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Escape From Planet Tatooine

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If you don't have Tatooine in the prequels, how do you resolve it with the OT? Do you give any indication as to who Owen is or is he just random guy who shows up in OT?

If you do have Tatooine in the prequels, how do you make it interesting and relevant to the story you're telling?

OT quotes to tackle:

Obi-Wan: Uncle Owen "didn't hold with your father's ideals. Thought he should have stayed here and not gotten involved."

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Obi-Wan: Uncle Owen "feared you might follow old Obi-Wan on some damn fool idealistic crusade, like your father did."

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Aunt Beru: "Luke's just not a farmer, Owen. He has too much of his father in him."

Uncle Owen: That's what I'm afraid of.

The blue elephant in the room.

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 (Edited)

He's actually Anakin's step-brother in my novels. I don't want to get into too much detail, so that's all I'm saying.

 

"The other versions will disappear. Even the 35 million tapes of Star Wars out there won’t last more than 30 or 40 years. A hundred years from now, the only version of the movie that anyone will remember will be the DVD version [of the Special Edition], and you’ll be able to project it on a 20’ by 40’ screen with perfect quality. I think it’s the director’s prerogative, not the studio’s to go back and reinvent a movie." - George Lucas

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 (Edited)

In my conception Anakin is actually Beru's brother, with Owen as his brother in law (hence the two different last names). Anakin's goodbye with Owen is very tense, with Lars pointing out that he's walking away from his family to pursue some foolish quest with some crazy wizard. Beru has mixed feelings, understanding why Anakin wants to leave, but thinking he'll be safer on Tatooine. While perhaps not said literally, Owen makes it clear that he's in no hurry to see him again. (Leaving his family haunts Anakin later.)

Tatooine is featured well here, and is actually presented as one of the few outer rim planets looking at getting some development before the resource rationing and trade difficulties of the Clone Wars killed any chance of economic growth. Throw in the Empire's complete neglect of the planet for 20 years and you could probably have a pretty different picture of something like Anchorhead and Mos Eisley in the first prequel in comparison to A New Hope.

You could probably in a sense present three variations of the Tatooine: the one with burgeoning development and some planetary authority in the first prequel, one with abandoned buildings and decay in the meeting between Owen/Obi Wan, and finally the craphole we see in a New Hope. Not only does this demonstrate the effects of the war, it also gives characterization to Owen, illustrating him as a guy who not only had his brother in law walk away, but also watched as his promising life got completely ruined by a war and a conflict he had nothing to do with. But with all the work they've put into it, he and Beru can't really leave. 

Not hard to imagine how bitter a man could get in that scenario, especially if Anakin had stayed, then perhaps they could have salvaged something more out of it. Hence when Obi-Wan shows up at the end of the third film, Owen is still angry that Kenobi took his brother in law away, but Beru does convince him that looking after Luke is what's best. With this history in mind it demonstrates why he's reluctant to let Luke leave, and why he tells Kenobi that he'll never see Luke again and take him away like he did Anakin. It doesn't just extend to his fears of him turning into his father, but also at losing another member of his family when Owen is maybe just now finally gotten the farm to a reasonable success after such a long time. 

So overall, I think given that Tatooine's the only location that would appear in both series, I do think, there's enough there to really do something with and not just present the exact same planet.

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 (Edited)

    Very interesting idea.

    Watching the deterioration from war could go a long way towards explaining Ani's turn.

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In my concept of the prequels, Anakin's name is in fact Anakin Lars. He left his familly at a young age and fled to Alderaan to become a pilot. He claimed to be an orphan because he was ashamed of his farming family. His abilities as a pilot soon earned him surname Skywalker.

Only after he looses Anakin, Obi-Wan discovers his family on Tatooine. He later places young Luke into their custody, because he feels that's where he belongs.

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Okay, so, I'm pretty sure I will start with Obi Wan crashing onto Tatooine one way or another. He will have been pursuing an enemy across the galaxy, maybe an assassin targeting Sen. Organa, who opposes the creation of a military. After he is shot down he will then encounter a series of challenges. He will encounter some while in the dessert at night with only moonlight (some great visuals possible here). Once he stumbles into Mos Eisely at daybreak his luck doesn't improve and we find out exactly why he thinkgs Mos Eisely is such a hive of scum and villainy.

Though I must admit, I kind of like this idea of it being quite a pleasant and developing city so that when Obi Wan calls it scummy later on, we're like "huh?!" and then we see why.

Anyhow, he is found by Anakin. Obi Wan senses his strength with the Force and convinces Anakin to help him get back to Alderaan.

They spend the night at Owen and Anakin's farm. Owen is annoyed by this stranger putting ideas into Anakin's head. More controversially (at least in my mind) is having Owen accompany them to try to keep Anakin out of trouble. (What do you all think, should Owen get off the farm?) Owen doesn't mind staying longer on Alderaan after he meets Beru Whitesun. And Anakin becomes equally smitten with...her sister.

The blue elephant in the room.

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 (Edited)

EyeShotFirst said:

He's actually Anakin's step-brother in my novels. I don't want to get into too much detail, so that's all I'm saying.

Wait, are you George Lucas IRL?