"So Turns a Galaxy, So Turns a Wheel" is the fifth episode of the Return of the Jedi radio drama. It first aired on National Public Radio on December 3, 1996.. It adapts events of taking place on the Forest Moon of Endor and the nearby Death Star.
Darth Vader informs the Emperor Palpatine that a small force of Rebels has infiltrated the Moon of Endor. The Emperor replies that he is already aware; he did not know, however, that Luke Skywalker is with them. He permits Vader to go down to the surface, allow Luke to come to him, and bring him before the imperial presence.
On Endor's surface, the command crew continue to search for Leia Organa, using Artoo-Detoo's sensors and Chewbacca's ability to track by smell. They are able to follow the trail up to where they find Leia's discarded helmet. At that point, Chewbacca picks up an unfamiliar scent, but whatever trail led away from there had been expertly covered up. The Wookiee is next drawn to the smell of a nearby animal carcass. Thinking it will be good to eat, he reaches for it only to trigger a trap. All are caught in a net and suspended above the forest floor.
Luke convinces Threepio to tell their story to the Ewoks.
Artoo breaks the net with his circular saw, but the rebels have already been surrounded by the creatures who set the trap. They tie up the Rebels and carry them back to their village—all except See-Threepio, whom they seem to revere as a god. Threepio can speak their language and learns that they are called Ewoks. He also learns that the Ewoks believe the humans to be in league with the imperial forces occupying their world, and that they therefore plan to eat them in a feast to honor the divine droid. The Ewoks ignore Threepio's entreaties to free his friends and, once back in their village, they ignore Leia's as well. Only when Luke causes Threepio to levitate, demonstrating his "magic," do they do what he tells them. At Luke's urging, Threepio then tells the story of their rebellion against the Empire, persuading the tribe to join them in the fight.
Luke talks to Leia alone, revealing everything that he has recently learned: that the two of them are twin siblings, the children of Darth Vader, and that Leia, like Luke, is strong in the Force. Furthermore, Vader is now present on Endor's surface and Luke is fated to go to him. Luke goes off and surrenders to imperial troops near the shield generator bunker. They bring him to Vader. Luke is confident that Vader will not betray him to the Emperor, but his confidence is misplaced. They board a ship to fly to the Death Star.
The next morning, the Ewoks lead Han Solo, Leia, and their companions to a lightly-defended back door to the bunker. There they reunite with the other Rebel commandos. An Ewok, Paploo, steals a nearby speeder bike, luring away most of the guards on a chase through the forest. The Rebels compel the one remaining trooper to surrender, leaving the bunker door open for a demolitions team to enter. However, the mission is still in grave danger. In his throne room, Palpatine speaks to the captive Luke. He is able to state details about the Rebel mission, including the commando unit on Endor and the Rebel Alliance Fleet now en route. It is evident that the Emperor has arranged everything to draw the Alliance into a final battle in which it will be defeated once and for all.
"So Turns a Galaxy, So Turns a Wheel" is a straightforward adaptation of the corresponding scenes in the Return of the Jedi film. The most significant addition is dialogue about Chewbacca's tracking. He is able to follow Leia's trail and identify the presence of the Ewoks, demonstrating his skills and value to the mission just before he springs the Ewok trap, causing the team to be captured.
- Return of the Jedi: The National Public Radio Dramatization