Question About Prosthetics?

In Episode II, Anakin gets his hand cut off by Dooku and it's replaced by a golden, claw-like, robotic hand.

In Episode V, Luke gets his forearm cut off by Vader and it's replaced by a realistic replica forearm.

My understanding is that even though Star Wars takes place over many centuries (if you include the EU) and technology doesn't appear to change too much. Yet in the process of only about twenty-five years of each-other prosthetics make such a leap forward that something given to a Jedi from a wealthy and technologically advanced Republic is far-and-away outdone by something given out by the Rebellion, a much smaller less financially and technologically supported group, later.

I suppose it's possible )although unlikely) that the field of prosthetics did make a huge leap (evidenced by the more advanced robotic arm that Anakin has in Episode III) or the Rebels were able to get aid from a very advanced race, like the Kaminoans

What are your takes on this or explanations?

 

Anakin's first cybernetic hand was not of a significantly earlier type than Luke's, merely a more basic type. The overall technology probably did not advance much between the trilogies and both types probably existed during the PT era. Anakin probably could have been given one like Luke's but he wasn't. The one he has at the end of Ep II was probably a basic replacement that he was given for the time being - he has an upgrade by Ep III. Mainly what Anakin's replacement hands lack is artificial skin, because Anakin was not so bothered about having a realistic looking hand. That is for his own personal reasons, but also for story reasons - ie to show he is on the way to becoming the Vader of the OT.

 

Well you can't clone and grow a hand in moments I guess. So, mechanical things are in abundance and if you need a hand or foot or something for the time being it is readily available. Also, I do not recall where this statement is made so forgive me, but Anakin could have had a new human hand grown but he is comfortable with technology and such and decided to keep the mechanical hand.

 

Have you compared the PT ships to the OT ships? (The DS notwithstanding, which still took 20 years to complete. Obviously by ROTJ, the speed of the manufacturing process had improved. )

In all honesty, I think the progression of prosthetic technology does make sense - especially considering the medical miracle that is Grievous.

 

Anakin's golden arm was yet another opportunity to show off CGI. If you remember, when Vader loses his hand in Jedi, there appears to be a very different type of prosthetic underneath. It wasn't sheared off metal, but black with wires. Another inconsistency, unless you believe Vader had his arm replaced at some point between trilogies.

 

Which he did, several times as a matter of fact.

chopped-off hands

 

Oh noes! Someone doesn't wike he EU!

Poor kiddo, here, have some cheese to go with the wine.

 

His dislike for the EU, especially in the films forum, is not a problem, so don't treat it as such.

 

Speaking as the above-cited expert on matters of chopped-off hands (thanks Boba! ), I don't think you have to have some kind of built-in hardline stance against the EU to find it a little odd that Vader's hand got chopped and reinstalled quite a few times between films.

What can you say, people? It was the 70s. It was a different time.


With that said, if you didn't like any of those explanations for why Vader's wrist circuitry looks different than Anakin's gold arm, you could also figure that hey, maybe when Anakin got all burned-up and rebuilt with Vader parts, they reworked his arm too.

I mean, people these days can't go six months without buying a new cell phone, you gotta upgrade your stuff occasionally, right?




Rick McCallum loves you!

 

I prefer to wait every two years, to get the discount.

Still got the old .sig, eh?

 

The simple answer is lucas didn't care enough to keep continuity going.
If he had, Anakin would have been given a Luke-type hand.

 

Well, we all know Anakin is mechanically inclined, and isn't it odvious that he'd want to tinker with his new arm? So why not give him one easier for him to play around with?

 

My GOD, grow up.

 

History has shown that technology grows by leaps and bounds during wartime so I think the advanced hand 25 years later works.