Enter EMPEROR PALPATINE, in beam.
What is thy bidding, master pure and true?
EMPEROR
There is a great disturbance in the Force.
VADER
I too have felt it.
EMPEROR
—A new enemy
Arises, e’en the rebel who destroy’d
The Death Star—and I have no doubt this boy
Is kin to Anakin Skywalker.
VADER
[aside:]—O,
Profoundest revelation! I knew he
Was powerful and bore Skywalker’s name,
Yet that the boy is kin to Anakin
I did not see. [To the Emperor:] How is this possible?
EMPEROR
You only must within your feelings search,
Lord Vader. Then shalt thou too know ’tis true.
He could destroy us.
VADER
—He is but a boy,
And Obi-Wan no longer is his help.
EMPEROR
The Force is strong with him, and mark me welclass="underline"
The son of Skywalker must ne’er become
A Jedi. Dost thou comprehend my words?
VADER
[aside:] I do his meaning understand, and yet
Another future for this boy I’ll write.
Not death, but something even greater still.
It may be that this young Skywalker will
Still prove to be most worthy of the name.
[To the Emperor:] If he could but be turn’d, an ally strong
He could become.
EMPEROR
—Indeed, thou speakest true.
The boy may prove himself an asset sure.
Can it be done? What is thy true reply?
VADER
The boy shall surely join us, or shall die.
[Exeunt.
Scene 3.
Inside Yoda’s homestead.
Enter LUKE SKYWALKER.
LUKE
This creature I have follow’d to his home,
But still no further answers are reveal’d.
It seemeth that he stalls in bringing me
Unto the one I truly hope to see.
With all that hath befallen in this place
My patience runneth thin. I’ll press the point.
Enter Yoda.
Thy generosity is truly rare,
I’ll warrant that thy food delicious is.
Yet neither rhyme nor reason have I heard
Of wherefore we may not go, even now,
To see good Master Yoda where he lives.
YODA
Pray, patience, young one.
For Jedi too must eat—thus
My good food, eat now.
LUKE
How many leagues away is Yoda? Shall
The journey to him long and per’lous be?
YODA
Not far is Yoda.
Aye, soon thou shalt be with him.
First, eat of rootleaf.
Feast for a Jedi—
Food that enlivens the mind
Should thy repast be.
And now, a question:
What drives the young man’s heart to
Learn the Jedi way?
LUKE
This is an inquiry perceptive, friend,
For I am driv’n by force unto the Force:
My noble father doth inform my steps.
YODA
Thy father, indeed.
Powerful Jedi was he.
Powerful Jedi.
LUKE
Avaunt, thou silly creature, how canst thou
My father know? For surely thou dost not
E’en know who I am. Fie! I know not what
Or who or why or when or where or how
Hath brought about this meeting! Time is short;
Each minute pass’d with thee hath gone to waste!
YODA
[speaking to the air:] I cannot teach him.
The boy hath none of patience.
How shall he be taught?
The voice of the GHOST OF OBI-WAN KENOBI is heard.
OBI-WAN
He patience lacks, but patience can be learn’d.
YODA
Much anger in him.
Sudden and quick in quarreclass="underline"
Too like his father.
OBI-WAN
Was I then diff’rent when thou didst teach me?
YODA
He is not ready.
’Tis now the thing that I see:
This one’s unprepar’d.
LUKE
’Tis Yoda! Nay, but Ben, pray argue for
My cause, for verily prepar’d am I!
I can and shall a Jedi be. True, Ben?
YODA
Ready are you, hmm?
What know you yet of ready?
Say naught of “ready.”
For eight hundred years
Have I the Jedi trainèd,
So say not “ready.”
I my own counsel
Shall keep on who’s to be trained!
A Jedi is wise.
A strong commitment
And a most serious mind
Are necessary.
Long have I watch’d him.
All his life looking away
To the future, hmm,
To the horizon.
Ne’er his mind on where he was,
What he was doing!
Ventures, excitement:
A Jedi craveth not these.
Thou art reckless, aye!
OBI-WAN
And so was I, if thou dost think on it.
YODA
And he is too old
The training to begin now.
Certain, he’s too old.
LUKE
But Master Yoda, I have learn’d so much.
YODA
And will he finish
The thing he doth begin here?
I prithee, tell me.
LUKE
I shall not fail thee: ’tis my promise true,
For I am not afraid of anything.
YODA
Thou shalt be yet, Luke.
My words most carefully heed:
Thou shalt be, indeed.
[Exeunt.
Scene 4.
Aboard the Millennium Falcon, inside the asteroid.
Enter HAN SOLO, CHEWBACCA, and C-3PO.
C-3PO
Good Sir, if I may venture my belief—
HAN
I tell thee honestly, C-3PO,
That neither appetite nor inclination
Have I to feast upon your odd beliefs.
Do thou thy work but keep opinion out,
And we shall feast together on the silence.
Enter PRINCESS LEIA, in fear.
LEIA
O Han, a horrid sight I have just seen!
Whilst I did in the cockpit sit and think—
HAN
On what? Pray telclass="underline" what didst thou think upon?
LEIA
’Tis not the time for jokes and parries, please!
As I did sit there, suddenly a jolt
Went through me as I heard a sound upon
The window. Looking closer, I espied
A second beast outside that hard upon
The window fell. There’s something out there, Han—
Beyond the ship, abiding in the cave.