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 | Pros and Cons of the Prequel Trilogy |
 So we all know that there are those people who don't like the prequel trilogy. You might be one of them. But before you disregard this blog, take a few minutes to read it. Humor me please.
So let's start with Episode I.
Of all the episodes, I do have to say that this one is my least favorite. However, I do understand why this episode had to exist. If we had jumped right to Ep II, we would have missed a lot as to why certain things are happening. I know, I know, the movie is a bunch of boring politics and GL could have done way better than Jar Jar Binks. But if you really sit down and think hard about, I'm sure you'll come to the same conclusion that I have.
The politics set up the entire saga. We all know (at least as of Ep III) that Palpatine manipulated almost everything in the entire saga. So, before some of us knew that Palpatine was the Sith (I knew, and I know a lot of you did), we saw him rise to Supreme Chancellor by manipulating the Trade Federation into blockading Naboo, and we all know the rest of the story from there.
So in essence, the politics were needed.
Now onto that horrible character, JJB. We all hate him (or at least most of us do) with a fiery passion. I've heard many of my friends talk about different ways he could have killed in the most horrible ways.
So what's the pro about him? In the OT, the comic relief came from Han Solo or the droids most of the time. In the PT, the comic relief had to come from somewhere. The droids weren't as prevalent in this movie as they were in the other movies. So they couldn't be the comic relief. I don't know what GL was thinking, but I'm guessing he thought JJB would be good comic relief. Sadly though, he was mistaken.
Well that's the end of the first part. Check back next week for Ep II (you know, HC, that cheesy love story). Hope you all enjoyed reading it.
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http://blogs.starwars.com/mrspadme_skywalker/43 |
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Lord Harald
The Council of Evil
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date Posted: Apr 19, 2008 6:15 AM
You make valid points. The politics also showed us what state the galaxy was in. The powerful and manipulative could pressure lesser senators to do as they please.
But I think GL did a huge mistake killing Darth Maul, I was totally blown away by the wicket awesome swordplay. D M is much cooler than Dooku.
I think you should do a 4th blog about the PT as a whole.
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usetheforce19
MasterMonkey13
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date Posted: Apr 19, 2008 7:00 AM
Good points. The manipulation of the politics runs throughout the whole PT.
JJB? Ummmm, he was just okay. He would have played in well as a lesser character.
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Granny-Wan
I Am NOT an Old Fossil!
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date Posted: Apr 19, 2008 10:37 AM
I've thought for a long time that Ep 1 & 2 could have been combined into one movie... have about 20-45 minutes about discovering Anakin, throw in a little politics to set the stage, and the fight between Maul and Qui-Gon... Maul could survive or not... then fast forward 10 years to the build up to the war, the love story, a little more politics, the battle at Geonosis...
Then Ep 2 could have been more about the war, throw in the wedding, show some of the Jedi heroics so that Anakin's fall in Ep III would be more dramatic... maybe have a longer period of Anakin being DV BEFORE the fight on Mustafar... then end with the birth of the twins...
No, I'm not a movie maker, just some idle thoughts...
..
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Darth_Muh
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date Posted: Apr 19, 2008 12:08 PM
Very valid points, without the politics you cant really understand the turmoil in the galaxy.
You also need to see Anakin's relationship with his mother to understand his anxiety and anger issues.
I also agree completely with Granny-Wan, the clone wars were such a big part of what I wanted to see in the prequels, but were just kind of glossed over.
Ep I is my least favorite also, I just tell people to listen to Weird Al's song and go right on to Ep II 
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Master Ki-Aaron-Mundi
I was a Teenage Jedi
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date Posted: Apr 19, 2008 7:21 PM
Nice blog. I definitely think Ep. I was a necessary film that covered important bases. And I think it's interesting that the two main criticisms of the film are that it's too kiddy and that it spends too much time on boring political stuff, which seem to be diametrically opposed viewpoints.
I think GL did a huge mistake killing Darth Maul
I think the pervasiveness of this viewpoint proves Mr. Lucas handled the situation well--leaving the audience wanting more instead of oversaturating them (same thing with the 3 min. vs. proposed 6 min. "melting faces scene" in Raiders of the Lost Ark). Plus, let's face it, Dooku filled a role Maul couldn't've in Ep. II.
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Master Ki-Aaron-Mundi
I was a Teenage Jedi
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date Posted: Apr 19, 2008 7:21 PM
I've thought for a long time that Ep 1 & 2 could have been combined into one movie ... then fast forward 10 years
That's the thing, though--Mr. Lucas doesn't appear to be a fan of this sort of jump. All of the Star Wars movies are told in pretty much chronological order without any flashbacks or fast forwards.
the clone wars were such a big part of what I wanted to see in the prequels, but were just kind of glossed over
Oh, but now we get the privilege of the Clone Wars movie and TV series!
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PadawanQui-GonJoe
The History of the Jedi Knights
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date Posted: Apr 20, 2008 12:26 AM
I have read and though about this Blog!
From my Point of veiw, I think that GL didn't go far enough into the past to build up the the final dramic end. Where the Empoeror was killed and Darth Vader returned to the Light, and His Son was the Last of the Jedi. Without the Politics, most common people can not understand the difference between the Light and Dark (Good and Bad). Politics are the Evil, and that what the Sith are! The search for ultimate Power, to rule the Universe. So, To see this point of veiw, you have to go back a thousand or more years. Back to the Jedi / Sith Wars, and further.
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PadawanQui-GonJoe
The History of the Jedi Knights
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date Posted: Apr 20, 2008 12:34 AM
One more thought!
The birth of the Twins. I think, that New Hope, and the OT, could of take another turn. Why was the Twins not raised in the Jedi tradition? Hidden from the Empeoror, and taught in the Jedi Beleives. I would love to see Leia raised by Yoda, and Luke raised by Obi-Won.
Then the New Hope, would have taken on another twist. When the two Jedi padawans met for the First time? 
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shoppingMaul61
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date Posted: Apr 20, 2008 7:02 AM
In response to Qui-GonJoe I think Yoda was reluctant to stick with Jedi tradition after the fall of the Republic. New thinking was needed.
I'd like to say, as a fan since '77, that I loved the PT because it was absolutely NOT what I expected. Even now I discover that so many quotes and subtleties in the OT mean different things to what I'd thought all these years. If anything I think Lucas was too clever, because many fans just wanted a rehash.
In the case of TPM even the few things that initially annoyed me now make perfect sense (Jar Jar, midi-chlorians etc) and it has become a fave to watch. I think the whole saga plays beautifully.
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Fish1941
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date Posted: Apr 21, 2008 12:23 PM
But I think GL did a huge mistake killing Darth Maul, I was totally blown away by the wicket awesome swordplay. D M is much cooler than Dooku.
"Being cool" is not a good reason to keep a character around in a story.. I really cannot see Maul becoming the leader of the Separatists in the same manner as Dooku. As far as I'm concerned, he had served his purpose in TPM.
Also, will there be a pro-and-con look at the OT? Or are we supposed to assume that it was perfect?
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Fish1941
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date Posted: Apr 21, 2008 12:25 PM
I'm sorry but Granny-Wan's idea is NOT a good one. It sounded like another excuse to turn the entire ROTS movie into a Jedi hunt fest.
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Fish1941
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date Posted: Apr 21, 2008 12:27 PM
the clone wars were such a big part of what I wanted to see in the prequels, but were just kind of glossed over
I don't recall the Prequel Trilogy was supposed to be mainly about the Clone Wars.
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Fish1941
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date Posted: Apr 21, 2008 12:29 PM
Why was the Twins not raised in the Jedi tradition? Hidden from the Empeoror, and taught in the Jedi Beleives. I would love to see Leia raised by Yoda, and Luke raised by Obi-Won.
Then the New Hope, would have taken on another twist. When the two Jedi padawans met for the First time?
UGH!! What purpose would that have served? Two padawans being trained at the same time? That would have surely attracted Palpatine and Vader's attention, early on. And don't forget that Palpatine finally detected Luke around the same time he was beginning his training with Yoda.
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Fish1941
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date Posted: Apr 21, 2008 12:30 PM
I'm curious. Will you be doing something similar on the Original Trilogy? If not, this sounds like another attempt to bash the PT.
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Fish1941
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date Posted: Apr 21, 2008 8:42 PM
It's good to know that you're doing OT as well.
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cowboy_11c
Musings from the Shadowlands
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date Posted: Apr 22, 2008 2:02 AM
Jar-Jar was absolutely neccasary in that he was the one to suggest giving Palpatine emergancy powers that led to the creation of the GAR. The reason that it had to be him was he was easliy manipulated and naive enough to do it without questioning it.
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Fish1941
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date Posted: Apr 22, 2008 11:33 AM
Jar-Jar was absolutely neccasary in that he was the one to suggest giving Palpatine emergancy powers that led to the creation of the GAR. The reason that it had to be him was he was easliy manipulated and naive enough to do it without questioning it.
I disagree. If Jar-Jar didn't do it, someone else would. But Jar-Jar's action didn't give Palpatine those extra powers. The Senate did. Jar-Jar is not solely responsible for Palpatine's rise to emperor. Everyone is.
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The Stooge
Star Wars Joke-A-Day
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date Posted: Apr 24, 2008 11:29 AM
Good point about Jar Jar and humor. If GL had tried to copy Han, fans would have hated it as much as they disliked JJ... plus, it would have seemed unoriginal.
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shoppingMaul61
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date Posted: Apr 25, 2008 3:53 PM
If Led Zeppelin were to reunite today and record the album of their career they would still be accused of failing to capture the magic of their 70s catalogue. There's just no way around this.
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haydens_girl1
Star Wars...just a little, only a lot...and then some. Times 2!
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date Posted: Apr 26, 2008 9:17 AM
Okay...some rebuttal here.
Granted, the entire Senate was to blame to give Palpatine emergency powers. But also think of where it started. Palps manipulated JJB into announcing the idea. Since he comes from Naboo, and given everything that they've been through and seeing the incredible strength of Padme, they had a lot more respect for that planet, despite the fact that it was JJB who suggested it (cause we all know Padme wouldn't have). So in essence, it was really Palpatine who was to blame (which we all know that's exactly what he wanted).
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haydens_girl1
Star Wars...just a little, only a lot...and then some. Times 2!
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date Posted: Apr 26, 2008 9:18 AM
Continuation of last comment:
As to shoppingMaul61's comment:
GL had always intended on making the PT. I def have to say that I love it that he put out this part of the saga. It explains a lot of stuff in the OT, and we get a look at how Palpatine manipulated the entire situation to his plan. Also, we get to see how Anakin went from being the greatest Jedi ever known to one of the worst villians ever. I also think that he wanted a Star Wars Trilogy for my generation.
Well that's all for now.
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