watching the force awakens

Solo's End

Mace is indifferent. He wasn't expecting Han to be able to redeem his son, no one could. Once a Jedi turned towards the dark, the only way to save their soul was to put them down for good. If a Jedi couldn't help Kylo Ren understand that, then nobody could.

Kylo TAKES OFF HIS MASK. Han is JOLTED - seeing the face of his son for the first time as a man.

KYLO REN: Your son is gone. He was weak and foolish, like his father. So I destroyed him.

"Foolish move Solo," Mace mutters.

Obi-Wan and Yoda glance at him with tiny, almost unnoticeable frowns on their faces. Anakin is too invested into the scene to notice.

HAN: That's what Snoke wants you to believe but it's not true. My son is alive.

'Is he really?' the Jedi start to wonder. Redemption from the dark isn't possible, yet Kylo Ren hasn't shown any sign of attempting to attack Han.

SEVERAL LEVELS BELOW them, CHEWIE comes to the rail to watch.

INT. OSCILLATOR STRUCTURE - LOWER LEVEL - NEAR DARKNESS

Kylo flares.

KYLO REN: No. The Supreme Leader is wise.

UP ABOVE, Finn, Chewie and Rey watch, rapt. Stormtroopers dot the perimeter of the structure, watching the scene. ON THE BRIDGE, Han moves closer, stern:

HAN: Snoke is using you for your power. When he gets what he wants, he'll crush you - you know it's true.

"The way of the Sith this is, yes." Yoda says with a troubled frown.

"Do you think Han can get to him Master?" Ahsoka asks.

Kylo hesitates. Somehow, he does know it.

"I think he is," Anakin says hopefully, feeling the torment in Kylo Ren. Mace shakes his head at their naive hope.

KYLO REN: It's too late.

HAN: No it's not. Leave here with me. Come home. We miss you.

"I have to wonder, when it is truly too late..." Master Plo muses.

"Contemplated the possibility during this film, I have. Possible, it may be," Yoda says.

For the first time, Kylo Ren seems truly conflicted. Tears flood his stoic eyes...

KYLO REN: I'm being torn apart. I want to be free of this pain.

INT. OSCILLATOR STRUCTURE - DARKNESS FALLS

Han takes one step toward his son, but stops himself.

KYLO REN: I know what I have to do, but I don't know if I have the strength to do it. Will you help me?

Anakin starts to smile hopefully, and sits up a little straighter. His grandson will return!

"I... I'm pleasantly surprised by how afraid he sounds," Obi-Wan remarks, a little stunned.

Han hears his son's voice again, pained and vulnerable.

HAN: Yes. Anything.

Kylo Ren unholsters his lightsaber and SLOWLY EXTENDS IT to Han, within a foot of Han's chest. Han almost can't believe it. The moment seems to last forever. And just then, the LAST BEAM OF SUNLIGHT streaming through the open hatch VANISHES. Han actually smiles - and reaches out for the dark weapon -

Everyone begins to smile. So returning to the Light is a possibility! Falling to the dark side was always the greatest fear of any Jedi, but to learn that there is a chance of returning is wonderful. How to go about doing that however, they have no idea. A troubled frown is set on Mace's face.

Anakin begins to understand however, of why this is possible. Ahsoka a little bit as well. Han's love for his son is bringing him back!

but with the light now gone, KYLO REN'S EYES FILL WITH DARKNESS, HE IGNITES THE LIGHTSABER - THE FIERY BLADE SHOOTS OUT, RIGHT THROUGH HAN'S CHEST AND BACK!

Everyone gasps in shock and horror, not expecting that at all. Anakin jumps out of his seat, his face contorted into one of horror.

"NO!" he cries out angrily.

Ahsoka's eyes are wide in sadness and horror, small tears beginning to form in her eyes. He couldn't...

ABOVE, Finn and Rey GASP - SCREAM - Chewie lets out a heartbreaking scream of horror and anger.

KYLO REN: Thank you.

The Jedi all stare in sadness, others more vocal with their shock. Anakin's eyes are wide in emotional pain, and Yoda lowers his head sadly, shaking it a little in a small form of grief. So it didn't work...

Mace contorts his face into a scowl. Nobody understood the dangers of the dark side, and now Solo was paying the price for it!

FINN: (PANTING) Solo.

REY: (ALSO PANTING) No, no!

Han's last moment is looking into his son's face. HAN'S KNEES BUCKLE. The blade tilts down with him... until KYLO REN EXTINGUISHES IT AND HAN HOLDS onto the catwalk - his life slipping away.

Finally Han FALLS BACK, OFF THE CATWALK, INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE STRUCTURE!

"No..." Ahsoka whispers.

"This, this can't be happening!" Anakin says in horrified protest.

"I'm... I'm sorry Anakin," Obi-Wan says sadly.

INT. RESISTANCE BASE - DAY

Leia, feeling it instantly - knowing - drops into a seat, DEVASTATED.

Anakin slumps back into his chair, feeling grief enter his heart, and it isn't from him. With slightly testy eyes, which he wipes away angrily, he comes to realize that the pain he feels is from his daughter... oh his poor daughter, she lost Han like he lost his own mother...

Ahsoka cries in her seat quietly, a hand over her mouth as Obi-Wan gazed at his former Padawan and his apprentice sadly, upset himself by Han's death.

INT. OSCILLATOR STRUCTURE - NIGHT

Kylo Ren is somehow WEAKENED by this wicked act. Himself horrified.

"This apprentice needs to be put down! Nobody seems to understand the nature of the dark side!" Mace says firmly. Anakin gapes at him angrily, sitting up straight.

"He was so close! So close to being brought back!" Anakin argues furiously.

"And look what happened Skywalker!" Mace retorts, glaring at Anakin with cold eyes. Anakin slumps back into his seat in grief, to emotionally hurt to bother arguing back. Yoda watches him with sad, sympathetic eyes as Anakin puts an arm on Ahsoka's shoulder, trying to stay strong for her. Obi-Wan does the same with Anakin.

Yoda sighs and has too wonder how it all came to this... how long have the Jedi been going about it the wrong way without any of them realizing it?

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