Welp, I’m back at this again, dropping off another random PT rewrite idea. This idea is a more recent one that I thought would be interesting to discuss: the pre-PT Clone Wars.

We all know how the plot of the actual prequels played out and how it contradicted how the Clone Wars had been pre-PT material. So what if we kept the plot of the SW prequels as is, but changed the setting so it follows more of the pre-CW material from the 90s and before (specifically the Clonemasters, Spaarti cylinders, mad Jedi clones, Owen being Obi-Wan’s brother, etc.)? Following off that idea, I had an idea to make Obi-Wan the main character of the story. Stuff like Anakin being a Chosen One (not THE CHOSEN ONE in the films, keep in mind) can still exist, but it may require a lot of tweaking around.

Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (32 BBY)

Changes:

Instead of the Trade Federation blockading Naboo for trade disputes, it could be the Clonemasters, enemies of the Old Republic, invading a neutral Naboo to gain its cloning resources to remedy their clone madness problem (an issue from the Thrawn Trilogy that had a clone go insane after some time).
Obi-Wan would be like Luke from ESB, a commander with experience yet still optimistic and idealistic. He serves Bail Organa, alongside General Qui-Gon Jinn, and the two are working to bring Naboo to the Republic’s side when they learn what the Clonemasters are doing. After rescuing the queen and her counselors, Obi-Wan would take the crew to his old home on Tatooine, where he would be forced to meet his estranged brother Owen (whom he abandoned to join the war) as well as a teenaged Anakin.
Qui-Gon recognizes Anakin for his power and believes him to be the Chosen One, which puts pressure on the young man. Obi-Wan, not caring about that, begins a friendship with Anakin.
Padme would relegated to a counselor who wishes to join the Republic and bring stability to her world. She is very wide-eyed idealistic, contrast to Anakin’s more gruff and almost cynical view on life.
Maul in this story could easily be one of many cloned Jedi who is on the verge of madness. The real Maul would serve in Palpatine’s place, which can excuse TPM Maul being sliced in half (as he’s just a clone).

Episode 2: Attack of the Clones (22 BBY)

Changes:

The Clone Wars would be over years before this story, but we see the galaxy is still trying to heal as well as deal with remnants of the Clonemasters. These remnants have joined a small group who wishes to leave the Republic due to corruption in the Senate and apathy for those still suffering in the Outer Rim. Dooku can or cannot appear in this (if he does appear, I’d make him more of a secret agent working for the Jedi).
Obi-Wan, former general of Bail Organa, trains a more matured Anakin Skywalker. After the two of them had fought in the Clone Wars, they have gone on several missions to war-torn worlds and have seen much devastation caused by the Clonemasters. For Obi-Wan, seeing the same death he saw on Naboo has him believe that Maul or some clones of Maul still exist out there and he tries to hunt them down following a failed assassination attempt on Padme. His search would have him learn about Maul working with the splinter group and believing that they need to be stopped.
Anakin, though trained in the Jedi arts, still has his cynicism after seeing the inefficiencies of the Republic and Senate, and he is swayed to Palpatine’s influence because of this. Palpatine’s influence is what allows Anakin to become close to Padme, as Anakin is sent to guard her from assassins following a failed attempt (and if possible, we could have Anakin face off another Maul clone). Anakin is also a bit of a hardened veteran who finds his light in Padme, who is more cautious of politics in the Republic. In this version, the Jedi are allowed to marry and have kids.
All of this would head to a confrontation of Jedi vs clones, only to be saved by a new forces of Republic shock troopers who were made in secret.
Following the crisis of corruption, the Jedi install a trustworthy person (Mon Mothma?) as head of the Republic. Though the Jedi are honest and loyal, they and their candidate are easily booed by the corrupt Senators who try to bring about the downfall of this person.

Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith (19 BBY)

Changes:

The Jedi are hunting down the final remnants of the Clonemasters. This can be shown at the beginning as some people are illegally transporting Clonemaster tech, and the Jedi try to crack down on it, only for their accomplishments to be taken by the growing military of the Republic.
Also, the splinter group is still a threat to the Republic, so Palpatine has been manipulating the military to send shock troopers to eliminate key threats to his plans. If Dooku is this story and is still a secret Jedi agent leaking info to the Jedi about the splinter group working with Maul, then Palpatine could have Anakin kill Dooku to eliminate the chance of his secrets getting out.
As Palpatine is growing in power, the Jedi suspect him as the perpetrator behind the Clone Wars (especially with more evidence that they have been recovering over the past few years). Thus, they try to oust him and remove him from power, but their plans are undone as the people have been turned against them.
For Anakin, he has married Padme but there is not words of a baby yet. Padme would revealed to have been pregnant by the end of the story.
Maul could serve in Grievous’ position, minus dying in the midpoint of the story.
For the final duel, Obi-Wan would find himself not only fighting Maul, but a corrupted Anakin, in a three-way duel atop a volcanic installation. Maul would die, and Anakin would be left behind, as Obi-Wan can’t bring himself to kill his old friend.

And that’s it. Again, these idea are very bare and will require a lot of tweaking around, but I do you have find it a bit interesting. Take care.