Okay, so I just finished watching the entire saga in chronological order for the first time (it's kind-of sad that I'm only just now getting around to it, huh?). But it was rather interesting. And I'm now going to bore you with the details of my observations, with random interjections from the EU.

First, I have to get some thanks out of the way. Thank you to jk and the *geeeeeeeeeek* (aka Pitt) for helping me in my moment of total smrtness. For the first time ever, I noticed that 3PO had a silver leg at the beginning of ANH. Pitt then confirmed for me that it was indeed silver for the entire movie (I though it was gold on Tatooine, but it was just reflection) and jk confirmed that it was silver for the entire OT. My only defense for this is, that, in general, I am exceptionally unobservant. [embarrassing stories of other moments of obliviousness have been deleted to protect the guilty].

Second, I must give kudos to the designers of the Lego Star Wars games. Never before have I appreciated the amount of detail in the games and the extent to which the action in the games parallels the action in the movies. More than once I found myself thinking, "That's just like it the video game!!!" (And yes, I realize the wrongness of this statement.)

It has really been a while since I've watched the movies, especially TPM and AOTC. However, I found myself enjoying them quite a lot, possibly more than I have in the past (like the majority of you out there, TPM is my least favorite of the saga and AOTC is low on the list as well).

But, my purpose for writing this blog is not the PT, but the OT. As I watched the OT, I tried to pretend as if I hadn't seen them before and tried to interpret them in the light of the PT. I have done this to a lesser extent in previous viewings, but I really tried to focus on this during latest viewing. I also tried to ignore the fact that certain lines and scenes in the PT were done to make parallels with the OT.

ANH- I once read in someone's reaction to their first viewing of ANH in '77 how they thought the first shot of the blockade runner was cool, but then along came this Star Destroyer and it just kept on coming, and they just were in total awe. Ever since reading this, I have tried to watch that scene with the same sense of awe. I really recommend trying this (especially if you weren't around for the '77 release), because it gets you really pumped about the forthcoming action.

R2 and 3PO are back, if a bit worse for the wear. However, they remain in the thick of things, as R2 faithfully serves the daughter of his former mistress. One also soon sees that he has not lost his fearlessness or penchant for adventure.

DV- hasn't aged a day.

The Lars' homestead- Owen has turned into his father. It is almost hard to imagine the young couple of AOTC is the same as the one on screen. I've also always assumed that the "...he's got too much of his father in him," "that's what I'm afraid of" conversation and Owen's reluctance to let Luke go the academy referred to the fact that Anakin is DV. However, in Dark Lord, the Rise of Darth Vader, we find out that this is not the case, because Obi-Wan never told Owen and Beru about Anakin's transformation. So, instead, we find out that Owen just didn't want Luke to become a Jedi and be running around the galaxy and his reluctance to let Luke go to the academy is actually a mystery.

Obi-Wan- the years have not been overly kind to Obi-Wan. But he has been ever faithfully watching over the son of his best friend and "brother." He lies to Luke, both about the relationship between Anakin and DV and Anakin wanting Luke to have his lightsaber, but both lies are understandable, if indeed the second lie was really a lie. And we get to see, for the first time, the difference between Anakin and Luke. Where the death of Shmi made Anakin angry, the death of the Lars' gives Luke resolve (however, they do share their whininess).

DV and Leia- How can he do that do his own daughter?!?!?!?!?! And, "So that's what they were building at the end of ROTS!"

Alderaan- Jimmy Smitts is dead!!! And (for you EU readers) Tycho's family is dead!!!

DV and Obi-Wan- Wow! That's a really lame fight after the one on Mustafar. None of the other Jedi ever disappeared!!!!!! (although now DV's confusion makes sense.)


Yavin- I don't really have anything to add from the PT (other than to note that Anakin's flying skills have been passed on), but I do have some EU observations. First- Wedge!!!!!! Second, a question for those of you who read the EU- have you ever seen or heard referenced the X-Wing targeting computer anywhere other than the Battle of Yavin???? Being something of a Rogue Squadron groupie, I've read and reread a lot of the lit about them and I can't recall the targeting computer ever being mentioned again.

Medal ceremony- Oh, look, Leia wore white, just like Padme.

I think I'll stop here and make this into three blogs instead of one (assuming I actually get around to writing them ).