Heh heh, how *I* would have done the prequels

[Khev]

Heh, I went and dug up an old post of mine from a SW newsgroup posted on May 15, 2000. I was discussing my disappointment with TPM (which I've since come around on) and someone asked how *I* would have structured the beginning of the PT. Here's what I posted.

>>I'm very interested to hear your version.


For starters I would have ditched Tatooine, the Trade
Federation, Anakin as a child, the Jedi Council (as it
appeared,) and Jar Jar. The Sith would exist as a full-fledged
order, but as wizards and assassins, not gung ho martial
artists.

A more interesting idea for Palpatine to ascend to power would
have been if he had commissioned his Sith followers to turn the
Senate upside down with a series of terrifying political
assassinations. The Jedi would have been called in to protect
the various members of Republic leadership, but as a Senator
himself Palpatine would always know who was the least protected
and could direct his minions accordingly. When the Council was
to the point of borderline hysteria, Palpatine could have pulled
the ultimate reversal and slaughtered HIS OWN Sith (possibly by
staging a mock priority meeting wired to the max with explosives
by none other than everyone's favorite go-to mercenary, Boba
Fett.)


With the Sith menace subsided, Palpatine could have asserted
himself as Savior of the Republic and greatly discredited the
effectiveness of the Jedi. It would have been all too difficult
for a young Jedi named Anakin Skywalker to resist the
oppurtunity to learn from a REAL master, especially one so
proficient in masking evil intentions....

One of the main reasons I love ROTS so much is because Lucas really did capture a lot of what I was hoping to see. When I posted my ideas there were no "Separatists" to speak of and as an organization they took the place of what I would have used the Sith for. And instead of Palpatine double-crossing the Sith by sending Boba Fett to disintegrate them (which I admit might have been too far fetched even for SW) in a mock gathering he instead did the same with Anakin and the Separatists on Mustafar.

And Palpatine even kick started the Separatist threat by various assassination attempts on a politician, but with Jango Fett instead of the Sith. So George used a Fett and the Sith for very similar purposes as what I was thinking, he just swapped their respective victims.

I must say George really met and exceeded my very own best wishes for the series!

 

[Darth Waller]

I like your idea of the senators being assassinated and Palpatine calling the shots based on who is most vulnerable. Very interesting.

 

[Agent0028]

Maybe he stole your ideas...

Carrying over from the other thread, keeping Maul as the Sith apprentice would have been good IMO. However, I want Dooku too because he is awesome and I think he would have worked well as a disillusioned Jedi, but not a Sith. Those are probably my two big things I would change.

 

[creature4000]

-As far as the whole political take over... I liked who Lucas did it. The secretly builing of an army.. and the Sith Lords intrusion into the Sentate is Awesome!

-I liked everything about Maul.. even his death!! (no need for hundreds of Sith.. they were taken care of along time ago.. thus why the Jedi have some power in the Order of the Galaxy)

-Probably the only thing I would have changed in the PT is that I would have had episode 3 45 minutes longer or in 2 movies. I would have spent a little more time on Anakins fall to the dark side.. and A LOT more time on Vader Anakin hunting down the Jedi HIMSELF!! I love how he used the Clones for the Assualt on the Jedi Temple... but he should have been the one hunting and killing the Jedi that were away.. not the clones! Oh.. and once Obi whipped Anakin.. Vader would have been Angry not Sad!

Other then that I love them! :chew

 

[Darth Loki]

I would've turned TPM into a kid's movie and had an anoying character in it to drive true fans insane. I'd even add a fart joke in there.

Oh wait.....................

 

[Darth Caedus]

I would've turned TPM into a kid's movie and had an anoying character in it to drive true fans insane. I'd even add a fart joke in there.

Oh wait.....................

Can't get enough fart jokes. If I were Lucas, I would hire someone who can ACTUALLY write a screenplay and someone would could ACTUALLY direct come in and help translate my story to the screen. But that's just me...

 

[Darth Loki]

Can't get enough fart jokes. If I were Lucas, I would hire someone who can ACTUALLY write a screenplay and someone would could ACTUALLY direct come in and help translate my story to the screen. But that's just me...

Why do you think Empire is the best SW movie?

 

[Coheteboy]

The story of the prequels is actually fantastic. Lucas has great ideas but sometimes he needs someone to slap his hand and tell him "no". It's the little ideas that George has that are usually the wrong ones.

I think in the hands of a better director, the prequels would be amazing. Imagine if we had 3 hour epics for each episode... if Peter Jackson was handling it. He'd make sure all the acting was all there and we'd get the most spectacular star wars battles ever.

Improvements to THE PHANTOM MENACE for me would mainly be (and these are very minor changes. most can be done in post-production):
-editing down Jar Jar. Not completely, but a good portion. We don't need him screaming all over the place in the bongo sub. We don't need "how wude", and we definitely don't need a fart in the face. I'd also take out the sound effect when he steps in poo. I'm ok with stepping in it.. it's the cartoon sound effect that bugs.
-voice change for jar jar. ahmed best's voice grates on my ears.
-cut out slobbering of boss nass.
-have jake lloyd act better or get another kid.
-neimodians... give them an alien language when talking amongst themselves or something. i've actually gotten used to their bad accents so it's not as big an issue anymore.


ATTACK OF THE CLONES
-recast hayden
-recast senator's decoy
-recast typho
-zam wesell... pointless gimmick to make her a changling since she remained her normal self while in the bar. And here's the part that needs to be rewritten. Jango is assigned to assassinate the senator. He hires a bounty Hunter. Jango gives bounty hunter posionous centipedes. Bounty hunter gives poisonous centipedes to a droid. Droid delivers the goods, leads Obi-Wan back to the bounty hunter sorta. Jango kills bounty hunter, leads Obi-Wan straight to the cloners. It's too clumsy of a way to get things rolling.
-cast professional sword handlers to play jedi extras. the arena battle was so bad. Jedi swinging at absolutely nothing right off the bat. This is supposed to be the coolest moment of the entire saga... hundreds of jedi doing their thing. Shoulda been awesome like the beginning of ep1 times 100.
-cut c-3po out of the droid factory. swap heads is fine, but keep the dialogue out.
-Add more scenes of anakin and obi-wan as friends. Obi-Wan was kinda bossy all the way through. Makes it harder to believe that three years would pass and they're good buddies at the start of ep3.
-Show jango killing more jedi. I was sad when Mace lopped his head off because he was an interesting character. At least give him a bigger fight with mace or something.
-whole film needs to be edited. i found it the most boring one of all. (leave all senate and political parts though... it's the rest of the movie that dragged)


Revenge of the Sith
-In the fight of dooku vs anakin, give us more. This is the revenge of anakin. It should have a bigger impact. With the fight so short, it really looks out of place for him to execute him so quickly. He had too much time to think. It'd be better if Anakin killed dooku without hesitation. As it is, he goes "no, i shouldn't." and then he does it and then says "i shouldn't have done it."
-Grievous either needs to be toned down a bit or he should be given a monacle and a mustache. Also make him a lot more threatening. He shouldn't be so cowardly. "ooooh time for me to abandon ship! hee hee!"
-Though "roger roger" kinda bugged in ep1, it wasn't even close to the super battle droids in ep3. So.. they're thinking now? "stupid little astro droid"? They should be killing machines.. not three stooges.
-Obi-Wan vs. Grievous. Needs to be a whole lot more. I guess the cartoon spoiled me huh?
-Order 66.... I want to see anakin slaughtering more jedi. I never would have thought that it was done by stormtroopers throughout the galaxy.


So like I said.. more nitpicky type things. Ep3 just needs to be expanded. Ep2... completely reworked. Ep1 just edited down a bit.

 

[Azrael23]

I always liked the idea of the Sith Order being a small faction, with that
I would have done the Prequels far different than what Lucas gave us, this
is pretty long, but it would cover many things that either was never answered or wasn't done in a convincing manner. Like hiding Luke on
Anakins homeworld under his own name, more jedi purging, Leia remembering Padme and Luke not, How kenobi wasn't aware of Leia in ESB etc...

Episode I


-There would have only been a triad (three) of Sith Lords. One Master
(Sidious) 2 Apprentices (Maul) and (Ventress). The Republic is on shaky
ground many of the governers are fearful that a war my ensue in
under a decade. Both apprentices are planning on turning against their
Master, Sidious also senses their disloyalty and slowly begins the process
of finding a more powerful loyal apprentice.

-Anakin would have been been 21 years old when Kenobi discovered him
Anakin would become Vader 33 and armored Vader at 35. He would start off
as a smuggler pilot for the Hutts. He originates from Dantooine and although
he is a skilled noble warrior he has an explosive temper and is very ambious.

-Kenobi encounters him on Dantooine while investigating the death of some
jedi, the two form a good friendship and Anakin agrees to help Kenobi with
his investigation. Anakin also introduces Kenobi to some of his friends
including Padme (sister of Beru). Although they are childhood friends there
is romantic tension between them both because she realizes that Anakin is
destined for greater things. Beru's boyfriend Owen Lars tries to persuade Anakin
to stay and not involve himself with Kenobi, he fears he may regret it later.

-The Jedi Council is not into the politics of the Republic, however many Jedi
do serve either in politics or in the Republic army. Jedi can also marry and
form attachments however the most dedicated Jedi remains single and
celibate and in order to become one with the force, to transcend the
afterlife and become a (forceghost) one must be inherently strong in the
force and have a huge dedication to the force, thus many years of
training. There are NO midichlorians. The Force decides who should be
its wielders. Jedi with families can also raise their children as future Jedi.

-When Anakin proves helpful, Kenobi who also senses the Force very
strongly in him considers him for training however the council feels he is
far past the age of training and is to set in his ways, however Kenobi
begins training him regardless. Anakin excells and is knighted at age 25.

-Maul and Ventress forms a large group of Separtist and it threatens to
engulf the Republic in War. The Clone Wars begin. The Republic request
that the Jedi council aid in the war effort, yet the Council is reluctant and
really want nothing to do with it. However a half of the council are eager
to help out, causing a huge division and rift with the structure of the order
and a large faction helps out, Anakin and Kenobi are among those to help
during the war. The republic has also begin the process of cloning many
mandalorian soldiers to increase their ranks, a few Jedi warriors have been
cloned as well to lead the war.

Episode II: Clone Wars

- The War has been going on for 5 years. Anakin is now 30 years old and
has become a harden jedi warrior. He has gained great prominence and
has become a general of a faction of Clone warriors. Padme has risen to
political heights and has become a protege of Chancellor Palpatine. Anakin
is discharged from leading his group due to his reckless nature and is given
the assignment of becoming Palpatine's bodyguard and head of security.

-Its during that time that a spiteful Anakin begins to question the Order's
integrity and question his own place within it. Anakin feels that he can
remake the order and knows that this can be accomplished if he is made
a Jedi master and appointed to the council. Anakin reunites with Kenobi
on Alderaan who is serving as a general in senator Organa's army, to
eliminate a group of Separtist there. Soon their friendship is on shaky
ground as he questions the order, at this point Kenobi senses the darkside
growing within Anakin and tries hard to reason with his friend. The Sith apprentice Ventress is killed. Master Yoda (1st appearance) is called for needed guidance during the war.

-Padme reunites with Anakin and the two rekindle their romance, meanwhile
Palpatine senses Anakin's anger towards the jedi attempt to exploit his
hatred by slowly showing him the ways of the force and darkside. Slowly
Anakin starts to become more belligerent, power hungry and reckless.
Anakin slowly starts to become enslaved to the darkside and enslaved
by Palpatine who will exploit Anakins power and lead him to his true potential.
Anakin also become distrustful of his friend and former master Kenobi.

-Padme sensing Anakin has drastically changed and is more politcally driven than ever decides to call off her and Anakins brief romance.Once Palpatine realizes that he can use Padme as a catalyse for Anakin's anger he begins to inform Anakin that he feels that her and Kenobi may be having an affair, dropping subtle hints. Jealousy, hate and anger for Kenobi now dwells within Anakin as he views his master as a traitor.

-The War comes to a close. Anakin is not given the title of jedi master and
filled with hate and rage draws his lightsaber prepared to strike, he then comes to his senses and throws his saber hilt before the feet of his former
masters thus saying he is no longer jedi and leaves. Kenobi picks up the hilt thus a reminder that he has lost his friend and pupil.

-Padme becomes pregnant, she informs her mentor Palpatine, but not Anakin
she also informs Kenobi and Yoda. Palpatine senses that Skywalkers offsprings will be a threat not only to him but his plans for a take over, he therefore atempts to have Padme assassinated before she can give birth, however the plot is quickly foiled by Yoda and Kenobi and a staged death is set by them. Padme goes into hiding and is kept secretly safe within the house of Alderaan for her entire pregnancy.

Episode III Rise of the Empire

-Anakin is recruited by Palpatine and is told that in order to become a Sith
and reshape the republic he must eliminate Darth Maul his surviving apprentice. Anakin commence to finding Maul, he is also informed of Padme's so-called death. Anakin eventually finds Maul and eliminates him. Anakin also
is given the crimson saber Palpatine (once) wielded

-New armor is introduced for the Clonetroopers, now called Stormtroopers
as well as a prototype armor (Vader suit) that acts as a breathing aparatus
as well as enhanced physical strength

-Palpatine is made Emperor during this time, and commence to slaughtering
the last remnants of the Jedi who now oppose him. Anakin is officially christened Darth Vader and the Purge begins. Kenobi takes steps to locate Darth Vader and gain Anakin Skywalker back.

-By this time Padme has already given birth to the twins. Yoda and another jedi master senses that they force is very strong with the twins and that it would be in the best interest of the kids to have them split up. Having that much force activity would alert Sidious and Vader. Although Padme is reluctant she agrees, but is very sadden.

-Padme take steps to locate her sister Beru who has relocated to Tatooine
along with her husband Owen. Padme realizes that the boy(Luke) would be safer there, Leia is kept with Padme and is also given the last name Organa.
Yoda then uses a force technique to make Leia's force potential latent, until
it comes a time were it will manifest itself.

-Vader destroys the temple...............

-And kills Jedi..............................

-And a few more.........................

-Kenobi eventually finds Vader in a last ditch effort to convert him back to the lightside and have him pay for his crimes. Unable to reason with him, a lightsaber battle ensues on Mustafar, the last jedi strong hold. Kenobi proves
to be no match for his former pupil, Vaders arrogance soon makes him reckless and the ground gives way beneath him. Kenobi grabs him, soon
the old Anakin appears to come to his senses, until darkness consumes him
once again, and he once again tries to kill kenobi, forcing him to drop Anakin.

-Anakin falls as lava and rocks crashes down, Anakin appears to be dead.
kenobi leaves in shame.

-Anakin is found barely alive, Anakin is placed in a bacca tank to preserve
him for awhile, while many of the major wounds are healed many of the deeper ones remain as well as his hate. Vader is put in armored life support
system.

-Baby Luke is later on given to Kenobi by an anonymous jedi master, who
remains silent about Leia(other) and is informed to keep watch over Luke
until he is of age. He is also given the location of his master Yoda's location
should he need him in the future.

-Leia is kept on Alderaan, Padme would die years later and given a private
funeral.

-For the most part the jedi are hunted to extinction and Kenobi and Yoda, two of the orders last most powerful Jedi are exiled, other faction group together to defy the Empire but to no avail.

Major No's

Jar Jar
C-3PO (Made by Anakin)
Chewbacca
Kid Vader
Jango Fett
Several Pointless Villians
Saturation of CGI
Whiny Teenager VaderWhiny Adult Vader

 

[Darth Loki]

Enough with the multiple Sith. There are ONLY 2 at a time (Haven't you seen the end of TPM). Asajj was a pawn, a fallen Jedi with a tortured past. A dark Jedi but not a Sith, as Dooku clearly demonstrated during their fights. She was also nearly killed by Grievous in a battle for supremecy in the eyes of Sidiuos.

But there are some other interesting ideas here. I too would've loved to see more Jedi killed by Vader, not just younglings. The EU provides a bit of this but not really enough.

 

[IrishJedi]

EPISODE I: ATTACK OF THE CLONES (w/ Anakin & Padme already together at the beginning and no silly Droid Factory sequence). As much as TPM contains several things that I like a lot (Qui-Gon, Maul, etc) it really is pretty unnecessary and the crux of the overall plot (Anakin taken from his mother and Palpatine becoming Chancellor) could have been covered in the opening crawl and some expository dialogue.

EPISODE II: LABYRINTH OF EVIL. 'Nuff said.

EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH: It's Grievous that is killed and Dooku escapes and he is who Obi-Wan tracks down and dispatches while Anakin is being manipulated by Palpatine. I would also shorten the Sidious vs Yoda showdown. And the film's final shot would be Obi-Wan looking out from the cliff near his Tatooine home and staring toward the Twin Suns in obvious symbolism of the new "twin hopes" for the galaxy.

 

[Coheteboy]

I do like some of what Azrael is saying though. Sure 2 sith at a time, but i wouldn't be opposed to other sith in the galaxy too that are posing a threat.

It'd be interesting if Anakin was tricked into killing off the other sith but becomes one in the journey.

Eitherway... i had envisioned a much bigger war and a much darker end than what was given.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Once Palpatine realizes that he can use Padme as a catalyse for Anakin's anger he begins to inform Anakin that he feels that her and Kenobi may be having an affair, dropping subtle hints. Jealousy, hate and anger for Kenobi now dwells within Anakin as he views his master as a traitor.

I do like this point. I had always believed that Lucas was planning to use Arthurian myth and echo Arthur, Lancelot and Guinivere through a love triangle with Anakin, Obi and Padme. It was never presented. I was disappointed that this one myth, so well known, was the only myth Lucas never "borrowed". I think it would have upped the stakes and really given Anakin some motivation to turn to the dark side. Oh well...

I also never understood why Lucas never addressed little Ani's dream that he would one day "free the slaves". I had envisioned a great Ben Hur moment where Anakin returns to Tatooine and frees the slaves...only to loose his mother in the process. In his mind, his great act of goodness resulted in his mother's death. This could weigh on him in many ways throughout the saga. And it would certainly be more significant than the way his mother died in the films.

 

[Azrael23]

I do like this point. I had always believed that Lucas was planning to use Arthurian myth and echo Arthur, Lancelot and Guinivere through a love triangle with Anakin, Obi and Padme. It was never presented. I was disappointed that this one myth, so well known, was the only myth Lucas never "borrowed". I think it would have upped the stakes and really given Anakin some motivation to turn to the dark side. Oh well...

That would have been a welcomed scenario. I do believe that was actually
the route Lucas had intended to go during the construction of the original screenplay. Thats what I heard. Oh well.............

I also never understood why Lucas never addressed little Ani's dream that he would one day "free the slaves". I had envisioned a great Ben Hur moment where Anakin returns to Tatooine and frees the slaves...only to loose his mother in the process. In his mind, his great act of goodness resulted in his mother's death. This could weigh on him in many ways throughout the saga. And it would certainly be more significant than the way his mother died in the films.

I thought that would be address as well, but it looks as if it was completely
thrown out the window. The same appeared to have happened concerning Anakin learning how to prevent death, this plot is never mentioned again in the OT. Did Anakin learn it or not? If it was a lie (which I believe it was) then this surely should have created a huge rift between Vader and Sidious since it was based off a lie, that whole prevention of death plot device seem to be a classic case of MacGuffin.

 

[Wor-Gar]

The same appeared to have happened concerning Anakin learning how to prevent death, this plot is never mentioned again in the OT. Did Anakin learn it or not? If it was a lie (which I believe it was) then this surely should have created a huge rift between Vader and Sidious since it was based off a lie, that whole prevention of death plot device seem to be a classic case of MacGuffin.

I guess once Anakin lost Padme, he didn't have anyone he needed to "save", so he didn't need to learn the trick. Also, Vader clearly desires to overthrow the Emperor, so maybe he is mad about the whole thing. Anyway, a love triangle would have been better -- would have been more understandable on an emotional level than the abstract idea of saving someone who hasn't died yet. Plus, as an audience, everyone's been through some sort of problematic love triangle before so it hits closer to home on all sides.

 

[Khev]

I do like this point. I had always believed that Lucas was planning to use Arthurian myth and echo Arthur, Lancelot and Guinivere through a love triangle with Anakin, Obi and Padme. It was never presented. I was disappointed that this one myth, so well known, was the only myth Lucas never "borrowed".

I read an interview with Mark Hamill shortly after TPM where he said that he was extremely jealous on how flashy the lightsaber fights were compared to how they were choreographed in the OT. He was instructed by George during the OT saber duels that lightsabers were extremely heavy and powerful, requiring two hands to wield effectively, and that Mark should think of his blade as Excalibur. So the Arthurian Legend does make a small appearance in the saga.

I think it would have upped the stakes and really given Anakin some motivation to turn to the dark side. Oh well...

Anakin *did* think that Obi-Wan and Padme had gotten too close, and for all we know his dream about Obi-Wan attending Padme's labor was a plant from Palpatine specifically designed to plant seeds of jealousy. Regardless of the source, the love triangle certainly had the potential to exist in Anakin's mind.

I also never understood why Lucas never addressed little Ani's dream that he would one day "free the slaves". I had envisioned a great Ben Hur moment where Anakin returns to Tatooine and frees the slaves...only to loose his mother in the process.

Yes, TPM did seem to foreshadow something to that effect. Perhaps Lucas just wanted to show a contrast between little Anakin's dreams (him saving others) and those of the adult Anakin (always about people dying or his loved ones betraying him). Or maybe George planned on Ani freeing slaves at one point and changed his mind after TPM.

 

[Azrael23]

Enough with the multiple Sith. There are ONLY 2 at a time (Haven't you seen the end of TPM). Asajj was a pawn, a fallen Jedi with a tortured past. A dark Jedi but not a Sith, as Dooku clearly demonstrated during their fights. She was also nearly killed by Grievous in a battle for supremecy in the eyes of Sidiuos.

I suggested having 3 Sith Lords for a few obvious reasons.
The rule of 2 could apply, but I would have made it an optional 3 or'
just simply the rule of 3.

1. Its more of a symbolic number 3=Trinity

2. Keeping Maul would have been better than getting yet another Jedi turned
Sith. I would have made Asajj Ventress the 3rd Sith to add some flavor
to the group.

3. 2 Apprentices teaming up against their Master reflects the same thing
Vader attempted to do in ESB.

4. Having 3 common enemies throughout the PT would allow for character
development. The Prequel, cartoons and comics were cluttered with
needless villians and Sith wannabes.

5. Also based off the fact that both Sidious and Vader attempted to
convert Luke together shows that it probably was no such rule when
ROTJ came out, because they appear to be ignoring that fact. Having
3 Sith would explain why they want Luke converted without violating
the rule.

 

[Azrael23]

I guess once Anakin lost Padme, he didn't have anyone he needed to "save", so he didn't need to learn the trick. Also, Vader clearly desires to overthrow the Emperor, so maybe he is mad about the whole thing. Anyway, a love triangle would have been better -- would have been more understandable on an emotional level than the abstract idea of saving someone who hasn't died yet. Plus, as an audience, everyone's been through some sort of problematic love triangle before so it hits closer to home on all sides.

I figured since the whole reason for Anakins turn was to acquire this power
he would have learned it nonetheless, especially if it was possible to keep him
alive too. But the question remains, did Palpatine know it? I believe Vader still
would have attempted to acquire that power.

Honestly Wor-Gar a love triangle would complicate things. Lucas can't even
write convincing romantic dialogue between spouses, I wouldn't expect him to write a whole love triangle, that would be painful

 

[Agent0028]

In either the novelisation of ROTS or Labyrinth of Evil, can't remember which, Palpatine did make suggestions that Obi and Padme were having an affair. At one point he mentions that a Jedi was seen leaving her apartment at an unseemly hour in the morning. Which was true, but Obi was visiting Padme to make sure Anakin was okay. Personally I think that would ahve been really good to put in the movie. Shows Obi's concern for Ani as well as establishing Palp's manipulation of Ani putting thoughts into his head.

 

[Coheteboy]

I too wish Anakin did something about the slaves. Who knows... is there an EU novel where he does that inbetween? (i really don't want to know the answer to that).