Yes, you got it right, in the early draft of Star Wars: Return of The Jedi, we almost get to see Force ghost Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda have a conversation with Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader.
So here is everything about the conversation you are looking for
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Return of the Jedi Almost Had Obi-Wan and Yoda Fighting the Emperor as Force Ghosts
As reported by comicbook.com, Phil Szostak, creative art manager at Lucasfilm, shared some fascinating pages from a rough draft of Return of the Jedi dating back to 1981, two years before the film’s release.
These early drafts reveal that Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda were originally set to do much more than just appear at the celebration on Endor.
Ben Kenobi and Yoda Appear During Luke Being Force Lightning
You can check it out yourself by following this link.
In the early draft, the story continues after Luke defeats Darth Vader. As expected, Luke then faces off with Palpatine, who uses Force Lightning against him.
However, in this version, instead of just being struck by the bolts, Luke tries to defend himself with his hand. The bolts are deflected by an invisible shield.
Whenever a bolt hits the shield, the image of Ben or Yoda briefly appears where the impact occurs.
At this point, the Emperor taunts Luke, saying, “Your friends in the netherworld cannot protect you for long, young Skywalker.”
Fast forward to the Rebel victory, and we see Ben Kenobi speaking to Luke again.
Ben: Luke you should be celebrating. The Emperor is gone and there is a future for the galaxy.
Luke: Ben, you’ve come back!
Ben: My need to stay in the netherworld has been resolved. Your father turned to the good side and I was able to disrupt his journey.
Ben then continues: Here is the good Skywalker. My old friend and your father…
Yoda: A reason for celebration this is…
In this draft, we can see there’s much more dialogue between Luke, his masters, and his father during the celebration on Endor, unlike in the movie where Luke simply stands and looks back at his masters as Anakin slowly appears.
Ben Kenobi and Yoda Confront with Both Palpatine and Vader
Another intriguing moment in this draft is the back-and-forth exchange between Palpatine, Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Yoda. Here’s how it plays out:
Ben: It is you who overestimates your abilities.
Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine turn to see the shimmering image of Obi-Wan Kenobi standing before them.
The Emperor laughs and replies: At last, you appear before me, Obi-Wan.
Ben: The boy has many allies. He is stronger than you imagine.
Emperor: Allies? If they are all like you, I have no concern. The netherworld has no control over me. And if you return to this dimension, I will easily defeat you.
Ben: There is no entrance to the netherworld through the dark side. You know very little of its powers.
Emperor: I know it is not strong enough to save this boy.
Ben: Perhaps the boy will be sacrificed, but you will be destroyed as well.
Vader: My son will not be destroyed. He will turn to the dark side.
Then, another voice is heard.
Yoda: Stronger than you is the boy. Turn he will not.
Emperor: Yoda! No, it cannot be.
Yoda: I survived, as did many others.
Conclusion
This early draft of Return of the Jedi gives us a fascinating glimpse into what might have been.
The idea of Obi-Wan and Yoda playing a more active role as Force ghosts, not just during the celebration but also in the final confrontation with Palpatine and Vader, adds an intriguing layer to the story.
It would have shown a deeper connection between the living and the netherworld, with Luke’s masters offering direct aid in his darkest hour.
While the final version we got in the movie focuses more on Luke’s individual journey and his ability to stand against the Emperor on his own, this alternate draft reveals a version of the story where the support of the Jedi goes beyond the grave.
It’s a reminder that Star Wars always had different creative possibilities, and this draft showcases one of the more exciting ones we never got to see on screen.
Even though these ideas didn’t make it into the final cut, they give us a richer understanding of what Return of the Jedi could have been—and how much more the Force ghosts could have done.