The third installment of the radio adaptation of Return of the Jedi, titled "Prophecies and Destinies," was initially broadcast on National Public Radio on November 19, 1996. This episode adapts portions of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi that unfold on the planets of Tatooine and Dagobah, as well as aboard the second Death Star.
Amidst the chaos on Jabba's sail barge, the assembled crowd is diverted by the ongoing conflict on the adjacent sand skiffs, particularly the demise of Boba Fett as he falls into the Sarlacc's maw. Seizing this opportunity, Princess Leia first destroys the barge's control panel, and then uses the very chain that bound her to strangle Jabba the Hutt. Artoo-Detoo then arrives to release Leia and assist See-Threepio in defending against Salacious Crumb's attack. Elsewhere on the barge, Luke Skywalker is engaged in a fierce battle against numerous members of Jabba's crew. He instructs the droids to leap into the sands below. Following Luke's instructions, Leia takes command of the barge's deck gun, aiming it directly at the deck. Luke and Leia then seize a hanging rope, activating the gun as they swing onto the skiff where Lando, Han, and Chewbacca await. The barge is then engulfed in flames.
Shortly afterward, the Rebels navigate the skies above Tatooine at low altitude: Luke pilots his X-wing fighter with Artoo, while the others travel in the Millennium Falcon. An Imperial fleet is positioned in orbit, prepared to intercept any Rebel force attempting to rescue Han. Simultaneously, sensors detect a mass departure of ships from Jabba's compound, signaling Tatooine's underworld fleeing the planet. Artoo had infiltrated Jabba's systems, creating the illusion that the Empire was targeting them. As the criminal and Imperial ships clash, the Rebels exploit the confusion to break through the blockade.
Now safely en route, the three humans aboard the Falcon express their apologies to Threepio for withholding information about the rescue plan, explaining that his memory banks were too susceptible to scanning. Lando accompanies him to the rear of the ship to repair his photoreceptor, which was damaged by Salacious. This leaves Han and Leia in private. They draw parallels between the recent rescue and Han's rescue of the Princess. They engage in flirtatious banter: Leia questions Han about his recollection of her final words to him ("I love you"), to which he responds with feigned vagueness. He then inquires about her plans for her dancing costume, and she replies enigmatically, "We'll see." As Leia heads to the back of the ship to change, she passes Lando. Lando informs Han that they must now rendezvous with the entire Alliance Fleet to prepare for the assault on the Empire's second Death Star.
Darth Vader unexpectedly arrives on the still-under-construction Death Star, catching the station's commander, Moff Jerjerrod, off guard. Vader demands that construction be expedited and warns of the Emperor's impending arrival; Jerjerrod pledges to intensify efforts.
Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker lands on Dagobah to visit his Jedi Master, Yoda, who appears frail and near death but remains cheerful. Luke seeks to complete his Jedi training, but Yoda asserts that he has already gained all necessary knowledge. However, to become a Jedi Knight, he must still confront Vader. When Luke persists, Yoda confirms that Vader is indeed Luke's father, but that he was not previously ready to accept this truth. Before passing away, Yoda reveals to Luke that "there is another Skywalker." Outside, the spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi appears to Luke. He recounts how Luke's father, now identified as Anakin, succumbed to the Dark Side of the Force and transformed into Darth Vader. Luke is now destined to face him. Obi-Wan also reveals that Luke has a twin sister, whom Luke deduces to be Leia.
Aboard the Death Star, the Emperor emerges from his shuttle. He commends Vader for accelerating the station's construction, dismissing the "paltry cost in lives." He then forbids Vader from continuing his pursuit of Luke Skywalker, assuring him that Luke will soon come to him. Jerjerrod leads them to the station's throne room, where the Emperor instructs Vader to await with the Imperial fleet on the far side of Endor. He ominously proclaims that a new era is dawning for the Dark Side of the Force.
The segment of "Prophecies and Destinies" that takes place in the middle is not present in the Return of the Jedi movie. Its purpose is to resolve unresolved plot points. It clarifies that the Empire had considered the possibility of using Han Solo as a lure to capture Luke and Leia once more; Imperial forces were present, but Artoo devised a strategy to outwit them. In the same scene, the humans mend their relationship with Threepio, who had primarily served as an unwitting pawn in the plan to rescue Han. Furthermore, it furthers the relationship between Leia and Han by depicting Leia openly flirting with him; in The Empire Strikes Back, she had typically responded to his advances with overt animosity. Finally, during Han and Lando's conversation about the Millennium Falcon, they allude to events from Shadows of the Empire, where Threepio piloted the ship to aid Lando and Leia in narrowly escaping the Destruction of Xizor's Palace.
The portrayal of Yoda by John Lithgow differs noticeably from that in The Empire Strikes Back, whether intentionally or not; his vocal performance is less of a direct imitation of Frank Oz's interpretation of the character.