Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith

Opening crawl

Plot summary

Battle over Coruscant

The timeline is set three years after the events depicted in Attack of the Clones. The Galactic Republic finds itself deeply embroiled in the epic war against the Confederacy of Independent Systems, led by Count Dooku, also known as the Sith Lord Darth Tyranus. General Grievous, the cyborg commander of the Confederacy's military forces and the Separatist Droid Army, escalates the conflict by bringing the battle to Coruscant and abducting Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, the leader of the Galactic Senate, during a massive space battle.

As the Separatist Droid Army endeavors to flee the Republic capital, a large-scale space engagement unfolds, into which Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his former padawan, now Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, plunge, leading a mission to liberate the Chancellor. The Jedi navigate through the Separatist fleet. During this endeavor, Obi-Wan's interceptor sustains damage from buzz droids, resulting in the destruction of his astromech, R4-P17. Anakin attempts to eliminate the droids, but inadvertently damages his Master's ship. Obi-Wan cautions Anakin against firing, noting it is unhelpful. Anakin acknowledges his mistake. Obi-Wan instructs Anakin to proceed with rescuing the Chancellor, but Anakin refuses to leave without Obi-Wan. Anakin uses his fighter wings to dislodge some of the buzz droids from Obi-Wan's fighter, but one manages to crawl onto Anakin's ship although it is quickly disabled by R2-D2. Approaching Grievous's flagship, the Invisible Hand, Obi-Wan reminds Anakin that their shields are still active, prompting Anakin to break formation and target a shield generator, disabling the docking bay's shields. Its destruction triggers the ship's emergency breach door, which begins to close rapidly. The two Jedi execute a crash-landing just before the door seals shut.

Anakin and Obi-Wan advance through the flagship, employing their lightsabers to overcome a droid army. Concurrently, R2-D2 provides support from the hangar bay, simultaneously incinerating a pair of super battle droids using fuel and his thrusters.

Rescuing the chancellor

Reaching the upper levels, the Jedi discover the captive Chancellor Palpatine. They are met by Count Dooku himself, prompting Obi-Wan to propose a joint effort against Dooku, leading to an intense lightsaber duel. The Jedi catch the Count off guard by transitioning from basic attacks to more sophisticated strategies. During the confrontation, Obi-Wan is incapacitated when Dooku employs the Force to suspend him in mid-air by the throat, before forcefully throwing him against a railing.

With Obi-Wan incapacitated, Anakin continues the battle, enduring repeated taunts from Dooku. Channeling his anger, Anakin draws upon the dark side of the Force and gains the upper hand in the duel. He severs both of Dooku's hands, leaving him defenseless, and holds him at lightsaber-point with both his own lightsaber and Dooku's weapon. Palpatine urges Anakin to execute Dooku, shocking the latter, who looks pleadingly at the Chancellor, only to be met with a sinister smile from Palpatine. Initially hesitant, Anakin ultimately complies with Palpatine's insistence, unaware of Palpatine's true motives, and brutally decapitates the helpless Dooku. His body falls to the ground and his head falls fast to the ground and rolled like a bowling ball.

The Invisible Hand intersects with the Venator-class Star Destroyer Guarlara. A broadside assault commences, with both vessels exchanging cannon fire. A shell from a Republic Venator destroys one of the Invisible Hand's cannons and ammo crates, causing the Invisible Hand to begin an uncontrolled descent into Coruscant. Despite Palpatine's urgings to abandon the unconscious Obi-Wan, Anakin carries him on his back, navigating the ship with the Chancellor. Obi-Wan later regains consciousness.

Confronting Grievous

After Grievous has the bridge crew regain control of his flagship by firing the emergency booster engines, he ensures the capture of the two Jedi and their charge. Having fallen victim to a ray shield trap, the trio is escorted to the bridge under guard, but R2 skillfully creates a diversion, enabling the Jedi to retrieve their lightsabers and break free.

Grievous then deploys a pair of his formidable IG-100 MagnaGuard droids against the Jedi. Obi-Wan swiftly decapitates the first MagnaGuard, yet the droid persists in combat, compelling Obi-Wan to dismantle the droid warrior before it deactivates. Anakin eliminates the second MagnaGuard and destroys the battle droids attempting to seize Palpatine from the bridge. As the Jedi close in on Grievous, the cunning General shatters a window with his fallen guard's electrostaff and is propelled outside. Utilizing a tow cable, Grievous secures himself to the ship and heads for the escape pods. Launching all other escape capsules, Grievous speeds for the safety of a Trade Federation Lucrehulk-class battleship. Once again, the flagship begins to descend in free fall into Coruscant, though due to its extensive damage taken from its broadside cannon fight with the Guarlara and entering Coruscant's atmosphere, the ships hangar bay begins to weaken. After extending the ship's drag flaps, the hangar gives out and breaks off from the rest of the ship, sending them into a faster freefall. With the aid of a few emergency firespeeders they land, hitting a control tower along on one of Coruscant's industrial landing platforms.

Happy reunions

Upon their return to Coruscant, Anakin is celebrated for his heroic actions. He secretly meets with Padmé Amidala, and they share a kiss in the shadows of the Senate office building, concealing their relationship. She then reveals her pregnancy.

Meanwhile, Grievous, now both the political and military leader of the Separatists, arrives on Utapau, where Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray, Geonosian Archduke Poggle the Lesser, Techno Union head of state and Foreman Wat Tambor, and other members of the Separatist Council remain in hiding. Darth Sidious contacts the General, instructing him to relocate the Separatist leaders to a volcanic planet, Mustafar. He also indicates that the war is nearing its end. Grievous expresses uncertainty, given Count Dooku's demise. Sidious assures him that Darth Tyranus's death and loss were necessary, for he would soon have a new Sith apprentice: one far younger and more powerful.

Later, on Coruscant, Anakin awakens in a state of panic, drenched in sweat. He confides in Padmé about his recurring dream of her dying during childbirth, vowing to prevent this vision from becoming reality.

Chancellor Palpatine summons Anakin to the Chancellor's office. The Senate has granted the Chancellor additional emergency powers, granting him direct control over the Jedi Council. Palpatine shares his fear, distrust, and contempt for the Masters with Anakin. He appoints Anakin as his personal representative on the Council.

The High Council reluctantly accepts Anakin's appointment but denies him the rank of Master. Anakin reacts with anger at this perceived injustice, but is swiftly silenced by Mace Windu. Ignoring his outburst, the Council proceeds to discuss war-related matters. They decide that Anakin will be assigned to protect the Chancellor, while Yoda will lead a battalion of clones to reinforce the Wookiees on Kashyyyk. Anakin is displeased and disappointed.

Subsequently, Obi-Wan informs Anakin that the Council expects Anakin to report on all the Chancellor's activities, effectively spying on him. Anakin is conflicted and upset, feeling torn between his loyalties to two friends. Obi-Wan himself is dissatisfied with the situation.

The tragedy of Darth Plagueis

At the Galaxies Opera House in the Uscru District, Anakin accompanies Palpatine to watch the Mon Calamari Aquatic Ballet perform Squid Lake. Palpatine reveals to Anakin that Clone Intelligence has located General Grievous hiding in the Utapau system. Anakin expresses his delight at this news, believing Grievous's capture will expedite the war's conclusion. Palpatine suggests he would question the competence of the Jedi Council if Anakin were not assigned to the mission. After inviting Anakin to join him and dismissing his aides, Palpatine begins to seduce Anakin to the dark side. He informs Anakin that the Jedi Order intends to overthrow the Republic and that if he has suspected it, Anakin must surely have sensed it. Anakin admits that the Jedi don't trust him, a notion Palpatine expands to include the Senate, the Republic, and democracy as a whole. Anakin tells Palpatine that his trust in the Jedi has been shaken and Palpatine deduces Anakin's distaste for the Council's mission to spy on the Chancellor. Palpatine revisits some of the early political lessons he attempted to impart to Anakin, emphasizing that those in power fear losing it, including the Jedi. Anakin attempts to defend the Jedi, asserting that they use their powers for good, but Palpatine argues that good is subjective, noting that the Sith and Jedi are alike in their pursuit of power. Anakin disagrees, arguing that the Sith depend on passion for strength, thinking only of themselves, whereas the Jedi are selfless, thinking only of others.

Following a brief pause in their conversation, Palpatine introduces the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise. Palpatine describes Darth Plagueis as a Dark Lord of the Sith with such immense power and wisdom that he could manipulate the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life. Furthermore, with such knowledge of the dark side, Plagueis could use this ability to save loved ones from death, a statement that captures Anakin's attention (which was Palpatine's desire). Palpatine describes the dark side of the Force as a pathway to many abilities considered by some to be unnatural. When Anakin inquires about Darth Plagueis's fate, Palpatine reveals that Plagueis became so powerful that his only fear was losing his power, which he eventually did. Tragically, Plagueis taught his apprentice, Darth Sidious, everything he knew, only to be killed by his apprentice in his sleep. Palpatine remarks on the irony that Plagueis could prevent others from dying but not himself. When Anakin asks if it is possible to learn the power to stop death, Palpatine simply replies, "Not from a Jedi," further alienating Anakin from the Jedi Order.

After Yoda departs for Kashyyyk, Anakin shares the information about Grievous, explaining that a partial message was intercepted in a diplomatic packet from the Chairman of Utapau. Yoda emphasizes the need for swift and decisive action. When Anakin expresses his interest in going at Palpatine's request, Mace Windu sharply retorts that the Council will decide who goes, not the Chancellor. Yoda believes that a Master with more experience is needed to confront, and defeat, Grievous. Ki-Adi-Mundi concurs and nominates Obi-Wan to go. With the nomination approved, the Council adjourns, and Obi-Wan prepares for his mission to Utapau. Yoda, Luminara Unduli, and Gree, along with Tarfful and Chewbacca defend Kashyyyk against the Corporate Alliance Tanks, Dwarf Spider droids, Droid Gunships, and legions of battle droids.

Obi-Wan vs. Grievous

Anakin accompanies Obi-Wan to a Jedi cruiser before his departure. Anakin still believes he'd be needed on Utapau, and while Obi-Wan agrees, he also notes it might just be a wild Bantha chase. Anakin stops Obi-Wan and tells him that he knows he's disappointed Obi-Wan and that he's not been acting very grateful for the training he received. Anakin tells him he's just been so frustrated with the Council lately, but that he does apologize. Obi-Wan calls Anakin strong and wise and tells Anakin he's very proud of him and while Obi-Wan trained him since Anakin was a boy, he calls Anakin a far greater Jedi than Obi-Wan could hope to be. But Obi-Wan encourages Anakin to be patient and that it won't be long before the Council makes Anakin a Jedi Master. The two bid each other farewell, and Obi-Wan departs for Utapau. Unbeknownst to them, this marks the last time they will interact as fellow Jedi and friends.

Obi-Wan arrives in Pau City on Utapau and initiates his search for General Grievous, riding a varactyl named Boga. He locates Grievous on the Tenth Level. After Obi-Wan dispatches the droids around Grievous, the two engage in single combat. Grievous's arms split in half, allowing him to wield four lightsabers simultaneously. Obi-Wan quickly severs the lower halves of the General's hands, helping to even out the odds a little. During the battle, the Third Systems Army arrives under the command of CC-2224 "Cody." Obi-Wan manages to catch Grievous off guard and uses the Force to push the fiendish droid general into the ceiling. Grievous drops his remaining two lightsabers and attempts to flee on his wheel bike, while Obi-Wan pursues on Boga. During the chase, Obi-Wan drops his lightsaber, which Commander Cody happens to find during the massive battle against the droids.

On Coruscant, Anakin informs Palpatine that General Grievous has been located on Utapau. Anakin insists he should be on Utapau as well. Their conversation shifts to Palpatine's knowledge of the Force and dark side, both of which he learned from his mentor (Plagueis), much to the shock of Anakin who starts to become wary of the Chancellor. After Palpatine tells him that the dark side can save Padme from death, Anakin realizes that Palpatine is in fact Darth Sidious, the latter of which Palpatine confirms (This revelation means that Palpatine as Sidious engineered the Invasion of Naboo and War, betrayed and caused the deaths of Plagueis and Dooku, and has been deceiving the Jedi and Republic). Anakin ignites his lightsaber and threatens to kill Palpatine, but then decides to expose his deception and identity to the Jedi Council. He is still concerned with saving his wife, and believes only Palpatine's knowledge will ensure this.

Obi-Wan continues his pursuit of General Grievous on Utapau. He catches up with the General and jumps onto his wheel bike. Using Grievous's electrostaff, he manages to destabilize the speeder, and it goes into a spin. Both Obi-Wan and Grievous are thrown off as the speeder topples over the edge of Grievous's secret landing platform. Grievous then draws his blaster, though it is knocked from his hand by Obi-Wan, now wielding the electrostaff. He knocks Grievous down, and a brawl ensues, during which Kenobi tears open the General's chest plates, revealing his living organs. Enraged, Grievous repeatedly hits Obi-Wan and then picks up the helpless Jedi and throws him over the edge. Obi-Wan barely manages to hang on and momentarily dangles for his life. As Grievous moves in for the kill, Obi-Wan uses the Force to retrieve the General's blaster and fires at Grievous's exposed organs. He hits, and they burst into flames. With his eyes flaming, Grievous falls to the floor, dead.

Sidious revealed

Anakin returns to the Jedi Temple and approaches Windu who tells Anakin that they have just been informed that Obi-Wan has destroyed General Grievous and so they are going to go to the Senate to ensure that Chancellor Palpatine gives back his emergency powers. However, Anakin reveals that Palpatine is a Sith Lord and is not likely to give up his powers, a statement which shocks Windu and stops him dead in his tracks. Anakin confirms what he just said and says he believes Palpatine is the one they have been looking for. When Windu asks how Anakin knows this, he tells Windu that Palpatine knows the ways of the Force and has been trained to use the dark side and that he is absolutely sure. Windu says their worst fears have now been realized and that if the Jedi Order is to survive, they must move quickly. Anakin warns Windu that Palpatine is very powerful and they'll need his help to arrest Palpatine, but Windu urges him to stay out of it as he senses much fear in Anakin and it could cloud his judgment. Windu also adds that if what Anakin says is true then Anakin will have gained his trust but for now, he wants Anakin to wait in the Council Chambers until he returns. Masters Windu, Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, and Saesee Tiin board a gunship and head to Palpatine's office.

Sitting in the Council Chambers, remembering Palpatine's promise of stopping death and the dreams of Padmé dying in childbirth, Anakin ruminates over his decision: in his mind, he hears Palpatine's voice saying that if the Jedi kill him, any chance of saving Padmé will be lost. Finally, he leaves and rushes after the four Jedi.

Windu and the three other Jedi Masters arrive at Chancellor Palpatine's office. Windu declares Palpatine is under arrest and the Masters ignite their lightsabers. Sidious pulls a lightsaber from his sleeve and hurls himself at the Jedi with a screeching war cry. Kolar is the first to die, run through the chest and as Kolar's life is ending due to the wound, Sidious turns and slices Tiin's torso. A few seconds later, with more effort from Sidious, Fisto is slain, killed by a slash across the gut. Only Windu remains, alone against the Dark Lord.

Rise of Lord Vader

Sidious and Windu are locked in combat, an intense duel unfolding. Initially, they appear evenly matched, but Windu steadily gains the upper hand, pushing the Sith Lord from the Chancellor's antechamber into the main office. After shattering a large window, Windu kicks Sidious, causing him to fall and lose his lightsaber. Anakin arrives just as Windu is about to strike the final blow. Windu declares Sidious defeated, but the Sith Lord retaliates with a surge of Force lightning. Windu deflects the lightning with his lightsaber, redirecting the energy back into Sidious, horrifically disfiguring him. His face becomes pale and gaunt, his teeth yellow and decaying, his fingernails long and filthy, and his eyes burn with yellow and red. Sidious then ceases his attack, feigning weakness. As Windu prepares to kill Sidious, Anakin intervenes, insisting on a trial for Palpatine. Windu dismisses this, arguing that Sidious's influence over the Senate and courts makes him too dangerous to keep alive. Anakin is forced to choose between the Jedi Order and Padmé. Just as Windu is about to strike, Anakin betrays him, severing his sword arm. Sidious, laughing maniacally, unleashes more Force lightning, sending Windu plummeting to his death from the window, hundreds of stories below.

Anakin is devastated by his actions, but understands that he cannot go back after betraying the Jedi. He swears loyalty to Sidious, seeking the Dark Lord's power to prevent death, hoping to save his wife. Sidious accepts Anakin as his Sith apprentice, renaming him "Darth Vader" of the Sith. Sidious orders Vader to begin Operation: Knightfall to destroy the Jedi Rebellion, and then eliminate the Separatist Council on Mustafar system, before proclaiming that "Once more the Sith will rule the galaxy."

Vader leads the 501st Legion to the Jedi Temple. Together, they storm the Temple, slaughtering every Jedi in their path, including the swordsmaster Cin Drallig and even the younglings hiding in the Council Chamber.

Order 66

From his office, Sidious transmits an order to Commander Cody and numerous other clone troopers across the galaxy: to execute Order 66, a protocol mandating the extermination of all Jedi, which the Clones follow (as explained in seasons 6 and 7 of Star Wars: The Clone Wars).

Across the galaxy, the Jedi Generals are betrayed and murdered by their clone troopers. As this occurs, Yoda senses the death of everyone. On Utapau, Kenobi is blasted off a cliff by an All Terrain Tactical Enforcer, but he and Boga survive the fall, and Obi-Wan escapes on Grievous's hidden starfighter; on Mygeeto, Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi is shot down by CC-1138 and the 21st Nova Corps; on the tropical world of Felucia, Jedi Knight Aayla Secura is killed by CC-5052 and his 327th Star Corps; on Cato Neimoidia, Plo Koon's Jedi starfighter is destroyed by Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighters, crashing into a clone staging area; and on Saleucami, Stass Allie's 74-Z speeder bike is destroyed by CC-8826 and his wingman, riding BARC speeders. On Kashyyyk, Yoda is observing the battle when Commander Gree receives the order. He and Captain Jek attempt to ambush Yoda, but the wise Master senses their intentions and decapitates both clones with his lightsaber. Tarfful and Chewbacca assist Yoda in escaping the planet.

Senator Bail Organa arrives at the burning Temple and witnesses the slaughter of a young Padawan named Zett Jukassa by a squad of troopers led by Commander Appo. Horrified, Organa flees the scene and leaves Coruscant in the Tantive III, seeking to contact any surviving Jedi.

Obi-Wan and Yoda both survive Order 66 and are rescued by Senator Organa, having avoided capture. The Jedi decide to return to Coruscant to alter the Jedi beacon calling all Jedi back to Coruscant, knowing that it is a trap set by Darth Sidious. Kenobi hopes to warn any remaining Jedi to avoid the Temple.

After the attack on the Jedi Temple, Vader returns to Padmé at the Senate Apartment Complex, where they can see the smoke from the destroyed Temple. He tells her that the Jedi attempted to overthrow the Republic, and that there are traitors in the Senate. He demands her loyalty to the Chancellor, then informs her that he will travel to the Mustafar system, where the remaining Separatists are gathered, to end the war.

Through a hologram, Sidious informs the Separatist Council that Vader will handle them upon his arrival, but the council is unaware that Sidious has betrayed them and sent Vader to kill them.

Birth of the Empire

Vader arrives on Mustafar and is greeted by Viceroy Gunray, but the Sith apprentice quickly traps the Separatist Council in the bunker. He murders Poggle the Lesser, Rune Haako, Po Nudo, and Wat Tambor, among others. He saves Gunray for last, slashing the Neimoidian across the chest as he begs for his life. It is at this moment that the first physical signs of the dark side appear in Vader, as his irises turn pale yellow, and the rest of his eyes become bright crimson.

The Senate holds a special session where Palpatine announces the "Jedi plot to overthrow the Senate," which he claims was foiled. Amidst loud applause, he declares that the remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated. He then proclaims that "in order to ensure the security and continued stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire," which Palpatine describes as creating a safe and secure society. As the Senate roars its approval, Padmé Amidala and Bail Organa, shocked by the outcome, exchange glances, and Padmé can only say, "So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause."

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan and Yoda enter the Jedi Temple, killing several clones and walking through the devastation in disbelief. Yoda notices that some of their fellow Jedi were killed by someone wielding a lightsaber. They alter the Temple's signal to warn any surviving Jedi to stay away, but then Obi-Wan, seeking the truth, examines the security hologram recordings. To his horror, one recording shows Vader fighting Younglings and then kneeling before Sidious. Yoda declares that they must destroy the Sith, but Obi-Wan is hesitant to kill Anakin and wants to confront the Emperor instead. Yoda insists that Obi-Wan is not strong enough to face Sidious and that Anakin is lost, "consumed" by Vader. Yoda departs to confront Sidious, instructing Obi-Wan to "use his feelings" to find Vader.

Following Yoda's advice, Obi-Wan visits Padmé, asking about Anakin's location and telling her that he has turned to the dark side and murdered many Jedi in the temple, and that Sidious was behind everything, including the war. Despite her distress, Padmé refuses to reveal her husband's whereabouts. Obi-Wan realizes that Padmé is pregnant with Anakin's child, revealing that he already knew about their relationship and apologizes to her for what he must do, before leaving. On Mustafar, Vader surveys the violent landscape and weeps over his recent acts of violence, knowing that he cannot escape Darth Sidious's influence.

Later, Padmé leaves Coruscant in her star skiff, heading to Mustafar to find her husband and discover the truth. Unbeknownst to her, Obi-Wan secretly hides aboard the ship just before it departs.

Battle of the heroes

The star skiff lands on Mustafar, and Padmé is greeted by a smiling Vader. Padmé reveals her conversation with Obi-Wan, but Vader dismisses it as lies, though he does not deny the accusations. Padmé tells him that Obi-Wan knew about them and wanted to help them, begging him to run away with her and raise their child in peace. Vader, consumed by power, claims that they no longer need to run and that he can overthrow Palpatine so that they can rule the galaxy together. Padmé, realizing how much her husband has changed, recoils in horror and tearfully pleads with him to stop, insisting that she still loves him.

As she pleads, Obi-Wan emerges onto the star skiff's boarding ramp. Seeing him, Vader becomes enraged and accuses Padmé of betraying him with Obi-Wan. Without giving her a chance to explain, he begins Force-choking her. Obi-Wan intervenes, demanding Vader to release Padmé, but Vader continues to choke her unconscious. Turning his anger on Obi-Wan, Vader accuses him of turning his wife against him, but Obi-Wan retorts that Vader has done that himself and allowed himself to be corrupted by Sidious's lies, becoming a Sith. Vader refuses to listen and declares that he has brought order to his "new empire." Obi-Wan, unable to believe what he is hearing, prepares to fight. Vader rants that those who oppose him are his enemies and engages Obi-Wan in a fierce duel between Master and Apprentice.

In the Chancellor's office inside the Imperial Senate Building, Yoda confronts Palpatine. He tells him that he knows of Anakin's fall, addressing him by his Sith name. Sidious uses Force Lightning to hurl the Jedi Master backwards into a pillar. Obi-Wan and Vader fight across the bridge and enter the Klegger Corp Mining Facility, battling through the hallways. Back on Coruscant, Sidious tells Yoda that the Jedi will be no more. The Jedi Master rises and pushes him back past the desk. They engage in an intense battle using their lightsabers and Force powers. At the Mustafarian Mining Complex, Obi-Wan and Vader fight on the desk in the conference room. Vader attempts to Force choke the Jedi Master with his lightsaber activated. Obi-Wan loses it after being kicked in the stomach, but he recovers. Yoda continues fighting Sidious until they reach the Galactic Senate Chamber, the heart of the Senate. Vader is still battling Obi-Wan, who is on the defensive. They fight in the command center, surrounded by the bodies of the dead Separatist leaders. A missed slash from Vader's lightsaber damages a computer console, deactivating the facility's shields. As the door opens, Obi-Wan and Vader exit the mining facility and head outside. At the Galactic Senate Chamber, Sidious hurls Senate pods at Yoda, and the effort to avoid them exhausts the Jedi Master. Sidious then blasts Yoda with Force Lightning, causing the Jedi master to lose his lightsaber. With the last of his strength, Yoda redirects it back at him, but this causes an explosion that throws both himself and Sidious over the edge of the pod.

Obi-Wan and Vader's battle continues as they carefully walk across some pipes. A Mustafarian mining droid briefly passes by them. The pair jump onto a bridge and walk onto some large stalks. At the same time, deadly lava blasts towards Vader and Obi-Wan, forcing them to take cover from raining debris. The lava cuts off a collection arm attached to the main structure. Sidious manages to hold onto a senate pod, while Yoda falls to the senate floor, leaving his cloak behind. With Bail Organa's help, Yoda escapes the Senate Building, intending to go into exile. Back on Mustafar, the battle continues. Obi-Wan and Vader ride the collection arm down the lava river below, which falls over a molten waterfall. Abandoning the arm, Obi-Wan leaps onto a hovering mining platform below, with Vader pursuing him back up the lava river atop a collection droid. Obi-Wan pleads with his old friend one last time, but Vader still refuses to listen to reason, forcing Obi-Wan to accept that his student, friend, and brother is corrupted beyond redemption.

After fending off another attack from Vader, Obi-Wan disengages as the platform nears the shore of the lava river, leaping up onto the black sand bank. Obi-Wan warns Vader that he now has the high ground, but Vader, enraged and bloodthirsty, yells "You underestimate my power!" and foolishly leaps up to attack his old Master the same way Obi-Wan defeated Maul. With a swift sweep of his blade, Obi-Wan severs Vader's left arm and legs. Vader tumbles down the embankment and rolls to a stop at the edge of the river of lava.

As Obi-Wan watches, Vader, helpless and now fully consumed by the dark side, desperately tries to pull his crippled, smoking body up the embankment with his one remaining mechanical arm. Obi-Wan is overcome with disgust and sadness at the tragic fate of "The Chosen One," and is reduced nearly to tears. He angrily shouts that Vader has failed in his life and destiny, and has hurt all those who loved him, including Obi-Wan himself. All Vader can do is scream in pain and powerless rage, cursing his former friend and Master. The lava below Vader then engulfs his leg, setting him on fire, horribly burning and disfiguring him, with Obi-Wan turning away from the horror, unwilling to kill him. After briefly staring at the charred, mutilated figure that was once Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan turns and walks away, taking Anakin's dropped lightsaber with him. He returns to the star skiff and leaves the planet with the unconscious Padmé and her droids. Obi-Wan feels guilt for failing Anakin & Padmé's happiness.

Birth and rebirth

Sidious arrives on Mustafar with a group of shock troopers led by Commander Thire. They rescue Darth Vader from the brink of death using a stasis pod and Sith medicines held in the Emperor's shuttle.

On the remote asteroid Polis Massa, Yoda meditates and hears the spirit voice of Qui-Gon Jinn. The voice reveals that there is a way to merge with the Force and retain consciousness after death. To learn this power, Yoda declares himself an apprentice to the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn.

Obi-Wan arrives at Polis Massa with Padmé, who receives emergency medical treatment from the facility's droids. She is dying, having lost the will to live. The medical droids work to save her babies—she is carrying twins, much to the surprise of Bail Organa, Obi-Wan, and Yoda. A boy and a girl are born. In her final breaths, Padmé names them "Luke" and "Leia."

As his children are born, Vader is being rebuilt at the Grand Republic Medical Facility on Coruscant. Vader receives new legs, a new arm, mechanized lungs, and other "replacement parts." He is dressed in black armor, a face mask is sealed tightly, and his helmet is fitted. Darth Vader begins to breathe through his mask. Most, if not the entire surgery is carried out in true dark-side form, with Vader wide awake and apparently unanesthetized, leaving him moaning, screaming, and writhing in excruciating agony.

With her final breath, Padmé insists that there is still good in Anakin. She dies still believing in the man she loved, before his violent acts against the Jedi Order and the Separatist Council. Obi-Wan watches her pass away sadly.

Vader is raised to a standing position, his surgery complete. Vader begins to speak through his vocabulator to the Emperor, asking about Padmé. Sidious, seeking to sever Vader's last connection to his former life and permanently solidify the dark side in his heart, lies to Vader, claiming that he accidentally killed his wife while Force choking her. With his last shred of hope and love now extinguished and his mind shattered by the realization that he himself killed the person he wanted to save, Vader breaks free from the operating table and unleashes a powerful scream of rage, shame, and grief through the Force, shattering the droids and equipment. Vader screams "Nooo!" in anger and despair, while the Emperor watches with an evil grin.

A new hope

On the Tantive III, which was stationed at Naboo, Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Bail Organa convened around a table for discussions. They reached a consensus to conceal Padmé's pregnancy, effectively staging the demise of her offspring. For the sake of their well-being, Luke and Leia would be separated, with the expectation that the Sith would be unable to detect their presence. Leia would be adopted by Bail Organa, while Luke would be entrusted to his father's step family on Tatooine. Obi-Wan and Yoda would remain vigilant, awaiting the opportune moment for the Skywalker siblings to fulfill their destiny. Yoda instructed Obi-Wan to delve into the technique mastered by Qui-Gon, enabling him to attain immortality.

Bail Organa relinquished custody of R2-D2 and C-3PO to Captain Raymus Antilles of the Tantive III. He mandated a memory erasure for the loquacious protocol droid.

A somber ceremony was held in Theed on Naboo, marking Padmé's funeral. Her hands were clasped around the japor snippet that Anakin had gifted her upon his departure from Tatooine approximately thirteen years prior. To safeguard her children, her body was presented as still carrying her unborn children.

In a scene that was ultimately removed, Yoda embarked on a journey to Dagobah to commence his self-imposed exile, a consequence partly attributed to his inability to vanquish Sidious.

Aboard the bridge of a Venator-class Star Destroyer, painted in gray, Vader, the Emperor, and Governor Wilhuff Tarkin supervised the ongoing construction of a moon-sized battle station.

Bail Organa delivered the infant Leia to his wife, Queen Breha, on Alderaan.

Obi-Wan conveyed Luke to his new guardians, his uncle, Owen, and his aunt, Beru, on Tatooine. Obi-Wan departed on an eopie, making his way to his solitary existence in the Jundland Wastes. As the film and the prequel trilogy drew to a close, Owen and Beru, cradling the infant Luke, gazed towards the horizon, observing the setting of Tatooine's twin suns.

Development

A piece of concept art, which Lucas approved for use as a starship in the film, was initially labeled as a "Republic Clone Sky Fighter." However, this design was ultimately omitted from the movie. Years later, the same design was resurrected for the Star Wars: The High Republic multimedia project, much to the delight of its creator, Warren Fu. Fu is also recognized for crafting the concept art for the "Droid General" character, who eventually evolved into Grievous. One of Fu's earlier designs for Grievous was repurposed for the MagnaGuards.

The principal photography for Revenge of the Sith spanned from June 30 to September 17, 2003. A significant portion of the filming took place at Fox Studios, Sydney. An additional phase of studio photography occurred in late 2004 at both Shepperton Studios and an Elstree Film Studio in the UK. A brief end sequence was filmed at Chott el Jerid in Tunisia during the production of Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones in 2000, specifically to avoid the need to return to the country for a single scene. The second unit filming took place in several locations, including Grindelwald in Switzerland, Guilin in China, Phuket in Thailand, and Mount Etna in Italy.

Release and reception

Revenge of the Sith charity premieres were held in multiple cities, including Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C., Boston, Denver, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Miami on Thursday, May 12, 2005. Furthermore, on May 13, 2005, two additional charity premiere screenings took place in Modesto, the hometown of George Lucas. On the same day, an episode of MTV's Total Request Live was broadcast to promote the film, featuring a performance by the band Good Charlotte. The film's official premiere was celebrated at the Cannes Film Festival (out of competition) on May 15, 2005. Its release in most other countries occurred on May 19. It was estimated that the premiere of Revenge of the Sith would result in an approximate $627 million USD loss for the US economy due to employees taking time off or calling in sick.

Due to its mature themes, scenes of destruction, and violent content (particularly the scene depicting Anakin's immolation in a graphic and realistic manner, as well as Dooku's decapitation and the burning of Grievous' internal organs), Revenge of the Sith holds the distinction of being the first Star Wars film to receive a PG-13 rating from the MPAA. All prior films in the series had been rated PG. In contrast, A New Hope was initially rated G, but its rating was intentionally elevated to broaden its appeal and due to the inclusion of the remains of Owen and Beru Lars.

Continuity

During the DVD commentary for Revenge of the Sith, Lucas made a casual remark concerning the Death Star depicted in the film's concluding moments. He clarified that it was identical to the one featured in A New Hope, and while acknowledging that it might be "a bit of a stretch," he explained that "union disputes and supply problems" contributed to its 19-year construction period. The canon novel Tarkin by James Luceno, set five years after Revenge of the Sith, delves into certain facets of the Death Star's construction. The book Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel, also penned by James Luceno, provided further details regarding the Republic's clandestine initiation of the project and its subsequent expansion under the Empire's direction. Thrawn and Thrawn: Treason also offer glimpses into the production and supply challenges associated with the Death Star. The movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story provides additional insight into the Death Star's construction, illustrating how the Rebel Alliance obtained the Death Star plans.

Within the Legends continuity, Kevin J. Anderson's novels Jedi Search and Champions of the Force posit that a prototype Death Star was constructed in anticipation of the first Death Star's creation in A New Hope. These conflicting accounts were reconciled in The New Essential Chronology, which designated the former as a testbed prototype for the superlaser intended for installation on the latter. The Chronology also highlights that the construction site was relocated to various locations throughout the nineteen-year interval between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope to ensure protection from sabotage, suggesting multiple attempts by unidentified individuals to disable or destroy the massive battle station. This theory is supported by a line from A New Hope where Vader asserts, "There will be no one to stop us this time" concerning the Death Star and its plans. The Legends novels The Dark Nest Trilogy, authored by Troy Denning, explore the continuity elements surrounding the holographic recordings of Anakin, Padme, and Obi-Wan in R2's memory banks. Despite the Skywalker family saga coming full circle, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa remain unaware of their mother's identity. However, Luke has stumbled upon a memory in R2-D2's storage that contains her image, including a hologram of Anakin Force-choking Padmé, as well as their birth. Denning portrays Artoo's reluctance to reveal these recordings to Luke, presumably fearing the potential for emotional distress, while attributing it to quirks in the astromech droid's circuitry.

The Legends video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed revealed that Galen Marek inflicted significant damage on the Death Star while infiltrating the station to rescue Rebel leaders. This was interpreted as a partial explanation for the extended construction time of the Death Star, as well as Vader's statement, "There will be no one to stop us this time."

Adaptations and tie-in media

A novelization of the film was penned by Matthew Stover, incorporating significantly more dialogue than the movie. The duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin is expanded and exaggerated. It also includes numerous references to Expanded Universe characters, such as Raith Sienar or Garm Bel Iblis, and certain details, such as Shaak Ti's demise and Captain Needa's appearance at the Battle of Coruscant, differ from their cinematic counterparts. However, aside from the Anakin and Obi-Wan duel, the final act is condensed, particularly in comparison to the opening space battle, which occupies the initial third of the book.

Dark Horse Comics released a comic adaptation of the film in March 2005. Additional books include the prequel novel Labyrinth of Evil and the sequel novel Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader.

A video game based on the film was launched on May 5, 2005, two weeks prior to the movie's release. The game largely adhered to the film's storyline, integrating scenes from the movie. However, numerous sections of the game featured cut scenes from the film or entirely new scenes created for the game. The gameplay primarily consisted of lightsaber combat and playing as Obi-Wan or Anakin/Vader. A notable and popular aspect of the game was its inclusion of an alternate ending, which served as such for both the game and the movie. In this ending, Obi-Wan warns Vader about the high ground, but Vader leaps and evades Obi-Wan's attempted Mou kei, subsequently stabbing his former master in the back, resulting in his death. Following Obi-Wan's demise, Vader kicks his lifeless body down the black sand bank, grins, and departs as Palpatine arrives on Mustafar to commend Vader on his victory. Vader approaches Sidious' docked shuttle, and the new emperor proclaims that the galaxy belongs to both of them, presenting Vader with his new, red-bladed lightsaber. After a brief examination of his new weapon, Vader ignites it and impales his Sith master, declaring that the galaxy belongs solely to him.

The film's soundtrack was released by Sony Classical on May 3, 2005, more than two weeks before the film's debut. The music was composed and conducted by John Williams, and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and London Voices. A music video titled A Hero Falls was produced for the film's theme, "Battle of the Heroes," incorporating footage from the movie.

Home video

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith was released on DVD on November 1, 2005 (in Canada and the United States). The DVD comprised a two-disc set featuring picture and sound mastered from the original digital source material. It included a new full-length documentary, as well as two featurettes, one exploring the prophecy of Anakin Skywalker as the Chosen One, and the other examining the movie's stunts. The 15-part web documentary series "Making Episode III" and a playable Xbox demo of Star Wars: Battlefront II (released concurrently with the DVD) were also included in the set.

This release marked the first instance of a Star Wars film (and a major film in general) not being widely released on VHS (although it was released on VHS in Australia). This decision sparked some discontent among fans who collected both DVD and VHS versions, as they felt their VHS collection was incomplete without Episode III. Both the DVD and VHS versions contained only one alteration from the film's digital theatrical cut: a straight cut replaced a wipe between the scene where Obi-Wan departs Mustafar and the scene where Vader climbs away from the lava. (The wipe was reinstated for the Blu-ray release.)

Disc 1:

• DVD Menu themes inspired by planets from the movie: Coruscant, Utapau, and Mustafar
• Available subtitles: English
• Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
• Commentary by writer-director George Lucas, producer Rick McCallum, animation director Rob Coleman, and ILM visual effects supervisors John Knoll and Roger Guyett
• Hip hop Yoda music video, an easter egg featuring a non-canonical musical performance by Yoda and a group of clone troopers from the 41st Elite Corps (in phase II armor) in the Jedi Temple . [9] (This was the first release not to contain a secret blooper reel of footage from filming as an easter egg.) The video presents a dancing Yoda, break-dancing in the Jedi Temple alongside bopping clone troopers. This easter egg can be activated by inserting Disc 1 into a DVD player, selecting "Options," highlighting the THX logo, and entering the numbers "11," [10] "3," and "8," pausing after each number.

Disc 2:

• Main DVD Menu's theme is based on the Invisible Hand
• Exclusive deleted scenes with introductions by George Lucas and Rick McCallum
• "Within a Minute" documentary film about the making of the Mustafar battle
• "The Chosen One" featurette: George Lucas traces the myth of Darth Vader through episodes 1-6
• "It's All for Real: The Stunts of Episode III"
• A 15-part collection of Lucasfilm 's Web documentaries
• Star Wars: Battlefront II trailer and Xbox game demo
• Star Wars: Empire at War PC game trailer
• "A Hero Falls" music video
• Poster and print campaign
• Trailers and TV spots
• Production photo gallery
• DVD-ROM content includes a free trial of Hyperspace: The Official Star Wars Fan Club

Wal-Mart stores included an exclusive bonus disc, entitled The Story of Star Wars, with some copies of Revenge of the Sith, upon its DVD release. As with many prior Star Wars "history" featurettes, it is hosted by R2-D2 and C-3PO. Presented in full frame with Dolby Digital 2.0 sound and running for an hour, it was initially produced and released in 2004 as a 3-disc collection for the VideoNow Color personal video player. The DVD version contains the content from the first two discs: The Story of Anakin Skywalker and The Story of Luke Skywalker. The footage used does not include scenes from Revenge of the Sith, nor does it feature the changes present in the 2004 DVD Special Edition releases.

Other retail stores offered various collector's items. At Target, collectors received a collector's coin from the film, featuring Darth Vader on the "heads" side and the Mustafar duel on the "tails" side. A $5 gift card was also provided to DVD buyers, featuring Vader with added lights and sound. Additionally, Target included a bonus CD-Rom with the Episode III soundtrack. At Best Buy, Rewards Zone members received a Star Wars print by artist Shepard Fairey.

Revenge of the Sith was released on Blu-ray in September 2011.

On April 7, 2015, the Walt Disney Studios, 20th Century Fox, and Lucasfilm jointly announced the digital releases of the six existing Star Wars films. As Lucasfilm had retained digital distribution rights to Episodes I to III and V to VI, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released Revenge of the Sith for digital download on April 10, 2015.

Despite the Walt Disney Company's 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm and the release rights to all future Star Wars films, Fox was to maintain original distribution rights to Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, which they co-produced and co-financed, in perpetuity across all media worldwide. Fox was also to retain theatrical, nontheatrical, and home video rights worldwide for the franchise's five subsequent films, which Lucasfilm produced and financed independently, through May 2020, at which point ownership was to revert to Disney. This intricate relationship between Fox and Disney, particularly regarding Fox's perpetual rights to Episode IV, posed a challenge for any future boxed set encompassing all nine films. On December 14, 2017, The Walt Disney Company announced its acquisition of the majority of Fox's parent company, 21st Century Fox, including the film studio and all distribution rights to A New Hope. On March 20, 2019, the deal was officially finalized. On April 12, 2019, a Blu-ray box set containing the nine main installments of the Star Wars saga remastered in 4K was reportedly announced to be in development for a 2020 release.

Reception ‡

In interviews, George Lucas clarified that George Bush did not influence the writing of the movie. Instead, he conceived the fundamental story outline in the 1970s during the Vietnam War, drawing parallels to President Richard Nixon. He commented at Cannes, "The parallels between what we did in Vietnam and what we're doing in Iraq now are unbelievable." Lucas further explained that, more broadly, his story illustrates how any democracy can transition into a dictatorship with the consent of its populace, akin to Caesar of Rome and Napoleon I of France.

Popular reception

In the digital age, Revenge of the Sith has emerged as a significant source of content for internet meme culture. Notably, Kenobi's greeting to Grievous on Utapau, "hello there," has become one of the most iconic Star Wars memes and has been referenced in official works, even appearing as Kenobi's greeting to Luke Skywalker in the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series, where Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen reprised their roles as Kenobi and Vader, respectively.

Deleted scenes ‡

Six deleted scenes were included on Disc 2 of the DVD:

• "Grievous Slaughters Shaak Ti" - The demise of Shaak Ti at the hands of General Grievous aboard the Invisible Hand . This scene was removed due to time constraints and a change in the storyline, which initially had Grievous leaving Shaak Ti alive on Coruscant.
• "A Stirring in the Senate" - The inaugural meeting of the Rebel Alliance . This scene was omitted because it detracted from the central narrative of Anakin Skywalker.
• "Seeds of Rebellion" - The second meeting of the Rebel Alliance. This scene was omitted because it detracted from the central narrative of Anakin Skywalker.
• "Confronting the Chancellor" - The presentation of the Delegation of 2000 to Palpatine . This scene was omitted because it detracted from the central narrative of Anakin Skywalker.
• "A Plot to Destroy the Jedi?" - Mace Windu senses the destruction of the Jedi Order . This scene was omitted due to time constraints and the fact that the point was already established.
• "Exiled to Dagobah" - Yoda lands on Dagobah . This scene was omitted out of concern that it would clutter the ending, rather than focusing on "father, mother, and the kids." Rick McCallum has expressed that this was the greatest loss for him in the film and hopes to see it included in a future edition.

Other scenes were also cut from the film:

• Obi-Wan visits Senator Amidala to discuss Anakin and inform her that he is aware of her marriage. This scene is present in the script, novel, and comic book adaptation of the film, although with slight variations.
• Obi-Wan selects Boga from the other varactyls . An animatic of this scene was made available on StarWars.com in November 2007.
• The Deaths of Luminara Unduli and Barriss Offee . This scene was never filmed.
• The Order 66 "death" of Quinlan Vos . This scene was never filmed.
• The Order 66 death of Mina Podia . This scene was never filmed.
• Another death of Shaak Ti , elaborated upon in the novelization: Ti is stabbed in the back by Darth Vader during his raid on the Jedi Temple while she is meditating. She inquires about the fate of Windu, Fisto , Kolar , and Tiin . Skywalker responds by stabbing her in the back (a similar death of Shaak Ti appeared in LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game ).
• Obi-Wan evading the Nos monster , a natural predator of Utapau , after falling into the sinkhole on Utapau.
• Conversation scenes between Aayla Secura and Bly , and Plo Koon and Jag .
• An ambush scene involving Yoda , Tarfful , and Chewbacca . A Clone Walker passes a lake. Tarfful is lying motionless on a Wookiee boat. The clone observes him for a moment, and a furry creature covered in mud emerges from the water onto the boat. The clone asks the creature if anything is amiss. "Wookiee good, eat Wookiee," the creature replies. The clone dismisses it as a native Kashyyyk creature and decides to leave. Suddenly, Chewbacca leaps from the water and pulls the clone underwater, killing him. Tarfful then awakens, and the creature reveals itself to be Yoda. He instructs the Wookiees to allow him a moment to bathe. Yoda jumps into the water and scrubs off all the mud. Yoda emerges and dons his robes. They then proceed toward the emergency escape pod.
• A scene in which Yoda communicates with the voice of Qui-Gon Jinn's spirit . Yoda dedicates himself to Qui-Gon's teachings. This scene was featured in the novelization .
• Darth Vader eliminates Wat Tambor .

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