WHAT IF I MADE THE PREQUELS? - EPISODE 2

Episode 2 – Attack of the Clones

Fair warning: This one’s a bit longer than the last one…

So then, Episode 2 of my version of the Prequels. My version of Episode 2 takes place at the height of the Clone Wars, which in my trilogy last for about 15-20 years. The opening crawl would go along the lines of: ‘A galaxy at war. After the invasion of Alderaan sparked an inter-galatic conflict, war has ravaged the Galaxy. The once peaceful Jedi are now at the fore-front of this war, leading the Clone Army against the ever-growing Separatist Alliance.’

Enough of opening crawls, on with movie. It would open with a battle between the Clones and Droids. It could be any planet, but to give it something to relate to, I’m choosing the Battle of Christophsis from the opening of the animated Clone Wars movie.

While it’s basically just another battle in the course of the Clone Wars, and has no all-important impact, it’s a good chance to show both the scale of the armies at play and the dynamic between Anakin and Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan, after training Anakin for about ten years at this point, would be far more like his Episode IV counter part than he was in my version of Episode I. He’s still a good warrior, but his lust for battle is far less than it used to be. Being a Jedi Master has changed Obi-Wan, but we still get glimmers of the brash Jedi from before. Anakin on the other hand, is as Jedi Warrior as you can get. He’s not a child anymore, and his training has made him one of the Republic’s greatest weapons. It’s clear he’s a brilliant warrior and the Clones like serving alongside him because of his prowess in battle. He’s not as restrained as Obi-Wan, and that leads to events down the line.

The battle unfolds, and we get some scenes showing the friendship, and let’s face it, brotherhood, between Anakin and Obi-Wan. Despite this, it’s clear they’ve got their own way of doing things, Anakin’s more of a head-on warrior while Obi-Wan is more of a gentle warrior. As things progress, it becomes clear to the Jedi that General Grievous is spear-heading the battle.

The two Jedi catch up to him, and the battle unfolds. By this point in time, Grievous is more battle damaged, but he’s still organic. He’s not a droid, but he’s had enhancements throughout this war. He also doesn’t use Lightsabers but is more than capable of taking on Jedi in melee combat using a staff. In fact, he remarks how he will defeat the two and add their Lightsabers to his collection of trophies. He’s killed Jedi in this war and kept their weapons. Not to use, but to remind them of his strength and savagery.

The three fight, and it’s pretty even all round. But the fight is cut short after Anakin’s squad of Clones, led by Captain Rex, break in and turn the tide of the fight.

Now outnumbered and over-powered, Grievous flees to fight another day. After all, ‘Grievous will run and hide as he always does.’ With Grievous fleeing and the Droid army in retreat, the Clones win the day. We get a small glimpse of victory, with Anakin and Obi-Wan getting a moment to talk about their fight with Grievous. Before long, they receive a transmission from the Jedi council and Chancellor Palpatine: Coruscant is under attack. The Droid army has finally mounted an assault on the Republic’s home world. With this, the two Jedi assemble their forces and head there.

Cutting back to Coruscant, Jedi Master Mace Windu, who actually does something in my version, rushes over to the Chancellor’s office. The two talk quickly, with both concluding that the Droids have attacked with the soul intention of capturing the Chancellor. (Of course, Palpatine knows this because he’s orchestrated the whole thing.) And with most of the Jedi on far away systems fighting the war, the attack couldn’t have come at a worse time. The Droid assault continues, and we get some scenes of the Clone army in action. Soon enough, Palpatine’s other bodyguards arrive. Enter Delta Squad.

These guys are from the game Republic Commando, but in this they’re Palpatine’s personal bodyguards. Kind of like the Death Trooper’s role surrounding Krennic in Rogue One. Mace leaves Palpatine in their protection, knowing that he’s needed in the wider fight. After all, if Coruscant falls, so does the Republic.

As Delta Squad move Palpatine under-ground to get him to a ship, we get some action scenes of them being hunted down by Commando Droids, who are significantly more powerful than normal droids.

With a few minor skirmishes out of the way, the group finally reach the hangar. However, a ship lands, and out of it walks Darth Maul, still alive and rocking some badass robot legs. Delta Squad engage, and considering they’re Clones, put up a pretty good fight. (Seeing as they’re trained in melee combat.) During the firefight, Anakin and Obi-Wan land, but just as they join the fight, Delta Squad are defeated by Maul’s savagery. Anakin attacks Maul hoping to save the Chancellor while Obi-Wan helps deal with some of the surrounding Droids. Anakin, no match for Maul, quickly loses their duel, and in a moment of victory, Maul slices Anakin’s hand off. From behind him, Obi-Wan hears Maul screech ‘Kenobi!’ and turns to the Sith Lord. Seeing Obi Wan for the first time since his defeat on Alderaan, Maul becomes enraged, attacking the Jedi as his squad of Commando Droids take Palpatine aboard his ship. With Kenobi on the defensive, Rex and the other Clones comes to his aid. With the Chancellor taken and Anakin defeated, Obi Wan throws a tracker onto Maul’s ship just as Maul retreats and takes off.

As Maul’s ship leaves Coruscant, the rest of the Droid forces follow. Coruscant has been defended, but only just. With Anakin in hospital recovering from the fight, Obi Wan goes to the Jedi temple to meditate. His greatest foe has returned seeking hate-fuelled vengeance, and it has clearly shaken Obi-Wan. As his thoughts become stronger and stronger, he hears a voice. A voice known to all Jedi. That of Yoda.

Ok, get ready for this, because my Yoda is very different to his real film counter-part. In my prequels, Yoda isn’t ever seen as such. His reveal on Dagobah in Empire Strikes Back should be surprising, after all, he is basically a Frog. In my version, Yoda is essentially a voice that guides all Jedi through their lives. No-one has ever seen him, but they’ve all felt his power and they recognise him as this mystical, almost deity-like figure. This also fits in with the line from Empire where Obi-Wan tells Luke that Yoda was the Jedi who trained him. In this sense, Yoda is a teacher all Jedi have throughout their lives. Just because they can’t see him, doesn’t mean they can’t sense him.

Anyway, Yoda speaks to Obi-Wan and tells him to calm his mind. Vengeance isn’t the Jedi way, and Obi-Wan needs to balance the thoughts in his head. Slowly but surely, Obi-Wan does so, and thanks Yoda for his guidance. Before they depart, Yoda tells Obi-Wan to follow the tracker he placed. Not in anger, but to find Maul so that the war can be won.

With this, Obi-Wan goes to visit Anakin in the Hospital, who has been worried about his Master. When he arrives, he is greeted by Padme, who has been helping to look after Anakin. After all, it’s been ten years since Episode 1, so the two would’ve become friends in that time. Anakin can see that his master is shaken and begs Obi-Wan to tell him what’s wrong. As Obi-Wan tells Anakin that Maul was the Sith Lord who killed Qui Gon, it’s clear Anakin takes this personally. After all, Qui Gon was the man who freed him. Anakin, angry that Maul survived, wants revenge and tries to leave. (Again, all we need is glimpses that Anakin isn’t in complete control of his emotions.) Obi-Wan denies him, telling him that revenge isn’t the Jedi way and that he should remain in the hospital to recover. With this, Obi-Wan departs, while Anakin is left behind.

Discovering that the tracker has led to Geonosis, Obi-Wan departs. (At least the last act of the film can take place on the same planet, albeit with different specifics.)

Obi-Wan arrives on Geonosis, and shortly afterwards discovers the castle where the tracker has led him too. Finding his way inside unseen, it becomes clear to him very quickly that this castle isn’t Maul’s, but is instead a Droid factory, capable of building army upon army. Knowing that he has no way of destroying by himself, he sends a transmission back to Coruscant, but before he can finish, is surrounded by group of Commando Droids.

Once imprisoned, Obi-Wan is visited by Maul, who reluctantly doesn’t attack Obi-Wan.

(Just imagine that's Darth Maul instead of Count Dooku)

When Obi-Wan questions why Maul hasn't attacked him, Maul reveals that the orders of his Master are absolute, with Obi-Wan realising that Maul is just the Apprentice, there must be another Sith Lord out there, to which Maul says something like, ‘There are far larger forces at play here, Jedi. Like I told your Master in the desert, the Sith have been rising in the dark for centuries. The Jedi are merely blind to the truth.’ During the rest of the conversation, Maul tells Obi-Wan how he survived their duel on Alderaan, and that only his hatred for Kenobi kept him alive long enough for his Master to find him. With this, Maul leaves.

Cutting back to Coruscant, the Jedi and the Republic have received Kenobi’s message, and after a short debate, decide that, if nothing else, the droid factory must be destroyed, and if possible, save Obi-Wan as well. Over hearing the talks, Padme rushes to Anakin, and tells him the Republic’s plan. Fearing for his Master’s safety, the two rush to a ship and take off for Geonosis, telling Captain Rex to put off the attack until they are out of the Castle with Obi-Wan in hand.

It’s during their flight to Geonosis and subsequent infiltration of the Castle that we get some key bonding moments between the two. After all, it’s kind of vitally important for the next film…

The two land on Geonosis and infiltrate Maul’s Castle. They find Obi-Wan, but upon Padme asking him, they find out he has no idea where the Chancellor is, or even if he’s on the same planet. The three begin their escape, but just before they reach the hangar, it’s destroyed. The Republic has arrived, and the attack of the Clones has begun.

With the battle raging in, out and around the factory, the three desperately try to find a way out. Before they can, Maul finds them, and attacks the two Jedi. Shouting to Padme to send a beacon, the Jedi take on Maul. It’s a quick fight, but there’s ferocity on both sides. Anakin wants to avenge Qui Gon, Maul wants to exact his revenge on Kenobi, and Kenobi is just trying to buy the heroes some time. Anakin is once again bested quickly, but with his attention on Kenobi, Maul doesn’t kill Anakin. The two old enemies fight, and it becomes clear just how strong Maul’s hatred is, and even Kenobi’s calm can’t keep up with him. But soon enough, a Republic Gunship comes in to save the heroes. Seeing the castle/factory fall around them, they make their retreat, with Kenobi taking one last look at Maul, who is surrounded by his crumbling fortress.

With the heroes out of danger, the Clone’s assault on the castle continues, and we get glimpses of the strength the Empire will one day have. The battle rages, and once the Clones have secured the factory, bombers arrive to destroy it as Admiral Tarkin, the man in charge of the attack, watches on.

(Yes that Tarkin, but younger and less wrinkly.)

Back on Coruscant, Anakin and Obi-Wan are in the Jedi Temple meditating. While Obi-Wan is strangely calm, Anakin is still awaiting his revenge on Maul, both for his arm and for Qui Gon. They talk briefly about the war, and how even though the assault on Geonosis was a success, that they are far from victorious. As Obi-Wan re-assures Anakin that once the war is over the Jedi can return to their roles as peacekeepers, Anakin vows that the next time him and Maul meet, he will have his revenge, and we end on a clear tension between the two as Obi-Wan is once again shown the imbalance within his apprentice.

Roll Credits.