Johannus said:
xhonzi - I know the idea of Vader being a sort of title that is passed down has been suggested earlier too, but I'm sorry I just don't like it. I hope this doesn't sound like I'm always disagreeing, because from the moment I read it (earlier in the thread) I just thought it was fine in The Princess Bride, but wouldn't work in Star Wars (for the reasons TheBoost mentioned). Having said that your post did lead me to consider something.
Don't worry- I don't think you're coming off that way. I can't say I think the many Vaders idea is really the best, but perhaps the least of many evils. Allow me to explain the paramaters that lead me there:
Preserve the ESB surprise.
- Which means no Anakin in the Darth Vader Suit and another person we could assume is Vader when Obi-Wan refers to his apprentice that turned to evil and then murdered Anakin.
Stronger Darth Vader Like Presence in the NPT.
-As I said above, I think the Maul, Dooku, Grievous trifecta was much less enjoyable than a singular Vader like villain would have been. I know it's become an irreversible part of Star Wars by now, but the prefix "Darth" being assigned to every Dark Jedi (including the Emperor?) really rubbed me the wrong way. So, to avoid the Darth propogation, you could just use an earlier version of Darth Vader rather than having to come up with Darth XXXXX. And, for first time viewing of the NPT, it would potentially make the character of Vader something of a mystery. Some surprises or mysteries would be a good thing for the NPT seeing how the twists and turns are an indelible part of the OT, and something that was plainly missing from the actual PT. And given that you're doing a prequel, surprises are automatically a little harder to come from.
*whew*
Anyways, another Dark Jedi that has an oppressive appearance and basically stalks around all tough like Vader, I think, is still what the NPT desperately (badly wants/needs.) I really like the more angular look of Vader in the early McQuarrie stuff so I went there.
We know that at some point there has to be a showdown between Obi Wan and Anakin, which Obi Wan wins. However, do people see that as Anakin who we all know is Anakin (pre Vader armour) or Anakin who is hidden beneath the helmet?
I've always imagined it as Obi Wan fighting Anakin in the Vader armour. That way when it comes to their fight in A New Hope we should all be thinking that last time Obi Wan won, so it shouldn't be a problem, but then when he lets Vader win it has more impact.
You don't have to give me credit. There's this little movie out there called Revenge of the Sith which seems to have gone this route as well. You seem to be doing a very thorough job forgetting it. Well done!
TheBoost - I like the idea of a group of jedi following Anakin (though I don't think it should be many because I don't think there should be too many jedi crowded together - perhaps 4), but I dont think I would necessarily make them have red lightsabers, I would say perhaps only Anakin should, but I am admittedly undecided about this. But rather than having them killed by an explosion, I think Anakin should be ordered to kill them all, this way the idea that Darth Vader hunted the jedi to extinction has even more validity.
Maybe I need to give up my vision of full on Jedi vs Dark Jedi battle. But I have to say that is probably the #2 image in my mind of how the prequels were going to be... right after the one of Obi-Wan and Anakin fighting near a molten pit.