So, unlike last time, I have actually watched the first two (and will have watched the third by the time this goes live) episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
... yeah, it's alright. Some issues, but nothing that completely takes me out of it.
Also, last time, the Jedi had managed to spring the trap and get to Mas Amedda, who revealed to them the terrible truth they had already known: somehow, Palpatine has returned. Mace, Anakin, and Obi-Wan were all brought to a new Death Star orbiting the forest moon of Endor, where they encountered a much younger, more able Palpatine. And it is here that we picked up with our story already in progress...
"H-How? How are you alive? I cut you down!"
"I told you before, Anakin... the Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be... unnatural."
"This... this is impossible..."
"I'm afraid, Master Kenobi, that you have no idea what's possible..."
Mace, however, has stubbornly been silent through all of this. Palpatine takes notice of this and attempts to heckle the Jedi Master to seemingly no effect. Annoyed, the Emperor turns his attentions to Mas Amedda. The former Imperial regent swears he told Tarkin nothing, nor any of the Jedi beyond Palpatine's resurrection. The man known as Darth Sidious thanks Amedda for his service over the decades, then proceeds to ignite his lightsaber and takes off his head.
Returning to his throne, Palpatine tells the Jedi Masters that he invites them to take a front seat to the end of Tarkin's little uprising as well as the war against the various planets. While he vaguely mentions a great war to come, it is clear that (if not entirely) this is also a bid for galactic power. Wanting no more of this, Mace, Obi-Wan, and Anakin all pull their sabers from the Stormtroopers who had taken them, cutting them down and preparing to face Palpatine. The Sith Lord delights in this, saying that he wanted to test his new, young body out. He draws a second saber and ignites it as well, charging in against the three Jedi Masters.
Palpatine proves to be a formidable opponent, even against three seasoned Jedi Masters. Rather like his duel against Maul and his brother in the Clone Wars series, he is a fearsome fighter, even more so now that he doesn't have to use the Force to propel his body around. Anakin is keeping up well with him and to an extent so is Obi-Wan. Mace, however, is having to use the Force to keep himself going. The years and the constant fighting are starting to get to Mace.
Palpatine taunts Mace, telling him that all of his efforts have been for naught. He punctuates this by lobbing off Mace's robotic arm for what is probably the thousandth time in this series (I've seriously gotten too lazy to go back and count). In a near perfect mirror of their original duel on Coruscant, however, Palpatine attempts to strike the final blow against Mace only to be stopped by Anakin. Anakin and Palpatine duel fiercely while Obi-Wan moves to assist Mace. Mace waves him off, sending him back into the fight. As Anakin and Obi-Wan keep Palpatine occupied, Mace manages to fuse shut the door to the throne room so that none of Palpatine's troops can enter and interrupt things.
In the end, Palpatine is unable to keep up against both Jedi Masters and Anakin once more cuts Palpatine down. With his seeming last breath, Palpatine is laughing and tell the Masters that he will see them all again sooner rather than later. Palpatine is dead once again, but the shroud of the Dark Side remains strong. The Masters are now trapped in a room on a hostile space station... and are no closer to victory than they were when they arrived.
Light years away... on the planet called Byss, a laboratory that had been left sleeping for some time suddenly roars into life. In a series of tanks in various states of development are very, very familiar humanoid bodies. One such tank suddenly begins to hum as a red light atop it suddenly turns green.
Out comes, covered in faux-amniotic fluid, the body of Sheev Palpatine restored into yet another new body. Assisted by medical droids, he quickly cleans himself and dresses in new robes, resolving to get back to work. Contacting... the Grand Inquisitor. Trilla has been out of the picture since Part 13, but has come back under the umbrella of Darth Sidious. Palpatine tells her that her ceasefire with the Jedi is ended, they have much work to do in bringing down the warriors of the light side. Trilla agrees, telling him that the Inquisitors are at his disposal, as always.
Meanwhile, the Jedi Council are preparing for their rescue mission of the three captured Masters when an Imperial Star Destroyer emerges out of hyperspace within their system, the Executor. They are preparing for a fight, but a ceasefire signal is being sent, which puts everyone on edge. A message comes asking for landing clearance. It is granted, and out of a shuttle comes Imperial Regent Tarkin... and a mere two Stormtroopers as his personal guard, something he calls a sign of good will.
He has discovered new information... and he and the Jedi must talk.
Annnnnnd that's where we're leaving Part 17. Believe it or not, we actually coming to the end of this What If...? scenario. Three chapters remain before we finally have our question answered. Be there!
And, as always... may the Force be with you!
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