Series: Kiber Crystals, the Bogon Force, and a Rebel Tarkin! Part: 1, 2
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Part 2 of my continuing commentary on the 3rd draft of Star Wars Episode IV. This was the final version before the "Shooting Script" we've all seen in film form for decades, thus many of the lines and events are almost identical but at the same time there are many interesting turns that would have made the Star Wars universe far different than we know today.
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A tremendous blast opens up a hole six feet wide in the side of the main passageway and a score of fearsome stormtroopers, armed with powerful multi-laser rifles, make their way into the smoking corridor. The rebel warriors draw their chrome, laser pistols, and blast out several shots that rip through the Imperial stormtroopers.

In a few moments, the entire passageway blazes with laser fire. The deadly bolts ricochet in wild random patterns, creating small explosions. Stormtroopers scatter and duck behind storage lockers. Laser bolts hit several stormtroopers who scream and stagger through the smoke, holding shattered arms and faces.

((Indeed the opening sequence was planned to be far more violent. There was even a piece of concept art of a stormtrooper being shot in the face, it may be available to Hyperspace members? Also of note is "Multi-laser rifles" but someone else will have to field what that was going to be, firing 3 or more shots at once? I don't know.))

In the confusion, Artoo and Threepio are blown slipping and sliding into a power canister, but rushing gas from a broken pipe keeps knocking them over. The lanky Threepio becomes entangled in the mass of dangling wires, which spark and pop every time he attempts to move. Artoo clings to a pipe for dear life.

((In the final film this was filmed for this scene, but got moved or refilmed and placed into the much later Falcon battle.
Again Artoo has tiny arms in this version so he's able to "hold on"))

THREEPIO
Help me! I think something is melting... This is all your fault! I should have known better than to trust the logic of a half-sized thermocapsulary dehousing-assister...

Artoo counters with an angry rebuttal as he struggles to free the larger robot. The battle rages around the two hapless robots. Suddenly, there is a slight lull in the fighting, then a deathly quiet sweeps over the passageway as an awesome, seven-foot tall DARK LORD OF THE SITH makes his way into the blinding light of the main passageway. This is DARTH VADER, right hand of the Emperor. His face is obscured by his flowing black robes and grotesque breath mask which stands out next to the fascist white armored suits of the Imperial stormtroopers. Everyone instinctively backs away from the imposing warrior.

((Interesting to note that in this version Vader apparently was sitll planned to have a hood or such over his head, obscuring much of his face.))

Vader raises his arms and objects that aren't bolted down, including the rebel warriors, are picked up by an invisible force and hurled to the end of the passageway. In the excitement, Artoo and Threepio have fled down a sub-hallway.

((I suspect this was dropped solely due to its complexity and thus inabillity to film it, or perhaps it was decided that Vader was more menacing not doing anything.))


3. EXT. UTAPAU - DESERT WASTELAND - DAY

((As mentioned in part 1 Utapau was long destined to be part of the Star Wars universe, even if its no longer as central as it would have been to our hearts as what we now know as Tatooine.))

A death white wasteland stretches from horizon to horizon. The tremendous heat of two huge twin suns settles on a lone figure, LUKE STARKILLER, a farm-boy with heroic aspirations; who looks much younger than his twenty years. His short hair and baggy tunic give him the air of a simple-minded, but lovable lout with a prize-winning smile. His face is partially covered by a breath mask and goggles.

((The most obvious thing is of course that he's still Starkiller rather than Skywalker. Tatooine.. er... Utapau still has the twin suns we know it for. Another notable idea is Luke being older than he ends up being by the time it reaches film. While it's arguable whether Lucas had the idea for Luke to be Vader's son yet, it should be noted that Luke being introduced with goggles and a breath mask would bear striking similarities to Vader.))

A light wind whips at him as he adjusts several valves on a large chrome pipe, which sticks out of the desert floor much like and oil-rig christmas tree. He is aided by a small, very beat-up tread-robot with six claw arms. The little robot appears to be barely functioning, and moves with jerky motions. A bright sparkle in the morning sky catches Luke's eye, and he instinctively grabs a pair of electrobinoculars from his utility belt.

((This scene would indeed be filmed for the film, but ultimately cut out. We later know the "Large chrome pipe" to be a moisture vaporator.))

LUKE
Holy maker.

((I think Luke was briefly possesed by C3PO
It's actually interesting to note the conotations of a human character rather than a droid referencing "The Maker" since instead of indicating a simple literal meaning now known it would have referenced a Godlike figure within the Star Wars universe known even on the backwater planets.))

He stands transfixed for a few moments, studying the heavens, then dashes toward his dented, crudely repaired Landspeeder (an auto-like transport that travels a few feet above the ground on a magnetic field).


He motions to the tiny robot, who is scooting around in a tight circle, to follow him.

LUKE
Hurry up! Come with me.

The robot stops short and smoke begins to pour out of every joint. Luke throws up his arms in disgust.

LUKE
Great, just great!

He gives the dwarf robot a swift kick in the side, which doesn't seem to make much difference. The young farm boy rushes to his landspeeder and zooms off leaving the smoldering robot to hum madly.

((This Treadwell unit has a bad motivator, look! ))


4. INT. REBEL SPACEFIGHTER - SUB-HALLWAY

A series of explosions echo throughout the ship as the tall, gleaming Threepio rushes through the narrow subhallway yelling at Artoo, who is racing along on a small set of wheels under his center foot.

THREEPIO
They're heading in this direction! We'll be sent to the spice mines of KESSEL or smashed into who-knows-what!

((A shame, I was hoping Kessel would be known as Mustafar or something just to make everything even more confusing ))

Artoo stops before the small hatch of an emergency lifepod. He snaps the seal on the main latch and a red warning light begins to flash. The stubby, dwarf-robot works his way into the cramped four-man pod.

THREEPIO
Hey! You're not permitted in there. It's restricted. You'll be deactivated for sure. Now come out before someone sees you. Come on!

Artoo whistles something at his reluctant friend.

THREEPIO
I'm not getting in there. No more adventures. It's too dangerous. I'm not that desperate.

Artoo isn't happy with Threepio's stubbornness and he beeps and twangs angrily.


THREEPIO
Don't call me a mindless philosopher, you overweight glob of grease...

A new explosion, this time very close, sends dust and debris through the narrow sub-hallway. Flames lick at Threepio, and after a flurry of electronic swearing from Artoo, the lanky robot jumps into the lifepod.

((Jumps? It's unclear whether that was to be taken literally but 3PO would have had far greater agillity than the way we know him if he had done that.))

THREEPIO
I'm going to regret this.

The safety door snaps shut, and with the thunder of exploding latches, the tiny lifepod ejects from the disabled starfighter.


5. INT. IMPERIAL STARDESTROYER - COCKPIT

On the main viewscreen, the lifepod carrying the two terrified robots speeds away from the stricken rebel spacecraft.

CHIEF PILOT
There goes another one.

CAPTAIN
Hold you fire. No life forms. It must have short-circuited. Don't waste your power...

((Though there have been many deviations between whether Star Wars weapons run on "power" or "ammo" in this incarnation it seems to certainly be power))
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