Which order should new fans experience Star Wars?

[thenammagazine]

I can see your point there, but I've still watched it with people for the first time (who literally knew nothing about the story) and even w/o a 3 year wait the revelation is surprising... maybe not as much if you waited 3 years, but still impactful.

I know it doesn't mean anything, but I would have loved it if ROTS could have ended in a way that made it seem more like Anakin had died rather than see it very clearly that he became Vader. For one that Vader awakening sequence was so-so at best, and pretty terrible if you really wanted to be critical I think if it had been done well then you could conceivably watch the films in order (1-6) w/o obviously knowing Anakin was Vader for ANH and most of ESB. So kind of like not only is Vader Lukes Father, but oh man... Anakin didn't actually die.

Didn't really even need to see the birth and separation of the twins. So that would of course need to be altered as well. Just something I've thought about a few times that might have made the PT and OT fit together a bit better.

I agree. They should've just cut it with Obi picking up the saber and walking away with Anakin cursing, burning up and going limp. Then end the movie there. We wouldn't get to see the twins born, Yoda talk to Obi about Qui Gon, nor the nifty return of Obi to Tattoine, but we also wouldn't have the horrid "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" that's become more of a tongue-in-cheek to SW fans than the dramatic scene it was supposed to be. Hell, they could cut straight to Yoda telling Obi about Qui Gon, and going into hiding (lose the part about the twins), and end with Yoda landing on Degobah. With Anakin's "death" and Yoda's isolation would give the film a dark, ESB note too.

 

[Khev]

I agree. They should've just cut it with Obi picking up the saber and walking away with Anakin cursing, burning up and going limp. Then end the movie there. We wouldn't get to see the twins born, Yoda talk to Obi about Qui Gon, nor the nifty return of Obi to Tattoine, but we also wouldn't have the horrid "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" that's become more of a tongue-in-cheek to SW fans than the dramatic scene it was supposed to be. Hell, they could cut straight to Yoda telling Obi about Qui Gon, and going into hiding (lose the part about the twins), and end with Yoda landing on Degobah. With Anakin's "death" and Yoda's isolation would give the film a dark, ESB note too.

Actually they could have still ended the movie almost exactly the same and just edited out Palpatine arriving on Mustafar and the scenes of Anakin getting the Vader suit on the operating table. Show Obi-Wan leave Mustafar, the twins are born and separated, then we see the Emperor and two new subordinates, young Tarkin and a menacing figure clad in black looking at the Death Star.

People in the know would have still cheered at seeing Vader but we'd lose the "NOOOOO" and his identity wouldn't be spoiled for TESB. The only other thing they would have had to change was Palpatine calling Anakin Darth Vader. He could have just referred to him as "my young apprentice" or something to that effect instead.

 

[Wor-Gar]

 

[The Josh]

I've seen that before. Looks sharp to me and is Star Wars for me.

 

[thenammagazine]

Actually they could have still ended the movie almost exactly the same and just edited out Palpatine arriving on Mustafar and the scenes of Anakin getting the Vader suit on the operating table. Show Obi-Wan leave Mustafar, the twins are born and separated, then we see the Emperor and two new subordinates, young Tarkin and a menacing figure clad in black looking at the Death Star.

People in the know would have still cheered at seeing Vader but we'd lose the "NOOOOO" and his identity wouldn't be spoiled for TESB. The only other thing they would have had to change was Palpatine calling Anakin Darth Vader. He could have just referred to him as "my young apprentice" or something to that effect instead.

Well, I know you might not have put two and two together when the twins are born and named Luke and Leia, and one goes to the Organas on Alderaan and the other to Owen and Beru on Tatooine, but the rest of us would have.

 

[EVILFACE]

I agree. They should've just cut it with Obi picking up the saber and walking away with Anakin cursing, burning up and going limp. Then end the movie there. We wouldn't get to see the twins born, Yoda talk to Obi about Qui Gon, nor the nifty return of Obi to Tattoine, but we also wouldn't have the horrid "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" that's become more of a tongue-in-cheek to SW fans than the dramatic scene it was supposed to be. Hell, they could cut straight to Yoda telling Obi about Qui Gon, and going into hiding (lose the part about the twins), and end with Yoda landing on Degobah. With Anakin's "death" and Yoda's isolation would give the film a dark, ESB note too.

Those could work, but you lose the great ending with Bru and Owen looking off at the setting suns.

 

[thenammagazine]

Those could work, but you lose the great ending with Bru and Owen looking off at the setting suns.

Unfortunately, a necessary sacrifice to keep the Vader reveal. Unless Lucas could redo it digitally with Obi riding into the sunset and cut it in immediately after Yoda arrives on Degobah. That'd actually be a cool nod to the Spaghetti Westerns of old.

 

[The Josh]

I don't recall my recollection to the Vader reveal as a kid. I was still young when I saw ESB but I remember in 97 not being blown away by it. So honestly I could care less that its blown and to be honest I don't expect most kids that see it in the future will care either. Didn't seem to bother my former students much.

 

[thenammagazine]

I don't recall my recollection to the Vader reveal as a kid. I was still young when I saw ESB but I remember in 97 not being blown away by it. So honestly I could care less that its blown and to be honest I don't expect most kids that see it in the future will care either. Didn't seem to bother my former students much.

I wasn't blown away by it. I'd read it already in an interview with Prowse and then heard it again on the radio before the movie even hit theatres. Same happened with Jedi and the whole confirmation of Vader being Luke's father and Luke and Leia being siblings (which I remember instantly thinking was gross given they'd been so kissy kissy in Star Wars and Empire ). By that same token, before TPM came out, I also knew about Obi Wan and Anakin dueling it out on a lava planet where Anakin gets maimed, but I don't remember where I heard that.

 

[The Josh]

Yeah, I remember reading they duel it out but can't remember where I read it. I do remember thinking man thats gonna look really cool on screen and it did.

 

[thenammagazine]

Yeah, I remember reading they duel it out but can't remember where I read it. I do remember thinking man thats gonna look really cool on screen and it did.

If I recall, didn't they have Anakin falling into lava as an explanation for him needing the Vader suit? Maybe Carl'll pop in tomorrow and let us know what that was in. That's gonna bug the hell out of me now.

 

[The Josh]

If I recall, didn't they have Anakin falling into lava as an explanation for him needing the Vader suit? Maybe Carl'll pop in tomorrow and let us know what that was in. That's gonna bug the hell out of me now.

Yeah, I believe it was something like that. I'd have to go and check out the novel again to see how it played out there. Can't recall if it was different in any way. Yup, Carl will have that ____ on lock down in his mind.

 

[D. Martin]

If I recall, didn't they have Anakin falling into lava as an explanation for him needing the Vader suit? Maybe Carl'll pop in tomorrow and let us know what that was in. That's gonna bug the hell out of me now.

The Lava bit is from the ROTJ novel.

 

[Rodders]

I still think that it holds up best in the order of release.

 

[Khev]

Well, I know you might not have put two and two together when the twins are born and named Luke and Leia, and one goes to the Organas on Alderaan and the other to Owen and Beru on Tatooine, but the rest of us would have.

Looks like you're the one having difficulty putting two and two together. I wasn't advocating that Luke and Leia's relation to Anakin be kept secret. I was speaking only of the revelation that Anakin is Darth Vader. I think ANH would still be cool knowing that Luke and Leia's dad turned into an evil guy. It'd still be shocking to learn in TESB that their evil dad was still alive.

 

[Wor-Gar]

If I recall, didn't they have Anakin falling into lava as an explanation for him needing the Vader suit? Maybe Carl'll pop in tomorrow and let us know what that was in. That's gonna bug the hell out of me now.

They have been talking about the "volcano duel" since I saw Star Wars in 1977.

I remember reading it in some magazine, it explained that Ben and Vader (Yes Vader, because in 1977 Vader still murdered Luke's father and this was the fight that took place right after that)... anyway, Ben and Vader battled it out at the edge of a great volcano and Vader lost, fell into the pit. He got lodged on a ledge and the sulfuric fumes seared his lungs so by the time he crawled out he could barely breath. The tremendous heat also burned his face leaving him scarred.

I've had this awesome scene in my head since I was a kid... of course it looks nothing like what ultimately came about. I also remember when I first saw ESB and they showed the reveal of Vader's head I thought: cool, they are sticking to the volcano story because that sure looks like a melted head.

 

[thenammagazine]

They have been talking about the "volcano duel" since I saw Star Wars in 1977.

I remember reading it in some magazine, it explained that Ben and Vader (Yes Vader, because in 1977 Vader still murdered Luke's father and this was the fight that took place right after that)... anyway, Ben and Vader battled it out at the edge of a great volcano and Vader lost, fell into the pit. He got lodged on a ledge and the sulfuric fumes seared his lungs so by the time he crawled out he could barely breath. The tremendous heat also burned his face leaving him scarred.

I've had this awesome scene in my head since I was a kid... of course it looks nothing like what ultimately came about. I also remember when I first saw ESB and they showed the reveal of Vader's head I thought: cool, they are sticking to the volcano story because that sure looks like a melted head.

BUT WHERE WAS IT FROM?!?!?!

I spent waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much time online last night/this morning researching the hell out of it and came to the conclusion that it must've been some publication, fanzine, etc., that was so random and common, it was tossed rather than saved.

 

[Wor-Gar]

BUT WHERE WAS IT FROM?!?!?!

I spent waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much time online last night/this morning researching the hell out of it and came to the conclusion that it must've been some publication, fanzine, etc., that was so random and common, it was tossed rather than saved.

I think it was. Probably STARLOG or one of those type mags. I used to read those at the comics shop or bookstore before I could afford to actually buy them.

 

[paulcarson]

I think it was from one of the old foldout star wars poster magazines. There was one with a full page on Vader and I'm sure that it was described in detail on that page. I think the magazines were published monthly . I still have my full set packed away safely.

 

[Khev]

Lucas first mentioned the volcano duel in a 1977 Rolling Stone magazine interview, then again in Dynamite magazine in 1981.

In the Rolling Stone interview he even said they considered having a scene showing Vader's scarred face but decided against it because they didn't want to ruin the character's "mystique." Oh how times have changed.