NOTES: Ta-Da! The Finale! Full of the usual Skywalker chaos as Luke and Anakin confront Darth Sidious with assistance from unexpected allies. (But we're not quite done yet. One more chapter left: Epilogue: Where Are They Now?)

Wookiepedia says: "Shatterpoints were a complex Force phenomenon ... Often, shatterpoints existed for only brief moments, as they could be affected by even the smallest actions."

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"Put me down!" Luke struggled to free himself. "This is so undignified! I can walk — I mean, run on my own!"

"For once, my argumentative son, don't argue." They were free of the cave but deep in a foundation that was crumbling beneath their feet. Anakin leaped upward, using the Force to separate the closed door above them. "Hang on!"

"I'm trying! Just— I need to turn the other way! I wanna see where we're going! You can't just throw me over your shoulder like a bag of laundry!"

"What do you know of laundry?" Anakin scoffed as he grabbed the lip of the floor.

Luke managed to half-fall off one shoulder, then dig his fingers into the opposite pauldron. "I got a – "

"Hang on!"

"I'm hanging, I'm hanging!" He levered himself over and latched both hands onto his father's belt, jerking them backward.

"Don't castrate me!"

"I'm not! I – Wait, what?" No, his dad couldn't have said that! "Anyway, I got an award! On Yavin! The most laundry requests from a – "

"Stop talking and focus on opening the doors!" They swung to the edge of the next floor and both risked a glance downward. The ground was still disappearing. "Luke… what exactly did you do?"

"I didn't do anyth— Well…okay, fine! I don't know what I did! I acted on instinct like you always tell me to do!"

"You created a gravity well?!"

"I don't know! Can I do that?" He wanted to stop and take time to understand these new feelings. His father's Light was weaving around his own, and it was creepy and wonderful and he wanted to bask in it and study it and talk about it. And then talk more, later, provided they managed to get out of the Imperial Palace before the entire building was sucked in. "If that's what I did, I don't know how to turn it off!" he shouted.

"Don't yell in my ear! Punch at the next floor!"

"I'm punching, I'm punching! Hey – is this like a black hole? Oh no!" If they didn't stop the destruction, would the entire city and maybe the entire planet be sucked in? Maybe the entire galaxy?! Oh, great! It was bad enough that his dad had been raising hell for years, now his son was going to destroy everything! Skywalkers were a menace to civilization.

"No, it's not." Anakin hesitated and turned his head. "Unless…."

Luke waited expectantly.

"No, we don't have time for this right now. We need to get out of here and initiate an explosion to put an end to the collapse."

They jumped to the next floor as the concrete and steel directly beneath their feet disintegrated. It seemed to be self-destructing at a slower rate… didn't it?

Luke gasped. "Wait! Don't forget Nightbird and TwoOneBee! They're on this level!"

"Luke! NO!"

Really, why did his dad even bother to tell him 'no'? They had to save Two, and his dad knew it! He kicked himself free, scrambled to his feet and ran, feeling Anakin's resignation as he followed and raced with him toward the other side of the building. Luke came to an abrupt stop, teetering on the edge of an abyss. His father yanked his arm and pulled him back.

"Oops, the hole is getting bigger! Dad! We have to get Two before it eats him!"

"Then focus, Bug, and link with me. This is good practice for you."

"I hate that word," Luke muttered, but closed his eyes.

"Which one?"

He ignored the jest as their minds located the ship. Together they moved it out of the hangar bay and brought it to settle near them. "We can fly it out! That's faster than jumping all the way to the plaza."

"Good thinking. Are you happy now?" Anakin asked (rhetorically, Luke decided). "You need to be more careful. You almost fell. Never run into a building that's collapsing. Especially when there's a gravity well inside it."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Great advice. Now what about Palpapoop? Is he dead?"

"Reach out and search for him. This too is good practice for you. Which reminds me…." Anakin's confidence subsided, and the gaze that studied him grew serious. "I've been thinking about your future. I know I've been… well, maybe too controlling… and that it would be best for you to go to university. Only if that's what you want, of course."

"Really? You think right now is a good time to discuss this? Dad, honestly, you're –"

His scolding turned into a shriek when unseen hands locked around his ankles and jerked him toward the expanding cavity. His father grabbed his wrists, and abruptly Luke was the center of a tug-of-war. "Dad! Don't let go!"

"I won't!"

But the floor was slippery with ash, and they were both sliding and sliding… until over the edge they went. Luke looked up at his dad who was hanging onto the rim of the floor by the toes of his boots. Obviously that wouldn't last long.

"Changed my mind! Let me go or you'll fall too!"

"Let you go?" his father murmured incredulously. "After everything I've invested in you? Where would I find someone else who could fit all those clothes?" With a miraculous show of acrobatics (Hey, I inherited that from you, Dad!) Anakin flipped upward, somersaulted, and reversed his grip, all the while keeping Luke in levitation. Now Luke was clutching around his knees and his dad's fingers were gripping the ledge and pulling them up and –

"Oh-oh."

The ledge collapsed and they plummeted back into the rubble they had just escaped.

Old Prune Face was waiting for them at the bottom.

"Pathetic Skywalkers!" Darth Sidious hissed, his expression contorting in rage. "You thought you could defeat me? ME? I am the Living Darkness, I consume everyone who dares defy me!"

"Really?" Luke blinked. "I'm glad I didn't stay for dinner then."

In a blindingly fast move, Sidious flung out his hand and Luke was sent flying onto a pile of debris. He leaped to his feet – oops. No. No, he didn't. He was pinned in a Force hold. Oh, yeah?! Watch me get out of this, Palpasneaky!

Stay down, his dad advised, and Luke realized it was Anakin holding him back. Let him dismiss your strength.

Again?! It seemed like he'd been doing that a lot lately. Well, okay, he'd wait but only for a short while. If his dad wanted to show off and grab all the glory, fine, but then it would be Luke For The Save!

Besides, his dad might need his help.

Snap-hiss of a lightsaber.

Snap-hiss of a second saber.

Snap-hiss.

What? He peered into a dark corner as a figure shimmered into view. "Hello there," it said.

Great. Luke sighed. His simple farm life on Tatooine had been a lot less confusing.

"Obi-Wan," his father stated. It wasn't a question, and it didn't sound like Anakin was surprised.

"In the non-flesh." The Jedi sent Luke a smile. "I am indeed me. You were wrong."

"I was not!" Luke snapped.

"I was not!" Anakin growled at the same time, then added: "And neither was Luke."

"Such a touching reunion," the Emperor observed, his tone thick with disdain. "Master, padawan, and lost child. You're almost a complete family."

Luke groaned. Really, can't I get up now and pop him?

Stay down.

"So you think to win your freedom, Kenobi? You are the one who is wrong, and I am not the one who holds you here. Your own guilt keeps your soul in this prison. Assisted by…" he turned a compassionate gaze on the elder Skywalker, "...the righteous fury of my friend whose life you destroyed. You took his destiny… his wife… his child."

Luke's hands twitched. "Are you guys going to fight him or not? 'Cause I've heard enough of his talking to last me for– " Oops, he'd almost said 'the rest of my life' but changed it to "-decades."

"After you," Kenobi said to Skywalker.

"No, you first. I insist." Anakin gestured. "You're older. And dead."

Kenobi gave his dad the same Look that his dad always gave him. Huh. That explained a lot.

"How 'bout you do it together?" Luke suggested. "In case you haven't been paying attention, we shouldn't be loitering here. The building is falling apart around us."

"So it is." You stay out of the way, young one! No fighting!

I don't know why you bothered to train me if you won't let me fight!

Luke stuck out his lower lip as he watched the Jedi master and his former padawan move as one, leaping and attacking in unison, one high, one low. Palpapoop was fast for an old fossil; he twirled in the air and jumped over their heads, but they were ready. Three lightsabers clashed loudly.

This looked like it could go on for a while because two (or maybe all three) of them appeared to be enjoying the challenge. Sure, it was a fight to the death that Luke wasn't supposed to participate in. However….

He reached into his armored chestplate and fumbled until he found the protein bar wrapper he'd stuck in there. If he had more time it would be neater, but for now he quickly folded the wrapper until it looked sort of like a snub fighter. Okay, his dad forbade him to fight physically but he hadn't said anything about sending a mental love note to Palpapuss.

For want of a trash bin, an empire is lost. Oh, what a brilliantly memorable quote that would make! He hoped to remember it so he could repeat it when he was famous and reporters asked how they managed to defeat a Sith Lord.

He aimed the tiny paper snub and zoomed it toward the soon-to-be-former emperor. Fly, little poison dart, fly! he called to Palpacreep through the Force.

Sidious ducked and whirled to knock away the paper snub. As he did, Anakin struck a blow that severed his lightsaber hand and split the hilt of the Sith's blade in half. But before they had time to yell YAHOO! another red lightsaber flew into Palpasneaky's remaining hand.

Oh no you can't have my Dad's old sword! Luke jumped to his feet and did the dreadful thing (focusing), gathering all his energy and pointing it at that hand, hoping to dissolve it. Instead Vader's lightsaber seemed to respond to him, hovering in the air– Wait, was it protecting Sidious?! No, no, that's not what I meant!

Before he could correct his instructions, a sheet of white flashes that looked like icicles came flying toward Luke and –

And the lightsaber, his father's mean, scary, murderous, blood-red Sith lightsaber, in a stunning display of purpose, swung like a bat and sent the lethal dose of lightning back to Sidious. Then the blade continued on its path and flew through the Sith Lord's neck, severing it like it was made of flimsi. All three of them – saber, body, and head with extraordinarily bad teeth – disappeared into a gigantic maw that swallowed them completely, followed by a waterfall of steel and concrete.

Then the other three – father, son, and Jedi ghost – jumped a safe distance away from the newly-formed canyon.

"Wow, Dad, did you see that?! Your old lightsaber defended me!"

Perplexed yet pleased, Anakin agreed. "It always liked you."

"Yeah." Luke coughed and waved away the dust. "I'm a mess," he grumbled, looking down at his smudged armor. "And so are you. We'll never get all this polished clean again."

Anakin gave him a mild smirk before focusing on Kenobi. "That was…."

"Interesting," Kenobi finished. "If Master Windu were here, he might say that we just experienced a shatterpoint. If he were here, that is."

His dad's expression didn't change, but Luke felt his discomfort. Dad, you think maybe you should apologize?

Apologize? For what?

For… you know. Windu. The whole Jedi thing. Palpatine. The Temple. Stuff like that.

His father frowned and remained silent.

Maybe that's what Kenobi is waiting for. I mean, maybe that will make him disappear. "We can't stay here forever," Luke observed. "Everything still sucks." When his dad looked at him, he clarified, "Everything is still being sucked into nothing."

Fine. Anakin looked at his old master. "So, Obi-Wan…."

Kenobi raised one eyebrow and waited.

Anakin bit his lip. "I'm sorry about the… you know."

"I do?"

Luke sighed. "Jedi?" he offered helpfully. "Massacre? Years of mayhem and destruction? Razing cities? And… really bad, awful, terrible stuff?"

"All that." His dad ducked his head, suddenly looking much younger. "I, uh…. That wasn't my original plan."

"I supposed it wasn't." Kenobi tilted his head. "I'm sorry too. For… you know."

"Ugh." Luke rolled his eyes. Obviously Jedi training hadn't included apologies or how to communicate. "Palpatine? Mustafar?"

"All that," Kenobi agreed with the hint of a smile.

Luke tsk'd. "And I'll say thank you for saving my life that one time. And you can both say thank you to me for saving your bacons this time! Is the Group Hug over? Can we leave?"

"It appears that I'm leaving already." Kenobi lifted his lightsaber in something resembling a salute. "Improbable as it seems, it took two Skywalkers to free me. May the Force be with you both." His body faded into a glow that lingered for a second before it vanished completely.

His dad stood there for a long moment then hooked his laser sword back on his belt.

"That went well." Luke waited patiently for a few seconds while his father continued staring at nothing. "Dad… why are we still here?"

They looked up at the sound of booms as another floor above them collapsed, raining down dust. "The Force is reclaiming sovereignty over its Locus."

"If you say so. Can we just go? I'm bummed because I didn't get to fight, and TwoOneBee must be fretting and hoping for some damage he can repair."

"He won't have anything to do."

Luke pouted. "I scratched my arm. I think. And I got thrown around. A lot. I probably have bruises. And – "

"Then we shall have you thoroughly examined before we submerge you in a bacta tank for several hours."

"On second thought, I'm fine," Luke said quickly. "I think I just need to be laundered. Hey! Palpapuss is really gone, isn't he?"

"Why don't you – "

"I know! Let me reach out and feel around." He focused intently but couldn't feel any trace of that evil presence. "Nothing."

"Good. Now, little one… let's get out of here before we end up at the bottom of whatever is down there."

"Sure, take my idea and pretend it's yours," he grumbled and added, "I didn't even get to see if I could make lightning!"

"You'll have plenty of time to practice in a less dangerous setting."

"Like wrapped up in a bag of fluff? At a university?" He shot up two floors and landed in a roll-and-tuck on the hangar floor.

His dad mimicked his acrobatics. "We'll discuss that later. For now – "

"Sirs! Sirs!" TwoOneBee called from the ship entry. "Everything is bouncy! The floor is falling! I'm ready with all the equipment I need to repair your catastrophic injuries!"

"We're fine, Two," Luke reassured (and pretended he didn't hear the disappointed 'Oh' from the droid). He slid into the copilot's seat. "Hang on, we gotta get outta here fast!"

Nightbird shot out of the building, accumulating some large dings on the hull as the giant dining table fell against it. His dad turned the ship and hovered before landing on the plaza a safe (hopefully) distance from the ongoing destruction.

"When is it going to stop?" Luke leaned forward and drummed his fingers on the console. "Are you sure it's not a black hole?"

"A black hole!" Two exclaimed. "Oh no! We're doomed!"

His dad's lips twitched in a smile as they both pretended to ignore the droid. "I believe the Force will take the entire building."

"Greedy Force! First the Locus, now the building?"

"This spot has been a nexus of great good and great evil for aeons. Perhaps it's time for people to direct their attention to more practical matters and not rely on superstitions about the Force. Although it is likely that my presence was the instigator for such action because I am a vergence."

"Yeah? Am I a vergence too?" When he didn't get an answer, he wrinkled his nose. "What's a vergence?"

"Never mind. Perhaps it's just more Force lore." His father paused. "Besides, maybe the Force isn't the driving… mmm, force… behind this destruction. Regardless, the foundation is gone, so the building will fall. There go your dreams of using it for a library and a shopping center or whatever you wanted."

"Operas. Theaters." He felt glum for a moment before brightening up. "No worries! It's like the old saying, if you end up with a dead bantha, grill some burgers! So maybe it can be a park. Coruscant could use some green space. And there's plenty of room for a skating rink. And playgrounds. And an outdoor amphitheater for plays." So many possibilities!

"Don't get distracted now, little one." His dad smiled. "Go clean up and take off your armor. Be sure your beautiful clothes are perfect. There are already news crews rushing toward the plaza. Perhaps Crystal Cricket will want an interview with you."

"Of course, with both of us. Because surely we must be 'two of the most virile figures in the galaxy' now."

"Don't call me Shirley," Anakin said with a straight face.

Luke wrinkled his nose. "I tried that on Palpafrowny, but he didn't get it."

"He got it eventually." His father chuckled. "At the very least, we will be facing live holo broadcasts, and I know you will not want to be less than impeccably turned out."

"Oh, go comb your hair!" Even if he'd wanted to stop smiling (he didn't) the relief was so overwhelming that he couldn't. "And take off that armor."

"No, I'll be the battle-worn warrior and you'll be my spectacular, galactic idol son. Now scoot. I'm going to call Narra and Rex to tell them we've won and that Gallia can counteract the viruses so we can go live on camera across the galaxy." He turned in the pilot's seat and grinned. "I think we'll keep Organa on ice until after we've announced our victory."

"Of course we will." He answered the smile with one of his own and retreated to the cubby to strip off the armor and ensure that his glimmershim was perfect. The cloak was rumpled, so he pawed through the garments in the closet and found a second identical one. Dad! Vaderkin always foresaw what he would need.

Although he wasn't Vaderkin any more… was he? Maybe a little, but that could be their secret. Everyone had watched Darth Vader die. Let the galaxy see only Anakin Skywalker. It was just a tiny fib because Vader had been a temporary aberration. Now everything was back to normal. More or less.

Luke returned to the cockpit and joined his dad to watch the ongoing crumpling of the palace walls. "Are you seeing the Imperial Palace or the Jedi Temple?"

"Both." Anakin touched his shoulder. "Your Rogues are all safe."

"I know. I felt them." All their stars were still in the sky. A little singed, but alive. He didn't mean to, but he yawned. "I'm tired."

"You've had an exhausting day."

"Was that only one day? It felt like forever!"

"It was a very long day for me too. You can sleep later, Bug. Right now, your audience is waiting. Are you ready to be a star?"

"Always! But I'm exhausted!" He pressed the back of his hand on his temple and pretended to feel weak. "I can't possibly walk out there!"

"I understand, Son. I'll carry you."

"What?" That was not the response he'd expected. "No, I'm – Hey!" he protested when his father lifted him easily, strong arms locking under his shoulders and knees. "I'm kidding!"

"This brings back memories of my wedding night," Anakin reminisced cheerfully. "I carried Padmé just like this."

"What?" He hid a smile against his dad's chest, pleased that for the first time Anakin said his wife's name without pain. Also, he was pretty confident his father wouldn't follow through with a bridal carry. "Nooo, put me down!"

"Certainly not. As you said, you're exhausted. Think what endless memes would be created if you fainted on camera."

He stifled a squeak of protest as his father stepped to the ship's door. "Fine! I'll pretend to be unconscious! Wounded!" He let himself go limp, head lolling back, one arm dangling, eyes closed.

"Sir Luke, Sir Luke! Do you require my assistance?" TwoOneBee called loudly as they started down the ramp. Everyone turned to look.

A warm breeze (filled with thousands of years' worth of dust) brushed his face, but he refused to sneeze. PLEASE let me down before anyone sees!

Too late. He sensed a lot of familiar presences… Narra, Colonel Rex– Oh, Wedge is here! – LeKauf and– Hey, is that General Veers? And Piett? How did they get here? Dad!?

"Is Luke hurt?"

"Medic!"

"Is he… dead?"

"MEDIC!"

"He's not dead," Anakin assured them as he dropped Luke, "just dramatic."

Good thing I landed on my feet!

I never doubted that you would. By the way, was that a CANDY wrapper you threw at Sidious?

Certainly not, I don't eat candy! It was a caramel-covered protein bar. He laughed up at his father, and they turned to face the onslaught of relief and congratulations.

And Cricket Crystal rushing toward them holding a ChitChatChannel microphone. She elbowed her competition aside. "General! General Skywalker!"

Luke looked past her. Hey! There's the guy with the gorgeous ring. Chad Chadwit, right?

I see him. Don't worry, I will obtain that ring for you.

No! No hand chopping or killing! he scolded his dad silently before deciding he was joking. You ARE joking, right?

"General Skywalker! Over here!" Chadwit shouted. "General! Little Luke! Over here!"

LITTLE LUKE?! He scowled. I changed my mind – go ahead and kill him.

As you wish.

Nooo! Stop that!

I'm teasing. And don't worry, I'll introduce you as Sky Diamond.

If it weren't for all the cameras, he would have giggled. Instead, Luke smiled widely as the famous General Skywalker draped an arm around his son's shoulders and they faced the future.