The Watto Scene

This has probably been brought up before, but I haven't seen it around. When Anakin questions Watto, it's pretty clear that Watto is a little intimidated, even scared. It's an interesting reversal of roles from TPM, especially considering Watto's defiant attitude towards Qui-Gon. TPM also establishes that the Jedi mind trick won't work on Watto.

My question is, do you think Anakin is such a powerful Force-user that he's able to subtly use it to influence Watto in ways Qui-Gon couldn't? If yes, could he be tapping into the Dark Side to do so? (Obi-Wan seems concerned when Anakin questions Zam.) Or was Watto simply intimidated by Anakin's attitude and body language?

 

I think that it was he was scared because he treated Anakin so bad that when he saw anakin it scared it because he thought Anakin Would kill him for revenge on all the bad stuff he did to Anakin over the years that or he saw his lightsaber.

 

I don't think Watto treated Anakin that badly. As far as slaves go Ani and Shmi got treated pretty well. I think Watto's world has collapsed around him. He has no money, no shop, no self respect and now owns a small stool selling broken pieces of junk. I think Anakin reminds him of when things were good. I think Watto see's Anakin as a friend in a way. He seemed pretty happy to see him and is relieved that this Jedi is Anakin. I have gained alot of love for Watto because of this one scene.

 

I agree Watto seems happy to see Anakin again, but at the same time, he doesn't really trifle with him. When he realizes Anakin means business, he gets right up.

 

Yeah, but I don't think there was fear in that. I think it was more a sign of friendship and respect. This little slave has become a Jedi, and even though Watto was his 'master' I think he still feels pride for Anakin's accomplishmnets.

 

Hi
I dropped by from the polish forum.

I think Watto wasn't sure what's Anakin's buisness, and what his really looking for on Tatooine.
In the first moment Watto was happy to see him, but when he saw the look on Anakin's face, he remebered all the bad things he used to do to him in the past.
I'm sure Watto was a bit scared. Maybe he even tought taht Anakin came back for revenge?
When Skywalker said: "I'd like to know..." - Watto understood everything.
He had to help a friend. Fear wouldn't allow him to refuse. Or maybe it wasn't the fear but honor. But it's clear to me that fear was also there. And the Toydarian felt it. Oh yeah

MTFBWY

 

He seems genuinely pleased that Anakin is doing so well, but definitely scared and intimidated by Anakin's presence and actions. I don't think Anakin needed to bother with the Force, even if it could've worked on a Toydarian.

 

Actually, the Watto scene reminded of what Darth Vader will become in the OT and his power to intimidate, like when he does to Lando in ESB, or Jerjerrod in ROTJ.

 

He lost a lot of money on Anakin in TPM, and I think he was afraid if he didn't do what Anakin wanted the same thing would happen again.

 

Yeah well of course he'd be afraid with the Jedi. But then after knowing it was Anakin he was like "Hey maybe you can help me with some dead beats who own me a lot of money." But when it comes to business, he had gotten right up.

 

I think Watto was just suprised to see Anakin. Anakin did a lot of growing ten years since he left Watto and Shmi behind. But Watto also seemed a little apprehensive...

 

Anakin wasn't in a good mood at that time, Watto might've sensed the hostility/anger/pain that was just beneath Anakin's calm and friendly exterior.

 

Watto did not know that the jedi was Anakin at first. It wasn't until Anakin repaired the little piece of machinery that he was sure of it. When Watto noticed that a Jedi stood before him, he was all defensive, "Whatever it is, I didn't do it"
As for why he was so cocky with Jinn, he did not know that he was actually a Jedi. He knew that Jinn needed something from him and in essence, had him over a barrel. Even when Jinn was using Jedi Haggling meathods, Watto was like, what, do you think you are some kind of Jedi.....
The Anakin/Watto scene was no different if you were a shop owner and some kid that used to wrok for you ten years ago showed up as a cop and you didn't recognize him....I didn't do it..etc....

 

I always wondered just what "convinced" Watto that "It IS you!!!"

Anakin is messing with an electronic part... the inference seems to be that Anakin fixed it, and that's how Watto could tell it was genuinely Anakin... but I never noticed the device humming to life or anything.... did ILM forget to make that part light up, or have I missed something?

 

I wonder if they just decided it'd be nice for Watto to work it out for himself...give him a bit more intelligence

 

While I think Anakin is extremely powerful in terms of the force, I don't think that he directly used the force to influence Watto. Rather, Anakin is intimidating in this scene, as he was with Zam. Here is this powerful and unstable Jedi who can explode at any time, especially in situations concerning Padme and Shmi. Anakin has an eerie calm about him when he speaks with Watto, and I think his former master feels the tension. Watto, a disheveled shell of his former self, appears weaker then in TPM. He tries to lighten the moment, which clearly backfires his former slave stands stone-faced next to a quiet Padme. This would make for an awkward moment in any place or time.

You have to remember that the former slave stands in front of the former master, with the former slave being much more powerful now. I can't imagine a stiuation where the weaker former slave master wouldn't feel intimidated or threatened, even though Watto wasn't horribly sadistic to the Skywalker family. I don't feel that Anakin used the force, other than just being a Jedi, in order to get the info he wanted.

 

Watto was intimidated by Anakin. I mean Watto saw Anakin was a Jedi and he freaked out and all. Watto could tell Anakin was serious too and wouldn't take any crap so he just helped him too.
The fixing thing would help too, also Anakin said "Mi bolshka de shmi skywalker." Who else would be looking for Shmi but Anakin?

 

Lack of the instinctual intimidation.

 

Actually, the Watto scene reminded of what Darth Vader will become in the OT and his power to intimidate, like when he does to Lando in ESB, or Jerjerrod in ROTJ.

Very true, good point!


BibbleStrikesBack, I liked your post as well. Force or not, Anakin is very imposing and impressive here.

 

watto is intimidated my anakin because he used to OWN anakin. The force didnt work on watto, there's no need for it, its personal convition. Ani was his SLAVE. Now he's FREE. Ani could KILL Watto and nothing more would come of it, considering it IS tatooine, "the most wretched hive of scum and villainy" after all. So he minds his p's and q's. thats why he's nervous cause he likes to live.

 

i meant to say personal CONVICTION- Watto realizes the potential of the situation based on his previous relationship to Ani and realizes he could end up one of two ways if he's not a good boy. By that I mean that Ani's now free and he could kill watto just for past injustices, to either him or his mother or both. Watto's unsure of the situation less because Anakins a potentially unstable Jedi powderkeg, than he is because now the tables have turned and he has lost his previous position of dominance and power. Loss of power makes people get quiet and fall in line really fast. thats what happened here. no jedi power, no intimidation, just a paradigm shift.