The gaps between these are getting way too long.
Last time, Mace, Anakin, and Obi-Wan had been brought before Emperor Palpatine on board the Death Star. After the Sith Lord had murdered Mas Amedda right in front of them, the four engaged in a vicious duel. Palpatine was, in the end, cut down once more. However, Anakin's mission to restore balance to the Force was not yet complete. Across the galaxy on the planet Byss, Palpatine had emerged from a cloning tank in a new body with Trilla on the line to carry out the next of his orders.
So... with only three parts remaining, where do we go from here? Let's find out!
While the Masters Three have been stuck on the Death Star, the Jedi and the Rebel Alliance (or the Republic in Exile, if you like) have suddenly found themselves meeting Imperial Regent Wilhuff Tarkin, who tells them of his discovery of Palpatine's true nature and of his cloning facilities on Byss. Given it's proximity to the black hole at the center of the galaxy, it would take the greatest pilot in the galaxy to even attempt to reach it: they'll need Anakin at the helm. When he learns where Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Mace have been taken, Tarkin agrees to a temporary alliance in order to stop Palpatine. After that, he warns, the War will continue.
Onboard the Death Star, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Mace escape Palpatine's throne room via the ventilation shaft. After Obi-Wan disables the tractor beam, they manage to escape in a shuttle after Anakin gets a technical readout of the battle station from the computers. They escape before the Empire can scramble their fighters. When informed of this, Palpatine is unmoved and orders his armies to move the Death Star to Byss, giving them the coordinates to safely navigate to it.
The Masters end up linking up with the Executor and temporarily think they've been had again before Yoda greets them at the airlock. He explains the situation, and it's very clear from the jump that no one trusts Tarkin, but that his resources and intel are needed for the time being. Yoda explains Palpatine's use of Transfer essence, explaining that it is one of the darkest powers afforded by the Dark Side. With it, and with his supply of clones, Palpatine cannot be defeated outright, thus explaining why Anakin's now two slayings of the man did not bring balance to the Force as was foretold in the Prophecy of the Chosen One.
On Byss, the Inquisitors have arrived and bow before Palpatine, who instructs them to prepare for the final battle between the Light Side and the Dark. He chooses Trilla, being that she is already the acting Grand Inquisitor, as his new apprentice and christens her with the name Darth Abaddon. With a new lightsaber in hand and with her conflicts seemingly far behind her, she eagerly joins Palpatine's crusade.
Nothing in the galaxy can stop them now.
Following a speech from Palpatine that is broadcasted across the holonet, in-fighting quickly erupts between the Imperial forces loyal to Tarkin and those loyal to the restored Palpatine. Tarkin quickly issues a general order to all Imperial forces to put down any dissent from their fellows, denouncing Palpatine as a fraud and a fake. However, the Jedi and the Rebellion are hardly moved and continue to keep their mind on stopping Palpatine.
In meditation, Mace is met once more by the presence of Qui-Gon Jinn, who tells him that he must prepare himself for what is to come. While it is Anakin's destiny to bring balance to the Force, it will be his to be sure that Palpatine can never again trouble the world of the living. When Mace asks Qui-Gon how this is possible, however, the vision ends and leaves him with no answers.
After Yoda sends a message to the Chu'unthor to get them well out of harm's way, the Jedi Council reconvenes once more for their final meeting before battle. Mace explains his vision of Qui-Gon and the mentions of the role he is to play. In spite of their combined wisdom and power, the Council does not know and attempts to reach Qui-Gon fail. They are, at least for now, on their own.
The Jedi-Rebel-Imperial battle plans are made. With the technical readouts that Anakin retrieved from the Death Star, they have been able to pinpoint the weakness that it has - the thermal exhaust port. A team of Rebel and Imperial fighters will be sent to handle that problem, with Cal leading a Jedi detachment into battle despite a few reservations from the Masters regarding his current status following Cere's death.
The Executor heads toward Byss with Anakin leading the way via his piloting skills. The Rebel, Jedi, and Tarkin's Imperial fleets following in kind. Palpatine has massed a great many forces there to combat them and dispatches them... and, from around the edge of Byss comes the Death Star, ready for battle...
A single ship breaks off and through the chaos heads toward Byss. On it are Anakin, Obi-Wan, Mace, Yoda, and Kento Marek, ready for battle against whatever they may find there... and that's where we'll be leaving off.
Two more parts now remain until we discover the answer to the question we've been working on for so, so long...
Be there for Part 19!
And, as always... may the Force be with you!
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