(This is the second part of the Mahl Wars franchise. The first part is here. Also, I was too lazy to look up rehearsal numbers this time. Remember to follow along with your own recording at home! Mine's Chicago with Claudio Abbado)
Part I - Allegro Maestoso
The scene opens with the vast, deep emptiness of space. As the oboe enters, the scene pans to a fleet of Imperial Planet Renders.
Darth Wagner makes his first appearance, accompanied by a demonic brass fanfare. As he announces to the ship his plan to capture the grave of Anti-Non Brucknobi, two Schöentroopers exchange confident glances on a lower deck. The camera pans in and reveals these two to be none other than Gustav Skywalker and Hugan Wolfo, disguised and infiltrating the Empire ships. They slip into the crowd as the fleet departs from Viennescant. There is a brief struggle around the 3-minute mark as Gustav steals security codes from an officer, and he and Wolfo make a daring close escape, fooling the guards on the next floor into thinking they're helping pursue the intruders (
did you hear Gustav's theme from the first movie in the flute around 4 minutes?).
However, their escape is short-lived as Darth Wagner comes down to their floor (
sehr langsam begginend). As the
Deus Irae begins, Wagner reveals his plan to extract the essence of Master Brucknobi in order to fully wield the power of Titan for himself. He makes his departure cackling maniacally at the extremely John Williams-sounding chords. Skywalker and Wolfo start making their daring escape, sneaking through the Planet Render to get to the escape pods without being noticed by the Schöentroopers. They escape, but not unnoticed. When asked if the pod should be shot down, Wagner orders his troops to hold their fire, saying he has his own plans for Skywalker. As the movement ends, Wagner says to the helmsman, "Set a course for Viennescant."
Part II - Andante Moderato
The scene opens in the relaxed Resistance base on Viennescant (unlike their Lucasean counterpart, these rebels are largely inexperienced and tend to not worry about things too much). Gustav goes to a closed-door meeting, where he meets up with Princess Alma. As he explains Darth Wagner's plans to the council (which is obviously represented by the scherzo-esque sounds here), they have a hard time believing him, since they aren't privy on the ways of Muzyk, a "dying old religion." Princess Alma (obviously represented by the waltz) makes her case that they should listen to Gustav and protect the tomb from a possible Imperial assault. At the big brass entrance, a call-to-arms has been organized, and the Resistance members are put back into combat training to protect the planet from Imperial action. As Gustav thanks Alma for helping out, we get the first hints of their non-sibling attraction. Gustav leaves the meeting in a daze, and the pizzicato show how in-the-clouds his head is.
Part III - In Ruhig Fleißender Bewegung
Nighttime. Anti-Non Brucknobi's tomb. Enter the incredibly handsome bounty hunter, Bobaszt Franz. The Resistance guards start questioning him on his whereabouts, but his dazzle proves too much for their weak minds, and as he sweet-talks them, he manages to hit them both with stun blasts from his blasterforte. He escapes from the tomb with Brucknobi's urn, making an overly-heroic brassy clamour as he does. He retreats from the tomb to his ship across the city, charming the patrolling guards all the way down. No one, regardless of gender, orientation, or identity, can resist the overwhelming power that is Bobaszt Franz. Even Gustav, who bumps into him while walking still in that daze, doesn't notice through his Muzyk that something is amiss. With a big brassy cacophony, Franz can't help radioing to Resistance headquarters to brag about how he stole Brucknobi's remains, and the guards are too entranced to do anything about it.
Part IV - Urlicht. Sehr Feierlich, Aber Schlicht
Darth Wagner is meditating, and in a vision, sees Anti-Non Brucknobi. Wagner is no longer a robotic excuse for a human, but appears whole as before his fateful confrontation with the dragon Fafner. Wagner demands Brucknobi honour his promise of years ago and explain the full secrets of the Titan for him.
Brucknobi explains that there is no secret, and that the Titan's power exists within everyone. He goes on to clarify that Gustav was not
granted power by anyone, but has total mastery of Muzyk on his own accord. Enraged by his old master's words, Wagner vows not only to master Muzyk, but to become a Gesamptkunstmaster, having total control of every aspect of everything, an accomplishment that the Composer's Guild both banned and thought impossible. Anti-non bids that he has nothing more to say to a man he once called his friend, and departs.
Part V - Im Tempo Des Scherzos
An Imperial Planet Render approaches Viennescant space, but the Resistance is ready. Gustav, meditating before the inevitable struggle, sees Anti-Non in a vision, who tells him that he has the power to ward off Darth Wagner for now, as he is blinded by his own ambition. Wagner radios the Resistance command, saying he is holding the remains of the hero Brucknobi, and demands an easy surrender. Gustav is in the room, and makes a speech on how the body means nothing, and Brucknobi will always be with the Resistance through Muzyk. As the connection is cut, the council must decide whether it's worth it to make an offensive, as the Empire does not appear to be hostile, and it's decided that the safety of the planet's inhabitants must come first.
Gustav decides to go on a solo covert mission to retrieve the urn from the Empire.
(
Am Anfang Sehr Zurückgehalten) By using his Muzyk to confuse the Schöentroopers, Gustav manages to sneak aboard the main Planet Render. Sneaking through the corridors, he discovers the urn guarded only by a few troopers, and entrances them with his Muzyk, taking the urn and heading back to his ship. (
Wieder Sehr Breit) He takes off successfully, and heads back into Resistance space, but not before leaving an identical (though empty) urn behind. (
Maestoso. Sehr Zurückhaltend) Gustav is surprised to see that a firefight has broken out between the Planet Render and a Resistance Frigate Pathetique. However, the Frigate quickly causes the Imperial ship to fall back, not expecting the Resistance to have been anticipating combat.
(
Wieder Zurückhaltend) Gustav is confronted by Bobaszt Franz on the surface, who tries to use his charm to get him to return the urn, which wasn't his to begin with. Gustav's Muzyk thankfully is with him this time, and he can see through Franz's faulty charm to the logic underneath, refusing to give back the urn, and after a brief struggle, manages to slice the blasterforte in half in Franz's hands with his violsabre.
(
Sehr Langsam Und Gedehnt) The next day, Gustav is honoured by the Resistance and the Olde Castlee that was the ancient base of the Composer's Guild. Suddenly, the lights dim and a heavenly chorus can be heard singing all around. Anti-Non Brucknobi appears to those present, causing cries of "He's alive! He's returned!" Master Brucknobi says softly that he has not returned, but through his Muzyk, is making himself alive in the souls of the Resistance members, and that every act they take to making the galaxy better for the listeners out there is honouring his memory and work as a Composer. He charges the Resistance to continue to spread the power of Muzyk through the galaxy, and though his image vanishes, the chorus continues to sing. The scene pans up and out to space, as the chorus continues to sing, and the credits roll.
