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Which movie am I describing below -- ANH or TPM?
The story starts out with two characters who escape danger aboard a starship. Meanwhile, a girl of high planetary nobility is captured by the bad guys. The two fugitives wind up stranded on a desert planet and through a series of events meet a talented boy who is a native of the planet, along with others who help them with their mission. Together the group eludes the enemy sent to find them and they escape the planet. The girl of nobility is rescued by the protagonists and eventually leads a plan to launch a counterattack against the enemy. The Jedi master of the group is killed by a Sith lord, though not before introducing the boy from the desert planet to the Force. In the climatic end battle sequence, the boy from the desert planet blows up the enemy space station, and we end with a celebration of all the characters looking into the camera.
And which movie am I describing below -- ESB or AOTC?
In the middle episode, a flying hunter droid, sent by the enemy, sets the plot into motion. As a result, the two main heroes get split up early on. One flies his personal fighter on a mission to a mysterious waterlogged planet, accompanied only by his astromech droid, while the other gets to protect the girl, and he and the girl fall in love. There is an asteroid chase, a cool armored bounty hunter, and a big ground battle involving giant walking vehicles. A hero is tormented by troubling visions of someone dear to him being in pain, leading him to travel to another planet to attempt a rescue. The villain reveals a big secret and tries to tempt a hero with a "join me and together we can bring order to the galaxy" speech. The villain also lops off a hero's limb with a lightsaber. And there's a pivotal scene where a tiny old Jedi master demonstrates his amazing command of the Force. It ends with a shot of a hero (his lost limb now replaced with a mechanical one), the girl, and the droids gazing off into an uncertain future.
And again, which movie am I describing below -- ROTJ or ROTS?
The final chapter will open with an elaborate mission led by the heroes to rescue a prominent character. In the process, one of the heroes will show that he is now a very powerful and full-fledged Jedi. After the rescue is successful, the heroes regroup to discuss a multi-fold plan to defeat the enemy, though they are unaware that all of this is proceeding according the design of an evil mastermind. This dastardly scheme, which will give the evil mastermind undisputed control of the galaxy, involves luring his enemies' (the heroes) forces into carefully-laid death traps, and tempting their most powerful member to the dark side of the Force. There follows a battle on a forest planet involving heroes allied with furry natives of the planet, fighting against a technologically superior enemy. Somewhere in the film there is also a massive, awe-inspiring space battle. The evil mastermind's plan unfolds and culminates in a furious and tragic lightsaber battle between two central characters that should instead care greatly for each other. The good character prevails, while the loser's life is profoundly altered in a way that also alters the very course of the galaxy.
The answer to all three questions: Either one.
If you'd rather call all of these similarities "ingenius parallels" rather than rehashes, go right ahead. They are still blatant repetitions of the same themes, scenes, and situations. Now obviously there are some differences as well, but those differences are dwarfed by the similarities. Take the above listed elements OUT of the PT films and there isn't a whole lot left! We've seen all of this stuff before in the OT. It is obvious to me with all of the repetition going on that Lucas had run out of original ideas, but he still had the urge to 'remake' SW using today's technology -- and with the PT he essentially did so. Therefore he has no reason to do it again.
I dunno...I thought it was pretty interesting to read.
