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Did anyone else find Ian McDiarmid to be ineffectual as the Emperor?

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I've always thought Ian McDiarmid wasn't that great as the Emperor. Occasionally creepy with a few well delivered lines, but not really commanding or terrifying. Even when I was a little kid I thought he was more annoying and effeminate than actually scary and evil; I never believed he could boss Vader around, even with the lightning bolts shooting out of his hands ala Gozer in "Ghostbusters" (or should that be the other way around?). I would have rather seen someone like Christopher Lee or Frank Langella in the role.

What do you all think?
I'd like a qui-gon jinn please with an Obi-Wan to go.

Red heads ROCK. Blondes do not rock. Nuff said.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/greencapt/hansolovsindy.jpg
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McDiarmind's only been in ESB for less than a year now.

Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabris, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam.

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"And now, I'm afraid... you will die."

That line was so badass, I think he's a great Emperor character. Definitely evil.
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Originally posted by: Han Solo VS Indiana Jones
I've always thought Ian McDiarmid wasn't that great as the Emperor. Occasionally creepy with a few well delivered lines, but not really commanding or terrifying. Even when I was a little kid I thought he was more annoying and effeminate than actually scary and evil; I never believed he could boss Vader around, even with the lightning bolts shooting out of his hands ala Gozer in "Ghostbusters" (or should that be the other way around?). I would have rather seen someone like Christopher Lee or Frank Langella in the role.

What do you all think?


Sorry dude, but...

Christopher Lee = Count Dooku.
Frank Langella = Skeletor.
Ian MacDiarmid = Emperor. (Except in ESB...I refuse to accept he's even in there. Orignal Emperor forever!)

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Christopher Lee would make a crap emperor, and I don't even think he was good as Dooku - Cheesy and pretentious. McDiarmid is a good emperor, although after seeing what a badass Anakin was as a young man, he does seem to be the Emperor'sbitch in Jedi and it doesn't really fit. But that's the dark side for ya - and the emperor knows how to use it to control even Vader. As for the new version of ESB, I can live with the addition of McDiamid to that movie, although what was with his makeup? It looked like a rubber mask.

War does not make one great.

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I know, that is pretty much the same getup that I have seen in EPIII promos as well(but In-film footage shows completely different makeup).
"I don't mind if you don't like my manners. I don't like them myself. They're pretty bad. I grieve over them during the long winter evenings."
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after seeing what a badass Anakin was as a young man


The young man version of Anakin, as played by Hayden Christensen, strikes me as being more of a whiny, sexually perverse cretin than an actual "badass", but hey, that's just me. Turning into Darth Vader actually seemed to be an improvement for him.
I'd like a qui-gon jinn please with an Obi-Wan to go.

Red heads ROCK. Blondes do not rock. Nuff said.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/greencapt/hansolovsindy.jpg
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The young man version of Anakin, as played by Hayden Christensen, strikes me as being more of a whiny, sexually perverse cretin than an actual "badass", but hey, that's just me. Turning into Darth Vader actually seemed to be an improvement for him.


Yeah, true. But as a fighter he's badass. Vader was kinda crap with a lightsaber. Young Anakin woulda whipped Luke's ass.

War does not make one great.

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Vader had no reason to use his blade for twenty years, so maybe he got rusty.

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Now THAT would be a good plot point for EpIII. The reason why they hid Luke and didn't worry how old he would be when he was ready is because they KNEW he could eventually best Vader simply based on his age and how recently he was trained.
I am fluent in over six million forms of procrastination.
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OK so maybe during all these years Vader should have trained, instead of just getting fat. So when Obi-Wan and Luke came, he would chopp their heads off with just one move.
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering
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Originally posted by: Yoda Is Your Father
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The young man version of Anakin, as played by Hayden Christensen, strikes me as being more of a whiny, sexually perverse cretin than an actual "badass", but hey, that's just me. Turning into Darth Vader actually seemed to be an improvement for him.


Yeah, true. But as a fighter he's badass. Vader was kinda crap with a lightsaber. Young Anakin woulda whipped Luke's ass.


So why did he just stand there and let Christopher Lee cut his arm off?

I'd like a qui-gon jinn please with an Obi-Wan to go.

Red heads ROCK. Blondes do not rock. Nuff said.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/greencapt/hansolovsindy.jpg
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Because Lucas just couldn't let Mara Jade's explanation of his mechanical hand stand.

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Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab
Because Lucas just couldn't let Mara Jade's explanation of his mechanical hand stand.


what was mara jades explanation?
Why Anakin really turned to the dark side:
"Anakin, You're father I am" - Yoda
"No. No. That's not true! That's impossible!" - Anakin

0100111001101001011011100110101001100001

*touchy people disclaimer*
some or all of the above comments are partially exaggerated to convey a point, none of the comments are meant as personal attacks on anyone mentioned or reference in the above post
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She said Palpatine cut it off for letting the first Death Star be destroyed.

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Originally posted by: ricarleite
OK so maybe during all these years Vader should have trained, instead of just getting fat. So when Obi-Wan and Luke came, he would chopp their heads off with just one move.
If you read the novelization of Shadows of the Empire (might be in the comics as well), there is a scene where Vader duels with a highly-modified ASP droid.
I recall this partly because they explain that Vader is testing his shoulder after the lightsaber hit he took from Luke at Bespin. Something about it still feeling sore, but that its much better than it was.

(Also, if you check the Essential Guide to Droids, it also mentions that Vader had a number of modified dueling droids...I don't recall the name of the droid model. He had several, but decided to start getting modified ASP droids instead. The dueling droids were expensive, and he was cutting through them too well.)
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Good against remotes is one thing; good against the living--that's a whole 'nother story.

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Exactly Darth Chaltab. Besides, these droids don't seem to be so good, as Vader had some trouble beating old Obi-Wan. I mean, I belive even I could beat Obi-Wan with him moving like that, giving his back to the enemy and reacting slowly...
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering
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Blame Lucas.

For some reason, he wanted them to act as though lightsabers were excessively heavy. How a blade made of freakin' ENERGY could be heavy, I have no idea.

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I think he was shooting for more of a Samurai-sword feel. At least thats what I read once...
Which is the more foolish, the fool (the OT) or the fool who follows (the PT)?

"Stay back, or Mr...Fett gets it!"