Revenge of the Sith: Illustrated Screenplay: Star Wars: Episode III (2 page)

O
BI-
W
AN:
They overshot us . . .

The second missile streaks next to Obi-Wan’s Fighter and EXPLODES. Obi-Wan’s ship rocks, and R-4 SCREAMS as the Starfighter rips through the explosion. Debris flies all around them.

A
NAKIN:
They’re coming around!

O
BI-
W
AN:
All right, Arfour. No, no. Nothing too fancy.

A
NAKIN:
Surge all power units, Artoo! Stand by the reverse thrusters.

ANAKIN spins his starfighter. The missiles spin and collide.

A
NAKIN:
We got ’em, Artoo!

Two missiles continue to track Obi-Wan.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Flying is for droids.

Suddenly, OBI-WAN shudders, and his ship starts to plummet toward the surface of the Trade Federation Cruiser.

The trailing missiles fly into what looks like debris, and detonate. Five silver balls fly out of the debris and attach themselves to the ship. The balls pop open, revealing SMALL BUZZ DROIDS that begin to crawl across the surface like spiders.

O
BI-
W
AN:
(continuing
) I’m hit! Anakin?

A
NAKIN:
I see them . . . Buzz Droids.

The BUZZ DROIDS crawl across Obi-Wan’s ship and start to tear it apart. SPARKS ERUPT where the BUZZ DROIDS break into the wiring. One of the BUZZ DROIDS goes after ARFOUR.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Arfour, be careful. You have one . . .

ARFOUR’s head gets ripped off and flies away.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Oh dear. They’re shutting down all the controls.

A
NAKIN:
Move to the right so I can get a clear shot at them.

O
BI-
W
AN:
The mission. Get to the Command Ship. Get the Chancellor! I’m running out of tricks here.

ANAKIN moves into position just off Obi-Wan’s left side and angles his ship so his guns are pointing at the DROIDS crawling over Obi-Wan’s Starfighter. ANAKIN fires and vaporizes the TWO BUZZ DROIDS, along with the left wing of Obi-Wan’s ship.

O
BI-
W
AN:
(continuing
) In the name of . . .

A
NAKIN:
Steady . . . steady . . .

O
BI-
W
AN:
Anakin, hold your fire . . . hold your fire. You’re not helping here.

A
NAKIN:
I agree, bad idea. Swing right . . . ease over . . . steady . . .

O
BI-
W
AN:
Wait . . . wait . . . I can’t see a thing! My cockpit’s fogging. They’re all over me, Anakin.

A
NAKIN:
Move to the right.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Hold on, Anakin. You’re going to get us both killed! Get out of here. There’s nothing more you can do.

A
NAKIN:
I’m not leaving without you, Master.

ANAKIN moves his ship next to OBI-WAN’s and tries to physically knock the BUZZ DROIDS off. There are five left. He manages to get one off, but badly dents OBI-WAN’s ship in the process. One of the BUZZ DROIDS tears a piece off of the front of Obi-Wan’s ship. Flames burst out, and more smoke billows out, obscuring the Jedi’s view.

ANAKIN knocks off three of the BUZZ DROIDS and the fourth crawls out onto Anakin’s ship and starts attacking ARTOO. ARTOO fights the BUZZ DROID.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Blast it . . . I can’t see . . . my controls are gone.

A
NAKIN:
Get ’em, Artoo. Watch out!

O
BI-
W
AN:
Artoo, hit the buzz droid’s center eye.

ARTOO extends an arm and aims a stream of electricity at the swerving BUZZ DROID. The BUZZ DROID is hit squarely in the eye and falls off the ship.

A
NAKIN:
Yeah, you got him!

O
BI-
W
AN:
Great, Artoo.

A
NAKIN:
Stay on my wing . . . the General’s Command Ship is dead ahead. Easy . . . pull up . . . Head for the hangar.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Have you noticed the shields are still up?

A
NAKIN:
Oh?!? Sorry, Master.

ANAKIN streaks ahead of OBI-WAN’s disintegrating Jedi Fighter and blasts the shield generator. It SPARKS and EXPLODES.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Oh, I have a bad feeling about this.

9 INT. MAIN HANGAR—TRADE FEDERATION CRUISER

The shield door drops away, and OBI-WAN crashes on the deck of the hangar bay, engulfed in a FANTAIL OF SPARKS. A set of blast doors starts SLAMMING shut across the hangar opening, as material is sucked into space.

ANAKIN maneuvers around the oncoming junk and flies into the hangar just as the blast doors SLAM shut.

OBI-WAN ignites his lightsaber and cuts his way out of the cockpit. He jumps clear just as his ship EXPLODES. BATTLE DROIDS rush at him from all directions.

ANAKIN jumps out of his ship and cuts his way through the BATTLE DROIDS to where OBI-WAN is fighting. ARTOO pops out of the ship and follows ANAKIN.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Artoo, locate the Chancellor.

A
NAKIN:
Tap into the ship’s computers.

They cut down the last of the droids and follow ARTOO over to a computer wall socket. The two JEDI fight off FOUR MORE DROIDS as ARTOO tries to find the Chancellor. Finally, a HOLOGRAM of the Trade Federation ship appears.

O
BI-
W
AN:
The Chancellor’s signal is coming from right there. The observation platform at the top of that spire.

A
NAKIN:
I sense Count Dooku . . .

O
BI-
W
AN:
I sense a trap.

A
NAKIN:
Next move?

O
BI-
W
AN:
Spring the trap.

The JEDI start to leave; ARTOO follows. The JEDI stop and turn to ARTOO.

A
NAKIN:
Artoo, go back. I need you to stay with the ship.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Here, take this, and wait for orders.

OBI-WAN tosses the comlink to ARTOO.

10 INT. BRIDGE—TRADE FEDERATION CRUISER

GENERAL GRIEVOUS enters the bridge of the TRADE FEDERATION cruiser followed by his TWO BODYGUARDS. He walks to the front of the bridge and stands in front of the NEIMOIDIAN CAPTAIN.

G
ENERAL
G
RIEVOUS:
What’s the situation, Captain?

C
APTAIN:
Two Jedi have landed in the main hangar bay.

G
ENERAL
G
RIEVOUS:
Just as Count Dooku predicted.

11 INT. HANGAR—TRADE FEDERATION CRUISER

ANAKIN and OBI-WAN head for the elevator. A door opens in the hallway and two of GENERAL GRIEVOUS’s BODYGUARDS confront the JEDI.

B
ODYGUARD
1
:
General Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker. We’ve been waiting for you.

O
BI-
W
AN:
We are here to relieve you of Chancellor Palpatine, not join him.

As a dozen more droids join the group, the JEDI ignite their lightsabers and stand back-to-back.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Anakin . . .

A
NAKIN:
Ready.

ANAKIN and OBI-WAN use their lightsabers and cut a large circle in the floor.

12 INT. GENERATOR ROOM—TRADE FEDERATION CRUISER

The TWO JEDI cut their way down several floors into a large generator room. Huge EXPLOSIONS outside the ship have caused several large pipes overhead to break, and fluid is spewing everywhere. The Jedi get up and turn off their lightsabers. ANAKIN dips his hand into the fluid and sniffs it.

O
BI-
W
AN:
. . . fuel. The slightest charge from our sabers will send this ship into oblivion. That’s why they’ve stopped shooting.

A
NAKIN:
Well then, we’re safe for the time being.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Your idea of safe is not the same as mine.

They run, EXPLOSIONS rattle the ship, and pipes continue to burst around them, spilling more fuel into the hallway. At the far end, SIX SUPER BATTLE DROIDS drop into the fuel. The SOUNDS OF SHIELD DOORS CLOSING AND LOCKING ECHO throughout the hallway. They pass several large power generators, which are topped with SPARKING excess power dischargers.

A
NAKIN:
They’re sealing this section off.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Six droids coming our way!

The last of the DOORS CAN BE HEARD CLOSING in the distance.

A
NAKIN:
Keep moving. There must be vents . . . This way.

THEY move along a wall. ANAKIN climbs up the side to a small vent. The fuel gets closer to the SPARKING dischargers.

O
BI-
W
AN:
We’ll never get through that. It’s too small!

They move toward a second vent. OBI-WAN is swimming in the fuel as it reaches to within a couple yards of the ceiling. ANAKIN feels along the ceiling and finds another smaller vent. He closes his eyes and tries to sense an opening, then he moves on. OBI-WAN is forced into hand-to-hand combat with one of the SUPER BATTLE DROIDS. It pulls the Jedi under the fuel. Just before he is about to drown, OBI-WAN disables the SUPER BATTLE DROID by pushing him into an exhaust pipe.

The fuel is up to the Jedi’s chins. ANAKIN finds a very, very small metal grate, then pounds on it until the tiny grate breaks loose.

A
NAKIN:
I found our escape vent.

O
BI-
W
AN:
Anakin, this is no time for jokes. We’re in serious trouble here.

A
NAKIN:
Only in your mind, My Master. Look, no structure. . . .

ANAKIN grabs the side of the tiny hole and gives it a big yank, ripping a large panel loose revealing a “man-sized” work shaft. They scramble through it as the DROIDS swim closer.

13 INT. VENT SHAFT—TRADE FEDERATION CRUISER

The TWO JEDI pull themselves through the narrow vent shaft until they reach a small hatch in the side of the tube.

A
NAKIN:
Here’s a way out.

As the SUPER BATTLE DROIDS reach the opening in the ceiling and the fuel gets to within a few feet of the power generator sparks, the JEDI work the keyboard on the pressure lock, opening the hatch.

14 INT. SMALL PASSAGEWAY—TRADE FEDERATION CRUISER

The TWO JEDI climb into a small passageway and slam the hatch shut. They make their way through the ever-shrinking shaft until they reach the end.

15 INT. HALLWAY—TRADE FEDERATION CRUISER

A hatch opens in one of the main hallways of the Trade Federation Cruiser, and the JEDI squeeze out, SLAMMING the hatch. Behind them, ANAKIN seals the hatch with his laser sword.