ROTJ Chapter 16: Rebel Briefing DISCUSSION

Due to the success of the PT CBC discussions, I would like to discuss ROTJ chapter by chapter on the DVD. There are 47 chapters to discuss over the next eight months, excluding Chapter 1: Opening Logos, Chapter 2: Return of the Jedi and Chapter 50: End Credits.

Each discussion will last 5 days. At the end of 5 days, the following chapter will be posted.

Chapter 16: Rebel Briefing
DISCUSSION: November 7, 2005 ? November 11, 2005
DVD TIME INDEX: 48:21 ? 51:33

Synopsis:
A meeting of the Rebels is held on the Home One, the chief Mon Calamari battle cruiser. Han compliments Lando on his promotion to general, but considers him to be crazy to lead the campaign. Mon Mothma, Admiral Ackbar and General Madine explain their act of desperation in attempt to defeat the Empire. They show a hologram of Death Star and its weaknesses obtained by Bothan spies. They then talk about landing on the Sanctuary Moon, Endor and leading a strike to destroy the shield generator protecting the Death Star. Madine asks if his strike team is ready. Han is still gathering a crew, but it quickly fill with Chewie, Leia and a returning Luke who embraces his questioning sister. The heroes are rejoined. END OF CHAPTER

Opinion:
This is a very important scene that sets the last two acts into motion. Unlike the rebel briefing in ANH, this does not happen at the end of the film, but with 80 minutes to spare. It?s a well-conceived parallel.

I like that Lando is a general and definitely a full-fledged hero since you couldn?t tell in ESB for the most part. Also the fact that we get to see new rebel leaders besides Dodonna and Riekaan from the previous films. We introduced to Mon Mothma from ROTS deleted scenes and Admiral Ackbar, a Mon Calamari, which puts the Henson Creature Shop to the full potential.

After watching ROTS, I love the similarities in structure between this and the Jedi Briefing Room where Obi-Wan talks briefly about Quinlan Vos. Plus the fact that we have a massive 3-D hologram of the Death Star is always a treat. I love the dialogue, though it is mainly informative as well.

The only problem I have is Leia on the side. She commanded Hoth and she?s getting pushed to the side here. I guess Mom?s fellow rebel gets to take center stage. The uniting of the heroes is also a memorable moment as we get ready for Endor. Good chapter.

 

I don't have the impression that Leia commanded Hoth's battle, Rieekan was the commander there, wasn't he?

I love Han in this chapter and his look of disappointment when the jedi hero ruines his moment of glory with Leia.

 

Leia was definitely ordering people around in ESB. Remember her pre-battle briefing to the fighter pilots? Or her ordering the evacuation of Hoth? She was in a position of authority.

I have always figured that the Rebel Alliance had a structure like this, if we were to compare it to the US government and military:

Mon Mothma-President, Commander-in-Chief.
Admiral Ackbar-Chief of Staff of the Navy
Princess Leia-Secretary of State or Defense
Generals Madine, Riekann, and Dodonna-four star generals in charge of specific groups of rebels. It seems that Riekann took over for Dodonna between ANH and ESB...maybe Dodonna went on to another positon in the Rebel Alliance. I think it's accepted that Madine is head of Covert Operations.

Leia, being a civilian, yet having obvious military-related abilities, probably was expected to do a lot more than a civilian leader normally would, since the Rebels were so personnel-strapped.

 

By the way, watch this scene and play "Spot the Prune Face"!

 

Yes, of course she had authority, only not in the battle. Maybe she was the one in charge of the evacuation, that's why she was the last to leave.

I have the impression that the Endor operation was planned and organized while she was in Tattoine rescueing Han, that's why she's not the main organizer.

And, obviously, if she was in the planning, she would have known of Han joining immediately, no surprise!

 

It always bothered me that a prominent Rebel race (the Mon Cal) who command large portions of the Rebel military, but also supply their warships, aren't represented in the major actions of the Rebellion until the last hour and a half of the trilogy. I can understand the our-universe explanations that they didn't have the costume money or hadn't decided what the Mon Cal were gonna look like, but I haven't found a sufficient in-universe explanation. If they're so talented, even if the Imps were heavily subjugating their planet, I'd think they could have gotten a few off-planet for major military actions like Yavin.

Irregardless, I love the way the briefing scene is done, and the fact that the Rebs finally have a Navy. They make such a big deal about how difficult a time they had trying to get the plans, and then we find out Sidious set it up that way. Kinda makes you think, if it weren't a trap, it woulda been damn-near impossible to find out about it.

And the Han and Lando exchange are great. "Who says they didn't? But I ain't crazy."

 

This scene bugs me because there's too much happy banter and joking around for a military briefing.


But special effects are good, Ackbar is a fantastic puppet, and I love getting to see the fleet of rebel ships.

 

I always attributed that to the whole jokes-in-the-face-of-death thing... denial in order to cope with the gravity of a situation. It's a pretty common phenomenon.

 

Poor Bothan spies...so many died because Palpatine...

 

Ok. I have a different opinion regarding this briefing. This briefing was definately not made with the idea of the first 3 Star Wars being created recently. This scene showed closure to many of the previous events such as the death of OBWK, the battle on Hoth, and the destruction of planets by the Death Star. It also showed that Leah had more meaning than we thought. However, if it provided closure it should have provided TRUE closure but it didn't. It opened up how powerful Leah was. In the first three like revenge of the sith, atttack of the clones, and Epiode 1 not much importance was given to Leah. Basically, I am saying that this was a good scene before Episodes I-II-III came out.

 

I'm not sure I follow... provided closure how?

 

I disagree with some of that.

Mon Mothma_PRESIDENT AND Commander in Chief
Adm. Ackbar >
Gen. Madine >
Gen. Dodonna > Joint Chiefs of Staff
Gen. Riekann>

Leia is definatly not the Secretary of Defense.
BTW: Does the EU cover what happens to Riekann and Dodonna?

On to the topic:
I love this scene. ANH and ROTJ's pre-battle speeches are favorites of mine. Why, I don't really know. Aside from the fact that MAD Magazine, in just 2 panels. Had my favorite Star Wars parody moment. In "Re-hash of the Jeti". Which I could not find to re-print here. Safe to say the Ackbar speech is my favorite speech.

 

Thank you for all your participation in CBC (Chapter by Chapter). ROTJ Chapter 17: Lending the Falcon DISCUSSION will be made available 4:00 PM EST. Although the discussion timeframe has passed, you may still discuss this chapter at your convienience. However, we will be moving on to the next chapter.

-Moleman1138

 

What puzzles me in this scene:
Mon Mothma: "The Emperor has made a critical error."

- now she was a witness of what happened during ROTS and likely also the other two prequels. She must have known at least about some of Sidious' manoeurves in the end. Why wasn't she more suspicious about this "critical error" - Sidious personally overseeing the construction of a largely unprotected death star? He's been playing the bait in his own traps before. Why didn't she think about the whole thing being a trap even as a possibility?

 

I read somewhere that Dadonna got caputred by the Imperials and detained for the better half of the rest of the war. He was eventually freed, or rescued........so I read.

The whole planning scene was a great moment for me in ROTJ, I agree. JW music behind it really made the 'planning' thing work. And something about all of the setting scenes in space of ships just 'flying around'. And the Falcon swinging back and forth getting ready to go to hyperspace to attack the 2nd DS, it was like Lando was getting a feel for the old girl again, just lovely!