CT The Unifying Force: The Expanded Universe Solving Plot Holes Original Trilogy Edition

Ahhh those pesky plotholes that plague the Star Wars saga as a whole. Yes I say the saga because the OT does have a few plotholes. Or at least a few storylines which GL didnt address in the films

Its a chance to take a constructive look at the OT films and look at its plot and think for a moment. Forgetting the tv, the novels, the comics, the video games or any EU. What plot points were left unresolved? What issues should have been resolved in the films?


To me among them is the fallout of Alderaan's destruction.


There are many others, but I would like for you guys to think about those storylines the EU explored that the films shouldve addressed.


So what do you guys think?

 

Why did they go straight from the Death Star to the Yavin IV base when Leia basically knew that they were being tracked? (I am aware Han said "not this ship", I think it's still sloppy)

(I'd imagine the out of universe reason is that originally the final battle was not set against a backdrop of the Death Star bearing down on Yavin, something that was later changed during filming, and I'd imagine this didn't make the smoothest transition between the two plots)

 

Leia wanted to get R2 to the Rebels ASAP so they could analyze the Death Star plans and come up with an attack strategy. Had she diverted to another location, ditched the Falcon, hopped to a new ship and then went to Yavin, that takes time and creates more opportunities to be caught again. The Empire at that point knew the ship they were looking for and could have put out bounties and notice to every Imperial garrison.

ANH seems to imply that the Rebel base is THE Rebel base, the only one, and that with its destruction the Rebellion will be destroyed for good.

In ESB we see a large Rebel fleet and in ROTJ we see leaders like Ackbar and Mothma. I don't know if the implication was that they were supposed to be on Yavin, but off camera, or if they were with the fleet (i.e. even if the Empire destroyed Yavin, the Rebel Alliance would not have been destroyed).

 

Yes the Eu did establish what the OT couldn't the Rebellion's heirarchy.

 

Some that come to my mind quickly (They don't bother me much. But since the "brother thread" in the Prequel section seems to be pretty harsh again already, I'm going to post them):

- Han not paying off Jabba the Hutt (see Prequel edition, in short: It was hinted that Han would pay off Jabba immediately. It never happend and was further used as a plot point.)

- Obi-Wan's words
Luke: But I can help them! I feel the Force!
Obi-Wan: But you cannot control it. This is a dangerous time for you, when you will be tempted by the Dark Side of the Force
--> Never understood that. How excantly did Luke destroy the Death Star in ANH when he didn't control the Force? Luck?

- Nobody tells Luke the truth
I see why Obi-Wan didn't ... but why didn't Yoda tell Luke about his father? It was clear Vader was going to reveal the truth and weaken Luke's emotional stability thus. So why didn't Yoda avoid that?

- Hoth
I never understood why the Rebels didn't escape from Hoth on other side of the Planet. I mean, that was the point of the TF's blockade of Naboo. You can leave a planet to space in every direction. Why did they come the Empire's way? I can see it with big cruisers, but the Millenium Falcon?

- Jabba's "decoration"
Why do you watch your "favourite decoration" being destroyed with a big laugh?

- Han's words:
Han: I didn't know they were lookin' for somebody to lead this crazy attack.
Lando: (smiling) I'm surprised they didn't ask you to do it.
Han Well, who says they didn't. --> you should have known they "were lookin' for somebody to lead this crazy attack" then.

- For how long do Imperials scream "Freeze" as a warning?

- Why does Luke not kill the Wampa and use its warmth over the night (like Han did) instead of running into a deadly blizzard unprotected?

- Who was flying the Falcon when Han and Chewie were looking after the Hyperdrive? Autopilot in a space fight?

 

I figured that came under "It controls your actions?" - "partially - but it also obeys your commands"

Early on, Luke's "letting go his conscious self and acting on instinct"- that is - opening himself to the Force, and letting it do the work.

To be a Jedi, is to be the one with control over the Force, not just the one the Force controls.

To have established a full partnership, so to speak- an alliance.

"For my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is."

 

I'm not sure how that's a plot hole. Han was caught up helping the Rebellion between ANH and ESB, he made it pretty clear that he was trying to leave to pay back Jabba before the Empire attacked Hoth.

Well...maybe he can't control it because he's not yet a Jedi Knight? Maybe it's because he doesn't have the training? This is all pretty evident when Luke fails to lift the X-Wing out of the swamp. He doesn't trust himself or the Force enough to truly control his abilities. Also, it's made abundantly clear that this was a trap set for Luke Skywalker. I always felt figured that Darth Vader was partially responsible for the vision.

There are many facets of the Force. Having the piloting skills and the Force potential to guide a proton torpedo is different from experiencing a vision and having the power to prevent it from actually happening.

Yoda clearly thought that Luke wasn't ready to face Darth Vader. (He was both wrong and right). It was better for Luke to learn his lesson than mess with his head regarding Luke's true parentage. Luke was made stronger by learning that Darth Vader was his father the way that he did.

The Empire directly attacked the Rebel base. Using the Prequel Trilogy to justify decisions made in the Original Trilogy doesn't make any sense...especially when there's no continuity between the films

Besides, Luke didn't run into trouble when he escaped Hoth. Maybe that's because the trip to Dagobah required him leaving on the side of the planet that didn't contain the Imperial Fleet. Perhaps the Rebels needed to flee the way they did because the Home Fleet was located on the side where the Empire had come out of hyperspace. Besides, they had an effective plan to knock the Star Destroyer that was orbiting Hoth out of commission.

Ummm...it honestly feels like you're reaching for this. Jabba got a "new" decoration in the form of Leia and was about to watch Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Chewbacca get eaten by the sarlaac. I'd say that's a pretty decent trade-off. (My apologies, I'm not trying to sexualize Leia but this was the way that Jabba might have seen it.)

He allowed Han to be freed and then captured him so that Han and Leia could get a glimmer of hope about being able to escape before he snatched it away.

Seriously? You're really nitpicking here.

- What?

- For one thing, killing a wampa is harder than it looks. What makes you think that Luke could have killed the wampa before it knocked him clear across the room with its other arm? The creature was still standing even though Luke had just taken an appendage. Besides, Luke isn't as resourceful as Han. It's kinda of clear that while Luke is capable of thinking on his feet he is impulsive and he can succumb to fear. He was trying to remove himself from danger as quickly as he could before he got himself killed.

- Leia was flying! Go back and look at the asteroid scene. She was holding the controls when Han and Chewbacca ran back into the cockpit.

 

This is the only one of these I see as any kind of a plot hole rather than a simple movie logic issue considering that these aren't real events. This is a key plot point that gets brushed over. Yes, I believe it was explained in the EU, but for a major plot point it definitely should have been referenced in ESB. We see Han loading up his reward at the end of ANH and then at the beginning of ESB hear that he ran into a bounty hunter on Ord Mantell and is leaving because he has a price on his head. He essentially had the money one movie and then doesn't at the beginning of the next.

I think the real world explanation is that ESB wasn't a sure thing and when it came around, it was just more fun to have Han be a wanted man. It definitely should have warranted a simple line regarding why Han is wanted again.

 

True that's an interesnting one.

 

Yes, I am You know, I didn't intend this as critiscm in the way that it bothered me or anything.
I just wanted to point out some (minor?) plot holes, inconsistencies, logicals flaw or whatever you want to name it in the OT . I appreciate your response (although I wouldn't agree with all of your counterpoints).

Bugs can be found in almost every film because writers sometimes have a strong focus on larger points which may allow smaller errors occur. I actually think that Star Wars - for a six-part series - is not that bad in this regard.

 

I think its part of the viewing experience to see what we liked and didnt like. Hell Id say thats how many EU books start by "nitpicking".

 

The only thing that bothers me in the OT is the final lightsaber fight scene where Luke leaves himself extremely vulnerable to a counter attack. Very obviously choreographed, the fight didn't feel that organic.

I explain that by the fact that the sound stage that they were on was extremely open and wide, and so they were supposed to hit certain parts of the set for sparks to fly, which explains his wide swings.

 

Yeah. Ep. 5 duel to me is the best choereographed one a close second would be the duel in Theed Palace.

To me however the lightsaber duels have always been a highpoint of the saga. Maybe since Im not a martial artist I dont see those flaws, but maybe I need to freeze frame it to see it better.

 

Luke was berserk, meaning he didn't care if he lived or died as long as he took Vader with him. He was on an all-out offense with no thought at all for his own defense. You're right about Vader having multiple opportunities to kill Luke; one well-timed thrust would have run Luke through like a mynock on a shishkabob. But as Luke had said earlier, Vader just couldn't bring himself to destroy his own son. The conflict within Vader was clear in the choreography.

My own favorite nit to pick: what was the Rebel plan to infiltrate Endor? The shuttle transmitted the code and passed through the shield with clearance to deliver parts and technical crew to the forest moon. I can't imagine communication and coordination between the base and the fleet were so bad that the Imps on the ground wouldn't know that a shuttle that was supposed to be headed their way had suddenly turned and set down in the woods far from the base. I know they got away with it because Vader wanted them in his trap, but the Rebels couldn't have planned on that. The only halfway believable retcon I can come up with is that they sent a fake distress call and pretended to crash out of control in the woods. But even then, Imps would send out search and rescue teams to investigate the "crash".

 

Maybe that's what those biker scout troopers were doing before Han decided to sneak up on them?

 

All of this chatter is pointless. Uncle Palpy had forseen it.

Actually, this is a good idea to discuss. I would like to know why it only felt like a few weeks under Jedi training with Yoda. It would have been cool to have seen Luke with stubble and then a full Duck Dynasty beard. Also have the Falcon take our heroes on a detour. The timespan never felt right for me. Leia wearing her Hoth clothes for several months bothers me.

FYI, ESB is my favorite of the Saga.

 

The stink Leia would have would be legendary

 

ROTJ was my favorite for a long time.

So I never hated it.

It's since fallen to my 3rd favorite.

I liked it because...the special effects were really really impressive.

The final scene with the emperor was really moving. ESB I think I'd already had it spoiled for me anyways.

And as for the Ewoks. Never hated them. Still don't. They're a lot like the Jawa droids bit in ANH.

I have the feeling that the same people who say that ROTS was a good movie are also the same people who hate ROTJ. ie: they give points for serious death and destruction more than storytelling or overall themes.

 

Oh yes. To me its

1) ESB
2) ANH
3) ROTJ
4) ROTS
5) TPM
6) ATOC

 

When the millennium falcon was being followed by Boba Fett's Slave 1 ship, doesn't the falcon have any radar sensors that tell them that there's a ship behind them? How can Han and Leia not know that they were being followed before they reached Bespin??

 

Slave I has some stealth equipment. For one who is in the profession of bounty hunting, such equipment is pretty much a requirement.

 

I've wondered about this too. I've speculated that Han may have forced the issue. Remember, at this point in the movie the Millennium Falcon is still a charter and the captain of the ship wanted to be paid. Han may not have wanted to fly all around the galaxy dropping his passengers off somewhere without collecting what they owed.

 

This doesn't strike me as a plot hole at all. It's pretty clearly laid out in the movies:

Han loads the money, with the intent of paying off Jabba.
"That's right, yeah! I got some old debts I've got to pay off with this stuff."

Luke lays on a guilt trip.
"Come on! Why don't you take a look around? You know what's about to happen, what they're up against. They could use a good pilot like you. You're turning your back on them."
"All right. Well, take care of yourself, Han. I guess that's what you're best at, isn't it?"

Ultimately, Luke's sob story wins him over and Han turns around, saving the day.From that point to the beginning of ESB, Han made the choice to stay with the rebellion and help out.
HAN: "General, I've got to leave. I can't stay anymore."
LEIA: "I thought you decided to stay."

Then they run into a bounty hunter on Ord Mantell and Han realizes he can't put it off any longer. So at the first opportunity, on Hoth, he plans to pay his debt. There's no insinuation here that he *doesn't* still have the money to pay Jabba off.
HAN: "Well, there's a price on my head. If I don't pay off Jabba the Hut, I'm a dead man."

Events kind of spiral out of control at that point and he never gets the chance.

 

Actually, the insinuation is that Vader *beat them* to Bespin. So, clearly, Boba Fett didn't follow them the whole way there. I'd say that he followed just long enough to work out their destination, then radioed it back to Vader and the Imperial fleet.

But let's think about this. Han eluded capture by shutting the Falcon down and keeping its electronic signature virtually nonexistent to the Imperial fleet. Why would he then risk being detected on the way to Bespin by broadcasting his position with an active radar sweep? Boba Fett merely took advantage of Han's desire to keep a low profile. And we know that Fett had a bit of insight into how Han thought when he pulled the same stunt that Han himself pulled to escape the fleet in the first place (posing his ship as debris).

 

It just shows how cool Boba is. How skilled he is.