Kylo Ren thought his day would be easy. All he had to do was capture the droid and acquire the map to Luke Skywalker's location. What he didn't count on was his brother, Tobias Solo, showing up. He certainly didn't count on Luke appearing out of nowhere. Yet, here the Jedi Master was, Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber in his hand, and ready for a fight.
"Skywalker. Now that you are here, I can finish what I started. I will destroy you. I will destroy all remnants of the Jedi, and I will destroy the Resistance." Kylo says. Luke chuckles, and ignites the saber in his hands.
"Every word you just said… is wrong." Luke says.
Kylo charges toward Luke, and attacks aggressively. However, Luke easily counters every strike. Nearby, Tobias watches with Rey, Finn, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and BB-8.
Luke's toying with him. I wonder how long it's going to take before Luke gets bored and kicks his ass. Be ready for a beatdown, brother. You asked for it. Tobias thinks.
Luke suddenly backs off, and shuts off the saber in his hands. He then tosses it to Rey, and says "You might want to hang on to that."
"Don't you need it?" Rey asks.
"I'll be alright." Luke answers.
"What's the matter, old man? Afraid to face me? You should be!" Kylo says.
"Overconfidence is your weakness. It always has been." Luke says.
"Compassion is your weakness!" Kylo says.
"You're wrong. If I have any weakness, it's giving in to my fear. I was afraid of what you could become, so I hid the truth from you. I didn't tell you about your grandfather because I was afraid. I'm sorry." Luke says.
"You did what you thought was right, Luke." Tobias says.
"You were wrong, Skywalker! Snoke told me the truth, and you were exposed as a liar and a fool! Where is your Jedi order now?" Kylo asks.
"It's right here. So, if you want to finish what you started, you're welcome to try." Luke says.
"No, Ben! Don't do this!" Tobias says.
"Ben Solo is dead! I destroyed him!" Kylo says. Tobias switches on his lightsaber. Rey follows suit.
"You really think you can take all three of us, Ben?" Tobias asks.
"No, Toby. Stay out of is between me and your brother." Luke says.
"Let me help you! I can reach him!" Tobias says.
"No, you can't. At least, not yet. He's in too deep." Luke says.
He's right. Ben won't listen. I'll have to trust Luke to take care of this. Tobias thinks. He shuts off his lightsaber.
Kylo charges toward Luke, who stands still, with his eyes closed. As Kylo swings his saber to hit Luke, the unstable red blade suddenly disappears, and Kylo is left looking like an idiot as he angrily swings a harmless lightsaber hilt. He presses the activation switch repeatedly, but nothing happens.
Oh. I remember that trick. Very effective. Tobias thinks.
"Did his lightsaber just quit working?" Rey asks.
"No. Luke shut it off with the force. It won't work again for a few minutes." Tobias answers.
"Good." Finn, who is nearby, says. He takes out his blaster, and aims it at Kylo. A few seconds later, Finn fires the weapon. The blast freezes only inches from Kylo's head.
"I can't let you do that." Luke says.
"He's a monster! After all the things he's done, this is what Kylo Ren deserves!" Finn says.
"Is it? Or he is just a victim, manipulated into following the path of darkness?" Luke asks.
"Manipulated? What are you talking about?" Rey asks.
"Snoke… used lies and fear to manipulate an innocent boy into doing his bidding." Luke answers.
"So, you expect me to believe that he was made to do everything he's done? That none of it was his fault?" Finn asks.
"He's not… completely innocent. He's made mistakes. A lot of us have." Luke answers.
"You are a foolish old man, Skywalker! You may think you have the advantage, but you are mistaken! Snoke has shown me the true power of the force!" Kylo says.
"That power… is an illusion." Luke says.
"I have become more powerful than any Jedi! With the power of the dark side, I have achieved greatness!" Kylo says.
"Wars… do not make one great." Luke says. Kylo's lightsaber activates, no longer being blocked by Luke.
"Enough talk! I've overcome your tricks! Time to die, old man!" Kylo says.
"You don't hear. You don't see. All you know is pain. A pain inflicted on others. On yourself. I'm sorry, Ben, but this is the only way." Luke says. He closes his eyes, and extends his hand toward Kylo.
The saber in Kylo's hand begins to glow orange and shoot out sparks. Kylo keeps the weapon in his hand.
Oh. Luke's going to blow up the kyber crystal. Of course the idiot keeps the saber in his hand. Tobias thinks.
"Ben! Drop the saber!" Tobias shouts. Kylo ignores his brother, and aims the tip of his saber at Luke.
"Is he insane? That thing looks like it's about to explode!" Rey says.
"Ben! No!" Tobias says.
Before Kylo can react, the saber explodes, taking most of his right arm with it.
"Arrgh!" Kylo screams. He falls to the ground, grabbing the stump where his arm used to be.
"You brought this on yourself, Ben. I've told you many times that our actions have consequences." Luke says.
"I... hate you!" Kylo shouts between agonizing screams.
"I know." Luke says.
Soon, Resistance forces arrive. Squadrons of x-wings engage the TIE fighters in the sky. While Luke guards Kylo, Tobias, Rey, Han, Chewbacca, Finn, and BB-8 help the Resistance take care of the stormtroopers on the ground. Once the First Order forces are defeated, several Resistance ships land. As Toby and Han watch, General Leia Organa emerges from one of the ships. Leia walks to Tobias, and slaps him across the face.
"That's for letting me think you were dead!" Leia says.
"Okay. I deserved that." Tobias says. Leia suddenly embraces him.
"That's for coming back." Leia says.
"I'm sorry mom." Tobias says.
"What happened? Why did you run off like that?" Leia asks.
"I fought Ben and the other six Knights of Ren." Tobias answers.
"By yourself?" Leia asks.
"Yeah. Didn't go so well. One of the knights nailed me in the chest with a vibrohammer. That took me out of the fight. Ben… was going to kill me. Then, he changed his mind, and told me to leave. I got into my x-wing, and blind jumped the hell out of there." Tobias answers.
"Hit in the chest with a vibrohammer? You're lucky to still be alive!" Leia says.
"Broke at least three ribs. Took weeks to heal." Tobias says.
"After you jumped away, what happened?" Leia asks.
"I felt like I'd failed Ben. I felt like I'd… failed as a Jedi. So, I cut myself off from the force, and took apart my saber. I stayed in hyperspace until I ran out of fuel. That's how I ended up at Jakku." Tobias answers.
"You were on Jakku this whole time?" Leia asks.
"Yeah. I crash landed on Jakku. I was almost dead when Rey found me. She didn't have much of anything, but she helped me anyway. Once I was strong enough, I started helping her with her work. I thought that… maybe we could eventually save up enough to buy our way off Jakku." Tobias says.
"You couldn't… call for help?" Leia asks.
"No. The only usable comms on Jakku are controlled by the crime lords. I couldn't call anybody. Couldn't get a ship either." Tobias says.
"You're here now, son. That's what really matters." Leia says.
"Look who else decided to show up." Tobias says. Leia briefly looks at everyone present, then walks to Luke.
"Luke… Did you… do that?" Leia asks, as she notices that Kylo is missing an arm.
"Leia… I'm sorry. I couldn't reach him. This was the only way to stop him from doing something he couldn't take back." Luke answers.
"Then, my son's gone." Leia says.
"No. I haven't given up on him. Neither should you." Luke says.
"You think you can…" Leia says.
"There might be a way." Luke says.
"Then, he'll be our Ben again." Leia says.
"If I can free him from Snoke's influence, then… it's possible." Luke says.
"Thank you, Luke. I'm glad you came back. We need you, now more than ever." Leia says.
"I"m here, Leia." Luke says. Leia smiles, then embraces her brother.
"The general and her Jedi Master reunited. It won't matter. Snoke will destroy both of you." Kylo says. Leia looks at him.
"Was this all worth it, Ben?" Leia asks.
"Your son is dead. I have nothing to say to you." Kylo says. He slowly stands up, and extends his remaining hand toward Leia.
"Mom, back off!" Tobias says.
"I'm alright, son." Leia says.
"You come before me with no weapon. Foolish of you, general." Kylo says.
"I don't need a weapon." Leia says. She closes her eyes, and Kylo is suddenly thrown backwards into a nearby tree. The force of the impact knocks him out.
"He won't be out for long. We'll have to restrain him." Tobias says.
"I'll take care of that." Leia says. She walks to a nearby group of Resistance soldiers, and says "I want him sedated and restrained! Prepare him for transport back to base!"
As the soldiers tend to the unconscious Kylo Ren, Leia approaches Han and Chewbacca. The massive wookiee embraces Leia, then steps aside. Han and Leia walk to one another, but stop several feet apart, and look at each other in awkward silence for a few seconds.
"You changed your hair." Han says.
"Same jacket." Leia says.
"No. New jacket." Han says.
"How'd Toby get you involved in this?" Leia asks.
"We kind of… bumped into each other, and then he… helped me with a business deal." Han answers.
"So, he bailed you out of some kind of trouble." Leia says.
"Yeah. I figured… I'd take him and his friends to Maz." Han says.
"Good job. Now, you can go back to… whatever." Leia says. She starts to turn away.
"Wait, Leia." Han says. Leia stops, and looks at him once more.
"Do you have something to say?" Leia asks.
"I screwed up." Han answers.
"That's an understatement!" Leia says.
"I wasn't there for our boys. Or you. After the Empire was gone, and you went into the senate, I didn't know what to do. I fell back into old habits. I got too… into myself, when I should have been there for you, and helping you raise our sons. I failed them, and I failed you." Han says.
"I failed too. I was… obsessed with doing my duty. It cost me everything that really mattered." Leia says.
"We sent the boys to Luke because we thought he could help them. Toby turned out okay I think." Han says.
"Yeah. He did. As for Ben, he was always so… angry. Then, Snoke got a hold of him and turned him against us. I lost him. Then, I lost you. And Luke." Leia says.
"Well… I guess we're all here now." Han says.
"Yeah. Why don't you and Chewie come with us?" Leia asks.
"I don't know. I just… don't think I deserve it." Han answers.
"I know what you might be thinking, but don't. I still love you, Han. I never stopped loving you. So, come with me. Come… home." Leia says.
Han walks to Leia, and embraces her. Leia smiles as she wraps her arms around Han.
Nearby, Tobias watches as his parents reunite. He feels Luke's hand on his shoulder.
"Well… maybe there's hope for us after all." Tobias says.
"There's always hope." Luke says.
"It's been rough. Mom and dad split up. And you… you were gone for six years." Tobias says.
"I'm sorry I was gone for so long. I had to look for answers. I had to… try to figure out how to put a stop to all of this." Luke says.
"Did you… find your answers?" Tobias asks.
"I did." Luke says.
"Care to share with the rest of us?" Tobias asks.
"You, Rey, and… Ben will be the key to defeating Snoke and bringing balance back to the force." Luke answers.
"Ben? Can he… actually become Ben again?" Tobias asks.
"Darth Vader became Anakin Skywalker again. I'd like to think anything is possible." Luke answers.
"Me too." Tobias says.