Duel on Death Star II

"You must confront Vader."

- Yoda to Luke Skywalker

The Duel on Death Star II was the final, climactic lightsaber duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. It was the duel that redeemed Anakin Skywalker, led to Galactic Emperor Palpatine's first death minutes later and earned Luke Skywalker the title of Jedi Knight. It was an integral part of the Battle of Endor.

Prelude
"Welcome, young Skywalker...I'm looking forward to completing your training."

- Palpatine



On the forest moon of Endor, Luke Skywalker turned himself in to Imperial troops. When questioned, he denied the fact that he was part of a team of Rebel commandos. Vader took custody of Luke and dismissed the commander to search for the Rebel team. Luke tried to convince Vader to come with him and forsake the Dark Side. Vader refused, stating it was too late for him to turn from the pull of the Dark Side.

Vader transported Luke to the Death Star and led him into the Emperor's throne room. Palpatine immediately began tempting Luke, trying to seduce him to the dark side of the Force. Luke resolutely refused to give in. Palpatine revealed to Luke that the entire battle was a trap he had orchestrated to destroy the rebellion. Luke taunted the Emperor, telling him that his overconfidence was his weakness. The Emperor answered back that Luke's greatest weakness was his faith in his friends.

"Your overconfidence is your weakness." "Your faith in your friends is yours."

- Luke Skywalker and Emperor Palpatine

Luke witnessed the arrival of the Rebel fleet in the system and the start of the space battle. It was then that Palpatine revealed another secret, pushing to incite Luke's anger. Luke watched helplessly as the Death Star fired its superlaser, destroying the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser Liberty. Luke still refused to give in to his anger. The Emperor continued taunting him, telling Luke that all his friends and the entire rebellion would soon be destroyed.

The Duel


Palpatine could feel his anger and tempted Luke to strike him down and complete his journey to the dark side. Luke gave in to the anger and used Force pull to bring his lightsaber to his hand. He struck out to kill the Emperor, but Vader ignited his lightsaber and blocked the attack. Palpatine smiled in satisfaction. Vader and Luke battled on the dais before the Emperor's throne until Luke managed to kick his father down the steps. He then shut down his weapon stating he did not want to fight. Vader climbed the stairs and took advantage of Luke's powered-down lightsaber. Luke was able to ignite his saber just in time to block Vader's blow. Luke them jumped to a walkway out of Vader's reach and attempted to reason with his father. Luke stated he could feel the conflict in Vader. Vader locked his lightsaber blade on and telling Luke there was no conflict, hurled his lightsaber at the walkway, cutting through the support beams, causing Luke to fall.

"Your thoughts betray you, father. I feel the good in you...the conflict." "There is no conflict."

- Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader



Luke safely landed from his fall and hid in the darkness from Vader. Vader began to taunt Luke, telling him the only way to save his friends was to give in. Sensing Luke's thoughts, Vader learned that Luke had a twin sister. Vader then threated Luke, telling him if he would not turn to the dark side, perhaps Leia would. Outraged by the threat, Luke charged and viciously attacked Vader. Giving in and using his anger to fuel his attack, Luke drove Vader back, caused him to lose his footing and cut off the Sith Lord's right hand. Pleased, the Emperor approached Luke and ordered him to fulfill his destiny and replace Vader as his apprentice. Luke looked at his own artificial hand, then at the severed hand he had just taken from his father. Realizing his actions had been of the dark side, Luke disengaged his lightsaber and threw it away, telling Palpatine he was a Jedi, like his father, and he would never join the dark side.

Luke's torture


"I am a Jedi, like my father before me." "So be it, Jedi."

- Luke Skywalker and Emperor Palpatine

Palpatine, realizing that his attempt to corrupt him had failed, hurled Force lightning at Luke. The Emperor could have killed Luke easily, but chose instead to torture him. Vader dragged himself to his feet and watched his son being tortured. After several moments, the tiny part of Anakin Skywalker that remained in Vader broke through, being unable to allow Luke to die in agony at the hands of the Sith. He turned on the Emperor, picked him up and threw him down a shaft leading to the main reactor at the Death Star's core. Palpatine was dead.

Aftermath


Darth Vader had redeemed himself, though at the cost of his own life. Palpatine's Force lightning had shorted out Vader's life support system. Luke dragged his dying father to Vader's shuttle. Here, on the deck of the hangar bay, Vader told Luke to remove his mask. He wanted to look at his son face to face. Luke complied, and upon removing the mask, Darth Vader smiled at seeing his son's face with his own eyes. Darth Vader told Luke he had been right about there still being good in him, and asked him to tell Leia that he had been right. After that request, Darth Vader died. Luke mourned his father's death and flew with his body down to the surface of Endor. There, Luke built a traditional Jedi funeral pyre and burned the armor that his father had occupied. Anakin Skywalker's body, however, had disappeared upon his death.

Behind the scenes
George Lucas has stated that Anakin Skywalker's body did disappear in the same manner that Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda's bodies had at their deaths, and that only Vader's armor was burned on the funeral pyre.

Appearances

 * X-wing Alliance
 * Shadows of the Empire (novel)
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (novel)
 * Return of the Jedi (radio drama)
 * Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader
 * LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
 * Truce at Bakura