"Writing the script was much more
enjoyable this time around because I wasn't constrained by anything. You can't
write one of these movies without knowing how you're going to accomplish it.
With CG at my disposal, I knew I could do whatever I wanted".
—George Lucas
It’s odd to think that fans might have seen Star Wars episode VII in the
mid-80’s if not for George Lucas’ divorce. But the divorce did happen and
Lucas’ interest in Star Wars films grew thin. It was only with the success of
books such as the Thrawn Trilogy & Shadows of the Empire that Lucas
recognized that fans were still interested. CGI films such as Jurassic Park
& Terminator 2 inspired him and by 1993 he had announced that he was going
to make new Star Wars films: the Prequels.
Lucas knew that the prequels would focus on Anakin, Obi-wan,
& Palpatine, but his his first order of business was to come up with new
characters for the three to interact with. Anakin needed a mother, Obi-wan
needed a partner, and Palpatine needed an apprentice.
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Darth Maul has feathers on his head in
this concept sketch, but it was later
interpreted as horns. |
Though relatively void of character, it can be argued that
Maul is one of the high points of Episode I. Artist, Lain McCaig, was put in
charge of designing the Sith Lord and came up with dozens of drawings,
essentially playing a hot-cold game with Lucas. At one point McCaig became
frustrated and started covering earlier drawings with tape. The result was a
Rorschach effect. Lucas liked it and Maul was born.
In the final film Darth Maul had few lines, but in the original script Maul’s character was more vocal. Consider this
exchange:
OBI-WAN: Your style of fighting is old, but I
understand it now.
MAUL: You learn fast.
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| An early concept sketch of a Sith apprentice |
OBI-WAN: You don't bother to learn.
MAUL: I don't have to.
Before Maul can act, Kenobi lashes out and cuts the Sith warrior in half. He
studies his fallen enemy and says: "Learn not...live not, my master always
says."
In the first Episode I script there was no Qui-Gon Jin.
Therefore, Obi-Wan’s only companion was a Gungan called Jar Jar Binks (whose
name was thought of by Lucas’ 5-year-old son, Jett) Interestingly enough, Jar
Jar and the other Gungans did not speak baby-talk in the first drafts of the
script. Jar Jar is actually a little more mature and less clumsy.
Consider this passage:
Before the Gungans and Naboo part ways before the final
battle, Jar Jar and Anakin say their goodbyes.
"I will miss you,"
says Jar Jar. "You're a wonder, and most amusing."
Governor Nass then promotes Jar Jar
to General, and gives him command of the "fifth barrage."
When Jar
Jar protests, Nass tells him, "I understand from the Jedi you're a great
warrior, Binks. I know you will do your position proud."
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| Obi-Wan Sketch |
None-the-less Lucas felt as if Obi-wan needed another companion. Lucas’ initial plan was to have Obi-Wan be the older Jedi and master to Qui-Gon
Jin. In this scenario it would be Obi-Wan who chose to take Anakin on as his
apprentice. I think that this plot point would have gone better for Obi-Wan’s overall character arc. It would make Anakin’s fall so much more tragic. Yet, at some
point the roles were reversed and Liam Neeson was cast as Jin.
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Anakin is 12 in the original script
|
When writing “Episode I” Lucas had to deal with the question of Anakin’s father. Who was he? Was he a Jedi? A Sith? Lucas could not figure it out, so he decided that Anakin would have no father… just like Jesus. Pretty lazy writing if you ask me.
In Lucas’ original vision for the film Anakin would have been around twelve in
Episode I. His character would have been a little darker, already tipping over the
edge. Eventually Lucas felt that Anakin should be
younger so that he would have to deal with being torn apart from his mother (and so that he could say things like "Wizard!")
Another interesting change is Anakin & Padme’s role in the final battle. In the original script Anakin doesn’t sneak into a ship and accidentally fly into battle. Instead Padme deliberately takes Anakin into battle, in a two-man starfighter:
"Meanwhile, Anakin and Padme spot on
heavily-armed battleship, and believe it to be the command ship. They prepare
to attack the pilot's tower, but the tower's deflector shields prove incredibly
strong. Padme orders two pilots, Teeter and Potts, to attack the ship's shield
generator. They are successful in damaging the shields. Then, while Anakin
pilots the ship, Padme serves as gunner. Despite the heavy flak surrounding
them, Padme remains focused on her objective. As the deflector shield fluctuates,
she fires several missiles, which destroy the control tower and cause the chain
reaction that obliterates the command ship."
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In the original script Anakin has net yet built speech
capabilities for C-3PO, so he is mute. |
While reading the original script it is obvious that it is intended for a more mature audience. Jar Jar is
tolerable, Anakin is older, and there is no dialogue along the lines of “Now
this is Podracing”. In fact, reading the original script is a little sad
because you think that it could have been a much better movie. It was actually close to being a good movie.
You can only
speculate why Lucas decided to make Episode I into something only a
five-year-old can truly appreciate. In the end you just have to chalk it up to
one of those unfortunate things of history and no one can go
back and change it. If mankind invents a time-machine, perhaps that would be the first
order of business.
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| In an alternate universe are Gungans cool? |
