About Lucas needing fewer yes-men, I dunno if that would matter, or that he would listen. It seems to me that he already second-guessed himself too much. I like a lot of his first impulses better. Obi-wan discovering Anakin, Wookies instead of Ewoks. That annotated screenplay book even says his initial idea for Boba Fett's death was in a big brawl with Lando Calrissian, similar to the Jango rain fight. That said, my only real beef with the prequels is the total lack of urgency (and a genuine, relatable love story) in Episode 2.
About Lucas needing fewer yes-men, I dunno if that would matter, or that he would listen. It seems to me that he already second-guessed himself too much. I like a lot of his first impulses better. Obi-wan discovering Anakin, Wookies instead of Ewoks. That annotated screenplay book even says his initial idea for Boba Fett's death was in a big brawl with Lando Calrissian, similar to the Jango rain fight. That said, my only real beef with the prequels is the total lack of urgency (and a genuine, relatable love story) in Episode 2.