Question #5 - What are you most confused about in AOTC?

If you've racked your brains trying to figure out why you're so confused about AOTC, you're not alone.

In Newsweek they had a column entitled Befuddled, are you? Certainly you've seen columnists in other newspapers saying they did not understand certain events in the movie. Are they just old? Don't they get it? [face_shocked]

So here's this week's question: In your opinion , what part do you feel is the most confusing, or what needed more explanation or clarification in Episode II, Attack of the Clones?

Perhaps we can help clear some things up here!

 

the inclusion of the voice saying "Noooooooooooooooo!" after Yoda heard Qui Gon's voice saying "Anakin, Anakin!"

I dunno whose voice the No was, but it wasn't Qui-Gon's...maybe it was Anakins.

I also am confused why some critics didn't like AotC. Guess they sit on their heads.

 

I agree, although we're supposedly going to have an explanation in Ep 3.

Here's what I'm so confused about, and there's a lot to go around...

1. Why did Palpatine send both Obi-Wan and Anikin to guard Amidala?

2. What does Dukoo need with both a clone army AND the battle droids?

3. Why doesn't Yoda sense the impending doom?

4. If Senator Palpatine / Darth Sidious / Emperor is so strong, why doesn't he just kill all the jedi NOW? Isn't he just toying with them?

5. Why doesn't Jar Jar pay for being the ultimate evil in the universe for proposing the Imperial army? (sorry, got carried away, there)

 

1. Why did Palpatine send both Obi-Wan and Anikin to guard Amidala?
Actually I believe that Palpatine recommended both - since they are master and apprentice Obi-Wan and Anakin are assigned together, but the Jedi Counsel separated the two.

2. What does Dukoo need with both a clone army AND the battle droids?
At this time, we must remember that the clone army and the battle droids are on opposite sides - as far as the SW universe is concerned during AOTC.

3. Why doesn't Yoda sense the impending doom?
The future is always changing - Yoda says something to that effect in ESB. And the old line "Hard to see the dark side is". I think he may sense something but since he's not sure, does not voice his feelings.

4. If Senator Palpatine / Darth Sidious / Emperor is so strong, why doesn't he just kill all the jedi NOW? Isn't he just toying with them?
Lucas wanted Palpatine to be a Hitler type character. Someone who rises to power through legitimate means - then takes over once he has enough supporters. By taking on the role of a concerned Senator then Chancellor - he gains more supporters - Anakin being one of them.

5. Why doesn't Jar Jar pay for being the ultimate evil in the universe for proposing the Imperial army? (sorry, got carried away, there)
Although Jar Jar is most annoying, the poor intellectually deficient Gungan will probably kill himself in Episode III, lol.

No questions really arose on my part after watching AOTC, except wondering how Anakin and Padme intend to keep their marriage a secret.

 

1. I think there's more than what meets the eye here. Palpatine must have known about the attempt on Amidala's life was in the process. I beleive he wanted to get Obi-Wan out of the way, first either by dying in an attempt to save her, or worse, if saving her life failed, he will eliminate both he and Anakin as viable protectors of important galactic people by example. Protracting that out to the n-th degree, he could say if the Jedi are incapable of protecting anyone, thus he will discredit all the Jedi, both as peacekeepers, and as protectors of Coruscant and the galaxy on the whole.

 

2. I've found an answer that satisfies me. Dukoo needs to create a false threat to the Republic. By pitting the clones against the droids, the droid army gets pulverized because the clone army was created specifically to waste the battle droids and win. This will conveniently make the Palpatine - Dukoo pair look invinceable to all...at the expense of the Jedi. If the Jedi are pidgeonholed into being shown they can't protect the galaxy, they're usefulness is gone, and opinions will sway towards the power Palapatine holds over the Galactic Senate.

 

3. You're right about # 3. The dark side clouds everything. Especially the capability to think clearly. Yoda is driving the Jedi under the influence ... of not thinking clearly and clouding his judgement. He doesn't see events in their totality....yet. But it's certain he soon will.

 

4. You're on the right track. It's all about discrediting the Jedi in the eyes of the galaxy as being a viable galactic peacekeeping entity. Once they're eliminated as a legitament source of protection, people will turn to the stronger ones who protected them (Palpatine / Dukoo) naturally as a matter of course. The people will either rebel against the Jedi and kill them or force them into exile. But Palpatine is setting them up to fail while boosting his own image up. There's no need to kill the Jedi outright when public opinion will be swayed in his favor against them.

 

#1: I agree with Tallon. Either Obi gets killed while trying to protect Amidala, or Amidala is killed and Obi (and by extension the rest of the Jedi) are discredited.

#2: It's all part of Palpy's master plan. He gets the Trade Federation to create a viable threat with the droid army. Since the TF is a member of the Separatists, Palpy somehow *coughJarJarcough* gets emergency war powers and vows to create an army. Meanwhile, the droids are wasting the Jedi. Enter the Clone army. All created with reduced self-will. Controlled by Palpy himself. So in the end, it looks like this:

Wartime

Very few Jedi left to defend the Galaxy

An army that can defend the Galaxy, but which is controlled by Palpy.

The Galaxy sees Palpy as their savior now, because he drove Dooku back. So they think...

Perfect setup for the Empire. Just need to knock off the few remaining Jedi, and it's done. No one knows that Palpy is behind everything.

#3: Didn't Mace say something about the Jedi losing their ability to see the future?

#4: I agree. If Palpy killed all the Jedi outright, he'd have the entire Galaxy after him. The way he's doing things now, no one knows that he's pulling all the strings until it's too late.

#5: We've still got another movie to go. Maybe...

 

I've been getting e-mails from people asking why Jedi aren't allowed to get married and how Anakin is. I came up with a pretty good explanation for it...heh but i'm to lazy to post it. Anyway if I had any questions I think it was answered by the book. I know the book always has more stuff but one thing I really think they should have put in the movie was how Yoda was going to have to go into the dark side in order to know about what was threatening them and he would have to meditate and stay secluded for days in order to do this...I consider this a very important point - maybe this is something we will see in Ep. III.

 

So why aren't Jedi allowed to marry?

 

btw, its Count Dooku.

Jedi aren't allowed to marry maybe except at a certain age - b/c somebody has to procreate for more Jedi to arrive or be found to be taken to Coruscant. I'm sure that not all the Jedi that are found are inadvertantly taken just like that. Most likely they are given up for training to relatives who are Jedi.

 

Jedi are *not* allowed to marry - period. At least with the Old Jedi Order which of course is featured prominantly in Episodes I-III. For some reason I can't remember the exact line that Anakin says to Padme on the transport when she says that she thought they weren't allowed to love, but that's a good explanation and also explains why they take the children at such a young age to be trained.

And why was Anakin allowed to be married? He wasn't allowed to do anything! The boy did it in secret. And I bet when the Jedi Council finds out - well he'll more than likely get thrown out or be at the risk of being thrown out but they never get around to doing it because he turns to the dark side.

Never, in any SW books, interviews, etc does it mention Jedi having to procreate to keep those strong in the force coming along to Coruscant. People and other aliens are born strong in the Force all the time. How else do you explain The New Jedi Order's beginnings? Very few of the hundreds of members have past relatives who were members of the Old Jedi Order.

So, to reiterate - Anakin wasn't *allowed* to get married. The boy went against the entire order to get married in *secret*. Please, for the love of Yoda, make sure our non-SW freak friends understand this. :0)

As far as the hearing someone shout Nooo! here's a two part answer from the people who know best.
Ben Burtt answered this question:
Do I hear the voice of Qui-Gon Jinn shouting, "Anakin, Anakin... No!", in Yoda's apartment after Anakin attacks the Tusken Raiders?
Yes indeed, the voice that Yoda hears is that of Qui-Gon Jinn.

And I can't find the other answer. But it went something like - Yoda was disturbed to hear Qui-Gon's voice because up until that point the Jedi thought that when you died you just became one with the Force, and that you could not retain your identity. When Yoda heard Qui-Gon's voice he realized that this was false, and that somehow Qui-Gon had been able to retain his identity. Lucas has also said this is a *major* plot point for Episode III, but that's all he's explaining right now.

 

so the jedi can't marry...but they can still get jiggy wit it... ;p

 

They can't even get jiggy with it. As we know Anakin breaks both rules. At least he does, in the end, fulfill the prophecy.

 

Okay, I've got a question that has more to do with the film itself than the storyline, if that makes any sense.

In the end, when Anakin and Padme are getting married, does Padme take Anakin's mechanical hand in her own? ? I've heard that in the digital version he does, and not in the film versions, but I could've sworn I saw it once that way. I've seen it four times, and never in digital...

Just wondering.

 

On the Official SW site, Rick McCallum answered a question about the differences between the digital and film versions. Here was the question and his answer:
Q: I am not certain if this was intentional, but I noticed in the digital version Anakin's metal hand reaches and holds Padmé's hand. In the 35mm version, Anakin's metal hand is just shown hanging at his side which then cuts to them kissing. If this was an error, I would just like to know. I feel like I'm the only one around here who caught the difference.

A:"Yes, you've noticed a difference between the film print version of Episode II and the version that is being shown digitally. (We call it D-cinema.)

Naturally, the process of making the thousands of physical film prints of the movie takes time, so we had to lock down that version in April. However, we had some extra time for the D-cinema distribution, so George [Lucas] had a few more days to make some final tweaks to the finished product.

At the last minute, George felt the wedding scene needed the affection of Padmé taking Anakin's mechanical hand, so just a few days before Celebration II in Indianapolis we shot it and inserted it in time for the D-cinema version.
That addition is by far the most noticeable change, but we actually made over 70 enhancements for D-cinema. Most involved sharpening, tweaking wipes and color adjustments. However, there are a handful that are definite visual effects changes. I'd be curious to hear if any fans have found any of the other changes."

Hope that clears up everything! :0)

 

I also found the Qui-Gon answer I spoke of earlier. It was in Yoda's databank entry. Here's what it says about it:
"This first battle of the Clone Wars was a victory for the Republic, but Yoda was troubled. Too much had been clouded by the dark side, and the judgment of the Jedi order was perhaps sullied by complacency and arrogance. Not only had many Jedi died on Geonosis, but the very nature of death itself was now unclear to the wise old master. While meditating, Yoda had felt a traumatic event befall young Anakin Skywalker. At that very moment, he also heard the voice of Qui-Gon Jinn, a Jedi Master slain a decade previous. It was impossible for a Jedi to retain his identity after becoming one with the Force, yet he had heard it.

It was another dangerous and disturbing puzzle for Yoda to solve while the Republic collapsed around him."

 

Ah, that does help! Thanks a lot! That's very interesting...

 

OK, here's my ?.

1) When Yoda shows up with the Clone Troopers, they all looked like they had seen battle.
What's up with that?

2) When Padme and the Clone Trooper fall off the gunship, she tells the Clone Trooper, "We've got to get to that hanger!"
How'd she know that's where the others were?


Can somebody shed light on these?

 

1) Maybe they were engaged before the arena battle? Or maybe from field tests. Who knows. Just so they look like they were battle-hardened I suppose.

2) I'm not too sure about that one...

 

Sounds like a plot hole, to me... Someone should have checked with me first to ensure the consistency of the writing!