Synopsis:

The final chapter of the Star Wars prequels is re-imagined as a serious tragedy where events conspire to push Anakin Skywalker to the brink where he must choose between the Jedi, who distrust him, and Chancellor Palpatine who offers him hope for Padme’s survival. No scene has been left untouched. Entire sequences of the film have been rearranged for maximum impact.

Intentions:

The final chapter of the Star Wars prequels is re-imagined as a serious tragedy where events conspire to push Anakin Skywalker to the brink where he must choose between the Jedi, who distrust him, and Chancellor Palpatine who offers him hope for Padme’s survival. No scene has been left untouched. Entire sequences of the film have been rearranged for maximum impact.

Change List:

- Just what the world needs! Another Star Wars edit. I do love these and wanted to attempt one of my own. In this edit I am trying to concentrate on Anakin, his fall, and what caused it. - In order for Anakin’s fall to be a true fall the circumstances in which he makes his decision to submit to Palpatine must be altered. The necessary elements for this are already there for this to occur but are not properly emphasized. In this version, it is the Jedi who drive Anakin into the arms Palpatine with lies, disdain and distrust. - Palpatine is correct. The Republic is long since dead. It no longer functions. He is bringing order to the galaxy. The Jedi are plotting to overthrow him. The only problem with this is that he is also evil. - Anakin lives in a world in which the only person who truly trusts others is Obi Wan Kenobi. The only person Anakin trusts is Palpatine. He is even suspicious of Padme. No one in this world truly trusts or confides in others. Gone are the long pointless conversations. Anakin and Padme love each other but do not confide in each other. (As a side note, the only real “mistake” The Phantom Editor made in Attack of the Phantom is to include Anakin’s confession to Padme of murdering Sand People. It is much more power if the only person he truly trusts with his secrets is Palpatine.) The Jedi Council openly distrusts Anakin. Mace Windu is openly hostile. At the beginning of the movie Anakin discovers his own order is hostile to him, and the wife he is not allowed to have is pregnant with children that should not exist. His nerves are frayed. - With ADigitalMan’s kind permission, I incorporated many elements from his excellent edit of this film, such as new voices, the crawl he used for his special edition as well as his restructuring of Yoda’s scenes to include the disembodied voice of Qui Gon Jin. - In addition to the story line tweaking, I am attempting to streamline the movie’s editing and am following The Phantom Editor’s lead as much as my limited technical skills will allow. Unnecessary exposition has been removed. Scenes now contain only the essential information they were intended to convey and the meaning of others has been slightly altered. Clunky editing in action scenes has hopefully been spruced up a bit. The edit was done in 5.1 in order to allow this. - Entire sequences have been reordered in order to alter or heighten their impact. For instance: - The 1st half hour has been reorganized to create the impression that events conspiring to pile more and more pressure on Anakin, pushing him to the breaking point. Everyone is plotting and keeping secrets from those closest to them. After rescuing Palpatine, he is told by Padme that she is pregnant. Not such a happy scene, now. They’re both upset and worried. This is more compelling, I think. Anakin is so upset by this he misses a briefing on the war and is reprimanded by Obi Wan who is very concerned with Anakin’s closeness to Palpatine. - Anakin is next asked by Palpatine to serve on the Jedi Council because he fears they are plotting against him. This is immediately followed by a hostile confrontation with Mace Windu in the Jedi Council Chamber. Following this meeting, Obi Wan tells Anakin the Jedi want him to spy on the Chancellor, confirming Palpatine’s suspicions of a Jedi plot. - Meanwhile, Padme is plotting to create the Rebellion with Bail Organa swears to keep this from Anakin. - This sequence of events culminates with Anakin’s nightmare premonitions of Padme’s death in childbirth. However, instead of confiding in Padme on the balcony. He dresses and goes to Palpatine, beginning his real slide to the Dark Side. This occurs right at the 30 minute mark.

Additional Notes:

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Other Sources:

Special Thanks: