Now I see what you're saying -- if it's not an "either/or" situation with the "___ once thought how you do" line then we can have the Obi Wan "Anakin" beat AND have Vader say "Your mother once thought..." I agree, that would work. It would work great because the Obi Wan beat feels necessary to bring ANH fully into line with ROTS, but the reference to "Your Mother" is much more on-point with why Anakin became Vader and what he would be thinking about while facing Luke. It should be kept in mind that in the Saga version of the OT, Vader is carrying a hidden and painful torch for his lost wife. He was seduced to the Dark Side, but the good part of him loved Padme and let that love deceive him that he might be able to give in to temptation and get away with it. Some reference to Padme is ESSENTIAL to making ROTJ as good as it should be. I think seeing her in the end as a ghost will feel awkward unless we can come up with a simple explanation and get Luke to be more aware of who Padme is.
Demon Hunter --
I'm glad to have your permission for my pet project. It will take a while--late next year probably.
InfoDroid--
I think you're right that Episode I is the place to start. Trooperman did say ROTJ would take less time, and I optimistically took that to mean something impossible, like he'd do it right away. Not likely is it?
So I better paste together all those Episode I notes. I like the idea that Maul has a second agenda while working with the Nemoidians -- but he is there to assist them as well. It is at the request of Sidious that he stays at the Nemoidian's side. If he senses the Vergence of the Force, it will be a coincidence for him just as it is for Qui Gon. But a beat of Maul recognizing the Force in Anakin as he fights Qui Gon at the Queen's ship would be something I'd like to see -- just a beat where Maul gives Anakin a second glance of "Hey, that kid's special. Note to self: keep an eye on this one." Especially if there were a way to make Anakin see Maul and be terrified by him there.
Maul/Gunray will work best if it reminds us of Vader/Tarkin, I think. But as clear as it was that Tarkin out-ranked Vader, it was still clear that Vader's agenda with Obi Wan was personal. So the more we can construct a second agenda for Maul, the better. It will also help us want to see him again as Grievous in Ep III.
I have to agree with InfoDroid that any Sidious in Episode I will spoil what will be a beautiful reveal in Episode II when we see Dukoo talk about Sidious already being in control of the Senate, etc. It will be more exciting to wonder who this guy is who betrayed The Viceroy ten years ago. Who was the other SIth? Then, we finally get to see him after the Clone War begins and he says the chilling lines: Everything is going as planned. That will finally work as a good beat if it becomes THE Sidious reveal instead of a "check in with Sidious." We need good structure for this reveal of Sidious as Dukoo's counterpart-- a better entrance than the simple master shot provided in AOTC. I guess that's something to bring up to TM.
Hardcore Legend --
I haven't been able to see your clip. I know you've done a lot of work on it. What do you think about how that beat might work at the beginning of the duel instead of the end? I'll try to see your clip today.
As a sidenote, I went through ROTJ again last night and see how the ideas we have for the opening will really work. I especially like the Ewok ideas we've talked about because it really is a matter of how that stuff was edited that made them SO FRICKING child-like. I have a request-- I don't want to see a single Stormtrooper get taken out by having a rock/bollo/log fall on his head. The Ewoks' effectiveness should be kept very limited -- they provide the distraction that allows Han and Leia and the other Rebels to get out of a tight jam at the shield generator. Period. They get a few more licks in here and there, but mostly they just run for their lives, get blasted and stomped on. Bravely sacrificing themselves in a hopeless battle that is won by people like Chewie, Han and Leia. With better voices and a few shots of them using blasters, their battle can actually feel good to me. That was a big surprise. (whew!)
What's our title for Episode I?