An Imperial fleet of Star Destroyers and TIE fighters commanded by Darth Vader approaches a watery world. When the TIE fighter are unable to go into formation, an angry Vader tells them to figure it out before flying his TIE Advanced fighter through them like a pin ball. Meanwhile, the Rebel Alliance has established a temporary base on the volcanic world of Mustafar. Luke Skywalker's X-wing starfighter is patrolling the skies above Mustafar when it is shot down by Vader's TIE Advanced fighter. R2-D2 survives the crash and is picked up by Jek-14 in his starfighter. Luke, Leia Organa, and Admiral Ackbar then reveal that it was a hoax to convince the Empire that Luke is dead. The rebels are shown standing at front of a green screen.
On Dagobah, the Jedi Masters Yoda and the Force ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi are relieved at Luke's survival. Back on Mustafar, Admiral Ackbar tells the rebel pilots that "Operation Fool Vader Into Thinking He Has Destroyed Luke" was a success. Leia believes that this ruse will buy them enough time to evacuate the entire base to icy Hoth. While the rebels are euphoric, Luke is despondent because he believed that he should have been out there to fight Vader. He is greeted by an emphatic "No" from the other rebels. Leia advises Luke to lay low so that they can evacuate to the new base and advises him not to be so mopey. Leia tells Ackbar about finding Luke a hobby. At the command center, Leia contacts the rebel advance team on Hoth which consists of C-3PO, Han Solo, and Chewbacca, who are struggling to cope with the freezing conditions. Leia tells them to toughen up.
Meanwhile, aboard a Star Destroyer, Vader and several stormtroopers celebrate their victory over Luke only to learn from Admiral Ozzel and Captain Firmus Piett that Luke's body was not found in the starfighter. To Ozzel's relief, Vader merely orders him to continue searching for Luke. Vader then retreats to his meditation chamber, which he destroys in a fit of rage. On Hoth, Han, C-3PO and a frozen Chewie stumble upon the Echo Base "Jedi Educational Center." Upon entering, the three rebels are set upon by a wampa and are forced to flee back aboard the Millennium Falcon but the wampa pursues them.
Back on Mustafar, Jek-14 repairs his starfighter whilst Biggs Darklighter cheers up fellow rebel pilot Porkins by telling him that the Empire will never defeat them. His words are almost the same as those Biggs expressed to Luke Skywalker during their hangar scene in the Special Edition of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. However, Admiral Ackbar over-hears the conversation and warns Biggs and Porkins not to brag before a battle, lest they doom themselves. Meanwhile, a mopey Luke and R2 sit together watching a holocron recording of Luke's father, Anakin Skywalker, in training. Luke whines about sitting around, unlike the mobilised Jedi of old. In frustration, Luke throws the holocron onto the floor, only for it to relay a recording of Yoda, Kenobi and Skywalker embarking on a Clone Wars mission to rescue a Governor named Bibble from Count Dooku and his battle droids. The holocron's transmission, however, is picked up by two Imperial probe droids.
Meanwhile, an angry Emperor Palpatine chastises Darth Vader for falling for the rebel deception. Palpatine regrets not trying to turn R2 to the Dark Side. At that moment, Captain Piett reports that their probe droids have picked up a holocron being activated on Mustafar. The Emperor gives Captain Piett command of the operation until Vader protests. Finding Vader unreliable, the Emperor travels to Mustafar in an Imperial shuttle with two of his Royal Guards. During the journey, he repeatedly asks his Red Guard pilot if they are there yet. Meanwhile, Vader's fleet travels to Mustafar. Yoda reflects on Luke's error while Kenobi tells him that he needs more foresight.
Back on Mustafar, Skywalker watches the holocron recording. While Yoda advises restraint, Anakin attacks the battle droids and Dooku. This gives Kenobi and Yoda the chance to rescue the governor. Shortly later, Leia and Jek-14 confront Luke about the impending arrival of the Imperial fleet and deduce that Luke's holocron led them there. Luke proposes attacking the Imperial fleet to enable the rebel fleet to escape into space. While Jek-14 is unsure that Luke's plan will succeed, the young Jedi points to a lesson he learned in his holocron. Meanwhile, on Hoth, C-3PO, Han, and Chewie are left hanging upside down in the wampa's cave. C-3PO baits the wampa by telling rude jokes about his mother. Provoked, the wampa grabs Han, who takes the opportunity to retrieve his blaster. Han shoots the wampa and flees with C-3PO and Chewie out of the cave. He returns to quickly fetch Chewie's bandolier only awaken the wampa, who purses them.
Above Mustafar, Jek-14 counsels restraint but Luke is determined to go ahead with his plan. After jumping into hyperspace, Luke crashes his X-wing into the Emperor's shuttle. Luke and Jek-14 then leads Vader's fleet on a wild pursuit. During the pursuit, Palpatine's shuttle crashes into the bridge of Vader's Star Destroyer. Meanwhile, Luke tells Jek-14 to evacuate to the rendezvous point. Jek-14 contacts Leia to send for more starfighters. Due to Luke and Jek's efforts, the rebels are safely able to evacuate their first transport. Back aboard Vader's Star Destroyer, the Emperor takes charge and accidentally orders the TIE fighters to depart without their TIE pilots. Leia, who is piloting a vintage LAAT gunship, and the entire rebel fleet departs Mustafar and jump into hyperspace.
Elsewhere on Hoth, 3PO, Han, and Chewie are being pursued by the wampa who has commandeered an airspeeder. The three rebels manage to fleet on a tauntaun with C-3PO riding the beast and Han riding a frozen Chewie as a sledge. The rebels managed to outrun the wampa who hits a rock. In space, Luke leads the Star Destroyers into an asteroid field which badly damages most of the Star Destroyers. Vader recognizes this as the same stunt he had pulled on Naboo years ago when he was still Anakin. Meanwhile, Palpatine's damaged Star Destroyer is attacked by Ackbar and several X-wings. Meanwhile, the rebel fleet approaches Hoth and Leia contacts Han about the location of the landing area. Han tells her he is on his way only to discover that the keys to Hoth Base were left behind in the wampa's cave. Chewbacca solves the problem by lighting up the ammunition in his bandolier and using them as flares to guide the rebel ships. Leia's LAAT gunship is the first rebel ship to land on Hoth. Biggs and Porkins disembark from the transport only to be chased by the same wampa that had pursued Han, possibly dooming themselves just as Admiral Ackbar had warned earlier. After embracing Leia, Han mockingly kisses C-3PO only to have his lips frozen to the protocol droid's metallic body.
In a direct reference to the opening scene of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, Palpatine's damaged Star Destroyer is pursued by a rebel CR90 corvette. Meanwhile, Vader pursues Luke's X-wing through an asteroid field. Mirroring the younger man, Vader also flies an X-wing with an astromech droid aboard, albeit both in black instead of white. While doing a dangerous maneuver, the two crash their starfighters on an asteroid. The two Skywalkers begin a lightsaber duel and are joined by their astromech droids. R2 manages to scare off Vader's astromech but the Sith Lord then hurls R2 away. While the two spar with lightsabers, Yoda and Kenobi on Dagobah cannot bear to watch. Vader manages to hurl Luke to the edge of a cliff. Luke then provokes Vader into throwing stones at him. These stones startle a space slug. However, Vader reveals that he had known the space slug was there all along. The space slug swallows Luke and R2-D2 but Luke manages to free himself and R2 from the space slug by striking its uvula with his lightsaber. The space slug spits Luke and R2 out upward floating endlessly In space. The episode then ends with the Empire throwing a celebration over the death of Luke Skywalker with the emperor leading a conga line.
Duel of the Skywalkers ending
Duel of the Skywalkers alternate poster
Similar to the original, but with Vader getting swallowed by the slug instead. He still manages to free himself by striking the slug's uvula with his lightsaber, causing the beast to send him flying in space. The rebels celebrate their victory on Hoth, while Jek-14 works on unfreezing Han's lips from 3PO's face. Meanwhile, Vader is hanging in an asteroid rock, floating in space and calling out someone for help.