main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Why wouldn't Watto accept Republic credits?

Discussion in 'Archive: The Phantom Menace' started by rsterling78, Mar 23, 2004.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. MeBeJedi

    MeBeJedi Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 30, 2002
    "It may not necessarily be that Republic credits truly are worthless on Tatooine; rather, Watto doesn't trust them. Indeed, Watto seemed to have a general distrust of off-worlders in general."

    I would agree with that.
     
  2. anidanami124

    anidanami124 Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 24, 2002
    Because if the Republic is as enormous and powerful as we are led to believe by the vast number of planets we see represented in the senate, the currency of the Republic must be equally wide used and strong.

    Nope because that is part of Hutt sapce meaning like I said before it's there rules or the highway. Also meaning that they only take the money they use there. They will not take Republic money.

    Therefore the idea that Republic credits are useless on a planet by the outskirts of the Republic itself, whether actually part of it or not, is ridiculous.

    Again though you have to remember that that is Hutt space. No one not the Jedi, not Padme no one can do what the Hutts don't want them to do.

    Especially if that planet is a hive of smuggling.

    I would hope they have Republic money in the kind of money they use in Hutt space. But if they just smuggl in Republic space then they won't use the money that the Hutts came up with.

    I'd have thought that most people on Tatooine would prefer to be paid in the currency of the Republic which they can spend anywhere in the galaxy than in the comparatively insignificant money of Tatooine which can be spent only on a single planet.

    Yeah but it's not up to them again seeing as how they are not part of the Republic but part of Hutt space. Tatooine is run by the Hutts so....
     
  3. Darth-Stryphe

    Darth-Stryphe Former Mod and City Rep star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 24, 2001
    "It may not necessarily be that Republic credits truly are worthless on Tatooine; rather, Watto doesn't trust them. Indeed, Watto seemed to have a general distrust of off-worlders in general."

    I would agree with that.


    Except this doesn't explain why they couldn't exchange it somewhere else on Tatooine, or purchased something else that Wattoo would have liked (pods/droids).
     
  4. openmind

    openmind Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 23, 2003
    Except this doesn't explain why they couldn't exchange it somewhere else on Tatooine, or purchased something else that Wattoo would have liked (pods/droids).

    Another thread perhaps? ;) This one is done [face_devil]


    Edit: Oh and one more thing. Watto said that "you might as well buy a new ship. It will be cheaper, I think [face_mischief]
     
  5. MeBeJedi

    MeBeJedi Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 30, 2002
    "Except this doesn't explain why they couldn't exchange it somewhere else on Tatooine, or purchased something else that Wattoo would have liked (pods/droids)."

    Agreed as well. I just meant that I could understand this being Watto's initial motivation. After that, it's just glossed over for the sake of the plot. Pod races are more exciting than monetary exchanges. :p
     
  6. openmind

    openmind Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 23, 2003
    Pod races are more exciting than monetary exchanges

    Or the money you get from winning a pod race could cover Watto's exhorbitant rate for a working hyperdrive (cost as much as a new ship) ;)
     
  7. Durwood

    Durwood Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    May 18, 2002
    Except this doesn't explain why they couldn't exchange it somewhere else on Tatooine, or purchased something else that Wattoo would have liked (pods/droids).

    The simplest answer is that Tatooine does not have the means to deal in Republic credits. Watto demanded something "real" indicating that he--and I assume the local populace--did not consider Republic credits to be real money. Remember Watto's comment that he thought it unlikely that Qui-Gon would be able to sponser a race using Republic credits indicating that Republic currency was not acceptable for the exchange of goods or services, at least in Mos Espa.

    Why is this so hard to understand?
     
  8. MeBeJedi

    MeBeJedi Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 30, 2002
    It just is, Durwood.
     
  9. Pizza-the-Hutt

    Pizza-the-Hutt Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 21, 2002
    It isn't hard to understand, I've understood all your reasoning in this thread. I just think that it's a sloppy way of moving the plot along because like I've said if this was real life, Republic credits would be of use on Tatooine. This discussion is getting a bit pointless because we're just going around in circles and nobody is going to change anyone's mind.
     
  10. Darth_Meul

    Darth_Meul Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Feb 4, 2004
    Well, if you accept a universe where they've developed a means to travel faster than light (labeled "hyperspace"), but can't fathom they've developed a means of creditpayment (labeled "credits") that already has an equivalent on this planet (counting lots of places where creditpayment doesn't get accepted), so be it. I see the fact that Watto doesn't consider it "real" money, and the observation that QG is never shown carrying lots of cash money, as support for this assumption.

    I wasn't hoping to change the mind of everyone in this discussion, but maybe some people that just lurk on these forums might find it a useful thoughtprocess. I lurked for a long time (since the AOTC-release) before I registered, so I know they exist.

    I just don't consider this thing sloppy, and far from a plothole. A sloppy plothole, where I haven't heard a logical explanation for, and for which I can't devise one myself, is how Padme knew about the hangar in AOTC. A debate for a different thread, but something I wanted to point out.
     
  11. MeBeJedi

    MeBeJedi Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 30, 2002
    "and the observation that QG is never shown carrying lots of cash money"

    It doesn't have to be Qui-gon's money, but we close our eyes to what we choose to.
     
  12. Darth_Meul

    Darth_Meul Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Feb 4, 2004
    It doesn't have to be Qui-gon's money, but we close our eyes to what we choose to.

    Exactly. Assuming the Queen stacks away a small fortune in cash on her ship, is inventing a new argument to a pretty clearcut fact and observation. But I've already posted my view on this argument. Makes me wonder how much cash the average head of state on this planet stows away on his plane (at all times - even when the thing sits in the hangar) - enough to buy a new one? Would make an interesting case-study.
     
  13. SONOFJANGO

    SONOFJANGO Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 31, 2002
    Cause Watto's a tool.
     
  14. Rabid_Balding_Ewok

    Rabid_Balding_Ewok Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 8, 2000
    Look to the OT. The use of the word "credits" refers to the name of the currency. It is not meant to be a form of "credit card" or line of credit. In the starwars galaxy when you here someone say they have have ten thousand credits, they mean they have ten thousand dollars.

    -----signature-----
    "Rabid Balding Ewok, you make me sick.
    If there was an enemies list, you'd be on mine."
    [face_devil] [face_laugh] [face_devil] [face_laugh] [face_devil] [face_laugh]

    :::*::(^^) :(^^) :::::::
    ::::::/::::^^:::::\ ::*::
    :::::/###-^^-##I :::::
    : *:.l##/(*)# (*)\\:::::
    :::/##(###.00#)#I ::::
    ::(___/#*#(XXX)/__) ::
    ::/000{{{{www}}}}\:: Ewoks Will Eat You!
     
  15. Darth_Meul

    Darth_Meul Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Feb 4, 2004
    Look to the OT.

    You look to it. Credits are never mentioned. And not even what type of credits. Because Watto's lines imply that Republic credits are not the only type of credits in the galaxy.
     
  16. Scott3eyez

    Scott3eyez Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 1, 2001
    >>>>I just think that it's a sloppy way of moving the plot along because like I've said if this was real life, Republic credits would be of use on Tatooine.

    So long as you choose to believe that Republic Credits are a form of hard currency, freely exchangable- there is no reason given by the films to believe that this is the case, and several reasons to believe that it isn't.

    You might as well say that if this were real life, Qui Gon would be wearing a short sleeved white linen shirt, a pair of shorts and some Ray-Ban sunglassed, because of the Tatooine climate and his own fashion tastes, and then complain that it's a plot hole.

    As Padme says in AOTC, we live in a real world- however, it's a different world to the Galaxy Far, Far Away.
    ;)

    >>>Look to the OT. The use of the word "credits" refers to the name of the currency.

    Do you really think that in the novelisations (I assume that's where the word "credits" is actually used) they are talking about Republic Credits?

    The simple fact is, if you take the word "credit" to mean what the dictionary definition of "credit" means, then the scene makes perfect sense.

    >>>Makes me wonder how much cash the average head of state on this planet stows away on his plane (at all times - even when the thing sits in the hangar) - enough to buy a new one?

    It's said that the Queen never carries cash...
     
  17. MeBeJedi

    MeBeJedi Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 30, 2002
    "The simple fact is, if you take the word "credit" to mean what the dictionary definition of "credit" means, then the scene makes perfect sense."

    Of course, many people use this same dictionary to explain how "balance" refers not to Anakin killing Palpatine, but to having equal numbers of Sith and Jedi in the OT. ;) (Despite what Lucas says about it....)

    "It's said that the Queen never carries cash..."

    Not in any official sources. This explanation ranks right up there with the old "queens don't have/earn money". Lucas continues to bemoan how people confuse Padme's office with the Queen of England, rather than the President.
     
  18. Darth-Stryphe

    Darth-Stryphe Former Mod and City Rep star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 24, 2001
    Of course, many people use this same dictionary to explain how "balance" refers not to Anakin killing Palpatine, but to having equal numbers of Sith and Jedi in the OT.

    Well, except the dictionary definition of balance does fit Lucas's definition: c : to bring into harmony...

    SW may take place in a GFFA, but it's an English language film, so it needs to obey English language rules. When GL break these rules, he causes problems with the plot.

    I don't see how the definition of credits conflicts with this, though. It's not like it's a "the" issue, or anything. The way credits are presented works fine. There are too many gray areas not covered in the script for us to say GL's handling of money is a legimate plothole.
     
  19. DarthNigel

    DarthNigel Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jul 14, 2003
    I still think it's unrealistic to suggest that a planet like Tatooine, with a significant degree of interstellar traffic passing through, and lots of gambling going on, would not have at least one outlet where Republic credits could be exchanged for the local currency. How else would offworlders pay for anything if they couldn't change their money somewhere? It's just bad business, on a planet like Tatooine somebody certainly would have filled that demand.
     
  20. Darth_Meul

    Darth_Meul Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Feb 4, 2004
    Outlanders have to bring Republic currency to exchange, not credits. What this Republic currency is called, I don't know. Watto doesn't say "Republic money is no good out here" or "Republic currency is no good out here", he says "Republic credits are no good out here". Lucas must have chosen that name for a reason (and I don't think he cared for continuity with something he didn't even reference in his previous films). On our planet, we have forms of payment that aren't real if it weren't for banks and credit companies. If credits in the GFFA aren't real, and there's no Republic bank or Republic credit company on Tatooine (or wanting to cooperate with Tatooine) because they don't think it's worth it and/or too dangerous with the Hutt gangsters, credits become worthless. If you have cashmoney, you'll probably find someone to exhange it, but as QG said, "we don't have anything else". As Darth-Stryphe said, there are too many gray areas, and this explanation falls in such an area. I think it works if you don't want to consider this a plothole, but of course it won't work if you want it to be a plothole.
     
  21. bkwrm79

    bkwrm79 Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Apr 21, 2004
    I think the credit card explanation makes a lot of sense. Jedi would be more likely to have a credit card that can draw on their Order's accounts than to have huge amounts of petty cash.

    A planet full of criminals would want cash. Something physical which leaves no electronic record behind. And on Tatooine, the non-criminals seem to be farmers. They wouldn't have the kinds of money needed here.

    There are other possibilities. Maybe the Republic currency is little used. After all, in the EU, not all countries have adopted the Euro. Maybe only a handful of planets use Republic currency. The Republic may be enormous but it isn't powerful.

    By the time of the OT, there's an Empire which is powerful. I don't think Imperial/Republic currency situations are comparable.

    Oh and as for Lucas bemoaning that people see Queen Amidala as a Queen - put a 14 year old girl in charge of an entire planet, call her a queen, and most people will assume she got her position by birth.
     
  22. Darth_Meul

    Darth_Meul Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Feb 4, 2004
    Oh and as for Lucas bemoaning that people see Queen Amidala as a Queen - put a 14 year old girl in charge of an entire planet, call her a queen, and most people will assume she got her position by birth.

    Many European monarchies have a royal family with no political power, and a political head of state. Maybe they merged the roles on Naboo to eliminate a useless and hypocritical monarchy, yet keep the cultural traditions (+ employment for paparazzi :D).
     
  23. bkwrm79

    bkwrm79 Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Apr 21, 2004
    Good point... I have no trouble with Amidala being called a queen even if she isn't one. It's her age that makes her being an elected planetary ruler absurd.

    I wonder if her face is on Naboo's currency?
     
  24. Darth-Stryphe

    Darth-Stryphe Former Mod and City Rep star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 24, 2001
    I doubt it, she was more of a "president" than a "queen", and presidents take years to get their face on money.

    ^ speculation.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.