William Shakespeare’s The Force Doth Awaken Read online

Thou fobbing, hedge-born traitor, lout, and scum!

  We once were friends, and train’d together, aye—

  But now hast thou become a turncoat, drawn

  To the Resistance and its errant ways!

  Prepare to meet thy doom, for naught exists

  As low as he who hath betray’d his friends!

  FINN

  My past comes from the dead to haunt me here:

  Then have at thee, thou fiend, and feel my bite.

  [They duel.

  O, mighty man, who e’er did bring me fear.

  I’ll warrant I’m unequal in this fight.

  [FN-2199 nearly overtakes Finn when he is struck with a blaster shot. He falls, and Han and Chewbacca run to Finn.

  HAN

  Say, Bigness, art thou well?

  FINN

  —Full many thanks.

  Thou here didst render my life back to me.

  TROOPER

  [approaching:] Move not! Be still! Lo, TK-338,

  Our targets are in watchful custody.

  HAN

  We have been ta’en, our next steps thwarted, yea—

  Yet what is this commotion in the air?

  More ships approach, not the First Order, nay:

  It is the brave Resistance, come to save!

  Enter a legion of RESISTANCE X-WING PILOTS, including POE DAMERON, firing at the STORMTROOPERS. Enter BB-8 severally.

  POE

  This is a world of sweet and sours, and thus

  Let victory be sweet as we plunge straight

  Ahead into the fray! Let not their sour

  And savage dogs make ye afeard or cautious,

  My pilots true, for we shall win the day!

  PILOTS

  Aye!

  [The pilots shoot and hit many stormtroopers.

  HAN

  —True our pilots’ aim, they set us free—

  The stormtroopers surrounding us, all gone!

  Now let us hence and profit from their gift.

  [Finn watches Poe’s ship.

  FINN

  What skill in flying—how he moves and parries:

  First plummeting, then making bold attack.

  He dodges foes and turns them into marks,

  And thereupon doth strike with perfect aim.

  Ascending once again into the fray,

  He fires upon one ship and then another,

  Each moment adding further to his toll.

  O, unnam’d pilot, thou art friend to me!

  TROOPER

  [into communicator:] We are besieg’d—requesting air support!

  [Exeunt stormtroopers, followed by Poe and Resistance pilots.

  Enter REY above, on balcony.

  REY

  There is some evil presence in this wood—

  I feel it, though I cannot see its face.

  ’Tis said that the best safety lies in fear,

  Yet though I am afeard I feel not safe.

  Enter KYLO REN on balcony, pursuing REY.

  Suspicions all confirm’d! I am outdone!

  O, how my soul is shaken and bestirr’d!

  Shall I into this specter’s bonds be trapp’d?

  Avaunt—this Rey shall yet outshine thee!

  [Rey shoots at Kylo Ren. He deflects the shots with his lightsaber.

  KYLO

  —Cease!

  [He freezes her with the Force.

  The girl whose exploits fall upon mine ears.

  Lest thou would feel the touch of my lightsaber,

  I’d know where thou didst hide the droid I seek.

  It seems thy tongue will not unfold the tale—

  So shall I take the answer from thy mind.

  Relax, give in—I’ll have my wish anon.

  Behold, thou hast already seen the map!

  Enter a STORMTROOPER on balcony.

  TROOPER

  Good sir, Resistance fighters have appear’d.

  We need more troops if we shall win this fight.

  KYLO

  Put thou the whole division on retreat—

  The droid is now of little consequence.

  Indeed, herein we have that which we need.

  [Kylo Ren releases Rey from the Force, and she collapses into his arms. Exeunt stormtrooper and Kylo Ren carrying Rey. Han, Finn, and BB-8 watch them depart.

  HAN

  My Ben, my son, escaping with young Rey!

  Confounding day, when family is turn’d

  To foe and stranger turn’d to family.

  FINN

  Rey, Rey! O, fiends, O take ye not my Rey!

  Nay, nay! O, Rey, my one and only friend!

  BB-8

  Rooq bloo, flew zzwablic roilzoon zzwaflew blis!

  FINN

  [to Han:] The scoundrel took her, fie! What shall we do?

  He flew and took her hence—the lass is gone.

  HAN

  Indeed, yet other matters fill my mind.

  [Exit Finn. Han and Chewbacca move toward an approaching ship, which lands near them.

  Enter GENERAL LEIA ORGANA, disembarking from the ship.

  Enter C-3PO behind her, stepping between her and HAN SOLO.

  C-3PO

  Holla, well met, Han Solo! It is I,

  C-3PO. Thou, peradventure, know’st

  Me not, for I am lately red of arm.

  And dost thou see who hither hath arriv’d?—

  O, pray excuse me, Prin—er, General.

  Come, BB-8, and we shall let them speak.

  BB-8

  Blav zoonblic bloozood flitrooq blayzooz blee

  Roil flitrooh zilfreej flliblic blox zoom blee blayzood?

  C-3PO

  Yes, BB-8, I wait still for repair.

  [Exeunt C-3PO and BB-8.

  HAN

  It pleaseth me to see thy lovely frame,

  And how thou chang’dst the fashion of thy hair.

  LEIA

  Yet I can see thy doublet is the same.

  HAN

  Nay, nay, the doublet’s new, yet not so fair.

  [Chewbacca embraces Leia.

  CHEWBAC.

  Egh, auugh.*14

  HAN

  —I saw our Ben, our only son.

  The boy himself was here a moment past.

  LEIA

  Let us unto th’Resistance base as one—

  Our distant years shall be undone at last.

  [Leia and Han embrace. Exeunt.

  * * *

  *13 Editor’s translation: O, silly friend of mine who think’st the blast

  Is always keener on the other side.

  *14 Editor’s translation: Though Han but speaks of hair and doublet style,

  I thee embrace: a sight for Wookiee’s eyes.

  SCENE 1.

  At the Resistance base on D’Qar.

  Enter FINN.

  FINN

  Finn—even I—hath to th’Resistance come.

  Its hidden base is fix’d here on D’Qar,

  Yet my o’eranxious heart unfix’d doth feel.

  Still Rey is missing, still her fate unknown,

  Yet all around me congregate as friends

  And celebrate a victory fulfill’d.

  I would their glad festivities enjoy

  Except my friend is missing and, I fear,

  Perchance is gone fore’er. Let it not be,

  O, Fate, kind weaver of our destinies,

  I bid thee longer knit Rey’s filament.

  And what, I pray, of my next strand of life?

  Shall I yet learn to fight for the Resistance?

  The battle o’er on Takodana found

  Me using ev’ry skill for which I train’d,

  Yet for a noble purpose, not for evil.

  It seem’d that I was born for such as this:

  To work for justice, right, and honor, yea—

  To face an enemy and know my cause

  Was true, to help the galaxy to find

  The peace for which it yearns with fondest hope.


  Was it, though, for Resistance or for Rey

  That I did fight? Or was’t, perchance, for both?

  Finn, let the strivings of thy troubl’d soul

  Find peace in this: thou hast a calling found—

  Be it unto a movement justified

  Or to a girl whom thou dost think most fair—

  Thou hast found purpose, and it is enow.

  Enter POE DAMERON. Enter BB-8 severally, rolling quickly toward POE.

  Behold! ’Tis Poe, alive and flourishing!

  O twist of Fate, which takes one friend from me

  And gives another back in one fell swoop.

  [to Poe:] Poe, Poe! ’Tis I, ’tis Finn! Thou art alive!

  [Poe and Finn embrace.

  POE

  Perhaps it may be that my mind is wrought

  To fever by the sunbeam that hangs o’er,

  But I will half believe thou dost live, too!

  FINN

  What happen’d to thee after our great fall?

  For certain, I was sure thou wert no more.

  POE

  I was, with potent force, thrown from the ship.

  My spirit not awak’ning till the beam

  Of moonlight struck my eyes, I woke at night.

  There was no ship, ay, naught that I could see.

  BB-8

  Blav zilfroil flli flibzoon flewzoon blayblis

  Bluu zzwablip blavreej zoodrooq zoomflit blee!

  POE

  My BB-8 reports thou sav’d him. True?

  In spring of youth it was my lot to haunt

  And seek great glory for myself, yet thou,

  My friend, deserv’st it more: my mission thou

  By bravery and talent did complete.

  Yet—wait, forgive me, friend: is that my doublet?

  FINN

  I almost had forgot myself: ’tis thine.

  Pray, take it, for thou art its rightful owner.

  [Finn begins to remove the doublet.

  POE

  Nay, it doth suit thee well. Keep it, ’tis thine.

  Thou art a good man, Finn: thy heart sincere,

  Thy hand true, and thine eye a kindling light:

  A rising star within th’Resistance’s ranks.

  FINN

  My friend, thou hast mine utmost thanks indeed.

  Yet now I must another favor ask:

  I need thy help, Poe, in this moment fraught.

  Canst take me to thy fabl’d general?

  I’ve information she may sorely need.

  POE

  Indeed, we shall fly thither in a trice.

  POE leads FINN into the Resistance base.

  Enter GENERAL LEIA ORGANA, HAN SOLO, C-3PO, and various resistance soldiers. Enter R2-D2, covered in a blanket.

  My General Organa, pardon me

  For this brief interlude in your affairs:

  This man is Finn, who is a well-known name

  Oft utter’d in the hearing of our pilots,

  For he hath giv’n us aid: he’d speak with thee.

  LEIA

  And I with him. [To Finn:] Thou valor didst display,

  And bravery and honor when thou didst

  Renounce the vile First Order and escape

  With this man’s life intact. Thou hast our thanks.

  FINN

  My thanks to you in turn, ma’am. ’Midst our fight

  A friend of mine was taken prisoner—

  LEIA

  Indeed, good Han did tell me of the girl,

  Her skill, her bravery, and her abduction.

  Apologies, good Finn: for I know what

  It is to lose a comrade to the foe.

  Thou hast a general’s condolences.

  POE

  Now to the reason why I brought him hither:

  This Finn, as you know, once was stormtrooper—

  No pow’r hath he of evil in himself,

  But hath deep knowledge of the weapon fierce

  That did destroy the system Hosnian.

  Finn work’d aboard the base that fir’d the blast

  And may help us in our great hour of need.

  LEIA

  We are most desp’rate for the smallest shred

  Of wisdom or intelligence thou hast.

  FINN

  Methinks the massive base whereof we speak

  Belike is where my friend was harshly ta’en.

  I’d venture thither fast, and rescue her.

  LEIA

  I shall do all I can to help, yet first

  Thou must report to us all thou dost know.

  Enter CHEWBACCA above, on balcony, with DOCTOR KALONIA. She is mending his arm.

  CHEWBAC.

  Egh, auugh!*15

  KALONIA

  —How passing fearful ’twas for thee.

  CHEWBAC.

  Auugh, egh!*16

  KALONIA

  —Indeed, thou art most brave.

  CHEWBAC.

  —Egh, egh.*17

  C-3PO

  [to Leia:] I’m sorry, General, but it appears

  The map from BB-8 is incomplete.

  From bad to worse, it matcheth no known system

  Whereof we have a record. To be brief:

  We’ve not the information that we need

  To locate Master Luke where’er he is.

  LEIA

  How could I be so foolish to believe

  ’Twould be so plain and simple: finding Luke

  And bringing him, then, hither to his home?

  HAN

  Sweet Leia—

  LEIA

  —Nay, do not what thou just didst.

  HAN

  Do what?

  LEIA

  —Aught.

  [Leia walks aside.

  C-3PO

  [to Han:]    —Princesses are all the same.

  HAN

  [pursuing Leia:] I do but try to help.

  LEIA

  —When did that work?—

  And speak not of the Death Star long ago!

  [BB-8 rolls over to the blanket and pulls it aside to reveal R2-D2.

  BB-8

  Blav zoodreej bloo flewflit blox roohzoon rooh

  Bluublee flibflir flig bleeblik blisflli flit?

  C-3PO

  Good BB-8, thy time thou should’st not waste—

  ’Tis doubtful R2-D2 may contain

  The map within his backup databanks.

  I fear that R2-D2 hath remain’d

  In low-pow’r mode since Master Luke did flee.

  Bethink I he may, sadly, ne’er improve,

  Ne’er find the spark that can his light relume.

  [Leia and Han speak aside.

  HAN

  I prithee, listen, Leia: I do know

  That when thou look’st on me, thou think’st of him.

  LEIA

  Imagin’st thou his mem’ry I’d forgo?

  I want him to return from his path grim.

  HAN

  Naught was there we could otherwise have done,

  To keep him on the path of light and truth.

  There was too much of Vader in our son.

  LEIA

  I wish’d him, then, to train with Luke, forsooth.

  Methought ’twould save him from an errant way.

  Alas, I never should have sent him hence.

  I thereupon lost him and thee both, yea.

  HAN

  Nay, say not so, it was our grieving sense:

  Like two suns that must set in their own time,

  We both return’d to th’orbit we knew best—

  I did revert unto my native clime,

  The tasks in which my talents are express’d.

  LEIA

  And so did I.

  HAN

  —We lost our son fore’er.

  LEIA

  Nay, ’twas the vile betrayer, even Snoke.

  He did seduce our son into his lair

  And bring him to the dark side, bla
ck as smoke.

  Forthwith we have the opportunity

  To save our son together, thou and I.

  HAN

  If Luke, the Jedi, could not make him see,

  And reach him in the darkness that was nigh,

  O, wherefore thinkest thou I may do so?

  LEIA

  Luke is a pow’rful Jedi, strong in will—

  Thou art his one and only father, though.

  I feel it, Han, there’s light within him still.

  Enter ADMIRAL STATURA.

  STATURA

  My general, the news of our foes’ base

  Hath just arriv’d, if you will quickly come.

  [Exeunt Han, Admiral Statura, Finn, Poe, droids, and soldiers.

  LEIA

  O, mix profound of feelings, thoughts, and news—

  My Han return’d unto my side again,

  My son reveal’d as enemy to us,

  A newfound hope we still might find dear Luke,

  A chance the vile First Order may be beaten.

  Some of these good reports should bring me cheer—

  Contain’d therein is cause to celebrate—

  Yet how can I e’er be content when I

  Have learn’d about my son, my boy, my Ben?

  How shall a mother learn to leave her child?

  To let her offspring roam, be led astray?

  How can you teach a mother to forget

  The very one she cuddl’d as a babe?

  If I forget thee, son, then thou mayst hate,

  If I forget thee, thou shouldst shun my voice.

  If I forget thee, heed not my appeals,

  If I forget thee, I am then no mother,