logo Sign In

MeBeJedi

User Group
Members
Join date
10-Mar-2003
Last activity
10-Feb-2025
Posts
4,879

Post History

Post
#106850
Topic
My review of Episode III (minor, minor spoilers)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106850/action/topic#106850
Time
Neither. Here's his bio from the OS. Notice anything missing?

Quote
Ki-Adi-Mundi was an alien representative who sat on the Jedi Council. A humanoid being, Ki's most distinguishing physical feature was an enlarged conical cranium that contained a binary brain.

When Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn reported a Sith attack during the events surrounding the Battle of Naboo, Ki-Adi-Mundi expressed shock at the notion. "Impossible," he remarked, "the Sith have been extinct for a millennium."

For its failure to detect the Sith menace in time, the Jedi first suffered the loss of one its greatest masters, Qui-Gon Jinn. Ki-Adi-Mundi voyaged to Naboo to attend Jinn's somber funeral, and was also present at the jubilant celebration that marked the liberation of Naboo.

A decade later, Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi continued to serve on the Council. He was present during one of the gravest crises ever to face the Jedi order: the Separatist movement that threatened to split the Republic. Like most in the order, Ki-Adi-Mundi refused to believe that the movement's architect, former Jedi Count Dooku, was behind its more violent actions. As a political idealist trained in Jedi philosophies, such acts would be beneath Dooku, Ki-Adi-Mundi reasoned.

Ki-Adi-Mundi was not the only Jedi to be mistaken about Dooku's limits. The former Jedi oversaw the scheduled execution of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and Senator Padmé Amidala. The sudden arrival of a Jedi taskforce -- including Ki-Adi-Mundi -- rescued the three captives. Ki-Adi-Mundi and several of his fellow Jedi Council members did battle with Geonosian and Separatist droid forces. While the Jedi were prepared to handle the Geonosians, they were surprised by the immensity of the Separatist droid army. Many Jedi died that day, though Ki-Adi-Mundi was one of the survivors.

When Republic reinforcements arrived, Ki-Adi-Mundi hopped aboard a Republic gunship, and later led units of clone troopers into the thick of combat. The war-scorched flats of Geonosis became the first battleground of the devastating Clone Wars.OS


It's not under EU or BTS either.
Post
#106830
Topic
Episode 3 was disappointing on many levels...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106830/action/topic#106830
Time
Okay, my honest opinion.

I thought the first half-hour was pretty dumb. Flat acting, video game action, mundane dialogue. I kept snickering and rolling my eyes (especially at all the droid comments. Dumb, dumb, dumb.) For the most part, most of the antics reminded me of various Keystone Kop scenarios. Overall, it was a real waste of time that could have been better spent developing the later scenes.

However, after Obi-wan's duel with Grevious, it seemed to me like the pacing changed. The cinematography improved, the acting got real, and everything just started....flowing (no pun intended.) I found myself riveted with what was going to happen next (despite my astounding spoiler knowledge.) Hell, I didn't even mind the time code.

For the most part, this section is what Star Wars was, is, and should be. I'm sure that if I went back and watched a few more times, I could pick it apart, but I have to say I really enjoyed watching the latter part of ROTS, despite my worst fears.

A few blemishes:

1) Anakin's turn. Too fast. No real emotion there.
2) Anakin and Obi-wan surfing the lava. WTF!?! That was so bad.
3) Padme dying of a broken heart. Weak.
4) Darth Vader's "Noooooo". Embarassing.

Other than that, I would definitely rewatch this (at least, the later part. I'll have to fast forward a bit, much as I do ROTJ. ANH and ESB I can watch end-to-end every day of the week.). The action actually went with the story, instead of becoming the story. I felt my chest heaving a little towards the end, and could definitely see where some people would get choked up. The music really started building up and carrying the movie, and I loved Palpatine. The duel between Palps and Yoda was much, much better (Palp's attitude certainly helped...LOL!)

And I loved the ending. I knew it would have to iris on Luke, since he is the "New Hope". That being said, I never got the impression that Obi-wan and Yoda considered Luke to be any kind of threat against Anakin, or any benefit to the Prophecy. (And what was up with Yoda saying he had to go into exile? What prompted that?)

Two things I would have loved to have seen:

1) Yoda and Dagobah in any way, shape or form.
2) Everyone say it with me: QUI-GON! What the F*** was Lucas thinking, cutting him out?!? (If you want to know my feelings on this, you can read it here. I don't really want to have to retype it all.)

Anyways, 75% of ROTS was fun and exciting and emotional, which is far more than I can say for TPM and AOTC combined. Not a bad way to end the middle, George.

At some point, however, I will have to take my 3-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son to "see" it in a theater, just for the sake of saying they saw a Star Wars film in the theater. (AOTC is the only film that I didn't see in the theater.) Although I don't remember watching ANH (I was 7), I do remember waiting in line for ESB, and the thrill of the speeder bikes and tunnel chase in ROTJ, and I'd like them to be able to say they were "there" for the last SW film.

And say what you want about taking my 1-year-old son, but my mom "insists" that I visited the Grand Canyon because she was pregant with me at the time.

[EDIT] Another way I knew I was enjoying the rest of ROTS - those damn transitions didn't seem so annoying. LOL!
Post
#106810
Topic
My review of Episode III (minor, minor spoilers)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106810/action/topic#106810
Time
"Lucas should have built the prequels around the books and the original trilogy instead of tryibng to rape the original in favor of the prequels."

As I watch ROTS, I recall a Prequel point that Lucas rewrote for the Prequels. In ROTS, Anakin said that there's never been a Jedi on the Council who was not a Jedi Master. In TPM, the background for Ki-Adi Mundi was that he was one of the few Jedi who was not a master, and yet served on the Council. Obviously, that little factoid had to be rewritten for Anakin's line to be true.
Post
#106806
Topic
ROTS: The Child Birth Scene and Sidious Motives? <em>SPOILERS</em>
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106806/action/topic#106806
Time
" Wouldn't that make you depsise the dark side that much more? If accepting the dark side of the force allowed his anger to swell so much that he killed the love of his life, why would he continue down that path? Did the dark side cloud his mind that much that he didn't realize what he was doing?"

Agreed, but consider this: At that point, the Dark Side was all he had left. If he didn't stay with Palpatine, who is now controlling the galaxy, where is he to go? He's lost all of his family and friends.

Still, Anakin's turn is weak in ROTS.
Post
#106805
Topic
The Liam Neeson Mystery (spoilers within but questions answered)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106805/action/topic#106805
Time
"They were more plot-orientated and more setting up of Coruscant, more setting up of the war and kind of understanding where all the politics were."

Keeping this comment in mind, let's take a look in the "Way Back" machine:
Quote
"The first Trilogy will not be as much of an action adventure kind of thing. Maybe we'll make it have some humor, but right now it's much more humorless than this one...a little more Machiavellian - it's all plotting - more of a mystery." - STARLOG Magazine #48, July 1982
"The prequels will be altogether different in look and tone from the existing trilogy. They will be more melodramatic, showing the political intrigue and Machiavellian plotting that led to the downfall of the once-noble Republic. They will have only enough outward action to keep the plot moving. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader will be seen as younger men, while Luke Skywalker may make a brief appearance as a baby in Episode III." - Lucas, 1983


Oh, you can cut the irony with a knife....

[Yoda] "That...is why you fail" [/Yoda]
Post
#106802
Topic
My review of Episode III (minor, minor spoilers)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106802/action/topic#106802
Time
"How did the Jedi allow the Dark Side to cloud their vision or weaken their powers"

"Allow"? Where do you get that reasoning from? The Jedi had no idea how it was happening.

"you darn sure better do everything you can to find out if it is the wiring, the bulb or the batteries and fix the problem."

Where did you want them to look? They went to Naboo. They went to Kamino. They went to Geonosis. They went everywhere they could to find the answers they needed, and yet you still say they did nothing.

Explain what the right thing would have been?

"I am sure it wasn't just one day the Jedi were weak. They had to have known their was a problem, and in knowing that, if they had taken the time to look, I would have to believe even in the early stages they would have had the power to sense the Sith just down the street."

It's apparently been going on for some time, and your knowledge of the use of the Force to sense the Sith is based on what? Palpatine didn't sense Luke at Endor, remember?

Furthermore,
Quote
"The dark side, for all its power, is ultimately hard to detect when required. A shadowy master like Darth Sidious was able to keep his presence a secret, even when sharing a world with the Jedi." - OS: The Sith

Again, Force use isn't perfect for Jedi or Sith, and your reasoning of what can be done with the Force doesn't jive with the films or official sources. You can't make the Force something it isn't, and then blame the Jedi for not using it as such.

"So why allow for the possibilty of exclusion when it comes to Anakin? Why create an situation that could create an enemy out of a friend. As far as the war went, he was their equal, he lead excursions equaling that of any member of the council. He had every reason to be on that council as much as anyone, yet they treated him as if they were above him. Was he dangerous? Yes, but if they had not made him feel as such an outsider of what truly was going on, he would have not felt deceieved and his fate may have been different."

And how were they to know that this would make him fall to the Sith and come back to destroy them? You expect the Jedi to be aware of consequences that you and I have known of since 1977. How fair is that? I think you are trying a little too hard to make your "arrogance" argument stick in this regard. Let's not forget how much Palpatine encouraged Anakin's own arrogance. Take Palps out of the picture, and Anakin would not have wiped out the Jedi (or, as some people appear to believe, he would never have been born. )

For the record, I thought taking Qui-gon out of ROTS was a stupid idea as well.
Post
#106800
Topic
My review of Episode III (minor, minor spoilers)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106800/action/topic#106800
Time
Interesting...when Palpatine mentions Anakin's attack on the Tuskens, there's a Tusken yell in the background. Nice!

"-I didn't hear a Screaming Wilhelm...did anyone else?"

"Yes, there was one. I can't remember the scene. I just remember hearing it and thinking, "ah, there's our boy, Willie!"

After Anakin tries to get Obi-wan off the ground, and tells Palps "His fate will be the same as ours". Grievous tells "All batteries fire". During this gunfire, a gun explodes and you hear the Wilhelm.
Post
#106799
Topic
My review of Episode III (minor, minor spoilers)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106799/action/topic#106799
Time
Force dreams are a creation of the prequels and are therefore bullshit.

Did you forget Luke's vision of Bespin? Did you forget that he sensed something "familiar" about Dagobah?

"Geore Lucas originally used the books as canon, ROTJ and Empire even refer to the books occasionally (Battle of Tanab, etc). They were canon originally, so they should have been canon today."

Lucas has always stated that the films are the highest canon, and supercede everything else. Any information in the books that isn't contradicted by the films is considered canon.

Two things to understand:

1) LFL recognizes several levels of canon, films being the highest.

2) Lucas doesn't really care about these rules a whole lot to begin with. He is more than welcome to pick and choose what he wants from EU to put in the films.

"Lucas should have built the prequels around the books and the original trilogy instead of tryibng to rape the original in favor of the prequels."

In this, I would agree with you.

"I haven't watched TPM lately, but doesn't Palp only order the invasion after being informed about the Jedi? Doesn't he say this move is unexpected, or something?"

Yes, but again, if the Jedi are there, why does he do something illegal? He obviously had the armies ready to go anyways. If anything, they just bumped up his plans.

"Could Palp have done all this without the Jedi involvement? Probably. But they made it alot easier, whether it be through actions of arrogance or being naive, whichever you prefer."

But Force use to that extent leads to the Dark Side. There's quite a few comments about that in the novels.

Quote
"Deep in his meditations, peering through the Dark Side, Master Yoda felt a sudden surge of anger, or outrage beyond control. The diminutive Master's eyes popped wide open at the overwhelming strength of that rage.

And then he heard a voice, a familiar voice, crying, "No, Anakin! Don't! No!"

It was Qui-gon. Yoda knew that it was Qui-gon. But Qui-gon was dead, had become one with the Force! One could not retain conciousness and sense of self in that state; one could not speak from beyond the grave.

But Yoda had heard the ghostly call, and in his deep meditative state, his thoughts focused precisely as they had ever been, the Jedi Master knew that he had not been mistaken. Anakin, too, had heard the voice of Qui-gon, imploring him to restrain himself, to deny the rage. He hadn't recognized it, though, for he wa too full of pain and anger." - AOTC novelization.

"To be a Jedi, Luke, you must confront and then go beyond the dark side-the side your father couldn't get past. Impatience is the easiest door-for you, like your father. Only, your father was seduced by what he found on the other side of the door, and you have held firm. You're no longer so reckless now, Luke. You are strong and patient. And you are ready for your final confrontation." - ROTJ novelization


"I expect alittle more foresight out of my Jedi, don't you?"

But foresight through the Force isn't perfect, even for Palpatine. The films make this clear. This doesn't even touch on the fact that the Jedi couldn't use the Force as well as they would have liked, because the Dark Side was clouding them. They'd lost their most crucial tool, and yet they are still supposed to do everything right? If the batteries in your flashlight were dying, who is to be blamed if you can't see where you are going, or make a bad decision about which direction to take?

Quote
The Emperor raised his head a degree, scanning all the possible futures. "Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen."

He, like Vader, had plans of his own-plans of spiritual violation, the manipulation of lives and destinies. He chuckled to himself, savoring the nearness of his conquest: the final seduction of the young Skywalker.

"He will come to me?" Vader asked skeptically. This was not what he felt. He felt drawn.

"Of his own free will," the Emperor assured him. It must be of his own free will, else all was lost. A spirit could not be coerced into corruption, it had to be seduced. It had to participate actively. It had to crave. Luke Skywalker knew these things, and still he circled the black fire, like a cat. Destinies could never be read with absolute certainty-but Skywalker would come, that was clear. "I have foreseen it. His compassion for you will be his undoing." Compassion had always been the weak belly of the Jedi, and forever would be. It was the ultimate vulnerability. The Emperor had none. "The boy will come to you, and you will then bring him before me." - ROTJ novelization


Sorry, but it's nowhere near as cut-and-dried as you make it out to be. The Sith deliberately turn people to fulfill their own will, sometimes through promises of power or goodness.
Post
#106796
Topic
My review of Episode III (minor, minor spoilers)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106796/action/topic#106796
Time
Back already. This film is not holding my attention very well.

"Return of THe Jedi AND the books clearly state that Leia's real mother was alive with her on alderan"

The novelizations are trumped by the films in many ways, such as Obi-wan being Owen Lars brother, and Vader deliberately planning on Palpatine being distracted by Luke.

Specifically, the novelization states:

Quote
He looked down at their intertwined fingers. "Leia…do you remember your mother? Your real mother?"

The question took her totally by surprise. She'd always felt so close to her adopted parents, it was as if they were her real parents. She almost never thought of her real mother-that was like a dream.

Yet now Luke's question made her start. Flashes from her infancy assaulted her-distorted visions of running…a beautiful woman…hiding in a trunk. The fragments suddenly threatened to flood her with emotion.

"Yes," she said, pausing to regain her composure. "Just a little bit. She died when I was very young."
"What do you remember?" he pressed. "Tell me."

"Just feelings, really…images." She wanted to let it slide, it was so out of the blue, so far from her immediate concerns…but somehow so loud inside, all of a sudden.
"Tell me," Luke repeated.

She felt surprised by his insistence, but decided to follow him with it, at least for the time being. She trusted him, even when he frightened her. "She was very beautiful," Leia remembered aloud. "Gentle and kind-but sad." She looked deeply into his eyes, seeking his intentions. "Why are you asking me this?"


Nothing here that has to be on Alderaan, and nothing that can't be a Force dream - something that Anakin had quite a few of, and Leia, being Force strong, would have them as well. As far as the film goes, Leia only states the last part.

Lucas has never been beholden to the books, so to say this is a contradiction doesn't hold up.
Post
#106784
Topic
My review of Episode III (minor, minor spoilers)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106784/action/topic#106784
Time
Wow, you guys responded quickly.

"The Jedi allow a blockade and an attempt on Padme's life to escalate into a full scale war."

Uhm, this was a senate decision, hence the reason for Padme talking to the SENATE.

"The Trade Federation's blockade was legal, their invasion was not."

[Palpatine] "I will make it legal" [/Palpatine]

"However, could it not be said that the Jedi's involvement caused Palp to order the invasion on the planet below?"

Are you saying he wouldn't have invaded on his own? Would you explain how the Jedi's appearance forced Palps to do this?

"Qui Gon goes into the negotiations with a large enough ego to believe the negotations would be short."

Because the Neimodians are weak-willed. Qui-gon thought they were behind this. Again, you fault the Jedi for acting in the face of information that they did not have, but you did. Does anybody know everything about every decision they make? No one is perfect in these films or in real life, yet you blame them for being human.

"Like I said, maybe she just doesn't want to admit it."

This is more an aspect of your own thinking, rather than the direction that the film is clearly going in. Don't blame Lucas for this.
Post
#106776
Topic
My review of Episode III (minor, minor spoilers)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106776/action/topic#106776
Time
"but it's not really debunked in the films themselves."

Quote
"SHMI : There was no father, that I know of...I carried him, I gave him birth...I can't explain what happened. Can you help him? "


Let's be clear on this. Your speculation is debunked by the film, a canon source. You simply choose to not believe it. There's a difference.

[EDIT]

Well, enough of this "petty" argument. I'm going to watch ROTS now.
Post
#106768
Topic
My review of Episode III (minor, minor spoilers)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106768/action/topic#106768
Time
"I mean, how could they justify allowing him to stay in power, even if it was the will of the people? "

How could they prove otherwise?

"Palpatine did not appear over night. He was obviously a Senator long enough to get himself rooted in the Senate to get voted into high office. Thus, he was not but a few miles from the Jedi temple. Yet the Jedi could not concern themselves with detecting a Sith Lord just down the street?"

You presume they knew he was the Sith Master that whole time. Again, even if they did, who would believe them? To the rest of the Republic, he was their savior. What, exactly, did Palps do in front of the Jedi that would make them believe he was the Sith Master, to justify their actions against him?

"When you believe your the best, you don't concern yourself with what your competition may be doing. See: Yankees v Red Sox. That's called arrogance."

They were very concerned - they simply didn't know where the root of the problem was. Palps was always two steps ahead, and who, in their right mind, would seriously expect Palpatine to be the Sith Master? He didn't even show any Force use, and couldn't be sensed. What you know to be going on in the films, is quite different from what the Jedi know in the films.

"I have always been confused about this part.....but doesn't a Jedi order the creation of the Army?

Apparently, according to "Labyrinth of Evil", Sifo Dyas ordered the army because he was worried about something happening to the Republic (I've not read the book, so I don't know the specifics.) Not only was his plan designed to protect the Republic (i.e. a good thing), but the rest of the Jedi didn't even know about it (i.e. naivety.) In fact, had Dooku and Sidious not found out about the clones, then the clones would be protecting the Republic by TPM. In this case, a Jedi is doing something good that was subverted by the Sith, and yet you blame the Jedi. Furthermore, Mace and Yoda apparently believe that the clones were ordered by a Jedi (as stated by "Labyrinth of Evil") and they subsequently use those clones - who clearly aide the Jedi right off the bat - at a time when they are most needed. Even the Kaminoans believed this was for the greater good.

"Even at that, Obi-Wan and Yoda bring the army to light, and help militarize the Republic. "

So, by "stepping back and seeing what side of the battle" they are on, you mean just wait for the Separatists to invade the Republic, with a perfectly good and biologically obedient army just standing by?

Everyone thought they were doing the right thing. Nobody knew that Palps was orchestrating such a grand scheme, and yet you are laying a tremendous amount of blame on them. In fact, you accuse them of doing nothing, and yet criticize everything they do. Exactly how successful do you expect yourself to be against a person who can forsee the future and use powers of the Force against you?
Post
#106761
Topic
My review of Episode III (minor, minor spoilers)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106761/action/topic#106761
Time
"She did circumvent the political process, and instead of allowing the Jedi to suggest remedies to the problem on her planet, she usarped the sitting Chancellor and allowed Palaptine to take control for her own greedy purposes."

First of all, she followed the political process. It was the rest of the Senate that voted Palps into office.

Secondly, how is trying to protect her entire planet "greedy"? Keep in mind, also, that she originally wanted to stay, and Qui-gon, the "Jedi", wanted her to go to Coruscant. She followed their bidding.

"The Jedi help him create his clone army"

Eh?

"the Jedi help him fight a war that destroys much of the galaxy that would be able to combat his Empire."

Interesting, because I think they were under the impression that they were protecting the Republic from the Separatists. Wouldn't that be naivety as well?
Post
#106757
Topic
My review of Episode III (minor, minor spoilers)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106757/action/topic#106757
Time
'Menace' opening blasts record:[FINAL Edition]Andy Seiler. USA Today. Arlington: May 21, 1999. pg. 01.E
Abstract (Article Summary)As was widely expected, Episode I: The Phantom Menace had a record-breaking opening day, pulling in an estimated $28.5 million, 20th Century Fox says. The Star Wars prequel beat record-holder The Lost World: Jurassic Park, which made $21.6 million its first day out. That puts Menace on track to break the opening weekend record, says movie analyst Jeffrey Logsdon of the Seidler Cos. The projected five-day take ranges from $120 million to $150 million. The record: The Lost World's $90.2 million in 1997. The Star Wars prequel opened at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday in 2,970 sites and is playing to full houses everywhere, Logsdon notes. "Star Wars is an embedded, built-in franchise, and it has the presale of tickets," says Logsdon, adding that word-of-mouth is more positive than anticipated. "This movie is going to play throughout the summer."
Full Text (544 words)Copyright USA Today Information Network May 21, 1999 Weekend As was widely expected, Episode I: The Phantom Menace had a record-breaking opening day, pulling in an estimated $28.5 million, 20th Century Fox says. The Star Wars prequel beat record-holder The Lost World: Jurassic Park, which made $21.6 million its first day out. That puts Menace on track to break the opening weekend record, says movie analyst Jeffrey Logsdon of the Seidler Cos. The projected five-day take ranges from $120 million to $150 million. The record: The Lost World's $90.2 million in 1997. The Star Wars prequel opened at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday in 2,970 sites and is playing to full houses everywhere, Logsdon notes. "Star Wars is an embedded, built-in franchise, and it has the presale of tickets," says Logsdon, adding that word-of-mouth is more positive than anticipated. "This movie is going to play throughout the summer." Veteran media analyst Harold Vogel isn't so sure. "The real test of it will be in the second and third weeks. It's too early to know whether there are enough people interested in seeing it four times or more." But wait -- there's more! But stop

counting box office. Start counting the days to Episode II! There are just 1,199 to go until its 2002 opening. "It takes me three years to do one of these," says creator George Lucas, now writing the fifth Star Wars movie. He wishes he had four years. "But the actors get older, and I'm in a delicate situation. I'd just as soon get this all finished, locked in and safe." Lucas reveals these details (if you'd rather stay in the dark, read no further): * Episode II is set 10 years after Menace. This means that Natalie Portman will return as Queen Amidala but that Jake Lloyd will be too young to play Anakin. "Obviously, we have to get a 20-year-old hunk to play him," Lucas says. * The Empire will strike -- big time. "Darth Sidious takes over the Republic, turns it into an empire and controls everything," Lucas says. "Ultimately, everybody in The Phantom Menace is a pawn. Nothing is real." * Lucas will direct because no other director knows so much about the digital technology. "I figured it was harder for me to explain it to somebody than to do it myself." Proof, '90s-style, that the hype for the final two films has begun: There already are Web sites devoted to them. Last month, Internet entrepreneur Chris Sherman started www.episodeII.com. "I wanted to get in on the ground floor." Other sites include www.cinescape.com and starwars.talkcity.com. Some tidbits: * Pre-production on Episode II has begun. Producer Rick McCallum tells Talk City that there have been two conceptual art department meetings and that he has seen "awesome" costume and vehicle designs. McCallum and production designer Gavin Bocquet leave shortly to scout locations. * The next one will be romantic. Lucas calls it a love story, and, according to Cinescape, it will be balanced with the background story of the Sith's relentless drive to take over the galaxy. * Background characters will come to the fore. Samuel L. Jackson and Ewan McGregor will play much larger roles. New characters will be cast toward the end of 1999. [Illustration] PHOTO, Color, Lucasfilm, Ltd.; Caption: Portman: Expected to be back in 'Episode II'

Subjects:Author(s):Andy SeilerArticle types:NewsSection:LIFEPublication title:USA Today. Arlington: May 21, 1999. pg. 01.ESource Type:NewspaperISSN/ISBN:07347456ProQuest document ID:41776940Text Word Count544

USA Today
Post
#106751
Topic
My review of Episode III (minor, minor spoilers)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/106751/action/topic#106751
Time
"Personally, I take the whole "virgin birth" thing as Shmi not willing to admit, or even blocking out, that she was raped. She's a slave, been one most of her life, it seems probable to me. I usuallly leave it at that and not really think about it. "

First of all, when has rape ever been part of an SW film? We are talking about the conception of a main character here. Do you realize the ramifications of this?

Secondly:

Quote
A loving, soft-spoken woman, Shmi Skywalker was determined to provide a better future for her only son, Anakin, than their lives as slaves could possibly offer. She knew her son was special -- despite their hardship, Anakin was selfless, kind and gifted. His birth was extraordinary -- there was no father. Some have speculated that it was the will of the Force that created Anakin in Shmi's womb. This would suggest that Anakin is the one spoken of in an ancient Jedi prophecy -- the Chosen One who will bring balance to the Force. - OS Databank: Shmi Skywalker


Not only does that kind of speculation completely outside the scope of the films, but it is not supported in any way, shape, or form. To be honest, it's the kind of reasoning that was prevelant on TFn, and a major reason why I left those boards.

"can't we suspend belief enough that Skywalker was merely born without a father? "

Despite the fact that he eventually fulfilled all the other aspects of the prophecy? Despite this fact, this one aspect is supposed to be left out? That makes no sense either.

"Their arrogance had blinded them to the truth of the true power of the Sith and they had stood idly by, even aiding Palp in creating his Empire."

Was Padme arrogant in TPM, when she helped make him a Senator? Was Jar Jar arrogant when he asked for Palps to be granted emergency powers?

Quote
"Darth Sidious takes over the Republic, turns it into an empire and controls everything," Lucas says. "Ultimately, everybody in The Phantom Menace is a pawn. Nothing is real."