Dooku's Force Lightning, and the Yoda Fight

Ok, this is a two parter...

The first is, if Dooku is the Emperor's apprentice, and he can use Force Lightning, then how come Vader didn't use it as well in the OT? Do you think there's a specific reason for this, or did Lucas put it in there because he thought it would be cool to see Yoda deflect/absorb Dooku's lightning? I personally think that back when he was making the OT, Lucas never intended for anyone other than the Emperor to use Force lightning, using that ability to show how powerful he is, and it was not until he started planning AOTC that he thought that it would be cool to see Yoda deflect Force Lightning. Meaning, I don't think there was a specific reason as to why one Apprentince can use Force Lightning and not another or anything like that. I don't think Lucas had EVERY SINGLE LITTLE THING planned to a tee for all six films..some of it just came to him as he went along. Not everything was done on purpose, in other words =)

Second part: I remember back when I first read that Yoda was gonna fight in AOTC I was a lttle skeptical. I thought it would look silly, frankly, like I'm sure many of you did But then when I saw that scene on opening night, it kicked my ass, and brought the hosue down. Today, even after seeing the scene countless times, I still think it's awesome. However a part of me thinks that maybe Lucas should have saved all his goodies till the end. Maybe he should have put off showing a full on Yoda fight until ROTS, and thus, giving us an even bigger and awe inspiring climax. I mean, if the first and last time we ever saw Yoda fight was against the Emperor, I think that would be pretty friggin' sweet, and one of many great cappers for the series. Now, while the fight I'm sure is still gonna be cool, the initial surprsie of seeing Yoda fight for the first time was already used up in AOTC. Maybe saving it wouldve madeROTS fight that much better. What do you guys think....Does the fight in AOTC still look awesome to you? Did you love it then but hate it now, or vice versa? Should Lucas have saved full on Yoda fighting for ROTS?

 

Maybe Vader can't use the Force lightning cause the consequence would be the same as when he picked up Sidious. Maybe it's incompatible with the machine side of him.

And when Yoda and Dooku fight I think Dooku said something like, "It's just the beginning" which I always took two ways. It's literally the beginning of the end for the Jedi and figuratively like Lucas' is telling us, "You like this, well you aint seen nothin yet." But that's just me.

 

I think ROTJ shows Vader's suit and lightning do no get along and it would probably kill him to use it.

 

"Do you think there's a specific reason for this"

lightning rods for arms.

As for him fighting twice, I reckon the dooku fight was merely a test, hence the fact that its only about 30 seconds long, where as the next one is a fair bit bigger.

 

Regarding the Force Lightning question...

I'm gonna stick by my prior statement. I don't think Lucas ever intended anyone to use Force Lightning other than the Emperor back when he had this entire Saga in his head. In fact, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that I don't think that he even had the character of Dooku in mind back then, nor the fact that he would use Force Lightning in a fight against Yoda. I think it came to him while fleshing out the notes he had made on AOTC over the years, when he sat down after TPM to actually write the script for it. It just so happens to be a merry coincidence that the lack of Vader Force Lightning can be explained away by his metal extremities. But that's just me, maybe I'll be proven wrong and this will be officially addressed somehow in ROTS.

 

I had the same feeling when Dooku unleashed the lightning. Disappointment as that was the Emperor's special weapon - much like the Skywalker throat squeeze!

The reason given will be related to Vader's machine parts, but it doesn't explain why Maul didn't use it.

Perhaps another way to look at it would be "when" could Vader or Maul have used it? Vader wouldn't have wanted to use lightning on Luke for obvious reasons. Nor on Kenobi in ANH - after all, Kenobi could easily counter with his saber.

Lightning as a Sith tool has been diminished by the revelation that it can be deflected with a lightsaber. The Emperor still comes out number one on the "bad" list because Luke was unarmed.


The other question about Yoda is very easy. The guys at ILM and Lucasfilm knew what they wanted to do with Yoda in ROTS. They couldn't risk pulling out the "Yoda fight" in the climax of the saga - what if it had ruined everything. Much like reacting to Jar-Jar's public reception. And so the inclusion of any Yoda-action in ROTS is a result of the successful reception to the trial fight in AOTC.

 

I think Darth Vader knows it because as the official sites states, (Darth Vader was the Emperor's greatest apprentice) so he had to know how to use dark side lightning. The dark side ligntning may not even be the dark side's greatest power. If it has something to do with Vader's robotic limbs as to why he doesn't use Sith lightning, then it's self explanitory. But something tells me he can use it though.

Dooku showed it as a display. The Emperor used it to destroy.

 

As for the lightning thing, and Lucas not having the whole thing etched in stone...Thank goodness. Of course any rough ideas that Lucas had almost 30 years ago have changed by now. The movies as well as the EU has evolved. His original ideas and notes may seem ridiculous now in comparison. I am glad MR Lucas is pulling out all the stops in these films. That goes for the Yoda fight as well. Make each movie the best it can be while telling the story you want to tell, don't save it all up for the final movie, just keep raising the bar until then.

One more thing, you learn in the EU that different Jedi use different force power compared to the situation. You would not expect any character to just throw lightning all the time, just because they can. When did Vader or Maul have such a chance, and why do you think they would have went that route anyway.

 

It is very simple....

a) Maul was a fighter and his skill was the double-bladed light saber, which was bad ass in it's own right. He also, as mentioned earlier, never really had an opportunity to use it. Since the word "Maul" is bascially defined as "a tool" I consider Maul just a tool of Sidious to keep the Jedi out of the mix while he tried to take over Naboo.

b) I must admit I was a tad disappointed that Dooku could use lightning, because it did diminish the impact of seeing the Emperor use lightning in ROTJ. However, We have to wait and see if anyone can block Sidious' lightning in ROTS. From what I see in the trailer, though brief, Yoda seems a bit surprised at the lightning blast. Perhaps Sidious' is so powerful his lightning is too strong.

c) As mentioned earlier, Vader does not use lightning because his arms are not his arms anymore. He can't just send electrical current through his suit. That would screw him up. In addition, Having been ZAPPED by lightning by Dooku Anakin (Vader) knows what it feels like so he can't bring it upon himself to make his son suffer like that.
That being said, I would have liked to see Dooku perhaps fry Anakin a little bit longer with lightning making him suffer just a bit. That way, when Vader is looking at his son being fried by the Emperor it would have helped the audience think of his own pain and how that effects his decision.

d) It is a movie after all. That being said, I wouldn't be against Lucas going back when he touches up the original trilogy again and adding a better light saber duel with Vader and Luke. In addition I wouldn't mind him making the Emperor's powers even more amazing. Perhaps throwing Luke around in a Force Tornado or raining fire on him in a Force firestorm.

 

I think there's enough that ROTS has to cover to blow our socks off that there's no reason to wait for ROTS to have Yoda show his true skills.

 

Yoda Vs Dooku was great. It was agreat idea and was executed brilliantly. I never understood why people were so worried about it and I still can't understand why so many people think it ruins Yodas character.

 

One of you said what I've always believed. The Yoda vs Dooku fight was a test.