Repeated themes, scenes and visuals of the saga

George likes to intentionally repeat certain themes, scenes, situations and visuals in the SW movies. He uses the metaphor of a piece of music and having the same note played by different instruments at different times. Each instance is a variation of a theme and is used to either recall something in the past or to contrast it. I've listed all the things I can think of that are repeated in two different movies of the series.
COROLLATIONS BETWEEN EPISODES I and IV

1. Boy leaving home on Tatooine to train with Jedi
2. Boy flying ship in space battle
3. Boy blows up main target and becomes hero
4. Film starts with ship in orbit than moves down to planet
5. Royal female in jeopardy
6. Tusken Raider shooting from on high
7. Jedi master killed in duel in front of pupil
8. Jedi master explains the Force to pupil
9. Girl gives comfort to sad boy and covers him with blanket to warm him
10. important decisions about future discussed over meal
11. Hidden sanctuary in jungle ruins
12. Briefing for battle
13. End celebration with final shot of characters on dais

COROLLATIONS BETWEEN EPISODES II and IV

1. bar scene
2. speeder goes through city
3. Obi-wan uses Jedi mind trick
4. Obi-wan cuts persons arm off in bar with lightsaber
5. scenes in Lars Homestead(eating area,garage)
6. Loved ones killed
7. Death Star plans
8. hero looking out at twin sunset
9. hero and heroine trapped on ledge over abyss
10. Pupil(s) learning how to use lightsaber with remote(s)
11. Bad guys seated around round table
12. Obi-Wan sneaking around bad guy's HQ
13. Artoo saving someone by turning off contraption
14. Duel between master and former student
15. duel confined to one place

COROLLATIONS BETWEEN EPISODES I and V

1. hero hanging over abyss during duel
2. duel going through different environments
3. hologram of Sidious/Emperor
4. Artoo saves ship
5. hero annoyed by creature in a swamp
6. city located in unusual environment with choiral music played during heroes approach to it
7. heroes and their vehicle almost eaten by giant creature
8. probes used by bad guys to look for heroes
9. preapation by army for ground battle

COROLLATIONS BETWEEN EPISODES II and V

1. Romantic storyline
2. First kiss interrupted in comical way
3. girl says "I love you" first before possible death
4. heroes go split up and have separate storylines that merge again when they reunite later
5. hero rides beast
6. hero leaves place impulsively to save loved one(s)
7. asteroid sequence
8. A Fett plays a important role in story and flies around in Slave I
9. Ship hides by attaching behind something
10. Industrial city with white walls and landing platforms
11. Red Industrial environment with steam and mechanical devices
12. Hero(es) rescue attempt fails
13. Anakin/Vader uses force to cause object to travel over dining table
14. Yoda levitates large object
15. Ending with boy and girl looking out at something while Artoo and Threepio stand by

COROLLATIONS BETWEEN EPISODES I and VI

1. intercutting between different action(duel/space battle/ground battle) at the end
2. primitive fighters vs. technological army
3. primitive army uses weapons like bolos and catapults
4. Jabba the Hutt, Bib Fortuna and slave girl in bikini
5. action sequence involving speed in middle of movie
6. action in a throne room
7. aerial view of important tower(s) where scene takes place at top
8. encounter with helpful creature in woods
9. Primitive people agree to become allies
10. hero usesightsaber disables bad guy on speeder in the woods
11. Main target destroyed from within by smaller vessal
12. Bad guy falls in pit
13. hero and dying father(figure)lying next to pit
14. Funeral pyre

COROLLATIONS BETWEEN EP

 

Damn, excellent list there

 

Mark Hamill said that the 1977 film (A New Hope) included the Death Star destruction because George wasn't sure he would even make sequels to that film.

He originally wanted that part to be included in the third film (Jedi). And so it was that RotJ included a new Death Star and it was also destroyed.

So that theme was repeated by accident..kinda

 

Yeah, George said the same thing in the RotJ DVD commentary. In the original big script there was only one Death Star. When he broke it down to three movies he put the Death Star he made it's destruction the climax of the first one. I think it worked out better because ultimately the third film isn't supposed to be about the Death Star blowing up but about Luke confronting Vader and the Emperor.
Oh and one quick correction. The heading of the sixth list should be:
COROLLATIONS BETWEEN EPISODES II AND VI
Sorry!

 

*hugs waheenay*

 

In ROTJ Admiral Ackbar says "Consentrate all fire on the Super Star Destroyer." While in AOTC Yoda says "Consentrate all fire on the nearest starship." I found their lines strangely familiar. Just thought everyone would like to know.

 

Correlation between Episodes II and VI:
- Bounty hunter by the name of Fett flies from the side of his master to take on a Jedi, has his gun cut from his hand, and a rocket malfunction leads to his death.

 

Hey all. We'd like this list to be more of a discussion, more in synch with the spirit of the forum. Not just a list.

 

Correlation between Episode II and V

Skywalker women lose earth-tone garments after enemy capture near end of movie.

AOTC
On Geonosis, Padme wears her white cape through the droid factory, but when she and Anakin are being led into the execution arena, it's not there.

ESB
After the Empire torture Han Solo, the Empire doesn't return Leia's Hoth Vest but still gives her the rest of the jumpsuit.

 

Correlation between II and V

Action scene happens on landing platform where Slave I is.

AOTC
Obi-Wan vs. Jango fight on Kamino Platform

ESB
Rebels try to stop Boba on East Landing Platform.

 

Decoys and doubles

 

Here's an important one for I and VI:

The more primitive culture giving the modern superculture a hard time not with advanced weaponary but strong will (I: Gungans vs. The Trade Federation - VI: Ewoks vs The Empire)

 

Episode II: Owen Lars says "Where are you going?" to the up and coming Jedi while sitting in the dining room.

Episode IV: Owens wife says "Where are you going?" in a strikingly similar fashion to the up and coming Jedi while sitting in the same dining room.

Listen to both lines back to back, it's kind of funny.

 

Ever notice the complementary plot points of the discovery of Kamino and the destruction of Alderaan? In one, Obi finds a planet where there shouldn't be one and in the other Obi discovers that a planet is missing. Both events lead him on the trail of the villains. Any other connections?

 

I think George likes the idea of his movies surrounded by fate and serendipity. "Destiny" is mentioned prominently in most of his movies. I think he likes the idea that there is a general plan for all of us. We may deviate from that course a little, but ultimately we find ourselves at the mercy of fate, destiny, a higher power that holds us and directs us.

 

The post info are plenty so bare with me on this. I have been watching AOTC with its commentary and found a fea things to be very interesting.

Other than the obvious connection of the homested dinner table from ANH in AOTC, I found it interesting that it was purposeful in the way Anakin makes his departure from the dinning room. In ANH Luke gets up right side of the table filled with emotions talking to Lars, his last words are words of sarcastic irony. "Looks like Im going nowhere." before he goes off to clean the droids. I discovered thruogh the commentary that Anakins departure was a mirror of that. He gets up and exits on the same side, same fashion, with equal tone to his parting statements.

Lars-"Where are you going, son?"

Anakin-"Im going to find my Mother"

If I hadnt heard it from the forces mouth I wouldnt have noticed it. It is so similar now that I watch the two that it presents itself in a gradually groing increase in respect and appreciation of what the whole saga will soon hold. Where I thought willynilly and no care taken seems to be carefully constructed. My mind is open.

 

I think the general reason for so much similarity between the two is because Luke really just is his father's son. He has a few less psychological issues, sure, but as Beru points out, "He has too much of his father in him." Thus, it wouldn't surprise me that Anakin clashed with Owen in similar ways that Luke did. They both have a similar pscyhology regarding their lifestyles.

As for the battle scenes...I think that's more of an issue that both sagas have major wars going on. The prequel trilogy has the political build up and rise of the empire through the clone wars. The OT shows the rise of the rebellion and fall of the empire. In both cases, you're talking about a massive revolution in galactic socio-political dynamics. It's sort of inevitable that they have similarities.

The Skywalker tendency to lose or cause the loss of limbs makes me smile, though. Amputation is a must in some form of it, apparently. Makes me wonder how Luke and Mara's son in the EU is going to fare. If Anakin lost an arm at 19, and Luke lost a hand at 21, is baby Ben doomed to lose a finger at 23?

 

Man, this is a very interesting list. I have one addition:

Correlation between Episodes I and II:

Object that changes from blue to green and back again.

I: Palpatine's cloak in scene with Queen Amidala discussing Vilorum's position.

II: Ki-Adi Mundi's lightsaber blade.

 

hero annoyed by creature in a swamp


I laghed out loud at this one for some reason!

 

After browsing the TPM board some hours ago, I think I found a new connection between the first episodes of each trilogy:

In TPM, I believe Obi-Wan ignites his lightsaber JUST before the shield holding him back from Qui-Gon and Maul dissipates. In ANH, it is argued that if you use frame-by-frame, Obi-Wan disappears BEFORE Vader's sabre strikes him down.

Discuss

 

Neo, just to be exact, it was Owen who asks Anakin ?where?re you going?? . Anakin answers: ?to find my mother?.

Regardless, glad to know, you see some of the ?constructed? and intentional parallels by GL.

Meanwhile, here?s a parallel and one of my favs amongst several others:

When we see Obi Wan for the first time in ANH, his head is hidden by the Jedi cloak and then he removes it revealing his features.

When we see Obi Wan for the first time in TPM, his head is hidden by the Jedi cloak and then he removes to reveal his features.

Their responses are interesting as well: ANH: "Hello there, my little friend don't be afraid" (not verbatim, I think sorry!)

TPM: "I got a bad feeling about this"

An old Obi Wan is truly experienced and composed, giving reassurance.

The young Obi Wan is an apprentice, still learning , is not so assured. He's concerned/worried. Qui Gon reminds him though, not to center on his anxieties and reminds him about the Force and its other focuses.

 

Im enjoying where this is headed. What about Vader saying something along the lines of "Now the circle is complete" in ANH to Obi-wan, my guess is that this has to do w/ GL view on life itself. Alot of things work in cycles in the universe. After every sunset there will be a sunrise and vice versa. So im sure all the similarities in the Saga as very well thought out at this point. Just my humble 2 cents.

Props to everyone for their well thought out views and opinions.

---Waheennay: Yes, I do have A LOT of extra time on my hands but it was fun to watch the movies again and list all this.---

Hey it's a dirty job, but someones gotta do it. Im sure everyone is glad u did a hell of a job doing it.

 

Female Skywalker Accents in First Films

Padme's Queen Accent from TPM

Leia's British Accent from 1st half of ANH

 

Interesting!

 

Decoy mistaken for the real thing in TPM and AOTC.

ROTS???