Revenge of the Sith: Illustrated Screenplay: Star Wars: Episode III (11 page)

OBI-WAN quickly rushes up a stairway cut into the side of the sinkhole. It’s hard to see him. In an alcove, he carefully surveys the city, then quickly moves on.

109 (83) INT. UTAPAU—CITY—DRAGON CORRAL—DAY

OBI-WAN makes his way through the city, looking up at the tenth level with electro-binoculars from his utility belt. He tries to figure out how he is going to get up there. He hears strange bellowing cries and he investigates.

He comes across a corral filled with about half a dozen DRAGON-LIKE LIZARDS. SEVERAL WRANGLERS are standing around.

OBI-WAN walks up to the WRANGLERS and uses the Force with his slight hand movements.

O
BI-
W
AN:
I need transportation.

W
RANGLER:
(subtitled, in native tongue
) You need transportation.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Get it for me.

W
RANGLER:
(subtitled, in native tongue
) I will get it for you.

One of the WRANGLERS turns to the others and chatters away in his strange tongue. OBI-WAN walks along the line of DRAGON/LIZARDS, checking out each one. He looks at their teeth, legs, etc. Finally he pats one on the neck.

O
BI-
W
AN:
This one.

The WRANGLER brings the chosen one over to him.

W
RANGLER:
Boga. She answers to Boga.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Good girl, Boga.

OBI-WAN swings onto the back of the LIZARD. The beast rears up and scurries outside to the edge of the sinkhole.

110 EXT. UTAPAU—SINKHOLE WALL—LIZARD—DAY

The LIZARD BOGA rears up on her hind legs again, then climbs the wall of the sheer cliff and starts moving up toward the tenth level. The city appears to be deserted. OBI-WAN is alert to any movement.

111 INT. UTAPAU—CONFERENCE ROOM—GRAND CHAMBER—DAY

GENERAL GRIEVOUS stands before the COUNCIL OF SEPARATISTS, including NUTE GUNRAY, RUNE HAAKO, POGGLE THE LESSER, SHU MAI, SAN HILL, PO NUDO, WAT TAMBOR, and PASSEL ARGENTE. OBI-WAN hides above the assembly and watches intently.

G
ENERAL
G
RIEVOUS:
It won’t be long before the armies of the Republic track us here. I am sending you to the Mustafar system in the Outer Rim. It is a volcanic planet which generates a great deal of scanning interference. You will be safe there.

N
UTE
G
UNRAY:
Safe? Chancellor Palpatine managed to escape your grip, General, without Count Dooku. I have doubts about your ability to keep us safe.

G
ENERAL
G
RIEVOUS:
Be thankful, Viceroy, you have not found yourself in my grip . . . Your ship is waiting.

OBI-WAN is deep in thought.

112 (85) INT. UTAPAU—TENTH LEVEL—CONTROL CENTER—DAY

The JEDI removes his cloak and jumps down behind the GENERAL.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Hello, there!

G
ENERAL
G
RIEVOUS:
General Kenobi, you are a bold one. I find your behavior bewildering . . . Surely you realize you’re doomed.
(to droids
) Kill him!

About a HUNDRED BATTLE DROIDS surround OBI-WAN, GENERAL GRIEVOUS, and his BODYGUARDS. OBI-WAN looks around, then walks right up to GENERAL GRIEVOUS.

They stare at each other for a moment.

G
ENERAL
G
RIEVOUS:
Enough of this.

The BODYGUARDS raise their power staffs to knock OBI-WAN away, but OBI-WAN ducks as the deadly staffs whistle over his head. The Jedi’s lightsaber ignites, and OBI-WAN deftly cuts one BODYGUARD in two. His staff flies into the air and is caught by GENERAL GRIEVOUS. The other THREE BODYGUARDS attack OBI-WAN with an intense fury.

OBI-WAN uses the Force to release a piece of equipment from the ceiling. It drops on the BODYGUARDS, smashing them. OBI-WAN walks toward GRIEVOUS, slashing the last BODYGUARD to pieces. BATTLE DROIDS move toward OBI-WAN.

G
ENERAL
G
RIEVOUS:
Back away. I will deal with this Jedi slime myself.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Your move.

G
ENERAL
G
RIEVOUS:
You fool. I have been trained in your Jedi arts by Count Dooku himself. Attack, Kenobi.

His arms separate and grab all four lightsabers on his belt. His four arms create a flashing display of swordsmanship.

O
BI-
W
AN:
You forget I trained the Jedi that defeated Count Dooku!

OBI-WAN is hard-pressed to defend himself against the deadly onslaught. They fight across the control room as the BATTLE DROID SHARPSHOOTERS try to pick off the Jedi. OBI-WAN mounts a ferocious counterattack and cuts off one of GRIEVOUS’s hands.

A loud EXPLOSION is heard echoing throughout the sinkhole. GENERAL GRIEVOUS and OBI-WAN glance to the entrance of the control center and see CLONE TROOPS in the distance, attacking DROIDS in the sinkhole. On the far wall of the sinkhole, CLONES can be seen rappelling onto balconies.

O
BI-
W
AN:
I may not defeat your droids, but my troops certainly will.

G
ENERAL
G
RIEVOUS:
Army or not, you must realize you are doomed.

O
BI-
W
AN:
I don’t think so.

TWENTY CLONES suddenly rappel into the entrance of the control center, ray guns blazing. Chaos. Laser bolts fly everywhere as the DROIDS return fire. OBI-WAN attacks GENERAL GRIEVOUS, who defends himself vigorously with one of his bodyguard’s electro-staffs. OBI-WAN uses the Force to hurl GENERAL GRIEVOUS backwards. He falls onto a lower platform and OBI-WAN jumps down after him.

113 INT. UTAPAU—TENTH LEVEL—CONTROL CENTER—DAY

More CLONES rappel into the control center and blast away at the remaining DROIDS.

The JEDI cuts down several DROIDS as he races to the entrance of the control center. OBI-WAN spots GENERAL GRIEVOUS racing toward one of the landing platforms in the midst of the battle.

GENERAL GRIEVOUS jumps onto a WHEEL SCOOTER and takes off down the wall of the sinkhole. OBI-WAN whistles for his LIZARD BOGA, who runs to him. OBI-WAN jumps on.

114 EXT. UTAPAU—CLIFF AND LANDING PLATFORM—DAY

The chase begins. Obi-Wan drops his lightsaber while riding Boga.

115 EXT. CORUSCANT—SENATE OFFICE BUILDING—SUNSET

The sun is setting as the lights come on in the massive Senate Office Building. The sky is red.

116 (89) INT. CORUSCANT—CHANCELLOR’S OFFICE—SUNSET

PALPATINE listens to a delegation from the Senate, which includes PADMÉ and five other Senators: NEE ALAVAR, FANG ZAR, MALÉ-DEE, SWEITT CONCORKILL, and MON CALAMARI. ANAKIN stands to one side of PALPATINE.

P
ALPATINE:
I understand your reservations completely, Senator, and I assure you the appointment of Governors will in no way compete with the duties of the Senate.

P
ADMÉ:
May I take it, then, that there will be no further amendments to the Constitution?

P
ALPATINE:
I want this terrible conflict to end as much as you do, My Lady, and when it does I guarantee an immediate return to democracy . . .

P
ADMÉ:
You are pursuing a diplomatic solution to the war, then.

P
ALPATINE:
You must trust me to do the right things, Senator. That is why I am here.

F
ANG
Z
AR:
But surely . . .

The Chancellor turns on FANG ZAR.

P
ALPATINE:
I have said I will do what is right, that should be enough for your . . . committee.

P
ADMÉ:
On behalf of the “delegation of two thousand,” I thank you, Chancellor.

P
ALPATINE:
I thank you for bringing this to my attention, Senator.

PADMÉ gives ANAKIN a frustrated look, then turns and exits with the other FIVE SENATORS. PALPATINE turns to ANAKIN.

P
ALPATINE:
(continuing
) Their sincerity is to be admired, although I sense there is more to their request than they are telling us.

A
NAKIN:
What do you mean?

P
ALPATINE:
They are not to be trusted.

A
NAKIN:
Surely Senator Amidala can be trusted . . .

P
ALPATINE:
These are unstable times for the Republic, Anakin. Some see instability as an opportunity. Senator Amidala is hiding something. I can see it in her eyes.

A
NAKIN:
I’m sure you’re mistaken.

P
ALPATINE:
I’m surprised your Jedi insights are not more sensitive to such things.

A
NAKIN:
I simply don’t sense betrayal in Senator Amidala.

PALPATINE studies ANAKIN carefully and gives him a skeptical look.

P
ALPATINE:
Yes, you do, but you don’t seem to want to admit it. There is much conflict in you, Anakin.

117 INT. CORUSCANT—JEDI WAR ROOM—EARLY EVENING

KI-ADI-MUNDI, ANAKIN, YODA, MACE, CLONE COMMANDER CODY, and AAYLA SECURA talk via holograms.

C
LONE
C
OMMANDER
C
ODY:
Master Windu, may I interrupt? General Kenobi has made contact with General Grievous, and we have begun our attack.

M
ACE
W
INDU:
Thank you, Commander. Anakin, deliver this report to the Chancellor. His reaction will give us a clue to his intentions.

A
NAKIN:
Yes, Master.

ANAKIN leaves the room. COMMANDER CODY’s hologram disappears.

M
ACE
W
INDU:
I sense a plot to destroy the Jedi. The dark side of the Force surrounds the Chancellor.

K
I-
A
DI-
M
UNDI:
If he does not give up his emergency powers after the destruction of Grievous, then he should be removed from office.

M
ACE
W
INDU:
That could be a dangerous move . . . the Jedi Council would have to take control of the Senate in order to secure a peaceful transition . . .

K
I-
A
DI-
M
UNDI:
. . . and replace the Congress with Senators who are not filled with greed and corruption.

Y
ODA:
To a dark place this line of thought will carry us. Hmmmmm. . . . great care we must take.

118 (94) INT. CORUSCANT—CHANCELLOR’S OFFICE—EARLY EVENING

ANAKIN brings news to PALPATINE.

A
NAKIN:
Chancellor, we have just received a report from Master Kenobi. He has engaged General Grievous.

P
ALPATINE:
We can only hope that Master Kenobi is up to the challenge.

A
NAKIN:
I should be there with him.

P
ALPATINE:
It is upsetting to me to see that the Council doesn’t seem to fully appreciate your talents. Don’t you wonder why they won’t make you a Jedi Master?