What if Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka, Crashed on Earth During World War II?

Darth furist rise. [music] What if Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka crashlanded on Earth during World War II? Let's explore the depths of it in the video. The ship screams through Earth's atmosphere, hull blazing. Inside, alarms shriek. Hold on. The twilight slams into farmland outside Washington DC. Metal groans. Dirt explodes outward. The impact throws them forward against their restraints. Obi-Wan opens his eyes, checking himself for injuries. None. He glances back. Osuka, >> I'm okay. That was rough. >> Anakin unbuckles, moves to the console. Smoke rises from shattered panels. He slams his fist against the bulkhead. [sighs] The hyperdrive's completely destroyed. >> But the ship itself, >> intact. We're not going anywhere, though. R2 beeps urgently from the sensor station. >> Oh my. R2 says we have company approaching. Several dozen armed individuals. >> Through the viewports, military trucks surround them. Soldiers pour out. Rifles raised. An officer shouts orders. The perimeter titans. >> They don't look friendly. >> Can you blame them? An unknown craft just fell from the sky. Let's go talk to them peacefully. They lower the ramp. The three Jedi step out, hands visible. The soldiers tense. Weapons track their every movement. >> Don't move. Identify yourselves. >> We mean you no harm. Our ship malfunctioned. What are on those belts? Weapons. >> The Jedi reach for their lightsabers instinctively as the soldiers advance. The blades ignite. Blue, green. The snap hiss echoes across the field. The soldiers freeze, then panic. >> Open fire. Wait. We come in peace. >> Bullets crack through the air. The Jedi move as one. Lightsabers blur. Bullets deflect harmlessly into the dirt. The barrage intensifies. The Jedi stand their ground. A triangle of impossible defense. The firing stops. Silence again. Smoke drifts from the rifle barrels. Not one Jedi is scratched. The officer stares, mouth open. Anakin deactivates his saber. He grins at Obi-Wan. Watch this. I saw this in all of it once. Anakin, what are you doing? Anakin takes an exaggerated step forward, [music] arms spread wide like he's mimicking something absurd. Take me to your leader. Ahsoka stifles a laugh. Obi-Wan pinches the bridge of his nose. >> Of all the times. The officer blinks, lowers his rifle slightly. >> What? What did you say? We're here to speak with whoever's in charge. It's important. >> The White House Oval Office. President Franklin DelTo Roosevelt sits behind his desk, wheelchair positioned nearby. He studies the three visitors with keen interest. Secret Service agents flank the doors. >> So, you're telling me you're from another galaxy entirely? And you crash landed here by accident. That's correct, Mr. President. Uh, we were returning from a diplomatic mission when our hyperdrive failed. We never intended to come here. And these lightsabers, what you use to deflect bullets? That's common place where you're from. For Jedi? Yes, sir. >> FDR leans back. He lights a cigarette and takes a long, slow drag. >> Jedi? Knights who keep peace in your galaxy. Fascinating, >> Mr. President, we don't want to cause you any trouble. If you could help us repair our ship, we'll leave. >> I'm afraid the technology you've described is far beyond anything we have. But perhaps we can help each other. Tell me more about this war you mentioned. These clone wars, Obi-Wan explains. The Separatist crisis, the Republic, the Jedi's role, Dooku's betrayal. FDR listens without interruption. His expression thoughtful. It sounds not unlike what we're facing. Different scales perhaps, but same fundamental problem. People in power deciding war is preferable to compromise. He gestures to a map of the world on his wall. 6 years ago, Germany invaded Poland. Their leader, Adolf Hitler, believes his people are destined to rule Europe. He's conquered France, Belgium, the Netherlands. He's bombing Britain as we speak. In the Pacific, Japan has been invading China for nearly a decade. They've taken Manuria, committed atrocities in Nangqing. Now they're pushing into Southeast Asia. French Indochina, threatening the Dutch East Indies, buying the Philippines. We've tried diplomacy. We've tried sanctions. I cut off their oil supply hoping economic pressure would force them to withdraw from China. Instead, it's backed them into a corner. They see it as us strangling them. And in Europe, we're selling weapons to Britain, but the American people don't want to send our boys to die in another European war. Not after what happened 20 years ago. He takes another drag from his cigarette. So, here we are. Two empires expanding through force and a reluctant democracy trying to decide when enough is enough. You help us in this conflict, and I'm sure we can find a way to fix your ship. A knock at the door interrupts them. Come in. An intelligence officer enters, folder in hands. He hesitates seeing the Jedi. Mr. President, I apologize for the interruption, but we have an urgent report. Go ahead. We've intercepted new communications traffic from Japanese military channels. He hands over the folder. FDR opens it, scans the contents. His jaw tightens. Thank you. That'll be all. The officer salutes and leaves. FDR sets the folder down, stares at it. It says here, "An attack by the Japanese is imminent." They don't specify where, but our generals believe Pearl Harbor is the most strategic target. He removes his glasses, rubs his eyes. When he replaces them, he looks older. It's not ideal, but we can use it to bring the American people into the war. End this conflict before it consumes the entire world. What? You're going to let it happen? You're going to allow your own people to die just to get your way? Getting my way, as you put it, means stopping these empires from spreading across the globe with our country in their sights. Next, you're gambling with lives. Every leader gamles with lives. Every decision I make puts someone at risk. That's the burden of leadership. You want me to make a choice? Fine. I can order the fleet to scatter. Move them away from Pearl Harbor. Then what? Japan attacks somewhere else. Or they don't attack at all. The American people remain isolationist. We stay out of the war. Hitler conquers Europe. Japan conquers Asia. Millions more die while we watch. Is that the moral choice? He has a point, Anakin. What? Leading the free will doesn't allow for easy decisions. No choice is without cost. The president faces an impossible situation. Precisely. Do I let a few thousand men die or allow this war to drag on for years and kill millions more? Because without American intervention, it will never end. This war will reshape the world. If we don't participate, the world changes without us, without our influence, without our values. Ahsoka looks away, unable to argue. Anakin stares at FDR, fury and understanding warring in his expression. >> I don't envy your position, Mr. President, but I understand your reasoning. It feels like the Clone Wars. Yes, it does. >> Mr. President, what if we offered an alternative? What if we could talk to the Japanese leader and convince them not to attack? Surely, there's a way to make them see reason before more people die. >> You can talk to them. I won't stop you. But understand something first. The Japanese don't think like we do. They don't surrender. They believe death is preferable to dishonor. They would sooner kill themselves to take more of us with them if it serves their emperor. What do you mean? Our intelligence suggests their military culture doesn't recognize surrender the way ours does. They consider defeat unacceptable. We're preparing for a war where the enemy may sacrifice entire units rather than yield an inch. So long as their death serves the Emperor's cause more than their life, they'll embrace it. >> The room falls silent. Even in a galaxy with the Clone Wars, with droid armies and separatist fanatics, they've only heard of such barbarity and devotion once before. In the histories of the Old Republic, the ancient Sith cults, the three Jedi exchange glances, the same thought passes between them. Could the Sith be here? Let's try anyway. Anything is worth trying over allowing this many people to die. Our ship has a cloaking device. No one will see us. Very well. I'll [sighs] give you the coordinates to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, but be careful. If you're caught, I can't help you. The Twilight lifts off under cloak. Inside, Anakin pilots while Obi-Wan meditates. Ahsoka sits with R2 and C3PO. >> 3PO, quick question. I program millions of languages into you. Does that include Japanese? >> Of course, sir. I am fluent in over 6 million forms of communication, including every known language in this galaxy. However, I must warn you, my data suggests the Emperor will perceive us as Ki spiritual guide sent from the heavens. >> Especially when they see you. This could work to our advantage. Let's not overstep Anakin. We're here to make peace, not insult the man. I know. I know. >> Tokyo. The Imperial Palace looms below, massive and ancient. The ship hovers above, still cloaked. >> I must say, breaking into the residence of a planetary ruler is a terrible way to begin diplomatic relations. >> Yeah. Yeah. Just keep moving. We have no other choice. They land on the roof. Through the palace windows, they spot enormous doors. The force hums around them. Obi-Wan closes his eyes. That's where he is. R2 extends a cutting torch. The droid carves a precise circle in the window. Obi-Wan reaches out with the force, lifts the glass free, sets it down gently. Guards stand inside, backs to the window. Before they can turn, Anakin waves his hand. You're off duty. Go rest. We're off duty. We'll go rest. They walk away. The Jedi slip inside. The Emperor's quarters are austere, simple. A low table dominates the center. Emperor Hirohito kneels there, bent over scrolls, brush in hand. He doesn't look up at first. The brush moves with careful precision. Then he pauses, sets it down slowly, raises his gaze. His expression reveals nothing. The emperor speaks softly in Japanese. C3PO steps forward. >> His majesty asks if his gods have failed him, yet perhaps for a reason. He wishes to know if we were sent by the heavens to guide him. >> Obi-Wan steps forward, bows respectfully. >> Your Majesty, my name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. We are not from the heavens, but we do come to guide you. We urge you to stop your war effort. Choose diplomacy and peace with the nations around you. War with the United States will cost millions of lives. >> C-3PO begins translating but stops. >> Oh dear, this response will be quite lengthy. Your Majesty, I have a device that can translate automatically. Please use this. >> The droid extends a small earpiece. The emperor takes it carefully, examines it, places it in his ear. His eyes widen slightly. >> This device must be from the gods. Marvelous. No matter. Obi-Wan Kenobi, my nation is an island with no oil, no iron, and no land to expand it. We are told to accept this, to shrink, to yield, to trust that others will be merciful. History has not been kind to nations that trust in mercy. You ask me to stop, but you do not ask what comes after. >> What comes after is life, an end to bloodshed. >> What comes after is dependence. If we stop, we do not return to peace. We return to slow suffocation. If we fight, we may be destroyed. But at least we choose the manner of our end. A nation that accepts humiliation teaches its children to live on their knees. That is an atrocity far worse than death. Even if heaven has decided our fate, we will do what we must. He bows. >> Thank you for coming. >> The Jedi stand in silence. Ahsoka's shoulders slump. Anakin's fists clench. Obi-Wan bows in return. >> Thank you for hearing us, your majesty. >> They leave the way they came. Back on the ship, the three sit in the cockpit. Anakin stares at the controls. Ahsoka breaks the silence. >> Well, what now? The emperor isn't intent on pursuing this war. He believes the United States is preventing his nation from achieving self-reliance. The president wasn't wrong. It's entrenched in their culture and their leader doesn't just believe it. He lives it. In a society where they worship him as a god, convincing him otherwise is borderline impossible. You're right, master. And how can you blame him? Isn't that what we all want for our people? Self-reliance, independence. He stops himself. >> No. What am I saying? To attack others for the sake of self-reliance unprovoked. That can't be right. >> Well, you're right about the Emperor attacking his neighbors. But Anakin, didn't the president provoke them? He embargoed their oil, the resources they need to continue their mission. He forced them into this position >> in response to the Emperor's expansion. Sniffs. This has Riylo written all over it. From their perspective, they're being forced to choose between humiliation and violence. And you heard the Emperor. To them, humiliation is worse than death. So, neither of them is wrong, but neither of them is right either. I can't help but feel the Clone Wars are this exact situation. Except a Sith Lord is interfering with the Clone Wars. Dooku said as much himself. What if the Sith are here, too? Or at least another group that acts like this world Sith, influencing every move. Don't think too hastily, Anakin. The Force will guide us. We must listen to it. All will be revealed in time. The president said the war is across the ocean in Europe. What if we tried talking to the leaders there? If we could get them to stop fighting, maybe we could stop the fighting everywhere. >> Great point, Ahsoka. Let's do that. We should report back to the president first. He should know we failed to stop the war from starting. >> Anakin nods slowly. He sets a course back to Washington. The twilight descends toward Washington. Through the cockpit viewport, the city spreads below. Darker than before, more somber. Anakin guides the ship down to the concealed landing zone they've been using. >> I hope he's not too disappointed. >> We tried. That's all anyone can do. >> They disembark and make their way to the White House. Secret Service agents wave them through. They're familiar faces now, but something feels different. The halls are quieter, more urgent. An aid intercepts them. The president is making an address. You'll need to wait. >> Through the closed door, they hear FDR's voice crackling through radio equipment. The words are measured, precise, heavy with controlled fury. Yesterday, December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy. The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. >> Anakin closes his eyes. Ahsoka's head drops. It happened. >> Commander and Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. They wait in silence as the speech continues. The president's voice rises and falls, cataloging the attacks, the losses, the righteous anger of a nation awakened. Then the final declaration. >> In our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph. So help us, God. >> [applause] >> I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire. Silence, then movement inside. The door opens and aid gestures them in. The map room is thick with tension. FDR sits at the head of the table covered in maps, reports, casualty lists. He looks older. When he sees them, he waves them closer. I see your peace talks didn't work. It's as you said, Mr. President. The war was a foregone conclusion. It's entrenched in Japanese ideals, their culture, their honor. We couldn't overcome it. The situation will likely only worsen. I have it on good accounts that Hitler will declare war on us. Germany and the United States will be enemies. Now, we're looking at fighting a war on two fronts. The Pacific against the Japanese, the Atlantic to take back Europe from the Germans. My generals are already creating a plan of attack. I believe we can handle the Japanese. It'll be brutal island by island, but we'll push them back. The real difficulty is Germany, Europe. Hitler's had too much time to fortify his positions. Breaking that will require everything we have. He looks at each of them in turn. We'd be honored to have you fighting alongside us on the front lines. Your knowledge, your planning, your abilities would be invaluable. I'd make you all fivestar generals. Anakin steps forward without hesitation. >> We would be honored, Mr. President, if we can help end this war quickly and get back to our own time. We'll do it. Plus, we could learn some new tactics to bring back to the Clone Wars. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka nod to their agreement. Then, welcome to the fight, Generals. 2 years later, the two years spent among the American army changed more than just the shape of the coming war. Anakin had thrown himself into factories, proving grounds, and training fields with restless intensity. He taught them to think in terms of motion instead of lines, of momentum instead of positions. He could not give them the technology of this world, the hyperdrive, the repulsor lifts, the energy shields. But he could give them something else, a new way of building, repairing, and adapting. Production lines became faster. He showed engineers how to design components that he could that could be swapped in minutes instead of hours. modular systems. Redundancy built into every machine. Tanks that could have their engines replaced in the field. Aircraft that didn't need to return to depots for minor repairs. Breakdowns became delays instead of disasters. And in the training yards, he taught officers and soldiers alike to think like clone legions had. Flexible, aggressive, and relentless. Combined armies, suppressing fire while advancing, never staying pinned, always moving forward. Obi-Wan went elsewhere into the conference rooms. war colleagues, mapcovered chambers thick with cigarette smoke and quiet dread. He taught generals to think not just about winning battles, but about but about what those victories would cost 3 months, 6 months, a year later. He spoke often of consequences, of momentum, of how wars were lost, not in defeats, but in victories that asked too much. How do you take a breach without losing so many men you can't push inland? How do you advance without outrunning your supply lines? How do you win without creating the conditions for the next war? In time, he became something no one had expected. Not a commander, but the president's most trusted strategic adviser. FDR promoted him to six-star general, a rank given to him and not seen since the days of Ulissiz Srant in the Civil War, and George Washington in the country's battle for independence against King George. When the plans for the invasion of Europe began taking shape, it was Obi-Wan Kenobi's voice that carried the most weight. and Ahsoka. Ahsoka went to the soldiers. She trained non-commissioned officers. She broke down recruits and rebuilt them. She taught them how to move when plans failed, how to lead when orders stopped coming. How to keep fighting when everything went wrong. The airborne units new experimental and unproven became her domain. The 101st, the 82nd, young men who volunteered to jump out of airplanes into enemy fire. Under her, they stopped being an experiment and started being something else, a spear. She taught them to fight like her, fast, adaptable, and utterly without fear. She jumped with them in training, ate with them, bled with them, and when they looked at her, this young woman with strange markings and twin lightsabers, they didn't see an alien. They saw their commander. By the spring of 1944, the army that stood ready in England was not the same one that had struggled in the north in North Africa, that had bled in Sicily, that had learned the hard way in Italy, and everyone knew it. The storm was coming. England, Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force, June 3rd, 1944. The Room War is packed. Maps dominate every wall. France, the Norman coast, breaches marked with code names, Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword. Defenses marked in red. Strong points, artillery positions, machine gun nests. General Dwight D. Eisenhower stands at the head of the table, flanked by General George Patton, Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery, and Admiral Bert from Ramsay. And beside them, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Ahsokaano. Gentlemen and lady, this is Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious invasion in history. Five beaches, airborne drops to secure the flanks, naval bombardment to soften defenses. Then the infantry goes in. The crowds know we're coming. They just don't know where or when. Raml's been fortifying the entire Atlantic wall for months, which is why deception has been critical. They still believe we'll strike a calise, but Normandy gives us the element of surprise. If we move fast enough, Obi-Wan steps forward, studies the beaches. The key is the airborne operation. If we don't secure the flanks and disable their artillery, the men on the beaches will be slaughtered before they reach the seaw wall. The 82nd and the 101st will drop inland. Capture crossroads, blow bridges, cut communications, keep the German reinforcements from breaching the coast in the first 24 hours. >> She traces the drop zones with her fingers. [music] >> It's going to be chaos. Paratroopers scattered across the countryside in the dark. But if they can hold those positions, the beach landings have a chance >> in the beaches themselves. That's the hardest part. Omaha especially. High bluffs, entrenched positions, overlapping fields of fire. Even with naval bombardment, our men will be exposed the moment the ramps drop. Then I'll be with them, leading from the front. First wave, Omaha Beach. >> Now that's the kind of general I like. Anakin, I know what you're going to say, Master, but these men need to see someone willing to face what they're facing. If I'm asking them to run into hell, I run with them. Obi-Wan holds his gaze for a long moment, then nods. Very well. Ahsoka leads the airborne. You lead the beach assault and I'll coordinate the entire operation from here. General Kenobi, you'll be given direct communication with all divisional commanders. You call the adjustments as they're needed. Understood. The way the window is closing. We go on the sixth or we wait another month, possibly longer. Then we go on the sixth. Gentlemen, make your final preparations. Dismissed. The room empties. Only the three Jedi remain. Anakin turns to Ahsoka. You ready for this, Snips? >> Are you? >> Not even a little. Obi-Wan places a hand on each of their shoulders. We've faced worse. Geonosis, Ambara, Christophsis. This is no different. >> Except these aren't clones. They're not bred for war. They're farmers and mechanics and teachers. And they're going to die by the thousands. >> Which is why we do everything we can to bring as many home as possible. Then may the force be with us. All of us. They embrace briefly. Brothers and sisters in arms. Then they separate to their duties. C3PO waddles up to Obi-Wan. >> General Kenobi, sir, I do hope you'll be careful. The statistical likelihood of casualties in this operation is >> now 3. R2-D2 beeps at Ahsoka, who pats the droid on the head. >> You're with me, R2. Hope you're ready to jump. >> R2 whistles nervously. June 6th, 1944. Oh, 200 hours above Normandy. The C-47 transport shakes violently. Anti-aircraft bursts fire around them. Orange blooms in the darkness. Inside, paratroopers sit shoulder-to-shoulder, face blackened with camouflage paint. Young, terrified, determined. Vsuka stands near the door, one hand gripping the overhead rail. R2-D2 is secured in a speciallydesigned harness. >> 2 minutes. >> The paratroopers check their gear, rifles, grenades, ammunition. Some pray, some stare at nothing. Ahsoka moves down the line, meeting each man's eyes. Remember your training. Stay together. Find the rally points. Complete the mission. >> What if we get scared, ma'am? >> Then you adapt. Find other units. You keep fighting. You don't give up. We'll find each other. Trust me. >> The red light blinks on. >> Stand up. Hook up. >> The paratroopers stand. Attach their static lines. The jump master checks each one. Ahsoka doesn't have a parachute. She doesn't need one. >> Ma'am, are you sure about this? >> I'll be fine. >> The light TURNS GREEN. >> GO, GO, GO. OH, THE MEN LEAP INTO THE DARKNESS, one after the other. Ahsoka waits for R2's harness to deploy. A small parachute blossoms above the droid droid. Then she jumps last. The wind tears at her. The ground rushes up. Tracer fire lances the sky. She sees other transports. Other paratroopers falling like rain. Some shoots stone open. Some men are hit before they land. Ahsoka ignites her lightsaber midair. The green blade illuminates her descent. She uses the force to slow herself. lands in a crouch in a Norman field. Around her, chaos. Paratroopers hit the ground hard. Some land in trees, tangled and vulnerable. Others land in flooded fields, and drown under the weight of their equipment. German machine guns open up from the hedros. Ahsoka moves fast. Her lightsabers blur. She deflects incoming fire, cuts through a machine gun nest before the crew can react. Screams, sparks, silence. She finds a cluster of paratroopers pinned down behind a stone wall. >> On me. Move. They follow her. She leads them through the hedros, navigated by instinct and force. More paratroopers join them. A dozen, two dozen. She organizes them quickly. Ma'am, we're scattered all over here. Half our units missing. >> Then we work with what we have. Objective is still the crossroads at St. Mariss. We take it and hold it. Let's move. >> They push hard through the darkness. Every hedro is a potential ambush. Every farmhouse a fortress. They clear them one by one. Ru catches up, rolling awkwardly through the muddy field. The droid beeps urgently. >> What is it? >> R2 projects a flickering hologram, a map, enemy positions marked in red. >> Good work, R2. >> She adjusts their route. They flank a German patrol. Take them by surprise. The fighting is close, brutal. Bayonets and rifle butts. Her lightsaber carves through rifles and bodies alike. By dawn, they've reached the crossroads. German reinforcements are already moving up the road. Trucks, halftracks, infantry. >> Dig in. Machine guns on the flank. Bazookas. Focus on the vehicles. The paratroopers scramble. They set up positions. Hasty, desperate. The Germans attack. The firefight is instant and overwhelming. Ahsoka moves through the chaos, deflecting shots meant for her men, deflecting fire, pulling wounded soldiers to cover. An explosion throws her off her feet. She rolls, comes up swinging. A German halftrack charges their position. She sprints towards it, leaps, lands on the hood. Her lightsaber plunges into the engine block. The vehicle The vehicle grinds to a halt. She vaults off as it explodes. They're flanking us. >> Hold the line. Don't break. >> She runs to the threatened position. A squad of Germans is advancing through a hedro. She meets them headon. Her blades flash. They fall, but more keep coming. This isn't like the Clone Wars. No air support, no artillery on call. No reinforcements, just men, rifles in desperation. She feels the weight of it. Every soldier who falls, every scream, but they hold. June 6th, 1944. 0630 hours. Omaha Beach. The landing craft plows through the waves. Inside, men crouch shoulder-to-shoulder, drenched in sea water in fear. The sound of naval bombardment rolls overhead like thunder. Anakin stands at the front, one hand on the ramp. He wears an American uniform now. General stars on his shoulders, but his lightsaber hangs at his belt. He looks back at the men. Young faces, farm boys from Iowa, factory workers from Detroit. Kids who should be in college, not heading toward a beach with Germans who want them dead. Beside him, a young corporal vomits into his helmet. Sorry, s >> Anakin places a hand on his shoulder. >> Listen up. >> The men look up. Some are praying, some crying. All terrified. >> I know you're scared. I'm scared, too. But in about 2 minutes, that ramp's going to drop, and all hell is going to break loose. Some of you won't make it off this boat. Some of you won't make it into the seaw wall. >> He pauses, meets their eyes. But some of you will, and those of you who do, you're going to keep moving. You're going to help the man next to you. You're going to fight like your life depends on it, because it does. He grips the ramp harder, feeling the adrenaline course through his bones, the force humming within him. I've fought in a war across the galaxy. I've seen good men die for causes that mattered. And I've seen what happens when evil goes unchallenged. When tyrants are allowed to conquer and enslave without anyone standing up to stop them. Today we stand up not just for America, for the world, for everyone who can't fight back. For every person living under the boot of fascism, of communism, of dictatorship. Today, we tell them no more. The men are listening intently now. Fear still in their eyes. But something else, too. A glimmer of hope, resolve. I'll be right there with you. First one off this boat. And I'm not stopping until we take that beach. So when the ramp drops, you follow me and we'll show these bastards what free men can do. They all begin pounding their chests with closed fists. The bombardment stops. Silence. Then machine gun fire. The ramp drops. Chaos. Bullets tear through the air. Men fall before they take a step. Anakin ignites his lightsaber. Blue light blazing and leaps into the water. He deflects left, right, behind. The force screams warnings at him as he moves. blade intercepting rounds that would have killed men around him. But there are too many angles, too many guns, high ground vantage points all along the bluffs, bunkers, pillboxes, trenches. The soldier beside him takes a round to the chest, falls into the surf. Anakin grabs another, drags him forward. Move. Get to the seaw wall. >> They run. The water is red. Bodies float face down. Equipment sinks. Men drown under the weight of their packs. Anakin reaches the beach. Explosions erupt around him. Artillery, mortars. The sand kicks up in geysers. He deflects what he can, but even a Jedi's instincts can't track this volume of fire. He takes a hit. Grazing shot to the shoulder. Pain flares. He ignores it. A machine gun nest. The bluffs tears into the men behind him. Anakin stops. He reaches out with the force, yanks a massive piece of shrapnel from the sand and hurls it like a spear. It punches through the concrete bunker. The gun goes silent, but three more open up. Anakin makes it to the seaw wall. Dozens of men huddle there, pinned down. An officer is screaming into the radio. We need support. We're getting slaughtered. Where are the Bangalore torpedoes? We lost them in the water. Then we go up and over. Follow me. He doesn't wait. He climbs. The bluff is steep, muddy, mind. Machine gun fire stitches the slope around him. He deflects, climbs. His shoulder screams. He keeps moving. A mine detonates to his left. The blast throws him sideways. He catches himself. He keeps climbing. Men follow, some make it, some don't. He reaches the top. A German soldier rushes him with a rifle. Anakin's lightsaber cuts through the barrel, then the man. He doesn't have time to feel it. More Germans entrenched, fighting hard. Anakin charges. His saber carves through machine gun imp placement. Sparks, screams. He's a blur of motion and fury. American soldiers crest the bluffs behind him. They pour fire into the German positions. Grenades, rifle fire, flamethrowers. The battle becomes a brutal grinding push. Inch by inch, trench by trench. Anakin fights at the front. always at the front. His uniform is torn, blood soaked, some his, most not. He doesn't stop. A mortar round lands close. The concussion knocks him flat. His ears ring. He struggles to his feet, finds his lightsaber, keeps moving. By midm morning, they've secured a beach head, barely tenuous, but it holds. Anakin stands among the ruins, breathing hard around him. Medics work frantically. The wounded scream, the dying whisper, the dead lie in rose. He closes his eyes, feels every loss of life, every spark extinguished. This is war. Real war. Not droids. Not the clean, calculated battles of the Clone Wars. This is blood and terror and sacrifice. And it's not close to being over. Supreme Headquarters. 1400 hours. Obi-Wan stands before a wall of maps and communication equipment. Radio chatter fills the room. Reports stream from every beach, every airborne unit, every naval group. C3PO stands beside him, relaying information. >> A general, the latest casualty estimates from Omaha Beach. >> I know, 3BO. He stares at the map. Red markers for enemy positions, blue for allied. The blue is advancing slowly at terrible cost. An aid rushes up. General Skywalker reports the beach head at Omaha is holding. They're pushing her inland. What about Utah? Lighter resistance. They're ahead of schedule. and the airborne scattered, but General Tunnel reports the crossroads at SH is secure. German counterattacks repelled. Good. Tell all commanders to maintain pressure. Don't let the Germans regroup. >> He turns to another officer. What's the status on our armor? >> DD tanks are landing now, sir. Some sank in the crossroads, but but enough made it to provide support. >> Obi-Wan nods. He doesn't have the technology he's used to. No holographic displays, no instant communication across lighty years. Everything is slower, clunkier, more uncertain. But the principles remain the same. Maneuver, surprise, concentration of force. He issues orders, redirects reserves, calls in naval bombardments on German strong points. Every decision is made with incomplete information. Every choice a gamble. That is what command feels like without the tools of the future. This is what Jedi generals faced in the Old Republic before the Clone Wars, before technology made war seem clean. He thinks of Anakin on that beach, Ahsoka in those fields. May the Force be with you both. 3 months later, the war continues, but not as anyone expected. With the trio's leadership tactics and upgrades to American war machines, the Allies make extreme progress against the German lines. Anakin's module repair system keeps tanks and trucks running through conditions that would have crippled entire divisions. Obi-Wan's strategic doctrine, neutralizing key German command nodes, disrupting rail supply lines, preventing counteroffensive before they launch, turns what should have been a grinding multi-year campaign into a surgical dismantling of the Vermacht. The Battle of the Bulge never happens. Obi-Wan identifies the German buildup weeks in advance. Anakin leads preemptive strikes that shatter their staging areas before the offensive can begin. The media loves him for it. News reels show General Skywalker leading charges, deflecting enemy fire, pulling wounded soldiers from burning tanks. He becomes an American hero overnight. His face on magazine covers, his name in headlines. By September 1944, Berlin falls. Not to the Soviets, to the Americans. The race to Berlin never materializes. The Western Front collapses so quickly, the Red Army doesn't have time to advance that far. Germany surrenders unconditionally to American and British forces. The war in Europe is over. FDR sits behind his desk. The three Jedi stand before him. The president looks exhausted but satisfied. >> Generals, outstanding work on the Western Front, ending the war with Germany in 3 months instead of years. No one thought it possible. Your abilities are truly spectacular. The Soviets have promised to declare war on the Japanese and fight alongside us in the Pacific. I'd be careful with the Soviets, Mr. President. From my understanding, communism sounds great in theory, but in practice, it's a worse threat to democracy than Hitler and fascism ever were. I've been thinking the same thing. But let's focus on the task at hand. He opens a folder, slides photographs across the desk. The Jedi lean in. I've called you here because the slow progress in the Pacific has brought other options to the forefront. Something our scientists call an atomic bomb. The most powerful weapon ever constructed. It can wipe out an entire city in the blink of an eye. Ahsoka gasps. Obi-Wan's face tightens. Anakin's jaw clenches. Fury flashing in his eyes. Surely there's an alternative to such barbaric methods, sir. Wiping out entire cities. Not just soldiers, but civilians, women, and children. Obi-Wan, you know the Japanese. You three met the Emperor firsthand. You've heard of the kamicazi attacks. Pilots flying their planes directly into our ships. The barbarity is already taking shape. These people are willing to fight to the last man, woman, and child before they surrender. >> Mr. president. Just because they stooped these levels doesn't mean America has to. >> Anakut's hand moves to his lightsaber. His voice shakes. This sounds just like the defoliator on Malair. An evil separatist general named Lock Durge justified its use the same way you are now. Said it was necessary. Said it would save lives in the long run. >> He grips the hilt. >> Its use scarred us all. It was catastrophic. I promised no weapon of such destruction would ever be used again. and I intend on keeping that promise. The lightsaber comes off his belt. He doesn't ignite it, but the threat is clear. FDR doesn't flinch. Secret Service agents reach for their weapons. Obi-Wan steps forward. Anakin, settle down. He turns to FDR. I share his sentiment, Mr. President. There must be another way. Please allow us to talk to the Emperor one last time before you make this decision. FDR studies them, weighs the request, finally nods. All right, Obi-Wan. For you, I'll wait. But I can't speak for the Russians. They're intent on invading Japan as soon as possible. You don't have much time. The Twilight lands on the same rooftop. The same trick. R2 cuts the window. Obi-Wan lifts it free with the Force. They slip inside. The Emperor kneels at his table writing as if he's been waiting for them. He sets down his brush and looks up. C3PO offers the translation device. The Emperor takes it without hesitation. It is good to see you all again. I've heard of your heroics on the battlefield, especially you, Anakin. Your Majesty, it's an honor. Last time we spoke, we warned you of the bloodshed this war would bring. Bloodshed? Yes. It seems the heavens did decide our fate. One we are ready to accept with open arms. As he gestures to the window, the city beyond. The Americans from the east, the Soviets from the west. It is only a matter of time. My generals tell me they will make the enemy bleed for every inch. Your Majesty, it's worse than that. The Americans are considering dropping a weapon called an atomic bomb. We've seen something like it before. It will destroy every living thing in the area it's dropped on. Entire cities erased in seconds. We beg you, stop the fighting. Consider diplomacy. If it's not the Americans killing your civilians with this weapon, it will be the Russians bringing communism to your lands. Humiliation will be the least of your worries. Your society will have no future to speak of, no history to remember. >> Please, your majesty, let us help. Let us negotiate peace on your behalf. Hasn't enough fighting been done? Accept defeat gracefully, knowing you fought what you believed in before there's nothing left. >> The emperor closes his eyes. I did not heed heaven's warnings last time. We must all learn from our past mistakes. I will learn from mine. He opens his eyes, meets their gaze. I will allow you to negotiate peace terms on our behalf. We won't let you down, your majesty. >> The White House war room. Two days later, the room is packed. FDR at the head of the table. General Patton, General Eisenhower, Admiral Nimmitz, and the three Jedi. Gentlemen, General Tano, the Emperor of Japan has agreed to surrender. Through the efforts of our Jedi allies, we can end this war without dropping the atomic bomb. Patton slams his fist on the table. >> The Russians will never accept it. Not unless they get a piece of Japan. >> He leans forward. >> My intel network tells me the Soviets plan to impose communisms on China. They'll never give all the territory Japan conquered back to the Chinese communists. Use it as a base to spread their influence across Asia, Korea, Vietnam. >> He points at the map. >> We need to make peace with Japan immediately and declare war on Russia. Otherwise, we're just replacing fascism with communism. Right back where we started. Anakin nods sharply. General Patton's right. If we don't resolve this threat now, all the lives will be lost for nothing. Poverty and corruption will spread across Asia. Never-ending war will follow. Take it from me. I've seen what that kind of conflict does to a system. It never ends well. You need a full strangle hold on the problem if you intend to create a solution. Why continue the war if it's not needed? We don't know the Russians will do what you're suggesting. This is all hypothetical. >> I have seen it from them too, master. The Russians have the same blind alliance to ideology that the Germans and Japanese have. They're too strong as they are. And with the differences in governmental systems, they'll never back down. Even if it's not outright war, the threat of war will loom over both countries for decades, maybe centuries. >> FDR leans back, takes a long drag from his cigarette, stares at the map of Europe and Asia. If we don't act now, the next generation will pay the price. We finish what we started. He looks at each of them. We declare war on the Soviet Union. Patton grins. Obi-Wan's shoulders slump. >> Allout offensive. We hit them from the west. Drive straight to Moscow. End this before winter. >> No. Everyone turns to him. We need to learn from what the Germans attempted. The Russians used scorched earth tactics. Burn their own cities to deny the Vermach supplies. Combined with the cold, the German army starved and froze to death. They'll do the same to us if we charge in with a conventional offensive. More soldiers don't need to die. Let me go in with Ahsoka and our elite airborne team. We drop into Moscow, eliminate Stalin, and the communist government, install a democratic replacement. Once the Chinese see what we're capable of, they'll fall in line. The room goes silent. Obi-Wan stares at Anakin like he doesn't recognize him. Anakin, what are you saying? It's an attractive option. No one's been able to stop you yet. This isn't the Jedi way. Assassination, installing puppet governments. This is everything we stand against. >> We're not Jedi here, Master. We're American soldiers. We need to go home. This is the quickest way to do it with the least bloodshed. And if I have to compromise some Jedi principles to save millions of lives, so be it. >> Obi-Wan opens his mouth, closes it. He sees the determination in Anakin's eyes, the desperation. I understand where you're coming from, even if I don't agree. Then it's settled. General Skywalker, General Tano, prepare your team. You leave at dawn. Moscow 0300 hours. The transport plane roars through the night. Inside, Anakin, Ahsoka, R2-D2, and 20 elite paratroopers check their equipment. The jump master gives the signal. The door opens. Wind screams. They jump. Parachutes blossom above the Russian capital. They land in a peak near the Kremlin. Silent, professional, no resistance. Anakin Anakin ignites his lightsaber, scanning the darkness. Something feels wrong. I'm too quiet. You're just paranoid. >> They move through the streets, empty. The paratroopers fan out, securing the approach to Stalin's headquarters. The buildings looms ahead, dark, imposing. They breach the entrance. Still no resistance. Anakin's instincts scream at him. It's a trap. The lights snap on. Soviet soldiers pour from every doorway, every corridor. Hundreds of them. Machine guns, rifles. The paratroopers fight back. The firefight is instant and overwhelming. One by one, the Americans fall. Anakin and Ahsoka move like lightning. lightsabers deflecting rounds, cutting through soldiers, but there are too many. Within minutes, only Anakin and Ahsoka remain. Back to back, surrounded. A slow clap emerges through the hall. Joseph Stalin emerges from a side room. Short, stocky, cold eyes. >> Welcome, Jedi. The KGB has men inside your military. Communist sympathizers. They told us you were coming. >> Soldiers grab Ahsoka. She struggles, but they overwhelm her. Shackles snap around her wrists. A crude electrical device is attached to her neck. >> One word from me and she dies. But I am not unreasonable. I have heard of your predicament. Unable to return to your home, your galaxy, >> he gestures. The scientist steps forward carrying a metal cylinder. >> Russian and German scientists who defected from the Nazis have been studying your ship. They have created a hyperdrive component sufficient for your needs. The deal is simple. Take this. Leave this world. Forget all about it. Allow us to complete our plans. Nia, everyone leaves safely. Anakin stares at the hyperdrive, then at Ahsoka. Then it's stolen. His mind races. Padme. He hasn't seen her in years. She must be worried sick. She doesn't even know where he is. What if she's presumed he's dead? What if she's moved on? Every second here is a second lost without her. The easy way out right in front of him. No, he can't lose himself for convenience. Can't abandon what's right just because it's hard. Stalin underestimates him. Anakin closes his eyes, opens his mouth, and screams. Not a shout, a force scream. Pure energy erupting from his lungs, amplified by his pain and fury and desperation. The sound disintegrates through the hall. Windows shatter. Soldiers clutch their ears, staggering. Stalin falls to his knees. Anakin moves, enhanced force speed. It becomes a blur. His lightsaber cuts through the guards holding Ahsoka before they can react. He tears the device from her neck. Throws it aside. He spins, cuts down the soldiers, all of them. The room erupts in blue light and screams in the smell of burned flesh. In seconds, only Stalin remains on his knees. Blood running from his ears. Anakin picks up the hyperdrive component, tucks it into his belt, walks towards Stalin. >> You You cannot stop what is coming. >> Anakin ignites his lightsaber, holds it at Stalin's throat, and pauses. Stalin's eyes, cold, calculating, manipulative, willing to sacrifice millions for his vision of order. He reminds Anakin of someone. Someone back home. Someone who pulls strings from the shadows. Who [music] speaks of peace while orchestrating war. who claimed to be a mentor while plotting control. Palpatine. Anakin's eyes widen. The realization hits him like a physical blow. Palpatine. The Sith Lord. He's been there the whole time. Dooku said as much. A Sith Lord controlling the Republic, and Anakin's been blind to it. He looks down at Stalin. Thank you. What? Anakin drives the lightsaber through his back. Stalin gasps once, falls forward. Still, Ahsoka runs up, breathing hard. We need to go now. >> Anakin nods. They run. The White House, South Lawn. Two weeks later, a crowd fills the lawn. Thousands of people, military, civilians, press. FDR sits in his wheelchair at a podium. Beside him, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka stand in dress uniforms. Today, we honor three individuals who changed the course of history, who saved countless lives through their courage, wisdom, and sacrifice. He gestures to an aid who brings forward three medals. The Medal of Honor. It is my honor to present the highest award this nation can bestow. One by one, he places the medal around their necks. The crowd erupts in applause. Later, they're led to the National Mall. Three statues stand there carved in marble. Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsokaano. Anakin stares at his own face, frozen in stone. We should be here. We did what was necessary. Did we? Or did we just become what we're fighting against? >> Obi-Wan doesn't answer. The next day, R2-D2 works on the hyperdrive, integrating the Soviet component. Sparks fly. The droid beeps triumphantly. >> Oh, wonderful. R2 says the hyperdrive is fully operational. >> Anakin runs diagnostics. Everything checks out. It works. We can go home. >> Finally. >> Obi-Wan places a hand on the console, looks out at Earth through the viewport. We've changed this world. For better or worse, history will decide that, not us. They board the ship, strap in. Anakin powers up the engines. The twilight lifts off, climbs through the atmosphere. Earth shrinks below them. Anakin engages the hyperdrive. The stars stretch. Reality bends. They're gone. The twilight drops out of hyperspace. Coruscant spreads below them exactly as they left it. Anakin lands in the temple hanger. Ramp lowers. They step out. Jedi rush toward them. >> General Skywalker, you've been missing for 3 days. Where have you been? 3 days. We were gone for 3 years. Time. Strange thing it is. Different it flows in different places. We have much to report, masters. We've learned troubling things. Anakin looks past them, sees a figure in the shadows, watching, smiling. Chancellor Palpatine. Anakin's hand moves to his lightsaber. He knows. That's our theory. The Star Wars universe is a galaxy filled with exciting stories and possibilities, and we love exploring them. 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