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.
INTERIOR 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.
INTERIOR 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 begi n 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.
INTERIOR 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.
INTERIOR 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.
INTERIOR CLOUD CITY -- CORRIDOR
In a panic, Cloud City resident
s 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.
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!
INTERIOR 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.
INTERIOR 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.
EXTERIOR 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.
INTERIOR 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 you 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! He told me you 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 we can rule the galaxy as father and son.
Come with me. It's 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.
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.
INTERIOR 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.
EXTERIOR 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!
INTERIOR 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.
EXTERIOR CLOUD CITY -- MILLENNIUM FALCON -- DUSK
The Falcon makes a graceful banking turn back toward Cloud
City.
EXTERIOR 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.
EXTERIOR BOTTOM OF CLOUD CIT
Y -- WEATHER VANE
Nearly unconscious, Luke hangs upside-down on the weather
vane as his body shifts in the wind.
EXTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON -- BOTTOM OF CLOUD CITY
The Falcon dives to the underside of the floating city.
Three TIE fighter close in on the starship.
INTERIOR 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.
EXTERIOR 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.
INTERIOR MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT
Out the cockpit window, Leia sees Luke falling from the
bottom of the city. The ship gains on him.