CT Rewriting the originals

I'd change it so that:
1. The dialogue re: Vader in ANH wouldn't make the eventual revelation that Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker a kind of shoddy retcon (the "certain point of view" rationale never quite cut it for me)
2. Keep the Emperor's throne room scene in RotJ exactly as-is but redo the rest of the film such that it's much less a retread of ANH. I'm liking the Coruscant ideas.

 

Wookies instead of Ewoks. No Luke/Leia kissing in ESB, and that's about it.

 

They should have kept Obi-Wan's dialogue in ROTJ explaining that Bail is a figurehead King like the Queen of the UK.

 

Right before Vader says "I am your father" I'd cut to an extended scene featuring fathiers racing through cloud city.

 

Luke asking for Yoda's guidance when he's dying and Yoda reminding him how he rescued his friends and defeated an inter-planetary gangster, constructed his own lightsaber all without the support of a Jedi master. He'd tell him to seek further guidance from The Force. His independence has gained him the ranking of a Jedi and that he'd earn his ranking of a master once he defeated Vader and the Emperor.

His actions of Tatooine can be considered his major trial which he faced and fulfilled. That line "that you rushed to face him (Vader), that incomplete was your training" is just bollocks. Did he rush to face Jabba? He was almost killed in his first attempt to destroy Jabba, would that invalidate his training? That is the one thing that bothers me about the OT.

Another thing is Luke tempted to killing the Emperor would somehow make him evil, when that's exactly what his mission was and how many lives he'd save if he'd done it.

 

"Then you must go and moon him."
- Sidious, to Vader

"Does Vader have anything left to moon with?"
- Mom

 

Actually they didn't always miss. In the invasion of Princess Leia's ship, they pretty much managed to kill off anyone who didn't flee and had only two casualties on their side. At least that's what we saw on screen. They also hit Leia on the mark. I guess our main characters were better experienced fighters, that's why.

 

I'd remove the sibling kiss in ESB

I'd extend the Rebels being captured on Endor by 2 seconds to get Han's "Scum?" response in.

 

"A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense; never for attack. No...no...wrong am I. Attack the knowledge! Walk away. Diss on what you have learned to your student."
- Yoda, to Luke

 

I didn't know where else to share this video. But even though this isn't really a "rewrite", it's still done by some an outside source. I love Leia's Japanese anime-esque expression at the 1:00 at the "I'm Luke Skywalker, I'm here to rescue you" scene.

 

That would satisfy me, as well.

 

To be fair, I think they just about got away with this simply because of Alec Guinness' pause and thinking of something to reply with when Luke asks him about how his father died. It is obvious he isn't being straight with Luke.

 

But why should such an "obvious" implication be put in the finished film in the first place, unless Vader was always meant to have a 'secret identity' of sorts?

 

The revelation that Vader is his father is one of the best twists in film history. Thats why its regarded as such an iconic scene. I'm not even sure the word retcon existed back when the OT was first around. The only thing I'd change is Obi Wans explanation in Jedi.

 

Not necessarily. At the time, before the story was expanded, the hesitancy in Obi-Wan's answer to Luke's question could simply have been attributed to him trying to soften the blow, and find the words that would tell him the truth gently. He was telling this boy the difficult news that his father was actually murdered, and also that he was partially responsible because the man who killed his father was a pupil of his.

As the story then evolved into Vader actually being Luke's father, the scene when revisited fits nicely into the idea that Obi-Wan wasn't telling Luke the whole truth because he wasn't ready to carry such a burden.

 

Nonetheless, this and the notion that Luke would "learn who Darth Vader is" in the second film (as Lucas put it to Alan Dean Foster in 1975) certainly suggest that there was always more to Vader's identity than meets the eye, however ill-defined. Him being just "the guy who killed Luke's father" was likely only going to happen if properly budgeted sequels (as opposed to something like Splinter of the Mind's Eye) failed to get off the ground.

Not the same thing as Vader and Anakin being one and the same person, which certainly wasn't intended at the time of the first film.

 

"Mudhole? Slimy? My home this is! Miss my cover chair I do. The Temple was so cozy. Hate it here I do. Take me with you!"
- Yoda

 

What's with this dislike for the ewoks?

 

Changes to make if the OT made 1977-1983 (no prequel context)


Star Wars

Start with Luke’s life, show Biggs getting shipped off, more about what he knows of the Galactic Civil War

Show Owen and Beru’s fate

Leia shows more emotion over Alderaan’s fate. I know it shouldn’t take too much time from the film, but maybe show her either mourning in her cell alone or commiserating with Luke.

Cast Leia’s adoptive father and give him a cameo at the very start (maybe communicating with Leia).

Have Han arrive back on Tatooine, then actually show him changing his mind about leaving the Rebellion (juxtaposing the life he is used to with the life he has been offered).

Maybe have Vader exchange words with Luke.

Replace Dodonna with Mon Mothma, Willard with Admiral Ackbar

Cast the Emperor and give him a brief scene (talking via hologram to Death Star)


The Empire Strikes Back

Trim down Hoth/space battle in order to introduce Lando sooner

Replace Riekkan with Crix Madine

Show Vader using the Force to kill Rebel soldiers who fight back, brief encounter between Luke and Vader, Vader steals lightsaber

Introduce Boba Fett on Hoth, maybe have him communicate with Jabba

The Emperor doesn’t tell Vader that Luke is his son, Vader recognizes the lightsaber he built

Brief scene near the end with the 2nd Death Star being built

Cast the Bothans and show the mission to obtain the plans, Han/Leia/Lando/Chewie/droids subplot

Show the Emperor’s plan to trick the Rebels

Boba Fett exchanges words with the heroes, maybe Boba Fett and Han were friends at the Imperial Navy before they both defected (juxtaposes Boba Fett with Han’s character development in the last film)

Luke builds his green lightsaber while on Dagobah

Lando’s betrayal and redemption occur away from Bespin, after Death Star plans are retrieved


Return of the Jedi

Han shoots Boba Fett in skiff battle, Boba’s face is seen

Droids are already captured at the beginning, film starts with Leia’s disguise instead

Luke doesn’t choke palace guards, uses the Force to put them to sleep instead

Show Vader communicating telepathically with Luke as he enters Jabba’s palace

Shield generator is on Had Abaddon, volcanic Imperial capital

Give Jerjerrod a role closer to the one originally planned (less intimidated by Vader, Tarkin’s actual successor)

Establish the history between Mon Mothma, Leia, Leia’s adoptive father

Ewoks are replaced by Wookiees who escaped slavery, including Chewbacca’s family

Jerjerrod hears Vader trying to persuade Luke to join him via spying technology on the Death Star, tells the Emperor

Luke willingly joins Vader to spare his friends after Vader tells him of the shield generator trap

Obi-Wan apologizes for lying to Luke instead of telling him he was right from a certain point of view, Luke’s anger with Obi-Wan further tempts him into joining the dark side

Leia is taken to the Emperor’s palace when the Rebels get captured, Han tries to rescue her

Luke and Vader kill the royal guards, the Emperor incapaticates Vader with lightning and taunts Luke about his friends’ impending doom, tells him that joining him is the only way out

The Emperor is frightened by Obi-Wan and Yoda’s ghosts, attacks them fruitlessly with his dark side powers

Luke rescues Han and Leia from stormtroopers while the Emperor is distracted, but the Emperor attacks all three, Luke resists with his lightsaber but is overpowered

Vader deflects the lightning with the last of his strength, the Emperor is electrocuted to death

Leia is present for the dying Vader’s unmasking, is conflicted and doesn’t respond when Vader asks for forgiveness

Words are exchanged between Luke and the Force ghosts

 

See also https://boards.theforce.net/threads/rewriting-the-prequels.50008707/page-60

STAR WARS EPISODE IV - A NEW HOPE

It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships,
striking from a hidden base, have won their
first victory against the evil GALACTIC EMPIRE.

During the battle, Rebel spies managed to
steal secret plans to the Empire's ultimate
weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armored
space station with enough power to
destroy an entire planet.

Pursued by the Empire's sinister agents,
Princess Leia races home aboard her
starship, custodian of the stolen plans
that can save her people and restore
freedom to the galaxy....

Changes made to script/story:
1. Multiple escape pods launched as a "malfunction"
2. C3PO tells Luke that the hologram is Princess Leia, their owner!
3. Ben Kenobi on being told R2D2 claims he belongs to him just says "Does he now, interesting!"
4. In Kenobi's hut Luke is told that his surname is Skywalker by Ben Kenobi. Until then he used the name Lars (Owen and Baru Lars his adoptive parents and are cousins to Kenobi - they are not related to Anakin in PT and Anakin is not from Tatooine as that is simply mad to hide Luke there otherwise).
5. After giving Luke his fathers lightsaber Kenobi tells Luke that he was forbidden from training him in the ways of the Force when he was a boy as the Force Awakening in him would have been sensed by the Emperor (and his father Anakin/Darth but Obi Wan doesn't tell him that) but that now they can wait no longer!
6. Darth Vader is not answerable to Grand Moff Tarkin! When Vader is force choking one of the generals Tarkin politely requests that Vader stops.
7. Luke shows more grief over Owen and Beru and tells Obi Wan that he will revenge their deaths!
8. Han Solo shoots Greedo first as per original film!
9. No hanger scene with Jabba (not needed so go back to original).
10. Han tells them it will take a couple of days to reach Alderaan (so Luke is training for longer with Obi Wan).
11. After the destruction of Alderaan there is a scene showing Coruscant and then inside the Emperor's palace where he is receiving a holographic message from Darth Vader who tells him that Leia is still resisting but that Alderaan has been destroyed. The Emperor is pleased "Good good, for too long Alderaan has been a thorn in my side. Utter terror of our ultimate power will dissuade any other systems from sympathising with the Rebellion!"
12. When they escape from the Death Star the TIE fighter attack happens almost immediately before Luke has time to mope about.
13. On way to Yavin Leia and Luke bond as he says "I never knew my mother or father, then I lose my aunt and uncle and now Ben, I have nobody left!" And Leia talks about her grief over Alderaan and losing her family.
14. Ackbar and Mon Mothma at Rebel base (or joining by hologram if in another theatre of war?)
15. Leia tells Luke to take R2D2 with him as his X Wing droid as "he is yours now!"
16. Chewie gets a medal!

 

STAR WARS EPISODE V - EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980 May + special edition 2002)
George Lucas - Story & Co-Screenplay / Executive Producer

It is a dark time for the Rebellion.
Although the Death Star has been
destroyed, Imperial troops have
driven the Rebel forces from their
hidden base and pursued them
across the galaxy.

Evading the dreaded Imperial Starfleet,
a group of freedom fighters led by
Luke Skywalker has established a new
secret base on the remote ice world
of Hoth.

The evil lord Darth Vader, obsessed with
finding young Skywalker, has dispatched
thousands of remote probes into the far
reaches of space....

changes to script/story:
1. Ackbar and Mon Mothma at Rebel base (or joining by hologram if in another theatre of war?)
2. The hologram conversation between Vader and the Emperor is slightly altered...the Emperor says "There has been an awakening in the Force." "I have not felt it my master?" "We have a new enemy: the young Rebel who destroyed the Death Star. I have no doubt this boy is the offspring of Anakin Skywalker." "How is that possible?" "Search your feelings, Lord Vader. You will know it to be true. He could destroy us." "He's just a boy. Obi-Wan can no longer help him." Darth suggests that if the boy could be turned, he would be a "powerful ally". The Emperor agrees, saying that Luke would be a "great asset but can it be done?" and Vader declares Luke will join the Empire "or die"
3. At the end of the scene where Vader is speaking with the Emperor via hologram it cuts back to Palpatine in the Imperial Palace on Coruscant. Once Vader's image fades a woman (his wife) joins him and his courtiers retreat from the room (same ones as in PT). Palpatine says to the Empress "It is troubling that Lord Vader did not sense what I felt in the Force!" She comforts him stroking his face "Do not trouble yourself my Lord" then links arms and they walk over to a window then she says "I am sure Lord Vader will resolve the issue". Palpatine broods in thought looking at the Coruscant vista.
4. Move the scene where Luke leaves Degobah to after Han, Leia and Chewie first meet Darth Vader at dinner table and before Chewie in cell building threepio. Show Luke getting the feeling they are in trouble, sensing the fear rising up in his friends (not pre-empting it as he is not that powerful yet). Also means couple more days have passed for Luke's training with Yoda.

 

STAR WARS EPISODE VI - RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983 May + special edition 2002) George Lucas - Story & Co-Screenplay / Executive Producer

The GALACTIC EMPIRE has secretly
begun construction on a new armored
space station even more powerful than
the first dreaded Death Star.

When completed, this ultimate weapon
will spell certain doom for the small band
of rebels struggling to restore freedom
to the galaxy.

Luke Skywalker has returned to his home
planet of Tatooine in an attempt to rescue
his friend Han Solo from the clutches of
the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt...

changes made to script/story:
1. Revert to original "song" in Jabba palace instead of muppets!
2. On Coruscant the Emperor is readying to depart and is bidding farewell to the Empress and their baby daughter. "I wish we were coming with you" the Empress says as he strokes his daughter's cheek "it is better you stay here in the Palace. There is work to be done. A final act to consolidate my power and secure the Empire for you" he points at the child (scene is in between Han being woken and Luke arriving at Jabbas palace on Tatooine).
3. When Han. Luke and Leia's imperial shuttle enters atmosphere of Endor we see several shots showing it is a planet with multiple Alien races gathered together as slaves (including Wookies) in work camps (no Ewoks).
4. Intercut with the Rebels making their way through the forest are some scenes setting up how badly the slaves are treated and being worked to mine resources/minerals/ore so when the Rebels free them they are ready to fight!
5. Also as per point re Tatooine not being Anakin's home world then Endor serves that purpose for some symmetry with Vader exacting revenge against those who enslaved his mother in PT by enslaving the whole planet (though that wouldn't be known until someone watches PT).
6. No C3PO telling the story (as no Ewoks). Instead the scene is the Rebels persuading the Alien slaves to rise up.
7. The battle on Endor is more desperate and a slaughter of the Alien slaves who are close to defeat and only really acting as a distraction for Han etc
8. No Chewie Tarzan noise!
9. Leia does not remember her mother!
10. Lando dies during the space battle (though Falcon survives it is badly damaged)
11. Palpatine courtiers in throne room same as in PT.
12. Palpatine's death at the hands of Vader needs to be even more dramatic and show the power Palpatine wields.
13. More celebrations across the Galaxy as this is a big deal! Including right outside the entrance to the Imperial Palace.

 

Why not do it the other way? Have Lando eject the Falcon's cockpit from the rest of the ship and have that destroyed. That way Han's foreboding about losing the Falcon is fulfilled, but Lando doesn't have to die and upset George Lucas.

The Falcon model already had a seam around the cockpit suggesting this as a possibility -- harking back perhaps to the way the cockpit was salvaged from the original "pirate ship" model.

And what's with the Empress idea?

 

I would do the OT as a TV series spanning about 3 seasons with four seasons for the EU. Probably have Ronald D. Moore or Manny Coto as showrunner. I'd cast relative unknowns for the main characters (in the spirit of Lucas), but get some established names for Obi-Wan, Thrawn, the Emperor, Mara Jade, Karrde, Isolder and the Hapans etc... If i could get him, Patrick Stewart would play Grand Moff Tarkin, which would certainly result in internet videos by Trek fans about how Picard "told Vader to release him."

Season 1: ANH
Between Season special: Some EU book in this period.
Season 2: ESB
Between Season special: Shadows of the Empire
Season 3: ROTJ
Between Season special: The Truce at Bakura
Season 4: X-wing series
Between Season Special: Courtship of Princess Leia
Season 5: Thrawn Trilogy
Between Season special: Dark Empire
Season 6: Kevin J. Anderson's Jedi Academy Trilogy
Between Season special: A good EU novel from the time, maybe the Black Fleet Crisis as a minseries.
Season 7: New Jedi Order/Yuzzhan Vong Invasion