Would people like to see the Anakin & Obi-Wan sparring sequence as a whole in the beginning of the film, as a memory when Obi-Wan is dreaming, before later showing up again in the way it is presented in EP 5 (apart from cuts and trims)?
The reason I ask is because introducing it as a happy memory, for instance BEFORE the bad memories/flashback nightmare sequence, could start the film with a kind of realization that those happy times are definitively over, and also have Anakin’s death (sort of) kind of looming even harder over the overall film. Not to mention it is impactful to have the seeds of Anakin’s arrogance re-planted before “EP 5 happens”.
The downside and the counter-arguement is of course that the viewer might feel less impacted by the flashback, and perhaps the film starts on one too many of them.
Share your views - I would be very interested to hear them.
I’d love to see the AOTC flashback portrayed as Obi-Wan’s dream in the beginning, instead of the re-used footage from the three prequel films. Flashbacks in the fifth episode (and I’d argue that flashbacks being used at all) are wholly unnecessary, and to me breaks the flow of the story.
Obi-Wan’s dream sequence seems to be an excuse to use more footage from the prequels (filler footage). It even shows Anakin in situations that Obi-Wan wasn’t even physically present for (namely young Anakin in the Naboo Starfighter).
You wouldn’t even need to use the entire AOTC flashback as a dream sequence, you’d need just enough footage to illustrate Anakin’s anger and need for victory.I like this because it also presents it as Obi-Wan reflecting on his training of Anakin. Like he’s fixated on finding the flaws in his approach that led to his fall.
Those flashbacks are essential to the Jabiim section of the present day plot, for better and for worse (mostly for better). Delete those flashbacks and what are we left with on Jabiim - a very Made-for-Television Star Wars battle plus the Reva stuff. Those flashbacks add to Obi-Wan and Vader’s rivalry on Jabiim and create a much needed narrative anticipation/build-up to their present day showdown in Part 6.
Today I rewatched Parts 3 & 5 back to back because I was skeptical about deleting Part 4 from the plot, but now I’ve seen it’s actually a significant improvement. Vader now appears relentless about hunting Obi-Wan since he doesn’t inexplicably disappear for almost an entire episode.
There’s a lot more desperation and tension in Obi-Wan’s speech about being unable to fight the Empire head-on, because we just saw his ass get kicked 15 minutes earlier. The anguish in Ewan’s performance when Tala dies is more palpable because he hasn’t had any victory since Mapuzo: it’s just been loss after loss for him. The Empire comes off as stronger and unstoppable as well without the fortress hijinks.