May the Fourth Be With You

Today is Star Wars day. So I thought I’d engage in some more flogging of a dead horse. Yes, as you’ve guessed, this post will be about the prequels. Episodes 1, 2, and 3 have been repeatedly flogged. There is no point in me going over old ground on that. You can watch the Confused Matthew or Redlettermedia reviews. A word of warning Confused Mathew is very angry and Redlettermedia is… disturbing.

Unless you’ve spent the last few years frozen in carbonite you’ll know the problems with these films. Instead I thought I’d offer a few suggestions of what could have been done instead. The original trilogy mentioned very little of what came before – leaving Lucas with very little that had to be included.

One

I think the film(s) should have focused on the relationship between Anakin and Obi-wan. Perhaps it could start shortly after Obi-wan became a Jedi Master. Slowly we would see Anakin slide into darkness. This could start with Anakin going a little too far in an interrogation – leading further and further to the dark side. Its not hard to see how a good man might turn bad. Just think of the old philosophical problem with the runaway train: Do nothing and three people die – do something and one person dies. Anakin would become more and more disillusioned with the Jedi ways. The ends justify the means would be how he justifies himself.

Two

Redlettermedia has an excellent suggestion in his Revenge of the Sith review. The republic is attacked by unknown forces, clones, and the individual militaries are unable to withstand the assaults. In response the Chancellor decides to create an army for the republic.  Obi-wan and Anakin begin to investigate and discover that the Chancellor is playing both sides. He created the war as a grab for power.

Three

In episode one we are introduced to Naboo. My question why not call it Alderaan? It would only have required a find and replace and would have given a wonderful poignancy every time it was mentioned.

Those are just a few little thoughts. I’m sure there’s more but I want to post this today!