George Lucas’ Star Wars saga is a trilogy of trilogies; The Return of The Jedi is the perfect film that honors the ending of the classic trilogy, and some even argue that the ending could not be any more perfect. Episode VI ended on a high note that honored the film’s epic story, ending Emperor Palpatine’s reign of terror and Darth Vader’s redemption with some old Force ghosts present at the celebration scene.
However, the film’s epic conclusion was nailed down by a plethora of drafts because Lucas could not decide on a script that ended the story on a high note. Moreover, in several drafts, the ending varied from the one we have seen in the final version of the film because it did not have enough dramatic effect.
George Lucas Could Not Decide An Appropriate Ending For The Return of The Jedi
George Lucas’ Return of The Jedi featured Luke Skywalker in full force, where he truly showcased his skills as a Jedi Master, where he went toe-to-toe against Darth Vader for the final time, and the fate of the universe was the ultimate reward awarded to the victor.
Despite featuring the best space battles, the best settings in all of the original 6 films, and a large variety of weapons and vehicles it struggled. The film lacked an epic conclusion that would have brought the story to a full circle, leaving the viewers emotional and happy at the same time.
The film creator struggled to draft an epic ending for the film because it was not dramatic enough and “Jedi don’t take revenge.” The book, Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays by Laurent Bouzereau and George Lucas via Den of Geek takes a deep dive over the rough drafts of Episode VI.
While going through the final third of what was called the “Revised Rough Draft,” Laurent Bouzereau shares that the initial version of the film marked the return of Obi-Wan Kenobi, but not as a Force ghost. It was also decided that Master Yoda would return and help Luke Skywalker in his final duel with the Sith Lords.
Moreover, the Jedis would be resurrected and be present in the flesh for the final celebration with the Ewoks. However, Lucas pulled the plug on the idea because bringing back Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda would diminish the “power of the scene.” He explained,
Even though at some point Yoda and Ben interfered, I eventually decided that they couldn’t connect physically with what Luke was doing. I felt that one of the major issues in the third film is that Luke is finally on his own and has to fight Vader and the Emperor by himself. If you get a sense that Yoda or Ben is there to help him or to somehow influence him, it diminishes the power of the scene.
This decision paid off because the young Jedi Master defeated Darth Vader and it gave the fandom one of the most powerful and emotional scenes between a father and son in the film. Moreover, it featured Vader’s redemption, where he was once personified as pure evil, but having his son’s faith in him convinced him to correct his wrongs.
Richard Marquand Shares His Emotions on Directing Episode VI
In one of the interviews shared via Den of Geek, Richard Marquand asked how he felt about directing the final installment of the original trilogy. The director shared that he was a great admirer of George Lucas’ work, and he loved all the characters featured in the film.
He said,
I was a great admirer of George Lucas’ work. I really loved American Graffiti and Star Wars. That was already a good step because it meant I was going to work in a friendly, collaborative atmosphere. Secondly, I am a tremendous Star Wars fan; I know the story means an enormous love to me.
I love the characters. In a way, I felt like a young man who knows the music of Beethoven extremely well, and who is finally asked to play it with the London Symphonic Orchestra.
However, that’s not all, because the director also mentioned that he was scared to direct the film but, overall it was a great feeling. He added,
So, obviously, you’re scared, but fear is a very necessary part of what you do. But, at least, you feel it is your chance, because you know how it should fit, because you know what you’re doing − or you’ll find out in rehearsal, with the orchestra, and so on. It was a great feeling.
Nevertheless, the film was perfect, and it helped Lucas to end his story that resonated so well with film fanatics that it elevated to the level of an evergreen classic.
Star Wars: Episode VI- Return of The Jedi can be streamed on Disney+.
