The Volcano Battle in EpIII- Do you really want it?

Today I was mindless surfing TFN (as I'm prone to do on rainy Sunday afternoons ) and I saw some fan art of the Obi-Wan/Anakin Volcano Duel and it just got me thinking.

Ever since the OT was released we've heard vague rumors, stories clouded in mystery about the fateful battle on the rim of a Volcano between the most venerable Jedi in the galaxy. We've thought about the coolness of it all. I mean, the two best Jedi duking it out on the smoky edge of an eruption mountain is a Star Wars fan's dream. We've always assumed that this is the way it was. We assumed that this was just how it happened. No questions asked. But with the released of the prequels, we're finally going to see the fateful confrontation between Obi-Wan and Anakin. The question looms: Will George follow what the story the has been going around for years or will he change the end lightsaber battle?

Personally, I hope he stays true to Star Wars legend and does a fight on a volcano rim. I mean, I've been looking forward to this battle for almost 6 years now (I saw Star Wars for the first time just about 6 years ago) and I want to actually SEE it finally. I cannot imagine the drama, the tension, the fire, the smoke, the emotion, all boiling over next to a Volcano edge just like we've all dreamed about for years! With Duel of the Fates pumping in the background, lava bubbles bursting the background and smoke swirling about everywhere, it would truly be my dreams come true.
I can't really find words to exactly describe how I feel, so I will scrounge up some paintings of this battle etched into the Star Wars lore.
[image=http://www.theforce.net/museum/images/Prequels/Episode_3/anakin_on_volcano.jpg] [image=http://www.theforce.net/museum/images/Prequels/Episode_3/bp-fallofthejedi.jpg]




So, what's your opinion? Do you want the Volcano Battle in EpIII, or do you want George to create something new?

 

Was the volcano battle ever written about by George, or has it always been just EU/rumor?

A volcano-like setting would be neat, but I think when we finally get to see the battle it wont be about the setting so much as it will be about it being an emotional battle (for me it will be anyway).

 

The Volcano battle was referred to in the ROTJ novelization by James Kahn, but I don't believe that Lucas ever actually has said anything about it. It's in the scene where Obi-Wan is telling Luke about Anakin's fall, and Anakin's wounds are described as the result of his fall into lava. Most likely Kahn got this information from early story meetings or an early draft of the ROTJ screenplay, but it never made the final film.

Because of this, most people (myself included) have always assumed that Anakin was wounded in a final battle with Obi-Wan near a volcano. But the ROTJ novel also says that Owen is Obi-Wan's brother, and the OS has offically said that is false, so it is quite likely that Lucas will completely ignore the ROTJ novelization. It would be cool though.

 

I don't have the book in front of me, but I believe the exact words were "molten pit". I think this whole "volcano" myth has sprung from that.

"Molten pit" can refer to a number of things, so even if Lucas stands by what was written in the novelizations (and we know he doesn't) don't hold your breath for a volcano showdown.

-Otis

 

A showdown near volcanoes would be excellent. But if not (its possible this is EU, or just wrong info), the battle will still be extra tense, so be open minded.

 

Interestingly, a very similar scene was supposed to take place in ROTJ...

[image=http://www.theforce.net/multimedia/pics/Art/Ralph_McQuarrie/Return_of_the_Jedi/rmqroj4.jpg]

 

There are also some concept designs that were done by Ralph McQuarrie that have popped up in some Art of Star Wars books of Vader's palace on some sort of volcano world. There was a thread about it here on TF.N a while back but I have no idea where it is now.

EDIT: LOL ok Sithman found the artwork... it's right there ^^^^

 

Just too quick for ya, stri.

 

I too would love to see the forever rumored "battle at the volcano," but ultimately it's George's decision to make. Even if he takes the confrontation to an entirely different location, I am sure that it will still be a very good, emotional scene. Hopefully whatever George comes up with will be good enough to make me forget about the fans little volcano theory.



Mace Windy,
one wind to blow them all!

 

Oh, I'm not denying that it will be good if George changes it, Windy, I'm just saying it'd be cool to see something we've been looking forward to for so long.

I mean, we've been looking forward to some of this AOTC info for 2 or 3 years now, but we've been looking forward to a Volcano fight for over 15 years. I'd like to see it.

 

As would I, but I don't doubt that George may have something up his sleeve that would even top it....



Mace Windy,
one wind to blow them all!

 

I may be a nut but I swear every time I read this thread's subject I get Ricky Martin stuck in my head (Do you really want it? Do you really want it? Here we go!) and this is not a fun thing. I am no Ricky Martin fan...

 

Gah! Now you've ruined it for me TOO! I think of that everytime now!

Now, let's not get offsubject. Give us your valuable insight on this topic, stri.

 

Anyway, if there isn't a volcano battle, and GL decides to do something different, I wouldn't mind.


Valeris

 

Hopefully this will be the most intense lightsaber battle yet. It's totally up to Lucas, but he should still explain how Anakin was badly wounded, and possibly burned, so there should be some molten lava around.

 

Wouldn't it be just pure funk to see their lightsaber clashes illumating their faces intermittently with the flashes from splashing lava?

Funk.

 

Whoa momma. Cooooooool! Yah, I know that he said the thing about DOTF in EpIII (that was from the TPM DVD) and I mentioned it in my original post.

I don't really care if it's a volcano or not, just lotsa lava.

BTW, if that's true, we seem to be getting lower down in Coruscant in each movie.

 

I really hope we'll see the volcano duel.
Personally, I'd like it to take place on a barren, rocky planet, engulfed with fire & lava. The only buildings that could survive there would either be heavily shielded, or be underground. Maybe, Palpatine would have some kind of fortress there, where he & Anakin (or Vader at this point) are. Obi-Wan travels there to try and bring him back to the side of good. He infiltrates the base, & meets Vader in the depths of the complex, a place similar to the final room of the Theed reactor duel, except there might be some exposed areas of lava. They fight there for a while, but somehow their fight makes its way to the surface. (Either they move onto some large loading platform while fighting, and they set it off, or the complex begins to fall apart). Once on the surface, they continue to fight, Vader falls, etc. Obi-Wan leaves, thinking him dead. Palpatine's ship picks Vader up as it leaves the planet.

Actually, I just got an idea...
We all know that the names of Sith lords are chosen because they describe a characteristic of the lord. (Sidious, Bane, Maul, etc.) All except Vader. Now, we know that it means "Dark Father" in German (or Swedish, or something) but obviously that's not the reason Anakin chose it. (Although, maybe the title is given by the Master, and maybe Palpy knew that Anakin had kids... so he gave him the ancient Sith word for "father", without telling him what it meant... although for my idea to work, that's not the case). Anyways, maybe up until the Volcano duel he is still Anakin Skywalker. His fall, & subsequent transformation, was the final stages of his transformation into a Sith. Now, since the Sith's name describes him, what is the most prominent thing about Anakin? The fact that it was his fall that solidified his transformation. Therefore, the place where he fell would be quite signifigant, since it was the 'birthplace' of this new Sith Lord.
So, what if the name of the place where he fell (either the volcano itself, the region, or the planet) was named...
Vader.


Sorry for going on & on like that.

 

Saying that Lucas should be consistent with the merchandise is like saying God should be consistent with current beliefs in theoretical physics.

As Episode III is still in development, and there is no official confirmation of the presence of a lightsaber battle on a volcano just yet, I am not inclined to discuss such a speculative volcano battle. Yes, it would be cool, if done correctly and believably. If it weren't done in anything like a volcano, it would still be cool, if done correctly and believably.

I used to wish for a final duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin that was in the rain, since there haven't been any rain duels in Star Wars. Of course, it seems like I'm getting my wish early, with the Obi-vs-Jango thing.

As for music: I'd only want DOTF in the score at such a dramatic point if it were rhythmically augmented... significantly. And hopefully very low in register. It has to be dark in a SLOW and dramatic way, as opposed to the kinetic pace of the TPM duel, which was all flash and little drama (not a complaint - it's just that it wouldn't work for the Obi-vs-Anakin duel).

Also, note that the idea of a volcano duel didn't originate in the ROTJ novelization. It was originally going to be part of ROTJ itself, as the final confrontation of Luke and Vader in front of the Emperor by the molten pits of Had Abaddon. This idea was ditched in favour of the duel we all know and love on the Second Death Star itself. Now, if Lucas came up with one volcanic duel, and he still wants to include a part of that vision... more power to him. He's known to use ideas that were ditched earlier in the game. For this reason, it may be very likely that the final duel is amidst spewing lava.

It just won't be exactly as the novelization described.

 

Hopefully this will be the most intense lightsaber batlle yet.

Well, George has said that it is supposed to be "The Jedi duel to end all duels."

 

Well, Sithman wants my thoughts on this so here we go.

I think the idea of the final confrontation between Obi-Wan and Anakin taking place near and around lava, either a volcano, or something else, with Duel of the Fates playing in the background is an incredible image and would leave an indelible imprint on peoples' minds.

A darker, more intense and less frenetic version of Duel of the Fates would be what I would go with, but I trust Maestro Williams to score the scenes as he sees fit, with Lucas' input of course.

Just thinking about the dark events of Episode III is seriously exciting for me but at the same time it fills me with dread. These scenes are going to be some of the most intense and emotional moments in the saga and if done right, which I have every faith that they will be, they will move us and disturb us like nothing else in the saga. I have my musings and imaginings of what we will see and I must admit, this duel is one of them... and it includes lava and Duel of the Fates...

 

Sounds like melodrama.

 

Care to elaborate, Pozzi?

 

GL did say something about this just a little while ago. He was asked if the 'duel of the fates' would be used again, and he said that he would use it for the final lightsaber duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan. He also said that instead of by a volcano that the duel might take place in a vast underground cavern containing a great lake of lava underneath Coruscant.

VERY interesting.

We all know that the names of Sith lords are chosen because they describe a characteristic of the lord. (Sidious, Bane, Maul, etc.) All except Vader.

Thats possibly not true. "Vader" could mean "Invader", meaning he is in charge of searching out opposition of the Empire and destroying them.

 

Dudes, it means "Father" in german. It really has no significance to his turn to the Dark Side, it's significance lies in his relationship with Luke (Duh. ).