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A list of strange interpretations in the Prequels.

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Here's a little list of why I think the prequels failed to tell a good backstory:

I've had big problems with how old Anakin and Obi-Wan were supposed to be in the prequels...which I feel has led to a rolling stone of other problems (mainly in 1 & 2).

Based on apperance I'd have to say Obi-Wan appears to be 70+ in ANH when he dies. And Anakin in ROTJ appears to be 50+ when he appears as a ghost.

Going on those assumptions and the roughly 19 year gap between PT and OT, my guess is Obi-Wan should have been at least 50 years old in ROTS , and Anakin 30+.

I think by Lucas making these two characters too young in the PT, he really short-changed the stories for I & 2 and in turn effected Episode 3 to an extent. (below)

And as I've said before, Lucas turned two classic OT characters Yoda & Emperor, into cheap entertainment devices with their uncharacteristic lightsaber skills, Yoda is hardly unconfrontational...A Jedi uses their power for Knowlege and events never for attack..... tell that to Yoda while he grabs his little green stuff, poses like Jet Li, and flips around with a bad attitude....So much for the image I had of those two being like mystic sage's, using their knowlege, and having powers above fighting and flipping.


And as far as some things that people wanted to see in the prequels:

The relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan: Basically non existant in TPM, since Obi-Wan didn't even discover him, and then in AOTC Anakin was busy trying to overcome Padme' with crappy romantic dialogue. Only in Episode 3 do we get a taste, and Obi-Wan is sent to deal with a loose plot point in Grievous for almost the entire film.

Anakin, Bail and Kenobi's exploits during the Clone Wars: This was mostly explained away as happening between 2 & 3, and Bail is thrown in rapidly to fill plot points....I won't even get into the Clone Wars itself, just the fact there needs to be a cartoon to explain things, says enough...

The rise of the Empire: Way too rushed, in ROTS, we see order 66, and a declaration of a new Empire from Palpatine (duing a Bush imitation), and before you know it we see Star Destroyers and Vader standing on the bridge looking out onto a Death Star in construction...


The manipulation and fall of Anakin: Luckily this is a strong point in Episode 3 as far as getting extended dialogue between Palpatine and Anakin, some of it is pretty good, but again considering the amount of carefull manipulation Palpatine has done up this point, he is quick to throw "I know the darkside" at Anakin, and I don't think it's a very feasable fall to the darkside, I love my wife, but I'm not sure that I would turn into a massive child serial killer for the chance of "possibly" saving her life, even if there was a 100% guarentee, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be for that option either...Is it even possible to die from a broken heart?

The force ghosts: After ROTJ, I didn't know what to make of that, weither all Jedi had the power, it only lasted for a certain period of time or what...All I know is Qui-Gon discovered some secret and told Yoda...who told Obi-Wan....Safe to say it's still not explained.


the extinction of the Jedi order: Palpatine I guess had some trigger called, order 66 (homage to 666?)ingrained into the Clones while they where being made (sponsored by the mysterious Sifo Dyas) , they then proceed to kill off almost all the Jedi in what seemed like a day. Anakin kills children, and the Clones kill most of the Jedi....shouldn't that have been turned around? did we even need to see Jedi children?.

All of these important plot points to the OT seemed rushed, unsatisfatory in explanation or explained away as happening between Episodes .

I'd like to here some other takes.
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i agree with the age thing, im sure he had everyone being older ages originally
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I just wish he had not wasted precious screentime with utter crap like Jar Jar and the Gungans, underwater monsters and an everlasting pod-race, and moved the film and prequel story along quicker

I dont see no reason why we couldnt have had an older Anakin in all three, and im sure Lucas or if he hired a screenwriter could have got round the issue of Anakin missing his mother and the death of his mother

The friendship with Obi Wan could have been more explored especially if he got rid of the Qui-Gonn character, the manipulation of Anakin could also have started earlier, and maybe seen more of his attributes as the best starpilot in the galaxy and a cunning warrior...

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Where to begin................This is such a great topic.

Now after watching all 3 prequel movies, TPM is a big waste of 2 hours. The key relationship in the prequels is Anakin/Padme and Anakin/Kenobi and Anakin/Palpatine, and because Lucas made him 10 years old, which could have been done in a very specific 20 minute flashback to explain him being a cute innocent kid, there is no development in any of these relationships at all.

When we get to AOTC, Anakin/Palplatine have one small scene togther, so Lucas waits til Episode III for Palpatine to really start to manipulate, and I have to say those, because of McDiarmid's acting is great, are really good scenes, but that is why the turn is so rushed, because the manipulation is not played out over three movies. Now Lucas says in the commentary, it should be assumed by the viewer that Palpatine has been manipulating him for years, and Lucas is probably right, but, damnit, SHOW US THIS STUFF! That is the whole point of the prequels is the show the specific conflicts and problems these characters faced, instead of everything is assumed, or read the books, or watch the clone war cartoon.

ObiWan/Anakin friendship was never developed, again because it had three movies to do so, but it was non existent in TPM because Anakin was too young, and QuiGon was really his master. AOTC, we get the first 15 minutes and they go on a wild goose chase for a bounty hunter, and then they meet in the end at the start of the Clone Wars. They finally don't get any really good screentime together until Episode III. Again, at the starting of AOTC, when they are riding up the elevator to meet Padme after the second movie jumped 10 years, Lucas says in the commentary, it is assumed by their banter that they have become very good friends, and this scene was put in there to show that, so the next scene when Kenobi yells at him, you see they have a love/hate relationship. Again George, instead of just letting the viewer assume it, SHOW US, give us three solid movies of their friendship, and then the viewer will understand why they are good friends. Luke, Leia, and Han by the end of ROTJ you know they would die for each other, because Lucas did such a great job of SHOWING how much they cared for each other. Every movie either Han or Luke were saving each others life, remember Solo in ESB, "Thats two you owe me junior!"

Anakin/Padme relationship again was handled badly because you never understood why either of them fell in love with other. I guess it was looks, but atleast that is a reason many people get together! Lucas should have spent AOTC not having them stand still and fall in love on Naboo, borrrring! Have them be tracked the whole movie by a bounty hunter who is after Padme, have them be in a sense of danger the whole movie, and show how great Anakin is as a Jedi by constantly getting them out of trouble. Have Padme be in love with Anakin cause she realizes he has many flaws, and he is very unpredictable, but he is probably one of the greatest jedis ever, this guy is a legend to the galaxy. Just show that he is in a sense marrying up to a Senator or Queen, he is going out with the prom queen. When ObiWan is on Kamino they are some of the best scenes in the movie, then it cuts to Naboo, and it just brings the movie to a halt, that is why many disdain AOTC.

I could go on all day, but my thesis for writing this is Lucas never really developed the relationships of these 4 main characters of the prequels, instead he was worried about Jar Jar fumbling and bumbling around in TPM, and digital Yoda doing Sonic the Hedgehog moves in AOTC, and then he had to rush the real stuff in ROTS, which does make ROTS the best out of the prequels, but if the first two movies were better developed ROTS could have been a classic.