Will ROTJ be a fitting final chapter once the saga is completed??

Let me just say that I love all of the Star Wars movies, and that this isn't a ROTJ bashing in any way. But once the saga is completed and the viewer eventually makes his way through each episode, will the final chapter seem grand enough?

The final 30 minutes serves it's purpose, and quite well I might add. However after watching the first 5 chapters of this epic saga, will one see ROTJ as...bland?

Jabba? Ewoks? Both of these segments are still very enjoyable and entertaining. But now that it's a six part story, will the viewer see these events as "unimportant"?

 

ROTJ does tend to wander a bit, and the whole sequence involving Jabba's palace seems strangely disconnected from the whole rest of the saga. Almost every other action sequence throughout the series is in some way connected to the story, giving it an epic feel while Jabba's palace is just a personal, almost throw away bit of action fluff whose only real purpose was to show Luke's skillz and get Han back for the last film. Having said that, it's still an enjoyable action sequence and gets the last chapter of the saga off to a satisfying if hollow start.

From there the film moves back into standard STAR WARS territory with the final pieces of the puzzle starting to fall in to place starting with the expository scenes on Dagobah. This is where everything starts to come together. Then the films moves to Endor and becomes kind of a light hearted romp with teddy bears but the whole time you can feel that something sinister is just below the surface.

Then Luke meets Vader. Now that the prequels have shown us Anakin, the ROTJ scenes with Vader are awesome. There's really no other way to describe it. I watched Jedi recently, the first time since the prequels were released, and I was floored at just how powerful and emotional the throne room scenes are now. Before, they were an exciting climax as we saw the consumation of Luke's character, but now with the prequels filling in the whole story, we see that it is actually the consumation of Anakin's character, and this gives these scenes a spin so powerful it'll hit you like a ton of bricks.

Jedi starts off a little weak, meanders a bit in the middle, but the ending, hell, after the prequels, I'd say it has the best ending in the whole saga! So, yes, I'd say it is a fitting and satisfying conclusion to the story of STAR WARS.

 

In all honesty, the "rescue sequence" of ROTJ tends to mirror the "droid factory" scene of AOTC inmany ways. However, there needed to be some demonstration of Luke's Force abilities prior to the meeting and subsequent duel at the end of the film. Also, we needed to see an improved and confident Luke, in contrast to the scared little one-armed boy who kept crying for his daddy .

That being said, I find the ROTJ sequence is much more enjoyable and meaningful than the AOTC sequence, especially with all the different character interactions going on (it's about people, not effects.)

"with the prequels filling in the whole story, we see that it is actually the consumation of Anakin's character, and this gives these scenes a spin so powerful it'll hit you like a ton of bricks."

One can only hope that all the "Luke is the Chosen One" pundits catch on to this as well.

"it is a fitting and satisfying conclusion to the story of STAR WARS."

Agreed, though the ESB ending and music have a special place in my heart.

 

"we see that it is actually the consumation of Anakin's character, and this gives these scenes a spin so powerful it'll hit you like a ton of bricks. "

Yep. I agree. I saw Jedi again recently, and I was totally blown away by how much more powerful it has become because of the PT. Destiny just can't be shaken, and ROTJ shows it.

Through all his manipulations, Palpatine could do nothing to prevent his eventual downfall. It was destined.

Vader's son (who he was not even supposed to have) ended up being the savior who helped him bring balance to the force and fufill the prophecy. Totally awsome!

 

Possibly, but if the Empire isn't in power at all during EPIII, then I want EpVII.

 

I think..especially wheh we see how far Anakin has really fallen..the end of ROTJ will be some emotional stuff. I can remeber wtching ESB when i was 7 or 8 and being TOTALLY horrified that Vader(who was to a 7 year old the defintion of EVIL)was actually Lukes dad. It wasnt right. Then when ROTJ came out the movie went over so well with me that not only did I BELIEVE that Vader could be saved by Luke..I was activly wishing for it and when it actually happened I prolly cheered louder than anyone in the theater..
Now having seen PT it is even better because having "seen" Anakin/Vader now(and thinks to soem wonderful acting by HC)you can actually picture the expressions on his face behind the mask during the throne room scene..will be too powerful(I havent watched OT since right after AOTC came out..amd goona do it right in 2005 and do it in order..)

 

I think even more so now, with the Special Edition ending. The music is much more fitting for the conclusion of the saga than the infamous 'Yub Nub Song'

 

I think everything except the first half hour is a fitting ending, with the epic battles, emotion between Luke/Leia/Vader, Yoda's death, and of course the SE ending.

Now, that isn't to say I don't enjoy the first half hour of ROTJ. I love the entire Jabba sequence, but it just seems like it doesn't fit in with the story, mainly because Jabba wasn't really an importaint character up until this point.

That's why I would hope Jabba would return in Episode III. If he was in Episode III briefly, perhaps aiding the Empire in some way to gain it's power and possibly wiping out the Jedi, then Jabba could viewed as a more serious villian, in which his role and death in ROTJ would be much more importaint and would, IMO, help the Jabba sequences in ROTJ have more importaince to the story.

But other than that, I think ROTJ is a perfect way to end the saga. The last half hour is perfect, IMO.

 

What really matters is Anakin's redemption and since that happens I'd say it's fitting. Jabba and the ewoks have their place in the story. Also Jabba's role in the final chapter is fitting since it's coming full circle with him appearing in TPM.

 

But remember, if it said in the opening crawl

'After rescuing Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt's palace on Tatooine'

half of you would be having a coniption fit that Lucas didn't show it and just implied it.
So while disconnected, it was very essential to the story.
It gave the 'Bounty Hunters on Han's butt' storyline closure and get's rid of a character shown throughout the saga (Jabba).
While it's not part of the bigger overall picture, it was an extremely important second story to take care of.
So while it isn't as connected, it's still important.
Make any sense?
As I've always loved RotJ, yes, I do think it's a very fitting climax for everything.

 

I agree with Ret thereand let me just add another thing: Don't forget that the PT kicks off with Anaking being the ONE and that's what he turns out to be at the end of ROTJ. He fulfils his destiny and brings balance...

 

I think Jabba was very necessary to Star Wars. People had been talking about him since the first film (remember Greedo?) Of course I'm talking about the original first film, not the SE (that really dimminished Jabba's role simply by showing him. And with that terrible CG, to ad insult to injury).

Jabba is an important part of ESB (just as a, well....a phantom menace, heheheh) and Han Solo, perhaps the most beloved character of the whole series is frozen and taken to him. So of course we had to see him being rescued in ROTJ. And it was great because, up to that point, it was always Han who rescued Luke when he was in trouble. Now Luke rescued Han.

And as for being "fitting", I think ROTJ is a more fitting last chapter to the Saga than TPM is a first. But let's not start with that Jar Jar/midichlorians/annoying kid/wasted Obi-Wan thing again.

 

Han - "Now I owe YOU one."

 

If you look at ROTJ as a single stand-alone movie, then sure it may seem off tangent to the "epic feel" of the rest of the Saga. Indeed, Jabba's palace and the whole introduction seems to be another story unto itself. However, the important thing to remember here is to view ROTJ as a chapter in a much larger story, and not as a stand alone movie.

One has to admit the complexity and intensity that exists in the storyline that GL has weaved with his epic saga, especially near the mid chapters. Intentional or not, the beginning of ROTJ acts as a buffer from the intensity of ESB (and pressumably EP.II - IV), and thus helps us the audience relax for a little while, focusing on something besides the inner turmoil facing Luke and the Rebel's conflict with the Empire. Of course, after the cushsioning of the "Adventures of Luke in Jabba-land", the audience is then exposed to the most intense and emotional scenes of the whole saga (Anakin's Redemption, Finale, etc)!

Works for me though.

 

Han - "Now I owe YOU one."

I never understood why Han said this. He saved Luke's bacon at the Battle of Yavin, he rescued Luke from an icy death on Hoth ("That's two you owe me.") and then Luke rescues him once and now suddenly Han owes Luke?

 

Durwood - You could take it as:

Luke owes Han two - Han owes Luke one = Luke owes Han one.

Maybe GL just gave us part of the left side of the equation.

Aunecah

 

Heheheh, I think when somebody saves your LIFE you won't be doing the math on that.

 

Complicated business, this life-saving

Leia - "C'mon, guys, surely you both owe me at least a half?"

I've always liked the feeling to the opening scenes of ROTJ, set in Jabba's Palace. It's strange, wondering where all the heroes are. It's a pretty unconventional way to open a movie, really, rather than just wheeling on the good guys in the first five minutes. Luke's entrance, in particular, really benefits from the build-up.

 

I think the RotJ ending is an extremely fitting and satisfactory end to the entire saga. We finally see the good little Anakin of TPM, doing something unselfishly: giving up his life. Also, we must not forget Sidious. SW is as much Sidious' tale as Anakin's. The man's the embodiment of evil genius. The plans and machinations that Sidious first lays out in TPM are finally completely overthrowon in RotJ, at the height of the Emperor's powers. We also see that Luke, Anakin's mirror, made different choices than Anakin had done, and thus, the lightside finally wins.

I could do without the Jabba palace scenes and the dance numbers. I agree with those who have astutely pointed out that Jabba is required in EIII, however briefly, to make the beginning of RotJ more meaningful.

 

As a whole, RotJ is a pretty mediocre movie by Star Wars standards, and there are a lot of scenes that are just as bad or worse then Phantom Menace. However, the scene where Yoda dies on Dagobah seems to fit in very well with the rest of the films; the climactic space battle is very well done, even if it is intercut by scenes of ridiculous teddy bears; and the final Luke/Vader/Emporer confrontation is in my opinion the most powerful scene in the series. So while some parts of it may be bad, the conclusion is excellent, and, since this is the final chapter in the SW series, the ending is what counts most anyway.