posted 05-20-99 04:31 PM ET        

Well, the bad guys clearly won Round I. All of Palpatine�s plans went perfectly, except for the loss of Darth Maul. His use of the Trade Federation went perfectly- a pointless invasion was conducted at his command, he got a sympathy vote making him Chancellor, the Trade Federation was then crushed, he popped a Jedi in the process, and Anakin is being trained (The person whose career he will watch "with great interest.") What can happen in Episode II? Well, the love affair between "Ani" and Amidala will probably occur throughout. The Clone Wars will probably start in this Episode, as well as the overusage of droids. Palpatine, with the Trade Fed. as his guinea pigs, has probably already noticed the main weakness of droids- they are useless when the control ship goes down. So, in either Episode II or III, he�s going to ban battle droids. Hence the lower-budget stormtroopers of the later movies. Boba Fett should also play a more important role in Ep. II.

Getting to Episode III, what I think has the potential to be truly awesome� As mentioned before, restoring balance to the Force is not a good thing with the good Jedis protecting the Republic and having a whole Order of them existing. In fact, by Episode IV, there is indeed balance- there�s only two good Jedi, Yoda and Obi-Wan, and there are only two Siths, Palpatine and Vader. How did we get there, to this Balance? Apparently, in this movie, Chancellor Palpatine is going to convince Anakin that the Jedi Council is corrupt and evil (perhaps playing on his fears?) and will kick the Order out of the Republic, and have Anakin start killing them all off. In fact, not just Jedis, but other Dark Jedis as well to reduce competition. This will set him down an irreversible path to the Dark Side, and, by the time he realizes that he�s been lied to and what�s happened, he�s Darth Vader and it�s far too late to stop. So, in short, we get to see a massive Jedi bloodbath. Meanwhile, before he turned to evil, he will have gotten Amidala pregnant. Obi Wan will spirit her away from Anakin, along with his old blue light saber so that his son can have it. Vader will know that a child exists, but he won�t know he had twins. The King of Alderan will be told "this is your baby. It�s always been your baby. Keep it that way," concerning Leia. Obi Wan will take Luke himself off to Tatooine. Back in the Republic, the Death Star will be commissioned, and the first murmuring of a rebellion will start. Continual use of the Dark Side of the Force will have made Anakin�s good side want to kill him to help the force of good, and his body will fail him, hence he needs his new Darth Vader suit. Note that the Emperor only gets wizened skin from use of the Dark Side- apparently he has very little good in him.

posted 05-20-99 05:45 PM ET         

Am I the only one on this forum who really didn't like The Phantom Menace? Not even as a Star Wars, but as a general movie I didn't find it all that entertaining. Jau-Jau (or whatever his name was) became eternally aggrivating, the cheesy "trendy items" (all of our blasters have grappling hooks installed!), the absolutly ridiclous turnaround at the end of the movie, etc.

All in all, it was an OK flick, but I'd say the worst I've seen so far this year. Oh well, it set alot of stage so hopefully II will be much better.

posted 05-20-99 06:59 PM ET            

I think you got a little confused here.
SPOILER

The guy leading the Trade Federation into war wasn't Palpatine, it was Darth Sidious, as far as I can tell. I know his name was never flat out mentioned, but according to the action figures, it's not Palpatine It really does make sense this way.
In 2, Anikin and Amidala will get together, and I think Sidious will manage to subvert Palpatine at some point in the movie ("Always two, there are: a master and an apprentice"), probably under the guise of helping him repair the Republic. For the rest of it, I'm not sure which movie it'll show up in, but I'll continue on.
Someone, either Obi-Wan or Anikin or both, will discover Sidious' evil intentions (or his hiding place, or similar) ending up in a fight which ends in Sidious' death (maybe along with some of the Jedi Council, depends how much Sidious likes assassins). Sometime along the way, something will happen to Amidala (not neccessarily fatal, but most likely) which will give Palpatine the lever he needs to convert Anakin. Somewhere along this time, the Republic will start to truly break apart and Palpatine will declare himself Emporer (although Sidious might be the one to form the Empire and then get backstabbed by Palpatine).

Of course, I haven't read any of the books, so if you're summarizing from them, that's probably the way it'll go.

posted 05-20-99 09:39 PM ET            

Besides, what was DS trying to do in his little plot anyway? Why does he care if the Trade Federation blockades and takes over Naboo? The one thing it does is get Palpatine elected Chancellor. Gee, they must really be buddy buddy... Plus, in Jedi, you can tell that Palpatine can use the force and is a really, really powerful Dark Lord of the Sith. There can only be two Sith at any one time. If Palpatine, DS, and DM are different people, then Palpatine was only a standard Dark Jedi, and that wouldn't make sense.

http://www.dailysci-fi.com/news/1526.html

posted 05-20-99 09:49 PM ET            

Darth Vader is the Trinity. He has immaculate Conception, making him the son. He created C3P0, who refers to him as the Maker. And his Spirit is released at the end of Jedi.

posted 05-21-99 07:58 AM ET            

Well, if Palpatine is Darth Sidious, he must be more powerful than Yoda, which I had thought only Anakin and Luke were. After all, Palpatine simply cannot making face-to-face contact with the Jedi Council or some of its members, and if he's a Sith Lord, you'd think they'd be able to sense at least something odd with him.

As for Jar Jar, I think Lucas is over his New Toy Syndrome. I think any animated characters in the next couple movies will be closer to Boss Nash and the junk store owner (who was the best of the animated chars), since Lucas should be over his "see what I can do" phase.

posted 05-21-99 01:55 PM ET            

However, I suppose it is also possible that Palpatine was an opportunist and later becomes Sidious' apprentice to replace D.M., but I consider that very unlikely.

posted 05-21-99 02:11 PM ET            

Shadowhawk: I'm assuming that Bail is going to change his name sometime and become Organa instead of the dad of Leia's ship. Probably explained in Ep. III when they're fleeing from Darth Vader's terrible wrath.

"Only if you knew ahead of time that Palpatine becomes emperor."

posted 05-22-99 09:09 PM ET            

If the battle droids had been more ominous, or something, maybe they could have been taken seriously, but instead we get "roger, roger", and battle droid after battle droid bowled over by that bastard Jar-Jar Binks.

Now, as for the whole light side/dark side thing. Why is Obi-Wan allowed to kill Darth Maul in anger when Luke is forbidden in Return of the Jedi?

posted 05-23-99 04:09 PM ET            

What if Geoge Lucas is really being very clever: Think about it. The only likeable character in The Phantom Menace was Darth Maul (I just went to a toy store to check out the merchandise, and I heard a guy ask the woman at the counter if they had any Darth Maul action figures and she said they sold out in about five minutes). All of the good guys were somewhat annoying, with Jar Jar Binks leading the pack (and of course, Qui-Gon is guilty by association because he could have easily let him die). What is Lucas' ingenious/insidious plan? He wants us to feel sympathetic towards the Dark Side! Senator Palpatine is going to launch a one-man crusade against beurocracy, and who can object to that? Remember that in Episode 4, the Emporer officially dissolves the Senate, and gives the Imperial Governors direct control over their systems. Not a far cry from the popular back-to-the-states movement in the US, eh? George Lucas obviously wants us cheering our heads off as we go forward, lauding every triumph of the New Order, and hating those pathetic failures that call themselves Jedi Knights, defenders of the status quo.

posted 05-26-99 07:20 AM ET            

You people do realize that your criticisms were virtually identical to what was said about the original Star Wars back in 1977, right?

Here's something I found on alt.toys.transformers:

> Yes, Jar Jar is as annoying as Wheelie,

No way, maybe in the first quater Jar Jar was
slightly anoying but by the Pod Race he was growing on me and by the end I liked him a lot.
What you have to understand is Jar Jar fills a very important place in the overall SW myth.

Lucas has gone out of his way to incorperate all the different facets of classic myth and fable into his story. This includes all the archtypal kinds of heroes:

Classic Boy-of-Destiny-Becomes-Man-Hero = Luke

Romantic Hero = Han

Rouge Hero = Han/Lando

Trickster Hero = Han/Lando

Prophesized Religious Hero (saviour) - Anakin (as we can see clearly with the events of TPM. He's also being set up to fill the religious anti-hero mode with his Satan-like fall to become Vader.)

and finally, but no less importantly...

The Fool Hero = Jar Jar. (this type of hero is just as common and popular in traditonal stories as the others. He's the unbeleivably nieve and clumsy innocent who's always bumbling his way into deeper and deeper trouble but posseses the true luck of the innocent and, in the end, unconciously stumbles his way to heroic (and often romantic) triumph.
A good example is the well known story of
"The princess who wouldn't laugh." Jar Jar fits this mode perfectly and his side story follows true to the mythic pattern and thus enriches the SW story even more.

posted 06-02-99 02:46 PM ET            

Another rumor says that Anakin will turn to the Dark Side after his mother dies, and he blames the Jedi for her death. After we saw how he feels about dear old mom, this could be quite correct.

posted 06-07-99 07:58 AM ET            

Right. I've seen this often enough, but there's only one little problem with it. According the the official back-story, Palpatine doesn't turn to the dark side until the Clone Wars. The Clone Wars happen to be in the next movie. Clearly, Palpatine is not Sidious, although he'll probably be his apprentice. Sidious and Palpatine were almost certainly played by the same actor, but this does not make them the same character. I really have no idea why Lucas did this, but it is common practice in theater troups for people to have multiple roles, and he did seem to make a good Sith Lord, so maybe he just didn't find a second in time.

posted 06-07-99 07:48 PM ET            

I talked to a friend at work today, one who's really into Star Wars, and this is what happens. The Emporer is some entity that can posses others, and those he posses quickly end up looking the same way he did in Return of the Jedi. In fact, the Emporer returns in one of the post-RotJ books by taking over someone. I'd guess that Lucas used the same actor for Palpatine and Sidious because Palpatine is going to be the Emporer for the most screen-time in the three movies, and he wants people to notice that he'll look exactly the same as Sidious.

posted 06-08-99 07:51 PM ET            

Lucas:So what do we have guys?
Writer 1: Well our first idea was to explain who anikin was.
Writer 2: but that idea was lost when we discovered how much our focus groups liked pod racing.
Writer 3: And how they like cartoonish characters.
Writer 2: Thats how we came up with a cameleon like creature named Jar Jar Binks.
Writer 3: But just to make him even funnier other than the dumbass antics and physical jokes he does we gave him a jamacin like voice...
Writer 1: ... That has a lisp.
Lucas: genius, sheer genius!!!
Writer 2: we didnt stop there!
Writer 3: Call in the casting cordinator!!!
Casting Director: we in our focus groups found that people like special effects more than acting. Look at titanic.
Lucas: So what your saying is you got as little acting as possible.
Casting director: Yes. Anikin is played by Jake Loyd.
Lucas: Whos that.
Casting Director: Some kid that will wind up homeless in 15 years. You know these child actors.
Lucas: yeah sorta like that little bitch that does ads for pepsi.
Writer 3: Speaking of pepsi we should do as many tie ins as possible.
Lucas: i always was a greedy bastard. sure sign every deal possible. I want Star wars Potato sacks, Star wars condoms, star wars lamp shades.
Writer 2: also we would like to include a bit in the story about these cameleon like characters that fight robots. Everyone that matters likes robots vs. semi civilized beings.
Lucas: I could include that during the part when the 2 jedis are fighting, Jake loyd is in space and people are storming the base. Nobody dislikes having more information than they can tolorate.
Writer 1: especially when it has nothing to do with the story!
Writer 2: oh and one of these guys that delivers the water cooler bottles to our office suggested that we put in a dark shadowy character.
Writer 3: But we worked and worked and couldn't think of any good dialouge so we thought you could give him horns and a 2 edged light saber.
Lucas :done and done .
Writer 1: That about wraps it up. we have no more ideas.
Lucas: let me get this strait. No acting, innovation, and meaningful dialouge but is all covered up with the best special effects ever.
Writer 3: Uhh yeah
Lucas: Perfect!!! Ill laugh my all the way to the bank!!!

so i hope this is not actually went down but it seems like it might have been.
I hope lucas thinks about what he is doing before he puts another "mickey in spaccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccce!!!!" on the silver screen.

posted 06-14-99 10:31 AM ET            

Don't forget, this whole movie is basicaly a setup for the next two (well, five really, but we already know what happens in three of them). This could just as easily be foreshadowing, saying "looky at who's next", as it it could be saying "this is Mr. Master", and it would more fit the whole movie as a foreshadowing.

--"Merely official. Third-party writings."

Well, the movies aren't the only cannon, although they are the highest level of it. Radio plays and movie novelizations are also cannon, and I think some of this Emperor info comes from those.

--"I've heard that Leonardo Di Caprio is going to be in it"

I wonder who started this rumour? From what I've read, it's not true. That really would turn off a lot of Star Wars fans

posted 08-13-99 12:45 PM ET            

Octopus:

"Darth Maul action figures and she said they sold out in about five minutes"
What merchandising. He barely appeared in the movie, except on Corscant, Tatooine and Naboo (all briefly).

"Why is Obi-Wan allowed to kill Darth Maul in anger when Luke is forbidden in Return of the Jedi?"
He didn't. If he hadn't killed Darth Maul he would have died. Self-defence.

"If the battle droids had been more ominous, or something, maybe they could have been taken seriously"
The Droidekas were menacing and tough. The Battle Droids were just cannon fodder.

posted 08-13-99 02:58 PM ET            

The scene, The Great Meeting Hall and Brainstorming Chamber poised at the tip of a monumental spire of durasteel emerging from the sprawling central complex of Lucasfilm inc., the giant interplanetary filmmaking conglomerate. Seated at the head of an enormous table, several meters above his underlings on a raised dais, George Lucas himself, at his right hand, his trusted lieutenant, the pair surrounded by pathetic, snivelling, submissive assistants, all equipped with writing impliments and recording devices, and fawning on their master with eagerness to please... LUCAS: OK, we need another character to round out the group. Whaddya think? SUBMISSIVE ASSISTANT NO 1: How about a happy-go-lucky, freighter pilot, sir? You know, maybe the seedy smuggler type who's quick with a blaster? LUCAS: SHUT UP! We need more cute! We gotta think about the kids, Dammit! I got kids! SA1: of course, of course, I was only joking, hehe... LUCAS: I'm serious here. We've got the cute little queen, and the droids. Those were my ideas and they're good ones. And we got our over-serious Jedi played by great actors, but they're not cute enough, so we won't give them any good lines... SA1: snicker... SA2: giggle... LUCAS: ...Then we got the token black man...hmmm. He's kinda cute. Maybe we need another black guy. How bout it? SA3: yeah, that's brilliant sir! How about a primitive sir?! He could have this thick Afrikaan accent and carry a spear! LUCAS: SHUT UP! Damn, the people I have to deal with! (as he crushes the man's larynx with pure force of will. SA3 drops to the floor in a heap, dead. Lucas' mood lightens slightly at this and he lets loose a barrage of diabolical laughter. His subordinates shudder in terror.) TRUSTED LIEUTENANT (quietly): Sir, it could be dangerous to continue in this way. The Writer's Guild and other, more powerful forces may side with... LUCAS: SHUT UP! I'll hear no more of your treacherous prattle! (aside) The usefullness of my Trusted Lieutenant is wearing thin. I may need to replace this pathetic creature soon. He grows too independent. (enter SA4) SA4: Sir! We've got Sam Jackson on the line. He wants to do the show! LUCAS: Damn! That blows the black thing. We can't have too many black guys in our Nazi universe. Maybe another green one though...hmmm, do we have any yellow guys yet? SA5 (consulting notes): Looks like all we got that's yellow are the chinks. LUCAS: I mean literally! Yellow! GodDAMN! TL: Uh...sir? You're starting to sound just a bit racist here. I mean, those trade federation viceroys with the Chinese accent and all, and now... LUCAS: SHUT UP! YOU'VE FAILED ME FOR THE LAST TIME! GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE! YOU'RE FIRED! GUARDS! TAKE HIM AWAY!!! (enter a troop of Lucasfilm storm troopers, completely concealed behind black body armor and brandishing fierce weaponry, who take George Lucas' 'til lately Trusted Lieutenant to a holding cell deep beneath the planet's surface for questioning and eventual termination without severance bonus) LUCAS: Jesus Christ! Nobody underSTANDS! SA1 (sheepishly): Um...sir, what if we got one of our whiz boys to slap together another CGI character? I know we've already got a lot of 'em, but not one in a central role. That'd be cheap. No uncooperative actor to deal with either. LUCAS: SHUT UP! Wait...that's not bad. I'm glad I'm brilliant enough to hire these techno types. Yeah, that'll work great! OK, submissive assistant. You're my Trusted Lieutenant now... NEW TRUSTED LIEUTENANT: (gulp) (wavering) th-thank you, m-m-my lord! Lucas: ...SHUT UP! Now listen, this guy's gonna be cute, right? That means two legs and two arms and no fangs, got it?! He can't be interesting, or dangerous, or at all useful to the storyline or anybody who...you're not writing. Why the fkin' cute, so they haul his punk ass all over the galaxy, right?! And give him a big ugly snout, and...and, uh...these big fuckin' ears that hang down his back. Make him endearing to those kiddies, and make him sound like some damn boy's choir soloist. I have spoken. Get those graphics guys moving on this NOW! And if he ain't right I'm gonna kill all you ****ers!