Featured song:
1. "The Greatest Show" from The Greatest Showman
2. "Sound of Silence" Anna Kendrick version, from Trolls
Circus Performers/Acts:
Obi-Wan: Animal tamer
Crosshair & Ki-Adi: Jugglers
Ahsoka & Rex, Hunter & Indira: Aerial dancers
Carmine & Caroline: Acrobats
Kit Fisto & Aayla Secura: Drum Majors/Baton twirlers
Omega, Boba, Turha, and Tech: Trapeze
Plo Koon & Shaak Tii: Tightrope walkers
Comedia & Emeraldi: Clowns
Mace & Brenda: Fire dancers
Wrecker & Qui-Gon: Strong men
Echo: One man band
Anakin & Kara: Daredevils
Padme, Gabby, Lamenta, and Goldie: Horseback performers
Garrett & Mariposa: Magician and assistant
Elsewhere, it begins with the dark, and at first all is silent. But then the sound of a crowd's stomps and claps begins to sound.
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
A spotlight shines on a man in a sparkling red coat and top hat. The ringmaster Sheev Palpatine.
Palpatine:
Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for (whoa)
Been searching in the dark, your sweat soakin' through the floor (whoa)
And buried in your bones there's an ache that you can't ignore
Takin' your breath, stealing your mind
And all that was real is left behind
Don't fight it, it's coming for you, runnin' at ya
It's only this moment, don't care what comes after
Your fever dream, can't you see it gettin' closer?
Just surrender 'cause you feel the feeling takin' over (oh)
It's fire, it's freedom, it's floodin' open (oh)
It's a preacher in the pulpit and your blind devotion (oh)
There's something breaking at the brick of every wall, it's holding
All that you know (oh)
And soon more lights shined as it was time for the circus performers to make their debut for tonight's show.
Performers:
So tell me, do you wanna go?
Where it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are runnin' the night
Impossible comes true, it's takin' over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
There were all kinds of amazing acts in this circus. There was a group of girls who did tricks while riding a bunch of horses, a cat tamer, acrobats, dancers, and other performers who did all kinds of amazing death defying stunts.
The acrobats did so many flips and turns so perfectly, there were fire dancers who did tricks with flaming hoops and batons, and there were three siblings who did amazing tricks on the high wire
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watching it come true, it's takin' over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
colossal we come these renegades in the ring
(Whoa) where the lost get found and we crown 'em the circus kings
Don't fight it, it's coming for you, runnin' at ya
(Don't try to fight it, it's coming)
It's only this moment, don't care what comes after
(You know it's only this moment)
It's blindin', outshining (shining) anything that you know
Just surrender 'cause you're comin' and you wanna go
A man with a red bandana on his head and a beautiful pegasus mare with a bubble ponytail did some tricks together around the ribbons with another human male and a togruta female. They danced together on the ribbons so gracefully.
On the trapeze were a pair of young twins named Boba and Omega, as well as a togruta boy younger than them named Turha, and a grown man with glasses, named Tech. All of them did astounding flips and other stunts on the trapeze.
Where it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are runnin' the night
Impossible comes true, intoxicatin' you
Oh, this is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watchin' it come true, it's takin' over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
The magician, Garrett, and his lovely assistant and wife Mariposa came onto the stage, and Garrett made several beautiful butterflies fly out from his hat and dazzle the entire audience.
It's everything you ever want
It's everything you ever need
And it's here right in front of you
This is where you wanna be (this is where you wanna be)
It's everything you ever want
It's everything you ever need
And it's here right in front of you (this is what you want)
Then came the brother-sister daredevil duo Anakin and Kara on their motorcycles to do some death-defying stunts on a ramp and go through some flaming hoops, to everyone's astonishment. Each sibling revved up his or her bike and got through the entire act completely unscathed.
This is where you wanna be
This is where you wanna be
When it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are runnin' the night (oh, oh yeah)
Impossible comes true, it's taking over you (hee)
Oh, this is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watching it come true, it's taking over you
This is the greatest show
When it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are runnin' the night
Impossible comes true, it's takin' over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the walls can't stop us now
Watchin' it come true, it's takin' over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
'Cause everything you want is right in front of you
And you see the impossible is comin' true
And the walls can't stop us (now) now, (oh), yeah
This is the greatest show (oh)
This is the greatest show (oh)
This is the greatest show (oh)
This is the greatest show (oh)
This is the greatest show (oh)
This is the greatest show (oh)
(This is the greatest show)
This is the greatest show (oh) (this is the greatest)
This is the greatest show
The whole cast came together as fireworks filled the air for the big finish.
The whole crowd was roaring with applause as the grand finale was finished.
Palpatine cackled so happily when he saw how much money the show made over the last few nights. But the performers all looked less than happy. In fact, they all look scared and sad.
"Job well done, performers." said Palpatine as the performers were all placed into their trailers that looked more like jail cells. "Now we head on to our next destination.
Comedia lay her head in Ki-Adi's lap and started to cry, the Cerean petting her mane.
"It's going to be okay, Comedia." Ki-Adi told her.
Turha was crying in his mother's arms as they rode along. The bandages Shmi, the circus' nurse, placed on his hands to heal the bruises and scars he received from all the intense rehearsals didn't help either.
"Mommy..." Turha sniffled.
"Shh. Mommy's got you, Turha."
The children all looked sad too as their cells were covered. As their carriage drove along, they peered through small holes, and they could see other children in the distance, playing and having fun with their families.
"Grandpa?" Gabby looked up at Qui-Gon. "Are we ever going to get to be free like those other kids?"
Why exactly were they all in cells and how did they get here you may be wondering? Well, that second question shall be answered later. But, for the first question, in case you hadn't already guessed, the performers were slaves. And at least a few of them had actually been born into this lifestyle.
Ringmaster Palpatine forced everyone, cast and crew, to work day and night on their show. They were only allowed to rest after the show was over, then had to wake up super early to set up for the next show; they also had very little to eat, and all of them wore special collars. They all looked like red and gold necklaces, but they were actually shock collars, which if the performers disobeyed Palpatine or tried to escape, he pressed a button and electrically shocked them.
As you probably already know, the children were no exception to this rule. The moment each child born into the circus turned four, Palpatine had them fitted with a collar too, and their parents couldn't send them away for a fighting chance because Palpatine had the babies heavily guarded the moment they were born. But by now, the performers had enough! It was time they got out of there.
Over the last few years, the crew worked on saving what little money they had, and studied the patterns of the guards and the ringmaster. They had a plan to escape and run off to start new lives. But, that would have to wait until their next show.
The night of the first show at a warehouse in Mos Espa...
Obi-Wan snapped his whip as the ferocious tiger roared.
"Through the hoop!" he commanded.
And the tiger jumped through the hoop as commanded, the crowd cheering as the act went on.
Meanwhile, the other performers were reviewing the plan to escape. Tech, as it turned out, was excellent with technological stuff, so thanks to a little help from Indira's flexibility and placing a package by Palpatine's office, as well as the smallest children wriggling their way through air vents, he managed to get a hold of one of the extra shock collars in order to find a weakness, and now that he finally figured it out, he and the other performers came up with a plan to deactivate the collars and escape Palpatine forever.
"Alright, is everyone clear on the plan?" Anakin whispered to the kids.
"Yes, Daddy." Gabby said.
"Remember, everyone. Act natural, do your act, and the grand finale will be the last Palpatine ever sees from us."
"Let's hear it once again for Cat Taming Kenobi!" Palpatine clapped. "Now, children, get ready to laugh as we now welcome the Funny Filly Sisters."
Comedia entered, walking on her front forelegs, and she was dressed like the Mad Hatter, whereas Emeraldi walked in backwards, dressed up like a big flower. The two of them did all kinds of silly tricks and made all the kids laugh. And Comedia tried to make balloon animals, only to fall on her back when her horn popped them and startled her, which made the kids laugh even more, especially when she fell into Emeraldi or onto a drum and literally bounced back up.
Crosshair and Ki-Adi were part of this act too, juggling various items in their hands. While Crosshair was juggling oranges, Ki-Adi was juggling cupcakes.
Comedia licked her mouth, then started sneaking up on Ki-Adi, getting ready to pounce, and when she jumped on him, she got one cupcake, but knocked him into Crosshair, making both of them drop their juggling props. It was raining cupcakes and oranges, most of which fell onto the clowns and jugglers, but Comedia also caught an orange in her mouth for an orange smile that made a lot of audience members guffaw.
As the clowns were taking their bows, everyone else got ready for the grand finale no one would forget.
"Everyone clear on what to do?" Garrett said, getting his cape on.
"Crystal." Anakin said.
"Tech, you made sure Echo's instruments are all tuned correctly?"
"Absolutely," said Tech. "All the music-corns on board are clear on the correct pitch and their signal to go."
"Just be ready for the greatest disappearing act you'll have ever performed, mi amor." Mariposa said, kissing her husband.
"Alright, everyone. Here we go." Kit said, getting his baton out to lead everyone in.
Echo began to play the music and march with Kit as the other performers began to make their way out. Padme entered on a beautiful blue horse named Sapphire, and was joined by a parade of many other beautiful horses, the children all standing on the horses' backs and doing tricks. It wasn't even just them. Just about all the performers were marching out in a parade surrounding the center ring, Kara and Anakin at the end on their motorcycles, and they sped around the center ring where they got off their biked as there appeared a big cloud of blue smoke, and the two daredevils made a big announcement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls." Anakin announced.
"We, the performers of Sheev Palpatine's circus, are very proud to announce a very special performance starring Garrett the Great..."
"And his beautiful assistant, Mariposa."
Echo hit a gong to signal silence, and out from the smoke emerged Garrett all dressed up in a sparkling blue magician's outfit, and beside him appeared a beautiful woman also in blue with beautiful blue monarch wings.
"Hello and welcome everyone!" Garrett greeted, doing a little trick where he rolled his hat on his arm, and out popped some butterflies. "As you know, I am Garrett the Great, and my wife Mariposa and I have concocted a new trick just for you."
"A little trick we like to call Fire Escape." Mariposa said.
Garrett tossed down a smoke bomb, and spotlights hit various objects no doubt for the entire act.
According to the couple, in this act, an entire ring of fire would be set with a series of acts involving all the other performers. It involved an obstacle course with the horses. In this act, Garrett would ride Anakin's bike as the horses set up a bunch of fireworks, while Qui-Gon and Wrecker manned some forty-pound balls swinging back and forth, and then Garrett would jump to the trapeze and be caught by the aerial dancers so he could get to his wife as she was tied to a chair before the flames reached her. But, that was not the true intention for this act.
The only time the shock collars were turned off was during Garrett's magic act. Garrett's death defying magical stunts were the star attraction in the circus, and the perfect opportunity to unleash an escape act.
Music played, and the act began. The audience all watched in suspense as Garrett placed a helmet on and got the bike revved up.
Anakin and Kara lit the rings of fire, through which Garrett flew, and the horses all jumped through some more hoops and landed on some large buttons that set off lots of fireworks in all different colors.
People gasped as the forty pound balls began swinging back and forth. Even the guards couldn't keep their eyes off the stunt. That was when Padme moved the children to a safe distance, which happened to be near the fire alarm.
Garrett continued the act and jumped to the trapeze, and on cue, something went wrong in the form of the wire snapping, and Garrett swung into the aerial dancers, causing them to crash and knock the rings of fire over, and a fire began to spread!
"FIRE!" screamed Omega screamed, signaling the others to do their parts.
"This isn't part of the act!" Hunter shouted. "Everyone run!"
The audience all began running in a panic, which kept the guards distracted with trying to get everyone out.
Meanwhile, Tech grabbed his tablet and put together the correct codes to hack into the alarm system.
"Padme, now!" Tech said.
And Padme hit the fire alarm, which made a very loud noise, but also a lot higher than you might be used to hearing the fire alarm if you've ever been in a fire drill at the very least.
There were several roadblocks in escaping for the performers and crew, not just the collars. The guards were always watching during performances, sick cast and crew members were locked in the medical trailer until complete healed to prevent escape, the shock collars could only be taken off by special keys only Palpatine had (or if they were shorted out), and Palpatine threatened to put audience members in danger if the performers tried asking them for help or interacted them in any way outside of showtimes or meet and greets.
But, with the extra collar Tech got to study, he figured out a way to disable all the shock collars at once. It required a lot of calculating, planning, and of course everyone's cooperation to make it possible. Luckily, they were no strangers to performing death defying stunts, but this time they would be defying death in an even riskier manner than ever.
Garrett told Palpatine he'd come up with a new magic trick that would bring in a lot of publicity and extra money, which made it that much easier to convince the ringmaster to approve the act. He never suspected the performers would endanger anyone or attempt to escape during the show.
The plan was to start an "accidental" fire during the show, which would distract the guards and give Padme an excuse to hit the alarm, which Tech hacked into to create the right frequency to short out the shock collars and give them time to run.
Quickly, all the performers and crew members jumped onto the horses to ride away, and Obi-Wan and his wife Satine released the animals, which not only provided another distraction, but set the animals on their way to hopefully getting back to the wild.
The performers made it to the trailers outside and managed to quickly grab the supply bags they'd prepared in advance.
"Come on, everyone!" Garrett said. "Hurry!"
"Women and children on board first!" Anakin said, helping his wife and children onto Sapphire's back.
Everyone rode the horses as fast as they could run, rushing through alleys, jumping over vehicles, and flying in the clouds to avoid any guards who may have tried to follow them.
The group ran for a very long time until they came to an empty spot in the forest and stopped to take a rest.
"You think we lost them?" Ahsoka asked tiredly.
"I'd be surprised if we didn't." Anakin gasped, drinking some water and then giving some to Gabby.
"We're free." Comedia said, starting to smile. "We're free!"
"We're finally free!" Omega cheered.
"Oh yeah!" Wrecker cheered, and everyone else cheered too and hugged each other.
"No more Palpatine, no more circus for us!" Myra cheered, hugging her little brother.
"Does this mean we can go wherever we want now?"
"I'd say it does." Brenda said, but then she thought of something. "Except... we need to find work and a place to stay."
That rained on everyone's parade. Everyone looked down when they realized they hadn't thought that far ahead. What would they do for work? Where would they live? They managed to steal Palpatine's cash, but that wouldn't be enough to last them all forever.
"What are we gonna do?" Lamenta asked her parents.
For now, all they could do was set up camp and rest for the night.
Anakin and Obi-Wan got the children to help gather firewood, and they roasted some food they managed to smuggle from the concessions supply.
"I don't know yet, Sweetie." Carmine said, setting out some sleeping bags. "But we'll figure this out somehow."
"As long as we stick together," said Caroline. "There's nothing we can't do."
Carmine decided to get out his guitar to help lift everyone's spirits a little. While he was an acrobat in the circus, his true talent was in music and singing songs.
"How about a song before sleep, everyone?" Carmine said, strumming his guitar.
The children definitely loved the sound of that. So, Carmine strummed a sweet little melody on his guitar.
Carmine:
Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again (Carousella: hello)
Soon, some of the others began to sing and vocalize along.
Because a vision softly creeping
Carmine & children:
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Everyone:
Within the sound of silence
That made everyone young and old start to feel better. Soon, everyone was getting curled up and falling asleep. They didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but they knew if they stuck together, they would find a way.
As a new day began, the former circus workers began walking together as a group with Qui-Gon leading the way, having served as the leader of the pack for as far back as anyone could remember.
The group traveled on foot for what felt like forever, walking and gathering supplies by day, hiding and camping by night. They often scattered down multiple paths to the same destination on order to make themselves harder to find in case Palpatine came looking for them.
They didn't know where they would stop permanently or when, but they did know that all they could do was hope and pray for a miracle.