Star Wars - Return of the Jedi Read online

  holding cave. He reaches the door and pushes a button to open it.

  When he succeeds, he sees a heavy barred gate between him and

  safety. Beyond the gate two guards look up from their dinner.

  Luke turns to see the monster heading for him, and pulls with all

  his might on the gate. The guards move to the gate and start

  poking at the young Jedi with spears, laughing.

  Luke crouches (against the wall) as the monster starts to reach

  for him. Suddenly he notices a main door control panel halfway up

  the wall. As the Rancor moves in for the kill, Luke picks up a

  skull from the cave floor and hurls it at the panel. The giant

  overhead door comes crashing down on the beast's head, squashing

  it like a sledgehammer on an egg.

  A startled gasp is heard from the stunned court. There's

  consternation at this turn of events. Heads look to Jabba, who is

  actually turning red with anger. Leia cannot suppress her joy.

  Jabba utters harsh commands to his guards and they hurry off.

  JABBA (in Huttese subtitled)

  Bring me Solo and the Wookiee. They will all

  suffer for this outrage.

  21 INT RANCOR PIT 21

  The Rancor KEEPERS have come into the cage and are examining

  their dead beast. One of them breaks down and weeps. The other

  glares menacingly at Luke, who is unworried. Several guards rush

  into the holding tunnel and take Luke away.

  22 INT THRONE ROOM 22

  The crowd of creepy courtiers parts as Han and Chewie are brought

  into the throne room, and other guards drag Luke up the steps.

  LUKE

  Han!

  HAN

  Luke!

  LUKE

  Are you all right?

  HAN

  Fine. Together again, huh?

  LUKE

  Wouldn't miss it.

  HAN

  How are we doing?

  LUKE

  The same as always.

  HAN

  That bad, huh? Where's Leia?

  Luke looks to Leia.

  LEIA

  I'm here.

  Threepio is standing behind the grotesque gangster as he strokes

  Leia like a pet cat. Several of the guards, including Lando,

  bring Luke from the other side of the room. Boba is standing

  behind Jabba.

  Threepio steps forward and translates for the captives.

  THREEPIO

  Oh, dear. His High Exaltedness, the great

  Jabba the Hutt, has decreed that you are to

  be terminated immediately.

  HAN

  Good, I hate long waits.

  THREEPIO

  You will therefore be taken to the Dune Sea

  and cast into the pit of Carkoon, the nesting

  place of the all-powerful Sarlacc.

  HAN (to Luke)

  Doesn't sound so bad.

  THREEPIO

  In his belly, you will find a new definition

  of pain and suffering, as you are slowly

  digested over a thousand years.

  HAN

  On second thought, let's pass on that, huh?

  Chewie barks his agreement.

  LUKE

  You should have bargained, Jabba. That's the

  last mistake you'll ever make.

  Jabba cackles evilly at this.

  As the guards dra g the prisoners from the throne room, a loud

  cheer rises from the crowd. Leia and Chewie exchange concerned

  looks, but Luke Skywalker, Jedi warrior, cannot suppress a smile.

  23 EXT TATOOINE SEA - SKIFF 23

  Jabba's huge SAIL BARGE moves above the desert surface

  accompanied by two smaller SKIFFS. One of the skiffs glides

  close, revealing Luke, Han, and Chewie -- all in bonds --

  surrounded by guards, one of whom is Lando in disguise.

  HAN

  I think my eyes are getting better. Instead

  of a big dark blur, I see a big light blur.

  LUKE

  There's nothing to see. I used to live here,

  you know.

  HAN

  You're gonna die here, you know. Convenient.

  LUKE

  Just stick close to Chewie and Lando. I've

  taken care of everything.

  HAN

  Oh... great!

  24 INT BARGE OBSERVATION DECK 24

  Jabba the Hutt rides like a sultan in the massive antigravity

  ship. His entire retinue is with him, drinking, eating, and

  having a good time. Leia is watching her friends in the skiff

  when the chain attached to her neck is pulled tight and Jabba

  tugs the scantily clad princess to him.

  JABBA (in Huttese subtitled)

  Soon you will learn to appreciate me.

  Threepio wanders among the Sail Barge aliens, bumping into a

  smaller droid serving drinks, spilling them all over the place.

  The stubby droid lets out an angry series of beeps and whistles.

  THREEPIO

  Oh, I'm terribly sor... Artoo! What are you

  doing here?

  Artoo beeps a quick reply.

  THREEPIO

  Well, I can see you're serving drinks, but

  this place is dangerous. They're going to

  execute Master Luke and, if we're not

  careful, us too!

  Artoo whistles a singsong response.

  THREEPIO

  Hmm. I wish I had your confidence.

  25 EXT SARLACC PIT 25

  The convoy moves up over a huge sand pit. The Sail Barge stops to

  one side of the depression, as does the escort skiff. But the

  prisoner's skiff moves out directly over the center and hovers.

  At the bottom of the deep cone of sand is a repulsive, mucous-

  lined hole, surrounded by thousands of needle-sharp teeth. This

  is the SARLACC. A plank is extended from the edge of the

  prisoner's skiff. Guards release Luke's bonds and shove him out

  onto the plank above the Sarlacc's mouth.

  26 EXT SAIL BARGE OBSERVATION DECK 26

  Jabba and Leia are now by the rail, watching. Threepio leans

  forward and the slobbering villain mumbles something to him. As

  Threepio steps up to a comlink, Jabba raises his arm and the

  motley array of intergalactic pirates fall silent. Threepio's

  voice is amplified across loudspeakers.

  THREEPIO

  Victims of the almighty Sarlacc His

  Excellency hopes that you will die honorably.

  But should any of you wish to beg for mercy,

  the great Jabba the Hutt will now listen to

  your pleas.

  27 EXT SKIFF 27

  Han steps forward arrogantly and begins to speak.

  HAN

  Threepio, you tell that slimy piece of...

  worm-ridden filth he'll get no such pleasure

  from us. Right?

  Chewie growls his agreement.

  LUKE

  Jabba! This is your last chance. Free us or

  die.

  Lando moves unobtrusively along the skiff as Luke shoots a quick

  look of conspiracy to him.

  28 INT SAIL BARGE OBSERVATION DECK 28

  The assembled monsters rock with mocking laughter as Artoo zips

  unnoticed up the ramp to the upper deck. Jabba's laughter

  subsides as he speaks into the comlink.

  JABBA (in Huttese subtitled)

  Move him into position.

  Jabba makes a thumbs-down gesture. Leia looks worried.

  29 EXT BARGE - UPPER DECK 29

  Artoo appears from below and zips
over to the rail facing the

  pit. Below, in the skiff, Luke is prodded by a guard to the edge

  of the plank over the gaping Sarlacc. Luke looks up at Artoo,

  then gives a jaunty salute the signal the little droid has been

  waiting for. A flap opens in Artoo's domed head.

  JABBA (in Huttese subtitled)

  Put him in.

  30 EXT SKIFF - PLANK 30

  Luke is prodded and jumps off the plank to the cheers of the

  bloodthirsty spectators. But, before anyone can even perceive

  what is happening, he spins around and grabs the end of the plank

  by his fingertips. The plank bends wildly from his weight and

  catapults him skyward. In midair he does a complete flip and

  drops down on the end of the plank in the same spot he just

  vacated, but facing the skiff. He casually extends an open palm

  and -- his lightsaber, which Artoo has sent arcing toward him,

  drops into his hand.

  With samurai speed, Luke ignites it and attacks the guard who

  prodded him off the plank, sending the hapless monster screaming

  overboard. The other guards swarm toward Luke. He wades into

  them, lightsaber flashing. Lando struggles with another guard at

  the back of the skiff.

  31 EXT SARLACC PIT 31

  A bewildered guard lands in the soft, sandy slope of the pit, and

  begins sliding. He claws desperately as a Sarlacc tentacle grabs

  him and pulls him screaming into the viscous mouth.

  32 INT SAIL BARGE 32

  Jabba watches this and explodes in rage. He barks commands, and

  the guards around him rush off to do his bidding. The scuzzy

  creatures watching the action from the window are in an uproar.

  33 EXT SKIFF 33

  Luke knocks another guard off the skiff and into the waiting

  mouth of the Sarlacc. He starts to untie Chewie's bonds.

  LUKE

  Easy, Chewie.

  At that moment, the deck gunmen on the barge unleash a series of

  blasts from a big cannon on the upper deck. Lando is tossed from

  the deck of the rocking skiff. He manages to grab a rope, and

  dangles desperately above the Sarlacc pit.

  LANDO

  Whoa! Whoa! Help!

  34 EXT UPPER DECK - SAIL BARGE 34

  With two swift strides, the dangerous Boba Fett ignites his

  rocket pack, leaps into the air, and flies from the barge down to

  the skiff.

  35 EXT SKIFF 35

  Boba lands on the skiff and starts to aim his laser gun at Luke,

  who has freed Han and Chewie from their bonds. But before Boba

  can fire, the young Jedi spins on him, lightsaber sweeping, and

  hacks the bounty hunter's gun in half.

  Immediately, the skiff takes another direct hit from the barge's

  deck gun. Shards of skiff deck fly. Chewie and Han are thrown

  against the rail.

  HAN

  Chewie, you okay? Where is he?

  The Wookiee is wounded and he howls in pain.

  HAN

  I'm okay, pal.

  For a moment, Luke is distracted, and in that moment, Boba fires

  a cable out of his armored sleeve. Instantly, Luke is wrapped in

  a strong cable, his arms pinned against his side, his sword arm

  free only from the wrist down. Luke bends his wrist so the lightsaber

  points straight up to reach the wire lasso and cuts through. Luke

  shrugs away the cable and stands free.

  Another blast from the Barge's deck gun hits near Boba and he is

  knocked unconscious to the deck, next to where Lando is hanging.

  LANDO

  Han! Chewie?

  HAN

  Lando!

  Luke is a little shaken but remains standing as a fusillade

  brackets him. The second skiff, loaded with guards firing their

  weapons, moves in on Luke fast. Luke leaps toward the incoming

  second skiff. The young Jedi leaps into the middle of the second

  skiff and begins decimating the guards from their midst.

  Chewie, wounded, tries to lift himself as he barks directions to

  Han, guiding him toward a spear which has been dropped by one of

  the guards. Han searches the deck as Chewie barks directions;

  finally he grabs hold of the spear.

  Boba Fett, badly shaken, rises from the deck. He looks over at

  the other skiff, where Luke is whipping a mass of guards. Boba

  raises his arm, and aims his lethal appendage.

  Chewie barks desperately at Han.

  HAN

  Boba Fett?! Boba Fett?! Where?

  The space pirate turns around blindly, and the long spear in his

  hand whacks squarely in the middle of Boba's rocket pack.

  The impact of the sw ing causes the rocket pack to ignite. Boba

  blasts off, flying over the second skiff like a missile, smashing

  against the side of the huge Sail Barge and sliding away into the

  pit. He screams as his armored body makes its last flight past

  Lando and directly into the mucous mouth of the Sarlacc. The

  Sarlacc burps. Chewie growls a weak congratulations to Han.

  36 INT SAIL BARGE 36

  Leia turns from the spectacle outside, leaps onto Jabba's throne,

  and throws the chain that enslaves her over his head around his

  bulbous neck. Then she dives off the other side of the throne,

  pulling the chain violently in her grasp. Jabba's flaccid neck

  contracts beneath the tightening chain. His huge eyes bulge from

  their sockets and his scum-coated tongue flops out. The Exalted

  Hutt's huge tail spasms through its death throes and then slams

  down into final stillness. Leia struggles to free herself of her

  bondage.

  37 EXT SKIFF 37

  Luke continues to destroy the aliens on the guards' skiff, as Han

  extends his spear downward to Lando, who is still dangling

  precariously from a rope on the prisoner's skiff.

  HAN

  Lando, grab it!

  LANDO

  Lower it!

  HAN

  I'm trying!

  A major hit from the barge deck gun knocks the skiff on its side.

  Han and almost everything else on board slides overboard. The

  rope breaks, and Lando falls to the side of the Sarlacc pit.

  Luckily, Han's foot catches on the skiff railing and he dangles

  above Lando and the pit. The wounded Wookiee holds onto the skiff

  for dear life as another hit from the deck gun rocks the skiff

  violently.

  HAN

  Whoa! Whoa! Grab me, Chewie! I'm slipping.

  Chewie grabs hold of Han's feet, holding him upside down, as Han

  extends the spear toward Lando, who is clutching to the side of

  the pit.

  HAN

  Grab it! L--Lando. Grab!

  Luke finishes off the last guard on the second skiff. He sees the

  deck gun blasting away at his helpless companions. Luke leaps

  from the skiff, across a chasm of air, to the sheer metallic side

  of the Sail Barge. Barely able to get a fingerhold, he begins a

  painful climb up the hull, when suddenly an ax smashes through a

  window an inch from his head. With Jedi agility, Luke grasps the

  wrist holding the ax and yanks the helpless guard through the broken

  window and into the deadly pit.

  The injured Chewie is reaching over the rail for the dangling

  Han, who is in turn blindly reaching down t
oward the desperate

  Lando. The Baron has stopped his slippage down the sandy slope of

  the Sarlacc pit by lying very still. Every time he tries to reach

  for Han, the loose sand moves him closer to his final reward.

  HAN

  Grab it! Almost... You almost got it!

  Another blast hits the front of the tilted skiff, causing Lando

  to let go of the spear.

  LANDO

  Hold it! Whoa!

  Again Han extends the spear toward Lando.

  HAN

  Gently now. All... all right. Now easy, easy.

  Hold me, Chewie.

  Lando screams. One of the Sarlacc's tentacles has wrapped tightly

  around his ankle, dragging him down the side of the pit.

  HAN

  Chewie! Chewie, give me the gun. Don't move,

  Lando.

  LANDO

  No, wait! I thought you were blind!

  HAN

  It's all right. Trust me. Don't move.

  LANDO

  All right! A little higher! Just a little

  higher!

  Han adjusts his aim as Lando lowers his head, and the fuzzy-eyed

  pirate fires at the tentacle. Direct hit. The tentacle releases