Reconsidering Star Wars IV

[yevaud]

I ran into this. Interesting...<br /><br /><b>A New Sith, or Revenge of the Hope<br />Reconsidering Star Wars IV in the light of I-III </b><br /><br /><i>If we accept all the Star Wars films as the same canon, then a lot that happens in the original films has to be reinterpreted in the light of the prequels. As we now know, the rebel Alliance was founded by Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Bail Organa. What can readily be deduced is that their first recruit, who soon became their top field agent, was R2-D2.<br /><br />Consider: at the end of RotS, Bail Organan orders 3PO's memory wiped but not R2's. He wouldn't make the distinction casually. Both droids know that Yoda and Obi-Wan are alive and are plotting sedition with the Senator from Alderaan. They know that Amidala survived long enough to have twins and could easily deduce where they went. However, R2 must make an impassioned speech to the effect that he is far more use to them with his mind intact: he has observed Palpatine and Anakin at close quarters for many years, knows much that is useful and is one of the galaxy's top experts at hacking into other people's systems. Also he can lie through his teeth with a straight face. Organa, in immediate need of espionage resources, agrees.<br /><br />For the next 20 years, as far as 3PO knows, he is the property of Captain Antilles, doing protocol duties on a diplomatic transport. He is vaguely aware of the existence of the princess but doesn't know much about her. Wherever 3PO goes, being as loud and obvious as he always is, his unobtrusive little counterpart goes with him. 3PO is R2's front man. Wherever they land, R2 is passing messages between rebel sympathisers and sizing up governments as potential rebel recruits - both by personal contact and by hacking into their networks. He passes his recommendations on to Organa.<br /><br />Yoda is out of the picture by this stage, using the Force-infused swamps of Dagobah to hide himself from Vader and the Emperor. Or something. He is medit</i> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[lsbd]

Ouch, make it stop, make it stop.<br /><br />"it's the brain pain, coach"

 

[yevaud]

Ah, I thought the Star Wars Nerds would be interested. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[willpittenger]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p><i>As we now know, the rebel Alliance was founded by Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Bail Organa.</i><p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />It was established in canon well before the prequels (by ~1991) that the founders included no Jedi. The actual list has been since <i>Dark Force Rising</i>: Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and # Garm Bel Iblis (the only member of the trio omitted from RotS). <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[PistolPete]

Wow, good link. Deffinatly makes me look at Episode IV in a whole new light. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em>So, again we are defeated. This victory belongs to the farmers, not us.</em></p><p><strong>-Kambei Shimada from the movie Seven Samurai</strong></p> </div>

 

[oker59]

a problem if not 'the' problem is that the prequils did not interpret well at all the originals! I think you can safelly say the prequils will be redone when Lucas is dead(not suggesting anything).

 

[lsbd]

One thing that always irked me was that in IV, Obiwan didn't recognize R2D2 and C3PO. I don't know what, if anything, they could have done/said at the end of episode III to explain or set that up...but he's a jedi master for pete's sake, he shoulda remembered them.

 

[SpeedFreek]

Well, he <i> said </i> "I don't seem to remember ever owning a droid." in reply to "He claims to be the property of an Obi-Wan Kenobi." and "Then the droid does belong to you."<br /><br />I bet the star wars geeks spend ages reading different interpretations into these words.<br /><br />(I know I did!) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000">_______________________________________________<br /></font><font size="2"><em>SpeedFreek</em></font> </p> </div>

 

[willpittenger]

I concur. Some viewers put the wrong meaning into those words. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[elguapoguano]

Yeah, I got that one too. From watching the prequels though, ObiWon always traveled with R4, not R2. <br /><br />The zinger for me was always the line from Leia in SW-ROTJ. That she remembered her mother but she died young. I mean, maybe she means her stepmother, but it sure wasn't implied that way. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#ff0000"><u><em>Don't let your sig line incite a gay thread ;>)</em></u></font> </div>

 

[lsbd]

quibble, quibble, quibble. It is obvious from Obiwan's reaction (regardless of the actual words he used) that he has no fraking clue who/what R2 and 3PO are. And given the interactions in I - III he should, even after 20 years.

 

[ordinary_guy]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>quibble, quibble, quibble. It is obvious from Obiwan's reaction (regardless of the actual words he used) that he has no fraking clue who/what R2 and 3PO are. And given the interactions in I - III he should, even after 20 years. <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />You could say that the reaction was just good tradecraft by Obi-wan, who would have no idea if it was the same R2 unit just by casual glance.<br /><br />...I think this is all good RetConning (tho I haven't read the article [yet]). Personally, I don't think Lucas had any of this in mind -- I think he was angling for an epic story, not operational details (though it's awfully fun to fill in these blanks). <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p style="font:normalnormalnormal12px/normalTimes;margin:0px"><strong>Mere precedent is a dangerous source of authority.</strong></p> <p style="font:normalnormalnormal12px/normalTimes;margin:0px">-Andrew Jackson (1767-1845)</p> </div>

 

[SpeedFreek]

Well yes, I agree that Obiwan reacts as if he's never seen the droids before. It seems obvious that Lucas made the little details up as he went along.<br /><br />But it is fun to fill in the blanks as you say.<br /><br />He has seen the droid with Luke Skywalker. If the droid belonged to anyone, it was Anakin, Lukes father. But he's not about to tell Luke <i> that </i> in case Luke later makes the connection between his father and Vader. And Obiwan needs Luke to defeat Vader.<br /><br />Supposedly, the whole story of Star Wars 1-6 was told by an ageling R2D2, years after the events. He was the only one that knew the truth.<br /><br />Ooops, I geeked myself! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000">_______________________________________________<br /></font><font size="2"><em>SpeedFreek</em></font> </p> </div>

 

[willpittenger]

Maybe she grew up thinking that <b>was</b> her real mom. However, I would have preferred the prequels accommodate the RotJ statement by having Padme survive a few more years -- hidden from Vader. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>