OldBoy

i don't think it was in the title, but i think it was always in the opening scroll which is what i was referring to.

OldBoy

he thought of all this even back in 1975-76 because i thought the 1-3 trilogy was more of a recent revelation for him?

milo bloom

It's debatable, but I believe he had a good idea of how the basic story would unfold. If you read through some of the old unused drafts, there's major bits of plot points here and there that get combined and separted over each draft.

Artman

I think Lucas (and Kasdan?) came up with the nine-part saga after the success of 'Star Wars'. It was then shortened to six while writing the script for Jedi. (probably because he didn't want to do more, and neither did certain cast and crew) The thing that really gets me is that even 16 yrs later, he still didn't have enough new material for 1-3. They don't stand on their own, and the most enjoyable aspects were based on the nostalgia from the OT.

redcon1

From what I recall, it wasn't part of the original title, but was always in the scoll. I remember people being confused at the time wondering why it said Part IV, but as Milo mentioned, Lucas added it to give it that old-time serial feel.
I also agree with Deputy Dave that Lucas winged most of it. He may have had an outline for more stories(not necessaily tied together) and even Darth Vader's character, similar to when an actor invents a fictional background for the part they're going to play in a film or stage show, so they can better understand their character's motivation and actions.
When ANH became so popular and a sequel was inevitable, he fleshed out these outlines and fortunately, they worked in the original trilogy, but in Parts 1-3, not so much.

milo bloom

The IV was not part of the original scroll. If you'll recall a year or two back when Lucas released the "original" versions on DVD (basically dumping a laserdisc transfer on a disc), one of the selling points was the scroll without the Episode IV in it.

And there was plenty of story for a prequel trilogy, it just needed to be fleshed out by a better screenwriter. There was enough material for Genndy Tartovsky's Clone Wars, and there's even more material for the Clone Wars series in the works.

redcon1

But it still had the subtitle "A New Hope", in the scroll, didn't it?
I know people at the time were getting confused as to why he had to specify the name of this particular "part" of the story.

milo bloom

I don't think so, and Wookiepedia agrees:

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Opening_crawl


When originally released in 1977, the first film was simply titled Star Wars, as Lucas was not certain if he would follow the film with a sequel. Following The Empire Strikes Back, the film was re-released in 1981 with the subtitle 'Episode IV: A New Hope'. The original version, without the subtitle, was not released until the 2006 limited edition DVDs. The opening crawl was re-created to not include the now familiar subtitle specially for the 2006 DVD.

OldBoy

ahhh. much clearer. thanks milo.

rennervision

So what exactly was the original plan to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt before things got messed up with the Rancor, the Sarlacc, etc.? As best I can figure it, the plan goes like this:

Plan A - Lando applies for employment with Jabba and interviews for the position of Palace Guard. Should he get hired, proceed to Plan B.

Plan B - R2-D2 and C-3PO are sent to Jabba to play a message from Luke. In the message, Luke offers the droids to Jabba as a peace offering. Plan C soon follows.

Plan C - Leia, disguised as a bounty hunter, comes in with Chewbacca who is pretending to be captured by her. Just for laughs, she threatens to blow herself up with a thermal detonator unless Jabba agrees to pay a higher bounty. Later, she unthaws Han, then the two of them sneak out, leaving Chewie to rot inside a prison cell. Proceed to Plan D.

Plan D - Lando leaves Chewie’s cell door unlocked so he can escape.

Plan E - R2-D2 happily serves drinks on Jabba’s sail barge. Inside his domed head, a lightsaber is safely tucked away. Did Plans C and D go horrendously bad? If so, see Plan F below.

Plan F - Luke will eventually make a mysterious appearance and, at some point, give Artoo a nod which is the signal to “Get ready and jettison that lightsaber out to me.” He will then wipe out all of Jabba’s guards except for the guy answering to “Lando.”

Plan G – If Plan F (see above) is not required, R2-D2 happily serves drinks on Jabba’s sail barge. Meanwhile, C-3PO faces the indignity of being Jabba’s interpreter until his new master disintegrates him. At some point, Lando calls in sick and never comes back to work.

Geddlo

I don't actully think the manifestation could have hurt Luke, though.

Artman

And did you happen to see the latest preview for the Clone Wars movie? It involves rescuing Jabba the Hutt's son (seriously). See what I mean?

FrankButlar

What bothered me after the release of episode III was the apparent difference in power of Vader from III to IV, i mean he's supposeldy so strong and it's evident in the last while of the movie, so what happened in episode Iv, why is he suboridinate to an officer, why can he only choke people.

It's disappointing to say the least.

JTH182

I think the reason is because he's "more machine than man now." He's lost much of his body, thus losing a lot of midichlorians.

Vader is no longer as powerful as a 40-something half droid as he was as a young 20's badass Jedi/Sith.

stingermck

I'd say thats close.

1. Lando was there to scout to make sure Han was there.
2. The droids tried the peaceful route, playing Luke's message, offering money, etc.
3. Now an escape is needed, so Chewie is sent in as extra muscle, with Leia.

I figure by this time, the team has an agreement that if they are not out by a certain time, thats Luke's cue that something is wrong and its his turn to go in. Knowing he would be checked for weapons, R2 has his saber.

I think he was planning on getting captured, to be close to Han and Chewie. Thats why he grabbed a blaster against Jabba, that had no chance of working, but can get him captured.

The X factor being the Rancor. After that, Luke still knew he has the saber available and the element of surprise, and then kicks everyones ass.

milo bloom

Eh, that doesn't bother me so much. As mentioned by others, the Hutt's are a powerful family in organized crime and, likely, politics. Besides, it's only one sub-plot, and the series is supposed to go for 100 episodes


The rescue plan from Jabba's palace in ROTJ? I admit that even I'm stumped on this one. In the novel, Luke tells Han as they are on the way to the Sarlacc that he wanted everyone out of the palace because it was too well guarded. The only thing I can offer is that the six months between TESB and ROTJ really gave Luke a lot of time to deepen his knowledge of the Force and maybe he was able to get glimpses of the future and plan accordingly. Lucas' fatigue as a writer is starting to show at this point, but is a firecracker of a battle.

The cave on Degobah is less clear, but at the same time more obvious. Luke was progressing quickly, but Yoda knew he wouldn't have a lot of time to give him real-life experiences, and he needed a quick and hard, but non-lethal lesson. Going back to the novel, Yoda calls it a "servant of evil". After beheading the Luke/Vader, Luke wonders if there's some "even darker meaning behind the unsettling vision".

So it could have been a natural focus point for the dark side, or Yoda killed a dark Jedi there during his exile.

The "how" of that scene is really not as important as the "why" of that scene.

rennervision

Wouldn't it have been cool if the prequels actually explained stuff like the tree on Dagobah, or why Luke thought the planet seemed so familiar? Instead, we get revelations like the one in episode III that Palpatine was really (gasp!) the Sith Master!

PopcornTreeCt

Why did Lucas kill off the two best characters from the prequels in the first movie? I can understand why Qui-Gon had to die but Obi-Wan was just boring and uninteresting. Darth Maul was badass. The villains got worse with each movie Darth Maul > Count Dooku > General Grievious

milo bloom

I don't know, they tried to explain the Force, and we saw how well that was received. Admittedly, some things were passed over that did seem a little annoying, like the scene near the end of ROTS that would have had Yoda communicating with Qui Gon Jinn about how to retain your identity after death.

Honestly, one of my few burning questions after all these years is: how long was Luke on Degobah along with how long was the Falcon flying at sublight speeds. It really only seems to work if you start getting into time dilation and whatnot, but I'd like to have even a guess from Lucas at this point.



Ewan MacGregor's ObiWan was the saving grace of the prequels, I know I'm not the only person to say that. Qui Gon had to die because he was actually what the Jedi should have been, more in tune with the Living Force, more likely to "get involved". His death was a foreshadowing of the later death of the entire Jedi Order.

The villain progression was supposed to symbolize three different facets of the Vader we knew in the OT. Maul was the pure fighter, would kick your ass just as soon as he'd look at you. Dooku was the strategist, the cool one, like when Vader was able to change the attack plan on Hoth mid-stride because of Admiral Ozzel's mistake or when he deflects Han's blaster bolts and yanks the gun on Bespin, then calmly says "we would be honored if you would join us". Grievous is the more literal symbol, the half-man, half-machine that he would become, and the pure anger that kept him going all those years.
A good idea in concept, but as usual, just didn't come across so well onscreen.

riley_dude

I thought Boba Fett was a cool baddie in episode 5 but then the prequels made him out to be, well, uh.... Lame.
Lucas' writing did that.

Shazam

Why was he on that shithole called Tatooine then? Seems to me he was a small time backwater petty theft fatass poser at best.

Michael Corvin

Because it was a backwater planet outside the reach of the Empire. He could conduct all manner of business and not have to worry about interference.

toddly6666

Why is Genady's CLONE WARS cartoon so much better than all three sucky video game prequels?

tanman

Really I thought the subplot on Jango and Boba made him much cooler then what he was in the OT. I mean he doesn't do anything in V or VI and gets "killed" by a lucky swing.

I liked him before the prequels but I think that the prequels made him that much cooler.

I really never thought about the whole going back and buying back Anakin's mom thing. I think that may be the biggest plot hole of the whole series. Especially considering how it is the main fulcrum that turns the main character of the whole series into a tortured character. Although to their credit they covered up this plot hole decently by frequently mentioning that he wouldn't see her at all because he has to join the jedi order now.

Here is my question: Can someone explain the politics of the Sith in the prequels? Who is Darth tyrannus and how and why did he order the clone army? How could the Jedi not know? Wouldn't they get a message on their answering machine? "This is Clone Army R' Us. We would like to let you know that your clone army is ready for pick up. Please have your claim check ready to present to the cashier." Was the whole purpose of the clone army for the order 66? If that was the case was obi won finding the planet just a fortuitous hapenstance and did it speed up the time table or was it all planned?

As for granting emergency powers to the chancellor is that really necessary if he is already in control of an enormous army? Many times in history the military leaders of a country will overtake the politicians simply because they have the loyalty of the military. In the OT it seems like they wiped out most of the aliens anyways leaving mainly white human males in charge of the empire. So it doesn't seem like they would need the support of other worlds.

coli

Lucas never had a plan for prequels, or even sequels, as Star Wars was a standalone movie. Sure he had notes about where Kenobi/Darth Vader came from, and I am sure he had ideas jotted down about what he could do if Star Wars was a hit in 1977, but Lucas is lying when he said he had this all planned out.

The biggest piece of information is in the 'Annotated Screenplayes' and the first draft of Empire Strikes Back is called: Star Wars: Chapter 2. If Lucas had this all planned out, why wouldn't it be called Star Wars: Chapter 5?