Why do people want Palpatine and Yoda, etc. in Star Wars (ANH)?

I'm not sure that Yoda himself even knew lol. Some sort of sign from the Force that the time was ready to start fighting the Empire. At the very least, they'd have to lay low until the aftermatch of the Jedi Purge had died down. But in ESB, Yoda seems to have become somewhat disilusioned, thinking that Luke lacks what is needed to stop the Sith.

Anyway, I think the movie would benefit from a few more throwaway lines mentioning the Emperor, so that everyone is clear on who's in charge of the Empire. But we may not need to se him for this to work.

For instance, in one scene Vader is gesticulating at Tarkin without saying anything and it looks very stupid. It's a perfect place to add a line like "the Emperor will destroy us both for this!". You remind (or tell) the audiance of his presence but keep him out of the movie to avoid disrubting the flow.

 

There is already a line in ANH about the Emperor. Isn't that sufficient? I myself like the fact that so little is known about Palpatine initially. You know of his existence, but that's it. Tension builds. We finally get a peek in TESB.

Now that the PT is here, the mystery of Palpatine is gone. But before the PT, I always liked the fact that Palps was a mystery until ROTJ.

 

Yoda meant "Wait until the stars are right."

 

Grand_Moff_Jawa, that's fine in theory. If tension was built. But I feel that it doesn't.

Now, I can only speak for myself, but I completely missed the references to an Emperor in ANH. I think they're way too brief and would not mind a few extra comments. I mean, it must be less gratious than seeing him in person?

The differance is made more clear if you compare with how they mention Jabba the Hutt. That's how you build suspense, that's how you make people wonder about a character.

 

When Tarkin first comes into the briefing room, he says "I've just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away." For the story, that's all we really need at this point. I don't like being hit over the head with stuff. Not every dot needs to be connected visually. But that's just me. We know he exists, and if you choose to, you can imagine who or what he's about. Some people probably let that line just pass right over their head. That's fine. Whatever works for you.

 

I know that line, but upon my first viewing it didn't register for me. I missed it. I still feel that a few extra comments from Vader would not be a bad idea. I don't need them, but it would nice.

 

I guess the subtlety of that line is what causes people to miss it. It's quick, true. I just don't see how actually seeing the Emperor or having more story about him would really advance the story. Tarkin is in charge of the Death Star. We never see Coruscant, which is Palpatine's turf. I'm fine with getting a smidgen of the Emperor first, then a bigger taste later, then the full monty at the end.

 

I think you're getting my point. The PT (even if it was everything you hoped for) changes the context of the OT. The PT is the cause for the desire to see Palpatine in ANH for some people, but you can hardly say the PT is at fault here.

 

I agree. And you would still get this with my idea. It would still be gradual revelation: mentioned in ANH, seen briefly in ESB, then revealed in ROTJ.

In the context of the PT, he would be slowly re-introduced. His absence also helps us understand that he has become a recluse, so it still works IMO.

 

If you watch the movies in numerical order, you're thoroughly saturated with Palpatine by the time ANH rolls around.

If you watch the movies in the order they were released, then yeah, some people might want to see Palpatine earlier on.

For me, even if the PT didn't exist, I am fine with the amount of Palpatine we get in the OT.

 

Well the PT is here, and it's here to stay people. i found palpatine to be a fasinating character in the star wars universe. and it's because of the PT that i want to see more of him in the OT. the mystery of the OT is gone and i like it like that. it is my wish that the two trilogies form a seamless saga that can be viewed from ep1 - ep6. I don't think that exist now. going from ROTS to ANH there is a drop off that should be a little closer. i realize that 18 years have past between the two episodes, but that is why i feel that some tweeking of ANH could bridge that gap with a few updates.

 

I'm pretty sure it's the people who watch the PT first that want to see Palpatine in ANH.

I know I would't mind. It's not necessary story-wise (although, as someone mentioned, it would be an opportuninity to hint at Vader's search for Luke, a plotpoint that's sorely underdeveloped in the chronological saga) but I think it would make the saga more coherent.

When starting with ANH, I don't need to see Palpatine. His gradual introduction in the OT is indeed already perfect.

I like watching the saga both ways. Since the unaltered originals are readily availabe, I don't understand what the big deal is about further changes to the OT?

 

Since the unaltered originals are readily availabe, I don't understand what the big deal is about further changes to the OT?

Amen to that! honest to god, it's like the O-OT is being held hostage or something. we might as well have fun with the idea of making it better, stronger, faster. in the words of Harold (big lebowski), nothing is ****

 

True enough. The O-OT does exist, but in a very poor, rushed edition that was only available for a very short time.

 

I don't think his absence is awkward given that A New Hope has a smaller focus than the Prequels do. We don't see Palpatine, but we don't need to. He's barely in Episode 1 in both his guises and Sidious is barely in Episode 2 so I don't see it as a problem. If we saw Coruscant in ANH then I'd agree his absence was awkward, but as it is there's no reason for Palpatine to appear anywhere that we see in A New Hope.

The only way I think Palpatine in ANH could even possibly work is if we simply see him as a hologram, but then I don't know where you would place that scene without interrrupting the flow of the story in A New Hope. I'm all for a continious Saga, but I don't agree with changing the OT when it works fine as is.

My interpretation is that Yoda simply was waiting until the Force told him or Ben that the time was right to reveal themselves but that other than that Yoda didn't know what was to come.

I agree that it's not seamless thematically, but I think for it to be seamless you'd have to either remake A New Hope thus having to remake Empire and Jedi or Lucas will have to alter it beyond recognition.

It's not that I'll be furious or anything if Lucas does more alterations because as you said the O-OT has been released. I simply disagree with the changes and am voicing my opinion on them. I do hope he releases the O-OT in Hi Def though whenever the OT finds it's way to Blu-Ray or HD-DVD though I doubt he will since he'd have to upscale it and since he considers it only half complete I can understand not wanting to spend the money to do that.

 

I think to Yoda, the time is right when Luke and/or Leia have completed their training and are ready to face Vader and the Emperor. He clearly doesn't think Luke is ready to stop the Sith by the time of ESB...he probably would have liked to train Luke for as long as it took if Luke would have been willing to sacrifice the others. Heck, he's been waiting 20+ years, why rush things?

 

I take it you've never seen the episodes in chronological order? To have Palpatine, the main villain in the first 6 hours of the saga, disappear for about 3 hours, is awkward. Trust me. The supposed suspense of his gradual re-appearance works better in theory than it does in practice. But you are right that it's not a problem story-wise. A scene with Palpatine is not needed in ANH, but what most people find interesting about it is the possibillities it offers through a conversation with Vader.

Where to place this? The only place I can think of is the second to last scene. After Luke returns to Yavin but before the end celebration. This could be an eleborate scene on Coruscant, or simply Palpatine communicating via hologram in Vader's TIE-fighter. Sort of a "to be continued" sign, right before the happy ending.

Then again, I think this whole conversation is moot. Not because the O-OT is out on DVD, but because I think these changes will never happen.

 

I have and just saw them again in that order a couple of weeks ago.

I think it's certainly an interesting possibility and it would admittedly link it more tightly with the Prequels.

I suppose that could work, but the flow from Luke's return to Yavin to the ceremony would lose something in my mind and that placement is the main problem in my mind.

Oh, I agree. I think there will be some more changes, but I don't think these are in the cards.

 

A New Hope has a smaller focus than the Prequels do.

yes, i agree with this. it's the main reason (IMO) that changes would be nice in ANH. lets open up the universe. lets go to alderan, dagobar, and coresant (briefly mind you).

 

See, that's what I thought about the OT. But apparently it wasn't good enough, and so now it's being gradually chipped away at.

That, to me, sounds like an entirely different movie. If the Emperor, Bail Organa, or Yoda were essential to the story, they would have been included the first time through. Yoda, for instance, has absolutely NOTHING to do with the story of this movie, and therefore would be nothing more than an out-of-place nod to a different movie.

 

i'll agree with yoda being out of place. but there is no attchment to alderan when it get blown up. IDK, maybe a small scene with bail holding his queen as the people scatter in the back drop we see the laser coming down. nothing big.

 

It's only a whole planet with millions of innocent, peace-loving people on it, and the home of one of the main characters.

If it ain't broke...

 

Plus, we see that Leia is quite attached to it...

 

First I've heard of this idea. I think it sucks. There is no reason to have them in it. They would be out of place.

Where would you stick their scenes anyway? It would interrupt the flow of the film. Thats been done enough already with the new footage added.

 

Unlike the Jabba scene, which was always intended to be there (it's in the 76 ANH novel, making the scene older than the film itself ) and was axed due to budgetary & time reasons, I don't see where Coruscant and Dagobah scenes would fit in ANH. It'd be a major break from the direction of the film-we practically go on a guided tour of space with the Falcon and her crew/passengers, so detours to Coruscant for Palpatine and Dagobah for Yoda simply wouldn't fit.

ANH is a marvel of making more with less; it's perfect as it is now. It doesn't need Palpatine and Yoda.