Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith is a novelization authored by Matthew Stover, released on April 2, 2005 by Del Rey. The book is an adaptation of the screenplay from the film bearing the same title. The audiobooks, both the complete version and the edited version, are narrated by Jonathan Davis.
The narrative of the book mirrors the movie's plot closely, but it also contains additional content not present in the film (such as Lorth Needa's role as commander of the Integrity during the Battle of Coruscant). Conversely, certain parts of the film's storyline (most notably the Kashyyyk segment) have been omitted to improve the story's flow. The deleted scenes featuring the founders of the Rebel Alliance are included. Furthermore, Stover makes extensive references to Labyrinth of Evil by James Luceno, the novel that chronologically precedes it, which is unusual for film novelizations. References to other works within the Expanded Universe are also present, including the Star Wars: Republic comic series, the Star Wars: Clone Wars animated show, and the novels The Approaching Storm, Shatterpoint, The Cestus Deception, and Yoda: Dark Rendezvous.
- ISBN 0345428838 ; Released April 2 , 2005 , published by Del Rey , a 432-page hardcover edition
- ISBN 0345485564 ; Released April 2, 2005, published by Del Rey, a 432-page hardcover edition in a slipcase
- ISBN 0739301861 ; Released April 2, 2005, published by Random House Audio , an abridged version on cassette (5 hours and 2 minutes long)
- ISBN 0739318314 ; Released April 2, 2005, published by Random House Audio, an abridged version on CD
- ISBN 0739318322 ; Released April 2, 2005, published by Random House Audio, an unabridged version on cassette
- ISBN 0739318330 ; Released April 2, 2005, published by Random House Audio, an unabridged version on CD
- ISBN 141591673X ; Released April 2, 2005, Books on Tape by Random House Audio , Audio CD version
- ISBN 0345428846 ; Released October 25 , 2005, published by Del Rey, a 480-page paperback edition
- ISBN 8324121269 ; Published by Amber , a 367-page Polish paperback ( Zemsta Sithów )
- ISBN 9636793093 ; Published by Aquila Kiadó, a 336-page Hungarian hardcover ( A Sith-ek bosszúja )
- ISBN 954-528-691-1 ; Published by Trud, a 358-page Bulgarian paperback ( Отмъщението на Ситите )
The pivotal moment for the entire Star Wars story is approaching…
After a prolonged period of civil unrest, the Separatists have pushed the already fragile Republic to the brink of total failure. The Senate on Coruscant is on edge as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine steadily erodes constitutional freedoms under the guise of protecting the Republic. Yoda, Mace Windu, and their Jedi colleagues are troubled by the Chancellor's alarming power grab over the Jedi Council. Meanwhile, Anakin Skywalker, the prophesied Chosen One destined to bring balance to the Force, is increasingly haunted by the fear that his secret love, Senator Padmé Amidala, is destined to die.
As the battles intensify across the galaxy, the stage is set for a climactic showdown: Obi-Wan embarks on a treacherous quest to eliminate General Grievous, the formidable Separatist military leader. Palpatine, seeking to consolidate his power, skillfully manipulates public opinion to turn against the Jedi. A conflicted Anakin, plagued by disturbing visions, is drawn ever closer to a decision that will reshape the galaxy. It falls to Darth Sidious, whose influence grows ever stronger, to deliver the final, crushing blow against the Republic…and to anoint a terrifying new Sith Lord: Darth Vader.
The turning point for the entire Star Wars saga is at hand…
As combat escalates across the galaxy, the stage is set for an explosive endgame: Obi-Wan undertakes a perilous mission to destroy the dreaded Separatist military leader, General Grievous. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine continues to strip away constitutional liberties in the name of security while influencing public opinion to turn against the Jedi. And a conflicted Anakin fears that his secret love, Senator Padmé Amidala, will die. Tormented by unspeakable visions, Anakin edges closer to the brink of a galaxy-shaping decision. It remains only for Darth Sidious to strike the final staggering blow against the Republic—and to ordain a fearsome new Sith Lord: Darth Vader.
The book provides a more detailed and expanded version of the battle, including descriptions of specific maneuvers like the Slip Jaws. Additionally, the damage inflicted on Obi-Wan's fighter by the Buzz Droids is portrayed as far more severe, rendering his ship almost uncontrollable. Furthermore, Obi-Wan's astromech droid, R4-P17, is incorrectly referred to as male, despite being programmed with feminine characteristics.
In contrast to the film, where the duel between Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Count Dooku is relatively brief, the novelization depicts it as the longest fight sequence in the entire story. Additional elements include Dooku using the Force to hurl chairs and tables at the two Jedi.
Before the duel commences, Palpatine and Dooku engage in a brief conversation that unveils Palpatine's strategy for luring Dooku into the confrontation with Anakin, his new candidate for apprenticeship. Palpatine informs Dooku that the duel's objective is to eliminate Obi-Wan and then surrender to Anakin, thus fabricating a narrative that would allow the three of them to seize control of the galaxy. This scene marks the first instance in the novelizations where it is confirmed that Darth Sidious and Palpatine are the same person.
Dooku, however, becomes lost in his own thoughts, envisioning his true intentions to assassinate Sidious and establish his own Sith Order, with Obi-Wan as his apprentice, despite being instructed to do the opposite.
In the novel, Dooku is portrayed as clearly being overpowered by the Jedi, with both Obi-Wan and Anakin being nearly as powerful as he is. He panics and spends most of his energy to take out Obi-Wan before Anakin kills him.
Instead of using the Force to throw Obi-Wan towards a balcony, Dooku delivers a wheel-kick to Kenobi's chin, sending the unconscious Jedi crashing into the wall, splitting his scalp.
Anakin severs Dooku's hands one at a time, a departure from the film's depiction.
After Dooku is disarmed, and Palpatine commands Anakin to kill him, Dooku realizes that he has been manipulated as a pawn and never possessed the true powers of a Sith. Unlike in the film, Dooku pleads for his life, rather than remaining silent as Anakin contemplates fulfilling Palpatine's order.
His final thought before being decapitated is, "Treachery is the way of the Sith."
Anakin's remorse for killing Dooku in cold blood is explored in greater detail compared to the film, revealing his internal reflections on his actions.
The novelization delves deeper into the tragic couple's relationship and its rapid decline. The scene where Padmé reveals her pregnancy to Anakin is extended:
Today, here in the hallway of the Senate Office Building, she brings him news of a gift they have given each other — a gift of joy, and of terror. This gift is the edge of a knife that has already cut their past from their future.
Additionally, the book includes a scene where Anakin and Padmé discuss the gender of their child, believing she is only carrying one. Anakin is convinced it is a girl due to the forceful kicks, while Padmé is certain it is a boy based on her maternal intuition. While seemingly minor, this scene highlights Anakin's love and devotion to his family, emphasizing his willingness to do anything for them, including embracing the role of a Sith Lord.
The book further emphasizes Anakin's fear for Padmé's life as a primary motivator for his desire to become a Jedi Master and gain access to knowledge about the Sith. His frustration with his slow advancement is directly linked to his need to protect his wife from the events he foresees in his visions.
A subplot taken from the original script involves Anakin's jealousy of Obi-Wan and his suspicion that Padmé is having an affair with him. Palpatine fuels this fear, driving the couple further apart and contributing to Anakin's emotional turmoil, ultimately leading to his fall to the dark side.
The book provides more insight into C-3PO's thoughts, including a scene where he allows Obi-Wan into Padmé's apartment, despite his reservations about Kenobi. His conversation with R2-D2 before Anakin's departure for Mustafar is also expanded, with 3PO sharing rumors about the unfolding events. Furthermore, Bail Prestor Organa's decision to wipe C-3PO's memory is given greater context, highlighting the droid's inability to keep sensitive information (such as the Skywalker twins' true parentage) to himself, in contrast to R2-D2.
In the book, Grievous does not have a cough and is portrayed as nearly invincible (similar to his depiction in Clone Wars). He is also described as incapable of laughter, which he exhibits in the film. However, he fears both Anakin and Obi-Wan, recognizing their superior deadliness compared to other Jedi he has encountered. During his duel with Obi-Wan, Grievous finds himself completely outmatched. When they fight on the landing platform, Obi-Wan is able to severely damage Grievous's limbs simply by using the Force, whereas a similar attempt in the film (targeting Grievous's thicker legs and without an electrostaff) only injures Obi-Wan.
Grievous's true feelings towards the Neimoidians are also revealed in the novel. He is easily annoyed by them and often wishes he could remove their brains. Nute Gunray and Rune Haako are only spared from Grievous's wrath due to Darth Sidious's protection. The bridge crew of the Invisible Hand is not so fortunate; Grievous kills all of them.
General Grievous eliminates nearly all of the Neimoidians aboard the Separatist flagship, either due to their annoying behavior or their failure to complete assigned tasks. The casualties likely include Lushros Dofine, although none are explicitly named. Those not killed by Grievous are struck by randomly deflected blaster bolts from the Droidekas deployed to kill Anakin and Obi-Wan. This contrasts with the film, where Grievous simply instructs the crew to maintain the ship's orbit before departing; during the flagship's crash landing, the Neimoidians are shown fleeing the bridge, seemingly unharmed.
The novelization expands on the Jedi Council's decision to task Anakin with spying on Palpatine, a decision only hinted at in the film. Specifically, it details their discussion of the rare opportunity Palpatine unintentionally presented to them to have Anakin monitor the Supreme Chancellor's actions. Obi-Wan explicitly opposes the decision, believing that Anakin is not one to blindly follow orders (based on his personal experience with Anakin) and that he is not one to conceal his emotions (citing this as the same reason the Council denied him the rank of Jedi Master). He also argues that it carries the risk of destroying Anakin's friendship with Palpatine, a risk too great if the Supreme Chancellor is found innocent. However, Obi-Wan is outvoted and reluctantly agrees. The scene also suggests that the Jedi Council had ulterior motives for having Anakin spy on the Supreme Chancellor, beyond simply concern for the Republic's well-being, as Mace Windu suggests that sabotaging Anakin's friendship with Palpatine to ensure Anakin remained distant from the Supreme Chancellor was the best reason for making Anakin their spy. The sequence also reveals that, at least during Obi-Wan's tenure on the Council, the Jedi Council was more prone to arguing over what to do than actually entering communion with the Force to reach a decision, as various Jedi Masters have reportedly done since before the return of the Sith.
In the film, Obi-Wan overhears Grievous briefing the Separatist Council about their new hideout on Mustafar before they depart in front of Kenobi's eyes. In the book, the Council departs days before Kenobi's arrival. Grievous witnesses them frightfully scurry onto their starship.
In addition, Nute Gunray stays behind for a few minutes to discuss the safety of the Council and financial problems of himself and the other Confederacy leaders before departing. Immediately after, Grievous is contacted by Sidious as in the film.
When Obi-Wan approaches Grievous, the Separatist general sees the Jedi coming, and therefore, the "Hello there," exchange is absent. Obi-wan also briefly fights the Magna Guards before crushing them with a part of the ceiling.
The Battle of Kashyyyk is completely omitted from the novel. Luminara Unduli, Quinlan Vos, Chewbacca, Tarfful, and Commander Gree do not appear and are not mentioned. The book does, however, explain why Yoda traveled to Kashyyyk in the first place: it was an attempt to lure Darth Sidious out of hiding. Palpatine was supposedly manipulating the Jedi into isolating Anakin from his two closest mentors—Obi-Wan and Yoda—before tempting him with the power of the dark side.
Palpatine offers to give Anakin anything he wants. At first, Anakin wonders if the Chancellor is only playing a childish game with him. He wishes for a new speeder, although this was probably meant as a test of how serious Palpatine was being at the time. Palpatine asks if this is all he wishes, and the 'game' escalates until Corellia is mentioned. Sidious asks him if he wishes only the planet or the entire system. Anakin told him he wanted the whole system. The point of this game is to strengthen Palpatine's assertion that the Jedi hold Anakin back, and that he must choose for himself (a Sith idea, as it focuses only on what he wants) what he desires, "letting himself out," as Palpatine puts it. It also represents the length to which Palpatine is willing to go for his future apprentice; it is clear that he would, in fact, have given Anakin the entire Corellian sector had he so desired.
In the novelization, Mace Windu contacted Yoda once more after learning the truth of Palpatine's identity, sanctioning his upcoming decision and action with the approval of the Grand Master of the Jedi Order.
The novelization stated that Darth Sidious could indeed sense the approach of the four Jedi Masters, as well as the emotional turmoil of Anakin Skywalker, who was still waiting in the Council Chamber. The novel also described Palpatine's preparations for the upcoming duel in detail, including how he recovered his Sith lightsaber and prepared an audio recording.
The Jedi cornered the Dark Lord, trying to stop his escape. Sidious sprang into action quickly. During the duel, Saesee Tiin was beheaded when Sidious tricked him and caught him off guard. Agen Kolar was then impaled through the head by Sidious's lightsaber. In the movie, Kolar was slain first (effectively making him the first victim of the Great Jedi Purge), followed by Tiin with a slash at the side, though they died near same time in the film and although both die of different lightsaber markings, Tiin is not beheaded, and Kolar was slain from a chest wound. Kit Fisto and Mace Windu, who survive due to their prowess, take the Chancellor on in a final attempt to make him stand down.
Anakin Skywalker, recognizing the consequences of what he did by revealing Palpatine's true identity, rushed to the Chancellor's office. Shaak Ti stood in his way and tried to convince Anakin not to go, but Anakin rudely refused to obey the Jedi Master.
As he arrived, he witnessed the epic battle between Kit Fisto, Mace Windu, and Sidious by hovering his speeder outside Palpatine's office window. He could not yet determine who the combatants were, seeing only their lightsabers. Kit Fisto was decapitated shortly after Skywalker caught sight of the duel. When his green blade flickered out, Skywalker smashed the window to Palpatine's private office and leaped through. There, he found the dead body of Kolar and the heads of Saesee Tiin and Kit Fisto (who was also only slashed in the movie). Anakin was able to watch the epic lightsaber duel between Windu and Sidious for some time, instead of arriving just in time when the Jedi knocked down Sidious in the movie.
Mace Windu could sense the approach of Anakin through the Force before he broke the office window, so it was reasonable for Darth Sidious to have the same experience. When the fight moved to the ledge, Mace described sensing Sidious's momentary hesitation as the Sith Lord decreased his speed.
Whether it was an intentional trick on the part of Sidious or whether Windu truly out-sparred the Sith Lord is confirmed in neither the movie nor the novel. Mace confessed, however, that Vaapad could not overpower the Sith Lord, and it was his shatterpoint ability which allowed him to gain the upper hand. In the book, Mace Windu did not kick Sidious's jaw, and he sliced the Chancellor's weapon in half rather than knocking it from his grasp. It should be noted that in actuality, this would be impossible without the shatterpoint ability, as the casing of Palpatine's lightsaber is built out of lightsaber-resistant Phrik alloy.
When Mace held Sidious at blade point, he explained to the Sith Lord why Darth Sidious and his shadowy order always lose: because they were always defeated by their own fear. Sidious countered by screaming "Fool! Do you think the fear you feel is mine?" instead of "No! No!! NO!!! YOU WILL DIE!!!" and blasted the Jedi Master with Force lightning.
In the fight, Mace Windu realized that Sidious's shatterpoint was Anakin Skywalker himself. When Anakin approached Mace, who was struggling to deflect the lightning blasts, Mace sensed that Sidious did not fear Anakin at all, and that the Sith Lord would make no move to defend himself. Mace concluded that this was the shatterpoint of the Sith, and the absolute shatterpoint of the dark side itself.
Ultimately, when Mace was betrayed by Anakin and blasted by Darth Sidious, his last thought before plummeting to his death was the shocking realization that although Anakin Skywalker indeed was the shatterpoint of Darth Sidious, he forgot to look for the shatterpoint of Anakin himself: his desire to save his wife at any cost.
Order 66 was encapsulated in a few brief sentences, omitting any specific Jedi deaths or the identification of any clone commander who carried out the order. However, Cody does remark that he wishes he had been told about the order before he gave Obi-Wan back his lightsaber. Only Obi-Wan's scene was the same as seen in the movie, except for the fact that Cody ordered more than one AT-TE to fire at Kenobi. Boga's death is also quite different: in the novel, the Varactyl is torn apart by gunfire, while in the movie, it simply falls down the pit together with Kenobi. Yoda's case was not described either, and he next appears when he meets Obi-Wan on board the Tantive IV, instead of the Sundered Heart, as seen in the movie.
When Darth Vader and the 501st show up at the Jedi Temple, the narrative details his slaying of several Jedi, including the unfortunate gatemaster named Jurokk.
Matthew Stover's book elucidates the underlying motivations for the Clone Wars, framing them as "the perfect Jedi trap," a notion previously hinted at when Obi-Wan arrives on Utapau. This marks the first comprehensive unveiling of Sidious' grand scheme.
The novel provides greater detail on how Obi-Wan and Yoda managed to move through the Temple unnoticed. The late Cin Drallig, Obi-Wan's lightsaber instructor, is found dead. Obi-Wan is horrified that Anakin committed this act, but he knows he must detach himself from his emotions.
The Mustafar mission unfolds somewhat differently in the novel compared to the film. Instead of Nute Gunray greeting Vader before the massacre, it is San Hill who welcomes Vader in the novelization, only to be killed. Before his demise, he recognizes Vader as Anakin Skywalker. Moreover, in the novel, all those depicted as dying (except Poggle the Lesser, due to language barriers) speak, a contrast to the film where only Nute Gunray has dialogue.
The order of deaths also differs from the film: San Hill, Poggle the Lesser, Shu Mai, Wat Tambor, Rune Haako, and finally Nute Gunray, pleading for his life, each uttering final words. Passel Argente and Po Nudo are not shown dying in the novel, whereas in the film, they are seen fleeing Vader and being cut down shortly after. The novel makes no mention of any aides other than Rune Haako, nor of Senator Tikkes. The book portrays Anakin as relishing the killings of the council members, savoring each death, whereas the film depicts Anakin as cold and filled with hate.
The novel contains several non-canonical elements that diverge from the films. For instance, Yoda comes to the realization that the Jedi Order erred in focusing on battling the old Sith instead of the evolved Sith order of Darth Bane. Yoda reflects that "he had lost before he started. He had lost before he was born." However, during the battle, he gains a new insight "which held the hope of the galaxy." Conversely, in the film, Sidious initially attempts to evade Yoda and only engages in combat when cornered. The Sith barely manages to drive Yoda away after Yoda loses his lightsaber, having been outmaneuvered. In the novel, Palpatine welcomes Yoda's arrival, seeing it as an opportunity to personally eliminate the renowned Jedi; he relishes the prospect of fighting his adversary, even greeting him with a "Happy Empire Day!" upon Yoda's arrival.
In the book, Yoda enters the Chancellor's holding office from a different entry point, so the Royal Guards do not try to stop him and Mas Amedda departs the office before any interaction occurs. Yoda redirects Palpatine's Force lightning, causing the guards to fall unconscious, instead of being thrown across the room. Subsequently, Sidious amplifies the lightning's power, rendering Yoda unconscious. Yoda physically knocks Palpatine to the ground, rather than using a Force push. However, in the film, Yoda uses the Force to defeat the guards and slam Sidious. He is struck down by lightning because he was caught off guard, not because he was overwhelmed by raw power.
Palpatine and Yoda then transition to lightsabers. They activate their weapons and engage in a fierce duel. Unlike the classic lightsaber duel depicted in the film, the novel portrays them exchanging kicks and blows, with Palpatine also employing his lightning. The lightsaber duel begins on the ground, but then moves to the podium in the Senate, as portrayed in the film. The two opponents then hurl Senate pods at each other, just as in the movie. However, in the movie, both Yoda and Palpatine use the Force to hurl the pods, whereas in the novel, one uses the Force and the other uses the controls. Palpatine and Yoda then proceed to have a lightning battle as in the movie.
The film depicts the duelists locked in a struggle, with Sidious attempting to kill Yoda with lightning, and the Grandmaster containing the attack, attempting to redirect it. Eventually, the lightning explodes, sending Yoda over the edge, although he survives. At the conclusion of the battle in the novel, the lightning energy ball does not detonate. Sidious leaps to safety on a nearby podium, and the Grand Master follows. At this juncture, Yoda concedes defeat, Palpatine turns and blasts Yoda, still airborne, against another podium; Yoda then falls to the bottom of the Senate Chamber. The book also mistakenly says Yoda has a lightsaber when he runs away, using it to break things.
Palpatine himself was not knocked over by any blast, but he was described as "a very old, very tired man" following the intense battle. Palpatine was unable to oversee the search for Yoda because he hurried to rescue Darth Vader, but he instructed the clones to destroy the entire building if necessary.
The duel is shorter than in the movie, with the novel focusing more on the duelers' emotions rather than the specifics of the fight itself. The book has addressed the famous "Obi-Wan's interchanging lightsaber" issue when he was choked by Vader. The manner in which Vader loses his limbs remains consistent, but the dialogue is inverted, changing from "I hate you" followed by "You were my brother Anakin, I loved you" to Obi-Wan speaking first.
The book delves deeper into Anakin's emotions as he is confined within the armor, addressing both the suit itself and recent events: his feelings for individuals like Padmé and Obi-Wan, his resentment towards Obi-Wan for attempting to turn Padmé against him, and his anger at Obi-Wan for abandoning him to die. While the film offers a glimpse into Anakin/Vader's feelings regarding his wife's death, the book explores these emotions in greater detail, revealing his regret, disbelief, and sorrow at losing not only his wife but also his child.
The subsequent section of the book covers the birth of the Skywalkers and other events. The novelization's ending remains largely unchanged, although it provides further insight into Yoda's reflections on the Jedi Order's failures and his ability to communicate with the late Qui-Gon Jinn. One notable alteration concerns the twins' future: Bail Organa offers to take Leia without much expectation of success, and becomes somewhat embarrassed when Obi-Wan and Yoda agree.
Similar to other Star Wars film novelizations, Revenge of the Sith is part of the Expanded Universe, which was reclassified as Star Wars Legends in 2014, under the C-canon designation. However, Matthew Stover stated in 2006 that George Lucas was heavily involved in its editing.