Fixing the Prequels: RotS

Previously: ten nine eight seven six five four three two one And now we come to it: the final scenes of Revenge of the Sith. Most of what I would change here would be to touch up the emotional undercurrent of everything that’s going on, and to address a few issues that have given some people (but not me) pause over the years. Largely, though, I tend to be of the view that the entire second half of this film is extremely good across the board, and close to pitch-perfect in spots. When we left off, Obi Wan had justDown the rabbit hole….

Previously: nine eight seven six five four three two one So! When last we left off, Anakin had finally stopped wandering around the pitcher of Palpatine’s Kool-Aid and just picked it up and drained it in one swallow. What’s left now is the ramifications of the great attack on the Jedi, who never saw it coming, never realized, never had any idea of the danger they were in – the danger they themselves walked into. Much of the rest of the film is nearly perfectly done, really. The entire third act of Revenge of the Sith, starting with Anakin’s turnDown the rabbit hole….

previously: eight seven six five four three two one OK, this is long…quite long. But necessary, because this is when we finally get to the meat of the whole thing. At the end of last entry, Mace Windu had placed Anakin Skywalker under house arrest for the crime of MWJ (Marriage While Jedi). And now, Windu is on his way to force the Chancellor from power, not knowing – and having refuse to hear from Anakin – that Palpatine isn’t just the Chancellor, but also a Sith Lord. Anakin knows that Mace Windu is walking into disaster, and that he’llDown the rabbit hole….

Yeah, we’re doing this. And this time, we’re gonna finish it. (I mean, this time as in, this time restarting this series. I’m not finishing it in one post.) previously: seven six five four three two one When last we left, long long ago, Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi had parted for the last time, as friends. Obi Wan was off to Utapau to look into the rumors of General Grievous’s location, while Anakin was still stuck on Coruscant, not really doing much of anything except keeping and eye on Chancellor Palpatine, who is continuing to sow distrust ofDown the rabbit hole….

previously: six five four three two one Diving right back in with both lightsaber blades ignited…or something like that. Anyway, when last we left, Palpatine had engineered Anakin Skywalker’s elevation to the Jedi Council, but the Council, angered at Palpatine’s machinations, denied him the traditional promotion to Jedi Master that usually is part and parcel of a seat on the Council. Anakin is then asked to report to the Council on the Chancellor’s dealings, which he is not comfortable doing. Then Palpatine revealed to the Jedi the location of General Grievous, forcing them to take action; he suggests that AnakinDown the rabbit hole….

previously: five four three two one OK, time to dive straight back in. Huzzah!!! When last we left off, the various forces in Anakin Skywalker’s life were starting to use him as a pawn in their own various games. This was starting to have the effects we might expect, as both sides are using Anakin against the other – but Palpatine is doing it more constructively and in a way that is more likely to further his own goals. What always interests me is that of all the adult figures in Anakin’s life after Qui Gon Jinn’s death, the oneDown the rabbit hole….

one two three Aaaaand again, it’s been ridiculously long for an installment of this series, for which, again, my apologies. But this time the reason is different, aside from the fact that time, as always,, continues to occasionally get away from me. No, this time I’ve genuinely been vexed with how to fix the part of Revenge of the Sith we’re now entering. This part of the film – the political part – is the most problematic. After a slam-bang first forty minutes or so, the film has to spend half an hour or so going set-up for the lastDown the rabbit hole….