I've seen quite a few people ragging recently on the ol' Death Star II. I wanted to share my thoughts on it, and then let you all rip me to shreds.
Sound like fun? Here we go!
1. Within the scope of the original movie, the Death Star really is the most significant advancement in War technology ever invented. The rebels are concerned that if it is allowed to exist for more than a week, it will bring the rebellion to a swift end and will enslave the galaxy to the evil empire forever more.
1.a. We never get a good look at how interstellar War exists in the Star Wars galaxy prior to the introduction of the Death Star... *cough*what the prequels could have done...*cough* But I think the original movie tells us that this is a mega game changer. The ability to destroy a planet is the ability to not have wars- just to wipe your enemy out in time for tea.
2. Not building a second Death Star would be like never buying a second car. Yes, the Rebels found a flaw and exploited it to destroy the Death Star. Yes, it must have cost trillions of space bucks, and the loss of life must have been a tremendous set back... But seriously... if the idea was this good in the first place, a little thing like having it destroyed on it's maiden voyage would not convince you the whole idea was flawed to begin with.
3. In fact, if the Empire were still around to do it, I'd expect them to build a Death Star 3 and 4 and maybe even some Mini Death Stars. As long as they had the technology, they would make them.
4. Unless that even accounting for all of the shortcomings of each one, that they determined its size to make it too big of a centralized target and not one worth the effort. But I think it would take a government several attempts before they would arrive at that conclusion and give up on the idea.
5. So: Death Star II represents consistency within the universe. If it was worth building once, it was worth building twice. Or, to quote Carl Sagan paraphrasing gov't spending: Why build one when you can build two at twice the price?
Screw in-universe consistency! It was boring to redo the Death Star, we had already been there- done that. Bring on something new!
1. Fair enough. But how much does Death Star II really re-enact Death Star I? If you look at the structure of the movies (and I really hope you do...) The first movie is all about the Death Star. The threat of it, and how the Rebellion is going to overcome it. The movie is over once the DS is destroyed. It takes all of the Rebels, but only our heroes can steal the plans, hide the plans, accidentally buy a droid containing the plans, rescue the princess that knows where to take the plans, deliver the plans, and shoot the magic missile so that the plans can be executed. Or flank the enemy so that said magic missile can be delivered.
1.a. Look at DSII. Nameless, faceless Bothan's died to get the plans. Luke doesn't really give a flip about DSII. Han and Leia are involved with taking it out, but they have a different battle on their immediate hands. Who takes out DSII? Well, it's the 2nd stringers. Wedge, Lando, Nien Nunb (AKA wrinkle cheeks). Is the movie over once DSII is destroyed? No. Is there a twist involving DSII? Yes. The Rebels go to the DSII, instead of it coming to them. And the Emperor's deliberately set a trap with it, to play off of the Rebels' confidence. Is the tunnel run too similar to the trench run? Perhaps. Is it different enough? Perhaps. Is it exactly the same? No.
2. Depending on what version of Lucas's explanation you buy, the "original" ending to the "third part of the trilogy" involved blowing up a Death Star. This ending was compressed into the ending of the first part, so he should have come up with a different ending for the third part. Maybe he should have. Afterall, it worked in Superman/Superman II. Just have the Emperor use a Dark Side kiss to make... Vader... forget that he's... Clark Kent.
2.a. Okay, I'm sure that zombie is going to debunk the above paragraph, so maybe we'll just go onto the next one.
3. Related to #1 here, the DSII is not the focus of RotJ, certainly not the same way that DSI was the focus of ANH. So whatever it could have been- DSII, Hurt Ball VI, Kill Sphere MCXXVIII, Space Dock X... it wouldn't have been the focus of the plot. Which requires least set-up and least distraction from what the true focus is? I present- Death Star II.
Okay, I think I've run on long enough here.
And then the DSIII blows up.
THE /END.