So after seeing a lot of great ideas for rewriting the Prequels I decided it was finally time to throw my hat into the ring after mulling over some ideas. Baring in mind these are quite rough ideas and I’m just throwing it out there to see what people think!
Obi Wan Kenobi
So Obi Wan to me was one of the only things done decently in the Prequels, but despite Ewan McGregor’s great performance, it was clear that the Obi Wan we got didn’t have much of a character arc. My idea is to have him question and reevaluate his very beliefs in the Force. See, Obi Wan in my Prequels, and many of the Jedi for that matter, hold the belief that there is no “Light” and “dark” side of the Force, simply a person’s intent with it. In my mind it makes sense, since why would an all encompassing energy field have a sense of morality to it? By the end of Episode III Kenobi will have constructed this ideology of a Light and Dark side to the Force when he sees how corrupt Anakin has become, speaking of…Anakin Skywalker
Anakin will hail from Tatooine, being a simple farmer wanting more from life. I know that there’s the whole “If Anakin is from Tatooine then wouldn’t that be the first place he’d look for Luke?” and my counter to that is why would be looking for a son he didn’t know he had in the first place?
The other questionable decision of the OT is that if Anakin Skywalker was such a great pilot then how come he never seems to be remembered? Surely a hero of the Clone Wars would be recognisable, yet in the OT (as others on here have pointed out) The name Skywalker doesn’t get much of a response, so what gives?Well, Obi Wan calls him a “Star Pilot”. When you think about it, that’s a pretty broad term. So my solution is that at first, he’s simply pilots a trade ship for the farm, and when he decides to follow Obi Wan on “Some damn fool’s idealistic crusade” he becomes the pilot of a transport ship during the War. It’s a role that would certainly show his skills, but he’d probably wouldn’t be a decorated veteran Ace Pilot.
I’ve thought about changing Kenobi and Anakin more than any other character in the PT. These are my ideas.
First, I’d totally get rid of Qui-Gon Jinn. The character is unnecessary and contradicts Yoda being Kenobi’s teacher and Kenobi being the one who discovers Anakin and wanting to train him.
Kenobi should already be a full Jedi Knight, not a padawan. He should be in his early to mid 30’s and Tatoonie is his home, not Anakin’s. Owen Lars should be Kenobi’s half-brother, not Anakin’s step-brother. If you read the original script and novel of ROTJ you see this was the original plan until Lucas changed his mind when he made the PT. My idea would be Owen and Beru want children but can’t conceive. This is why Kenobi gives Luke to them to raise as family also so Kenobi can watch over him from a distance. Owen is very conservative and doesn’t think to highly of the Jedi, their political beliefs, or his brother. This is why he calls Kenobi “That wizard is just a crazy old man.” Also when Beru says Luke isn’t a farmer, he has too much of his father in him. Owen replies “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
When Padme’s ship is damaged when fleeing Naboo. Instead of Tatooine, they are forced to land on Ord Mantell. This should be Anakin’s home. I envision Anakin as either a Fast and Furious kind of street racer or amateur sky racer who flies suped up airspeeders or skyhoppers to make quick cash but also for the thrills. Kenobi witnesses Anakin fly in one of these races and is blown away by his talent. Anakin is not a kid, a slave, an orphan, or a virgin birth child. Just an exceptional prodigy, in his late teens. Kenobi believes if he takes Anakin under his wing he could be the Michael Jordan of Jedi, so to speak. None of that chosen one prophecy BS. Instead of a mom Anakin has a dad, Tan, who he loves very much. Tan is a mechanic and helps Anakin work on his flyers before races. Tan also has a serious gambling problem and owes alot of money to local loan sharks/gangsters. They threaten Tan and tell him to have Anakin throw his next race so they can score big on all the losers bets. Tan refuses and they kill him. This would give Anakin the mental and emotional scars that would eventually steer him towards the Dark Side. Not to mention his belief for absolute control and order and his abhorrence for lawlessness.