The galaxy burned under the weight of war.
Billions cried out for salvation, and all eyes turned toward the shining capital of Coruscant—where Chancellor Palpatine stood as the last pillar of hope.
But it was all a lie.
The Chancellor—the savior—was the storm itself.And the final act had begun.
The Abduction
Aboard the massive Invisible Hand, General Grievous barked commands as Coruscant's skies ignited with fire. The Separatist fleet surged from hyperspace, punching through the Republic blockade.
Amidst the chaos, a small strike force of droids infiltrated the Senate District.
Palpatine did not resist.
The guards died swiftly, but he sat calmly in his chamber, cloaked in shadows, awaiting the inevitable. He had ordered this kidnapping himself—through whispers and coded commands issued from the dark recesses of the Force.
Grievous, the beast, would carry him away.
And the Jedi would come chasing.
The Rescue Mission
The blazing hull of the Invisible Hand shuddered as Jedi starfighters danced between flak and fire.
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker had come.
They fought with precision—one a master of calm, the other a tempest of fury.
They carved through droids, evaded traps, and ascended toward the tower where Palpatine sat in mock captivity.
"I knew you would come," the Chancellor said with a smile.
Then Count Dooku entered.
The Duel of Fates
Dooku ignited his crimson blade.
"Leave them to me," he said to Grievous, who departed to ensure the ship's escape.
Obi-Wan stepped forward, but Dooku struck with surprising speed—disabling the Jedi Master and sending him crashing into unconsciousness.
Anakin stood alone.
"You've grown powerful," Dooku said, circling.
"I'm not the same boy you faced on Geonosis," Anakin growled.
Their blades clashed, but the Force trembled.
Palpatine watched in silence, subtly sending his will into the fray. He fed Anakin's anger, fanned the flames of his fear. He whispered through the Force, unseen but felt.
And then—it happened.
Anakin overpowered Dooku, severing both of his hands.
The Count fell to his knees.
"Do it," Palpatine said softly, the mask slipping.
Anakin hesitated. "It's not the Jedi way."
"He's too dangerous to be left alive."
And with a cry, Anakin executed Dooku.
The Sith Lord fell. And with him, the last piece of Palpatine's deception.
The Beginning of the End
Grievous escaped. The Jedi fled with Palpatine as the ship split apart and plunged toward Coruscant.
Upon landing, Palpatine emerged triumphant.
The Senate cheered. The people wept in relief.
But the darkness had taken root.
Anakin—haunted by guilt, driven by love—was now bound to Palpatine more deeply than ever before.
The Council Grows Suspicious
Obi-Wan recovered quickly. But he sensed a change in Anakin. A shadow behind his eyes. A hesitation in his words.
The Council too began to question.
They met in secret.
"We must investigate the Chancellor," Mace Windu declared. "He has held emergency powers far longer than necessary."
But Anakin defended him—vehemently.
"He's a good man. He's saved the Republic."
"He is not a Jedi," Ki-Adi-Mundi reminded him.
"He may not be," Anakin replied, "but maybe we need someone who sees what the Jedi refuse to."
Windu's frown deepened. Trust was eroding, and they all felt it.
The Final Tether
That night, Palpatine summoned Anakin once more.
He spoke of the Force, of life and death, of powers no Jedi dared seek.
"You must understand, Anakin. There are truths the Jedi fear. Secrets they would let die rather than share. But I can teach you."
Anakin's heart pounded.
The pain of losing his mother. The fear of losing Padmé. The anger he tried to contain. It all came rushing back.
"Tell me," he said.
Palpatine's smile was slow, calculating.
He whispered, "Only a Sith Lord can help you save the one you love."
And the world shattered.