Unfortunately, just as Obi-Wan realized that Anakin Skywalker lived, he also knew that Anakin would not live much longer. As Luke hauled his dying father toward a shuttle, Obi-Wan"s spirit shifted his own psyche to another realm. And he waited.
After Anakin died in his son"s arms, Obi-Wan called out into the void, "Anakin."
A moment later, Obi-Wan heard a familiar voice return from the darkness. "Obi-Wan? Master, I"m so sorry. So very, very -"
"Anakin, listen carefully," Obi-Wan interrupted. "You are in the netherworld of the Force, but if you ever wish to revisit corporeal s.p.a.ce, then I still have one thing left to teach you. A way to become one with the Force. If you choose this path to immortality, then you must listen now, before your consciousness fades."
Obi-Wan sensed confusion and remorse in Anakin"s psyche, then Anakin answered, "But Master . . . why me? "
"Because you ended the horror, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "Because you fulfilled the prophecy. Because you were . . . and are . . . the Chosen One."
But Obi-Wan knew in his heart that those were not the only reasons. He added, "Because I was wrong about you. And because I am your friend."
Anakin answered quietly, "Thank you, Master."
Luke Skywalker managed to haul his father"s body into an Imperial shuttle and escaped the Death Star before his Rebel Alliance allies destroyed the battle sta-tion. After landing on the forest moon, he gathered deadwood to build a funeral pyre to cremate Anakin"s armored remains. As he watched the flames rise into the night sky, he wished he had somehow been able to help his father sooner.
When the pyre burned no more, Luke rejoined his friends. The Rebels were having a victory celebration with their new allies, the diminutive fur-covered Ewoks, at the Ewoks" treetop village. Shortly after Luke arrived, he looked away from his jubilant friends to see the spec-tral, luminescent forms of Obi-Wan and Yoda appear nearby, against the darkness of the forest canopy. A moment later, a third spirit appeared beside the others. It was Anakin Skywalker.
The Jedi had returned.
EPILOGUE.
Obi-Wan Ken.o.bi saw Luke Skywalker standing a short distance from the entry dome of the Lars family homestead on Tatooine. The twin suns were closing in on the horizon and cast long shadows across the desert. Luke was facing the sunset, his back to Obi-Wan. A warm, gentle wind was blowing in from the west.
But neither Obi-Wan nor Luke was really on Tatooine.
It was five years after the Battle of Endor. Luke Skywalker was in his modest apartment at the former Imperial Palace on Coruscant, where he had reluctantly taken up residence after the Rebel Alliance defeated the Empire and formed the New Republic. Lying on his bed, he was sound asleep, and dreaming of Tatooine.
Obi-Wan said, "Luke?"
Luke turned away from the suns. "h.e.l.lo, Ben," he said with a welcoming smile. "Been a long time."
"It has indeed," Obi-Wan replied. "And I"m afraid that it will be longer still until next time. I"ve come to say good-bye, Luke."
The desert landscape and the sky itself seemed to shimmer and shudder, and Obi-Wan realized that Luke was now suddenly aware of the fact that he was dream-ing. Luke"s smile melted, and he looked at Obi-Wan cautiously.
Sensing Luke"s thoughts, Obi-Wan said, "No, I"m not a dream. But the distances separating us have become too great for me to appear to you in any other way." He gestured at the surrounding dreamscape and added, "Now, even this last path is being closed to me."
"No," Luke said. "You can"t leave us, Ben. We need you."
"You don"t need me, Luke," Obi-Wan said, lifting his eyebrows slightly as he smiled. "You are a Jedi." Then his smile faded. "At any rate, the decision is not mine to make. I have lingered too long already, and can no longer postpone my journey from this life to what lies beyond."
Luke looked away from Obi-Wan, who sensed the young man"s thoughts had turned to Yoda. Despite all that Luke had learned about the Force, he remained deeply saddened by the deaths of his friends.
"It is the pattern of all life to move on," Obi-Wan said. "You, too, will face this journey one day. You are strong in the Force, Luke, and with perseverance and discipline you will grow stronger still." Obi-Wan"s gaze hardened as he added, "But you must never relax your guard. The Emperor is gone, but the dark side is still powerful. Never forget that."
"I won"t. "
"You will yet face great dangers, Luke." Then Obi-Wan"s expression softened, and his smile returned as he continued, "But you will also find new allies at times and places where you expect them least."
"New allies?" Luke said, genuinely curious. "Who are they?"
Knowing that it was best not to reveal everything to Luke, Obi-Wan chose to ignore the question. As he felt himself begin to slip away from Luke"s dream, he said, "And now, farewell. I loved you as a son, and as a stu-dent, and as a friend. Until we meet again, may the Force be with you."
"Ben - !"
Obi-Wan"s form had vanished, but his psyche lin-gered long enough to sense Luke think to himself, Then I am alone. I am the last of the Jedi.
"Not the last of the old Jedi, Luke," Obi-Wan said, his voice trailing off across the dimension of dreams. "The first of the new."
And Obi-Wan finally moved on.