Mon., Dec. 1, 1997

In order to follow the extremely complex plotlines and surprising plot twists in the prequels, the viewer needs to be very familiar with the original trilogy. Otherwise, the viewer will not understand certain aspects of the prequels. (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Employee) (Ed. Note: Hence, when we see the Jedi Knights using lightsabres and the Force in the prequel, George won't have to waste time explaining what a Jedi is, the source of their power, etc.)

A possible plotline to Star Wars: Episode 1 in brief:

The opening crawl pans to Coruscant, the capital of the Republic. Fade into the Senate where thousands of Senators are yelling at each other. Chaos rules the Senate and nothing gets accomplished. Meanwhile, on Alderaan, the home world of the young Queen, the Mandalorian attack this beautiful grassland world, which is led by Bail Organa. Organa seeks help from the Republic. The Republic orders the Jedi Knights to repel the Mandalorian attack.

Meanwhile, Ben Kenobi, piloting the Millenium Falcon with a stange and exotic creature as co-pilot, arrives on Tatooine carrying an illegal shipment of spice for Jabba the Hutt. Kenobi arrives on a landing bay at Jabba's stronghold, where Anakin's mother works for Jabba while Anakin entertains Jabba and his minions with his new found and amazing Force talents. Suddenly, the Tusken Raiders attack Jabba's fortress and Anakin's mother is killed during the battle. Ben saves the young Anakin during this attack and they flee Tatooine in the Falcon and plot a course for Corellia.

The young Queen flees Alderaan with her droids. She is chased by the Mandalorian and she sends out a distress signal for help. Ben intercepts this signal and rescues the young Queen from the Mandalorian. Finally, the Jedi Knights arrive in the Alderaan star system and drive the Mandalorian from Alderaan.

Ben escorts the young Queen to Coruscant to meet with Yoda and a venerable Jedi Master to finish her Jedi training. Yoda is impressed with Ben and encourages Ben to learn the ways of the Force with the young Queen. Anakin watches as Yoda trains Ben, the young Queen and several dozen young recruits to become Jedi Knights. Yoda explains the origins of the Force and the depths of its powers and warns against the great temptations that the dark side will present to each of them. Meanwhile, the Sith Lords steal the Kaiburr Chrystal from the vaults of the Jedi Council and head for a rendezvous point on Mon Calamari.

The Jedi Knights (along with the venerable Jedi Master, Ben and the young Queen) and the Republic fleet pursue the Sith Lords to Mon Calamari. The Jedi and Republic warriors are ambushed by the Sith Lords and their allies. Subsequently, a great aquatic battle occurs both above and below the waters of Mon Calamari. With help from the Calamarians, the Sith are defeated and the powerful Kaiburr Chrystal is returned to the safety of the Jedi vaults on Coruscant. (Source: The Imperial Script Snitch)

Tues., Dec. 2, 1997

While George is the copyright owner of Star Wars, the ingenious prequel films do not spring forth solely from George's own imagination. Many days and years of intense work by highly creative and skilled artists, model-makers, costumers, composers, sound technicians and others, working largely autonomous of George, are helping to create the epic grandeur and the breath-taking spectacle that will be the prequels.

These individuals are adding their own unique imagination to the overall "vision" that George hopes to convey on film. George gives his employees general ideas of what he is looking for in the creatures, droids, costumes, vehicles, star ships, environments, etc. After viewing what they have produced, George refines and alters what has been produced to meet his expectations and desires for the films.

The loyal and talented LucasFilm employees are largely responsible for what will eventually appear on the silver screen. And much of the hard work produced by these employees will not be fully appreciated by a simple viewing of the prequels. So much more goes on behind the scenes than any Star Wars fan could ever imagine. (Source: Anonymous I.L.M. Employee)

Lucas had a larger vision when developing Star Wars. He wrote such a complex and long history that he knew that all the elements could not be squeezed into a single film. Knowing that he could only make one movie, he chose a pivotal set of events from the center of his story arc. He was obliged to compress a number of elements into a smaller timeframe in order to have a satisfying movie that would stand alone. Had Lucas known that Star Wars was to become the most successful film of all time, the first movie would almost certainly have ended in a cliffhanger similar to The Empire Strikes Back.

This is why The Empire Strikes Back has been called the greatest sequel movie of all time. It was not a cynical marketing grab, it truly was the middle act of a trilogy - engaging, but somehow disturbing and unsatisfying. It was clearly designed to be a part of a greater tapestry. It could never have stood on its own as a complete film.

When the opportunity presented itself to complete Episodes 5 and 6, Lucas was able to tell a much larger slice of the arc. Having already played several of his key cards in the first movie, he was obliged to re-time parts of the story, but the bigger story, the epic myth, kept it all together. Hence, with the prequels, Lucas will complete the larger epic tale of the rise and fall of the evil Galactic Empire and will be able to put this film series behind him and finally walk away from Star Wars forever. (Source: Roger B. Shimerons)

I doubt that Kenobi piloted the Millenium Falcon in the prequels because Kenobi told Solo that he had never heard of the Falcon in A New Hope. (Source: Greg Flash; Nique) (Ed. Note: Maybe. But remember, Lucas stated in the Star Wars Insider # 35 that the prequels are going to dramatically change the way we presently perceive the trilogy. In the prequels, we learn that Kenobi was a reckless young lad before he learned the ways of the Force and became a noble and respectable Jedi Knight. And remember Kenobi deceived Luke in the trilogy so he might have lied to Solo about the Falcon, also)

Wed., Dec. 3, 1997

We can now say with 100 % certainty that Tarkin is in the prequels:

"Tarkin begins his career as an insignificant politician and realizes that his career is going nowhere. Tarkin becomes one of Senator Palpatine's first and most ardent supporters. Tarkin helps Palpatine get elected as the leader of the Republic and Tarkin eventually becomes one of the most powerful Grand Moffs of Emperor Palpatine's evil Galactic Empire." (Source: Anonymous Employee at LucasFilm)

Do you have what it takes to make it in the special effects business? Then apply for a job at LucasDigital . Telephone: 1 - 415 - 258 - 2100 (Source: Member of the ILM team)

I was looking at some old Star Wars books in the Yale library and found that Ralph McQuarrie's production art hints at versions of ROTJ where Vader takes Luke to Coruscant to confront Palpatine. Also, some of these paintings show that there are at least two Death Stars in construction over Coruscant and where the rescue of Solo occurs on a world made of grasslands and tundras. (Source: Spencer)

Some Star Wars fans thought that Lucas really ran out of ideas with Empire and ROTJ because the entire galaxy appeared to be related to one another. It came across more like a bad episode of Melrose Place than great mythological story telling. By trying so hard to keep these relationships a great secret during production, Lucas unwittingly made these family relationships look like a cheap plot device. Lucas may have a similar problem in the prequels when the audience learns that Ben and Owen are brothers and the other family relationships that exist in the prequels. (Source: Extreme Zealot)

Thurs., Dec. 4, 1997

I am not sure how many of your readers realize this but prior to the production of Empire, George made a deal with 20th Century Fox that gave Fox the exclusive rights to distribute the movies for seven years after the seven years these distribution rights reverted back to George. The millions that Fox gave George to make the special editions is suppose to serve as an enticement for George to let them distribute the forthcoming prequel trilogy. (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Spokesperson)

Lucas' vision for Star Wars was to make a wholesome film in the spirit of Walt Disney Productions. However, very few science fiction movies made money back then except for the Planet of the Apes series and 2001: A Space Odyssey. As a result, Lucas believed that Star Wars would make about the same as an average Walt Disney family film made = $ 16 million. (Source: Chand Rane)

Here is a list of innovations Lucas foresees in the movie industry:

For digital video discs, the audience will have the option to view a scene from various camera angles that are different than the one that appears in the final film.

The Pay-Per-View cable industry will eventually be able to store a studio's entire film library in a database so that it will be available on demand to viewers willing to pay a fee.

Motion pictures will eventually be shot on high-definition video instead of the more expensive film stock. Lucas predicts that Episodes II and III will be shot on video. (Source: Vandalgor)

Fri., December 5, 1997

We have received dozens of e-mails from readers asking a very interesting question:

Is it possible for a droid to use the Force and become a Jedi Knight?

(Source: Dozens of Readers) (Ed. Note: We don't have an answer to this question)

This question is related to rumor sent in by a bloke living in Australia:

R2 - D2 is more than just an astromech droid. Atroo is actually a Jedi Knight himself! A great deal of the coincidences that sway the course of fortune to the Alliance are because of the force influences of our little friend.

For example: Artoo knows exactly where to go and where to find Obi Wan Kenobi using the force, hence the initial argument with Threepio after the escape pod landed and his insistence on where to go. Artoo influenced the weak-minded Jawas to turn in the opposite direction to then pick up Threepio.

At the Jawa sandcrawler - When uncle Owen selects the red droid, Artoo uses the force to explode the motivator on an otherwise good unit, forcing himself to be chosen.

With many of the scenes on the Death Star, Artoo more than just plugs into the main computer, he influences it and works with Obi Wan in forcing the hand of fate, as he does in the final Death Star trench scenes. In Empire and Jedi, the force flows through Artoo like a conduit in many of the scenes. On Dagobah, cloud city, in Jedi when Artoo ejects the light saber to Luke To rescue his friends from Jabba.

It all makes a lot of sense when you watch the movies with this in mind. (Source: Glassagainstthewall).

It is rumored that there will be amphibious stormtroopers/Mandalorian commandos in the prequel(s). (Source: Nuclear Jedi)

It is thought that Liam Neeson is Palpatine's son. (Source: Peter J.)

Sat., Dec. 6, 1997

We spoke with an associate of ours at Bantam Books late Friday afternoon and she told us that both Timothy Zahn and Kevin J. Anderson have inquired LucasFilm about putting droids that can utilize the Force in their novels. Our friend told us that Lucy Wilson of LucasFilm has stated that:

"In the new Star Wars films, George will be going into exhaustive depth and detail regarding the origins, powers and limitations of the Force. Whether or not certain droids possess the capability to use the powers of the Force is a question that will be answered in the prequels."

We also asked our associate at Bantam about the absence of the history of and stories involving the Clone Wars in the Bantam Star Wars novels and our friend succinctly told us that:

"If the Clone Wars had not occurred, then the Jedi Knights and the Old Republic would have endured for yet another 1,000 generations."

Readers' responses to whether droids can or cannot "use the Force":

There is no evidence of any kind that droids use the Force in the Star Wars movies, novels or comic books. (Source: Larry T.)

Maybe, droids, similar to the B'omarr Monk, existed during the prequels which contain the brains of Jedi Knights, who were severely injured in battle. (Source: Theorizer 2000)

Isn't Vader technically a "droid" since Ben told Luke that Vader is more machine than man. So I guess it depends on your definition of what a droid is? (Source: Alan Wilson)

It would be cool if droids trained to be Jedi in the prequels. (Source: Wilderness Jack)

I think droids are just nuts and bolts with no Force potential. (Source: Wayward Jedi)

I guess it depends on what Ben meant by "the Force draws its power from all living things . . . " Are droids "alive"? Plants are more "alive" than droids. So can plants use the Force to protect themselves from danger? (Source: Obi 3-Tanobi)

I believe that it is canon that the Force cannot influence mechanical beings (you can't use the Force to make a robot do something for you). In "children of the Jedi", a certain son of Palpatine figures out how to do this (I forget how), but it's pretty sketchy (maybe it was something about studying the blueprints and then mentally changing them around??), but i think this still proves that droids themselves cannot harness the Force. Otherwise, we'll have another 2001: A Space Odyssey on our hands!! (Source: Sameer Ketkar) (Ed. Note: So maybe most droids are Force resistant like Jabba, but does that necessarily mean that droids can't use the Force? . . . Maybe a HAL "2001"-type computer helps undermine the Republic during Palpatine's rise to power?)

A longer reader reply:

Cute, but not very realistic. To be able to assess whether droids are really able to use the Force, you would have to tackle the issue of whether or not droids are "alive," and whether or not they really have a "soul," so to speak.

So, Artoo found Obi-Wan. He also used his "scanners," not the Force, to look for Leia on Endor. Wouldn't his scanners be useful in other such situations? And, as to finding Ben, how do we know that he wasn't told where to look when he was given the plans to the Death Star, before landing on Tatooine?

And, what kind of a Jedi would intentially explode another droid's motivator. Isn't that a bit too "dark" an action for a Jedi? As to influencing the computer, in "Children of the Jedi," Artoo was, himself, "taken over" by another Force-strong individual. Information is also presented which suggests that Jedi don't normally have the ability to manipulate mechanical things, LIKE COMPUTERS.

So Artoo shoots the lightsaber at Luke. He's a computer. He can do calculations REALLY fast. He would be able to aim it in the right direction. Guiding it to Luke's hand was Luke's ability, not Artoo's. And, Luke would CERTAINLY have noticed, don't you think? And, as a Jedi, why would Artoo have been trying to take the lamp away from Yoda on Dagobah? He would have been able to sense who he was, if he didn't know already (Source: S.B.) (Ed. Note: If you were to ask George what his opinion on this matter is, George would tell you that these films are very personal to each of us and if somebody thinks that R2 uses the Force in the trilogy, then for that person it is true. So then, whatever imaginative theories you have on the trilogy and Star Wars, in general, could be true "from a certain point of view.")

It is rumored that George Lucas visits this site often in order to come up with plot ideas for Episode 2 and Episode 3. If you are reading this George, WE ALL LOVE YOU! (Source: Chris Fuller of The Jedi Academy) (While George is too busy at the moment to surf the Net on a regular basis, he is overwhelmed and humbled by the extraordinary devotion and patience that everyone is showing for the new film that is still so far, far away from completion)

Sun., Dec. 7, 1997

Names for Episode I that have been sent in by our readers:

Knights of the Force, Elements of the Force, Time of the Jedi, Eyes of the Force, Beyond the Force, Masters of the Republic, Call of the Force, Lance of the Jedi, Born of the Force, Destiny of the Force, The Boundless Force, Force of the Rubicon, Fortress of the Republic, Chains of the Force, Mind of the Jedi, Face of the Jedi, Despair of the Republic, Blood of the Jedi, Cradle of the Republic, The Grand Republic, Leaders of the Force, Fate of the Republic, Doors of the Force, Keepers of the Force, Hunger of the Jedi, Truth of the Force, Time of the Jedi, Golden Age of the Republic, Zenith of the Force, Fire of the Force, Fate of the Jedi, Winds of the Force, World of the Jedi, Tango with the Force, Labor of the Jedi, Sons of the Republic, Legion of the Jedi, Reign of the Force, The Hand of Fate, Victory of the Force, Glory of the Force, The Jedi Council, Age of the Republic, Realm of the Jedi, Visions of the Force, Force of the Republic, Tremors in the Force, Epic of the Empire, Deception in the Force, Republic of the Jedi, The Old Republic, Days of the Republic, Ways of the Force, The Final Republic, Battle of the Force, Secrets of the Chrystal, Empire of the Force, Delusions of the Force, The Jedi Republic and, last but not least, Oceans of the Force

(Source: Many, many Readers)

Mon., Dec. 8, 1997

Rumor has it that the Jedi Council is composed of the same number of Knights that sat at King Arthur's Round Table. Also, the council members are each responsible for overseeing that peace is maintained in their assigned portion of the Republic. Each council member is given a group of Jedi Knights to protect that portion of the galaxy as "police officers" to maintain freedom, peace and justice. When a big enough crisis erupts, the council members combine their forces to battle the enemy (i.e., the Mandalorian Super Commandos). (Source: The Rumor Man)

It is thought that Palpatine never trains to be a Jedi and instead is just a user of the Force, who is neither a Jedi Knight nor a Sith Lord. However, the Empire utilizes the services of the Sith Lords just like the Republic used the Jedi Knights to maintain order and tranquility. (Source: Dave Taylor)

Tues., Dec. 9, 1997

The opening sequence of the prequel is beginning to take shape:

"ILM is designing a new CG version of the 20th Century Fox logo that will precede a special logo of LucasFilm, Ltd, which will fade into the familiar 'A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away . . . ' However, this does not mean that Fox has officially secured the rights to distribute the prequels. George won't make that decision until much later. Fox is 95% certain to get the prequel distribution rights because George wants all six films in the Star Wars saga to have 'nearly' identical openings in order to preserve continuity in the series. George has stated that Fox' generous funding of the Trilogy Special Editions shows that Fox has the 'necessary vision to become an integral part of the prequel trilogy.' Additionally, George will use the original Star Wars theme for the opening crawl sequence of the prequel. However, that is the only music from the trilogy that will appear in Episode I (except for miscellaneous bits and pieces from the original trilogy). [John] Williams expects that the double-CD soundtrack for Episode I will be 95% original." (Source: Anonymous ILM Employee)

Droids can't possibly use the Force. The Force is a life energy, and droids aren't 'alive'. What you're dealing with is Fate. It is destiny that leads the sandcrawler back to C-3P0, and that blows R5-D4's circuits. R2 knows where to find Ben because Leia told him. Luke is able to destroy the Death Star because he has Obi-Wan with him. Luke lands in that spot on Dagobah because Yoda guides him there, and the lightsaber lands in Luke's hand because HE guided itthere. It's an interesting theory, but it's simply impossible. (Source: Gen. Tagge1)

It is rumored that the prequel will feature the concept vehicles seen in the "Star Wars: Series Alpha" prototype toys. (Source: THX1138)

Wed., Dec. 10, 1997

Many of you have asked how soon before we get to hear some of the new Episode I music from John Williams:

"Johnny is now composing the new music for Episode I. However, this music will not be recorded with the orchestra until the first months of 1999 at the earliest (because George will not have a completed, rough version of Episode I until then). All Johnny has to go by right now, when he is composing the new themes for characters and scenes, is the animatic storyboards, which George is constantly changing. After Johnny composes theme music, for say the young Queen, he sends a rough musical version of this music (one or two instruments) to George.

George listens to the piece and then tells Johnny how he needs it changed or altered. Johnny then changes the music to suit George's preferences and sends another rough version to George for approval. This process is continued until George is satisfied. For George, the single most important music for Episode I is the theme for the Jedi Knights. George wants this piece to be as memorable as the Imperial March or the Raiders March (Indiana Jones' theme). Johnny has the difficult task of coming up with a catchy theme that captures the grandeur, nobility and chilvary of the Jedi Knights.

At the beginning of 1999, George will give Johnny the rough version of Episode I (with many SFX visuals and sounds still to be added). Johnny will then record the theme music with the appropriate tempo and mood for each scene. George will be there with Johnny to oversee the recording of the music. The earliest anyone can expect to hear some of the new music is late next year with the Episode I trailer." (Source: Anonymous Employee at SkywalkerSound)

Does anybody remember in EMPIRE when Lando said that he lost the Falcon to Han Solo in a bet so a relative of Lando may drive the Falcon in the prequels . . . Another thing if Mon Mothma is supposed to be Luke and Leia's mother then how come Luke didn't feel a bond to her through the force in ROTJ? Also, if Palpatine is human but is rumored to be over 100 years old in the original trilogy through a force power that ages people maybe he is Obi wan's age in the first prequel and maybe him and Ben have a lightsabre duel I think that would be cool . . . I think R2-D2 and C-3PO will pretty much look the same, and they will be much more active because they will have a much larger role. My guess is Episode One will tell us the history of the Jedi, how the Republic came to be, be more about Obi-Wan than Anakin, give us secrets that won't be answered till Episodes 2 and 3 and also will be straight up action like Star Wars: ANH. (Source: Alan Skywalker)

Correction on how R2 found Ben on Tatooine in ANH:

Luke Skywalker told R2 how to find Ben.

Luke: "I wonder if he means Ben Kenobi?"
C3PO: "Excuse me sir, but what is he talking about?
Luke: "Old Ben is a strange hermit, he lives out beyond the dune seas..." (Source: Jedi Lord)

Thurs., Dec. 11, 1997

One of the greatest areas of speculation for the prequels is: How is Anakin Skywalker transformed into the half man-half machine called Darth Vader?

First, Anakin does not fall into a molten-lava pit, a vat of acid, a nuclear reactor or any other kind of comic-book type scenario. Second, according to George, Kenobi defends the Old Republic in the Clone Wars and becomes one of the greatest heroes of the war. Kenobi takes it upon himself to train his protege, Anakin Skywalker, in the ways of the Force. However, Kenobi is not ready to train Jedi and Anakin becomes bored and restless with his arduous Jedi training and abandons his training. Enter Palpatine, who cleverly convinces Anakin that, while Kenobi's path to Jedihood is a waste of time, Palpatine can show Anakin a quick way to become a great Jedi warrior that will make him more powerful than Kenobi could ever hope to be (which is a lie). Soon Anakin swears allegiance to the magnetic and enigmatic Palpatine and begins to hunt down and murder Jedi in the name of the Empire. Kenobi feels responsible for Anakin's fall from grace and confronts his former pupil. An epic lightsabre duel occurs between former master, Kenobi, and former learner, Anakin. Kenobi defeats Anakin and leaves Anakin's broken body for dead. He is simply left for dead by Kenobi. After the duel, the Empire reconstructs Anakin into an evil amalgam that is half human and half machine. (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Employee)

Since Lucas likes to borrow from many sources, here is a suggestion for the title to Episode 3: Villainy Victory (taken from L. Ron Hubbard's sci-fi decology "Mission Earth")(Source: Hurtster)(Ed. Note: By the way, L. Ron Hubbard holds the record for the most books published posthumously (means: published after the author's death) by any author)

In the Star Wars Insider # 35, Lucas stated that: "I'm also doing very stylistic ideas, things that are very musical in terms of how I develop themes, and repeat themes. I go do the same thing over and over in certain areas to echo what I have done before. It's like a symphony more than a movie. Some people may not even understand that sort of thing. They just think it's just Star Wars with a shorter Luke Skywalker." With this in mind, I think that Liam Neeson = Old Ben Kenobi in ANH, young Anakin Skywalker = Luke Skywalker in ANH, young Ben Kenobi = Han Solo, Ahmed Best's computer-enhanced character = Chewbacca, young Queen = Princess Leia, Sith Lords = Darth Vader in ANH, Mandalorian commandos = Stormtroopers, etc. The prequel plotline is likely to mirror and parallel ANH (i.e., someone from a royal family, possibly the young Queen's mother or father, is kidnapped and has to rescued by the heroes).(Source: Will Hawkins)

Fri., Dec. 12, 1997

A large portion of the e-mail we receive asks if Lucas will consider releasing a short 15 to 30 second "teaser trailer" during Summer 1998 (even though Lucas has publicly indicated that a trailer probably will not appear until late 1998):

"No. George is negotiating with 20th Century Fox to sell Fox the rights to show the Episode I trailers exclusively with Fox films. George is planning to use the trailers to satisfy the public's demand to see at least some portion of Episode I and to fuel the frenzy for Episode I's release (without revealing any of the plotline).

The first trailer, to be released in late 1998, will give a brief glimpse of several of the main characters (but not Ahmed Best's CG character, the Galactic Senate or the Jedi in battle) and will show the release date for the film, but none of the "revolutionary" visual effects will be seen and the title of the film will not be reveiled.

In the second trailer (probably released in February 1999), the audience will see a brief glimpse of some of the new environments and vehicles in Episode I, but none of the "breath-taking" CG work will be shown and Ahmed Best's CG character will definitely not be seen.

In the third and final trailer (tentatively scheduled for release in April 1999), the viewers will get to see a very brief glimpse of some of the "spectacular and pioneering" digital effects including the Galactic Senate and the Jedi Knights in battle with a "surprise enemy" (which should send the fans through the roof) and at the end of the trailer the official title for the film will be revealed . . . Each theatrical trailer will be carefully storyboarded like the Episode I film. These trailers will eventually be available on the Official Star Wars Web Site for downloading."

Also, your readers incorrectly assume that one of the phrases: "of the Force," "of the Jedi" or "of the Republic" will appear somewhere in the title of Episode I. It is almost 90% certain that George will not include the words "Force," "Jedi" or "Republic" when he titles Episode I. (Source: Confidential LucasFilm Source)

Some believe that Palpatine and Liam Neeson may be related (i.e., brothers, cousins). (Source: Intruders of the Force)

It's no stretch to suggest that Ben and Owen are brothers - I think it said as much in the original novelization of ROTJ. (Source: Ceri Stagg) (Ed. Note: Lucas stated in Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays that he and Lawrence Kasden (the screenwriter of Empire, Jedi and Raiders of the Lost Ark) decided that Owen and Ben are brothers)

In Episode I, I think that Natalie Portman will be called "Princess" because "Young Queen" equals "Princess." A young queen is a princess. In fact, she probably never even gets coronated as Queen in the prequels. (Source: Jasmine) (Ed. Note: That is a safe conjecture)

After we see the prequel, I bet we learn that young Ben Kenobi is much more like Han Solo (i.e., reckless, impatient, independent loner) than Luke Skywalker (i.e., righteous, loyal, caring). (Source: Ed Fien)

Sat., Dec. 13, 1997

"The battle for the rights to distribute the new Star Wars films is far from over. In fact, it hasn't even begun. Warner Brothers is prepared to make a very generous offer to Lucasfilm to at least secure the international distribution rights to these new films. 20th Century Fox can run their logo at the beginning of the film. We have absolutely no problem with that. We understand how important it is for the fans to see the Fox logo, then the Lucasfilm logo and then the opening of the film. We'd be more than happy to have the opportunity to run our logo at the end of the film. As for distributing the new films, we'd be able to give the new Star Wars film the widest and most comprehensive theatrical distribution that the film industry has ever seen.

Independence Day earned over $ 507 million in international grosses alone while Jurassic Park earned even more, $ 556 million. Conservatively, we estimate that the new Star Wars will top these numbers by at least 25 to 30 % for an international gross in the neighborhood of $ 630 - $ 700 million. We'll do everything we can to assure Lucasfilm that we will give the new films our top priority for distribution in 1999 and beyond. All that we ask for is the opportunity to negotiate with Lucasfilm on an even footing . . . " (Source: Anonymous Warner Brothers Executive)

In February 1983, an official Progress Report on (the then titled) Revenge of the Jedi detailed a few aspects of the film. For the prequels, expect the same, however do not expect this information to be directly related to the plot of Episode I.

In the aforementioned report (found in Fantastic, # 32, 1983), a short film focused primarily on some of the "creature work" of what "...appeared to be a light-hearted "disco bar" sequence in Jedi." Other slides showed Gammorian Pig-guards, yet failed to disclose "...who or what they guarded, only that they were employed in that capacity."

The Lucasfilm publicity machine, since its inception, has always been cryptic and circumspect about the information it (often grudgingly) releases.

In this light, expect all the official information released thus far, and that to come, will have little impact on the plot of Episode One. (Source: THX 1138) (Ed. Note: Neither the Official Website nor the Star Wars Insider Magazine is going to produce/publish any important information that might spoil the surprise of the film)

The irony is that all the strange races of creatures, that we saw in the Mos Eisley Cantina and at Jabba's Palace, will be represented in the Galactic Senate in the prequels. However, with the rise of the Empire and Palpatine, non-human species are banned from serving in the Senate. (Source: Temple of the Spirit)

Most people realize by now that George is borrowing ideas for the prequels from his first rough draft of Star Wars. But the idea of a drag race in Episode 1 got me thinking: Maybe he is borrowing just a tiny bit from his other movie, American Graffitti! George is supposedly a car/hot rod enthusiast, so I was thinking maybe we will briefly get to see the Millenium Falcon go from being an ordinary freighter in one episode to an ordinary freighter with a really big modified ("hot rodded") motor in a later episode--after all, a smuggler would want a common, slow, looking ordinary vehicle that doesn't attract attention but actually hauls ass . . . (Ed. Note: In his teens, George's primary aspiration was not filmmaking. Instead, he wanted to be a race car driver until he suffered a near-fatal car accident in his specially-modified Fiat. After this wreck, George turned his attention to filmmaking, attended film school at Southern California and the rest is history. So maybe the Falcon represents that old Fiat that George loved so much . . . )

By the way, that L. Ron Hubbard book is called: "Villany Victorious", not "Villany Victory" . . . I dunno, it just sounds cool to me and really rolls off the tongue nicely . . . (Source: Hurtster)

A young Queen is not a princess, but is a Queen who is just real, real young. (Source: Cristian) (Ed. Note: Perhaps the young Queen's parents are murdered or die and she has to ascend to the throne at a younger age than planned)

No matter what anyone thinks. I believe that in Episode 3 Boba Fett will take off her mask and we will find out that she is a woman. (Source: Cor Helum)

I'm not sure about this, but I think IG-88 Assassin droids were not "invented" until after the time period of the prequels. If this is true, then they can't be in the prequels. (Source: Bob Rusten)

Sun., Dec. 14, 1997

This is probably what you have all wanted to read for quite some time--- the actual framework to the Episode I storyline:

The primary inspiration for the storyline for Star Wars 4: ANH and Episode I of the prequels is "borrowed" from one of Akira Kurosawa's lesser known adventures, starring Toshiro Mifune, called the Hidden Fortress (1958, Japanese). In this film, a venerable general rescues a princess from the bad guys and encounters many obstacles escaping from the bad guys. The general ends up having a duel with the enemy leader. All the while, the good guys (the general, the princess and the two lovable peasant side kicks) are trying to keep an extremely valuable treasure of gold from being captured by the bad guys. The perspective of the film is seen from the two lovable rogue peasants' point of view, who unwittingly become involved in the rescue of the princess.

The plotline for ANH is based on the Hidden Fortress with George's original "twist" on that storyline. In George's version, the Princess is Leia. The General is split into four heroes: Luke, Han, Ben and Chewbacca. The duel occurs between Ben and Vader. The treasure is the blueprints to the Death Star, while the lovable "peasant" rogues are R2 and C-3PO.

In Episode 1, the Princess will be the young Queen. The General will be Liam Neeson, Ben, Anakin and Ahmed Best's CG creature. The duel(s) occur between the Jedi Knights and a new enemy. The treasure is something of a "surprise" in Episode 1, while R2 and C-3PO return as the lovable "peasant" rogues. Basically, Episode 1 is the same film as ANH with a couple of new and unique twists and a slightly more complex (if not convoluted) storyline. And George will make the new film original enough that it will seem fresh and new, even though he is using the same source material again. (Source: Anonymous ILM Employee) (Ed. Note: As we all know, George has stated that he likes to use the same themes over and over. Read this extremely interesting info. sent in by a reader.

Witness the Indiana Jones Movie Formula as used by George Lucas:

1) Start of the Movie, Indy gets the artifact, then loses it to a rival.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (RLA): South American Idol
Temple of Doom (TD): Lao She's Ashes in the Urn
Last Crusade (LC): Cross of Coronado (although he recovered it later)

2) Takes a plane with/meets woman
RLA--> Marion in Nepal
TD---> Willie in Shanghai
LC---> Elsa in Venice

3) After/during plane trip, they are sabotaged/attacked, get info on
mission/clue , sidetrack to new destination with large old building(s)
RLA--> in Nepal attacked by Nazi henchmen, get headpiece, go to Cairo
to scope out buried city Tanis for the Ark
TD---> pilots leave them with a fuelless plane in the mountains, land
in Village get info about stolen children and Shankara stones,
go to Pankot Palace to check out story
LC---> attacked by members of the Cruciform Sword, get info about
Grail on shield and info about Henry's whereabouts, go to
Castle Brunwald in Austria

4) Woman is captured at some point
RLA--> Marion captured in Cairo market square
TD---> Willie caught while watching Indy scope out the Stones
LC---> In Castle Brunwald, Elsa taken hostage by Nazi stooge

5) Must have one showcase phobia-inducing animal.
RLA--> Snakes in Ark pit
TD---> Cockroaches/insects in cave tunnel
LC---> Rats in knight's tomb

6) Showcase action scene with special vehicle with Indy w/jacket+hat
RLA--> Truck containing the Ark scene where he goes under the truck
TD---> Minecar scene where they escape Thuggees and water
LC---> Tank scene where they fall over the cliff

7) After goal (artifact) is found, it kills the bad guy(s)
RLA--> Nazis and Bellock die after opening the Ark
TD---> on the bridge hanging over the cliff, Indy recites some words,
Mola Ram dies trying to catch one of the flaming Shankara stones
LC---> Donovan dies after drinking from the wrong Grail

8) Ending scene(s) must contain a cave
RLA--> the island cave where the open the Ark
TD---> Thuggee temple under the palace
LC---> the Grail cave

(Source: Martin Harper) (Ed. Note: The parallels between the three Indy films are amazing. George has produced three hit films with the exact same plotline template. Is George planning to mirror/parallel Episode 1 and Episode 4, mirror/parallel Episode 2 and Episode 5, mirror/parallel Episode 3 and Episode 6. We bet he is except for minor variations and except that in Episode 2, Anakin starts down the path to the dark side while in Episode 5, Luke chooses to follow the light side path and that in Episode 3 the bad guys win while the good guys win in Episode 6. What are your ideas on this theory?))

In A New Hope, Ben stated "Don't seem to remember ever owning a droid". Despite Artoo's insistance that he was once the property of Ben. I do not think that Artoo is a liar, so . . . R2 is right and Ben is wrong . . .

Perhaps the true essence of Artoo is not just a droid, Perhaps he was once a collegue, student or even a servant/slave of Obi Wan during the prequels whose consciousness was somehow transferred into a droid. Possibly to avoid detection during Jedi purge in the prequels . . . R2-D2 is a major character in the prequels . . . By the way, the most complicated droids are self aware which is by definition life. On some planets, they are the sentient biengs. Perhaps rare, but it is possible that droids can feel and use the force. Who said that the Jedi cannot influence mechanical things? Mara Jade influenced a ships computer in Timothy Zahn's trilogy, Luke influences Artoo and uses a lighsaber which is a mechanical device . . .

This would be cool: Before the main Fanfare starts for Episode one, the brand new Lucas Film logo will appear sparkling for an unbearable length of time building up tension. Then the words "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" will appear for a full 10-15 seconds before slowly fading. This is because it is anticipated that there will be long sessions of applause, cheering etc. This time may be set aside for the theatrical release of Episode one only. Since this will be the last film Lucas ever directs, he wants this to be the definitive film on Star Wars. What will the title be? "Star Wars" of course! ie - Episode one:Star Wars. (Source:Glassagainstthewall)

I hope to see Bossk in the prequels. Since he is a reptile, maybe he is real old in Empire and was alive during the prequels. (Source: Kirk Landers)

I wonder how far in advance my local movie house will let me and my friends reserve tickets for the prequel. (Source: Chad Everhart)

Rumor has it that we get to see how Chewbacca and a teenage Han Solo first met in Episode III. (Source: Darker Tangent)

Mon., Dec. 15, 1997

"We are thankful for your promotion of our magazine by displaying our '1- 800' number on your web site and are thankful for the new subscribers that you have referred to us. But I think your readers need to understand just exactly how few Star Wars fans and people in general surf the web for Star Wars rumors. A few of our readers do venture onto the Internet for additional Episode I news that we will not print (i.e., leaks from Lucasfilm employees), but many of our readers, who have recently contacted us by mail, had no idea that there were web sites on the Internet providing inside leaks from Lucasfilm employees. So I think even if you guys/gals post every possible secret surrounding the production of Episode I, most Star Wars fans will walk into the cineplexes oblivious to all the leaks that you have posted, which is the way it should be. In short, the Internet only reaches a small, small percentage of the Star Wars fan base.

While you have told us, on many occasions, that we need to have an official presence on the Internet, we are not going to pursue that option at this time, but may consider your advice sometime in the future. But as it stands now, we believe that the various Official Lucasfilm Web Sites sufficiently represent Star Wars on the Internet and an Official Star Wars Insider Web Site would be redundant at this point." (Source: Anonymous Senior Writer, Star Wars Insider) (Ed. Note: Our friends at the SWI take a stringent non-spoiler approach to prequel news, which we understand and respect because that is what Lucasfilm wants them to do. Our approach is diametrically opposed to the SWI's position. To each his own . . . but we still think the SWI should at least have a "token" web site on the Internet. If you want the SWI to set up an offical web site, then give them a call at 1 - 800 - 878 - 3326 or mail them your suggestions at: Star Wars Insider, PO Box 111000, Aurora, CO 80042)

From a friend/film-maker source in New Zealand: he heard, through the grapevine, that Episode 1 also integrates aspects of Akira Kurosawa's film the Seven Samurai (1954; Japanese) into the storyline. The parallel theory is also valid. I recommend everybody read Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces, as it spells out the template that Lucas utilized for the Star Wars Trilogy perfectly. It also includes a section on THE HERO AS A CHILD!!! (Anakin?) (Source: THX1138)

In ROTJ, Jabba was real big and fat. In S.W.: A New Hope, Jabba was a whole lot smaller. In Episode 1, Jabba is probably a kid and is about half the size he was in ANH. (Source: Rabid Sith)

I wonder if only the Jedi Knights and Sith Lords use lightsabres in the prequels. It would be neat if some of the bounty hunters and criminals use lightsabres. (Source: Tony Kenders)

Here is something I came up with after watching the trilogy for the one trillionth time. The stormtroopers use to be Republic guards. That is why they wear white armor because they use to be good guys who worked for the Republic. Sort of like white knights or something. (Source: Jed Jed)

I bet those yellow-colored fighters on the official site are not the final ones we see in the film. Or at least I hope Lucas doesn't put yellow fighters in the prequel! (Source: Lara Croft)

Is Salacious Crumb an intelligent creature or dumb? Will the Galactic Senate have any Salacious Crumb, Jawa, Wampa or Ewok members? (Source: Heaven's Gate)

Tues., Dec. 16, 1997

When you have senior animators and experienced technical directors on the ILM staff scratching their heads, you know you've got problems. That was the scene among ILMers when George announced to us, a few years ago, what he envisioned the public would get to see in the new Star Wars movies. It was apparent that all the prior CG work we had done in the past was just the tip of the iceberg. He wasn't satisfied with the digital work that we created for films like the Abyss, T2, Jurassic Park, Dragonheart, Casper, etc. He wanted much, much more and now, at times, it seems that he wants the impossible:

George wants CG images that cannot be distinguished from objects and things that exist in the real world. He wants them to blend into the film. That has never been done before. It has never even been attempted. Photorealistic digital images are the things that dreams are made of, but it is our job to make those dreams a reality . . .

To complete the new Star Wars film, we have to develop some new software, we have to enlarge the storage capacity of our hardware and purchase the fastest CPU processors that Silicon Valley has to offer. The lack of sufficient computer processing speed (no matter how fast a computer is it is never fast enough for our needs ! !) is a constant source of frustration because we have to build relatively low-resolution models in order to get reasonable turnaround times on test sequences. As soon as faster hardware is developed, we purchase it because we need it. Additionally, for Episode 1, we've had to greatly increase the size of our animatronics division and when all is said and done: over three years will have been invested in developing the stunning visual effects that will make their debut in Episode I.

So you ask what is so hard about creating photorealistic, digital images that cannot be distinguished from what we can see in the everyday real world? One word: capacity. The sheer volume of data that you need to store for such effects shots is mind boggling. The dinosaurs in The Lost World are stick figures compared to what we are doing for Episode 1. And instead of just having several CG images that look like real dinosaurs on screen, George wants us to produce dozens of photorealistic CG images on the screen, at the same time, and we have to do it at a level of realism so that no one can tell it's being created by a computer ! ! It's enough to make one pull one's hair out at night in frustration.

We have done water creatures, chrome creatures and living creatures with skins. But we have never produced photorealistic creatures that can interact and exchange dialog with on-screen live actors. Shading, textures, lighting, all those things have to be done perfectly or some one can say: "Hey, that's a computer image!" What we're trying to pull off are digital "optical illusions." Things that you will see on screen and that will seem absolutely life-like with no flaws and you will say to yourself, that can't be real, that's impossible, I can't believe I'm seeing that, but that is the illusion we are trying to capture and the effects will be so perfectly done that you will find it impossible to distinguish the digital effects from the live-action footage. In essence, the two become one, if we do are job right.

What makes all this even more impossible is that George has stated that this film will be made for less than $ 70 million. With such an extremely small budget for such a revolutionary film, we have to rely on much of the software that we have already developed from other SFX projects. What we have used in the past includes Alias for modeling, SoftImage for animation, and Renderman for rendering. Much of our programming effort focuses on the tools that we need to develop to find a way to use these software packages to solve the CG problems that we are now facing. Also, we are integrating new features, when needed, for particular needs that we face. The films that we have worked on in the past have been like research projects for the prequels. However, we are re-defining and improving the tools that we utilized with those past projects to help us solve the problems we are facing with Episode 1. This is a very cost efficient means to produce digital effects and cuts down on the time needed to complete Episode 1.

However, the most advanced digital effects shots in Episode 1 are requiring us to develop new software. We're not use to developing new technology in such giant leaps, like we're having to do with Episode I, instead we're using to slow incremental improvements in digital technology with each film. Episode I is going to end up being around 50% animated, but the problem is that we have never worked on a film where about 50% of it is animated.

To give you an idea of how complex the effects are for this film; let's compare Episode 1 to Jurassic Park: For the landmark effects used in Jurassic Park, it took about one hour to composit each frame, rendering often took two to four hours per frame and, for the most complex shots like the T-Rex in the rain, it took up to six hours of labor per frame. For Episode 1, all those times are tripled and quadrupled. As much as twenty hours will be spent per frame on the most advanced CG shots in Episode 1.

And while the visual buffet that will be displayed in Episode 1 will be utterly breathtaking. It will be nothing compared to what you will see in Episode 2 and 3. One of the main reasons the prequel trilogy could not be filmed at the same time is that the visual effects technology is not sufficient to re-create George's vision for Episodes 2 and 3. It will take us between five to six years to develop the digital technology that George is requiring for Episode 3. So expect each film to be released three years apart . . .

During the day, we bet each other on how far digital technology can be pushed. It seems with each passing day we push the envelop a little bit further and further back. CG effects that we thought were impossible to do last month are now taken for granted today.

And while you may know the basic blue print that George is going to use for the Episode 1 storyline, he is still going to shock and suprise each and every one of you in 1999.

Episode 1 is going to be a monumental film and the defining special-effects movie of this century. It will be an even greater movie event than what Star Wars was back in the seventies.  George is going for broke and is investing as much time as he needs to make this the ultimate cinematic experience.  Episode 1 is on a plateau that no one has ever come close to reaching before and this plateau will probably never be reached again. Lightning is definitely going to strike twice. (Source: Anonymous ILM Employee)

Wed., Dec. 17, 1997

"The wait for this new film is unbearable especially for such a rabid and diehard Star Wars fan like myself. I have been the manager for a new multi-screen cineplex here in Milwaukee for the past 18 months. And I recently attended a United Artists Theatres corporate function (the guys I work for) for managers in my district. We briefly discussed the upcoming Star Wars film.

Our district manager told us that the number one priority for Summer 1999 is to outbid the other theatre chains in our industry for the right to exhibit the new movie. He said the executive head honchos of our company believe that to outbid everybody else we are going to have to give Lucasfilm and the film distributer 100% of the box-office gross for the first week of release plus an upfront fee and in exchange we'll get to keep all the concession revenues (i.e., soft drinks, popcorn, candy sales) and spill-over business to other films showing with the new Star Wars film . . . Also, we plan to start selling tickets for this film about six weeks before the film opens and we are going to number our seats so that fans can reserves a particular seat. We will provide maps of our movie exhibition rooms, available to the public, so that they can choose the seat that they want to reserve in advance . . .

We usually reserve our two biggest screening rooms for the big movies (i.e., MIB, Batman and Robin, Scream 2). But for the real big blockbusters (i.e., The Lost World and the forthcoming Godzilla movie), we reserve three rooms for those films. But we were told at our latest meeting, that corporate headquarters wants to guarantee Lucasfilm that we will show their new Star Wars film on up to half of our screens (which would obviously be unprecedented). We will probably show the film 24 hours a day for the first seven days (or for as long as the demand requires this) if Lucasfilm requires that. We want to make sure that every single Star Wars fan gets to see the film during its premiere week ! We will also pay for the local advertising costs associated with promoting the new film and other costs associated with promoting their film . . . if we get the new film, I and my employees are going to have an exclusive screening for just us employees and a few lucky friends early morning on May 25, 1999 before the general public gets to see the film. This will definitely be the best day of our lives. If we don't get to exibit the new Star Wars, I am going to be depressed for months . . . So if your smart and young, it would be a great idea to get a part-time job at the cineplex in your town that gets the new Star Wars film so that you can see the film as many times as you want ! " (Source: Anonymous Cineplex Manager in Milwaukee, WI)

Thurs., Dec. 18, 1997

What do our readers think of George using the same themes/plotline in the prequel?

I don't care if he copies the plot from a Star Trek film. I just want to see the new film! (Source: Anaconda12)

It just shows you how much of a genius that GL is that he can take the same story and make it seem different like he did in the Indy Trilogy. I bet we want even be able to tell the prequel and Ep. 4 are similar unless you guys over-analyze it for us. (Source: Richard Farnesworth)

I pray there won't be a new death star in the prequel! (Source: Tadpole) (Ed. Note: There will not be a new death star in the prequel)

I think with the addition of the Jedi Council, Jedi Knights, Mandalorian and Palpatine's political maneuverings that there will be more than enough new material to blend with the old so that the prequel will be the best Star Wars movie yet!! (Source: Well of Souls)

Lucas has worked on this story for 20 years and with the awesome special effects, this movie is going to make over $ 500 million in the U.S. (Source: Alex Karras) (Ed. Note: I guess I shouldn't have sold back my shares in Lucasfilm then)

The Indiana Jones trilogy proved that you can use the same basic structure more than once and still have an entertaining, unique movie each time. I personally wouldn't have even noticed the similarities if someone hadn't pointed them out. At any rate, I wouldn't worry too much about George copying too many themes--let's not forget: in this trilogy, the good guys lose! (Source: Hurtster)

In story telling, there are only a limited number of good plot ideas you can use. Lucas just picks out the best ones and changes them each time he uses them so that it always seems new and fresh . . . (Source: Pilgrim's Progress)

The Official Web Site says that the prequel's storyline is very malleable and Lucas can change it if he wants to. I'm sure if he thinks it is repeating things too much that he will insert original sub-plots to keep us guessing . . . (Source: Alan Mowbray)

The prequel is going to be so awesome that we're going to forget all this when we are screaming our heads off in the theatre!! (Source: Yeller Dog)

The movie belongs to Lucas. He said he is going to make the film that he wants to see. And I believe it is one that we will want to see, also. (Source: Greg Thompson)

I have complete confidence that Episode 1 will be the best of the saga until Ep 2 and 3 are released. Ep 3 will eventually be everyone's favorite because this is where we see Vader for the first time and we see the Empire at its meanest! (Source: Patrick Wayne)

Maybe, Lucas is making the movie he wishes he could have made in 1977, but Fox wouldn't give him enough money to make the film as he originally wanted to. So now Lucas is going to take all the time in the world to make us the perfect movie . . . (Source: Grado Frado)

Lucas has already said that the story to the prequels is more complex than the trilogy so I don't think we have anything to worry about . . . (Source: Dean Jones)

Fri., Dec. 19, 1997

" . . the scene where Vader gathers the bounty hunters on his super star destroyer in Empire is repeated/recycled in the prequels. In the prequels, Vader gathers the bounty hunters to help the Empire hunt down and murder the Jedi . . . " (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Employee)

Sat., Dec. 20, 1997

Possibly, we will see Yoda as the head of a council somewhere in the prequels. (Source: Fred)

Although Darth Vader telling Kenobi that he and baby Luke must never leave Tatooine is a cool idea, (You'd see a little of the light side, and thus, hope at the end of the movie) I don't believe it could have happened.

Remember in ANH, Vader says, "When we last met I was but the learner, now *I* am the master." If Darth Vader was dictating terms the last time he met Kenobi, "You and Luke must NEVER leave this place", then he was definately not "the learner" (Source: J.J. Koske) (Ed. Note: Vader could dictate whatever terms he wanted to in Ep. 3. Remember, practically all the Jedi are dead when Ben and baby Luke are exiled to Tatooine)

If R2-D2 is in the prequel along with Yoda and they might see each other then how come R2 doesn't remeber Yoda? (Source: Alan Skywalker) (Ed. Note: George says R2's memory was erased between the time of the prequels and ANH)

According to Star Wars Screen Entertainment, Owen and Kenobi are brothers, who did not originate from Tatooine. Interesting stuff!! (Source: THX1138)

Sun., Dec. 21, 1999

"By now, I guess everyone knows that George has said that events that occur in the prequels are going to drastically change the way we perceive the current trilogy. For example, the love triangle in the prequels ends up destroying Anakin and Ben's close friendship. So when ANH and Empire are viewed again, the viewer will be in great fear that the love triangle between Leia, Luke and Han will end in the same manner. But fortunately, we learn that Luke and Leia are twins so the possible conflict is ended. This love triangle will no longer be thought of as just pure "fun and games" as it is now . . .

Also, the Vader-Luke duel will be viewed in a new light after we watch Ep 3. We will finally learn what Vader was thinking when Palpatine was electrocuting Luke and what motivated him to destroy Palpatine. Remember how certain that Ben and Yoda are that it is Luke's unavoidable destiny to confront Vader, not Palpatine. No Jedi Knight, no matter how powerful, can single handedly defeat the Emperor.

They know Luke cannot defeat the Emperor without Vader's help. Ben and Yoda are certain that neither Luke nor Vader will be willing to kill each other in the second duel and they are equally certain that Luke is ready to face the temptations of the dark side and resist the temptation to join forces with the Emperor. In Ep 3, Vader spares the life of Ben, even though Vader could have easily killed Ben. Although Vader denies this to Ben, Ben tells Vader that there is still good in him because he cannot bring himself to kill Ben or Baby Luke. However, after we see Vader kill Ben in ANH, this convinces the viewer that 20 years after Ep 3 Vader is pure evil with no good in him and this intensifies the tension when we watch Palpatine electrocuting Luke because we cannot be certain whether the part of Vader that made him spare Ben and Luke 20+ years ago still exists anymore . . .

Hence, Ben and Yoda know that the Emperor will be forced to kill Luke (we also learn in Ep 3 why Palpatine will not permit a Jedi Knight like Luke to exist unless he is willing to kill Vader and take Vader's place at his side. The reason: Palpatine possesses something that makes him the single most powerful Force user in the galaxy. No single Jedi/Sith Lord can challenge the Emperor, but the combined power of two powerful Force users like Luke and Vader would be powerful enough to destroy him. Hence, Palpatine can permit only Luke or Vader to live, not both. Otherwise, he would run the risk of being destroyed by them. Palpatine goes to great lengths after becoming Emperor to make sure that the Jedi will never exist again and ingeniously takes steps to make the Force a big joke, hoaky religion that everyone believes to be a myth).

In order for destiny to be fulfilled, Ben and Yoda are willing to risk Luke's life on the assumption that Vader will sacrifice himself in order to save Luke. Ben and Yoda know that Vader is not powerful enough to defeat the Emperor unless Vader is willing to sacrifice his life. And the only thing that will make Vader make the sacrifice is to see his child being tortured to death by Palpatine. This is the only thing that can reach the good that they hope still exists in Vader. Hence, if their plan succeeds both Vader and Palpatine are destoyed and Ben and Yoda make partial amends for the terrible mistakes that are made by the Jedi in the prequels . . In the end, we realize that Luke was being used as a pawn to destroy Palpatine through the good that still exists in Vader. We learn that Yoda deceived Luke about having to kill Vader to destroy the Emperor because Ben and Yoda know that even if Luke kills Vader he would not be able to defeat the Emperor. Ultimately, the gamble is made that Anakin will destroy both Vader and Palpatine to save his son . . .

Vader knows that "but for" Palpatine seducing him to the dark side he may have had a normal life and the fate of the galaxy might have been a lot different. (i.e., a life with a wife and children). Vader blames Palpatine for losing his wife, children, best friend (Ben) and his normal body. So the good side in Vader is unable to allow Palpatine to kill his only born son and sacrifices himself to end Palpatine's reign of terror. (Vader told Luke at the end of Empire that he wanted them to destroy Palpatine together. Luke and Vader do end up destroying Palpatine, but not in the way Vader had hoped and planned. And Vader is actually thankful, that Luke did not make the same terrible decision that he made in the prequels) . . .

Of course, Vader had hoped that Luke would join him and become a Sith Lord like Vader and with their combined powers they would be able to destroy Palpatine, but that fate was not to be . . . To change topics, the Jedi purge is orchestrated by Palpatine similar to the way the Third Reich orchestrated the Holocaust against the Jews (i.e., the Jedi Knights are made the scapegoats for the Republic's problems caused by the devastating aftermath of the Clone Wars) . . . We also learn the source of Palpatine's immense powers in the Force . . . " (Source: Confidential Lucasfilm Informant)

Mon., Dec. 22, 1997

"Kenner has developed an eight year plan involving the production of toys and collectibles for the prequel trilogy. The new films will definitely be release 3 years apart. This gives George more time to make Ep. 2 and 3 exactly how he wants them and increases the maximum potential of merchandising profits for all the licensees

In Year 1 (1999), you are going to see an onslaught of action figures and vehicles from Kenner. Approximately, beginning in late May 1999, Kenner will release 12 - 15 new action figures each month, so by Christmas 1999 over 100 action figures based on the prequel will have been produced. Many of these action figures will be creatures that are members of the Galactic Senate. Start saving your money now is the only advice I can give you.

And the short packing (1 or less per case) of certain characters will continue with the prequel toyline. To understand why a toy company will produce a small amount of the most popular characters, you have to understand the way the toy business works. If a buyer can't find a particular action figure very easily, that buyer will come back to the store many, many times. And it is hoped by the toy company that if the buyer can't find the figure they are looking for they will buy something else related to their toyline instead. The purpose of short packing is to keep you guys/gals coming back and back and back. It is done to squeeze every possible dime out of the consumer. It sounds cynical, but you must understand that the toy industry is very, very competive and this is the type of practice that they have learned over the years helps them to maximize their profits. Is this practice likely to change in the near future, NO . . . (Source: Anonymous Toy Company Employee)

In the novelization of Star Wars, Obi Wan, looking back at the fall of the Old Republic and the Jedi Knights speaks about "the later corrupt emperors" note the plural. This obviously suggests a means by which Palpatines identity may be concealed with a more obvious evil character in the forefront with Palpatine lurking in the background maybe as an assistant or as a co-Emperor. (Source: Rebel Runner) (Ed. Note: George is borrowing certain aspects of the Galactic Empire from various sources. One of those in the ancient Roman Empire and at times the Romans sometimes had more than one emperor, so there may actually be some truth to this rumor)

It is rumored (hoped) that Chewbacca is in the prequel. (Source: Glass Heart)

Some believe that when Ewan McGregor recently told Cinescape magazine that he has the "sexiest wheels in the galaxy," he was admitting that he pilots the Millenium Falcon in the prequel. (Source: Ulicc)

If the Mandalorian are not the main antagonists in the Ep. 1, then it must be the Sith Lords or who knows what. (Source: Perpendicular Concept)

To clarify one claim that our Lucasfilm source made yesterday, he/she guarantess that a love triangle exists in the prequels between certain characters, although he/she cannot say for certain who is involved in this triangle. As some readers pointed out, it could possibly involve characters we have never even heard of before. So expect George to do the unexpected and surprise us all . . .

On Tuesday, we learn from a Lucasfilm source why Vader is so fearful of the Emperor and, additionally, why Vader cannot disobey the Emperor, plus other insights into the prequels . . .