- Mrebo on these forums recently had a good idea about using Anakin’s conflict with Sebulba as the party’s (and the audience’s) introduction to him, and then changing Anakin’s subtitles to have him explain why he’s brought them to Watto’s shop. This made our first introduction to Anakin one where he’s driving the plot and standing up for himself. And while it requires the shot of Jar Jar spitting a frog onto Sebulba, that element might be softened by the new context that “It’s the will of the force that we met”, though perhaps that’s a bit of a stretch.
You could soften that scene further by changing the subtitles between Jar Jar & the cook he steals from so Jar Jar’s less of a jerk:
COOK: “Hey, what do you think you’re doing?”
JAR JAR: "I can pay for it!
COOK: "No, I mean the meat’s raw!
JAR JAR: “The meat’s raw?!”
The scene is more palatable, & you keep Anakin’s intro scene as a plot driver.
Speaking of Anakin driving the plot, I’ve been thinking about L8wrtr’s Episode 1 edit, how Anakin blowing up the control ship saves the day for Padme & the Gungans. However, the Jedi & Sith subplot is still disconnected from this, so how can we connect the threads and make the ending stronger?
The answer lies in Episode V, how Leia’s able to sense Luke’s presence on Cloud City, & apply that to Maul & Obi-Wan. After we see Anakin blowing up the droid ship, Maul senses that, the tide turning in favor of Padme & the Gungans. Obi-Wan senses it too, & uses Maul’s distraction to cut him down. The music should also cut when Obi-Wan slices Maul, to show Maul regaining his senses after it’s already too late.