by Ian Doescher
Give Poe authority to make attack.
OFFICER
Black leader, to thy sublights. On thy call!
[Exeunt Leia, Admiral Statura, C-3PO, and officer.
POE
Thy words I do receive with joy and hope!
Now is the time for Poe to make his mark—
I dwelt alone within a world of moan,
And my soul was a stagnant tide until
I met the brave Resistance and did learn
The purpose of my life, profound and firm:
To use my skills to be a pilot brave
And true unto a cause I champion.
The principle for which I learn’d to live,
I would most happ’ly perish for, as well.
[To other pilots:] Now are we almost in the range to strike—
Aim on the oscillator powerful.
Pray, mark the target in its center spot,
And hit it forcefully with all ye have!
YOLO
I drop from lightspeed even now, Black Leader.
SNAP
Approaching target now!
NIEN
—Ungate-oh!
Enter GENERAL HUX and COLONEL DATOO aside, in base.
HUX
The cry is still “They come!” Our base’s strength
Will laugh a siege to scorn! Yea, let them come!
Dispatch our squadrons fierce.
DATOO
—Yea, general.
[Exeunt General Hux and Colonel Datoo.
SNAP
Direct hit!
ELLO
—Yet no damage doth result.
The oscillator is, I fear, too strong.
POE
We must continue with our strike—keep on!
Another bomb attack we make anon.
Through all the flimsy things we see at once,
Let us remember this: when that the sun
Doth disappear from sight, the weapon is
Prepar’d to fire again. Yet whilst there’s light,
We have a chance to win the day, my friends.
We must press on toward the victory,
Maintaining our endeavors in the field.
But soft, behold our newfound company—
TIE fighters rising from the enemy!
[Exeunt all, in confusion.
SCENE 1.
Inside Starkiller Base.
Enter HAN SOLO, CHEWBACCA, and FINN.
FINN
The blast door by these charges can be fell’d.
I shall draw fire, but need your cover, too.
HAN
Say truly: art thou ready for this fight?
Enter REY aside, climbing on a wall to escape.
FINN
Ha, nay! Thou seest my face and know the truth,
I am of this encounter terrified.
A stronger influence works on me, though:
My longing to discover my kind friend.
The shields are down, thus to our final task:
We’ll find sweet Rey and take her from this place,
Though troopers follow nearly at our backs—
We must be ready for that consequence.
There is, nearby, an access tunnel for—
[Han motions toward Rey with his chin.
What is this motion that o’ertakes thy face?
Say wherefore dost thou jut thy chin just so?
Is this some signal known to smuggler folk?
Or, senses fled, thou frantic hast become?
Dost fly to madness and begin to twitch?
I stand here, planning for the next endeavor,
And thou, so steep’d in fear, can but convulse?
HAN
I prithee, Bigness, stop thy mouth and look.
Talk less, smile more; throw not away thy shot.
[Finn turns and sees Rey.
Rey, art thou well?
REY
—Indeed.
HAN
—O, thank’d be Fate.
FINN
What happen’d to thee? Wert thou foully harm’d?
If thou wert hurt, I vengeance shall require.
REY
No injury to speak of, by my troth.
I’ll warrant, though, it is thy turn to speak:
Finn, wherefore hast thou come unto this place?
FINN
We made return for thee.
REY
[aside:] —O, blessèd words,
Which I so many years have long’d to hear,
Though not from this mouth in this circumstance.
Still, how they sweetly ring within mine ears!
CHEWBAC.
Egh, auugh!*22
FINN
—What did the fine Chewbacca say?
REY
He doth report ’twas thy idea to come
And rescue me. Ne’er have I such friend had.
[Rey and Finn embrace.
My many thanks.
FINN
—How didst thou flee thy bonds?
REY
I cannot say, and thou wouldst not believe.
Some other time I’d tell thee ev’rything.
HAN
While this fond scene is touching in th’extreme,
Perhaps escape anon, embrace hereafter?
To hug a lov’d one is a sacred thing—
Far better, though, if both remain alive.
[They run from the base outside into the snow.
Alas, our friends are troubl’d in their task.
Behold our X-wings, flying o’er the ground:
They have arriv’d in safety, only to
Be doggedly pursued by enemies.
I see one fall e’en now—Furillo’s ship,
If still mine older eyes do see aright.
The ground fire coupled with the vile TIE fighters
May be too much. I see they have not yet
The oscillator damag’d or destroy’d.
In short: we cannot leave, we’ve more to do.
Chewbacca hath a bag of jolly treats—
Explosives that shall work their alchemy
Upon this base. I say, ’tis time to use them.
Methinks it is the best help we can proffer.
Enter GENERAL LEIA ORGANA, C-3PO, and an OFFICER above, on balcony.
OFFICER
Good general, have you seen this report?
Two more X-wings have fallen—half our fleet
Hath by the cruel First Order been destroy’d.
What shall we do? Is’t time to sound retreat?
C-3PO
Their weapon shall be fully charg’d in but
Ten minutes. O, what pain to see this day!
’Twould take a miracle to save us now.
[Exeunt Leia, C-3PO, and officer.
HAN
[to Rey:] We’ll enter to the oscillator if
Thou canst undo th’electric doors and earn
Us access to the grand control room.
REY
—Yea,
The circuitry herein is plain enow.
I’ll warrant it shall open in a trice—
We’ll do the deed and follow after ye.
[Rey and Finn enter a maintenance hatch.
A life of scavenging upon Jakku—
Of learning all the inward parts of ships,
Becoming too familiar with their guts,
And seeing their construction and their wires—
Prepar’d me fully for this moment here.
The complicated system of electrics
Are like a puzzle longing to be solv’d—
E’en as I look upon it I can see
The pattern and the key that lies therein.
I’d ne’er believe I would be thankful for
The many years I spent at foraging.
Yet here, they testify their boundless worth:
My past informs and guides my present moment
And still
may lead my future, come what may.
[Rey manipulates the controls and the doors open. Exeunt Rey and Finn.
HAN
She doth the knotty task with seeming ease;
The knowledge of the girl is true.
CHEWBAC.
—Egh, auugh.*23
HAN
The doors are open. Let us, then, proceed.
Pray, let us lay a charge at ev’ry column.
CHEWBAC.
Egh, egh.*24
HAN
—Thou hast it better, friend, than I;
A vertical assault is more complete.
Thou shalt ascend above and lay the bombs.
Meanwhile, I shall with charges go below.
Take thou the detonator with great care,
And we shall meet once more upon this spot.
[Han and Chewbacca separate and begin setting explosives.
Enter KYLO REN and STORMTROOPERS.
KYLO
I bid ye, find the foes who come herein.
My senses tell me they do hide e’en now.
[Stormtroopers search the area.
HAN
[aside:] My son. There doth he stand and walk and live,
I cannot look on him and see a foe—
No enemy walks there, but my sweet boy.
O, how the memories o’ertake my soul:
The news that was deliver’d unto us,
The happy expectation of a child,
The introduction unto parenthood,
The pure and perfect infant whom we held
Whilst he did smile and coo, e’en when he was
Mewling and puking in his mother’s arms—
No matter: he was flawless in our eyes.
O, how he alter’d e’en a smuggler’s life!
I learn’d to be the pilot of a cradle,
To steer the ast’roid field of fatherhood,
To sing a roughhewn scoundrel’s lullaby,
To change soil’d clothes as fast as lightspeed’s pace.
When young, his smile could light a darken’d room,
He play’d with zeal, with fervent joy and glee,
Approach’d the world with wonder and delight,
Which—seeing ev’rything through his two eyes—
Instructed me and Leia thus to see.
His mother and I both were thunderstruck,
In love with our dear child, in love with life,
In love with th’myst’ry of the galaxy
That brought such tender happiness to us.
Full many nights we’d lie awake and watch
Him as he slept, in silent adoration,
E’en when we were exhausted to the bone:
A newfound parent’s privilege and folly.
Ne’er could we think, those ages now gone hence,
That I would face him on a battlefield,
That he’d be counted with our enemies,
That he would choose to talk with evil men,
That he should come to hate his given name.
O, Solo soul that learn’d to sing duet,
Then learn’d a trio melody so fine,
Be strong but loving in this moment. [To Kylo Ren:] Ben!
[Kylo Ren turns to see Han Solo. Chewbacca and the stormtroopers freeze, watching the encounter.
KYLO
Han Solo. Long have I awaited this.
Enter REY and FINN above, on balcony, observing the scene.
HAN
Remove thy mask; thou need’st it not with me.
KYLO
What dost thou think shall be reveal’d beneath,
Were I to take it off?
HAN
—My son’s dear face.
[Kylo Ren removes his mask.
[Aside:] A boy no longer, now a man complete.
The shadows of his boyhood I can see,
Yet hidden deep within his manly visage.
KYLO
Thy son is gone. The boy was weak, indeed,
Too soft and foolish, like his father is.
He was an errant and misguided child—
I did, therefore, destroy thy son with pride.
HAN
Nay, ’tis what Snoke desires that you believe,
Yet it hath not the ring of truth. My son,
My dear and only son, he liveth still,
And thou art he, and he, my son, is thou.
The two of you, who art one, both are lov’d.
KYLO
Thou speakest like a jester and a fool,
Whereas my leader Snoke is passing wise.
HAN
Snoke is not wise—the word is devious.
He doth but use thee for thy mighty pow’r.
Once he obtains what he seeks, thereupon
Shall he destroy thee—verily, thou know’st.
KYLO
[aside:] How these words sting, and how my soul doth yearn
To feel, once more, the favor of my father.
I must be strong, remembering the truth
To which I have been led by Leader Snoke
And not the vain, false comfort offer’d by
The one whom I did once a father call.
O, let my actions here be firm and sure,
Rejecting what he’d proffer unto me
And thus embracing darkness. [To Han:] ’Tis too late.
HAN
Nay, never. Come, return unto thy home.
We miss thy gentle presence in our lives.
’Tis not too late—’tis ne’er too late, my son.
KYLO
I do confess that I am torn asunder.
From all this pain I fain would be set free.
I know what I must do, yet fear I’ve not
The strength to make it so. O, wilt thou help?
[Kylo Ren reaches to hand Han his lightsaber.
HAN
Of course, whate’er thou wishest, my sweet boy—
Thou bring’st and e’er did bring me such great joy.
KYLO
[aside:] Beyond the chamber dies the light outside,
An ’twere the light within my very soul—
Thus in my core doth darkness reign at last.
[Kylo Ren turns on his lightsaber and runs Han through.
HAN
My son, whose face is still so dear to me—
O, how I see thy mother still in thee.
Dear Leia, who did love this scoundrel so,
I’ve fail’d thee, could not save our boy from woe.
Mount, mount, my soul! Thy seat is up on high,
Whilst my gross flesh sinks downward, here to die.
[Han Solo dies.
KYLO
My thanks, old man, thou giv’st me what I need.
CHEWBAC.
Auugh! Auugh!*25
FINN
—Fine Solo!
REY
—Nay, let this not be;
O, Han, thou’rt like a father unto me!
[Chewbacca, Rey, and Finn begin firing at Kylo Ren and the stormtroopers, who begin shooting back. Chewbacca shoots Kylo Ren in the side, and he stumbles.
KYLO
Foul Wookiee, thou hast hit me in the side,
Yet I’ll be sworn I soon shall have thy hide!
[Exit Chewbacca. Exeunt Finn and Rey severally. Exeunt Kylo Ren and stormtroopers.
Enter GENERAL LEIA ORGANA on balcony, taken aback as she senses that HAN has died.
LEIA
[sings:] The Force doth move me, works me woe,
My Han hath fallen, this I know.
O, death, thou cometh for my Han—
Sing lackaday, my love is gone.
Sing hey and lackaday,
My love hath gone away.
Such torment works within my soul,
An ’twere I had been shatter’d whole,
O, Fate, thou cometh for my Han—
Sing lackaday, my love is gone.
Sing hey and lackaday,
My love hath gone
away.
My dear, we had too little time,
To revel in our joy sublime,
O, end, thou cometh for my Han—
Sing lackaday, my love is gone.
Sing hey and lackaday,
My love hath gone away.
[Exit Leia.
* * *
*22 Editor’s translation: Thou shalt be giv’n more reason for surprise:
’Twas Finn’s design to come and rescue thee.
*23 Editor’s translation: Then why have we not offer’d her a job?
*24 Editor’s translation: Nay, listen to my counsel in this instance:
This chamber is so wondrous tall and broad—
Should we not separate and lay a charge
Both up above and down below as well?
*25 Editor’s translation: Nay, nay, thou noble man, thou canst not die,
I’ll not allow it, never shall it be.
Thou art too proud for death’s dark, humbling fall,
Thou art too good for murder’s evil road,
Thou art too witty for death’s dismal pall,
Thou art too sly for murder’s clumsy step.
This cord of fate I shall untie, reverse,
Pull out the stitches, thread thy life anew,
Rewrite the scene that hath been author’d here
And put thee once more in a starring role.
O, misery beyond a Wookiee’s sense—
I had no heart until thou wert my friend,
No mind until I learn’d to think with thee,
No soul until we piloted as one.
How many hours and days have we two shar’d?
How many meals spent laughing in the air?
How many enemies sidestepp’d or dodg’d?
How many loads of treasure smuggl’d we?
O, I shall never know thy like again,
With grief Chewbacca’s life shall e’er be fill’d.
If I do smile again, ’twill be too soon,