Author's Note: Since this is my first attempt at writing and publishing a Star Wars fanfiction, I just wanted to say hello to everyone and thanks for giving me a chance.
As an opening note, I also want to add that I'm a big fan of the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as several other aspects of the franchise that has managed to ease its way into the overall story. Though I'm not too familiar with the legends that is/was the extended lore of the series prior to the transition over to Disney, including novels and comic books, I will do my best to express my understanding of the universe in this fan-based piece as best as I can.
I'm in the middle of jumping between a couple projects, including work and a handful of DBZ fanfictions, so my updates at times may seem random or spur of the moment. But I'll do what I can to stay in both pools.
Also, before you start reading, I want to make my intentions of this fic clear so that everyone can understand where I'm coming from.
While watching the original trilogy some time ago, it dawned on me that there were a couple of aspects of the third movie, Return of the Jedi, that didn't really sit too well with me in terms of narrative and impact, especially when compared to the previous two. I'm not saying it was a bad movie; RotJ was a great movie. However, there were a couple of things about the episode I wish had been done a little differently by George Lucas story and film-wise.
I really enjoyed the movie's climax and its place in history as the concluding chapter to the original Star Wars trilogy. However, the main elements that I didn't like in the film are as follows:
One: Boba Fett's cheap death. For obvious reasons.
Two: Luke and Leia being brother and sister. I know some people would argue "The Force", but in a universe of over a trillion people, what are the odds that the supposedly last Jedi in existence, who started out as nothing but a farm boy on a desolate planet, would be related to a princess and rebel leader from another? Even with the Force as a guide and discounting the events of the prequel trilogy (the idea of which was never even conceived in the 1980s), chances of them being related to one another are pretty slim. Originally Star Wars was supposed to be a standalone film with no sequels, with a relatively simple premise: boy saves princess from the evil castle guarded by a dragon, or in this case the Empire. I doubt George Lucas planned several years ahead during production of the first film on having two of the main protagonists being related to each other, otherwise there wouldn't have been a romance involved or even implied. The whole brother/sister concept was just thrown in RotJ so that Han would have a clear shot at scoring Leia. That's my reasoning anyway.
Three: Ewoks. Many have probably heard this argument before, but I doubt little fuzzy bears with sticks and rocks can take down an elite legion of storm troopers with armor, blasters and walkers.
Three main concerns which were what compelled me into writing this fic. That's not even including the constant and unnecessary changes George began making to the original films so that it fit in with the prequels. Ugh.
In correcting this, I'm writing this Return of the Jedi Redux in hopes of mending these issues and adding a couple of elements I felt should've been included in the original movie (not sure if it would've worked, but this is a fanfiction with my own artistic vision added to it). That being said, this story will be written as if it were back when this movie was first released in the 1980s, where the only lore was the original trilogy. That means this is a universe where Han shot first, Darth Vader knew Luke was his son during The Empire Strikes Back, and the prequels never existed (so no medichlorians or any of that nonsense).
Hope you all enjoy it.
(Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit, fan-based parody. Star Wars and all of its subsequent products are all the property of Lucas Film and Disney. Please support the official release)
Star Wars
Return of the Jedi (Redux)
Prologue
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…
Luke Skywalker has returned to his home planet of Tatooine, in an attempt to rescue his friend Han Solo from the clutches of the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt.
Little does Luke know that the GALACTIC EMPIRE has secretly begun construction on a new armored space station even more powerful than the first dreaded Death Star.
When completed, this ultimate weapon will spell certain doom for the small band of rebels struggling to restore freedom to the galaxy…
OOO
Far out in the Outer Rim Territories, above the lush, green world known as Endor, a large and ominous shadow orbited into view. At first appearing as nothing more than a small planetary body with an enormous crater situated in its upper hemisphere, this moon in fact turned out to be a colossal space station, a second Death Star, with size and structure dwarfing any other vessel in the known galaxy.
Despite being incomplete, as indicated by the large portions of its surface still being under construction, this terrifying weapon of oppression was truly a sight to behold. Manufactured in secret and uninfected by the growing plague that was the Rebel Alliance, its devoted and fanatical builders had designed it to be more powerful and more technologically advanced, than anything that had come before it. Certainly there was nothing in the possession of its enemies that could stand against this machine of destruction.
Its inception had taken only a fraction of the time it had taken to create the first Death Star; a task made simpler due to the seemingly unlimited resources available to the Galactic Empire…including material and slave labor. This further added to the sinister nature that this tyrannical vessel possessed and what it symbolized to the rest of the galaxy; a tool meant to silence any and all star systems that dared oppose the regime.
As the enormous mass of metal continued to drift above the curvature of the planet, in an area of space several clicks outside of its current position, a group of Imperial-class Star Destroyers emerged from hyperspace. The collection of ships cut a path towards the Death Star, its captains being sure to give the armored fortress a wide berth so as to avoid a potential collision. When the dagger shaped vessels slowly moved into defensive formation, from the hangar bay below the leading ship, a trio of smaller craft appeared.
Dropping down from the forward hangar while unfolding its wings, a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle made an immediate B-line for the planetoid station. The moment it took flight, the ship was quickly flanked by a pair of TIE fighters, which proceeded to escort the craft to its destination.
The moment the group of vessels had pulled away from the Star Destroyers, the pilots on board the transport quickly made contact with the radio officers stationed in one of the Death Star's many hangar bays.
"Command station, this is ST-321. Code clearance blue," the captain announced, easing back on the shuttle's thrusters and making all the small corrections necessary to keep the ship on its present flight path. "We're starting our approach. Deactivate the security shield."
Hearing the pilot's request loud and clear, the staff in the hangar's control room quickly initiated scans on the approaching ship. Overseen by the ever-observant deck officer, the SNCOs running the consoles ran through the necessary procedures, with the one receiving the shuttle pilot promptly responding. "Security deflector shield will be deactivated when we have confirmation of your code transmission. Stand by." Within a matter of seconds, scans on the shuttle and codes were complete. Once they were done, the trooper at the control console contacted the shuttle. "You are clear to proceed."
As soon as he received the trooper's signal, the pilot quickly lined up the shuttle with its assigned hangar. "We're starting out approach."
The Lambda-class shuttle continued on course, making with all haste towards the Death Star. Passing the station's defenses under the watch of hundreds of battery emplacements and dozens of fighters on patrol, the craft soon slipped into the manmade moon's lithosphere. As soon as they did, the TIE fighters escorting the shuttle broke off, allowing the craft to begin its landing run. Sirens outside the row of hangar bays signaled the vessel's arrival, as it touched down in view of the control station's window.
Upon overseeing its land, the deck officer glanced back at his subordinates. "Inform the commander that Lord Vader's shuttle has arrived."
"Sir," the trooper replied, before immediately patching through to the officer in charge.
In a matter of minutes, a contingent of officers and Stormtroopers formed up outside the shuttle in full military arrangement, ready to receive their distinguished visitor. At about the same time the guards moved into position, the commanding officer arrived on the scene. Clad in a grey Starfleet officer's uniform and bearing the insignia of a Commander, Tiaan Jerjerrod positioned himself in the walkway at attention, hands behind his back and eyes glued firmly on the shuttle.
Fear and uncertainty filled his expression as he heard the craft's gangway give a loud whir, moments before the ramp dropped to the platform in a cloud of steam. Emerging from the white clouds gushing out of the ship's vents with the familiar, haunting breath of his respirator filling the air, clad in all black, flickering life support, a cape, and the menacing skull-faced helmet known across countless star systems, the illustrious Darth Vader descended upon the Death Star.
Jerjerrod swallowed when his superior approached. "My Lord, this is an unexpected pleasure. We're honored by your presence," the man greeted, quickly falling into step with the dark warrior.
"You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander," Vader responded in his deep, robotic voice, giving the accompanying officer a dismissive wave while continuing his march passed the formation of troops. "I'm here to put you back on schedule."
Hoping to find some kind of level ground in their conversation, the officer spoke to his visitor in earnest. "I assure you, Lord Vader, my men are working as fast as they can. They're moving round the clock to get this station's primary systems online."
At that, the powerful leader of the imperial forces spoke, "Perhaps I can find new ways to… motivate them." His response held no promise of warmth or comfort, something that filled Jerjerrod's chest with dread.
Bracing himself, the Commander stopped in his tracks, prompting Vader to do so as well. "I tell you, this station will be operational, as planned."
Unconvinced by Jerjerrod's tone or words, the masked leader pointed squarely at the officer. "The Emperor does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation."
Feeling he was losing integrity in his position, the Commander clenched his fists in a subtle expression of frustration. "But he asks the impossible. I need more men." Clearly he was desperate for more support, especially since they were arriving at such a crucial juncture.
However, the worst was yet to come.
What Vader said next made Jerjerrod swear the dark lord had a smirk hidden behind his mask. "Then perhaps you can tell him when he arrives."
A cold chill immediately ran down the officer's spine, as he felt every fiber in his being freeze up. It didn't take him long to piece together what the dark lord meant by that statement. "The… Emperor's coming here?" Jerjerrod gulped.
"That is correct, Commander," Vader reaffirmed with a stiff nod, "And he is most displeased with your apparent lack of progress."
Taking a deep breath, the officer summoned whatever courage he had left and put his heels together. "We shall double our efforts."
Vader scoffed, "I hope so, Commander… for your sake." He then pointed one last time at the site's chief overseer. "The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am." With that said, the Sith Lord turned heel and left the hangar, leaving his subordinate to stew over the news he'd just been told.
Making his way into the bowels of the station, Vader headed straight for his personal chambers. Officers and troops passing by the dark lord in the corridors hastily stood aside and made way for the imposing figure; most standing at attention whereas others attempted to avoid their superior altogether. Because of this, Vader's trip to the upper levels above the hangar was relatively easy, as he boarded an elevator that took him to his desired floor.
When Vader finally arrived at his room sometime later, he wasted no time in situating himself inside his life support pod and assuming a meditative position. Bathed in the darkness of the room and the white glow inside the two open halves of his personal sphere, the dark lord sat in silence, reaching out with his senses to comb the furthest reaches of space and the deepest parts of his mind.
Over the entire course of his journey here, the normally calm and collected commander couldn't help but feel troubled by the events taking place around him. Aside from the recent skirmishes between Imperial Forces and the Rebels across several different systems, a series of tremors in the Force kept pulling Darth Vader's attention away from his duties to the Empire and towards other, more personal matters. This distraction was interfering with his good work and his task of fending off the renegades that were threatening to disrupt the system of their great order. This was a distraction that he could not possibly afford at this point, especially since his master had given him the task of overseeing preparations for his arrival on the Death Star.
So, in order to help carry out the multitude of duties assigned to him by the Emperor and to help rid himself of his personal missions, Vader had made alternative arrangements.
When the dark lord turned to the small terminal sitting beside him, he reached over and activated it. Several seconds after receiving nothing but communication feedback, a small hologram of a hooded figure appeared on top of the control panel.
"My Lord," the figure on the small platform spoke in a deep, raspy voice, the reception making the transmission garbled with interference.
"Spy… what is the status of your mission?" Vader asked, his attention fixed squarely upon the mysterious figure.
The hologram flickered violently, the transmission almost fading. But the connection recovered shortly thereafter and the agent responded promptly, "I have tracked the target and his companions to the planet Tatooine. If my trace is correct, he should be arriving shortly."
"Good," Lord Vader replied, the visor of his helmet reflecting a glow of anticipation. "Monitor Skywalker and his friends from the shadows and inform me when you have reached the next phase of your assignment."
"Yes, my Lord," the hooded agent bowed. "I will report back as soon as I am able."
"See to it that you do," Vader stated, at the same time intensifying his glare. "Remember… failure is unacceptable."
When the hologram faded, it left Vader in the dark of his room, upon which he looked ahead with a sinister gleam in his helmet's eye.
"Luke…"
(TO BE CONTINUED)