Duel on Byss

"Did you really think you could conquer me by coming here to my throne world?"

- Palpatine

The Duel on Byss was a battle between Luke Skywalker and Palpatine in the latter's clone labs on Byss.

Catalysts


After Luke Skywalker made a partial turn to the Dark Side of the Force and became apprentice to Palpatine, his sister; Leia Organa Solo; travelled to Byss in an attempt to rescue him. Unfortunately, she only succeeded in getting herself, Han Solo, Chewbacca and C-3PO captured. Palpatine was quick to take advantage of this and attempted to turn Leia to the Dark Side as well. Tempting her with a Jedi Holocron he had in his possession, and stirring her anger by revealing his twisted intentions for her unborn child, his attempt backfired and she fled in anger.

Aided by Luke, who had been secretly sabotaging the Emperor's scemes, she fled along with Han, Chewbacca, C-3PO and R2-D2. Furvished with the master control codes for the World Devastators attacking Mon Calamari, she allowed the New Republic forces to win the battle.

Meanwhile, Luke finally engaged in open rebellion against Palpatine.

The Duel
"Skywalker! I sense your presence...how did you get in here? The clone lab is sealed...my moment of transference is close...no one is allowed in hear now. I have come to prevent the transition."

- Palpatine and Luke Skywalker

As the Emperor's current clone body lay dying in the lab, Luke Skywalker stormed in and confronted Palpatine, lightsaber drawn. When Palpatine threatened to transfer his conscienceness into Skywalker himself, Luke called his bluff. Sitting back, Palpatine allowed his current body to die in a flash of Force energy. Realizing that Palpatine could only enter a living body, Luke went on a destructive spree through the clone lab, shattering one tank after another, sending Palpatine's genetic offspring to mindless, babbling deaths.

Unfortunately, one of the bodies was not quite dead.



"Too late, Skywalker, too late."

- Palpatine

Rising to his feet in his new body, the Dark Lord of the Sith faced the Jedi Master. Arrogantly stating his belief in Luke's inferiority, Palpatine was smashed against one of the walls of the lab by a Force Push, Skywalker's retaliation.

"You forget, I am a Jedi Master now...and I know something about the Dark Side Does you Dark Side knowledge tell you how many other so-called "Jedi Masters" failed to vanquish me? Does your knowledge tell you that I have already beaten you?"

- Luke Skywalker and Palpatine

Seizing one of the lightsabers; relics of the Jedi Purge; mounted on the wall next to him, Palpatine ignited it and charged Luke. Gathering strength moment by moment, the young Emperor lashed out with the Jedi weapon, pushing Skywalker to his limits. Despite his mastery of Form V lightsaber combat, Luke is forced to draw on all his resources simply to parry the Emperor's blows. Locking blades, they briefly spoke.

"You have filled the Galaxy with your darkness...but I have seen what my Father could not see... I have seen that ultimately the Dark Side will fail! Jedi fool! In spite of the stories you tell yourself, I am the stronger...did I not warn you? Now take the consequences of your failure, like your father before you!"

- Luke Skywalker and Palpatine

In a sudden display of incredible strength, Palpatine pushed forward, swinging his lightsaber downwards, flicking Luke's weapon aside and causing the Jedi to lose balance and fall backward. Holding the Jedi at bladepoint, Palpatine completed Luke's turn to the Dark Side, reducing him to a subservient watchdog.

Aftermath
"We are going to find your sister! I want my Holocron and I want your sister's child. I am going to crush this rebellion once and for all!"

- Palpatine

Palpatine immediately afterwards journeyed to the Pinnacle moon in his flagship; Eclipse; with a subservient Luke Skywalker in two. Contacting the New Republic leaders, he demanded the presence of Leia and the return of his Jedi Holocron, and promised to discuss a truce with the Republic. Leia complied to the Emperor's demand for her presence, but left the Holocron behind. Thanks to her, Luke manages to shake off the shroud of the Dark Side completely and turns on Palpatine. After a swift rematch, Luke wins but Palpatine, in a display of defiance, summons a Force Storm and begins to destroy the Republic fleet. Luke and Leia band together and temporarily cut off Palpatine's connection to the Force, and thusly control of the Force Storm. While the wayward storm destroys Eclipse and kills Palpatine, Luke and Leia flee, and Luke announces his plans to rebuild the Jedi Order.

Unfortunately, Palpatine manages to resurrect himself once again.

Behind the Scenes

 * This duel is one of the shortest lightsaber duels illustrated in a comic, taking up a grand total of three panels over the course of two pages.
 * Also, this is the first lightsaber duel to have both the Jedi and Sith Lord involved wielding blue lightsabers. It would not be the last.