Return of the Jedi (novel)

Return of the Jedi

Author	James Kahn
Language	English
Series	Star Wars Novelizations Canon G
Subject	Star Wars
Genre	Science fiction
Publisher	Del Rey
Publication date	Hardcover: October 1, 1994 Paperback: May 12, 1983
Publication place	United States
Media type	Hardcover & Paperback
Pages	Hardcover: 225 Paperback: 192
ISBN	0-345-30767-4
Preceded by	Hard Merchandise
Followed by	The Truce at Bakura

Return of the Jedi is a science fiction novel, written by James Kahn and published on May 12, 1983 by Del Rey. It is based on the script of the film of the same name. According to Publishers Weekly, it was the bestselling novel of that year.

Characters

Admiral Ackbar Anakin Skywalker Bib Fortuna Boba Fett C-3PO Chewbacca Crix Madine

Darth Vader Han Solo Jabba Moff Jerjerrod Lando Calrissian Leia Organa Luke Skywalker

Mon Mothma Nien Nunb Obi-Wan Kenobi Palpatine R2-D2 Wicket W. Warrick Yoda

Differences from the film

• When Leia is captured by Jabba, instead of him saying, "I'm sure," to her warning of her powerful friends, he says, "I'm sure, but in the meantime, I shall thoroughly enjoy the pleasure of your company." Additionally, instead of simply licking his lips as seen in the movie, he is described as planting "a beastly kiss squarely on the Princess's lips".
• On the cover art, Luke's lightsaber is blue, but in the film it is green.
• Obi-Wan Kenobi's account of Luke's parental history is expanded; Obi-Wan states that Owen Lars was his brother, and that Luke and Leia's mother died when they were four (a premise later overwritten by the prequel trilogy, in which Owen Lars is seen to be Anakin Skywalker's stepbrother and Luke and Leia's mother, Padmé Amidala, dies in childbirth). Obi-Wan further recounts his battle with Anakin, stating that Anakin "fell into a molten pit", a point of detail which differs somewhat from the battle as shown in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Obi-Wan further tells Luke that Anakin did not know that their mother was pregnant, while in Revenge of the Sith he is well aware of the pregnancy.
• C-3PO's story alone does not convince the Ewoks to help the Rebels. Han attempts to persuade them by telling them the Empire is draining Endor's resources, but also fails. It is ultimately the Ewok Wicket who convinces the tribal elders to help the Rebels. C-3PO is also described as having a "wobbly, amazed smile" after being levitated by Luke to impress the Ewoks, which is inconsistent with the series' depiction of the droid's immotile face.
• There is an expanded version of the initial conversation between Palpatine and Luke. It includes Palpatine questioning Luke about who instructed him after Kenobi's death; upon discovering that it was Yoda, Palpatine proceeds to mock the late Jedi Master by mimicking his object–subject–verb style of speech.
• Ewoks Paploo and Teebo are shown doing most of the things assigned to other Ewoks in the film - they argue over what to do with the captured Rebels before Logray steps up with an opposing point of view. Teebo commands the Ewok army and initiates each phase of the attack. Also, Wicket and Teebo are the ones to assist Chewbacca hijacking the AT-ST, not Widdle and Wunka as seen in the film. At the same time, Teebo and Paploo are not members of the party that actually captures the Rebels, while they are in the film.
• The battle in space above Endor is given an expanded treatment. The text describes a much larger Rebel fleet than what is seen on film.
• Moff Jerjerrod, acting on orders given to him by Emperor Palpatine, orders the Death Star to turn and fire on the Sanctuary Moon of Endor, but is killed when the Death Star's reactor is destroyed before the station can complete its final task. His character is also expanded from the film: the novelization depicts him as a sadist who derives an inflated sense of his own power from dominating his subordinates and fighting the Rebels as brutally as possible.