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Monday, November 19, 2012

The Prequels - Re-envisioned

I got giddy back in, what was it...1998 (I was about 25 then) when they had the movie preview of the re-release of the original Star Wars movies.  It was ridiculously effective having the trailer begin with a little TV screen and an X-Wing flying straight out of it directly at the audience bringing along full sound and music with it.  Seeing those old films in the theatre was a real thrill.  And then shortly thereafter, the anticipation of the new stories was even more of a delight.  My friends and I savored the first images and sounds.  The wonder of mysterious unknown creatures emerging from the mists of a swamp.  The music.  The sights.  A bunch of my friends and I even bought a ticket to Meet Joe Black and walked right out right after that first preview as spent the rest of the night at the bar discussing it. Another 50 or so other geeks like ourselves did the same thing, too...leaving to the applause of the guys we were leaving behind who had been dragged to see the movie with their girlfriends.  (We're married with kids now...our social times have changed)

And after seeing the prequels, I liked them.  I did.  But I quickly realized that something was missing from the movies.  Here is what I came up with:


·   First and foremost was the near complete lack of individual character charm or camaraderie.  There were few and far between believable or worthwhile interpersonal relationships that tied the fates of the characters together. 
·   Second, many of the events of the prequels seemed forced. (get it?  sorry...moving on...) Things just sort of happened because they had to happen, not because it was thought out, fleshed out or worked for the narrative.  The movies presented an abrupt shift from the Jedi Order as the protagonists.  There was also little or no development of the formation of the “Rebel Alliance”, the main protagonists in the original films.  Most, importantly there was no kick-ass, climactic battle at the end.  (I know that The Empire Strikes Back has it's climactic battle at the beginning and a father/son saber fight as the climax...but Revenge of the Sith is really the end.  It should have been a glorious ending.)  
·   Third, the following items were “facts” presented in the Original Trilogy that never really materialized in the Prequel Trilogy:
o     Obi-wan says he doesn’t remember ever owning any droids (or appear to even recognize C3PO or R2-D2.).
o     Owen Lars observed and disapproved of Anakin following Obi-wan on some damn-fool idealistic crusade 
o     Vader finds himself over Tatooine.  Wouldn't he mention that his step-brother is there? He probably would have found it strange for the trail of the droids to lead straight to the Skywalker ranch.
o     Obi-wan stated that Vader helped hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights (in the prequels, all he did was kill a few Jedi at the Temple...mostly "younglings".  There was no hunting or destroying.) 
o     Vader was seduced by the Dark Side. (this WAS shown, I suppose...but I didn't buy it...more on that later) 
o     Vader states, "You don't know the power of the dark side. I must obey my master."  What power does the dark side have and why must he obey his master? 
o     Vader somehow ended up second in command beneath Tarkin. 
o     It is a minor thing...but C-3PO has a lower right calf that is a different metal (apparently tarnished steel) than the rest of his gold-plated body 
o     Luke said that the swamp from Degobah was like something out of a dream.  He says that there's something familiar about that place and begins to say that he feels like he had been there before.  He is interrupted when Yoda appears, distracts him and changes the end of his sentence from "...feels like I've been here before" to "...feels like we're being watched."  (That is just my guess...and even if it wasn't changed...Luke DID say that it seemed familiar.) 
o     When Luke went off to “save” Han and Leia on Cloud City, Obi-wan said that that boy was there last hope and Yoda had to inform Obi-wan that there is another.  Therefore, either Obi-wan had no faith in Leia or he did not know about Leia until then.  I think that it is more likely that he did not know.   
o     Leia remembered her mother as being sad and Luke didn’t remember her at all.

Rick McCallum, the producer of the Prequel movies stated in an interview that the plot of the three prequels was actually one story where 20% was presented in the first movie, 20% in the second and 60% in the third movie.  Another way to say that is that 60% of the story was crammed into 33% of the screen time. 

And I think that is at least part of the problem. If Lucas had split the narrative evenly through the three new films, he would have combined the story of what became the actual Episode I and actual Episode II into the re-distributed Episode I and the first half of the re-distributed Episode II. Then the plot of the actual Episode III could have been spread over the remaining re-distributed 1 and 1/2 movies.  This would have given him plenty of time to tell his story right.

One thing he really missed out on was that he failed to show major portions of the Clone Wars.  Given the time he had (and the narrative core he was focused on), he instead showed only the beginning and end of the war.  It was one war on many planets.  I guess that could be considered "Wars",  but we'd been imagining the Clone Wars for 20 years and it should have had more screen time. Given how enjoyable the Clone Wars series eventually became, primarily because it has had the time to tell longer stories, I am not sure how much of this could have been added to the Saga movies. But SOMETHING would have been better than ten minutes of the beginning and ten minutes of the end of the Clone Wars.

Using as much of the new prequel material as I could, here is another way the prequel movies could have been done:
A Long Time Ago,
In A Galaxy Far, Far Away...

 Star Wars:  Episode I: The Phantom Menace (Re-Envisioned)

Prologue: Distant Troubles

For the sake of discussion, we'll agree to start on the Planet Naboo.  It is being blockaded by an armed organization called “The Trade Federation”.  The Trade Federation is upset that they are being forced to pay fines on the products that they deliver to and from various planets throughout the galaxy due to previous unethical business dealings that were discovered by the Jedi and found guilty in the courts.  Naboo has refused to allow the Trade Federation to pass along the cost of paying these fines.  Naboo has informed The Trade Federation that they plan on cancelling their shipping contracts and will be using a different courier.  The TF claims that Naboo has no right to cancel the contracts.  So, they are preventing all trade in an effort to force them to honor the contracts (including the additional costs).  The TF has been informed that that the Naboo people are too distant for the Republic or its Jedi Protectors to act on.  In the meantime, Naboo is unable to resist this blockade.

     The TF learn that only two Jedi have been assigned to resolve the dispute.  Qui-Gon and Ben Kenobi are introduced.  He is NOT known as Obi-wan...we'll get to that later.  Trust me...it'll be cool.
     The TF needs more time to force the Naboo government to reverse their decision.  The mysterious Darth Sidious is revealed to be in command via a distant hologram.  He orders the TF to do whatever it takes to get the treaty signed.  The Trade Federation order:  “Kill the Jedi”.  They plan to inform the Republic that the Jedi never arrived.  (They still say “Close the blast doors!” and  “They’re coming through!”  I loved the scene where Qui-Gon uses his lightsaber to melt the door...that was awesome.)

     Gungans?  What are Gungans?  No Gungans here. No, sir.

     Qui-Gon and Ben Kenobi still make their way to the surface and escape from Naboo with Padme just as in the existing movie (except no Jar Jar...who’s that?) 

     We meet the Queen.  Qui-Gon and Ben convince her that she must evacuate before she is captured.  They will return to the Jedi Council where she will be safe.  They will and return with a larger force of Jedi with security forces for the Republic.

     As they escape, we are introduced to C-3PO.  He is a protocol droid who works in the loading dock of the palace.  He oversees the loading and unloading of all of the equipment and baggage for the royal family and their security forces.  His primary job is programming the binary load lifters, which are very similar to moisture vaporators.  The programming involves communicating with the computers, droid, pilots and passengers of all the vessels that come through the loading dock.  So, it makes sense that he is programmed in over 6 million forms of communication.  But he never leaves the loading docks or the confines of the palace, and he CERTAINLY would never go aboard one of those dangerous, dreadful starships.  Being so sheltered, he has gotten used to getting his way, and has gotten somewhat prissy, if you ask me.

     C3PO happens to be in the cargo hold overseeing a shipment, as the Jedi, Queen and her court race to the Queen's vessel.  They are in the middle of fueling and loading the cargo onto the ship when they are forced to make their escape.  So, Threepio becomes an unwilling passenger.  This is his first time in space.  He hates it.  It will take him a long time to get over the chaos of a space journey.

     The ship is still damaged during the escape.  We are introduced to R2-D2 who performs a heroic repair allowing their escape. C-3PO is immediately infatuated by the brave droid that saved him and the ship.  They immediately become the best of friends.  Okay...maybe not.  Well...he is legitimately impressed with R2-D2's skills and they do become friends.

     When the TF informs Darth Sidious of the escape, he dispatches Darth Maul to find and kill the Queen.

Act 1: Safe Harbor

     Tatooine is still the Rest Stop.  As you remember, the ship was being in the midst of being equipped for a journey when they had to make a hasty retreat.  So, they need supplies, fuel and a place to rest and complete repairs for the ship.

     Shmi and teen-aged Anakin are already on Tatooine.  Shmi is already married to Lars (Anakin's father) and is living with Anakin, his sister Elona and their other son Owen. 

     Anakin is already a gifted pilot.  He has learned to ride throughout the vast farm in harsh weather conditions on Tatooine (rough terrain and harsh windstorms).  We also learn that Anakin, like most Moisture Farmers, has had many confrontations with the nomadic Tusken Raiders, and has learned to defend himself, his family and his property. 

     But it is his participation in the dangerous speeder bike races that is the only real adventure or excitement in his otherwise secluded, boring life.  These bikes are highly customized, but are pretty much saddles on steerable engines.  Very fast, but very dangerous. Anakin gives portions of his prize money to Jabba the Hutt, as a payment for the initial loan to purchase his speeder bike in the first place.  He is trying to save up enough money to get his own starship so he can get off his secluded home and see the stars.

     While in Toshi Station, Qui-Gon and Padme look for repair parts.  Anakin is in a repair shop looking for parts for his next race.  Qui-Gon senses something special about Anakin, while Anakin immediately notices the beautiful Padme, who is only a few years older than him.   Anakin brags (so as to impress Padme) that he is the best pilot in this region.

     We see Darth Maul meeting in a seedy bar making contact with Bib Fortuna, Jabba the Hutt’s consiglieri, to obtain the help of some local goons. 

     Meanwhile, Watto, the owner of the shop, says he needs a trade or local money, not Republic Credits.

     They ask Anakin for help, but has to admit that he needs a co-pilot for a  really big upcoming race.  He offers to split his winnings from the next race to help them.  Qui-Gon stays with Padme during the race as her protector, and Ben, who is also skilled pilot, is volunteered by Qui-Gon.  R2-D2 acts as their mechanic droid in the race.

The Speeder Race (this will be very exciting)

     Anakin, Ben Kenobi and R2 enter the speeder bike race to raise the money for repair parts for Padme’s ship. 
     Maul’s hired goons are also entered in the race and try to kill Ben during race.
     Anakin and Ben work together to fend off attackers and still win the race.
     During the race, Qui-Gon senses Darth Maul with more hired goons in the crowds.
     Maul grabs arm of Padme to kidnap her.
     Qui-Gon confronts them, Padme falls to the side and they fight
     Qui-Gon kills the goons, but can not fight to his full abilities while still protecting the Queen, so Qui-Gon decides that he and the Queen must flee.  They lose Darth Maul in the crowd.

     Qui-Gon and the Queen return to the Lars homestead.  Anakin and Ben have the parts to repair the ship and it is ready to take off.  C-3PO is very upset at R2 for not being there to protect him.  (Like I said...stuffy)  But he soon gets over it.

     Anakin and Ben ask where Qui-Gon and the Queen were at the end of the race.  They discuss their respective adventures and during the repairs, the conversation turns to the growing lawlessness and strife throughout the galaxy.  Outlying systems are growing listless.  People are disillusioned with the Republic’s inability to keep order. 
     When the repairs are complete, Qui-Gon wants Anakin to leave the farm and begin training to be a Jedi.  He offers honor and stresses a sense of duty to serve.  Strengthening the Republic would expand justice throughout the galaxy.

     Anakin declines.  Despite his desire for adventure and excitement, he knows that he is needed on the farm (for both harvest and protection).  His duty to his family must come first.  Qui-Gon tells him that if he should ever choose to serve, just contact him or Ben on Coruscant.

     Jedi and Queen depart.

Act 2:  Deliberations and Further Grievances

Senate deliberates and is indecisive.

     We learn in the senate that the Trade Federation is not the only organization that has been so aggressive.  But this is the first armed stand-off.

     Old Chancellor mired in accusations of corruption.  He has been accused of diverting funds from certain Senate accounts that have gone empty.

     Jedi sense a plot, but can not pin-point it.  Until then, Qui-Gon and Ben are instructed to continue to protect the Queen, and Queen plans to lead local forces to free Naboo.

     The Jedi Council tells the Senate that they are not prepared for a full-scale engagement against such a large force.  Palpatine reveals his discovery of the existence of Clone Army.  The Senate votes to Send in the Clones to help Queen.

On Naboo:

     Queen returns to Naboo
     Devastation and camps shown (not described)
     Resistance to Droids planned and begun
     Once in Theed City, Jedi distracted by battle with Sith.
While meanwhile on Tatooine:

     Sandpeople raid.  Lars is killed in the raid.  Elona is kidnapped.  Kidnapping of children is a common practice of the Sandpeople.  The children become part of the tribe.  They are rarely ever seen again, as the Sandpeople are so difficult to track and become even more difficult to attack once at their nomadic compounds. Plus, with the facial wrapping, once part of the tribe, they are very difficult to even identify during a rescue attempt.
     While it is still fresh, Anakin follows the trail of the raiders to save the sister.  The trail he follows is single file, which hides their numbers.
     He returns to the homestead once he has located his mother.  He insists that they go back while they are still at the encampment. 
     Owen tells Anakin that they can't fight an entire tribe on their own.  And there is no time to get more help before the nomads move on.  He needs to face his limitations. 
     Anakin convinces Owen that they have to try.  Owen and Anakin pursue.  Shmi insists on going along to help.  She is a hardened warrior, so they of course have no problems with this.

Act 3:  Fighting for Redress of Past Wrongs

Battle with Droids:

     Jedi and Queen lead clone forces against Droid army.
     Queen invades Castle on Theed overwhelming the Trade Federation.
     R2-D2 is an astromech droid on a tank that one of the clones uses during the battle.
     The leaders of the Trade Federation retreat from Naboo space.
Battle with Darth Maul:

     Darth Maul attacks Jedi in Castle.
     They fight.
     They talk smack.  Maul points out that the Jedi are weak and are no match for the Sith.  Jedi leave conflict in their wake.  Only the Sith can bring order to the Galaxy.  And that the Jedi will soon be gone.
     Qui-Gon is distracted by his sensation of the dark energy burst on Tatooine.  Darth Maul looks euphoric.  He glows mildly with the same red misty energy. 
     He lunges at with a new enthusiasm.  Qui-Gon is mortally wounded.
     Maul is distracted by his own euphoria of victory, Ben cuts Maul in half.
     Dying Qui-Gon asks Ben to find Anakin.  Qui-Gon feels Anakin’s conflict and knows that he needs guidance.
Battle with the Sandpeople:

     Anakin finds and tries to rescue his sister Elona.
     Shmi is killed.  Owen is wounded. 
     Anakin follows his insticts and finds Elona and begins to escape. 
     Anakin and Elona are surrounded.  He loses his hand with a vibro-ax and Elona is killed.  
     Anakin sees his entire family lying around him.  As he looks at their limp bodies, he screams “Nooooo!!!” A burst of bright red misty energy flares in a sphere outwards and the closer sandpeople fall dead to the ground their limp bodies flinging outwards.  The energy leaves a blackened scorched circle around him.
     Anakin angrily kills more with his blaster as he escapes with Owen.


Denouement

     Anakin now chooses to learn the Ways of the Force.  Ben returns to Tatooine to pick up Anakin.  Owen blames Anakin not only for the death of the sister, but says that Mom and Dad would be alive too if they had not gone off on that damn fool crusade.  But Anakin vows to uphold the Jedi Order and the Republic and to spread freedom, justice and order to prevent anything like this from happening again. 

     Palpatine is elected Supreme Chancellor and Padme is asked to replace him as Senator.  She upgrades her protocol droid C-3PO with a new gold casing, as befits a Galactic Senator.

     Anakin and Padme will be able to visit each other often on Coruscant.  The bullshit about Padme and Anakin’s wedding being secret...gone!!!  Their conflict will lead from their own personal decisions not to mix business and personal, with emotion winning out.   How can Jedi be against love when personal connections to one another is the highest embodiment of the Force?  When they pursue the relationship it will be knowing that it will be difficult (not “forbidden”).  But the last we see of Anakin is him with his metal hand entering the Jedi Temple to begin his training.

     Republic intervention in Naboo Trade Dispute with revelation of Clone Army further fuels growing Separatist Movement.  Count Dooku, a former Jedi, is revealed to be the leader.

Star Wars:  Episode II: Revenge of the Sith (Re-Envisioned)

Prologue:  Growing Pains

Five years have passed.  The beginning of the movie is the wedding (including Ben as best man)...followed by Anakin being swept off to war.

Act 1: The First Clone War Spreads

     Anakin’s acts of heroism demonstrated.

     In lulls between battles, Anakin and Padme spend time together.  They are very happy.  They conceive. Bow-chicka-bow-bow.

     Anakin and Ben’s teamwork shown in montage form.  (Both save each other on different occasions).  Anakin tells Ben that if he has a son, he hopes he would become a Jedi when he is old enough.

     Dooku’s cold, calculating leadership style shown.

     Grevious introduced and physical and tactical strengths demonstrated.

     Padme, Bail Organa and Mon Mothma’s machinations in the Senate when dealing with the Supreme Chancellor.

     Former Supreme Chancellor Velorum is back in private sector.  Since he is the only one that knows that he was actually innocent and that the corruption is present, he begins tracking the filtered wealth to find proof that the money filtered from his administration and went to Clones.  He will tell Bail Organa that the only way that the Clones could have been produced was with the funds that he was accused of stealing.  And he realizes that whoever is responsible for the financing of the Clones is the one who is responsible for the war.

     Effect on citizens on planets in Clone Wars shown.  Growing frustration with inability of Jedi to end the wars.  Growing urge to allow systems to secede just to end the fighting.  Concerns that Jedi are responsible for open warfare.

     Jedi continue to be sent to various locations throughout the galaxy.  They are being overwhelmed.  In order to be able to stand up to the hordes of robot armies, small batches of Jedi Clones are created in a cloning center at the heart of the Jedi Temple.  Unlike the Clonetroopers, these clones are created fully formed in just a few months.  These Jedi clones are designed the O-Series Clones, to distinguish them from the many other earlier series of clones, none of which have force sensitivity.

     The Jedi are assigned in teams of Original Jedi and Cloned Jedi.  Anakin has been assigned to the first of Ben Kenobi’s O-Series Clones, OB1.  The Jedi clones have more of a connection to their sources than the Clonetroopers to each other, due to the Jedi’s connections through the force. (That fact comes in later...don't worry)

Act 2:  Siege on Coruscant

     At least nine months have passed.

     Anakin and OB1, now called Obi-wan, have been fighting side-by-side for months and have become good friends, just as Anakin was with Ben.

     Padme has remained on Coruscant and is about to give birth.

     When Palpatine/Sidious is “kidnapped”, Anakin and Obi-wan, like many of the other Jedi, are recalled from the Outer Systems.

Meanwhile the following action takes place simultaneously:
Surface Bombardment:

     Invasion as seen in Clone Wars Series
     Padme goes into labor.
     Babies are born during this lightsaber fight.  At the key moments in the fight, each one is born.  Luke is born when Obi-wan is tossed from the room, and Leia is born when Dooku when Anakin cuts off Dooku’s hands.
     Padme is holding Leia, and witnesses a ceiling collapse that appears that Luke is killed. 
     In her weakened state after the births, Padme is returned to Naboo with Leia and taken to her secluded lake villa to recuperate.
     Luke is with C-3PO.   The rubble crushes C-3PO’s right calf.  He will need new parts. 
Space Battle:

     The Space Battle is basically as seen in ROTS, but with way more waves of small ships. 
     Ben Kenobi leads the battle.
     Ben’s action in the battle is to destroy the ships bombarding the surface.


In the midst of battle, time stops for Ben. He will find himself in a white mist and he floats with a ghostly blue vision of Qui-Gon...
     Qui-Gon warns him of Palpatine/Sidious and the danger that Anakin is in and the danger he will soon pose.  Ben says that he has sensed Anakins growing anger and his inability to accept the death of his relatives. 
     Qui-Gon also reveals that the twins were born and that Luke is still alive in the rubble and that he will be saved and taken to Dagobah.  There you will find the person that Yoda trusts most in the universe.  Ben must find him in the rubble. 
     Ben protests.  He says that Anakin is still good and should find him.  And what of Leia?
     Qui-Gon tells Ben that the children will not be safe until Anakin learns to control his anger.  Ben will be able to help with that. 
     Luke will be safe on Dagobah, but Padme will not be parted from Leia.  Padme can never be told that Luke still lives.  She will watch Leia while they both are in hiding on Alderaan. Qui-Gon tells Ben that he must trust The Force and trust himself. 
     Ben says, "Yes, my master.  I will."

Ben’s spirit returns to reality, time resumes and the battle continues...

     Ben is skilled enough with the Force to be able to keep this knowledge from both Anakin and Padme.
     Ben is successful in leading the attack to destroy the ships bombarding the surface.
Dooku vs. Anakin:

     Anakin and Obi-wan find Palpatine.
     After Dooku Force-throws Obi-wan, Anakin fights Dooku on his own.
     Anakin shows he feels something at Luke’s birth, but does not know what it is.
     He disarms Dooku. (Get it?) 
     Palpatine eggs him on to kill him.
     He does.
     Anakin shows he feels something at Leia’s birth also, but he is distracted be the rage toward Dooku that he is still feeling.
     Anakin and Palpatine begin escape, Both Anakin and Palpatine feel Padme's grief at losing Luke through the Force, but Palpatine/Sidious twists that feeling of loss it to make Anakin think that that both Padme and the child were killed.  (Anakin only knows about one child) 
     General Grievous has been a witness to the duel through the ship monitors and has recorded the execution of Tyrannus
     Obi-wan and Anakin gets off ship with Palpatine.
     Anakin gets Palpatine to the Hospital Wing of the Senate Building.


     Ben calls for Obi-wan to meet him.  Ben tells Obi-wan of the vision.  But Ben only tells Obi-wan about Luke.  He mentions nothing about Leia.  Ben asks Obi-wan to seek out Luke and to find somewhere safe far away from the battles.  He tells him that me must not tell Padme that Luke survived until he has had a chance to help Anakin learn control.  If she goes looking for him, it would put them both in danger.  

     With R2-D2's help, Obi-wan finds C-3P0 and Luke in the rubble and tells them that he will take Luke away to a safe place.   He instructs R2-D2 to repair C-3PO's leg and for them both to return to Padme and tell her that Luke was lost in the rubble and that he has gone back to the Jedi Temple to continue the fight. There is no Gold Plating, just tarnished metal that could (but won’t) be fixed later.   In the aftermath of the battles, the proper image of Protocol Droids becomes a low priority. 

Act 3:  Post Siege

     Confederation leaders learn about double deals with Palpatine and plead to Jedi & Loyalists for help.   The seeds of rebellion are beginning to form.

     Palpatine reveals to Anakin that he is Darth Sidious.  Talks of limitless power.  Palpatine/Sidious convinces him that he was too weak to save his relatives and that the Jedi were too weak to prevent the wars and the so-called death of Padme since they held back.  The only way to stop the droids and the Separatists (now called the Anarchists) is to use the Dark Side of the Force.  Anakin accepts this.  He vows to unlearn what he has learned and let go of the past.  He vows to follow his feelings and his instincts, but to use his will to control the Force.  He sheds his old attachments of friends and family with one goal only.  Complete Order of his Design.  Darth Vader is born. 
     Darth Vader goes underground to hunt down General Grevious to prevent Grevious from being tipped off of the hunt. Vader meets with Jabba the Hutt and hires his best bounty hunters to help him find Grevious.  They leave a trail of dead in his wake while searching for the General.  But the dead were all scum and villains. 

     Ben Kenobi follows to find his old Padawan and stop his Dark Ways.  He feels this darkness before the rest of the Jedi, due to his close connection, and he keeps it secret thinking that he could turn his old friend back to the Light Side.  It is bad enough that he is using the Dark side, but at least no innocents have been hurt...that he knows of.

     Padme wakes up in a hospital on Coruscant with Leia.  She is last seen in bed weeping for her lost son, Luke, with her family surrounding her holding Leia. R2-D2 and C-3PO are with the family. 

     Obi-wan arrives on a swamp planet...Dagobah.  It is an uninhabited planet that Yoda found for meditation.  Obi-wan closes his eyes and lets The Force guide him in for a landing.  He knows not what or who will be waiting for him.  But he understands when out of a small round hollow mud structure with a small dome shape, to act as a chimney, comes walking out a small light green woman with long pointed ears.  It is Yoda's wife.  She will take Luke into her care.  The final shot is Obi-wan leaving the atmosphere as his ship streaks past the sun into hyperspace and back to the battles.  

Star Wars: Episode III: The Fall of the Republic (Re-Envisioned)

Prologue:  Two years have gone by.  During this period the following has transpired:

     Luke and Leia have grown.  Leia is now old enough to remember her mother.

     Meanwhile, Obi-wan and Mace continue to lead Jedi and Clones to fight Droid Armies

     Ben goes to Coruscant to tell Padme what had happened to Anakin and to Luke.  He tells her about Luke and she insists that Ben bring Luke to her.  But, Ben tells her of Anakin’s turning into Darth Vader and what he has done.  He tells her that he must confront and stop him to prevent something worse.

     She says that he is a good man, and there must have been a reason.  Anakin should know the truth about Luke.  She insists on joining him on the Hunt for Darth Vader.  She leaves Leia at the hospital under the care of C-3PO.

Act 1:  End of First Clone War
     Grevious is finally cornered by Darth Vader.  He uses his Dark Power and an Ancient-Sith enhancement weapon to wipe out all life on the planet (including civilians). (Picture the ending scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark). 

     Padme and Ben with R2-D2 try to stop this.  They fail.  Ben is killed trying to prevent this.

     Padme and R2-D2 are witnesses to the devastation. She is now convinced that her Anakin is gone and that only Vader remains.  This makes her sad. She will still be sad when Leia sees her. 

     Padme also realizes that since Vader thinks Luke dead, and he is already with his family, Luke should not be moved from Tatooine, until after the Jedi can stop Darth Vader.  She knows that if she goes to collect him, Vader would follow her and find Luke. She does not know that Vader thinks she's dead.

Palpatine/Sidious:

     During battle, Palpatine/Sidious kneels before red vapory vision of Darth Plagious or some ancient Sith Lord through the Dark Jedi Crystal Holocron and explains the plot.  We, the audience, witness this.  When the life is wiped out, Palpatine/Sidious and the Dark Jedi Spirit both display a narcotic-like (orgasmic, perhaps?) surge of energy when the Sith weapon is used and the lives are lost.  This would sort of be the opposite of the clutching of the chests when the Light Jedi feel “great disturbances in the force”. 
     This massive death toll will be blamed on Grevious as a final spiteful suicide with Darth Vader acting too late to prevent it. 
Obi-wan:

     Obi-wan feels the death of his counterpart.
     Also due to this great disturbance in the force, Yoda and the other Jedi feel the loss.  With Ben’s death, he was no longer able to use his powers to mask Anakin’s new nature.  Yoda finally understands that Anakin is using the Dark Side and Palpatine/Sidious is his master.   He senses the Palpatine/Sidious connection to the Dark Side through the Dark Jedi Holocron.  He also senses the use of the ancient Sith weapon.


Padme:

     Padme and R2-D2 return to Coruscant to collect Leia.  Padme knows that she must go into hiding.
     She goes to Bail Organa and asks for help.  She has worked with him to stop Palpatine’s growing tyranny and she knows that she can trust him. 
     Padme, Leia, R2-D2 and C-3PO go to Alderaan. 

Act 2:  The Jedi Seek Justice

     Jedi prepare to arrest Palpatine/Sidious, and intensify the hunt for Vader and his Sith Weapon.

     Palpatine/Sidious kicks ass.  But does not kill Mace Windu.  He knocks him out of the window, and Mace, controls his decent and lands safely on the ground below.  (Remember that Mace is not some punk.)  Realizing the extent of Palpatine’s/Sidious’ power, Mace wisely retreats to the Jedi Temple.

     100 Cybernetic Dark-clones (Shock-troopers) are revealed.  Armor is Blood Red and Black.  They have been designed to have no souls and cannot be felt by the Jedi.  (Thus, they are the ultimate threat to the Jedi and all free-willed people).  They were created at an evil secret cloning lab also on Komeno.   Boba Fett was prototype, and he now leads the Shock-troopers under Vader's direct supervision.   Boba Fett, had been found by Sidious as a lone smuggler and bounty hunter, and was recruited to be the template for the clonetroopers.  Normally, he works alone, but the fortune that Sidious offers is enough to entice him to work for the benefit of the New Order.  Vader will tell stories to Boba Fett of Jabba Hutt's network of crime.

     Due to Mace Widu’s attack on the Supreme Chancellor, Order 66 is given.  Jedi are attacked throughout the galaxy.  A few are killed, but most survive (since Jedi are not punks and they can sense danger).  The Jedi Temple is attacked by airstrikes.  The defenses are overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the attack.  But although the building is lost, the defenses, as planned, allow for the surviving Jedi to flee by air and by underground.  


The Backlash to Order 66: The Second Clone War

     The ones that are able re-group at a remote Jedi Sanctuary (Think images of Tibet or Machu Pichu).  

    Loyalist Senators meet with Confederacy Leaders and call to join forces against the Empire.

     Bail Organa coordinates all rebellions acting as General from Hidden Base in Alderaan system. (Princess Leia would later lie to Vader claiming that her “home planet” was peaceful and has no weapons.)  At Yoda’s instruction, Obi-wan Kenobi with several other remaining Jedi assist with this coordination.  Organa explains to this band of freedom fighters that Palpatine has been working both sides from the beginning.

     The main army regroups on the home planets of some of the Loyalist senators.  The combined armies of the Confederation and the local citizens fight the Imperials.  Padme leads a robot and human army on one of Naboo’s moons.  R2-D2 is at her side in the battle.  She will leave Leia with Organa on Alderaan to keep her out of harms way during the battle.  She is very sad and beautiful when she does this.  This is the only memory that Leia will have of her mother...her real mother.

Act 3:  The Fall of the Jedi and the Republic

     Clone-troopers and the Imperial Army and Navy attack the Loyalist Senators and Confederacy Leaders on multiple Planets

     Shock-troopers lead by Vader and Boba Fett hunt down the Jedi and track them to the Sanctuary.  They surround and attack.

     Yoda and Mace discuss the threat of these Shock-troopers.  Clones like these are not part of the Force and cannot be contained.  They agree that they must be destroyed and the technology that created them, even if the consequences are worse in the short term.  Yoda meditates to discover the location of the dark-clone facility.

     Jedi fortify the sanctuary.  Use kick ass force defenses. Boba Fett and Shock-troopers use disintegration weapons.  Vader mows down Jedi.  He prepares to use the ancient Sith-weapon.  Mace Windu is killed confronting Vader, but not before he destroys the ancient Sith-weapon.

     After leaving Alderaan with their plans established, Obi-wan follows Yoda’s orders and  takes a small strike force of Jedi to destroy the Cloning Facility.  Vader with his elite guard of Super-Shock-troopers pursues. 

     The battles continue.

     The Jedi stay at the center of the sanctuary as bait for the soulless shocktroopers and sacrifice themselves for the future.  They also provide cover to allow Yoda to escape to keep the knowledge of the Force alive and to restart the Order when the time is right.

Climax of the Final Battle
     Yoda uses The Force to implode the Jedi Sanctuary to destroy Shock-troopers (and the brave Jedi inside).  

     Boba Fett escapes by shooting a rocket directly overhead and flying through the ceiling.   He realized that the best way to ensure his safety is to work alone.  He will eventually seek work as a solitary mercenary and bounty hunter, and calls upon Vader's old associate, Jabba the Hutt, to find bounties to claim.  Years later, he will meet Han Solo while in Jabba's employ.  The two will become rivals for Jabba's favor throughout the following years.

     Clone troopers destroy most of the Loyalist and Separatist Leaders.  The remnants retreat to a base on some planet other than Dantooine.   After being forced into hiding,

     Yoda confronts Palpatine/Sidious to obtain the Dark Jedi Holocron.

     The battle at the Cloning Facility leaves only Vader and Obi-wan.  Vader blames the Jedi for being too weak to save Padme and his child and Obi-wan blames Vader for going too far when he executed Dooku after he had been dis-armed (get it?) and more importantly when he killed the innocents just to stop Grevious.  Obi-wan says nothing of Padme or Luke being alive. Obi-wan tells Vader that he is being fooled by Palpatine, who has been the mastermind all along.

     Vader and Obi-wan continue to duel.  Vader's blows are so swift and strong that he is pushing Obi-wan backwards.  Obi-wan is finally kicked in the chest hurtling down to the bottom of a small staircase...he is battered, bruised and exhausted.  Vader in a similar condition pursues him leaping down the steps with lightsaber blazing coming down for the final fatal blow.

     Padme is finally killed when Loyalists and Anarchists are defeated by the Imperials.  Vader feels her actual death from across the Galaxy.  With the sensation of true death, he recognizes the lies of Palpatine and his strength and control over him.  In this distracted moment, Obi-wan uses his last remaining strength to divert Vader's path through the air force pushing him, tossing him over him into the wall.  He leaves Vader in a heap on the ground.  Obi-wan leaves Anakin for dead. 

     As he travels through hyperspace towards his hidden home on Dagobah, Yoda meditates and uses his strength to make sure that neither Vader nor Obi-wan have any knowledge of Leia.  We then see an apparition of Qui-Gonn appear before Yoda.  Qui-Gon begins with…”Hello, my old friend.” And the scene fades to the cloning facility.

    Obi-wan leaves the cloning facility.  Vader awakens, still confused at the dark feelings flowing through him.  He does not know who to trust…not the Jedi…not Palpatime.  He reaches out with the force to detonate the massive power generator at the facility with the intent to destroy Ben before he can get away.  Ben’s ship lifts off the platform just as the facility explodes from within.  Vader is badly burned in this explosion and loses his legs and other arm, but he is not killed.  He uses his control of the dark side to keep him alive.  He vows that he will get revenge someday.  Someday he will destroy Obi-wan and any remaining Jedi and bring order the galaxy.

     But Vader seethes with hate for the Emperor even more.  He knows he has been manipulated and fooled.  

Denouement
     Palpatine/Sidious (who has foreseen all of this) arrives at the rubble of the cloning facility.  Vader, despite being weakened by his fight with Kenobi, tries to use the Force to strangle Palpatine harnessing all of his rage at his new nemesis.  Palpatine unleashes the full power of the dark side of the force, re-channeling all of the hate bristling from Vader to add to his own.   While Vader writhes in anguish, the Emperor says, “As I strike you down, you shall become more  powerful than you can possibly imagine!!” and cackles maniacally.

      Vader falls motionless in a twisted pile of ruined flesh.  Palpatine/Sidious uses the last of the remaining technology at the facility to create the famous Black Suit.   Vader wakes, motionless.  Lying on the bed, in the black suit, he screams at the Emperor... ”What have you done to me? Why have you lied? You twisted my love for Padme!”  Palpatine responds, "Both your precious Padme and your Jedi Order are dead and my New Order alone are all that remain is to re-build the galaxy.  The worlds will fall into chaos and ruin without you and me to hold them together.  You have chosen this path.  Now that you have made your choice, it will be your destiny forever.  You know this to be true."

     Vader says, “I will stop you.” 

     The Emperor brags that it is already over...Vader can do nothing to stop him.  He reminds Vader that “you have betrayed your greatest allies.  I am your last hope.  Your only hope.  You have no one else to turn to.  You are alone and you will always be alone.  Except for me.  The only one who truly understands you.  Vader turns away from the hideous creature before him.  The Emperor says, “You will do my bidding, or you will die!!  You know that without the Jedi, my Order is the only thing holding the Galaxy together.  Without my absolute control, matters would be worse.  Far worse.  The Galaxy would shatter into a  thousand civil wars, making these Clone Wars pale in comparison.  For the sake of these pitiful creatures that you seek to protect, you have no choice, but to obey.”  Vader turns slowly to Palpatine and then even more slowly kneels down.  He lowers his head and deep breathing is heard.  He realizes that helping the Emperor truly is the only way to return order to the galaxy. 

“So be it...Master.”  The Emperor places his hand on Vader's shoulder and says "Yes, my friend...you will see in time that the power of the dark side will finally bring order to the galaxy."  The scene fades to a montage of the Imperials entering the different systems of the galaxy, we hear the Emperor’s laughter.

     The Emperor uses these rebellions as public reason to expand Imperial Army and Navy to root out and prevent future insurrections of the citizens.  He also uses it as a recruitment tool of Galactic citizens since cloning facility has been destroyed.  Death Star construction observed. 

     We fade into the Emperor and Tarkin.  They are overseeing the construction.  The Emperor explains to Tarkin that with the Jedi threat extinguished, Darth Vader’s unique skills will no longer be as valuable, and that Tarkin will be giving more and more control to the Imperial Military Industrial Complex.  Vader will still be a useful tool...like a vicious pet, but the Military will be given increased power and will express his might in all the Galaxy. 

     Reunited with his wife and Luke on Dagobah, Yoda destroys the Dark Jedi Holocron crystal.  He traps the remaining Dark Force Energy in a cave beneath a tree that are now filled with dark energy.  Years later, Luke will confront a vision of Vader and himself in this cave.

     Having nowhere else to go, Obi-wan goes back to Dagobah to help care for Luke.  He senses that Yoda is still alive, and hopes that he, too, will be able to return to Dagobah.  He arrives, pleased to see Yoda with his wife and with young Luke.  Obi-wan asks Yoda what is to happen now. 

    Yoda tells him that if the light of the Jedi Order is ever to return to the galaxy, they must separate.   He must take Luke to his uncle and aunt and deliver him to train him for the future.  He tells Obi-wan that the darkness in the cave caused by the essence of the dark holocron will mask Yoda’s goodness, thus allowing the two of them to stay hidden.   But Luke's presence will be too strong even for him to mask Luke's presence.  Only on Tatooine, near the site of the great Sandpeople massacre will Luke's light be balanced by the darkness of that incident.  Vader would never return there intentionally...and even if he did...he would sense nothing.

     Obi-wan will not learn of Leia’s existence until years later when Yoda tells him of “another hope” when Luke leaves Dagobah to “save” his friends on Cloud City.  Qui-Gonn knows Padme's death will scar Alderaan so much that Vader will never be able to see passed his tragedy with Padme and her death on Alderaan to feel his daughter there.  It is, in fact, the only place in the galaxy that will prevent him from coming to learn that his daughter lives.  By the time she comes across Vader as a young women years later, Vader will have been so lost in himself, he won't even recognize the feelings within himself that tell him that he is intersecting with his daughter.    
      
    Yoda is satisfied that the balance of the Force will be returned and that the galaxy must be given time to heal.  But he tells Qui-Gonn that he will be watching over Luke.  Qui-Gonn reminds him that neither of them can foresee the future but that he will trust in the Force.  Yoda says goodbye to his old friend and watches Qui-Gonn fade into the Force.    He walks into the darkness.  The last shot of Yoda walking into the his house and a fire being tended to by his wife can be seen flickering within and smoke begins to pour slowly, gently out of the chimney.  We will later learn that by the time that Luke arrives, Yoda's wife will have died and Yoda will be living alone.
      
     We fade to the crystalline, grandeur of Alderaan.  Bail Organa pledges to stay involved with the now Imperial Senate dedicated to the prospect of reform from within (while secretly supporting the rebellion re-building on Dantooine, under the guidance of General Dodanna and Mon Mothma...both now in hiding).  As we know, he will pass along this goal to his adopted daughter, Leia.  Now that Leia has been adopted Bail Organa’s wife, Sylvia Organa takes care of her.  R2-D2 and C-3P0 are no longer needed to care for Leia and they are assigned to the Tantive IV (Rebel blockade runner). 

     Vader has resigned himself to this secondary status, but dictates to his own holocron that someday, he will find a way to end this destructive conflict.  He walks painfully on the bridge of the first of the Star Destroyers.  He looks up at the stars and says, “Someday, someday.”  He thinks that he is alone in the universe.  He will spend years trying to find Obi-wan to get revenge for the scars he was left with.  But it will be a futile search and we will soon learn why.  Vader will not learn that Luke still lives until he kills Obi-wan years later, and even then, he won’t learn that Luke was the one that was strong with the force that he sensed in the trench battle until he returns to his Star Destroyer after the first Death Star is destroyed.

       Obi-wan goes to the Lars homestead.  He asks Owen to take the two of them in, so that Luke will have a safe place to be trained.  Owen will argue that he has done enough damage and convince him to let Luke grow up on his own and that he should be with family.  Owen says that since Vader thinks that Luke is dead, he would never come looking for him.
     Obi-wan says that we don’t know that Vader thinks that and he may come for him someday. Obi-wan is unconvinced that Luke will not need protection, but is unwilling to harm Owen to take Luke.  Beru convinces Obi-wan and Owen that it would be best if Luke stay with them and that Obi-wan should stay close by to watch over Luke, just in case Vader does come back.  Obi-wan and Owen both grudgingly agree.  Obi-wan agrees to leave Luke there and will hide his identity and live as hermit close enough to watch over Luke.

     Obi-wan, now calling himself Ben Kenobi to honor his source and friend, will build a home on the very spot of the Sandpeople massacre.  This Darkness will hide Ben Kenobi’s Lightness. It will be the reason that Vader never finds him, even as he floats in orbit of the planet after capturing Princess Leia over Tatooine.  Again, with Luke in Beru’s arms with Owen’s arm around her shoulder as they watch Ben disappear, but this time he is not flying off to some great quest.  He is following a more quiet and personal quest.  A quest of patience, reflection and of focused protection.  He is walking alone into the desert into the setting twin suns.  He will watch and he will wait until.    He must protect Luke until he is ready to become a Jedi, like his father, because he thinks that this this boy is the galaxy's last hope...for peace.  Skywalker will, someday, be the only name that the Emperor will ever fear.  The daughter of Skywalker remains safely anonymous, and the son of Skywalker is under his watchful gaze.  Protect the children of Skywalker and protect the galaxy.  

To be continued in
Star Wars: Episode IV:
A New Hope


and
Star Wars: Episode V:
The Empire Strikes Back


and concluded in
Star Wars: Episode VI:
Return of the Jedi


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