I had this idea for a very long time in my head. Every time I look for something like this, I keep watching videos and reading articles of people who try to make the Star Wars prequel movie better. But most people don’t try to think out of the box, they still follow the same script as the original prequels, with changing and altering some things, but these fan stories are still very similar to the crap fast known as the prequel movies.
And so, here is my idea/fan story to how the prequels should have been?
The biggest problem with the prequels (and there are so many big problems) is that not only they sucked, they just craped all over the original trilogy.
There is a messy thing with prequels (not only the Star wars prequels), and it’s the fact that we already know how the story ends. So the only way to make the audience engaged with the story of the prequels is to make it its own thing. Don’t try to make everything an Easter egg, don’t try to make everything connect to the original movies, and please don’t let Lucas anywhere close to the script or the movie.
Let’s start with “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace”. Play the music, roll the opening crawl, ta ta da da da da ta ta ta ta da da dam!!!
Keep in mind, that by changing Episode I, I’m changing everything that came after it, including some of the EU. So anything until New Hope is fair game for me.
The only thing, and I mean The Only Thing, that I will keep from Ep I is Darth Maul. I remember the first time I saw Death Maul, and I remember just thinking to myself: “Holy crap, this is awesome”. And to be honest, he was a real bad-ass.
So, my Ep I doesn’t happen 40 or something years before the original movies. In my movie, Anakin Skywalker is already about 20-25 years old. I think the biggest screw-up was Anakin. This guy needed to be the main thing of the prequels. I don’t know if it’s because the terrible acting of Hayden Christensen, but the character was just terrible.
I will make Anakin much more relatable, cool, bad-ass, powerful and arrogant. Anakin needs to be anti-Jedi. He is the Jedi knight that questions the order. He has great power, and very big ego. I will make him more like Thor in the Marvel movies. This is a guy who knows he is a bad-ass, and he isn’t going to be shay and humble about it. He also has doubts about the Jedi order, doubts that will get deeper through the movies.
I think Anakin should be somewhat of a Sinestro from Green Lantern. A Jedi with an amazing power and skills, who thinks that the Jedi order can cleanse the galaxy and make it safer. Anakin sees the Jedi Council as old fools that try to hold into the old ways, and therefore they are blind to reality.
In a flashback scene, we will see Anakin’s mom killed by the Tusken Raiders. But she wasn’t the only one, as Anakin’s whole village was murdered by the Tusken Raiders. Anakin was only a boy when that happened, and he survived by the help of the force (even if he wasn’t a Jedi back then). He was later found by Obi-Wan Kenobi and his master in that time, Dooku (who later on becomes part of the Jedi Council and everyone thinks he is a cool guy).
The Jedi Council is scared of Anakin’s powers and his control of the force, but Dooku was able to convince the Council to let Anakin join the order. Later on, Obi-Wan became Anakin’s mater and teacher.
Anakin believes that the Jedi Council has turned their back on the people who need their help. Anakin sees the galaxy as it is. He sees the suffering and the evil. He has a God-complex, and he believes that he has all of these powers for a reason, and he needs to use these powers to save all the lives that need help.
We will see Anakin’s transformation through the trilogy, so it won’t be sudden and illogical as it was in the original movies. In the 1st one, he will be a hero, but in the 2nd movie, we will see that there is much more darkness within him. And in the 3rd movie, Anakin will let his dark side take over, and he will become Darth Vader.
But it’s important to keep Anakin different from Luke. Luke was raises on a farm by Owen Lars. Anakin was a slave that his mother and all the people he knew were killed. They can’t be too much alike. Anakin needs to be the “cooler” and “darker” version on his son.
Anakin doesn’t share his feelings with the Jedi order, and the only one who knows about this, is Obi-Wan. Who later will blame himself for what will happen, when Anakin turns to the dark side.
The relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan is something of brothers/father and son. Obi-Wan knows that Anakin is too powerful for a Padawan, and yet he feels responsible for Anakin, and he is like a son for him.
And so, I think the first scene in the movie that we see both of them in the movie, should be a mission that establishes the relationship and also the fact that Anakin is a bad-ass Jadi. Also, I think we need to see some skills from Obi-Wan (because in the prequels he did have his butt kicked a lot).
This mission should have a connection to the overall plot, and foreshadow what is to come.
I hated the stupid love story between Anakin and Padmé Amidala. It was forced and really didn’t work. At first I thought to drop the all queen thing, because after a wail in the prequels it became really silly. I felt that the all Naboo thing was really pointless and had nothing to do with the overall plot. And so, bye bye Nabnoo and goodbye (queen Padmé).
In the original trilogy, we didn’t know anything about Padme. Princess Leia wasn’t a princess because of Padme, she was the “daughter” of Bail Organa, which I guess he was king of something. Anyway, Padme doesn’t have to be a queen.
But before I tell you what I did with Padme, here is the story of a character that needs to be flashed out, and it’s Palpatine/Darth Sidious.
In the original trilogy, we didn’t really know much about this guy, we all knew that he is really evil and powerful. I want Darth Sidious to be what Anakin and Luke could have been if they really gave in to the dark side. Even after Anakin became Vader, there was some good in him, and that good was able to get out in Return of the Jedi, when Vader turned on Sidious.
Sidious has a God-complex, and he in a way, thinks that he is some kind of a God. He believes that he controls everyone, and everyone is his pawn. He is God and the devil. He has all this power and he can do whatever he wants. He is so consumed by the force that he forgot that he is human. It came to the point where he doesn’t try to beat the Jedi, but himself.
I would have a scene in one of the moves, where he just plays space Chess with himself, but for him, there is another him sitting in front of him. He is so lost to the force, that he really believes that he is two different people. He is the evil Darth Sidious, who wishes to destroy the Jedi and rule everything. But he has created a different self, and that is the good Palpatine, who tries to save the world.
Sidious is so “superior”, that he needed to create a different persona, just to make it interesting. He knows he is going to win this game, but he doesn’t want it to be too easy.
And so, Sidious comes with this complex and twisted plan. He will rebuild the Sith order and burn the Jedi to the ground. His plan is to use Anakin to destroy the Jedi from the inside. But in the same time, Sidious wants some action and fireworks, so he brings the Galactic Republic into a civil war. And every war needs soldiers that will do whatever he wants, and therefore the civil war becomes the Clone War.
But for Sidious it’s not enough. And so, he makes Palpatine into the savior of the Republic, only then to “corrupt” him, and turn him into an evil Emperor. For Sidious this is the biggest victory, because he was able to “beat himself”, and turn his fake “good side” into the dark side.
Like is said, this guy has a God-complex, and he in a way, thinks that he is some kind of a God.
So going back to Padme. She lives on Coruscant, but you can say that she was born on some other planet (Naboo?). Anyway, Padme is the daughter of the main senator of the senate of Galactic Republic.
This main senator had few threats on his life from a “Phantom” group. The senate asks the Jedi to protect the senator’s life from this threat.
Anakin and Obi-Wan are sent to protect the senator and his only daughter, Padme. At first, Padme thinks Anakin is just an arrogant Jedi, while Anakin thinks Padme is spoiled. Anakin doesn’t really like the nobles, as he feels that they are just as blind and the Jedi Council. So at first, there is no love story.
The senate actually finds out that there is a plot within the Republic, and this plot is led by a “Phantom”. There is Rebel Alliance (forget about the Trade Federation) that wants to destroy the Republic, and take control. One senator, Palpatine, decides that the senate must act to defend itself, and says it's time for the "clone initiative", but the senate votes against it.
Anakin is angry that the Jedi made him a bodyguard, and he really doesn’t likes to protect Padme.
But then, they are attacked by Darth Maul and few mercenaries (not need to show Boba Fett or Jango Fett). Anakin and Obi-Wan are shocked to find out that the he is a Sith lord. Anakin, thinking he can take Maul, doesn’t listen to Obi-Wan (who orders him to protect the senator), and he goes to fight Maul.
Maul surprises Anakin with his skills, and then Maul goes and kills the senator. Before they can stop him, Maul vanishes.
We get to see the funeral of padme’s dad. Here we get to see the first spark between Anakin and Padme. It’s still isn’t a love story, but Anakin feels sorry for Padme, and he blames himself for letting her dad die (like I said, Anakin thinks he has to save everyone). Padme herself wants Maul’s head on s spike (or a lightsaber).
The Jedi have an emergency meeting. Mace Windu says that they have to investigate this Darth Maul situation, and they have to know if the Sith are back. So the council sends Anakin and Obi-Wan on a mission to find Maul.
Before they go, Obi-Wan, Windu, Dooku and Yoda meet, and Yoda warns Ob-Wan about Anakin, saying that Obi-Wan must keep an eye on Anakin. Obi-Wan says they can trust Anakin.
Anakin and Obi-Wan fly from Coruscant to track down Maul and find out if the Sith are back.
During their space travel, they find out that there is an intruder on their ship. They are both surprised to find out that it’s Padme.
Obi-Wan says they must go back, and they can’t take Padme with them. But Padme says that they owe her, and she will have her vengeance. Obi-Wan refuses, but Anakin tell Obi-Wan to let Padme join them.
Obi-Wan says that this isn’t the Jedi way. Anakin says that it’s time to do this his way. Obi-Wan decides to let Padme join them.
From here, I won’t tell you every scene in the movie, because this isn’t a script or something.
Anyway, the trio goes on a space adventure, looking for Darth Maul. Lots of great stuff happens, and more than one lightsaber battle goes down. They find out that the Sith are back and more.
In the climax of the movie, the “Phantom” side of the senate shows their face, and they put a blockade of battleships around Coruscant.
The Phantoms are the Separatist, who threaten the senate with an attack from space if they won’t do as they say.
The Jedi try to go to stop this, but there are attacked by the Sith, who attack the Jedi inside the Jedi Temple. The Jedi are shocked to learn that Dooku is a Sith lord. The Jedi and the Sith clash.
Anakin, Obi-Wan and Padme arrive to save the day. The Separatist’s ships start shooting at their ship, and so Anakin does the most bad-ass Jedi trick yet. He uses the force to smash few ships into each other.
The trio manages to enter Coruscant’s atmosphere. Their ship is then attacked but another small ship, and it’s Darth Maul’s ship. Anakin goes and uses the force to super jump from his ship to Maul’s ship and the two start fighting.
Their ship crashes into the Jedi Temple. Obi-Wan lands the ship near the crash, and goes to help Anakin, while Padme takes the ship to the Senate building.
Anakin and Obi-Wan duel with Maul, as they enter the temple. In the same time, we see the other Jedi battle the Sith (in the background we hear the “Duel of the Fates”). Padme uses the ship to save the senators from the Separatists.
During the duel, Obi-Wan is shocked to learn that Dooku has turned to the dark side, and two clash (while Anakin and Maul do their thing). Dooku tells Obi-Wan that he has been a Sith for years, and that the Sith helped him see the light.
Anakin starts go ballistic as he unleashes his powers to defeat Maul. It comes to the point that Anakin uses the “Force Lightning”.
Anakin is able to keel Maul after a long duel. Dooku gets a massage from somebody, and he calls for a retreat. That massage was sent from Darth Sidious, who is now very fascinated by Anakin.
With the day is saved, the Separatists go away. The Jedi realize that the Sith are back, and a new war has begun.
Palpatine becomes the new leader of the senate, and he says that the Republic must protect itself, and so he orders the creation of a new army, and army of clones.
There is a Montage while Palpatine gives his speech, and we see the clones are getting ready. We also see the Jedi getting ready for war.
The movies ends, with Darth Sidious having a talk with Dooku, who asks why he ordered the Sith to retreat. Sidious tells Dooku that a war is about to begin, and he wants all his pawn to have their chance to impress him. And then Sidious says that there is one Jedi that has his attention. Sidious says that this is going to be much better than the ever expected, and he gets his black hood off, and the audiences see that it’s Palpatine.
The End.
And so, “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” will lead to “Star Wars Episode II: The Clones War” (no “Attack of the Clones).
The third and the final movie in this trilogy will be “Star Wars Episode III: Rise of the Sith”.
If you guys like this, please tell me, and I will do the stories for Ep II and III.