William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back

Where am I now, and where are all my friends?Some wrong turn have I ta’en, and now am lostWithin a cavern, dark and fill’d with mist.R2 is left behind; I am alone.What evil lurks within this passage bleak?What fate shall I discover in this place?What pow’r hath brought me here—is it the Force?If not, what messenger of darkness vileHath giv’n me up unto this realm of fear?The cold I feel is as on Dagobah,When in the cave my darkest self I fac’d.The thoughts I thought therein do now return,The questions that did rise and give me pause:O, what is life, and what our purpose here?

Are living creatures made for pain and strife,Do we but walk our days upon the groundTo perish without memory or fame?If so, what shall we seek whilst we yet live?Is brave adventure worthy of our time,Or should we seek the principle of pleasure?Are family and children noble aims,Or is the Force itself our holy goal?Is life a quest or is it but a farce—A splendid journey or a fool’s crusade?Such questions plague my soul, and make me doubt.They draw my mind toward the darkest thoughtsThat e’er I’ve known since I became a man.And here, away from Dagobah, I have

No firm assurance of my safety, norThe comfort of my master being here.Thus shall I face my fortune by myself,Without my mentors great to give me help.The thought doth bring me trepidation, forI have relie’d upon their counsel wise.Be with me here in spirit, if not form,Good Obi-Wan and Yoda—masters true.O life, O Fate! I would I knew my place,My time, my end, my destiny complete—But I cannot see why or how life is.Because the past is not a perfect guide,And since the future still remains unknown:My fate shall I meet in the present tense.

[A sound is heard.

But soft, I hear slow footsteps drawing near.

EnterDARTH VADER.

VADER

The Force is with thee now, young Skywalker,In troth—but thou art not a Jedi yet.

LUKE

[aside:] ’Tis Vader, and ’tis Fate. Let it begin.

[They duel.

EnterCHORUS.

CHORUS

O mighty duel, O action ne’er surpass’d:

The lightsabers do clash and glow like fire.Darth Vader in the villain’s role is cast,While Luke’s young temper turneth soon to ire.They flash and fly like dancers in a set,Yet never dance did know such deadly mood.Luke tires, and soon his brow begins to sweat,Whilst Vader doth attack with strength renew’d.

VADER

Forsooth, young one, ’tis plain thou hast learn’d much.

LUKE

Thou shalt find me full of surprises yet!

VADER

Thy destiny doth lie with me, Skywalker.Your teacher Obi-Wan did know ’twas true.

LUKE