A diplomatic mission to Alderaan...

Discussion in 'Star Wars Saga In-Depth' started by Drudonn, Oct 13, 2010.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
Moderators: Darth_Nub

  1. Drudonn Jedi Padawan

    Member Since:
    Oct 13, 2010
    Okay, so at the beginning of ANH, when the Tantive IV is captured, Leia claims she's on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan. Granted, this line was written long before any starcharts of the GFFA were ever created (in which Alderann & Tatooine are on opposite sides of the galaxy), but has it ever been stated, in EU or interviews, where she was coming from? Especially since those starcharts (like the one pictured below) have been published?

    [image=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Star_Wars_Galaxy_Map_KOTOR_Quest.jpg]
    Drudonn, Oct 13, 2010 at 3:59 PM
    #1

  2. Lt.Cmdr.Thrawn Jedi Grand Master

    Member Since:
    Sep 23, 1999
    star 5
    Not the answer I was expecting but according to the EU she came from Kattada.



    ... TA-DA!
    Lt.Cmdr.Thrawn, Oct 13, 2010 at 4:24 PM
    #2

  3. dewback_rancher Jedi Grand Master

    Member Since:
    Aug 23, 2009
    star 4
    I thought it was Toprawa? :confused:
    dewback_rancher, Oct 13, 2010 at 4:33 PM
    #3

  4. Lt.Cmdr.Thrawn Jedi Grand Master

    Member Since:
    Sep 23, 1999
    star 5
    So did I.
    Lt.Cmdr.Thrawn, Oct 13, 2010 at 6:21 PM
    #4

  5. DarthBoba Movies Manager

    Manager
    Member Since:
    Jun 29, 2000
    star 8
    Go check out the Essential Atlas; this is almost certainly in there, along with pages and pages of other neat stuff and beautiful art.
    DarthBoba, Oct 17, 2010 at 8:56 AM
    #5

  6. firesaber Jedi Master

    Member Since:
    Mar 5, 2006
    star 3
    Katada is listed as having happened 1 BBY. It may have gone to Toprawa after that, but Toprawa was certainly it's last stop prior to Tatooine. As for the geography, the Tantive IV specifically went to Tatooine to seek out obi-wan and I'm not sure how/if she ever tried to explain why she was in that "part of town". Moot point though anyway as the Empire was well onto her.
    firesaber, Oct 17, 2010 at 9:44 AM
    #6

  7. timmoishere Jedi Grand Master

    Member Since:
    Jun 2, 2007
    star 6
    Seems kind of silly to go all the way across the galaxy to Tatooine, when Toprawa and Yavin 4 are neighbors, galactically-speaking. Was Obi-Wan really that crucial to the war effort that Leia had to take such a roundabout journey to pick him up?
    timmoishere, Oct 18, 2010 at 6:49 AM
    #7

  8. firesaber Jedi Master

    Member Since:
    Mar 5, 2006
    star 3
    Apparently, as she did ;)
    firesaber, Oct 18, 2010 at 9:46 AM
    #8

  9. Darth_Nub Saga Manager

    Manager
    Member Since:
    Apr 26, 2009
    star 4
    Regarding galactic proximity, you can explain it easily enough from several points of view:

    1. Reality - at the time the script was written, the specific details of the planets' locations in relation to each other was not something thought out. As far as GL was concerned, Leia was in a spaceship being chased by the Imperials, & her father's old friend Obi-Wan & the main character, Luke, needed to be brought into the story somehow. Done.

    2. OT in-universe - A scene in the radio drama has Bail instructing Leia to go to Tatooine & recruit Obi-Wan Kenobi to help the Rebellion, she didn't just happen to be there & try to contact him in desperation. Besides, heading straight to Yavin IV with Darth Vader on their tail wouldn't have been a particularly bright thing to do.

    3. Saga in-universe, post-PT - as above, except that Bail would have been even more motivated to bring Obi-Wan out of hiding, along with Anakin's other child, now that the civil war had reached critical mass, both for Obi-Wan's help & to protect the children more closely.

    The very phrase 'diplomatic mission' hints at 'diplomatic immunity', which suggests that Leia says it as a way of telling Vader to mind his own business, that he has no jurisdiction over her.
    It's still very much last-ditch bluster anyway - Vader knew exactly what she was up to, & she was 99% aware that he did. Nothing to lose, so still worth a shot.
    Darth_Nub, Oct 18, 2010 at 8:31 PM
    #9

  10. FalorWindrider Jedi Master

    Member Since:
    Jun 7, 2010
    star 4
    Well, given the fact that the Empire had ships which could knock another ship out of hyperspace, flying in a straight line from point A to point B was probably the fastest way to get captured or killed. She probably took a bunch of detours, ran into the Imperial Navy, and got really sidetracked.
    FalorWindrider, Oct 23, 2010 at 12:04 PM
    #10

  11. Darth-Seldon Jedi Grand Master

    Member Since:
    May 17, 2003
    star 6
    It's what she said, it didn't have to be true.
    As evidenced by later lies told to the empire, Leia had no inclination to cooperate with Vader or reveal any actual information. She may have been on her way to Alderaan or she may have likely been on her way to Yavin (or whatever that planet is called where the rebels were hiding.)

    It doesn't matter because she had no reason to tell the truth.
    Darth-Seldon, Nov 29, 2010 at 10:09 PM
    #11

  12. Daft-Vader Force Ghost

    Member Since:
    Aug 6, 2008
    star 8
    Well I am sure if you had a Imp Star Destroyer on you tail, the last thing you would do is go straight to a Rebel base...
    Daft-Vader, Dec 2, 2010 at 2:44 PM
    #12

  13. Darth_Nub Saga Manager

    Manager
    Member Since:
    Apr 26, 2009
    star 4
    Now that you mention it, if she was going to pick up Obi-Wan anyway, she might have gone to Alderaan immediately afterwards to get Bail so that he & Obi-Wan could confer before any of them headed off to the Rebel base.

    "General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars."

    Unlikely that there wasn't any plan for Bail & Obi-Wan to speak at some point. At this stage of the civil war, Bail probably had his bags packed to go on the run anyway.
    Darth_Nub, Dec 3, 2010 at 12:40 AM
    #13

  14. CoruscantSunset Jedi Padawan

    Member Since:
    Dec 1, 2010

    Well, he was crucial to the continuation of the film, anyway, so...yes. Ha.
    CoruscantSunset, Dec 8, 2010 at 8:53 AM
    #14
Moderators: Darth_Nub
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.