PT Have you ever paid attention to the background space battle in ROTS?

I noticed some possible symbolism in the battle taking place outside while Anakin is tested against Dooku in ROTS.


When Anakin and Obi-Wan first enter the room the Separatists appear to be winning the fight in the background (behind a silent Palpatine). This whole conflict was created by Palpatine, and the chaos that is happening outside is by his design.

For example, in these three shots a Republic fighter is chased by some droid fighters (second window from right), which are in turn being chased by Republic fighters themselves. Kind of sums up Palpatine's ultimate control of the situation, the conflict and his vulnerability are feigned. Also interesting, Palps swings his chair around at this moment.



Also note that for the time being a large Separatist ship is prominent in the background to the right. Representation of Anakin's and the Republic's "fear", Palpatine masking that he is the true threat, fittingly with two Star destroyer equivalents in the background behind him. Notice the Republic Arc-fighters shoot green shots like Tie-fighters in the OT, the Republic soon to be be swallowed by itself as it becomes the Empire.




More emphasis on Palpatine linked to the Republic army, Republic ships attacking in the background.






We then get a peek at the reality of the war - Palpatine has two Jedi bodyguards as he is feigning true loyalty to the Republic (again note the large background Republic ships on both the Sith's and Jedi's side), Dooku has two droid bodyguards indicating he is the face of the Separatists, and essentially an expendable scapegoat for Palpatine.







Republic fighters being chased as the duel is about to begin.





Dooku provokes Anakin. Essentially Anakin is acting on his fear and anger as he goes all out on Dooku. Perhaps emphasised by one last background moment of Separatist fighters chasing Arc-fighters. Anakin sees Dooku and the Separatists as responsible for everything wrong with the galaxy.






On Dooku's defeat, Arc-fighters attack in the background as Palpatine cheers for Anakin.

A Star Destroyer equivalent looms bigger in the background behind Palpatine, as he order Dooku's death.





Anakin struggles with himself, dual red and blue sabers at a significant crossroad, war raging outside the window behind him.


"I shouldn't..."
*Republic fighters attack in the background*


Anakin gives into hate and kills Dooku in cold blood. More Republic dominance outside.



"He was too dangerous to be kept alive." *Star Destroyer ominously hovering behind Palpatine*


EDIT - Forgot to mention, shortly after this scene the Republic fires on the Invisible Hand, and almost destroys it. They are winning this battle, but is it really a victory?

I think a lot of this can be summed up by the fact that by fighting Palpatine's war the Jedi had lost from the beginning. Anakin's (and the Jedi's) efforts to bring peace and order just further strengthen the forming Empire.
Thoughts?

 

Well, it is not as iconic as the stormtrooper banging his helmet against the door in A New Hope, but I think you have got something there.

 

Cool. Might be reaching, might not be. Either way, I love ROTS for its complex ambition. No film like it and never will be due to the all of a sudden spite towards it. Whew. More for me, I guess

 

The Jedi don't have a choice but to fight. The war is happening. Either they do their best to protect the Republic and end the conflict as soon as possible or they just stay in the sidelines and pretend they are not the guardians of the faction under attack.

 

I don't dispute that they were forced into it, rather that Palpatine put them in a position that was a lose-lose situation.

 

Anyone else's comments on this would be appreciated. I may have been reaching on a couple of points, but I truly think Anakin's supposed "victory" against Dooku and the Republic's victory outside run parallel.

 

I do enjoy looking at the background space battle from time to time but I've never been that analytical about it. lol

Anyway, your OP was an interesting read, thanks.

 

Thanks for reading it. Revenge of the Sith has an underappreciated complexity I think.

 

I also like that the Republic are preventing the Separatist fleet from escaping Coruscant with Palpatine hostage, much like the Empire traps the Rebel fleet in ROTJ.

Both are completely happening because of Palpatine's machinations, ordering himself kidnapped in ROTS, and partially using himself as bait for the Rebels in ROTJ - "But most important of all, we've learned that the Emperor himself is personally overseeing the final stages of the construction of this Death Star."

 

Well, what can I say? As usual, you've nailed it

 

I've always paid attention to the background whenever I'm watching any movie. I usually find that what is going on in the background is usually just as interesting as what's happening in the foreground.

 

If you like that space battle - find yourself a copy of Empire at War: Forces of Corruption and install the Republic at War mod.

you can thank me later

 

Might be far fetched, but still some really nice observation.

Not to mention I had forgotten how much I like Anakin's Jedi outfit in this movie...haha!

 

Yeah, some of my observations seem a little presumptuous, but I think the general idea holds.
After all, the war ending in favour of the Republic turns out to be a major factor in the rise of the Empire.

 

You may be reaching a little here but a lot of it makes sense especially when Anakin is trying to decide whether to decapitate Dooku or not and a war is going on within him as one is going on outside. Good thread and good post, I know Im late though lol

 

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This was a nice read, and a great observation. I'm going to have to watch this myself to see it thoroughly, but nonetheless it was a very insightful post!

 

Thanks for reading

My fave shots are probably when Anakin is hesitating to kill Dooku as the Republic fighters attack behind him. Who is really winning here?

 

Yeah, it definitely looks like palpatine is paving the way for the republic to be victorious, but in the end he is the only one who has won. Also quick question, do you think palpatine set up dooku and did dooku know that palps was his master in that scene? Whenever he tells Anakin to kill dooku, dooku has this look of shock on his face. I cannot tell if it is an expression of betrayal or an expression of just pure fright.

 

Yeah, Dooku knew Palpatine was Sidious, unlike Grievous and the Jedi.

It is expanded on in the novelisation.
He has been instructed to test Anakin in front of Palpatine, much like Vader with Luke in ROTJ.

He is to take Obi-Wan out of the fight, get Anakin alone and angry, and if Anakin proves himself by defeating Dooku, Palpatine will tell Anakin to take Dooku prisoner. Or so Dooku thought. Dooku believes they are recruiting Skywalker to join them, but has no clue that Anakin is to be his replacement until his last moments.

 

Ok that makes a lot of sense, I wish they would've maybe added a scene to explain this in the movie, but anyways thanks for the reponse

 

The set design is so reminiscient of the Death Star's throne room in ROJ in almost every detail, that it's almost too obvious

 

Yeah a lot of those scenes match up, I wrote a fair bit on it when I registered on the forums in '05.

Pretty ironic that Anakin finds himself in reverse roles, as the young Jedi struggling with his darker side, then essentially taking Dooku's place in ROTJ, largely because of the events of the ROTS scene.

Also, Anakin ominously kills his Master's Master's Master by killing Dooku, like Luke will face a similar choice to kill his father.

And where Luke throws away a green saber in defiance of the Emperor, Anakin takes his blue and forebodingly Dooku's own red saber and decapitates Dooku. Think of Luke in the cave in ESB.

 

Last thread resurrection for anyone who hasn't seen this

 

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