Script draft - The Assembled Dead
Speculations and Drafts, Star Wars May 13th, 2005Note - I think some as-yet unspecified event brings Luke’s grief for his father to the surface. Further, he may feel rage over a sense of betrayal. In THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK he called to Ben for closure, and hasn’t had it. I think he wants three things - 1)The ability to grieve for his newfound identification with his father 2)His father back - which he doesn’t realize right now - too much distraction with greif and also distraction with 3)His mentor back and a sense that someone in the universe understands him.
Someone said not to make a person’s objective to be understood/loved. Why? On the contrary I think this is the core objective of most people: the paradox is that acceptance comes (from those who will give it) when you understand and accept them first.
Also - I employ what I suppose must be an archetype here: sight of the sightless. The 3rd Matrix film used it and probably pulled it from the “collective unconsious” of humanity.
EXT. TATTOOINE ? BEN KENOBI’S ABANDONED HOME ? DUSK
A lone X-wing lowers to Ben’s home and lands. A figure jumps out of the X- wing and runs to the entrance of Ben’s home. It is Luke, his soul rent and enraged. R2-D2 lowers out of the X-wing droid slot and follows Luke into the home.
INT. ? BEN KENOBI’S HOME - FRONT ENTRY
Luke runs into the home in a furor, forgetting to close the door. Standing in the front entry and calling for Ben, who doesn’t show, Luke flies into a rage of SCREAMING AT BEN/VADER, his two fathers, and while he is at it Owen, about abandonment and turmoil (writ unknown). It is more than he can bear and he settles into a post-traumatic memory burial trance. The trauma won’t bury. His unconscious is aware of available help: consciousness isn’t. It exhausts him and he collapses unconscious.
EXT. - BEN KENOBI’S HOME ? NIGHT SANDSTORM ?
The sandstorm SCREAMS VIOLENTLY across the land. Impenetrable, powerful dark umber and orange gashes of sand SCREAM ENDLESSLY along our view.
INT. ? BEN KENOBI’S HOME ? MAIN ROOM
The SCREAMING of the sandstorm continues outside. Luke lies unconscious on the ground. R2 has dragged Luke into the main room and sealed the inner door. LUKE’S POV - All is deaf silent as Luke awakens. His bearing is off. 3RD POV - the sandstorm screams outside; Artoo CHIRPS a greeting to luke. LUKE’S POV - DEAD SILENT - Luke recollects consciousness and remembers why he is here. Vader, the unburied dead. Horror, grief. He inhales slowly, exhales sharply:
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- LUKE
- (MUTED)
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- Vader. Father.
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BREAKING THE SILENCE, a familiar voice calls him accross the desert plains outside -
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- AUNT BERU
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- Luke! - Luke!
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He takes measured and determined steps towards the exit of the home. 3RD POV - SCREAMING STORM and Artoo makes some WARNING SCREAMS, WHISTLES AND CHIRPS, which Luke does not hear at all. LUKE’S POV - SILENCE:
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- LUKE
- (MUTED)
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- Stay put Artoo.
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EXT. ? BEN KENOBI’S HOME - ENCLOSED PORCH - NIGHT SANDSTORM
3RD POV ? SCREAMING SAND beats upon and half-conceals the view to the home’s sealed inner door. The door slides open. LUKE’S POV - SILENCE - Luke does not see the storm.
EXT. ? BEN KENOBI’S HOME - ENCLOSED PORCH - NIGHT SANDSTORM/CALM
Luke sees only a calm night horizon outside of Ben’s home. AUDIENCE POV - Artoo gives a SUSTAINED SCREAM as WIND AND SAND SCREAMS through the front entryway, toppling the droid. Luke is unnafected by the OVERPOWERING GUSTS. Calm, he continues his measured paces outside. Sand sears directly into his wide-open eyes, tearing at his eyeballs and causing his eyes and sockets to bleed severely. This he also does not notice as he heads outside of the home.
EXT. - BEN KENOBI’S HOME - TATTOOINE DESERT IN NIGHT VISION
LUKE’S POV - Above the horizon Luke sees A VENERABLE FIRESTORM OF STARS, and A SWEEPING ARC OF THE GALAXY’S SPIRAL ARM. He sees TATOOINE’S TWIN SUNS, unnaturally distant as if he is at the edge of Tatooine’s solar system. It is cold. GREEN AND RED NEBULAIC ENTITIES SWIM THROUGH THE DOME OF THE SKY. 3RD POV - SAND SCREAMS, GUSTS, GASPS. Luke walks through the storm towards the twin suns, still unnafected by wind. The hurricane sand now gashes deep into his eye sockets; his eyes are destroyed. Gouts of blood tear out of his eyes and all over his face. LUKE’S POV - he turns and surveys the upward sky.
As he approaches the twin suns a GHOST WOMAN apparates, walking towards him, wind gently pulling her hair and gown. Luke approaches her and she regards him. He knows who she is.
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- LUKE
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- Mother.
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He is overcome and approaches to embrace; she raises a hand. He stops. She turns to introduce GHOSTS behind her. A HOST unfolds to Luke’s eyes. Many of them wield lightsabers. Luke is stunned. He looks to his mother for explanation. She turns and makes a broad gesture to the sky. A large apparition of Vader’s helmet overlays the sky in Luke’s view. Luke turns his gaze to it, haunted, then back to the host, wondering who they are -
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- LUKE
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- Who? -
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He realizes who they are.
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- LUKE
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- You .. he murdered you. All of you.
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He regards them with horror and reverence. They regard him expectantly. He doesn’t know what to do. He is deeply perturbed.
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- LUKE
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- .. What do you want?
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His mother indicates the sky again. The visage of the front of the helmet diminishes; there, beneath Vader’s helmet, Luke sees all the remnants of a tormented, disfigured, scarred human face. His father.