Star Wars: Episode III - Page Seven
Star Wars Episode III
The Path of Darkness
page 7
INT CORUSCANT - MEDICAL FACILITY - NIGHT
Amidala floats in a bacta tank. Her wounds show bright pink against her pale skin.
Obi Wan and Anakin confer with the doctor, TELLEY ZIMRON, a bulky humanoid.
TELLEY ZIMRON
The prognosis is bleak. To be honest, I've never seen anything quite like this before.
ANAKIN
What could have caused it?
TELLEY ZIMRON
The burns seem to indicate a power of some kind, but every power that I've seen leaves some damage. It shouldn't mutate the cells like this.
OBI WAN KENOBI
What are you saying?
TELLEY ZIMRON
Her body is attacking itself. It's not healing like it should. I don't think the bacta is going to work.
ANAKIN
Is there anything that we can do?
TELLEY ZIMRON
If you believe in any gods, I suggest you pray to them.
Telley Zimron nods once, ending the conversation, and walks away.
Anakin turns away. Brushing tears away from his eyes.
ANAKIN
What do I do? I can't let her die.
OBI WAN KENOBI
I can heal her.
Anakin looks up, hope in his eyes for the first time.
OBI WAN KENOBI
I need to get the permission of the Council.
INT CORUSCANT - MEDICAL FACILITY - NIGHT
Amidala lays out on a table. Oxygen curtains surround the bed. Her breathing comes in shallow gasps.
Mace Windu and Obi Wan Kenobi lay hands on her head and heal her through the force. Anakin watches from outside the oxygen curtain.
Color flows back into Amidala's face. Her breathing turns regular. All the medical instruments register normal vital signs.
Mace Windu and Obi Wan remove their hands from her head. They step out of the oxygen tent.
ANAKIN
I don't know how to thank you.
MACE WINDU
It was the will of the force that she not die at this time.
OBI WAN KENOBI
The Council wishes to speak with you.
ANAKIN
I'm going to stay with Amidala tonight.
MACE WINDU
We will see you at first light, then.
CUT TO:
INT CORUSCANT - LOWER LEVELS - STORAGE FACILITY - NIGHT
Darthine Jez enters. Sajo Yex drags an unconscious Jedi Council Member, EETH KOTH, toward the freezing chamber.
SAJO YEX
I thought he'd put up more of a fight.
DARTHINE JEZ
He probably gave you the "suffering brings refinement" line, too.
SAJO YEX
You know them well.
DARTHINE JEZ
I had to spend a lot of time with the Jedi Council as a child.
SAJO YEX
Do we freeze him, just like the other ones?
DARTHINE JEZ
Of course.
Eeth Koth is lowered down into the freezing chamber.
SAJO YEX
If Lord Sidious ever finds out ...
DARTHINE JEZ
He won't.
Darthine activates the freezing process.
DARTHINE JEZ
Only I know where they are stored.
CUT TO:
INT JEDI TEMPLE - COUNCIL CHAMBER - DAWN
Anakin and Amidala stand before the small Council. Amidala is still weak, but she stands with only a little support from Anakin.
MACE WINDU
Anakin Skywalker, the Council has need of you.
YODA
The will of the force, this is.
MACE WINDU
We want you to lead the attack on another cloning facility.
ANAKIN
Another one? I thought we destroyed all of them.
OBI WAN KENOBI
We found another one on Malaschu'Ckar.
AMIDALA
Don't go, Annie.
YODA
Choose you must, how to serve best your family.
MACE WINDU
The choice is yours, Anakin. Only you can make it.
ANAKIN
I'll go.
AMIDALA
No.
ANAKIN
If I don't, Luke may not have a future.
AMIDALA
So you're choosing the Jedi over me.
ANAKIN
Amidala-
AMIDALA
No, I understand.
Amidala coughs weakly, turns, and exits.
Anakin looks to the Jedi Masters for help, for advice.
MACE WINDU
You will leave at sundown.
CUT TO:
INT CORUSCANT - SKYWALKER RESIDENCE - BEDROOM - AFTERNOON
Amidala sobs on the bed, alone. The door slides open. Obi Wan enters. He wears a somber expression, but his eyes are filled with compassion.
OBI WAN KENOBI
Amidala, I know it hurts. It hurts Anakin, too.
Obi Wan sits down on the edge of the bed.
AMIDALA
How could you know? How could you possibly know how I feel?
Obi Wan searches for the right words to say.
OBI WAN KENOBI
Because I made the same choice, many years ago. I chose the Jedi over my family. I haven't seen my daughter since.
Amidala wipes her eyes and sits up. She looks at Obi Wan earnestly.
AMIDALA
You have a girl?
Obi Wan smiles sadly.
OBI WAN KENOBI
Her name is Danna Timri. Her mother won't allow me to see her. She's probably about twenty now.
AMIDALA
I don't want to lose him.
OBI WAN KENOBI
He's made his choice.
Amidala dries her tears. She sets her face in a mask of determination.
AMIDALA
Take me back to Alderaan. I want to be with my children.
CUT TO:
INT IMPERIAL PALACE - HOLOCRON ROOM - SAME TIME
Anakin enters. Palpatine sits in meditation.
PALPATINE
Enter, my apprentice.
ANAKIN
Why did you do that to her? She didn't deserve that.
PALPATINE
She stood in the way.
ANAKIN
What right do you have to decide who lives and dies?
PALPATINE
I am Emperor.
ANAKIN
And that means you can arbitrarily decide if someone's life is worthless?
PALPATINE
With great power comes responsibility to use that power.
ANAKIN
Aurra Sing didn't deserve disintegration.
PALPATINE
Have you told the Jedi of your betrayal?
ANAKIN
They don't need to know.
PALPATINE
It will eat at you. It will destroy you.
Anakin paces, angry and frustrated.
ANAKIN
What do you want me to do?
PALPATINE
Embrace your anger. It will make you strong.
ANAKIN
Someone tried to kill Amidala.
PALPATINE
And yet you leave her.
ANAKIN
The Council wants me to lead an attack on a cloning facility.
PALPATINE
You destroyed all the cloning facilities.
ANAKIN
They found another one on Malaschu'Ckar.
Palpatine forces a tight smile.
PALPATINE
Very well.
CUT TO:
INT SITH COMPOUND - TRAINING ARENA - NIGHT
Palpatine enters the arena. All of the dark jedi bow in reverence. Darthine Jez and Sajo Yex rise as Palpatine approaches them.
PALPATINE
Skywalker gravitates toward the Jedi. The Son of Skywalker must be brought to me.
DARTHINE JEZ
I will get him.
PALPATINE
Go quickly. We have very little time before the Jedi attack Botham Caruz.
SAJO YEX
Shall I take my troops there?
PALPATINE
Send your warriors ahead. There are still seven Jedi Council members left alive.
SAJO YEX
By dawn there will be none.
CUT TO:
EXT ALDERAAN - DAY
Obi Wan's ship approaches Alderaan.
OBI WAN KENOBI
(on comlink)
Lady Amidala Skywalker and Jedi escort request permission to land at the Royal Palace.
FIGHTER
Permission granted.
INT ALDERAAN - ROYAL PALACE - NURSERY - CONTINUING
Amidala hurries into the nursery. She is still very weak. Shmi and Rabe embrace her warmly. Luke lays on his back on a blanket. Amidala picks him up and holds him tightly.
Tears fill her eyes as she holds her son.
SHMI SKYWALKER
When we heard what happened ...
RABE
We feared that you would never come back to us.
AMIDALA
I am still very sick. But I need to be with my babies.
Shmi pulls up a chair for Amidala.
AMIDALA
Where is Leia?
RABE
Amberle is coming.
Amberle Organa enters. She is mid-twenties, beautiful, but wears a sad smile. She holds Leia close.
AMBERLE ORGANA
I had hoped that this day wouldn't come. Thank you. Thank you for letting me have her. If only for a short time.
Amberle hands Leia back to Amidala. Tears stream down both of their cheeks.
AMIDALA
You can see her whenever you want. This is my home now.
CUT TO:
EXT CORUSCANT - NIGHT
The fleet of Jedi ships blasts away from the planet.
In their wake, Darthine Jez blasts her ship in the opposite direction, towards Alderaan.
CUT TO:
INT JEDI TEMPLE - TRAINING ARENA - NIGHT
Vin Tiro wields a large staff. He whirls it over his head and all around. Suddenly he looks around, sensing something.
VIN TIRO
I know you are here.
Sajo Yex steps out from behind a pillar.
SAJO YEX
And just what are you going to do about it?
VIN TIRO
A Sith? Here?
SAJO YEX
My reputation precedes me.
Vin Tiro picks up his lightsaber from his robe.
SAJO YEX
I had not expected you to be here. I was hoping to kill the little green ones first.
Vin Tiro ignites his lightsaber.
VIN TIRO
You will not live another minute, dark spawn. I swear it.
SAJO YEX
You and what army? I have mine.
A dozen dark Jedi appear around the arena. In the shadows, a dozen more skitter in and out of vision.
SAJO YEX
I have you. They have the green ones.
Vin Tiro attacks.
CUT TO:
INT ALDERAAN - ROYAL PALACE - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Darthine Jez slips into the room. A cradle sits next to the bed. She pulls her Chakram out. The soft moonlight glints off the polished blade. She creeps toward the cradle.
Soft breathing from both the bed and the cradle is the only noise in the room. Darthine looks to the bed. Long dark hair covers the sleeper's face.
Darthine lifts her Chakram high above the sleeper.
DARTHINE JEZ
(softly)
Goodbye Amidala.
She slashes down. The sleeper erupts into action, rolling off the bed. She pulls a blaster and fires at Darthine Jez, narrowly missing her.
She stands up and tosses the hair back from her face - it is Rabe.
RABE
Obi Wan!
Darthine grabs the sleeper in the crib. The canine puppy yelps at being picked up so abruptly. Darthine angrily tosses the puppy onto the bed.
Rabe fires again, clipping Darthine in the shoulder. She pulls out her lightsaber and hisses at Rabe.
Obi Wan Kenobi throws open the door and races in. He ignites his lightsaber and slashes down at Darthine Jez. She easily parries. With the force, she throws open the window. One more quick exchange of blows with Obi Wan, then she leaps out the window and disappears into the shadows.
RABE
Who was that?
OBI WAN KENOBI
A Sith warrior. As I suspected, the Emperor is after Anakin's children.
RABE
What do we do now?
OBI WAN KENOBI
I think I know where to hide Luke.
CUT TO:
INT JEDI TEMPLE - COUNCIL CHAMBER - NIGHT
Dark Jedi burst open the doors and rush in. They stop as they see no one there.
The doors slam behind them.
YODA (O.S.)
Hard to see the dark side is.
YADDLE (O.S.)
But harder to see for the dark side are we.
The floor trembles beneath the dark jedi. They look around for their enemies, but cannot see them.
The floor melts beneath their feet, swallowing them up. They scream in terror. Silence.
Yoda and Yaddle emerge from behind a chair.
YADDLE
Many more, are there.
YODA
Time to go, it is. Come.
CUT TO:
INT JEDI TEMPLE - TRAINING ARENA - CONTINUING
Vin Tiro and Sajo Yex clash in a whirlwind of blows. They trade blows equally. Vin Tiro appears to have a slight advantage, being unencumbered by armor.
SAJO YEX
You hear the screams? You're all that's left.
Vin Tiro reaches out with the force.
VIN TIRO
So are you.
INT JEDI TEMPLE - HANGAR - CONTINUING
Yoda and Yaddle hurry as fast as their short legs will take them. Their ship waits just a few meters away.
Dark Jedi burst into the hangar. They wield blasters as well as lightsabers.
From the opposite side of the hangar, more dark jedi approach.
YADDLE
Surrounded we are.
Yoda concentrates and lifts a starfighter and hurls it at the approaching jedi. They scatter, but two of them get caught beneath the ship, crushing them.
YODA
Come. Hurry.
A blast tears up the floor of the hangar beneath Yoda. He flies through the air and crashes to the floor. He picks himself up slowly. Blood trickles down his head.
YADDLE
Go. I will stay.
YODA
May the force be with you, my friend Yaddle.
Yaddle throws the approaching dark jedi backwards with a wave of her hand. She pulls out her small lightsaber.
Yoda climbs into the small fighter and buckles in. The fighter lifts off and races out of the hangar.
The dark jedi overwhelm Yaddle like an insidious black wave. She disappears into the force as she is cut down.
CUT TO:
INT JEDI TEMPLE - TRAINING ARENA - CONTINUING
Vin Tiro and Sajo Yex continue their battle. Dark Jedi trickle into the arena, their tasks completed.
SAJO YEX
You see? You are all that is left.
VIN TIRO
I see the force.
Two dark jedi throw Oppo Rancisis onto the arena floor. He twitches once, then lies still.
From above, EVEN PIELL leaps down on the dark jedi, his saber blazing. He cuts down three before they know what hit them.
VIN TIRO
(continuing; to Even Piell)
Be strong, my friend. Be one.
Even Piell backs towards Vin Tiro. They stand back to back against the dark tide of evil jedi.
EVEN PIELL
"And in the time of greatest despair, there shall come a savior ..."
VIN TIRO
"And he shall be called the Son of the Sun."
The Dark Jedi rush in and overwhelm the two Jedi Masters.
CUT TO:
INT ALDERAAN - ROYAL PALACE - BEDROOM - DAWN
Early sunlight streams through the open curtains. Obi Wan stands watchful guard. Amidala sits on the bed, holding Luke close to her.
OBI WAN KENOBI
My brother, Owen Lars Kenobi, lives on Tattooine now. Luke will be safe with him.
AMIDALA
What about Leia?
OBI WAN KENOBI
Anakin doesn't know about her. She will be safe as long as she stays here.
AMIDALA
I can't give up my baby.
OBI WAN KENOBI
The Emperor will find him here. I can't allow that to happen.
AMIDALA
What about Anakin?
OBI WAN KENOBI
I will find him and bring him back ... if I can.
Amidala hands Luke to Shmi. Shmi holds him tenderly.
AMIDALA
Goodbye, Luke.
Amidala kisses Luke once, then the emotions overwhelm her. She collapses on the bed, weeping uncontrollably.
Shmi looks to Obi Wan. He nods. She and Rabe exit with Luke.
CUT TO:
EXT MALASCHU'CKAR - CLONING FACILITY - DAY
Swarms of Jedi Knights flood out of starships and toward the facility. They encounter no resistance.
Anakin throws open the doors of the cloning facility and enters.
ANAKIN
What is this?
Droids operate conveyor belts as cans of pudding are packaged, sealed, and put into crates.
ANAKIN
We've been had.
CUT TO:
INT CORUSCANT - IMPERIAL PALACE - EMPEROR'S THRONE ROOM - DAY
Mandalore enters and kneels before Palpatine.
PALPATINE
The Jedi are destroying your cloning facility as we speak.
MANDALORE
Our facility on Malaschu'Ckar was a ploy to keep the Jedi away from our armies.
PALPATINE
Continue.
MANDALORE
You now have ten thousand more stormtroopers to destroy the Jedi. They are on their way to Botham Caruz.
PALPATINE
You have done well, Lord Mandalore. I only hope that your arrogance will not lead you to any foolish mistakes.
MANDALORE
The Jedi are as good as extinct.
CUT TO: