Hmm, this is interesting. I wonder if Star Wars could ever become something like a true mythology, with multiple versions of the same basic tales being told by different people at different times. That would be neat.

Originally posted by: Dug
Other changes. The Jedi are a looser organization (which a lot of OOT fans seem to agree on) and they do not answer to anyone, but respect the Republic since it has always been a champion of good, etc.

Hmm, they were called "Knights" and thus should have had some official recognition under the republic. Some kind of thing where they are expected to uphold the ideals of the republic at least (more than mere respect) and be subject to its laws. Otherwise, I agree that the organization should have been much looser and having a more Medieval feeling of Lords and enlightened Nobles. Perhaps the reliance upon pupils from nobility could figure into the story in terms of a Jedi order that is becoming stagnant and no longer able to aid the republic as well.

Originally posted by: Dug
Anyway, the beloved Queen Amidala died, and in their grief, the Alderaans decided to clone the Queen so that they may always have her wise rule. Of course, this upset the Organa family who would’ve been the ones to rule if she were not the queen. In tribute to them, they were made the senatorial representatives of Alderaan. So, the Queen was cloned again and again, the Amidala of Episode I would be the sixth incarnation, and not quite ready to lead as she needs to mature. In her stead, a council has been appointed. However, the council is corrupt and weak, and against her wishes, they conceded to the Mandalores demands, allowing them to occupy the planet. (As a side note, the Galactic Republic has deemed that cloning is an abomination and abolished it, so they believe the Queens are just descendents).

I really like that idea. Could lead into an actually cool way to envision the clone wars.

Originally posted by: Dug
(The Jedi don’t have a ‘temple’ on Coruscant. There are no midichlorians. The Force is as it was in the OOT. Yoda is not located on Coruscant, either.)

Hmm, but I do like the idea of temples and ancient religious relics surrounding the use of the force, so I don't mind a temple being on Coruscant. Otherwise, dump the midichloriforms, I agree there.

My biggest problem with your version is the Skywalker prophecy idea and the ancient evil in the bunker. Its far more dramatic to stick to normal people and keep Skywalker an average family name with no special amazing associated with it. Anakin Skywalker was an average guy but a skilled warrior with amazing piloting skills and thus Obiwan decided to train him for those core reasons. It is also a lot more dramatic to stick with people who have free will and can choose to be evil or good, instead of a one-dimensional force of evil that possesses anyone.

My ideas:

I did always get the impression from Obiwan's statement that Anakin, during the time of his training, actually had the name Darth Vader in some strange way. (Or I've also thought that, like in your version, there were two pupils and eventually their identities got mixed up in the flow of events; Anakin took the name of his fellow pupil for some dark reason.) There are lots of ways to account for that impression in Obiwan's statement, but the easiest would be to have Anakin be a highly experienced youth by the time he meets "Ben," but one who has also lived a very troubled past. He'll be one really cool guy but with some nasty mistakes in his past. I figure that in order to avoid certain authorities (maybe the "huts") Anakin Skywalker has assumed the name Darth Vader for himself.

(Oh, I figure Anakin has to call Obiwan "Ben" [somewhat to Obiwan's chagrin] and then that name has to catch on so that nobody uses the name Obiwan by the time Anakin gets Luke and Lea's mother pregnant!)

One idea that I have is that Vader/Anakin would be in the prequal trilogy as much as Vader was in the classic trilogy. In other words: I'd have him be in the background, but instead of a kickass bad guy who comes in to mop up the good guys, he'll be a kickass good guy who relentlessly hunts down the bad guys. This means that in the beginning of Episode I Anakin would already be Obiwan's apprentice and somewhat on his own. I'm not too fond of this idea however, since I would want the younger Obiwan to be the primary hero of the films, like Luke was the hero in the classic trilogy and therefore it might be hard for him to have a semi-successful apprentice at a young and inexperienced age. Thus I usually fall upon the idea that Vader is trained over the course of the movies and turns to the dark side at some point.