Star Wars: The Revised Edition, Part III
As a part of being a dedicated Star Wars fan, I am “Forced” to buy your great saga over and over again. Before 1997, you released the original trilogy as a box set, with the promo line: “Together again for one last time”. Yet less than one year later, I bought the original three in the Revised edition boxed set, with the new footage. Just last year, I purchased the original as a DVD boxed set. It also contained some new footage that I call the Revised edition, Part II.
Since you are finished with all six films, I’m sure you’re planning to put all of them in a boxed set. And I suppose you’re going to have to put new footage on this in order to get me to buy it all again. So before you start the changes to the Revised Edition, Part III, I have some suggestions that you can make.
You see, your story lacks, how shall we say it? Consistency. I’ve noticed certain lines in Episodes IV, V, and VI that are completely obsolete due to events shown in Episodes I, II, and III. I have listed the obsolete lines here, as well as a suggestion of what the line should be. I’m sure with your mastery with special effects, you should have no trouble changing the character’s lips to coincide with my newer, improved lines.
Changes for Episode IV: A New Hope
Scene: Darth Vader has captured Princess Leia, and interrogates her.
Leia: I don’t know what you’re talking about. I am a member of the Imperial Senate, on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan.
Darth Vader: You are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor! Take her away!
Change last line to:
Darth Vader: You are part of the Rebel Alliance, and you look strangely familiar.
Scene: After being attacked by Tusken Raiders, Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi revives Luke.
Luke: Well, then, the droid does belong to you.
Obi-Wan: Don’t seem to remember owning a droid. Very impressive.
Change line to:
Obi-Wan: Whoa, Artoo! Is that you? What up?
Scene: Obi-Wan is telling Luke about his history with Darth Vader.
Obi-Wan: Vader was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force.
Luke: The Force?
Obi-Wan: The Force is what gives the Jedi his power. It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together.
Change line to:
Obi-Wan: The Force is the result of these little creatures in us called midi-chlorians. We are all hosts to them, and without them, we would have no knowledge of the Force.
Scene: Darth Vader and Obi-Wan are about to fight with their lightsabers.
Darth Vader: The circle is complete. When I left you, I was the learner, now I am the Master!
Obi-Wan: Only a master of evil, Darth.
Okay, we have to change that line for sure. Let’s try this:
Obi-Wan: Actually, when you left, you were practically on the council of Jedi Masters. So technically, you’re just promoted to the next step, in a dark Jedi kind of way.
Changes needed in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Scene: Yoda tells Luke why he cannot train him.
Yoda: �You are reckless.
Obi-Wan: (Voice-only.) So was I, if you remember.
Yoda: He is too old. Yes, too old to begin the training.
I tried to change this line to Yoda-speak as best as I could:
Yoda: Too old was Anakin when began his training. What this scrub would do at his age, imagine I cannot.
Scene: Luke is training on Dagobah, when he has a vision of his friends.
Luke: I’ve got to go to them.
Yoda: Decide you must, how to serve them best. If you leave now, help them you could, but you will destroy all of which they have fought, and suffered.
Change line to:
Yoda: Yes, he is there, Chewbacca is. Owe him one from Kashyyyk, I do. Your butt to Bespin, you get!
Scene: Han is about to put into carbon-freeze, and Boba Fett worries about his bounty.
Boba Fett: What if he doesn’t survive? He’s worth a lot to me.
Darth Vader: The Empire will compensate you if he dies. Put him in!
Change line to:
Darth Vader: The Empire will compensate you if he dies. It’s the least we can do for a fellow Stormtrooper.
This next scene needs no introduction
Darth Vader: If only you knew the power of the Dark Side. Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.
Luke: He told me enough. He told me you killed him!
Darth Vader: No, I am your father.
Change line to:
Darth Vader: No, I only killed your mother!
Only one change required for Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi
Scene: Luke talks to Leia about their family history. It’s full of inconsistency.
Luke: Leia, do you remember your mother, your real mother?
Leia: Just a little bit. She died when I was very young.
Luke: What do you remember?
Leia: Just images, really. Feelings.
Luke: Tell me.
Leia: She was very beautiful. Kind, but sad. Why are you asking me this?
Luke: I have no memory of my mother. I never knew her.
Okay, let’s re-write these lines from the beginning.
Luke: Leia, do you remember your mother, your real mother?
Leia: No, she died after I was born.
Luke: Are you sure you don’t remember?
Leia: Of course. Why do you ask?
Luke: I don’t remember anything about my mother, either. Maybe we’re related.
I noticed on the Revised Return of the Jedi (Part II), you show Hayden Christensen appearing as Darth Vader’s ghost in the Jedi afterlife. Originally, it was Sebastian Shaw, the actor that played Vader just before he died. In order to maintain consistency, I recommend going through Episodes V and VI and change all ghost images of Obi-Wan Kenobi to Ewan McGregor. That shouldn’t be too difficult.
Also, sometime in Episode IV, we need to see the death of Jar-Jar Binks. I believe that is a very crucial element in the story. In fact, if there is some way you can make it so that Jar-Jar is the man that Vader is choking at the beginning of the film, it will truly tie the two trilogies together.
I look forward to buying the six-disk box set that will make all my Star Wars collections become even more obsolete.
Sincerely yours,
Just another die-hard Star Wars fan.
