Considering Adywan no longer plans to edit the prequels, here is my wish-list:
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Redub the Neimoidians.
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Pick up the pace. After Qui-Gon tells Obi-Wan to focus on the here and now, cut to Sidious ordering the Neimoidians to kill the Jedi, then the gun turret firing on the Republic cruiser.
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Restructure the opening battle. After gas fills the room, Qui-Gon should pierce the door with his lightsaber.
On the other side, chunks of molten metal should drop away, and the door should collapse. Then the battle droids should be waiting to gun them down. After the Jedi destroy a few droids, Nute should order, “Send in the Droidekas.”
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Cut Qui-Gon telling Obi-Wan, “We’ve got to warn the Naboo and contact Chancellor Valorum.” It is impossible for them to warn of the impending invasion when it is already underway
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Cut Nute and Rune’s conversation after the Queen fades off.
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Cut Captain Panaka calling the droid army “battle-hardened.”
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Redub Jar Jar Binks and the Gungans.
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Restore a condensed version of the visit to Otoh Gunga. When the Gungans appear for the first time at the climax, it feels like a payoff without a setup.
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Cut Panaka saying, “They need her to sign a treaty to make this invasion legal.” A treaty signed under duress is not binding, and talk of treaties is boring.
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Restore Panaka saying, “They’ve knocked out all our communications.” This is a logical response to Qui-Gon saying it is urgent they contact the Republic.
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Cut the battle droid saying, “Coruscant? Uh, that doesn’t compute. Uh, wait, uh…”
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Cut Sidious asking, “And Queen Amidala, has she signed the treaty?” and saying, “I want that treaty signed.”
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Cut Jar Jar Binks summarizing the first act to Padmé.
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Digitally remove Jar Jar from all the Tatooine scenes.
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Change the subtitles to Anakin’s conversation with Watto:
WATTO: Where were you?
ANAKIN: I was fixing the vaporizer.
WATTO: It better be fixed or else I’ll vaporize you.
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Cut Anakin asking Padmé, “Are you an angel?” Start the conversation with Anakin saying, “I’m a pilot, you know, and someday I’m gonna fly away from this place.”
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Change the subtitles to Anakin’s conversation with Watto:
WATTO: Outsiders, they thought they could swindle us.
ANAKIN: The girl seemed nice.
WATTO: You’re done for the day. You can head home.
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When Anakin runs off, cut to Anakin offering Qui-Gon fruit, then seeing his lightsaber.
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Trim Darth Sidious’s line, “you will then have no difficulty in taking the Queen to Naboo to sign the treaty” to “you will then have no difficulty taking the Queen.” This changes the meaning: Sidious is ordering Maul to take the Queen’s life, not to force her to sign a treaty.
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Restore this scene:
KITSTER: (to ANAKIN) You don’t even know if this thing’s gonna run.
ANAKIN: It will.
QUI-GON: (approaching) I think it’s time we found out. Here, use this power charge. (hands charge to ANAKIN)
ANAKIN: Yes, sir!
QUI-GON: (to Kitster) Come on, Kitster. Let’s move away.
ANAKIN toggles a switch. The podracer starts up as ANAKIN grabs the controls. The engine turns and flames leap from the exhaust. The podracer hovers, rocking with the power of the engines. PADME smiles. QUI-GON looks on.
ANAKIN: (shouting above the noise of the engine) It’s working! It’s working!
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Cut the dawn before the race scene.
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To replace the Neimoidians ordering the battle droids to take away Sio Bibble, consider shooting new footage of the battle droids massacring innocents or forcing civilians to mine plasma in order to enrich the Trade Federation. The characters repeatedly refer to the people of Naboo suffering and dying, but this is never displayed onscreen.
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Cut Padme saying, “Space is cold.”
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Restore Anakin giving Padme the Japor Snippet. It is a touching moment even if the payoff is removed in your edit of Revenge of the Sith.
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Reorder the Coruscant scenes. After Qui-Gon says, “I must speak to the Jedi Council immediately,” cut to Qui-Gon briefing the Jedi Council. After Palpatine persuades Amidala to propose a vote of no confidence, cut to the emergency session of the Senate.
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Cut Anakin visiting the queen’s quarters.
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Cut Palpatine saying, “They’ll force you to sign the treaty,” and Queen Amidala replying, “I’ll sign no treaty, Senator.”
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Cut “Wesa goen ho-o-o-o-o-o-me!”
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Cut Sidious saying, “I will see to it that in the Senate, things stay as they are.”
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Cut Padme’s saying, “Without the Viceroy, they will be lost and confused.” It would be more appropriate to say the droids will be lost and confused without the droid control ship.
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Cut Jar Jar’s antics in the Battle of Naboo.
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When Padme says, “Now, Viceroy, we will discuss a new treaty,” cut the word, “new.”
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Restore the deleted scene where Anakin lands and says, “I’m not going to get in trouble, am I?”
