Author's Note: An idea that ended up not happening in this story was doing rewrites of the prequels as flashbacks. The idea was that Vader could tell Ahsoka the stories of each rewritten film one after the other because she wasn't there. I knew that I didn't want to dedicate an entire 40,000 plus word fanfiction to a rewrite of the prequel trilogy because so many other fanfic writers have that covered. I just wanted to quickly give an idea of how I think they could have been done better. I briefly thought about rewriting the sequel trilogy, but the problem with that is there's nothing to salvage. If I were to do a prequel rewrite, I would keep a lot of the characters, I would definitely keep the world building like the vehicles, I would keep the clones and the battle droids. But if I were to do a sequel trilogy rewrite, I would start from absolute scratch. I would throw out the entire First Order, Luke being a failure, and every new character. Anyway, maybe the prequel rewrite flashbacks can be in Star Wars: The Unending 2.


Before leaving, Leia asks Vader if he could identify the spy among the ship's crew who sabotaged the hyperdrive. It just so happened Vader did recognize someone. It seemed odd to take Darth Vader's word about this, but upon investigation, they found that the suspect had no alibi unlike others who would have had access to the hyperdrive, so the spy was incarcerated. Just before leaving, Leia was told that the hyperdrive would be repaired soon and the crew will meet up with her elsewhere. Now, Leia sits in the cockpit of the millennium falcon with Han and Chewbacca.

Knowing Vader is on the ship, but out of earshot, Han says, "So, he's Luke's father?"

"Yes," Leia says weekly.

"How long have you known?"

"Since the night before we destroyed the Death Star."

Han is silent for a time before he says, "It sorta explains a few things when I think about it."

"I guess."

Leia considers telling Han that Vader is also her father, but the idea of Vader overhearing is just too terrifying.

They sit in silence until Leia says, "I'm going to go talk to him."

"Are you sure about this?"

"I'll be fine," she tells him.


Leia finds Vader sitting with his arm resting on the table.

"I think you and I have a lot to discuss," Leia tells him, sitting down at the same table. She puts a recording device on the table for him to see. But she doesn't turn it on yet. "I'm sure you have information that the Rebellion can use."

"I would have thought my information would be considered inadmissible until my new loyalties are proven."

Leia considers whether or not to say it. "I have reason to believe you have Luke's best interests at heart."

Vader checks the recording device to make sure it isn't on. "Did Luke tell you anything about me that gives you such reason?"

Leia hesitantly tells him, "I know you're his father."

"I see."

To test what he knows, Leia asks, "Are there any other children of yours I should know about?"

"None," Vader replies, believing this answer to be true. "My wife was pregnant only once. There is only Luke." But now that Vader thinks about it, he wasn't there when Padme gave birth. There could have been twins for all he knew. Vader adds, "That is, unless . . ." Vader shakes his head, brushing off the idea. "No. There is only Luke; I am sure of it. If I had two children, they both would have been trained as Luke was."

Leia stares off into the distance. Why wasn't she trained like Luke? It's not like she wasn't willing to put in the work. She would have loved to be as helpful to the Rebellion as Luke has been. Leia can think of several instances off the top of her head when being able to do what Luke can would have changed everything.

"If you don't mind my asking, who was Luke's mother?"

"Her name was Padme Amidala."

Leia's heart skips a beat. "The senator?"

"You know your history," Vader complements.

"My father told me all about her," Leia says, referring to her adoptive father. "My father, Bail Organa met her many times. He was always telling me how determined and resilient she was." Leia had always wondered why Bail talked about Padme so much. Leia almost gets teary-eyed, but she resists. She wants to ask Bail why he never told her who her birth parents were, but she can't. "My father was on Alderaan when it was destroyed," Leia says, mildly aggressive.

"That is one of the many things I must apologize for. I have caused you so much pain; all of which I regret. I humbly ask for your forgiveness."

Leia doesn't know what to tell him. "We'll talk about that after I see Luke."

Vader would have been disappointed if he actually expected better. "I understand."

Leia gets up from the table, her skin starting to crawl.

Vader can sense something in her that he couldn't before. There is a certain potential that has recently become more visible. Vader asks, "Did Luke ever let you hold his lightsaber?"

Leia stops dead in her tracks. She was almost out of the room, but she can't ignore this. Is Vader on to her? Leia replies cautiously, "I never asked him to."

Vader stands from the table and takes his lightsaber off his belt. He holds it out, offering to let Leia give it a try.

Leia isn't sure about this. She doesn't want Vader to find out about anything they might have in common. And yet, the idea of holding a lightsaber has become too enticing. Leia walks over to face him and nervously accepts his lightsaber. She takes a good look at it and says, "It's lighter than I thought."

Vader points to a part of the lightsaber. "This is the button to activate it. Make sure the emitter is not pointed toward your body."

Leia holds the lightsaber with both hands and presses the button. The blade ignites, covering Leia's face in red light. She stares at the blade as if for the first time, mesmerized by its beauty and power. This is what she never knew she was starving for.

"Why don't we try a few of the basics?" Vader asks.

Leia nods her eager agreement.

"Hold it like so," Vader instructs, modeling the stance.

Leia follows his example with attention to detail, positioning even her feet the same as him.

"Begin with a basic strike." Vader slowly makes the motion and Leia follows him, performing a diagonal swing.

"Follow up with a curved swing below."

Leia follows his movement, twisting the lightsaber almost upside-down to strike where her imaginary opponent's legs would be.

"Now guard against a vertical attack."

Leia holds the lightsaber horizontally, positioning her legs to take the impact.

"Now try doing all three motions together, but only a little faster."

Leia makes the three movements even faster than Vader was expecting her to.

"Very good."

Leia has very mixed feelings about being complimented by him; especially when he's talking about her use of a lightsaber.

Han's voice is heard through a speaker, telling them, "We're getting real close to Rezlice. We'll be there in just a few minutes."

Disappointed by the interruption to these basics on lightsabers, Leia reluctantly deactivates the blade, displeased to see the red glow leave her. She offers the lightsaber back to Vader, a part of her wishing she could keep it.

Vader takes it back and says, "Before you go, I believe your device is still on the table."

"Right," she says, having completely forgotten about her recording device.

"Why don't you try pulling it to you from here?"

Does Vader really think she can do that? Can she really do that? "You mean with the Force? I don't know how."

"Focus and stretch out with your feelings. It is easier than it seems; you must believe that."

Leia points her open hand at the recording device, listening to more instructions from Vader. She pays attention to his words and tries to do as he says. But the device isn't moving. Maybe it's because of all her doubts. Leia thinks, "I wouldn't have these doubts at this point if I had been trained the same way Luke was! I should have been just like him. I should be able to do what he can do! Why didn't Bail tell me who my birth parents were? Why didn't Obi-Wan's spirit tell me to seek Yoda's training, too? Why am I not a Jedi, too? Did they think I hadn't earned it even though I was already helping the Rebellion when Luke was still a moister farmer?!" Leia focuses again on the recording device, this time stretching out with her anger.

The device is crushed by Leia's power, its pieces either caving in on each other or splintering off as it violently implodes.

Leia steps back, startled by her own power. Leia stares first at what remains of the recording device and then at her own hand, grappling with the fact that she did that. She did that with her anger. Leia looks to Darth Vader as a horrifying theory weighs down on her. Luke told her before that acting on anger and hate can lead to the Dark Side. She always did have more of a temper than Luke. "Is that why I was never trained?" Leia wonders.

Leia sees the logic in the theory. But that does not mean she doesn't want training. "It's a start," Leia says. "We should probably sit down now."

Leia walks out of the room, leaving Vader to ponder what he has seen. There was something about her. Vader can tell that there's something she's not telling him.


Darth Vader is very nervous to see his son. This will be their first meeting after joining him in the light. The Millennium Falcon lands on Rezlice, intensifying his fear. Will Luke accept his turn? Vader stands up and meets the others at the exit ramp as it opens. Luke and Ahsoka are waiting outside. Luke's face lights up at the sight of them. Leia, Han, and Chewbacca race down the ramp and embrace him. Vader walks out of the Falcon at a slower pace and keeps a respectful distance. This initial part is their reunion. Vader wishes not to be an unwelcome disturbance.

"It's so good to see you all again," Luke says, almost crying.

Han tells him in shame, "Kid, I wish I could have helped you before."

"You did exactly what you should have, Han. If you tried to rescue me, the Emperor would've killed you. And if you didn't let me go out there to fight him, he would have stopped us from destroying the shield generator."

"I guess, but . . ."

"It's alright, Han. Ahsoka got me out of there. Everything worked out for the best." Han nods his understanding. Luke turns to Leia and asks, "Did you talk much with Vader?"

Leia doesn't want to talk about what happened. Thankfully, she knows what he's really asking about. "I told him I know he's your father."

"Is that all you told him?" Luke asks, wondering if, or knowing that, she did not tell Vader she is his daughter.

"That's all he needs to know," Leia replies. She gives Luke a look that's begging him not to make the decision for her. Luke is disheartened, but he nods his agreement not to tell him . . . yet.

Luke approaches Vader. They stand near to each other, but do not embrace. Each of them is too nervous. "I've been hearing a lot of good things about you from Ahsoka," Luke says.

"Did she tell you how much remorse I have?"

"She did."

Vader tells him, "A great many things would have been better were I more like you. It is more than I deserve to know that my son became a better man than his father. You will never be as proud of me as I am of you. But I will do everything in my power to make you less ashamed."

"I have no shame, father," Luke says. "I was always proud of the hero you used to be. And I'm proud of you for abandoning the Dark Side now. Everything between then and now can be forgiven."

Inside Vader's helmet a tear of joy runs down his face. "I will not let you regret this. Together, we will defeat the Empire with ease."

"Do you have any plans?" Leia asks.

"I have many. First of all, Ahsoka and I have recently taken a facility that will supply the Rebellion with billions of battle droids."

"Billions?" Leia asks in disbelief.

"Billions." Vader confirms. "They need only reprograming through a terminal that is linked to each of them. This is just the beginning. I know many secrets that will ensure our victory."

"I assume you know the locations of many imperial bases."

"There's more. I know how to rid the Empire of its most valuable resource."

"Credits?" Leia guesses.

"I do have plans to take that as well, but the Empire's most valuable resource is loyalty. An empire cannot exist without it."

"And how will you take loyalty away from the Empire."

"The Emperor has kept a secret his status as a Sith Lord. Knowing his true nature will delegitimize his accusations made against the Jedi order. The public will know that he lied about his reasons for eradicating the Jedi and, perhaps, that his connection to the Dark Side calls his judgment into question. Even more of a loyalty breaker is how he controlled both sides of the Clone Wars."

"Do you have any proof?" Leia questions.

"Hard evidence connecting him to his old apprentices, Darth Maul and Count Dooku who fought of the side of the Separatists during the Clone Wars. I have hours upon hours of recorded conversations between myself and the Emperor. We will dissuade any new troops from enlisting with the Empire, strike their secret basses, and attack with an army that will soon be stronger than ever. I expect this to be the final year of the Empire."


The next four months are glorious. The Rebellion hunts down imperial basses and overwhelms them with unfathomable numbers. In each attack, the battle droids go in first as the more disposable pawns while the other rebels command them.

On numerous planets, the rebellion broadcasts testimonies from Vader that tell the truth about the Emperor. These broadcasts are complete with excerpts from recorded conversations and, coming from Vader himself, these broadcasts are incredibly damaging to the Emperor's reputation. The Emperor, of course, denies these claims, especially the idea of him being a Sith lord. The Empire orders everyone to not spread the teachings of these broadcasts, but many imperials do nothing to enforce this. On some occasions, a patrolling stormtrooper comes across a group talking about the broadcasts and he just keeps walking. Sometimes, a stormtrooper catches someone drawing anti-imperial messages and he just pretends he didn't see anything. In fact, many imperials discuss Vader's testimonies behind closed doors, seriously questioning their decision to follow the Emperor. In this time, there are more troops going AWOL than ever before. Many of these troopers defect to the Rebellion. Most famously, an admiral convinces his entire battalion to join the Rebellion, taking their star destroyer with them.

In this time, Vader helps fight on the front lines, but he also takes the time for a few overdue surgeries and upgrades. He quickly gets used to new mechanical legs and can now run faster than ever. His shoulder pads, along with other parts of his armor are replaced with a much lighter version, allowing for more flexible movement. It takes a while, but after three surgeries, Vader finally has no need for his respirator. Though he keeps a recorded version of the sound to turn on and off at will. He often takes his helmet off just to feel the wind on his face or see without lenses. But his favorite reason to take off his helmet is, of course, to give Ahsoka a kiss.

Leia asks Luke to train her as a Jedi. Luke does his best to grant her request, but he can only spend a small portion of his time training her. Luke keeps himself very busy in these final days of war, fighting the Empire. Now that the Empire is so weak, Luke wants to make sure they can't recover. Leia understands Luke's need to spend so much time fighting. Leia wishes she were out there with him, fighting the Empire as a Jedi. But she knows that by the time her training is complete, the Empire will be gone. Leia finds it all unacceptably unfair. She feels like she was robbed of being able to fight the Empire the way Luke can. So many times, Leia was at the Empire's mercy, made to feel helpless because she didn't even know about her powers. So many times, she had to rely on Luke to solve her problems because no one taught her how to solve them herself. Leia insists that she should have been sent with Luke to be trained by Yoda. She can't help but resent everyone who kept the secret from her. Now, the Empire is going to be defeated before she could have the chance to use her power to help. But she does not blame Luke for her misfortune. Luke may have kept the fact that Vader was his father a secret until he was sure it was true, but he told Leia that they were brother and sister as soon as they had the proper moment to themselves. She doesn't blame Luke, but she does blame the old Jedi.

After months of weakening the Empire, it is time to find and annihilate the Emperor himself. Darth Vader calls a meeting where he predicts that the Emperor will be in the same building Luke left him in on Coruscant.

Leia says, "I doubt the Emperor will stay there now that Luke knows about the location. He probably left to hide elsewhere."

"The fact that Luke is aware of the location is exactly why the Emperor will stay put," Vader explains.

Ahsoka asks, "Do you think he still wants Luke to be his apprentice?"

"At this point, he must have given up. Luke endured torture until he was rescued, never falling into the darkness. The Emperor must see now that it is pointless to try. The reason he will stay is his desire to kill Luke himself."

Leia says, "If that's what he wants, we should keep Luke hear. We can send a billion battle droids to take care of the Emperor and keep Luke as far away as possible."

"No," Luke says insistently. "I need to face him. Battle droids alone won't be enough."

"Luke, you remember what happened the last time you fought him, don't you?!"

"Yes, I do. A stormtrooper shot me in the back when I was about to defeat him."

Vader adds, "And this time, Luke will not face him alone."

"I'm sorry, father, but I'm afraid I will."

"What?!" Vader bellows. "Luke, having me by your side will ensure victory against the Emperor."

"It would create a scenario in which the Emperor can't win," Luke agrees.

"Precisely."

"That's why the Emperor will run away if he sees us together."

Vader has to sit down. Luke is right and Vader knows it. There can only be one of them to face the Emperor. "Then let me go in your stead," Vader pleads.

"Father, you told me your suit was designed to conduct his lightning. The Emperor made it that way so you wouldn't be able to defeat him."

"Soon this imperfection will be removed like the other intentional design flaws."

"Soon, yes, but we need to take down the Emperor now. If the Empire is defeated, but the Emperor is still out there, who knows what he can do from the shadows as he tries to rebuild. This is our best chance to end him. I must face the Emperor alone."

Vader doesn't like it, but he can't argue anymore. "Then may the Force be with you."


A hundred dreadnoughts and ten Mon Calamari cruisers burst out of hyperspace above Coruscant. They easily tear apart the star destroyers of lesser number and make their way to the city. The Empire has many tie fighters in the sky, but each dreadnought has brought fighters of their own to do battle with them. Many of the dreadnoughts send down landing ships with millions of battle droids to fight their way to the building where the Emperor was last seen. The imperials shoot down many of the droids that march down the streets without cover, but it does not matter. There are millions more battle droids. The Rebellion can spare a few hundred thousand; especially today.

During this battle, Vader and Ahsoka are given a different job than Luke's. While Luke is on his way to face the Emperor himself, Vader and Ahsoka concentrate on weakening the enemy's numbers. Ahsoka and Vader rush into the battlefront and ignite their lightsabers. Ahsoka's blades are white just as they have been, but Vader has constructed a new lightsaber; one with a blue blade. As they run at the enemy and deflect incoming blaster bolts, Vader can actually keep up with Ahsoka at her top speed. Vader uses the Force to throw Ahsoka at the enemy. She flies through their ranks slices multiple stormtroopers with each swing of her lightsabers. When she lands, they try to shoot her, but Vader force-pulls her back and then Vader runs in, ramming his shoulder into a stormtrooper at high speed, knocking him into other troopers. Vader and Ahsoka rampage through the horde of stormtroopers, killing hundreds of them while the battle droids keep the enemy busy enough to not overwhelm them.

But there are more than stormtroopers to contend with. AT-ATs march toward them and tie fighters fly above them. Vader sees these problems as each the solution to the other. Vader uses the Force to pull a tie fighter off course, causing it to fly straight into the head of an AT-AT, obliterating its operators in a glorious explosion that rains debris on the troopers below. Setting her sights on a closer AT-AT that is rounding a corner, Ahsoka tells Vader, "I've got this one." She charges at the AT-AT and jumps onto its leg. With a few more leaps, Ahsoka makes her way to the AT-AT's knee. She uses her lightsaber to cut all the way through the joint and when the AT-AT tries to keep walking, it falls over, crushing many stormtroopers when it lands. But Ahsoka has successfully avoided injury with her graceful landing.

"Impressive," Vader complements.


Luke leads the charge to the building. He covers five destroyer droids, allowing them to roll into position, unravel themselves, activate their shield generators, and open fire. Stormtroopers aren't used to fighting destroyer droids. All they can think to do is keep shooting at the droids whose shield adsorb the bolts.

Suddenly, the Emperor rushes out the front doors and leaps into the battle, dressed in his disguise. Vader was right about him still being here. While deflecting or evading enemy bolts, the Emperor unleashes a storm of force-lighting that envelops the sphere shaped shields of the destroyer droids. One by one, the shield generators are overtaxed and give out, allowing the Emperor to electrocute them into oblivion. Without the destroyer droids to interfere, the stormtroopers focus on a fire fight with the other battle droids.

Luke and the Emperor stare at each other as they stand in the middle of the chaos. Everyone has Luke and the Emperor in their line of vision, but the stormtroopers don't want to accidently hit the Emperor and the droids are ordered not to fire at Luke. With Luke and the Emperor standing so close to each other, few of the troops from either side try to shoot at them. Blaster bolts fly on each side, almost making up walls to keep them in their arena.

Luke takes a calming breath. "I'll be thinking of my friends and my father," Luke says, calling back to one of their prior conversations.

The Emperor says nothing. He wishes to speak to Luke no longer.

They run at each other and their blades clash. Luke tells him, "You've always seen yourself as invincible. But I was helplessly restrained on a torture-chair and you still couldn't beat me."

Enraged, the Emperor kept one blade locked with Luke's, pushing both blades to the side. The Emperor uses his second blade to swing at him, but Luke backs away barely avoiding the strike. The Emperor pursues him and viciously swings at Luke many times. The Emperor is as furious as he is persistent. Luke blocks the attacks, but he keeps backing up in the process.

The Emperor feels a satisfying sense of superiority. But it won't last long.

Luke leaps over the Emperor, blocking an overhead strike from his opponent. Luke lands on the other side and hast to fight to keep from laughing at the fool who fell right into his trap. It occurs only now to the Emperor that when Luke was backing up, he was leading him nearer to the battle droids. Luke had used the Emperor's anger to make him do something careless and sloppy. Luke gets some distance from the Emperor, allowing the battle droids to shoot at him.

The Emperor deflects the blaster bolts back at the battle droids despite the many angles they come from. The Emperor is kept busy by the bolts that come from all around him. Luke patiently waits for the exact right moment.

NOW! Luke rushes the Emperor, lunging his lightsaber at him. The Emperor sees him coming almost too late. Another bolt is about to come at him as Luke attacks. Doing his best to block both attacks at once, the Emperor knocks Luke's blade off course, but it still ends up hitting the side of the Emperor's left arm.

The Emperor shrieks as he recoils and struggles to block subsequent attacks from Luke. Fearing more blaster bolts, the Emperor dashes to Luke's other side, trying to put Luke in the path of any more bolts. The droids hesitate to fire at the Emperor anymore, but Luke has already gained a lot from their help. Luke notices how the Emperor's left arm keeps shaking, how every strike from his left lightsaber hits much weaker than before.

Luke's strategy may have had a price to it however. Now that the Emperor has destroyed so many droids, the stormtroopers are gaining an advantage against them. The stormtroopers move forward, hoping to gain a clear shot of Luke. Soon there are few battle droids left to protect him. The stormtroopers find their cover around Luke and prepare to fire. The Emperor is pleased to see the tables about to turn. He gets some distance from Luke the same way Luke had before. But this time, as the Emperor dashes away, Luke takes advantage of his lowering defenses by force-pushing the helmet off of the Emperor's head, sending it flying away.

The Emperor lands on his back with his face clearly visible. Never the less, he points at Luke and shouts, "OPEN FIRE!"

Luke stands still, his eyes casually scanning the area. No one shoots at him. The stormtroopers stare at the face of the Emperor. Their world has been shattered by this devastating reveal. They can't bring themselves to obey his order; they're too rattled to think clearly, but the truth slowly settles in. He lied. The Rebellion told everyone that the Emperor was a Sith lord that controlled both sides of the Clone Wars. The Emperor denied it, but now they know he lied. The man they pledged to serve had done every terrible thing the rebels accused him of.

"I SAID OPEN FIRE!" the Emperor shouts, standing back up.

"They won't serve you anymore," Luke announces. No one denies it.

The Emperor looks around at the stormtroopers that refuse to follow orders. He is furious, but more than that, he is terrified. This is the death of his reputation. If the Emperor wasn't ruined before, he is now.

Luke tells the stormtroopers, "You should go. He may wish to eliminate the witnesses.

"DON'T GO!" the Emperor pleads in horror, confirming what Luke claims.

Luke runs at the Emperor to continue their battle, not letting him have a chance to kill any of the witnesses. The stormtroopers run for their lives. Some of them run back into the building, informing everyone they find about what they've seen.

As they fight, Luke says mockingly, "You put so much faith in the Dark Side. But look where it has gotten you."

"The Dark Side has made me the Emperor of the galaxy!"

"Pretending to be good is what made you the emperor. The Dark Side encourages the anger that blinded you to my plans. The Dark Side is what robbed you of everyone who was once loyal to you. You've lost every apprentice you've ever had and now you are losing your army. Failure is the way of the Sith; this is what you have chosen." Luke puts a bright smile on his face and says with joy, "You have made the whole galaxy to hate you. Even if you escape today, you'll never find anyone who will pledge their loyalty. You've lost everything and there is no way you'll ever get it back."

The Emperor is shaking with fear. Luke speaks the truth. His Empire is crumbling around him. Even now, the Emperor can see tie fighters explode and AT-ATs fall. His Empire is dying and, thanks to Luke and Vader, he will never be able to rebuild another. "I won't lose everything!" the Emperor desperately says, more to himself than to Luke. "I will still have my power."

"If you are so powerful, why did you need stormtroopers to defeat me for you?" Luke swings at the Emperor with three heavy strikes. "If you're so powerful, why haven't I turned? Why has my father left you to join me?" Luke swings three more times, increasing the Emperor's fear with each strike. "If you're so powerful, why is there a deep burn in your arm instead of mine? Why am I about to defeat you?"

Luke makes an incomplete move toward the Emperor, faking him out. The Emperor swings in terror at where he expects him to be, but Luke backs up without striking yet. The Emperor's blade passes by and his wrist is exposed. Luke moves his lightsaber in an upward swing, slicing off the Emperor's right hand. His anger, his lies, and now, his fear, has Luke used against him.

The Emperor screams in agony. He is left with his only lightsaber being held by his weakened arm. But he has no choice but to keep defending himself. When Luke strikes, the Emperor blocks, but he can't handle Luke's strength anymore. The Emperor falls to the ground, still trying to block with his one lightsaber in his one hand. Luke hammers down at him. With each strike, Luke pushes the Emperor's lightsaber closer to his own neck.

Quickly, the Emperor deactivates his lightsaber and gushes lightning out of his hand. Luke takes a few steps back as he blocks the lightning with his lightsaber. The Emperor had tried this the last time they fought. But the last time, the Emperor had both hands with which to cast his force-lightning. And the last time, there were troopers around to save him. Luke closes his eyes, drawing the lightning onto his blade with ease. The lightning becomes an extension of his lightsaber; it even changes from blue to green, now matching Luke's lightsaber. Luke leaps into the air with his twenty-foot blade comprised of green lightning. As he moves, he paints the air with green electricity. Luke swings the lightning in a clockwise motion and smashes the storm onto the Emperor. Luke lands and all the lightning dies away. Steam raises from the Emperor's body. He is defeated, he is broken, he is too weak to fight anymore, but he is still alive.

The Emperor pleads, barely able to speak, "Please, don't kill me. Please."

"My father told me he wished he had let you die the last time you said that," Luke says thoughtfully.

The Emperor casts his lightsaber aside as far as he can throw it in his condition. "You cannot strike me down when I am defenseless. . . . It is not the Jedi way."

Luke tightens his fist as he stares at the Emperor, deep in thought. He has heard much from Ahsoka about the Jedi way. Luke tells him calmly, "I am the one to decide what is the Jedi way now."

The Emperor's eyes are filled with even more fear than before. "No, please!"

Luke takes a deep breath and thinks about his friends and his father. They are going to be so much better off now. Luke slowly digs his lightsaber into the Emperor's heart. The Emperor gasps as the green blade sinks in. And he goes limp. The Emperor is dead.

Luke deactivates his lightsaber and pants his breaths of relief, triumph, joy, and almost disbelief. It's over. The Emperor is dead. Luke and Vader have destroyed the Sith.

Almost as if the timing was planned, the chaos around the city begins to die down. There are no more tie fighters in the sky nor AT-AT marching. Battle droids escort large groups of prisoners and the sounds of blaster fire is fading away. Vader and Ahsoka arrive, proud to see Luke triumphant against the Emperor.

"You did it," Ahsoka breathes.

Vader tells Luke, "This is a historic day thanks to you, Luke."

"I couldn't have done it without you," Luke says. "Either of you."

"So," Ahsoka says, "We defeated the Empire, brought freedom to the galaxy and ended the Sith. What's next?"

"Now, we will rebuild," Luke declares. "This time, it will be better. We will learn from history and never repeat the downfalls that came before. The new Republic will be protected by the new Jedi order."

"However you proceed, I will give you whatever help you ask for," Vader promises, putting a hand on Luke's shoulder. "The obstacles will be insignificant next to the combined might of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.

"No, the combined might of Luke and Anakin Skywalker," Luke corrects. The name Darth Vader may sound very enticing, but they both know where it came from.

"What about me," Ahsoka protests. "I'll be there for Luke, too."

"I did not wish to speak for you," Va- . . . Anakin replies. "I have wondered what path you would choose after the war."

"Wherever I'm going," Ahsoka says, putting a finger on Anakin's chest, "I'm taking you with me, Skyguy."

Luke looks up. "They look different now, don't they?"

"What looks different?" Anakin asks.

Luke keeps staring up and says in wonder, "The stars."

Anakin and Ahsoka look up as well. There is still sunshine, but some of the stars are visible in the blue sky. A galaxy once filled with despair is now an endless supply of possibility.

The End.


Author's Note: So that was Star Wars: The Unending. What do you think?

At first, I was planning on having the Emperor survive to the end of the story because the whole thing about this story is that it doesn't end where the original trilogy ended. But I decided that I had to kill the Emperor because I'm actually tired of the Emperor always being the villain of everything all the time. If I write Star Wars: The Unending 2, I'll be introducing a new faction instead of bringing back the old threats. (You know, I would do what the sequel trilogy should have done.) I actually already have an idea of what that new faction would be. You might be wondering what I'm planning to do with Leia after all that foreshadowing. Honestly, I have ideas to delve into with Leia, but I have not yet decided Leia's ultimate destination. Also, don't forget that the former inquisitors are still out there so they can obviously come back in a sequel. And we've got to see more of Vader and Ahsoka's relationship past the point where the get together. I know I've said this before, but make sure you're following me so you'll be notified if and when Star Wars: The Unending 2 begins.

(This next part was added in later.)

I have a YouTube Channel now. I review fictional couples, talking about how well they're written, how good their chemistry is and the story of how they get together. You'll be able to find me by typing into the search bar –

Couple Reviews by MVPKnight