving the oranges one left, all in distant corners of the galaxy. He wonders which one to go to first, Thea has a feeling in her that points to one on the edge of the Outer Rim, Skyler asks how she can be sure, she says a feeling. Skyler tells her that she reminds her of Leia.

Arriving in the Kubindi sector, Talon hails the Imperials to request a meeting with Moff Tidius. The Moff arrives on the hail and refuses her permission to land and says that the days of him following the Godfather are over and that the Empire must not be seen dealing with criminals anymore and that the glory days will return. Talon reminds him who put him into power. Tidius orders Tie Fighters to shoot her down. Tie Fighters approach Talon’s ship and she orders Ben on to the turret to fire back before they jump to hyperspace quickly as they were outnumbered. Talon contacts Maul to report in and he tells her to return with reinforcements and make an example of Tidius.

Moff Tidius announces to his forces the start of the Empire’s return is now and that they will take over the next system and consolidate their power. Once the other factions of Imperials spread throughout the Outer Rim who control individual systems see their moves, they will join forces and retake the galaxy with him as the new Emperor. Hundreds of Tie Fighters then depart the bases across the planet and join up with the one Star Destroyer under Tidius planet and smaller transport ships and light cruisers in orbit before jumping to hyperspace.

Carise sets up a meeting with Ransolm at a restaurant on Coruscant, and says she’s trying to make the galaxy a safer place from gangsters by having a stronger and increased military. Carise says Leia is hiding things from the Populists, a dark secret. Ransolm says she’s already told him about her investigation into the Godfather and that he is willing to help uncover the crime lord. Carise says that the secret isn’t Leia’s investigation despite the Senate not agreeing to it, but a dark secret from her past. She reveals Leia’s lineage as the secret brother of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker and that both of them are the children of Darth Vader, who was once Anakin Skywalker. Ransolm is shocked, Carise sews seeds of doubt saying Leia is secretly wanting increased military and greater power, just like her father and that if the Jedi Master returns, together they will make a play for power in the Senate to take over the New Republic.

Skyler’s ship drops out of hyperspace over a rocky water world and begins a scan for signs of life. He says the planet is teeming with life but no signs of any settlements. He takes the ship into low orbit and picks up a giant building on the edge of a mountain and approaches it to see a gleaming golden bell shaped temple which he says looks like the Jedi Temple they are looking for, but can’t see a place to land. Thea spots an opening in trees at the foot of the mountain and he lands the ship.

Skyler and Thea pack a bag with supplies and there appears to be ancient steps carved into the mountain side, she suggests they follow. After a period of climbing the steps, they come across what was a rock bridge that has collapsed, with no way to get to the other side past the drop. Skyler suggests they could rope across but there is nothing above them to tie a rope around to swing across. Thea says she could jump the distance, Skyler says that's impossible, it's too far. She says she’s jumped bigger before back home scavenging, takes a step back and runs and jumps the distance, using the Force. Skyler is impressed but says he can’t make it across and she will have to go to the top herself.

Thea reaches the top of the mountain to see the golden temple come into view. As she enters the temple, she sees a meditation chamber at the centre of the temple, looking out through the viewing window across the planet into the jungle and across the rocky terrain. She touches the meditation chamber and goes to sit on it when she hears a voice from behind her “Who are you?” It's Luke Skywalker, although he has long hair, looks tired and old and appears to be talking to himself before he speaks. She introduces herself as Thea, a scavenger from Sedilla and she’s here with Skyler who was sent by Leia Organa to find him. Luke doesn’t say anything, just stares back at her before Thea says that she has been watching Luke most of her life since finding a recording of him back home and that she’s seen him and this place in her dreams. Luke tells her that he’s not Luke Skywalker anymore and to leave this place. Luke leaves the temple and heads off across the cliff top to a cave entrance and disappears into the dark.

On their way to the galactic Senate, C3PO alerts Leia that he has received a message from Skyler saying that they have found the Jedi Temple that Luke is hiding out on and will soon return with him. Leia is thankful, and senses that there is a dark cloud over the Force that is shrouding the future into uncertain times. She enters her Senate Pod as the Chancellor starts an emergency session. He reveals that the Imperials led by Moff Tidius has invaded the neighbouring sector with increased military forces than what was shown during the last New Republic inspection in accordance with the peace treaty signed when the Empire surrendered. Senator Carise Sindian proposes a military response to show the New Republic is still in control of the galaxy and to wipe the Imperials from the system and take back the one they still control. Hundreds of other senators jeer in agreement. Sindian puts Leia on the spot, asking what she proposes to do. Leia begrudgingly agrees with her proposal of military action as the Chancellor authorises a military strike to remove the Imperials. Sindian looks to Ransolm who looks concerned.

The Millenium Falcon drops out of hyperspace over Felucia where local pirate forces soon tail the Falcon asking it’s business in the sector. He says he is here to see their boss and has services to trade. The pirates say they don’t need additional services, Han reiterates that he’s Han Solo and this is the Millenium Falcon, if he knows what’s good for him he won’t turn them away or shoot them down otherwise their boss will be very upset. Chewbacca looks at Han concerned, who replies that it’s worth a shot. After a brief moment of silence, the pirate pilot tells Han to land and follow them. The pirates lead the Falcon towards a waterfall inside a cave and tell them to land in there.

As Han and Chewbacca depart the Falcon they are surrounded by pirates with guns and blasters. The pirate leader, Suko Gusto, then emerges surrounded by bodyguards, who Han greets like an old friend. Suko asks what Han Solo and the mighty Chewbacca are doing, turning up at his doorstep unannounced, believing that Han has been out of the game for nearly 30 years and was mixed up in that galaxy political war and married off to a fine pretty Senator. Han says he needs information on the whereabouts of an assassin. Suko asks what Han is offering in return, Han says the Falcon and his services as a smuggler. Suko says the game has changed since Han's day, the Empire is no more and the New Republic doesn’t operate the same. Han says he has people on the inside of the New Republic, if anything it’s even easier. Suko mulls over the proposal and then accepts, asking who the assassin he’s looking for is. Han reveals a hologram of her from the holonet bulletin, revealing Talon. Suko says that is the Godfather’s primary assassin and what is Han doing looking for her, he is getting himself into murky waters here. Han says his son is with her and he needs to get him home, as a father he must surely understand. Suko says she is probably on her way if not there already to kill Moff Tidius, who has disobeyed the Godfather and has a kill order out for him. Han asks where Tidius is based, Suko says Kubindi. Han thanks Suko and promises to return, Suko says he is counting on it and has to return within 7 rotations for his first shipment. Han and Chewbacca get back into the Falcon and depart.

In the Jedi Temple, Thea is having a look around at the ancient temple and begins pulling covers off of the furniture and ornaments, before uncovering a dusty and dormant R2-D2. She says he doesn’t look that old for an ancient droid and turns him on. R2-D2 begins ranting and becoming irate as Thea tries to calm the droid down and speak more slowly, her binary isn’t the greatest. R2 says that Luke is in trouble and not being himself and closed him down 5 years ago when they landed and the cave is a bad place.

Thea heads out of the temple to see a cave entrance leading to the upper part of the mountain. As she enters, she finds Luke Skywalker sat on a stone throne mumbling to himself. Thea feels cold and the hairs on her arms stand up, she tells Luke that she found his droid and that the droid is worried for him and to come back to the temple. A Sith Spirit attached to the cave hovers behind Luke telling him to get rid of the girl, she isn’t good for their plans. Luke mumbles and agrees with the spirit. Thea asks who the ghost is and the Sith Spirit is shocked that she can see him, and says she is touched by the Force and a Jedi that must be killed. Luke force pushes Thea out of the cave into the opening outside not far from R2-D2 as Luke stands at the cave entrance. Thea pulls out the lightsaber she found earlier and Luke recognises it as his old lightsaber and soon recognises R2-D2. He takes a step or 2 forward as the Sith spirit tries to follow him, but it can't pass the entrance to the cave. R2-D2 plays some recordings of past adventures, including Leia’s message to Obi-Wan Kenobi, meeting Yoda on Dagobah and their adventures on Endor. Luke steps forward more as he begins to remember these as R2 screeches in excitement and heads to Luke who stares at R2 before touching the dome head on top. Pausing, he remembers who he is, Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, before turning around and using the Force collapses the mountain top on the cave, destroying it with the Sith Spirit attached to the cave screaming out in pain before dissipating.

Walking out of the Senate, Leia feels a disturbance in the Force and feels Luke for the first time in years.

As the dust clears, Luke emerges with R2 beside him and thanks Thea for saving him. She puts her lightsaber away as Luke asks where she got it. She says she found it on the wreckage of the Death Star II on Endor, he says he thought he lost it and would never see it again. She offers it to Luke but he tells her to keep it. She asks what just happened and Luke reveals that his mind was possessed by a Dark Side spirit attached to that cave. He tried to learn from the spirit about the Dark Side and why it keeps returning despite the Sith Order being destroyed. Unknowingly he invited the spirit to possess his mind and corrupt his thoughts as it tried to leave the cave and return to the galaxy, but as it was bound to the cave he could never leave any further than the Jedi temple and was kept being drawn back to the cave. He says he can feel the Force for himself for the first time in years, it feels out of balance, the dark side has risen and is beginning to cloud the future.

On the edge of the Kubindi system, Talon’s ship rendezvous with other Death Watch ships that drop out of hyperspace as Ben feels a disturbance in the Force. Talon asks what it is he feels and he says he feels the Force in unbalance and he can feel his uncle, the first time he’s felt him since the last time they felt each other. Talon queries this considering she didn’t feel the disturbance. Death Watch leader checks in and asks for the plan. Talon confirms that Moff Tidius is still based on Kubindi while he has sent most of his Imperial forces to the next system, leaving his defences weak. They will sneak on to Kubindi and the Imperial centre and kill him, there should be little resistance with most of his forces away. Maul then hails Talon and tells her he has felt a disturbance in the Force that makes him uneasy, Talon says that Ben felt the disturbance as well and believes it is something to do with his uncle. Maul asks who Ben is, believing she was alone. Ben says he is Ben Solo and Maul smiles in delight, changing his aggressive demeanour to one of a polite frail old man who says it is an honour to meet the young Solo and would like to meet him in person. Talon informs Maul they are about to strike Tidius on Kubindi and Maul tells them to proceed before bringing young Solo to him.

On Honoghr, the sole Imperial Star Destroyer sits above the capital firing turbo lasers as Tie Fighters and ground troops take the city on foot. The Noghri are overrun by the surprise attack and are soon rounded up in the streets by the remaining Imperial Stormtroopers. An old Imperial droid projects a hologram off Moff Tidius into the street above the Noghri leaders who declares this world is now under Imperial occupation and all it’s resources will be brought under the control of the Imperials under his command. Any persons contacting or aiding New Republic agents or working against his forces will be charged with treason.

Luke enters back into the Jedi Temple and strokes his hand across the meditation chamber in the middle of the temple. He sits down and meditates and reaches out into the Force.

Leia, in a strategy room on Coruscant, feels him reaching out into the Force. Luke speaks to Leia through the Force, apologising for being away and what happened to Ben. She asks why he never came to her, he says he was unable to. He says he senses an uncertain future for Ben and a dark shadow is hanging over the Force. She says she can feel it too and that a rogue Imperial has just invaded Honoghr in a bid to restart the Empire. Luke says that isn’t it, he reaches out further into the Force and senses Han and Ben are in danger. Leia says she hasn’t seen Han for years and wouldn’t know where to start. Luke says that it is connected to this rogue Imperial.

As Leia focuses back in the strategy room, Admiral Akbar is briefing the Chancellor and other Senators on the Emergency Council Committee including Leia and Sindian. He says they will drop their cruisers out of hyperspace and surround the planet, taking out the tie fighters and star destroyer before commencing ground assault to clear any Imperials from there.

In Honoghr orbit, New Republic navy cruisers drop out of hyperspace and blockade the planet.

In Tidius command center on Kubindi, he tells the Star Destroyer to go to orbit, it is still bigger and more powerful than the smaller New Republic navy cruisers and take Tie Fighters with it.

The Imperial ships reach orbit and soon engage the New Republic cruisers in a sea of turbo laser fire from both sides.

Luke, Thea and R2 reach the bottom of the Jedi Steps and find Skyler sat listening to the New Republic holonet about the Imperial attack. He soon puts it away and offers a hand out to Luke, saying it is an honour to meet him. Luke tells him to pack up it’s time to get moving the galaxy is in trouble. He worryingly asks if they are going in the middle of the space battle taking place.

Talon and Death Watch ships arrive in Kubindi’s orbit as Talon scans the Imperial Center before determining where Tidius’ command centre will be. She spots a place to land outside the city to avoid checks as they enter the planet’s atmosphere.

The Millenium Falcon drops out of hyperspace just as Talon’s squadron is entering the atmosphere. Han recognises them as Mandalorian ships and that the Mandalorians and Imperials share no loves loss and that it must be Talon and Ben and tells Chewbacca to follow them.

As Talon is flying through the clouds, Ben senses something, possibly his father but keeps it to himself.

In hyperspace, Luke emerges into the cockpit along with Thea and Skyler having trimmed his beard and cut his hair into a more familiar look. Skyler produces a layout of Kubindi’s Imperial Center and says that this rogue Imperial Moff Tidius will be based in the dome building overlooking the city, the command centre being at the apex of the dome.

Talon, Ben and Death Watch arrive and land outside the Imperial Center. She tells Death Watch to fly ahead and discretely start eliminating any guards ahead of her and Ben. She offers Ben one of her lightsabers and says she wants it back later and jokes that he must make his own.

Han tells Chewbacca to land a bit further away from the Mandalorian ships just in case any are behind guarding the ships and spots Ben and Talon with their red lightsabers through the cockpit window.

In the space battle, Tie Fighters are falling to the superiors X-Wings in dog fights as multiple New Republic Cruisers gang up on the more powerful Star Destroyer.

The Star Destroyer Captain calls Moff Tidius saying he is outgunned and to send reinforcements, Tidius tells him to take down as many with him as he can and “Long Live the Empire”. The cruisers soon critically destroy the Star Destroyer into multiple pieces.

One of the officers in the Command Centre alerts Tidius to several unregistered ships entering the atmosphere of Mandalorian design. He asks why they were unregistered and the officer says they are limited resources on the planet due to sending them all offworld. Another officer alerts to a security alert in sector 26. Tidius asks for security footage and it shows Death Watch Mandalorians along with Talon and Ben taking out stormtrooper patrols.

Han and Chewbacca are following the destructive path of Talon and Death Watch through the Imperial corridors, finding dead Stormtroppers and officers along the way.

As Ben and Talon are deflecting blaster fire, Death Watch come from behind the firing stormtroopers and kill them with flamethrowers and grappling hooks used to choke them. Talon tells them to keep moving but Ben says he will catch them up. She asks what he senses, he says it’s something he must be alone. Not wanting to jeopardise her own mission, Talon leaves Ben.

Skyler’s ship arrives in Kubindi orbit but with the Imperials now on alert, surface to air fire begins attacking them. Luke tells him to fire back but Skyler says it’s an archeology ship, it doesn’t have weapons. Luke rolls his eyes. They take a few hits and Skyler says he’s losing drive and shields are at 10%. Luke tells R2 to plug in to help get power to the shields. Skyler says they are going down.

Talon and Death Watch kill the guards outside the Imperial Command Centre. Tidius closes the blast doors to prevent them coming in. Talon smiles and puts her lightsaber through the door and leaves it there on the lock heating the door immensely as Death Watch stand guard. Tidius looks concerned as the interior of the door begins to fall apart. Talon removes her lightsaber and uses the Force to pull the doors open. Death Watch enters and shoots the unarmed officers and workers at the command controls as Talon stalks Tidius like a predator. He offers the world to the Godfather and says he was only trying to overtake neighbouring worlds in his honour. He gets onto his knees and begs but before he can finish Talon strikes him across his chest with her lightsaber killing him.

Han and Chewbacca are cautiously following the dead Stormtroopers before a voice from behind them appears “Hello Dad, it’s been a while”. Han turns to see his son for the first time in almost 10 years, tells him he’s grown. Ben asks what he’s doing here and Han says he’s come to take him home. Ben says it’s a little late to start caring for him now, why didn’t he care for him when he was younger and needed him, instead of carer droids. Han says he always cared but Ben says he was more interested in his racing career than him. Ben asks why he’s dragged Chewbacca back into his mess and tells Chewbacca “leave this loser and go back home and be with your family”. Chewbacca roars and tells Ben he is family to him.

Skyler’s ship has crashed in Imperial Center but Skyler, Luke and Thea are all in one piece. They leave the ship and Luke asks Thea if she can use the lightsaber. She says she’s been practising as long as she can remember, and ignites it and shows a few moves to Luke. He asks where she learnt those techniques, she says he taught her. He looks confused but says to save it for another time. He tells Skyler to find them a new ship and tells R2 to come with them.

Talon and Death Watch enter the hangar where Han, Chewbacca and Ben are standing talking. Han turns around to view his son’s escort for the first time. Talon asks Ben who his friends are in a menacing voice as she signals with her hand for Death Watch to fan out. Han tells her to stay away from his son who’s coming home with him. Talon takes pleasure in knowing that Han is Ben’s father and says she’s heard all about how absent he was in Ben’s life and offered him no support or promise, something she is doing now. She sees the great potential in him, can feel his power growing every day. Han says over his dead body and begins to shoot at Talon who quickly activates her remaining lightsaber and blocks them as Chewbacca begins firing at Death Watch, their partial Beskar armour proving difficult to get past.

Luke tells R2 to plug into a port and scan security footage for signs of Han and Chewbacca. He brings up the hangar as they see Han and Chewbacca taking cover behind some cargo crates as Ben stands and watches.

Death Watch use their jet packs to get behind Han and Chewbacca who surrender their weapons as Ben still stands idle and watches. Han asks him if he’s going to choose these mercenaries and criminals over his family, Ben retorts back that Leia and him chose Senators, Bureaucrats and Ship racing over him all of his life then sent him away to train under a monk from a dead and pointless religion. He’s taken charge of his own life and doesn’t need family anymore. Talon walks up and kisses Ben on the cheek before smirking and smiling at Han. Han tells Ben if this is his choice, his mother would be ashamed of him. Ben tells Han he’s ashamed to call both of them his parents, Han instinctively reacts and slaps Ben across the face saying “don’t you speak about your mother that way”. Ben instinctively grabs Talon’s lightsaber off his belt and stabs Han through the chest as Chewbacca lets out a mighty roar.

Leia, across the stars, feels the moment through the Force and collapses, consoled by Wedge and C3PO.

Luke, Thea and R2 emerge through a blast door into the hangar to see the moment, as Luke shouts out to Han. Talon and Death Watch turn to face a new enemy as a shaken Ben withdraws the lightsaber and stands over as Han collapses to the floor. Chewbacca takes the opportunity and distraction of Luke and Thea’s appearance to pick up a Death Watch member and slam him against a wall whilst pulling his arm off in the process. Chewbacca then picks up his bowcaster and begins firing on Death Watch again, as Death Watch fire back whilst also firing at Luke.

Talon force pulls her other lightsaber out of Ben’s hand and smiles, relishing the opportunity to test herself a true Jedi. Luke and Thea are parrying fire from Death Watch as Thea misses a blaster shot that nicks her arm, as another grazes her shoulder. Luke tells her to protect R2 and try to get to Han over there. As he turns, Talon is in front of him, both lightsabers drawn and tells Death Watch that the Jedi is hers, to kill the girl and the rest.

Luke stands firm and takes a moment to compose himself and invites Talon on to him. Talon charges eagerly at Luke using some quick parrying that Luke blocks with his lightsaber.

R2 creates a distraction for Thea by plugging in and releasing the arms on a couple of damaged Tie Fighters above the heads of Death Watch, crushing a few of them. Thea uses the distraction to get from behind the crates and kill a couple of Death Watch with the lightsaber by getting in between their Beskar plates. Chewbacca makes it to Han’s body and back hands a motionless and static Ben away, sending him flying across the floor. He roars to Thea as he picks up Han’s body as Thea stands guard with her lightsaber.

Talon is using acrobatics to try and manoeuvre Luke into a corner but his defence his too strong and he pushes her back just as Ben comes sliding across the floor from Chewbacca’s attack. Luke and Ben make eye contact as Luke says “what happened to you Ben?”. Ben, coming to the reality of what he has done, doubles down and angrily says that his own family abandoned him, his so-called guardian uncle tried to kill him. Talon offers Ben her lightsaber back to him and tells him to finish the old man Jedi, take his revenge and they will take him together.

Before Ben can take the lightsaber, Skyler arrives in the Millenium Falcon and hovers at the hangar entrance. He begins using the forward turret to provide covering fire for Chewbacca, Thea and Han. R2 uses his boosters to fly up into the Falcon. Luke force pushes both Talon and Ben 50 feet backwards as he joins Thea, Chewbacca and Han’s body to the Falcon ramp. Skyler reverses out of the hangar and they fly away.

Luke tells Chewbacca to get the medical kit as Han struggles to tell Luke “it’s too late to save me Luke, save my boy. Tell Leia…” and Han struggles with blood blocking his windpipe. Luke places his forehead on Han’s forehead and tells Han “tell Leia yourself old friend”. Luke uses the Force to connect Han and Leia’s mind, bridged across the stars.

Leia tells Han he was a fool to go after Ben alone. Han apologises for the breakdown of their marriage, and tells Leia there was only ever her for him in his life. Han says it’s time for him to go. Leia says he will always be with her, and she will see him again when she joins the Cosmic Force. The Force vision ends and Leia is back in her private speeder on Coruscant surrounded by C3PO and Wedge. On the comms, Admiral Akbar relays information to Wedge that the invading Imperial forces have all been destroyed.

On New Alderaan at night, in Leia’s private garden. She carries a fire torch as she walks through a crowd in a black veil and dress. At the front, Luke and Thea have their Jedi hoods up and stand beside Skyler as more Rebel heroes such as Wedge, Akbar, C3PO, R2 and Lando are present for Han Solo’s funeral. Han’s casket is lowered into a crypt below ground, as we see 2 giant statues of Bail and Breha Organa, with graves either side in honour of Leia’s adoptive parents.

Talon’s ship arrives on Dathomir as an elderly Darth Maul emerges from an old Nightsister temple to greet Talon and Ben as he smiles and says he is honoured to meet the mighty Ben Solo.

After Han’s funeral, Leia is talking to Luke looking out over her private peace garden. She tells him to never go off and leave again, that if this ordeal has taught them anything, it is that family needs to stick together. Luke promises he will never leave again as Thea approaches. Luke asks Thea if she is ready, she replies “ready for what?” “For what comes next. I sense uncertain times, the dark side is growing again and it’s time the Jedi returned”. Luke asks Leia if she will pick her lightsaber again, she says her fight is in the senate and she was never cut out to be a Jedi like Luke. Thea asks where they start in rebuilding the Jedi Order, and Skyler approaches and confidently says he knows a few places before smiling at Thea.