What would you have done differently?

[BenKenobi]

The prequels disappointed a lot of people but there are a lot of fans too. The reason being (in my belief) is because the movies have some really good ideas and writing in them, they're just not completely polished. Something more along the lines of a second to last draft, rather than the final. So on that note, what would you have changed? I'd prefer no complete rewrites or anything along those lines more like small changes that keep the same story.

For example, Darth Maul is actually really cool in the Clone Wars. I would have had him being the person in contact with the Trade Federation and not revealed Sidious until late in the film. Kind of like how they reversed the roles for Moff Jerrjerodd and Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi.

[Bim]

I would have made Obi-Wan a young jedi knight in TPM (maybe in his first real mission as a knight with his rebelious master Qui-Gon). Have Obi-Wan discover Anakin, and have him fight the Council to train Anakin.

Also, close the age gap a bit between Anakin and Padme. Maybe cast Hayden from the start, and have only one Anakin, giving him a chance to work with more than what he got.

For example, Darth Maul is actually really cool in the Clone Wars. I would have had him being the person in contact with the Trade Federation and not revealed Sidious until late in the film.

That's a cool idea

[Gianakin_]

No Grievous, Dooku as the main part of RotS to flesh him out more. Anakin defeating him after the events of AotC would have more gravity.
Leia getting born first.
Anakin actually killing Padme or Padme dying at childbirth because of Anakin messing with her before the Duel.

[BenKenobi]

Originally Posted by Gianakin_

No Grievous, Dooku as the main part of RotS to flesh him out more. Anakin defeating him after the events of AotC would have more gravity.
Leia getting born first.
Anakin actually killing Padme or Padme dying at childbirth because of Anakin messing with her before the Duel.

Should have been later in the film. Also Revenge of the Sith should have taken place more than 3 years later imo. It would have been cool to see a more calculating, mature Anakin giving orders on a Star Destroyer.

Also I think Lucas should have put more value to Anakin being a master, maybe once he was a master he wouldn't have to hide Padme anymore. And I think Anakin should have had the big showdown with Mace Windu. There was tension built between the characters the entire trilogy. Anakin runs in to see Mace about to kill Palpatine and kicks his butt. Saving Palpatine's battle for his fight with Yoda at the end.

I would have made Obi-Wan a young jedi knight in TPM (maybe in his first real mission as a knight with his rebelious master Qui-Gon). Have Obi-Wan discover Anakin, and have him fight the Council to train Anakin.

Thats a really good idea! I think the movie could have been significantly improved if Obi-Wan was the one that went out to find the parts and Qui-Gon stayed on the ship with the Queen. I mean it makes more sense to have the older more experienced one holding down the fort and the ward to run the tedious errands. Obi-Wan finds Anakin and wants to train him but the council believes he's not ready and wishes to leave his training in the hands of Qui-Gon. Then when he dies, they finally make Obi-Wan a knight and Anakin his apprentice, setting up for his poor training.

[johnrain]

Palpatine should not have lost to Mace Windu.
Anakin should have wounded Obi Wan in their duel.

[Thundercrack85]

Well, in short, everything. I'm sorry, but a script polish ain't gonna do it.

I'd say my biggest problem was them turning Darth Vader into Star Wars Jesus.

The first film was a mess. It's plot was all over the place, it had no clear protagonist. The pacing was a nightmare... I really don't think it's salvageable.

Actually, just to give a general direction, start off with Darth Vader as a young Jedi Knight. Again, not really a fan of Force Jesus. Make him less of an emo kid with relationship problems, and more of a Jedi already edging into Dark Side territory. Like show him strangling an enemy (rather than doing a Jedi mind trick)... foreshadowing.

Show him more attracted to the Dark Side because it gets **** done, as opposed to fear of losing his wife. Someone who wants to bring order to a chaotic galaxy.

Oh and rewrite that god awful romance.

Think that's a good start.

[BenKenobi]

Originally Posted by johnrain

Palpatine should not have lost to Mace Windu.
Anakin should have wounded Obi Wan in their duel.

Theres that big argument over whether or not he let him win, also apparently the Obi-Wan Anakin duel, Obi-Wan was supposed to have been struggling the whole time. Neither of these aspects however were made clear.

Originally Posted by Thundercrack85

Well, in short, everything. I'm sorry, but a script polish ain't gonna do it.

The prequels are filled with brilliant ideas and characters, and they all have their moments of excellence. As someone who often speaks out against these movies, even I can recognize that these films could have been improved with a few extra drafts. Ever read the original Jedi script? It's great but very flawed, Luke never makes a new lightsaber, Obi-Wan comes back to life, Moff Jerrorodd (the cowering guy from the intro on the Death Star) is bossing Vader around. Revisions do wonders.

[Llama_Shepherd]

I'd have merged Anakin's storylines from Menace and Clones.

Obi-Wan Kenobi has recently become kinghted and Anakin Skywalker is his apprentice, they accompany Obi-Wan's former master, master Qui-Gon Jinn on a mission and have formed a familial bond together, with Qui-Gon as a father and Obi-Wan and Anakin as brothers.

The film opens as normal, but Anakin is with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Instead of discovering Anakin on Tattooine, the Jedi and Queen crash there and Anakin takes them to his home, and he discusses his past as a slave before being found by Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, only to find it had been overrun by Raiders.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan tell Anakin he must wait with the Queen while they go off to search the planet for anyone who will spare the parts for the ship and end up doing a "dirty" deal with one of the tradesmen, and take out a few bounty hunters.

In the days they are gone Anakin becomes close with the Queen but must search after his mother. Upon finding her dying, along with dozens of others, he slaughters an entire tribe of Raiders, he is being stalked by a cloaked figure.

The two parties return to the Skywalker homestead, which he gives to his step-brother, Owen. Upon return to the ship Qui-Gon is attacked by a Sith, he barely escapes and Anakin intervenes, tapping into his anger and pushing the Sith back, he is scolded by Qui-Gon for tapping into the dark side, despite his compassion, he remains stern here, Obi-Wan remains kinder, explaining Qui-Gon lost a Padawan to the dark side.

The rest of the film proceeds as normal.

The second film would be a merging of Attack of the Clones and Clone Wars 2D series.

[Thundercrack85]

Originally Posted by BenKenobi

The prequels are filled with brilliant ideas and characters, and they all have their moments of excellence. As someone who often speaks out against these movies, even I can recognize that these films could have been improved with a few extra drafts. Ever read the original Jedi script? It's great but very flawed, Luke never makes a new lightsaber, Obi-Wan comes back to life, Moff Jerrorodd (the cowering guy from the intro on the Death Star) is bossing Vader around. Revisions do wonders.

...brilliant ideas and character such as?

[dude stannis]

Originally Posted by Gianakin_

No Grievous, Dooku as the main part of RotS to flesh him out more. Anakin defeating him after the events of AotC would have more gravity.
Leia getting born first.
Anakin actually killing Padme or Padme dying at childbirth because of Anakin messing with her before the Duel.

These.

Plus, making Obi-Wan and Anakin more of a buddy cop team and showing their friendship.

No Jar Jar. Less CG, more sets and locations.

[Thundercrack85]

I'd say the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan was a real problem.

The two seemed more like two guys who got stuck with each other rather than friends, much less as close as brothers, to quote Obi-Wan.

[BenKenobi]

Originally Posted by Thundercrack85

...brilliant ideas and character such as?

Most of the Jedi, most of the planets, the plots as a whole would have worked fine if they'd been executed better. The problem was there was no tension and no second writter to tell George he needed to explain things better or he was making plot holes. Most characters work very well outside of the films look at this, Grievous was awesome bother Episode III came out:



EDIT:

It's a shame what's become of such a cool character, I don't know whats worse the fact he can barely hold his own with the gungans or that god awful dialogue.

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Anakin and Obi-Wan as Jedi knights from the get-go.

[Han Solo]

Originally Posted by Bim

I would have made Obi-Wan a young jedi knight in TPM (maybe in his first real mission as a knight with his rebelious master Qui-Gon). Have Obi-Wan discover Anakin, and have him fight the Council to train Anakin.

Also, close the age gap a bit between Anakin and Padme. Maybe cast Hayden from the start, and have only one Anakin, giving him a chance to work with more than what he got.


That's a cool idea

all this . I myself, am a huge prequels fan. but these would have been perfect editions to the films. In regards to obi-wan, that would have added to the strength and power of the betrayal. and in regards to hayden in TPM. that would have been perfect. his performance in EP: III was leaps and bounds superior to his in EP: II. because he was given the time to age and mature. having him in EP: I would have made it that much more epic by EP: III.

[Longshot777]

Originally Posted by johnrain

Palpatine should not have lost to Mace Windu.
Anakin should have wounded Obi Wan in their duel.

Palpatine staged the whole thing to finally turn Anakin to the dark side.

It's all in the dialogue before the duel.

Anakin was struggling between turning on his Jedi family to save Padme but still waited until Palpatine gave him a moral way out.

Mace beating Palpatine is like saying those droids manhandled Palpatine early on Greivous' ship.

It's all a set-up.

I would change a lot but most I would edit jar jar out plus those kiddie voices of the droids and Greivous has to go.

Boba Fett should be a son not clone.

Lots more but I haven't seen it in a while.

[portland2002]

Over the course of the prequel trilogy, I think it would have been interesting to see Anakin gradually losing his humanity, becoming more and more dependent on machinery to keep him alive to mirror his fall to the dark side.

Also, I would have liked to have seen him fall into a volcano (similar to the novelization of ROTJ) and crawl out, seeing more of the hate and disfigurements burned into him (i sort of imagined a scenario similar to the first Terminator, when the T-800 crawls out of the flames and lies on the ground, his flesh burning off). i imagined his supernatural powers from the dark side keeping him alive before Palpatine and the troopers arrive.

[Bowie]

Had different writers.

Had a different director.

[BenKenobi]

Originally Posted by portland2002

Over the course of the prequel trilogy, I think it would have been interesting to see Anakin gradually losing his humanity, becoming more and more dependent on machinery to keep him alive to mirror his fall to the dark side.

Also, I would have liked to have seen him fall into a volcano (similar to the novelization of ROTJ) and crawl out, seeing more of the hate and disfigurements burned into him (i sort of imagined a scenario similar to the first Terminator, when the T-800 crawls out of the flames and lies on the ground, his flesh burning off). i imagined his supernatural powers from the dark side keeping him alive before Palpatine and the troopers arrive.

They really screwed that up imo. The way Obi-Wan talked to Luke about Vaders fall it sounded like he had a professor x/magneto relationship with him for sometime, believing their was still good in him, finally he accepted he was "more machine than man now" and lost hope in him. Obi-Wan didn't even try to talk to him.

Also I wish the Emperor had taken power in a more practical way. In KOTOR, Malak and Revan took the galaxy with the unlimited armies of the Star Forge, why couldn't Sidious do the same with the Clones!? I don't care about what he foresaw, it's really pushing my suspension of disbelief having him have planned all of that out perfectly.

[Solouk]

Originally Posted by Bowie

Had different writers.

Had a different director.

In a nutshell.

[Solouk]

Anakin as Obi-WANs apprentice from the outset so their friendship could be truly conveyed and be far more tangible. Padme being the instigator of the relationship with Anakin. Sidious only becoming known in episode II. Clones being the ENEMY of the Republic and the Republic army being made up of conscripts from across the Galaxy. Maul being killed by Anakin upon his turn to the darkside in Episode III before his dual with Obi Wan. These are just a few.

[Duke]

I would have toned down JarJar Binks right from the start, give a much better origin to the Clone troopers, & definitely do away with the Midiclorians idea.

[webhead9707]

First of all, I would do away with the Padawan braids and whatever the heck this ponytail looking thing is:

[Duke]

I don't mind the braids. What I do mind is that in the original trilogy, we were lead to believe that Jedis were outstanding warriors above the average guy/s. In the Prequels you could kill Jedis fairly easy.

[ThePowerCosmic]

What would you have done differently?

[BenKenobi]

Originally Posted by Duke

I don't mind the braids. What I do mind is that in the original trilogy, we were lead to believe that Jedis were outstanding warriors above the average guy/s. In the Prequels you could kill Jedis fairly easy.

Well thats not true. The Jedi were great warriors above the average guy IF they were a core character. Otherwise they kind of sucked.

Anyway on a less sarcastic note I would have cast Leonardo Dicaprio, who expressed interest in the role, as Anakin Skywalker, over Hayden Christensen. The only rationale I can find in casting Hayden is he's a good looking guy. Dicaprio was a big heart throb, a huge name, and is capable a serious presence yet innocent presence perfect for a young Darth Vader.

Plus look at how much the shape of his head resembles Sebastian Shaw's in his brief scene from Jedi, compared to Christensen

Dicaprio 2002


Darth Vader Unmasked Return of the Jedi


Hayden Christensen 2002