WHAT IF I MADE THE PREQUELS? - EPISODE 1

I like Star Wars…That’s a bit of a given. But we all know the Prequel Trilogy is far from perfect. Even I have a hard time finding parts of them I can defend with a straight face. So with that in mind, could I think up a better version? Warning, this might get a bit long winded, but that's because a lot actually does have to happen in this film. I would quite happily cut out the de-tour on Tatooine with Anakin, but...y'know...he is kind of integral to the whole saga, so it has to stay, with a few changes at least. Anyway, here’s what would happen if I made the prequels…

Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace

Unlike the actual Episode 1, mine starts in peace time. There is no war between the Republic and Trade Federation. In fact, forget about trade routes and all that crap. It doesn’t belong in Star Wars. The Galaxy is in peace time and the once great and glorious Jedi order have gone from warriors to mere caretakers of the galaxy. After all, they are, as Mace Windu puts it, ‘Keepers of the peace, not soldiers.’ Peace time all said and done, there have been murmurs on some systems that revolts are being held against the Republic – allied planets. With an emergency transmission coming from Naboo (However in my version it's Alderaan, as this gives Episode IV more depth), the Jedi Order send two Jedi Knights to check it out. Any guesses who…

That’s right, Obi Wan and Qui Gon are back. Whilst Qui Gon is basically the same, Obi Wan in my version is more…rash. He needs a more noticeable journey from young and head strong to the Obi Wan seen in the original. Anyway, the two land on Naboo and Obi Wan is clearly looking forward to there being problems. He’s a young Jedi who’s only been sent to basically check up on planets. After all, the Sith have been gone for around 500 years by this points. He wants to live up to the Jedi name. He wants a real fight. The two proceed on with their mission and eventually they find themselves at Alderaan’s royal palace. Everything’s fine, until there’s an explosion not far away.

A Skirmish breaks out in the street, and we get a look at how powerful the Jedi were in their prime. Obi Wan and Qui Gon defend against a good deal of the oncoming battle Droids, but soon the area is over-run, and they’re imprisoned in the Palace. While in their cell, Obi Wan is thrilled to have finally had a fight, but is angered the two weren’t victorious. Qui Gon on the other hand is clearly troubled that a fleet of battle droids went completely off the radar of the Republic and the Jedi. Noting that he must bring this up with the Jedi Council, the two plot their escape. However, they share a cell with another, a friend of the King and Queen, a girl by the name of Padme. Knowing her way around the Palace, she helps the two Jedi escape.

In this version, Padme is shown to actually do some stuff other than sit around and talk about politics all day. She’s young, but being so close to the Queen has meant she’s had training with a blaster. She’s like Leia when they rescue her from the Death Star. It’s actually her that does the rescuing. She’s more active and executes the break out pretty well, saving a handful of other prisoners in the process. We also get a chance to see her and Obi Wan begin to bond. Nothing serious, but there’s a mutual respect, and almost friendship there.

With the three escaping with a few other Alderaan-ians, they steal a ship from a Droid controlled hanger, whom the two Jedi Knights make quick work of. In the rush, they steal a fairly broken-down wreck, with Padme remarking it won’t get them very far without breaking. With more Droids incoming, they steal it anyway and make a dash back to Coruscant to alert the Jedi and Republic of the Siege on Alderaan. While the Jedi talk to Padme and the others, it becomes clear that the Separatist Alliance (The Droids) have been assaulting Alderaan for some time, seemingly out of no-where. She also mentions that the Droids aren’t alone, and a far more powerful figure is helping them in their siege, someone known by the Alderaan-ians as the Phantom.

While the two Jedi don't think much of the 'Phantom' at first, this is the first real hint we get that something more is going on. The Jedi aren't worried as such, but they are concerned that someone with power is controlling the invasion.

Anyway, with the ship falling to pieces, the group is forced to make a landing on the remote planet of Tatooine. The three protagonists soon find a near-by Junk Yard and in it, a boy by the name of Anakin.

(In this version, Anakin is older. Around fifteen-ish. No child Anakin in my Episode 1 thank you very much.)

Anakin helps them find the parts they need in the Junk Yard, but with him talking to Padme and Qui Gon it’s revealed that he is in fact a slave being held there against his will, along with another boy he simply names as 'Owen'. (That'll be important in Episode 3.) While Padme is sympathising with the boy, Qui Gon senses the strength of the Force within the Slave, and remarks to Obi Wan that he hasn’t felt power this strong in a long time. With the Ship repaired, Qui Gon pleads with Anakin to come with them so he can be trained as a Jedi. Anakin, thrilled at the chance to become one of the great warriors he's heard about, accepts. But as he tries to escape the Junk Yard, his slaver catches him. There’s a short ruffle between the two, and Anakin ends up killing the slaver after using the force to grab Qui Gon's Lightsaber to use against the slaver. Here we get our first look at Anakin’s darker side, as does Qui Gon, who witnesses the act. Claiming that the slaver deserved it, he rushes himself and Qui Gon out of there before anyone can see them. This however, does leave Owen behind. (Important for Episode 3)

Just before Qui Gon and Anakin reach the ship, the two are attacked by a hooded figure, much like the scene from the actual film.

In this fight, it becomes very clear very quickly that the cloaked figure is in fact a Sith Lord, and he remarks to Qui Gon that the Jedi are blind to the rising darkness. During the fight, he very nearly over-powers Qui Gon. Obi Wan rushes out to assist his Master, while Anakin gets on the ship. The three fight, and it’s clear that Maul has the upper hand. Seeing the Jedi in trouble, Anakin pilots the ship over to them and the group escape, with the figure bitter that his prey has escaped.

With everyone back on the ship, they group once again make their way to Coruscant. En route, Obi Wan and Qui Gon talk about the strength within Anakin. Qui Gon is optimistic, he can see the potential for Anakin to become an incredibly powerful Jedi to use against the now returned Sith. Obi Wan, on the other hand, is less optimistic, and it’s here we see that classic Ben Kenobi wisdom shine through. He can sense Anakin’s darker side and it worries him. Is he powerful? Undoubtedly. But Obi Wan isn’t sure if that’s a good thing. On the ship, we also get more bonding time between Padme and Obi Wan, but also some between Padme and Anakin. After all, it’s going to be important later on…Obviously.

On board the ship the Jedi also question who the hooded figure was. It's here that Padme, along with some of the Alderaan-ians, reveal that he was 'The Phantom'. Putting two and two together, the Jedi realise the Sith must be behind the invasion, and that it was their big reveal to the galaxy.

Once they reach Coruscant, Padme and the Jedi make their case to the Republic and Jedi Order – Not only is there no longer peace in the Galaxy, but the Sith have returned. The Republic swiftly agree that Alderaan must be freed from the grasp of the Separatist Alliance. Meanwhile at the Jedi Council, we get our whole segment of Anakin being introduced into the Jedi Order. The Council, much like Obi Wan, can sense the imbalance within Anakin, and are un-sure of what the right choice is. It is here we get introduced to a Jedi Master called Dooku.

Yes, that Dooku. But at the same time, a very different version. This version is still Qui Gon’s former master, and we get some nice time between the two of them, and he’s close to Obi Wan as well. However, in my version, Dooku never turned to the Darkside, and instead acts as an intermediary between the Jedi Order and the Republic. He’s also a close friend of Chancellor Palpatine, for reasons that I’ll go into in a while. He’s come to tell the Jedi Council that with this new Separatist threat rising, the Republic has commissioned the creation of an army of it’s own, and he is on his way to Kamino to oversee the creation of these new ‘Clone Troopers’. That’s right, I’m moving that whole sub-plot up a movie, and for good reason. Before he leaves, Dooku remarks to Qui Gon that he too can sense Anakin’s unbalance, and for the first time we can see Qui Gon begin to question himself.

With the Jedi Council agreed that the Sith Lord on Alderaan must be dealt with, they send Obi Wan and Qui Gon with Padme and her small band of fighters while Anakin remains on Coruscant, so the Jedi can think about their next move. After all, why would you take someone like Anakin to a warzone. That would be ridiculous…

On Alderaan, Padme meets up with a small army that has gathered without the Separatists’ knowledge. Making a move on the Palace to liberate it from Droid control, all is going well. The attack flows and we see how well Jedi fight with others. There’s a bit of back and forth between Padme and Obi Wan and we get a real sense of a budding friendship here. Plus, more of Padme actually doing something for once. Anyway, just as the moment seems won, the door ahead of them opens, and Darth Maul stands waiting…

Much like the actual film, the two Jedi stand against Maul whilst Padme and her forces take another route to the main chambers of the Palace. The fight, and it’s full awesomeness, commences, as the Jedi once again fight the Sith. With only two fights happening in my version, unlike the four in the actual one, there’s a lot less cutting in and out of the fights, and we get to see properly just how majestic a fully trained Lightsaber fight can be. Maul still has the Jedi on the ropes, but they’ve gotten used to his methods by this point and for the first time are looking like they stand a chance other than retreat.

While that unfolds, Padme and her soldiers make their way to the main Palace Chamber, where they, after another small skirmish, over power the Droids there. However, the Droid general, by the name of General Grievous, surrenders only as part of a bigger plan. As later films will point out, he could've easily won this fight. (In my version Grievous is simply a Droid General. Good in combat, but not a Lightsaber-twirling mad-man. He's also much more organic than his actual film counter-part. At least in this one.)

Cutting back to the Jedi fight, Obi Wan and Qui Gon have Maul, more the first time, on the back foot. But just as they think he's about to be defeated, Maul's rage and hatred takes over, and soon enough…

Seeing his Master fall to Maul, Obi Wan goes on an all-out attack. For the first time in the fight his speed begins to catch up with Maul’s, and this becomes clear to both involved. The end of the fight plays out pretty much the same, with Obi Wan hauling himself up from that bloody big hole and using Qui Gon’s Lightsaber to finally, or so he thinks, defeat Maul.

Like so…

Much like the film, Qui Gon is able to spend his dying moments with Obi Wan, who again promises to train Anakin, seeing as it is his Master’s dying wish. With that, Qui Gon’s body disappears, as this is something that happens when Jedi die in my version...

The film ends with Obi Wan coming back to the Jedi Council to give news of Qui Gon’s death, and tells them he will train Anakin, no matter their choice. The Council reveals they will allow Anakin to be trained, but under close super-vision. Not due to Obi Wan’s lack of mastery, but due to the imbalance they sense in him. Obi Wan agrees to this, and himself reveals that he can sense the same imbalance. On the way out, Obi-Wan bumps into Alderaan's King, a man by the name of Bail Organa, who thanks Kenobi for his service to Alderaan.

Finally, we see Master Dooku on Kamino, looking over the newly built Clone Army of the Republic, as he is joined by Chancellor Palpatine. They have a brief talk about the upcoming war, and Dooku expresses his disfavour that once again the Jedi will be forced to fight. Palpatine replies, ‘Yes, old friend, the Jedi will have to fight. But your role in this war ends here.’ And with that, Palpatine strikes Dooku down with his force lightning. Some of the Kamino-ans come in, confirming to Palpatine that when the time comes, the Clones will not fail him, showing that the Kamino-ans know what's coming, and maybe even the Clones do too. Standing over Dooku’s body, we linger for a moment on Palpatine’s face as he watches over his new army, his future plans well known to us.

Roll Credits.