Written by Frank V Bonura with input and help from members of the Star Wars® Deckplans Alliance Forum.
Prequel: a literary, dramatic, or filmic work that prefigures a later work, as by portraying the same characters at a younger age.
— Dictionary.com
Prefigures? Same characters at a younger age? Are the Star Wars® Prequels truly Prequels by definition and practice? Lets look at and analyze the evidence.
Firstly this document was composed for all Star Wars® fans and It should be noted the first three lists below (Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3) only include comparisons of the Star Wars® Original Trilogy Movies to the Prequel Trilogy Movies. This was done intentionally to show inconsistencies between the two movie trilogies for the benefit of Star Wars® fans who have only seen the movies. We are arguing these inconsistencies from the perspective of a casual or novice fan with only the movies as evidence.
All comments in the fourth list (Expanded Universe) regard the elements of the Star Wars® Comics, Collector Cards, Roleplaying Game, Novels, PC and Video Games, and other Expanded Universe sources are listed in this document below. These comments have been included for completeness, and to reenforce some of the points of the first three lists. We argue these final points from the perspective of a fully realized Star Wars® fan exposed to and studying all mediums of the phenomenon. It has been argued by some the Prequels and the Expanded Universe are one cohesive whole. The lists below were assembled to substantiate the opposite, the idea they are two separate independent entities treated inconsistently by George Lucas.
Most casual fans of Star Wars® may have noted some inconsistencies between the two trilogies but some of those fans might argue "so what" or might say "big deal". To these casual fans, it is not a big deal nor is it a major problem. It only becomes a major problem if years of your hard campaign work are effected by these newer movies.
Gamemasters of the Star Wars® Roleplaying Game have the very difficult job of maintaining continuity and history in their private gaming campaigns. Much of the information in the roleplaying game has been around in one form or another since the game's inception in 1987. This includes time lines and details of history that have provided a foundation for adventures, artifacts, and scenarios from 1987 through 1999.
With the advent of the Prequels in 1999 some of this important older information was contradicted and some have argued rendered obsolete. Because of this, some Gamemasters do not approve of the Prequels or its philosophy of historical revisionism thus this document was produced to serve as an aid to those who wish to preserve the original Star Wars® Galaxy in its original form as it was prior to May 1999. We applaud all Gamemasters who embrace and practice this policy.
“Remember, Luke, the suffering of one man is the suffering of all. Distances are irrelevant to injustice. If not stopped soon enough, evil eventually reaches out to engulf all men, whether they have opposed it or ignored it.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker”, p. 82
Historical revisionism is a great danger, in and of itself, and not just a danger to the Star Wars® phenomenon.
“Luke, I don't want to lose you to the Emperor the way I lost Vader.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “The Empire Strikes Back”
“I took it upon myself to train him as a Jedi. I thought that I could instruct him just as well as Yoda. I was wrong.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “Return of the Jedi”
In spite of this, Qui-Gon presents Anakin to Yoda, Mace Windu, and the members of the Jedi Council for testing, evaluation, and instruction. Initially the Jedi council decides not to train Anakin but after the death of Qui-Gon Jinn the council reconsiders and thus allows Obi-Wan to honor his vow to Qui-Gon and train the boy. Clearly, in all of this, Yoda and the council were very much aware, deciding, helping, and guiding Anakin's training process in Episode 1.
“You will go to the Dagobah system. — There you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “The Empire Strikes Back”
It is reasonable to expect some new characters that we have not heard of yet, in the Prequels. However neither Obi-Wan nor Yoda ever mention Qui-Gon Jinn to Luke on camera in the Old Trilogy. You will note, from Obi-Wan's perspective, Anakin was dead in his mind yet he spoke at length about Anakin to Luke because Luke was Anakin's son and because Anakin was Obi-Wan's Pupil.
In Episode 1 Qui-Gon Jinn was an important mentor/master to Obi-Wan Kenobi and also was an important character to the story . He was so important to Obi-Wan that he promises Qui-Gon to teach Anakin before he dies at the end of Episode 1.
“The Force is strong with this one!”
— Lord Darth Vader, “A New Hope”
strongin the force?
“Luminous beings are we... ...not this crude matter.”
— Master Yoda, “The Empire Strikes Back”
“Pass on what you have learned.”
— Master Yoda, “Return of the Jedi”
Midi-chlorians are never mentioned in the Original Trilogy. In stark contrast Yoda explains the Force with reverence alluding to its spiritual nature in the Old Trilogy. As Master Yoda pinches Luke's arm he dismisses the importance of the physical body to true allies of the Force. This dismissal would logically include any microbes in said body.
In spite of what we know from the Old Trilogy, Qui-Gon mentions Midi-chlorians when he first explains the nature of the force to Anakin Skywalker. Obi-wan also talks with Qui-Gon about Midi-chlorians in Episode 1 but Obi-Wan (Ben) does not speak of Midi-chlorians in the Original Trilogy with Luke. Midi-chlorians appear to be a radical departure from Yoda's and Obi-Wan's Teachings and are completely inconsistent with the nature of the force that we discover in the Original Trilogy.
“I do not like the midi-chlorian idea at all. I hope that it will maybe be dropped. It sounds like an attempt to make a scientific basis for something that really was more mystical to begin with. I'm not sure of the purpose of it. Maybe it'll show up later on as being important. But the idea that you can scan for a Jedi with a blood test bothers me for some reason. I've always thought of the Force as more like a talented art, that is something that ‘if you've got it, you know it and you can develop it,’ but it's not something that you can look at a person and say ‘okay, he's got that talent,’ just cold.”
— Star Wars Author: Timothy Zahn
“I had a dream I was a Jedi. I came back here and freed all the slaves.”
— Anakin Skywalker, “The Phantom Menace”
“He can see things before they happen. That's why he appears to have such quick reflexes. It is a Jedi trait.”
— Qui-Gon Jinn, “The Phantom Menace”
“He was the best star-pilot in the galaxy, and a cunning warrior. I understand you've become quite a good pilot yourself.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “A New Hope”
“When I first knew him, your father was already a great pilot.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “Return of the Jedi”
In spite of this when Obi-Wan meets Anakin for the first time, Anakin requires R2-D2, a droid that does not even belong to him, and the fighter's autopilot, to fly his starfighter for him against the Droid Control Ship. When fighting the Droid Control Ship, Anakin basically crash lands the on ship doing a belly landing sans landing gear. Most of Anakin's piloting, in orbit of Naboo, could be described as random and chaotic. Blind luck and the whim of the script writer add significantly more to Anakin's survival and success than any actual or perceived piloting skill. By means of contrast, Luke Skywalker, during his first space battle, conducted himself with great piloting skill, and starfighter proficiency, destroying the Death Star, during the Battle of Yavin.
One might argue that Anakin's pod racing skills are exemplary. However operating a pod racer is not really piloting but driving. Racing pods float and do not fly. Obi-wan's conversation with Luke suggests Anakin was skilled at flying Starfighters (interplanetary vehicle) not Pod Racers (a speeder or land vehicle). Obi-Wan's reference about Luke's piloting in the same statement was talking about his ability to fly a T-16 (skyhopper) or an X-wing not his landspeeder. By allowing Anakin to survive and succeed in the intense dogfight that took place in orbit of Naboo, with nothing but unskilled blind luck, devalues the perceived threat of the engaging droid fighter squadrons.
“Your thoughts dwell on your mother.”
“I miss her.”
“Afraid to lose her..I think.”
“(a little angry) What's that got to do with anything?”
“Everything. Fear is the path to the dark side... fear leads to anger... anger leads to hate.. hate leads to suffering.”
— Ki-Adi-Mundi, Anakin Skywalker, and Master Yoda, “The Phantom Menace”
The Trade Federation has a huge army of Battle Droids that are essentially useless as a combat system against Jedi. It literally requires hundreds of Battle Droids to control and overwhelm the average Jedi on the battlefield. Although significantly rarer than the Battle Droid, the larger shielded Droideka (destroyer droid) provides a more competitive and cost-effective combat system when engaging Jedi opponents.
the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republicthen why did the Trade Federation require such a huge standing army?
Yes this is a space opera and to some degree we are expected to suspend some of our beliefs at the ticket booth. However most older fans are very much aware the molten core of a planet that closely resembles Earth, as Naboo does, would be impassible via an aquatic submarine. Although we observe phenomenon like the force in Star Wars®, this even appears to be inconsistent with the rules of physics and common sense in any galaxy.
“In my experience, there's no such thing as luck.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “A New Hope”
At the beginning of Episode 1 we discover Jar Jar Binks was banished by the Gungans because he was clumsy. At the end of Episode 1 Jar Jar Binks, through the use of pure slapstick clumsiness, manages to do significant damage to the ground forces of the Federation Droid Army. His constant panicked blundering caused massive collateral damage to the Federation droids and vehicles and managed not to do any harm to his brother Gungans who fought in close proximity to him. The net effect of this was to devalue the capabilities and perceived threat of the droid army and to reduce the ground battle to a cheap comedy the results of which could only be attributed to blind luck and no skill whatsoever.
In the Old Trilogy we learn that Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi spent years out in the deserts of Tatooine keeping an ever-watchful eye on Luke at the same time.
During Queen Amidala's time on Tatooine, Obi-Wan Kenobi spent most of his time at or onboard Queen Amidala's spacecraft. Considering that the ship and crew were never harassed by anyone including Darth Maul, who was on planet at the time, and the fact Qui-Gon was protecting the Queen, Obi-Wan served little purpose during the Tatooine sequence of the movie.
We learn of the planet Naboo for the first time in Episode 1. Prior to this, we only heard the word "Naboo", spoken once, by C-3P0, on Endor, when he was telling the Ewoks, about the story of the heroes of the Rebel Alliance.
“Artoo, see what you can do with it. Hang on back there.”
— Luke Skywalker, “A New Hope”
“Artoo... that, that stabilizer's broken loose again! See if you can't lock it down!”
— Luke Skywalker, “A New Hope”
“But I've learned so much.”
— Luke Skywalker, “The Empire Strikes Back”
Accidents and sabotage to Anakin's Racing Pod causes problems later in the Pod Race and forces Anakin to make repairs while maneuvering at great speed. Anakin reattaches a control cable and performs an engine bypass all while maintaining control of his vehicle over very difficult and dangerous terrain. Obviously these feats were scripted to demonstrate Anakin's powerful sensitivity to the Force to the audience.
Clearly Jar Jar is a stereotypical caricature of early twentieth century African American comic relief. Jar Jar's stark and intentional slapstick humor, mixed with offensive ethnic clichés, demonstrates inconsistency with the tone, scope, and method of Star Wars® humor of the Old Trilogy. It also demonstrates a degree of insensitivity to the audience's age and ethnicity. Star Wars® fans come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. A large percentage of these fans were some 16 years older than they were when they saw the last of the Old Trilogy in 1983.
“But the main trouble centers on Jar Jar Binks, a digitalized alien who speaks in an exaggerated West Indian patois and lopes along in a combination shuffle and pimp walk. Binks is by far the stupidest person in the film. His simple-minded devotion to his (white) Jedi masters has reminded people of Hollywood's most offensive racial stereotypes. David Ansen of Newsweek likened the character to Stepin Fetchit, the grinning, shuffling character who defined the black presence in film well into the 1940's. Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Joe Morgenstern compared Binks to Butterfly McQueen, Miss Scarlett's feather-brained maid in ''Gone With the Wind.'' The Rasta alien has been torched on the Internet, primarily by a group calling itself the Society for the Extermination of Jar Jar Binks.”
— Brent Staples of “The New York Times”,
“Editorial Observer; Shuffling Through the Star Wars®”,
Published: June 20, 1999
Similar to Jar Jar, this character was also ethnic a stereotype and a caricature of Jews. His character is poorly shaved, dirty, dishonest, and speaks with a strong Jewish accent. Watto is immune to Jedi Mind tricks and is only motivated by money.
“Indeed, Watto bears a striking similarity to a caricature of a Jewish journalist published in a Viennese magazine called Kikeriki at the turn of the last century. Reproduced in Sander Gilman's insightful book The Jew's Body, the cartoon shows a large-nosed, round-bellied man with spindly arms, bandy little legs and flat feet. An enormous fat chain, perhaps a giant watch fob, hangs across his waist. Wings sprout from his shoulders, and in his left hand he carries a scroll that says "anything for money."”
— Patricia J. Williams of “The Nation”,
“Racial Ventriloquism”,
Published: June 17, 1999
The Nemoidians of the Trade Federation are an entire alien race that sounds like Chinese immigrants speaking broken English with a strong accent.
“But Mr. Lucas has run into race-related controversy yet again with ''The Phantom Menace.'' The characters who most resemble Asians here are greedy, rapacious and disturbingly similar to Asian hordes in the 1940's serials.”
— Brent Staples of “The New York Times”,
“Editorial Observer; Shuffling Through the Star Wars®”,
Published: June 20, 1999
During the Tatooine sequence, Jar Jar blunders and steps in Bantha droppings with his bare foot. Later on, before the pod race, Jar Jar Binks has an encounter with a flatulating "Eopie" (a beast of burden on Tatooine). We also see slapstick behavior amongst the pit droids both at Watto's shop and in the pit crews at the Boonta eve Classic. Some of the droids, at the Boonta eve Classic, act out a scene similar to “The Three Stooges”.
“For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “A New Hope”
One could argue a generation could logically span anywhere from 13 to 25 years meaning this time period Obi-Wan speaks of could have spanned about 13,000 to 25,000 years. In spite of this, we hear the following:
“I will not let this Republic that has stood for a thousand years be split in two.”
— Chancellor Palpatine, “Attack of the Clones”
Even if a generation was considered as little as 13 years, the new script was in error by over 12,000 years.
“Luke, I don't want to lose you to the Emperor the way I lost Vader.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “The Empire Strikes Back”
“I took it upon myself to train him as a Jedi. I thought that I could instruct him just as well as Yoda. I was wrong.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “Return of the Jedi”
In spite of this, for the second time, we see Anakin sent before Yoda and the Jedi council for evaluation and instruction in this movie as well. It's credible for a single inexperienced teacher (Obi-Wan), not necessarily a Jedi Master, to train Anakin incorrectly but the Prequels suggest differently by shifting the blame on Qui-Gon Jinn, Yoda, Mace Windu, and the entire Jedi Council.
“You will go to the Dagobah system. — There you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “The Empire Strikes Back”
Some may argue that Luke was told about Qui-Gon off-camera in “The Empire Strikes Back” and that both Qui-Gon and Yoda instructed Obi-Wan in his Jedi training. In Episode 2, we see Yoda teaching Young Jedi children. Some may also argue, Yoda trained Obi-wan as a child and then Qui-Gon completed his training as a young man.
Even if you consider the Jedi's implied detachment that Anakin mentions to Padmé in Episode 2, George Lucas never explains why Shmi Skywalker Lars was forgotten. Eventually Anakin sees visions of his mother Shmi suffering in pain and goes off to investigate but this leaves us with a great many unanswered questions that make little or no sense.
“For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “A New Hope”
“I will not let this Republic that has stood for a thousand years be split in two.”
— Chancellor Palpatine, “Attack of the Clones”
“It's unthinkable! There hasn't been a full scale war since the formation of the Republic!”
— Sio Bibble, “Attack of the Clones”
If the Republic is 1000 years old as Chancellor Palpatine said earlier in the movie, then a 1000 years of relative peace is not too much to ask for. If the Republic is 13,000 to 25,000 years old as Obi-Wan said, the concept of peace spanning many millennia seems much more difficult if not impossible. Sio Bibble's boast of Republic-wide peace seems to have been said in the light of Palpatine's context in the same film and seems to ignore the older thousand generations
in Kenobi's Old Trilogy context.
thousand generations?
“You will be delighted to hear we are on schedule. Two hundred thousand units are ready, with another million well on the way.”
— Lama Su, “Attack of the Clones”
“Please tell your Master Sifo-Dyas that we have every confidence his order will be met on time and in full.”
— Lama Su, “Attack of the Clones”
1,200,000 clones, ordered 10 years prior by the "late" Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas. The news of this massive army takes Obi-Wan and the Jedi Council by surprise. Master Yoda picks up these clones and brings them to Geonosis to test them out and to rescue Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padmé. Afterward the Clones are trusted to be used as the standing army of the republic.
“Lord Vader, I should have known. Only you could be so bold. The Imperial Senate will not sit for this, when they hear you've attacked a diplomatic...”
— Princess Leia Organa, “A New Hope”
“Holding her is dangerous. If word of this gets out, it could generate sympathy for the Rebellion in the senate.”
— Commander Daine Jir, “A New Hope”
“The Rebellion will continue to gain a support in the Imperial Senate as long as... .”
— General Tagge, “A new Hope”
“The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I've just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.”
— Grand Moff Tarkin, “A New Hope”
In “A New Hope” the Imperial Senate was in its last hours but to the very end was critical of the harsh policies of Palpatine, resisting and influencing his decrees. Before Palpatine declared himself Emperor the pressures and influences imposed by the Old Republic Senate would have been even greater with the limited powers afforded Palpatine as chancellor of the Republic.
“The regional governors now have direct control over territories. Fear will keep the local systems in line. Fear of this battle station.”
— Grand Moff Tarkin, “A New Hope”
“This bickering is pointless. Lord Vader will provide us with the location of the Rebel fortress by the time this station is operational. We will then crush the Rebellion with one swift stroke.”
— Grand Moff Tarkin, “A New Hope”
“The Jedi must not find our designs for the ultimate weapon. If they have any idea of what we are planning to create, we are doomed.”
— Poggle The Lesser, “Attack of the Clones”
If the Death Star's construction was started at some point in Episode 2, then it was initiated by Chancellor Palpatine some 3 years prior to him becoming Emperor of the Galactic Empire. The procurement and logistics of raw materials and labor plus the cost of the first Death Star undoubtedly was gargantuan in proportion. The even larger second Death Star, built in orbit of the forest moon of Endor, was even greater by a wide margin. These two projects would have easily dwarfed the costs of the Clone Army.
ultimate weaponspaid for, for 3 years, without the notice of the Republic Bureaucracy?
“To be angry is to be human.”
— Senator Padmé Amidala, “Attack of the clones”
Anakin murders an entire tribe of Tusken raiders (women and children too) and when told, Amidala has virtually no reaction. Anakin was at least remorseful but all she said was To be angry is to be human.
“And he was a good friend.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “A New Hope”
Obi-Wan said these words with lamentation, in reference to Anakin.
good friend?
“Much anger in him, like his father.”
“Was I any different when you taught me?”
“This one a long time have I watched. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. Adventure. Heh! Excitement. Heh! A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless!”
“So was I, if you'll remember.”
— Master Yoda and the spirit Obi-Wan Kenobi, “The Empire Strikes Back”
“If they do break away -... ...If they do, you must realize there aren't enough Jedi to protect the Republic. We are keepers of the peace, not soldiers.”
— Mace Windu, “Attack of the Clones”
The Republic and the Jedi decide to go to war against secessionists (separatists) who do not want to be a part of the Republic. This was decided during a perceived shortage of manpower (Jedi Knights).
the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic?
Clone Warsplural or singular?
Warand
Battlemean the same thing?
Protocol droids have varying and fairly unique voices and personalities as evidenced by the films so at least C3P0's voice would have been memorable to Owen.
We learn of the planet Kamino for the first time in Episode 2.
We learn of the planet Geonosis for the first time in Episode 2.
In Episode 2 we observe R2-D2 flying using small jets or small rockets mounted to his side legs.
In this second Prequel, slapstick, chaos, and pure nonsense is transferred from Jar Jar Binks to C-3P0. On Geonosis C-3P0 has a convenient accident while arguing with R2-D2 in which he looses his head. By some miracle, C-3P0's body is reequipped with a Battle Droid head and his original protocol head is miraculously attached to the body of a Battle Droid. The rest of the Geonosis battle is sprinkled with "head puns" perpitrated by C-3P0. The net effect of all this cheap slapstick and dry humor was to devalue the Battle Droids level of threat and to distract from the more serious storytelling that was taking place in the battle.
“For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “A New Hope”
One could argue a generation could logically span anywhere from 13 to 25 years meaning this time period Obi-Wan speaks of could have spanned about 13,000 to 25,000 years. In spite of this, we hear Senator Organa note the following about the Galactic Republic:
“We can't let a thousand years of democracy disappear without a fight”
— Senator Bail Organa, “The Revenge of the Sith”
Even if a generation was considered as little as 13 years, The Episode 3 script is once again in error just like the Episode 2 script by over 12,000 years.
“What? ! How can you do this?? This is outrageous, it's unfair... I'm more powerful than any of you. How can you be on the Council and not be a Master?”
— Anakin Skywalker, “Revenge of the Sith”
“I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner; now I am the master.”
“Only a master of evil, Darth.”
— Lord Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi, “A New Hope”
“Luke, I don't want to lose you to the Emperor the way I lost Vader.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “The Empire Strikes Back”
If Vader was only a "learner" under Obi-Wan and left him, then Vader never completed his Jedi training under Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan does not even acknowledge Vader's mastery over him in the above statement.
In light of this, it is very likely Emperor Palpatine completed Vader's training if Obi-Wan did not.
Likewise we see in “The Empire Strikes Back”, a similar situation when Vader confronts Luke.
“Join me and I will complete your training.”
— Lord Darth Vader, “The Empire Strikes Back”
In spite of these statements in the Old Trilogy, in Episode 3 we discover that Anakin has been knighted by the Jedi council under the tutelage and instruction of Obi-wan Kenobi. Furthermore we also see that Obi-Wan leaves Anakin at the molten shore on the planet Mustafar.
Anakin repeatedly has a dream of his wife Padmé dying which forms the focus of Anakin's motivations for the entire movie. In Episode 1 Anakin's dream of freeing the slaves on Tatooine never came to pass.
“It was a dream... ...Like the ones I used to have about my mother just before she died... ...It was about you... ...You die in childbirth...”
— Anakin Skywalker, “Revenge of the Sith”
On Coruscant in Padmé's apartment, Anakin is awakened by a nightmare of Padmé's death. After he gets out of bed and heads downstairs, Padmé follows him to find out what is wrong. After Anakin admits the dream was about Padmé's death, in the context that Anakin did predict his mother's death, Padmé demonstrates little or no shock and has a very dismissing reaction to Anakin's nightmare. This reaction is most unusual in light of the news Padmé receives. This beg's the following questions.
“I need your help, Luke. She needs your help. I'm getting too old for this sort of thing.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “A New Hope”
“Where did you dig up that old fossil (Ben Kenobi)?”
— Han Solo, “A New Hope”
“Hokey religions (Jedi Knights) and ancient weapons (lightsabers) are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.”
— Han Solo, “A New Hope”
According to the Prequels, a relatively young Obi-Wan Kenobi went into hiding 19 years prior to Han Solo's remarks.
hokey religions(Jedi Order) and
ancient weapons(lightsabers) are of subjects that existed or were in general use before he was born?
“Surely he must be dead by now”
— Grand Moff Tarkin, “A New Hope”
“Don't underestimate the power of the Force.”
— Lord Darth Vader, “A New Hope”
Grand Moff Tarkin and Lord Vader had this exchange in regard to Vader's old master Obi-Wan. These statements indicate Obi-Wan Kenobi could have been old enough to be venerable or dead in “A New Hope” and that through the use of the force Obi-Wan may still be alive which he was in “A New Hope”.
“A young Jedi named Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil, helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “A New Hope”
Obi-Wan shared this with Luke in his home on Tatooine.
Midi-chlorians are again mentioned by Chancellor Palpatine in this third episode. See comments in Episode 1 for more information.
“That boy is our only hope”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “The Empire Strikes Back”
“No, there is another.”
— Master Yoda, “The Empire Strikes Back”
The spirit of Obi-Wan and Yoda share this information on Dagobah as Luke departs for Bespin. Clearly even though Obi-Wan has become one with the force, he possesses little or no knowledge of Princess Leia's relevance to the survival of the Jedi and her bloodline to make such a statement.
In spite of this, In Episode 3 Obi-Wan witnesses the birth of the twins, hears the naming of the twins, and he is allowed to hold them.
On Endor, Leia sees Luke contemplating and speaks with him in private.
“Leia... do you remember your mother? Your real mother?”
— Luke Skywalker, “Return of the Jedi”
“Just a little bit. She died when I was very young.”
— Princess Leia Organa, “Return of the Jedi”
Leia tells Luke even more when asked about what little she remembers.
“Just...images, really. Feelings.”
— Princess Leia Organa, “Return of the Jedi”
When Luke insists to know more Leia answers.
“She was very beautiful. Kind, but...sad.”
— Princess Leia Organa, “Return of the Jedi”
In spite of this Padmé, dies at childbirth and Luke and Leia are thus born prematurely.
Luke, at this point in time, is a fully trained Jedi, with full control of the force, the stronger in the force when compared to untrained Leia. If Leia was stronger, she would have been trained and sent after Vader but was not. Leia was kept in reserve to provide a new generation of Jedi if Luke failed to defeat Vader and the Emperor. In light of Leia's revelations, Luke is forced to confess to his sister.
“I have no memory of my mother. I never knew her.”
— Luke Skywalker, “Return of the Jedi”
In spite of this, in Episode 3, Padmé dies shortly after childbirth and the naming of the twins. The prematurely born twins had all of about 3 to 5 minutes of exposure to their mother in Episode 3 before she expired. Luke, the first born, may have actually had about 2 minutes more time than Leia to see their mother alive.
On the world of Dagobah, Luke experiences two very strange revelations about the swamp planet of which he shares with R2-D2.
“This place is like something out of a dream”
— Luke Skywalker, “The Empire Strikes Back”
“There is something familiar about this place”
— Luke Skywalker, “The Empire Strikes Back”
In spite of Luke's two statements about this place
, the swamp planet of Dagobah, in Episode 3, Luke arrives on Tatooine as an infant.
“This one a long time have I watched.”
— Master Yoda, “The Empire Strikes Back”
“You will go to the Dagobah system. — There you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “The Empire Strikes Back”
The presence of the character Qui-Gon Jinn has been a problem with continuity since Episode 1, with his first appearance and this problem has only been worsened by the events of Episode 3. In spite of Obi-Wan's statement in “The Empire Strikes Back”, we see no evidence of Obi-Wan being instructed or trained for any length of time by Yoda in the Prequels save for one minor brief lesson at the very end. At the very end of Episode 3, Yoda instructs Obi-Wan how to communicate with his old master Qui-Gon who has returned from the netherworld of the force.
In all three movies of the Old Trilogy, Luke Skywalker is contacted by the spirit of Obi-wan Kenobi. In “A New Hope” he does so over the Death Star and at the beginning of “The Empire Strikes Back” he makes contact on Hoth. In both of these instances, Luke's training in the force is minimal at best. In spite of this Obi-Wan must be trained by Yoda to make contact with Qui-Gon Jinn.
“General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire.”
— Princess Leia Organa, “A New Hope”
“So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause...”
— Senator Padmé Amidala, “The Revenge of the Sith”
Very little is said or explored about how Palpatine actually ended the Galactic Republic and started the Galactic Empire. The casual viewer is left wondering how exactly does an entire galaxy of citizens turn control over to one man.
“A young Jedi named Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil, helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “A New Hope”
“Lord Vader, I should have known. Only you could be so bold. The Imperial Senate will not sit for this, when they hear you've attacked a diplomatic...”
— Princess Leia Organa, “A New Hope”
“Holding her is dangerous. If word of this gets out, it could generate sympathy for the Rebellion in the senate.”
— Commander Daine Jir, “A New Hope”
“The Rebellion will continue to gain a support in the Imperial Senate as long as... .”
— General Tagge, “A new Hope”
“The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I've just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.”
— Grand Moff Tarkin, “A New Hope”
In “A New Hope” the Imperial Senate was in its last hours but to the very end was critical of the harsh policies of the Emperor and resisted and influenced his decrees. Before he declared himself Emperor the pressures and influences imposed by the Old Republic Senate would have been even greater with the limited powers afforded Palpatine as chancellor.
“Commander Cody, the time has come. Execute Order Sixty-Six.”
— Chancellor Palpatine, “The Revenge of the Sith”
the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic?
In spite of this, we see in Episode 3 Anakin killing young innocent Jedi students, killing members of the trade federation, but not hunting any adult Jedi at all. The job of Hunting the Jedi was done by the clone troopers prior to the creation of the Empire and prior to Palpatine's ascent to Emperor in “Episode 3”.
“You'll find they are totally obedient, taking any order without question. We modified their genetic structure to make them less independent than the original host.”
— Lama Su, “Attack of the Clones”
“The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “A New Hope”
“He won't, I don't think he exists any more. He died about the same time as your father.”
— Owen Lars, “A New Hope”
“I haven't gone by the name Obi-Wan since oh, before you were born.”
— Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi, “A New Hope”
In spite of this, Obi-Wan makes no mention he is changing his name to "Ben", in Episode 3, neither after or before, the twins are born. He is called Obi-Wan till the very end of the episode well after Luke is born.
General Grievous allows two very dangerous Jedi on the bridge of his ship. When R2-D2 causes a distraction, Obi-Wan and Anakin get loose, trash the bridge, destroy the pilots, and crew, forcing Grievous to retreat out the viewport and depressurizing the compartment. This blunder ultimately costs him his entire ship.
We learn of the planet Mustafar for the first time in Episode 3.
in “A New Hope” we see R2-D2 and other Astromech Droids loaded via cranes into X-wings and Y-wings. On Jabba's sail barge in “Return of the Jedi” we see R2-D2 fall off the sail barge to escape.
In spite of this, after crash landing on General Grievous's ship, R2-D2 jumps with great skill out of Anakin's starfighter and again for the second time we see R2-D2 flying in this movie as he did in Episode 2. The Prequels have the droid performing all kinds of jumping and flying acrobatics we have never seen before. However when General Grievous's ship begins to list from severe damage, R2 appears to have magically and inconsistently lost his powers of flight and simply slides backward across the floor of the hangar bay.
At the very beginning of Episode 3, during the battle over Coruscant, Buzz Droids land on Obi-Wan's Fighter. The Droids manage to sabotage Obi-Wan's ship and Anakin is forced to shoot, scrape and transfer one of these comical pests to his own ship. These droids only served to distract and slow the pace of the opening of the movie all in the hope of a cheap laugh.
The following articles are organized in chronological order as these revelations of Star Wars history were discovered from December of 1976 to May of 1999.
“Luke Skywalker was twice the age of the ten-year-old vaporator, but much less secure.”
— “From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker”, p. 15
“18 BSW4
— “A Guide to the Star Wars® Universe”, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded, p. xix
Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa born and placed in hiding; Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader; Jedi Knights hunted and killed; Palpatine becomes Emperor; Empire formed; first stirrings of rebellion begin.”a
“18 BSW4
— “Star Wars® Gamemaster Screen Revised”, p. 56
Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa born and placed in hiding.”
“It rang a bell, but she'd been the youngest Senator herself at the age of eighteen, and there had been no one near her age there, certainly no girls.”
— Princess Leia Organa Solo, “Children of the Jedi”, p. 132
“18 BBY
— “Star Wars® Encyclopedia”, p. xv
Luke Skywalker and his twin sister Leia are born.”
“-18 —— Rise of the Emperor & Birth of the Rebellion, The Jedi Purge, Luke Skywalker is born, Leia Skywalker is born”
— “Star Wars® Behind the Magic”,
Disk 1 » Main Menu » Events » Recent History Timeline
In spite of the above sources, Episode 3 is set in the year 19 BBY.
“For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “A New Hope”
“We have been for ten thousand years the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy”
— Jedi Master Djinn Altis, “Children of the Jedi”, p. 323
“Tionne was not one of Luke's stronger trainees, but she had proven to be his most skilled assistant and teacher at the academy. She had always been intrigued by Jedi Lore and legends, and she spent much time studying archives, compiling a great history of the thousand generations of Jedi Knights who had served the Old Republic.”
— “Darksaber”, pp. 54-55
Clearly “Children of the Jedi” notes that Master Djinn Altis' particular sect of Jedi were in existence for ten millennium, defending the galaxy, and not one millennium. The novel, in this case, gives us an even more precise date for age of Djinn Altis' group of Jedi as compared to the more nebulous thousand generations
as mentioned by Obi-Wan Kenobi in Episode 4 and again mentioned in the novel “Darksaber”.
In spite of all these sources that agree with the Original Trilogy, we hear the following in the Prequels.
“I will not let this Republic that has stood for a thousand years be split in two.”
— Chancellor Palpatine, “Attack of the Clones”
“We can't let a thousand years of democracy disappear without a fight”
— Senator Bail Organa, “The Revenge of the Sith”
“He was betrayed and murdered, by a very young Jedi named Darth Vader. A boy I was training. One of my brightest disciples... one of my greatest failures.”
— Ben Kenobi, “From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker”, p. 80
“Luke, I don't want to lose you to the Emperor the way I lost Vader.”
— Obi-Wan Kenobi, “The Empire Strikes Back”
“If I was wrong in what I did, it certainly wouldn't have been for the first time. You see, what happened to your father was my fault...”
— Ben Kenobi, “Return of the Jedi” (novelization), p. 63
“My pride had terrible consequences for the galaxy”
— Ben Kenobi, “Return of the Jedi” (novelization), p. 64
“I took it upon myself to train him as a Jedi. I thought that I could instruct him just as well as Yoda. I was wrong.”
— Ben Kenobi, “Return of the Jedi”
The “Galaxy Guide 1: A New Hope”, First Edition, confirms Obi-Wan's words from the Old Trilogy.
“In the heady fog of success, Kenobi took on a student, confident in his ability to instruct in the ways of the Force. Whether it was a mistake on Obi-Wan's part or a fatal flaw in the student, something went wrong and the evil Darth Vader was born.”
— “Galaxy Guide 1: A New Hope”, First Edition, p. 37
The “Jedi Academy Trilogy” also confirms Obi-Wan's words from the Old Trilogy.
“If a teacher as great as Obi-Wan Kenobi could fail and let his student fall to evil, how can we take the risk of training an entire new order of Jedi Knights?”
— Senator Garm Bel Iblis, “Jedi Search”, p. 21
Likewise “Children of the Jedi” confirms Obi-Wan's words from the Old Trilogy.
“That's the mistake Ben made, when he taught my father.”
— Luke Skywalker, “Children of the Jedi”, p. 324
Once again, “The New Rebellion”, confirms Obi-Wan's words from the Old Trilogy.
“Ben had had a wistfulness, a touch of regret, to him when he spoke of Darth Vader, as if Ben had a certain responsibility in losing Anakin Skywalker to the Dark side of the Force.”
— Luke Skywalker, “The New Rebellion”, p. 128
And again, “I Jedi”, confirms Obi-Wan's words from the Old Trilogy.
“My father tried to explain to me how it was Obi-Wan's fault that he had been corrupted by his studies of Sith material.”
— Luke Skywalker, “I Jedi”, p. 123
In spite of this, Anakin is presented to and reports to Yoda, Mace Windu, and the members of the Jedi Council, multiple times, for testing, evaluation, and instructions. Initially the Jedi council decides not to train Anakin but after the death of Qui-Gon Jinn the council reconsiders and thus allows Obi-Wan to honor his vow to Qui-Gon and train the boy. Clearly, in all of this, Yoda and the council were very much aware, deciding, helping, and guiding Anakin's training process in all of the Prequels.
mistakeabout his abilities, and
failedto instruct and train Anakin, then should Yoda or the Jedi Council have ever been aware or involved in the process of Anakin's training in the Prequels?
“I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner; now I am the master.”
— Lord Darth Vader, “A New Hope”
“When I saw what had become of him (Anakin), I tried to dissuade him, to draw him back from the dark side. We fought... your father fell into a molten pit. When your father clawed his way out of that fiery pool, the change had been burned into him forever — he was Darth Vader, without a trace of Anakin Skywalker. Irredeemably dark. Scared. Kept alive only by machinery and his own black will...”
— Ben Kenobi, “Return of the Jedi” (novelization), p. 64
“Obi-Wan tried to save Anakin but the two, fought and Anakin fell into a molten pit.”
— “The Complete Star Wars® Trilogy Scrapbook”, p. 34
Originally Anakin left Obi-Wan to follow Palpatine and at a later time Anakin was “Killed” when he fell into
a molten pit. In spite of this Episode 3 depicts Obi-Wan leaving Anakin plus Anakin is amputated and only left to burn near the shore of a molten river.
“When your father left, he didn't know your mother was pregnant. Your mother and I knew he would find out eventually, but we wanted to keep you both as safe as possible, for as long as possible. So I took you to live with my brother Owen, on Tatooine... and your mother took Leia to live as the daughter of Senator Organa, on Alderaan. The Organa family was high-born and politically quite powerful in that system. Leia became a princess by virtue of lineage — no one knew she'd been adopted, of course.”
— Ben Kenobi, “Return of the Jedi” (novelization), pp. 66-67
“Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight and hero of the Clone Wars, was slowly being corrupted to the Dark Side by his own lust for power and the evil influence of the Emperor. He finally left his young wife to fully embrace the Dark Side, unaware that she was pregnant with twins. Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi, long-time friend of Anakin as well as his first teacher in the ways of the Force, stayed at the young woman's side until the babies were born. Both she and Ben knew that Anakin - who now called himself Darth Vader - would eventually learn of his offspring, but they wanted to keep the twins as safe as possible for as long as possible. Traveling to Tatooine, Ben believed that his brother, Owen, would be able to protect the boy, Luke Skywalker. The girl, Leia, and her mother went to live on Alderaan as wards of another Clone Wars hero, Bail Organa.
Leia has few memories of her real mother. Luke has none. What Leia remembers are more like snatches of some wild dream. She was so close to her adopted parents that she rarely remembered that she wasn't born to them. Of her real mother, she remembers disjointed images and sensations: running, a beautiful yet sad woman, a woman who was kind and gentle. She remembers parting embraces, flesh torn from flesh, hiding in a trunk. They are only half-glimpsed images and recalled emotions of a woman who died when Leia was very young.”
— Heir to the Empire Sourcebook”, pp. 11-17
“You've probed me more times than I can remember. You had Artoo and Threepio on Obra-skai for months, searching the libraries for any clue.” She emptied her glass and set it down on the bar. “You and I sat in a Jedi meditation circle for hours on end, night after night, calling on Obi-Wan and Anakin and Yoda, Owen and Beru, my foster parents, anyone we knew of who might have known her. Calling her, too--remember?”
“I remember.”
“And when we were done, we knew exactly as much as we had before. A conspiracy of silence, you called it.”
“It seemed that way,” Luke said. “But I think the silence has just been broken. I think I know why we never found any trace of her.”
“You're obsessed with the past.“ she said, her tone sharp. “I just can't let myself keep caring that much. Father and Mother are dead, and nothing you do can change that. My children are the future.”
“How do we know that Mother's dead?“ Luke asked, easing onto a stool on the opposite side of the meal bar. “Where's her grave? Who saw her die? Did you?”
“No--” “How do we know she didn't leave Alderaan, leave you on Alderaan, to hide from Father? How do we know she didn't succeed?”
“There's a simple answer to that,” Leia said, raising her head. “She's dead, Luke. If she were still alive, there'd be nothing to stop her from coming here for a reunion.”
“She might be as young as fifty,” Luke said. “It could still happen.”
— Princess Leia Organa Solo and Master Luke Skywalker,
“Before the Storm”, p. 114
The older sources paint a very different picture of Luke and Leia's mother as compared to what the Prequels suggest. The whereabouts of the mother of the twins was still unknown in the year of 16 ABY, as the events of “Before the Storm” (pp. 101-105, 113-116) indicate. Luke and Leia have very few clues to what happened to her despite all their jedi powers and New Republic resources.
In spite of this Amidala tells Anakin she is pregnant and there is a huge very public funeral, with all its pomp, on Naboo, after Senator Amidala's death, in Episode 3.
“The X-wing™: The Main defense of the Rebel forces are X-wing™ fighter ships, acquired decades earlier and made to last through prudent maintenance.”
— “Topps Collector's Card #159”, Official Description #20 of 22 (back of card)
“...and every one of those snub fighters is older than you are.”
— Han Solo to Princess Leia Organa, “The Case For Rebellion” (Radio Drama)
Decades
? Older
than Princess Leia? According to the Prequels, Princess Leia is a mere 19 years old at the battle of Yavin and if we consider decades
to mean, at the very least, 20 years, both the above older sources agree that the X-wings and Y-wings we see fighting the Death Star in “A New Hope” were at least 20 years old if not older.
“The TIE fighter was designed and built by Republic Sienar Systems (renamed Sienar Fleet Systems — SFS — after the collapse of the Old Republic), renowned as one of the finest combat spacecraft design firms in the galaxy. From the onset, TIE fighters were produced in mass quantities. SFS continues to produce large numbers for the Empire. However, production has recently slowed as resources have been diverted to the Death Star program.”
— “Star Wars®Sourcebook”, First Edition, p. 23
Built by Republic Sienar Systems
? Older sources indicate TIE fighters predate the Empire yet none are seen in the Prequels.
“Visitors to Kashyyk are requested to stick to the Wookiee towns and not venture lower toward the planet's surface. The natural environment is increasingly more hostile as one travels down through the ecosystem levels. Some of the creatures that prowl the jungle floors make even the largest Wookiee pause — and Wookiees pause for very few things.”
— “Star Wars®Sourcebook”, First Edition, p. 83
“Since the coming of the Empire, the life of a Wookiee is not an easy thing. Because of their great strength, these beings make excellent laborers in the Empire's work camps. Kashyyyk itself is under martial law, its inhabitants enslaved by ever-present Imperial forces.”
— “Star Wars®Sourcebook”, First Edition, p. 83
“The Physicist (Bevel Lemelisk) formerly in charge of concept development and implementation always swore by Wookiee laborers. He had about a hundred of them taken from Kashyyyk and brought to the Installation when it was formed.”
— Qui Xux, “Jedi Search”, pp. 269-270
“There were reputedly seven levels of distinct ecology on Kashyyyk, with the seventh level being the topmost tree branches. Normally, not even the bravest Wookiees ever descended below the fourth level, and even Wookie legend did not speculate on what lay below that. No one that Chewbacca had ever known had walked on the actual surface of his world. The bottom-most levels of Kashyyyk were a mystery... and would likely remain so.”
— “Rebel Dawn”, pp. 71-72
The Wookie homeworld of Kashyyyk, first seen in the “Star Wars® Holiday Special”, and later described in detail in Timothy Zahn's "Thrawn Trilogy" is a rain forest planet. Filled with deep jungles, Kashyyyk has extremely tall trees with an extremely dangerous undergrowth in the lower forest levels and filled with giant deadly monsters. In spite of these older sources, Episode 3 depicts Kashyyyk as a swampy open forest world devoid of dangerous surface creatures.
“Since the coming of the Empire, the life of a Wookiee is not an easy thing. Because of their great strength, these beings make excellent laborers in the Empire's work camps. Kashyyyk itself is under martial law, its inhabitants enslaved by ever-present Imperial forces.”
— “Star Wars®Sourcebook”, First Edition, p. 83
We first learn of the Imperial blockade and lockdown on Kashyyk in the “Star Wars® Holiday Special”. Han Solo had to sneak on to Kashyyyk to help Chewbacca visit his own family for Life Day.
“How Long has it been since he (Chewbacca) was on Kashyyyk?”
“Almost fifty-three years”
— Lando Calrissian and Han Solo, “Rebel Dawn”, p. 38
“His [Chewbacca's] nostrils twitched, filtering and identifying the scents he had not whiffed in more than fifty years.”
— “Rebel Dawn”, p. 72
“How quickly can you be ready? How long will it take to prepare your wedding veil?”
“It has been ready for fifty years, Chewbacca. Ready and waiting.”
— Chewbacca and Mallatobuck (Malla), “Rebel Dawn”, p. 76
Almost fifty-three years
? “Rebel Dawn” starts in the year 2 BBY. If we take the year 2 BBY and subtract 52 years, we get 54 BBY. According to the Prequels, the Empire was born in 19 BBY, a discrepancy of 35 years.
Chewbacca's history was radically changed by the Prequels by having him present, meeting Yoda, and fighting on Kashyyyk. Originally Chewbacca was driven from Kashyyyk due to the Empire enslaving and blockading the Wookiee homeworld. Originally neither Yoda nor Chewbacca were on Kashyyyk in the year 19 BBY.
“He was betrayed and murdered, by a very young Jedi named Darth Vader. A boy I was training. One of my brightest disciples... one of my greatest failures.”
— Ben Kenobi, “From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker”, p. 80
None of the references that record the birth date of Anakin Skywalker agree. The age of the fallen Jedi remains a mystery.
“AGE: 50”
— “Star File - Official Business - Darth Vader”, card #10
According to the collector's card, Anakin was 50 in The Empire Strikes Back (set in 3 ABY), thus his birth year would be 47 BBY.
“55 BSW4
— “A guide to the Star Wars® Universe” - Second Edition, p. xix”
Anakin Skywalker born.”
According to “A guide to the Star Wars® Universe” - Second Edition, Anakin was 8 years older than the first reference.
“41 BBY
— “Star Wars® Encyclopedia”, p. xv”
Anakin Skywalker is born.”
According to the “Star Wars® Encyclopedia”, Anakin is 6 years younger than the first source and 14 years younger than the second source.
“-40 —— Birth of Anakin Skywalker”
— “Star Wars® Behind the Magic”, Disk 1 » Main Menu » Events » Recent History Timeline
According to the “Star Wars® Behind the Magic”, Anakin's age again changes so he is 7, 15, and 1 year younger than the three previous sources respectively.
Four “official” sources, four different dates.
“Not much is known about Boba Fett. He wears part of the uniform of the Imperial Shocktroopers, warriors from the olden time. Shocktroopers came from the far side of the galaxy and there aren't many of them left. They were wiped out by the Jedi Knights during the Clone Wars.”
— “Bantha Tracks Newsletter - Introducing: Boba Fett”, p. 4
“Originally the Boba Fett costume was intended to be worn by a squad of supercommandos, troops from the Mandalore system armed with weapons built into their suits.”
— Joe Johnston, “The Empire Strikes Back Sketchbook”, p. 69
“He (Boba Fett) was dressed in a weapon-covered, armored spacesuit, the kind worn by a group of evil warriors defeated by the Jedi Knights during the Clone Wars.”
— “The Empire Strikes Back” (novelization), p. 125
“One of the most remarkable things about Fett is that witnesses actually claim to have seen him stand up to the Dark Lord — and live through it.”
— “Galaxy Guide 3 - The Empire Strikes Back”, First Edition, p. 56
“Boba Fett wears a weapon-covered armored spacesuit similar to those favored by a group of warriors from the Mandalore system who were defeated by the Jedi Knights during the Clone Wars”
— “Galaxy Guide 3 - The Empire Strikes Back”, First Edition, p. 56
“Royal guards wear garb consisting of flowing red robes, red battle armor, and red helmets. Although ceremonial, the red armor does not hamper guardsmen in regards to movement or fighting. This Armor is derived from a pair of similar designs, the uniforms of the Death Watch of the Mandalore system and the Sun Guards of the Thyrsus system. That the armor resembles those of units with such ferocious reputations is no accident, and the red glint of the Imperial Royal Guard armor inspires fear in the hardest of men.”
— “Imperial Sourcebook”, First Edition, p. 12
“But to the eyes of the Force, these Mandalorian walls don't even exist!
We're in an Imperial Dungeon Ship...the kind they used to transport Jedi Knights during the Clone Wars...”
— Master Luke Skywalker, “Dark Empire, Book 2:
Devastator of Worlds”, p. 12, pnl. 2
“Mandalore Warriors
— “A guide to the Star Wars® Universe” - Second Edition, p. 293
The Mandalore Warriors were defeated by the Jedi Knights during the Clone Wars.”
“Fett wears the armor of the Mandalorians, a group of evil warriors who were defeated by the Jedi Knights during the Clone Wars.”
— “The Essential Guide to Characters”, p. 55
“Boba Fett wears the battle armor of a Mandalore warrior defeated in the Clone Wars.
— “The Complete Star Wars® Trilogy Scrapbook”, p. 31
“The Twilight of the Old Republic began with the bloody Clone Wars, in which the Jedi Knights battled and defeated the mysterious Mandalore warriors.”
— “The Star Wars® Trilogy Scrapbook - The Galactic Empire”, p. 5
“He [Boba Fett] wears the armor of the Mandalorian warriors; he's earned the right to that armor, by his own prowess. Lord Vader possesses some of the knowledge that belonged to the Mandalorians; I possess more.”
— Emperor Palpatine to Prince Xixor, “The Bounty Hunter Wars - Book 1: The Mandalorian Armor”, p. 139
Mandaloreor
Mandaloriananywhere in the Prequel movie scripts?
ferociousand
mysteriouswarriors in the Prequels?
“Your mind powers will not work on me, boy. I am not affected by your human thought pattern. I was killing your kind when being a Jedi meant something.”
— Jabba the Hutt, “Return of the Jedi” (novelization), p. 30
On pages 11 and 152 of “Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon”, author Lester Neil Smith uses the adjective coruscating
.
cor·us·cate
intr.v. cor·us·cat·ed, cor·us·cat·ing, cor·us·cates
— thefreedictionary.com
- To give forth flashes of light; sparkle and glitter: diamonds coruscating in the candlelight.
- To exhibit sparkling virtuosity: a flutist whose music coruscated throughout the concert hall.
“Seen from orbit, Imperial Center is a blaze of light and sparkling colors, reminding some spacers of corusca stones, after which this planet was named long ago.”
— Pollux Hax, “The Illustrated Star Wars® Universe”, p. 49
“Its like some beautiful golden gem”
— Bria Tharen, “The Paradise Snare”, p. 261
It is suspected Smith's original use of the adjective coruscating
may have served as the inspiration for Tim Zahn's use of the name Coruscant
for the Galaxy's capital. The Name Coruscant
is used in all 3 Prequels but was the invention of the Expanded Universe (“Heir to the Empire”) back in 1991.
This example demonstrates the inconsistent treatment of Expanded Universe source material because at times some of these sources are ignored and completely contradicted, but at the same time, other sources are used and integrated into the Prequels. Frequently the practice occurs with no apparent rhyme or reason.
“The officially decommissioned Imperial Crusier Wennis bored through the blackness like a thing alive, a hungry thing, a thing with the need to kill. It had been built for that, nearly three-quarters of a century ago.”
— “Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon”, p. 29
The decommissioned Imperial Cruiser Wennis is said to be almost 3/4 of a century old. For sake of argument lets say she is 70 years old and the novel is set in the year 3 BBY thus the ship was constructed about 73 BBY. Now lets be conservative and assume the Wennis spent half its 70 year life under Old republic jurisdiction. The Wennis is also described as ship built for killing not defense which suggests it may have served all 70 of those years under Imperial use and none under the jurisdiction of the Republic. If any of this is so, then we have an existing galactic empire at least as far back as the year 38 BBY or even further. This calculation fits well with several later Expanded Universe sources but clearly disagrees with the new Prequels which set the birth of the Empire at 19 BBY. This equates to a continuity error of 19 years or more.
“While he was nervous, he could remind himself that what he was about to endure was in the line of duty, what Emperor and Empire expected of him, and consistent with future promotion and increases in salary.”
— “Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon”, p. 87
“Familiar orange light poured in from somewhere, and suddenly the world felt better, looked better than it had since he'd left his native planet decades ago to join the police.”
— “Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon”, p. 99
Waywa Fybot was a narcotics agent who worked for the galactic empire. He was killed in action in the year 4 BBY. Even if we assume decades
conservatively means only 20 years, we assume there was an existing Imperial Narcotics Agency, recruiting and hiring new agents, in the year 24 BBY minimum. According to Episode 3 the Empire was born in the year 19 BBY, a discrepancy of 5 years minimum. If Waywa Fybot joined the Imperial Narcottics Force some 25 to 30 years ago it suggests there was an already existing Galactic Empire anywhere from 34 BBY to 29 BBY. This too agrees with many other Expanded Universe sources but is in conflict with Episode 3.
“I'm placing these droids in your care. Treat them well. Clean them up. Have the Protocol Droid's mind wiped.”
— Senator Bail Organa, “Revenge of the Sith”
According to Episode 3, the Droid sequestering and C-3P0's mind wipe is an event that occurred approximately 19 years before the events of Episode 4. Sequestering the droids with Captain Antilles and wiping C-3P0's mind in 19 BBY, essentially prevents all the events and adventures R2-D2 and C-3P0 experienced in the Droids Cartoons (TV show) and Droid Comics (Marvel, Dark Horse) that occurred between Episode 3 and Episode 4 and are thus contradicted by this later change in Prequel continuity.
“Lord Vader, I should have known. Only you could be so bold. The Imperial Senate will not sit for this, when they hear you've attacked a diplomatic...”
— Princess Leia Organa, “A New Hope”
“Holding her is dangerous. If word of this gets out, it could generate sympathy for the Rebellion in the senate.”
— Commander Daine Jir, “A New Hope”
“The Rebellion will continue to gain a support in the Imperial Senate as long as... .”
— General Tagge, “A new Hope”
“The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I've just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.”
— Grand Moff Tarkin, “A New Hope”
In “A New Hope” the Imperial Senate was in its last hours but to the very end was critical of the harsh policies of the Emperor and resisted and influenced his decrees. Before he declared himself Emperor the pressures and influences imposed by the Old Republic Senate would have been even greater with the limited powers afforded Palpatine as chancellor.
“The TIE fighter was designed and built by Republic Sienar Systems (renamed Sienar Fleet Systems — SFS — after the collapse of the Old Republic), renowned as one of the finest combat spacecraft design firms in the galaxy. From the onset, TIE fighters were produced in mass quantities. SFS continues to produce large numbers for the Empire. However, production has recently slowed as resources have been diverted to the Death Star program.”
— “Star Wars®Sourcebook”, First Edition, p. 23
Note that this source indicates Death Star construction had started recently and had not taken some 23 years to build prior to its use in Episode 4.
“Since the coming of the Empire, the life of a Wookiee is not an easy thing. Because of their great strength, these beings make excellent laborers in the Empire's work camps. Kashyyyk itself is under martial law, its inhabitants enslaved by ever-present Imperial forces.”
— “Star Wars®Sourcebook”, First Edition, p. 83
“The Physicist (Bevel Lemelisk) formerly in charge of concept development and implementation always swore by Wookiee laborers. He had about a hundred of them taken from Kashyyyk and brought to the Installation when it was formed.”
— Qui Xux, “Jedi Search”, pp. 269-270
“Because I designed most of the Death Star!”
— Qui Xux, “Jedi Search”, p. 270
“An unoccupied and isolated sector of space was chosen as the construction site. For nearly two years, every resource of the empire was directed toward the completion of the project.”
— Based on the Death Star data carried by R2-D2,
“Star Wars® Technical Journal” Volume 2, p. 38
You will note, indicated in this older source, the first Death Star originally took less than 2 years to build as opposed to the Prequels depiction of the first Death Star under construction for some 23 years. The above source agrees with older sources that indicate the Death Stars were fabricated relatively quickly.
“With Palpatine covertly funding the Death Star project, Tarkin and Motti came to the fore-front of the project. No longer concerned with placating politicians, their ruthless ambition had free rein.”b
— “Galaxy Guide 1: A New Hope”, Second Edition, p. 51
Your Majesty, it has long been my contention that the average citizen has no grasp of numbers nor a head for calculation. I maintain that one of the reasons for the effectiveness of the Star Destroyer is its size. When citizens look at a Star Destroyer and then look at the craft which might be made available to attack it, even the best mind among them wishes to reject the notion rather than approach the problem tactically.
I think this effect could be exploited to a far greater degree. The average citizen deals in symbols, not rational analysis. If we present the citizen with a weapon so powerful, so immense as to defy all conceivable attack against it, a weapon invulnerable and invincible in battle, that shall become the symbol for the Empire. We may need only a handful, perhaps only one of these weapons to subjugate thousands of thousands of worlds each containing millions upon millions of beings.
This single weapon must have force great enough to dispatch an entire system, and the fear it shall inspire will be great enough for you to rule the galaxy unchallenged. What do you need with the senatorial council when you can give direct control of territories to the regional governors? Sweep away the last remnants of the Old Republic and let fear keep the local systems in line—fear of our ultimate weapon.
— Governor Tarkin, “Star Wars® Imperial Sourcebook”, 1st Edition, p. 15
The original back story of the concept, design, and construction of the two Death Stars (and their prototypes) as described in Kevin J Anderson's novels, the “Jedi Academy Trilogy” were contradicted by the events and actions of Poggle the Lesser and Count Dooku in Episode 2. In the Prequels, the Geonosians design the plans for the Death Star on Geonosis instead of the original descriptions of Bevel Lemelisk (a Human not a Geonosian), Qui Xux (an Omwat not a Geonosian), Tol Sivron (a Twi'lek not a Geonosian), and their engineering team designing the Death Star at Grand Moff Tarkin's secret Maw Installation deep in the Maw Cluster. We also learn from these novels that a massive Wookiee slave labor force was used in this monstrous construction project.
“But later I got copies of some of the Emperor's private invoices, and there were millions paid out about that date to an engineer named Ohran Keldor...”
— Mara Jade, “Children of the Jedi”, p.186
“He [Ohran Keldor] was a student of Magrody's, one of the designers of the Death Star One of the teachers at the Omwat orbital platform that produced the rest of the design.”
— Princess Leia Organa Solo, “Children of the Jedi”, p.187
“I mean, that was, what? twenty years before they put the Death Star together...”
— Han Solo, “Children of the Jedi”, p. 187
This contradiction is exacerbated by the problems with the Prequel time line. With a young empire, formed in 19 BBY, there is not enough time to build the two Death Stars, or the battlemoon Eye of Palpatine 20 years prior to it, unless Chancellor Palpatine began construction of said superweapons prior to the forming of the Galactic Empire and prior to obtaining the absolute powers afforded him as emperor. The money trail and resource trail of such massive construction projects would be impossible to hide from the Republic Bureaucracy. This begs the following questions about the Prequels:
ultimate weaponspaid for, for 23 years (Eye of Palpatine) and 3 years (Death Stars), prior to the birth of the Galactic Empire without any notice of the Old Republic Bureaucracy?
“During the Clone Wars, warship design technology improved in leaps and bounds as engineers on both sides sought desperately to create bigger, faster, more heavily-armed and armored vessels.”
— “Star Wars® Sourcebook”, p. 31
“most of the new vessels can trace their origin to ships created or designed during the Clone Wars. In addition, several vessels produced during the Clone Wars — the Victory-class Star Destroyer, to name but one — still see extensive service today.”
— “Star Wars® Sourcebook”, p. 31
“Designed by Republic engineer Walex Blissex, the Victory-class Star Destroyers were commisioned into service at the tail end of the Clone Wars. Seeing little action during the Wars, they formed the bulk of the Republic Navy for years following. Now largely replaced in the Empire's warfleet by bigger and faster Imperial-class Star Destroyers.”
— “Star Wars® Sourcebook”, p. 31
“The largest ship is an ancient relic from the Clone Wars, a Victory-class Star Destroyer named The Chariot, armed with 68 working concussion missile tubes, a few dozen double turbolaser batteries and not much else.”
— “Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters”, p. 41
Several sourcebooks record details about the history of the races of the planet Mon Calamari (Dac) and their native sapient races the Quarren and the Mon Calamari. These sources note the following about their history and their first contact with interplanetary beings:
“Because of Calamari's unfortunate recent history, Calamarians can be found in Imperial labor camps and in the Rebel Alliance.”
— “Star Wars® Sourcebook”, p. 76
“Technological advances were slow by human standards, retarded by the paucity of metals in Calamari's crust.”
— “Star Wars® Sourcebook”, p. 76
“Today, these mechanical floating cities dot the oceans, artificial continents resting above the constant sea.”
— “Star Wars® Sourcebook”, p. 76
“The first Calamari starship met the Empire, and made peaceful overtures.”
— “Star Wars® Sourcebook”, p. 76
“Calamarians have adopted the common language of the galaxy, and because of their recent history they can be found in Imperial labor camps and in the Rebel Alliance.”
— “Galaxy Guide 4 - Alien Races”, p. 57
“Technological advances were slow because of the difficult time the Calamarians had extracting metals from the planet's crust.”
— “Galaxy Guide 4 - Alien Races”, p. 57
“Today, floating cities dot the oceans of the water world, artificial continents resting above the constant sea.”
— “Galaxy Guide 4 - Alien Races”, p. 57
“They dreamed of finding other civilizations with which to share their hopes and aspirations. Instead they found the Empire.”
— “Galaxy Guide 4 - Alien Races”, p. 57
“First they colonized their own star system; then they discovered the secret of hyperdrive. But before they could reach out to find the galactic community they dreamed of, they met the Empire.”
— “A guide to the Star Wars® Universe” - Second Edition, pp. 306-307
In spite of this we see a Quarren walking in the streets of Mos Espa and cheering in the stands of the Boonta eve Classic in Episode 1. Likewise we see delegations of Quarren representatives, in the Republic Senate, in all three Prequels. This includes the Quarren senator Tundra Dowmeia. We also see Mon Calamari performing aquatic ballet on Coruscant and Mon Calamari senator Meena Tills in Episode 3. According to the Prequels, all of these encounters occur well before the creation of the Galactic Empire in Episode 3. After 2005 and the productions of Episode 2 and Episode 3, both Quarren and the Mon Calamari suddenly and incorrectly appear, in the galaxy, in source material predating the empire (Old republic, Republic, etc.) to compensate for the many continuity inconsistencies observed in the Prequels.
“Introduced to the Galaxy before the Clone Wars, the Dreadnaught-class Heavy Cruiser was the largest vessel of its time. In fact, these are among the oldest ships still seeing active service in some parts of the Empire.”
— “Imperial Sourcebook”, First Edition, p. 57
“The Atgar 1.4 FD P-Tower, a light laser cannon, was first introduced in the Clone Wars as an anti-vehicle weapon. Primarily used by the Rebellion now, a few ancient Atgar 1.4 FD P-Towers still see service on the Empire's lower-tech Outer Rim worlds.”
— “Imperial Sourcebook”, First Edition, p. 113
ancientindicate the Empire is older than the Prequels suggest?
“Pellaeon waited until he could hear the sound of the approaching footsteps. Then with all the regal weight that 50 years spent in the Imperial fleet gave to a man, he straightened up and turned.”
— “Heir to the Empire”, p. 1
The Novel “Heir to the Empire” is takes place 9 ABY. If you take 9 ABY and subtract 50 years, this indicates that Captain Pallaeon started his Imperial career in the Imperial Navy in 41 BBY. According to the Prequels, the Empire was born in 19 BBY, a discrepancy of 22 years.
“Han's lip twisted. "The story is that some of their Jedi went bad during the Clone Wars and really mangled things before they were stopped. Or so Mon Mothma says."
"She's right," Leia nodded. "We were still getting echoes of the whole fiasco in the Imperial Senate when I was serving there. It wasn't just Bpfassh, either—some of those Dark Jedi escaped and made trouble all throughout the Sluis sector. One of them even got as far as Dagobah before he was caught."
Luke felt a jolt run through him. Dagobah? "When was that?" he asked as casually as possible.
"Thirty, thirty-five years ago," Leia said, her forehead creased slightly as she studied his face. "Why?"
Luke shook his head. "No reason," he murmured.”
— “Heir to the Empire”, pp. 94-95
“"All right. Did it ever occur to you to wonder why Master Yoda was able to stay hidden from the Emperor and Vader all those years?"
She shrugged. "I suppose I assumed they didn't know he existed."
"Yes, but they should have," Luke pointed out. "They knew I existed by my effect on the force. Why not Yoda?"”
— “Heir to the Empire”, p. 147
“The swamps had hidden Yoda for centuries, and it was certainly isolated from the mainstream of galactic traffic ... but Dagobah had no appropriate facilities either.”
— Princess Leia Organa Solo, “Jedi Search”, p. 302
“He popped the cylinder into Artoo, and almost immediately Artoo caught a signal. Images flashed in the air before the droid: an ancient throne room where, one by one, Jedi came before their high master to give reports. Yet the holo was fragmented, so thoroughly erased that Luke got only bits and pieces—a blue-skinned man describing details of a grueling space battle against pirateers; a yellow-eyed Twi'lek with lashing headtails who told of discovering a plot to kill an ambassador. A date and time flashed on the holo vid before each report. The report was nearly four hundred standard years old.
Then Yoda appeared on the video, gazing up at the throne. His color was more vibrantly green then Luke remembered, and he did not use his walking stick. At Middle age, Yoda had looked almost perky, carefree—not the bent, troubled old Jedi Luke had known. Most of the audio was erased, but through the background hiss Yoda clearly said, “We tried to free the Chu'unthor from Dathomir, but were repulsed by the witches... skirmish, with Masters Gra'aton and Vulatan.... Fourteen acolytes killed... go back to retrieve...””
— “The Courtship of Princess Leia”, p. 15
“When I first met Obi-Wan, he'd been a hermit on Tatooine for ten years or more. When I first met Yoda, he had been a hermit on Dagobah for a hundred years or more. I never thought to ask either of them why.”
— Master Luke Skywalker, “Before the Storm”, p. 67
“How Long has it been since he (Chewbacca) was on Kashyyyk?”
“Almost fifty-three years”
— Lando Calrissian and Han Solo, “Rebel Dawn”, p. 38
Originally Yoda played no part in the Clone Wars, never met Chewbacca on Kashyyyk (Chewy was away for over a half century), nor was Yoda in any way on Coruscant or in the public eye during the Jedi Purge. Originally, Yoda had gone into hiding, on Dagobah, long before Chewbacca left Kashyyyk, and all the characters of the Old Trilogy and Prequel Trilogy were even born.
One of the main reasons Darth Vader never mentions Yoda's name in the Old Trilogy is because Vader does not even know Yoda exists. The reason Yoda is never hunted down by Vader during the Jedi Purge is likewise because very few Jedi even knew of Yoda's existence and save for Obi-Wan Kenobi, those who knew Yoda were hunted down by Darth Vader. Thus the knowledge of Master Yoda died with those Jedi. The details of Yoda's hermitage, in the above novels, fit the details of the Old Trilogy and is completely contradicted by the Prequels.
Once again we have an example of the inconsistent treatment of Expanded Universe source material because at times some of these sources are ignored and completely contradicted, but at the same time, other sources are used and integrated into the Prequels.
“He was supposed to go for one of the flashy chrome-plated yachts that had been collecting dust on the front row, not the freighter I'd been quietly upgrading on the side for myself.”
— Lando Calrissian, “Heir to the Empire”, p. 219
“The third was Alderaan, Leia's pride and joy. Alderaan was a sleek little ship with hyperdrive capabilities.”
— “The Crystal Star”, p. 76
“Leia laid one hand on the silver flank of her ship. No distinguishing mark marred its limpid finish, which looked like puddled mercury.”
— “The Crystal Star”, pp. 77-78
The descriptions of the yachts on Lando Calrissian's lot and Princess Leia's personal ship Alderaan closely match the appearance of the various Naboo ships we see in the Prequels.
“The Republic seldom had to use force to maintain power, but nonetheless, it was well protected. It maintained a full army and navy, but these forces were not what bound the republic together.
The True protection of the Republic was the ancient order of the Jedi Knights, masters of the mystic Force.”
— “Star Wars - The Roleplaying Game”, Second Edition, p. 126
“If they do break away -... ...If they do, you must realize there aren't enough Jedi to protect the Republic. We are keepers of the peace, not soldiers.”
— Mace Windu, “Attack of the Clones”
Originally the Old Republic was not exclusively protected by the Jedi Knights but had a fully-realized fully-capable military force to protect its interests. Originally the Jedi's role was one of a constabulary and peacekeeper. If for some reason, there was a shortage of manpower to defend the Republic, and wage war with the Separatists, there would have to be a dire cause for such a shortage.
Clone Warsplural or singular?
Warand
Battlemean the same thing?
“Han's lip twisted. "The story is that some of their Jedi went bad during the Clone Wars and really mangled things before they were stopped. Or so Mon Mothma says."
"She's right," Leia nodded. "We were still getting echoes of the whole fiasco in the Imperial Senate when I was serving there. It wasn't just Bpfassh, either—some of those Dark Jedi escaped and made trouble all throughout the Sluis sector. One of them even got as far as Dagobah before he was caught."
Luke felt a jolt run through him. Dagobah? "When was that?" he asked as casually as possible.
"Thirty, thirty-five years ago," Leia said, her forehead creased slightly as she studied his face. "Why?"
Luke shook his head. "No reason," he murmured.”
— “Heir to the Empire”, pp. 94-95
“60 years BSW4
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Knight, born.55 years BSW4
Anakin Skywalker is Born.48 years BSW4
Mon Mothma, Senator and Alliance leader, born on Chandrila.35 years BSW4
Clone Wars end.29 years BSW4
Han Solo born in the Corellian star system.Fall of the Republic
A dark period of corruption and social injustice sweeps through the Republic, paving the way for Senator Palpatine's rise to power.18 years BSW4
— “A Guide to the Star Wars® Universe”, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded, p. xix
Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa born and placed in hiding; Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader; Jedi Knights hunted and killed; Palpatine becomes Emperor; Empire formed; first stirrings of rebellion begin.”a
“35 years BSW4 — Clone Wars end.
29 years BSW4 — Han Solo born in the Corellian star system.
Fall of the Republic — A dark period of corruption and social injustice sweeps through the Republic, paving the way for Senator Palpatine's rise to power.
18 years BSW4 — Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa born and placed in hiding.”
— “Star Wars® Gamemaster Screen Revised”, p. 56
“But to the eyes of the Force, these Mandalorian walls don't even exist!
We're in an Imperial Dungeon Ship...the kind they used to transport Jedi Knights during the Clone Wars...”
— Master Luke Skywalker, “Dark Empire, Book 2:
Devastator of Worlds”, p. 12, pnl. 2
You will note in this reference the empire is already in existence during the Clone Wars and when Jedi are being captured and imprisoned in Imperial Dungeon Ships. Other sources indicate that some of these "captured Jedi" would form the ranks of the Emperor's Hands, Executors, Inquisitors, Procurator's of Justice, and Adepts of the Dark Side.
"Then Lord Vader and his Dark Knights came to the Hapes cluster and hunted the Jedi down. After Vader killed the Jedi, he merely sealed them in the ruins at Reboam, I hear. Perhaps they kept some records of their doings, I don't know."
— Queen Mother Ta'a Chume, “The Courtship of Princess Leia”, p. 106
This source also confirms the former that some Jedi were captured and converted to the dark side.
“I shall resurrect the brotherhood of the Sith, and with your Jedi trainees I shall form the core of an invincible Force-wielding army.”
— Exar Kun, “Champions of the Force”, p. 98
In the above quote, Exar Kun referred to Luke's students which included, Cilghal, Dorsk 81, Kam Solusar, Kirana Ti, Kyp Durron, Streen, and Tionne. Had Exar Kun been successful, he would have been a Sith lord with no less than seven warriors serving as his apprentices.
“Long before the cloned Emperor's demise, the evil ruler initiated an elite corps of seven warriors whom he empowered with the dark side of the Force. These "Dark Jedi," as he called them, were authorized to put into action his master plan to retake the Galaxy: Operation Shadow Hand.”
— “Dark Empire II - Operation Shadow Hand”, 1 of 6, p. 1, opening scroll
“Vader's authority has passed to us, bounty hunter.”
— Baddon Fass, “Dark Empire II - Duel on Nar Shaddaa”, 2 of 6, p. 4
In , “Dark Empire II” Palpatine's Clone was successful in creating dark apprentices that served him as he transferred his life force from one cloned body to the next. These apprentices included: Sedriss, Xecr Nist, Vill Goir, Tedryn-Sha, Baddon Fass, Zasm Katth, Krdys Mordi, Kvag Gthull, and T'iaz.
“I was a student... of Lord Vader.”
— Rillao the Firrerreo, “The Crystal Star”, p. 245
“He [Darth Vader] taught us in secret. Even after the Empire declared our people subhuman, and destroyed us, he kept me... and one other [Lord Hethrir]”
— Rillao the Firrerreo, “The Crystal Star”, p. 246
Darth Vader taught not one but two Firrerreo apprentices, the ways of the force, in secret, one apprentice (Rillao) would disappoint and flee him and the other (Lord Hethrir) would complete his training with Vader and be appointed Procurator of Justice
in the Empire. All this training occurring at the same time as Palpatine's Imperial reign.
“Always two there are....no more...no less. A master and an apprentice.”
— Master Yoda, “The Phantom Menace”
Previous to May 19, 1999, we see many examples in both the novels, comics, and PC games of lone Dark Jedi and Sith. One example is Joruus C'baoth from the “Thrawn Trilogy”. Likewise we see examples of groups of Dark Jedi and Sith operating in numbers greater than two. Another example is in “Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II” where Jerec, is a student of Sith teachings, is a servant to the Emperor, and Darth Vader. Jerec had seven warriors who served him: Boc, Aseca, Gorc and Pic, Maw, Sariss, and Yun, all practitioners of the dark side. In the “Dark Forces: Soldier for the Empire” audio drama subordinates use the honorific “Lord” to address “Lord Jerec” multiple times and Jerec does not correct his subordinates. This highly suggests Jerec like Vader is also a Sith Lord but of lower rank than Vader.
Star Wars® Expanded Universe authors have to comply with many rules set forth by Lucasfilm Ltd. and George Lucas. The above sources seem to favor the rule of eight (one master and seven apprentices) not the rule of two.
It wasn't always this way. We were at peace following the Clone Wars. Guided by the Jedi Knights and the government of the Republic, war-weary citizens rebuilt their lives and restored their worlds. The central authority of the Republic encouraged prosperity and freedom for all.
But the galaxy is vast. With a thousand thousand worlds to govern, a few greedy senators found that they could abuse their power, at first in small ways. but ever more boldly. Slowly but steadily corruption infected the Republic. More and more senators, seduced by power and wealth, allied themselves with special interests. And their corruption spread throughout the many worlds. The Republic was crumbling.
Into this situation came a young senator named Palpatine. I remember him. Very ordinary. Very methodical. Nothing to call your attention... just enough to keep his position. MAKE NO MISTAKE! This Palpatine was a Rodian in Ewok's clothing! His was a diabolical master plan, and he carried it out to perfection.
The authority of the Senate was weakening at an alarming pace. Crime was on the increase everywhere while many worlds threatened secession. Others simply did as they wished while pretending loyalty. We needed a solution, and that is what Palpatine offered. Through a combination of political maneuvering. careful promises, and some out-and-out fraud, Palpatine got himself elected head of the Senatorial Council, President of the Republic. Many of the most honest and ethical senators backed him because he promised unity and had never joined among the most corrupt. At the same time, the worst members of the Senate expected a weak, controllable President, a figurehead to represent justice as they continued to serve the cause of self-interest.
I was young, the youngest Senator ever elected until then. Even so, I soon saw this man for the monster he was. But everyone was so anxious for a solution...
Neither senatorial faction got what they had expected. Instead, with the power of the Presidency now secured, Palpatine suddenly emerged as a dynamic and increasingly ruthless leader, getting the government working again. Little by little, he assumed control, as the Senate consumed itself in bitter rivalries. Palpatine subtly encouraged this dissension while seeming to support various sides. He played us against each other, using every means imaginable to increase his control. He gained the loyalty of some senators through favors while others he swayed with blackmail or coercion. I wept when I could not get them to see the truth.
Little by little, in ways so subtle that few realized what was happening. Palpatine took the reins of power from the Senate. When he was ready. he declared himself Emperor, announcing a New Order. He filled the senators' heads with grand rhetoric. promising to lead the Republic to a glorious golden age like that of the Kitel Phard Dynasty of old.
It is Palpatine's New Order that now stomps on your freedom with an iron boot.
Some of us tried to defy him, but the result is what you see. I am a fugitive now. Palpatine has grown more powerful on the Dark Side. With the help of the fallen Jedi Knight, Darth Vader, he deals swiftly and decisively with his enemies. If I had not escaped. I would now be dead. Palpatine's power is spreading, and with it the Darkness of his tyranny. This is how the Old Republic died. This is how the Empire was born.
— Mon Mothma, “The Farlander Papers”, pp.8-9
Mon Mothma's speech from “The Farlander Papers” provides a very different glimpse of the events of the Prequels four years before George Lucas penned Episode 1 and six years prior to the theatrical release of Episode 1.
“112 BSW4 C-3P0 activated.”
— “A guide to the Star Wars® Universe” - Second Edition, p. xviii
“C-3P0 is a Cybot Galactica 3P0 Human Cyborg Relations Droid. He Was activated 112 years before his adventures with the Rebel Alliance and his first job was said to be programming binary load lifters.”
— “Star Wars® The Essential Guide to Characters”, p. 16
“You are a protocol droid at least three models behind, and an astromech droid sixteen models out of date. If you were part of our team here, we'd definitely recycle you.”
— Kloperian tech, “The New Rebellion”, p. 74
“Didn't you know that protocol droids must do this every hundred years?”
— C-3P0, “The New Rebellion”, p. 441
In spite of this date, we see Anakin building C-3P0 in Episode 3. Originally C-3P0 was a much older droid having been activated several generations prior to Anakin's birth.
great pilotneed or build a protocol droid and not an R2 unit?
already a great pilot?
“I'm placing these droids in your care. Treat them well. Clean them up. Have the Protocol Droid's mind wiped.”
— Senator Bail Organa, “Revenge of the Sith”
“He intercepted an Imperial drone ship — one of those antiques they used for carrying messages back before the Clone Wars.”
— Rebel Crewman to Luke Skywalker, “The Truce at Bakura”, p. 2
“Electrite crystal leads. Leftovers from the old 'elegance' days.”
— Wedge Antilles to Luke Skywalker, “The Truce at Bakura”, p. 4
“The Empire never used such antiques any more.”
— “The Truce at Bakura”, p. 4
Antiques
? “The Truce at Bakura” takes place right after the events of “Return of the Jedi”. According to the Prequels, the Clone Wars started some 26 years prior.
antiqueseem appropriate for a ship that could have seen regular service 26 years ago?
antiqueseem appropriate for a ship that saw service many decades ago and is no longer in wide use?
“Almost everything we know know about the Koornacht Cluster is thirty years old. It was in Imperial hands from the time of the Clone Wars until shortly after the Battle of Endor.”c
— “Before the Storm”,p. 84
“Before the Storm” takes place in the year 16 ABY so the events spoke of in the above quoted report were compiled by the Rebel Alliance in the year 14 BBY.
“It's Old Republic bronze, the strapwork and the iridescent wash... ...Maybe forty, fifty years old? They don't make anything like that now.”
— Princess Leia Organa Solo, “Children of the Jedi”, p. 16
Maybe forty, fifty years old?
The events of “Children of the Jedi” take place in the year 12 ABY which indicate Princess Leia's remarks are speaking of a time anywhere from 28 BBY to 38 BBY. This source is in agreement with other older sources that the Empire is older than the Prequels suggest.
Old Republic, in the above quote, refer to a government that was in existence only 31 years ago (19 BBY) or a time much older?
Old Republic bronze40 to 50 years prior?
“They were of an older style than Luke had known, longer in the face to allow for the earlier configuration of respirators, with a dark band of sensors above the eyes.”
— “Children of the Jedi”, p. 56
The stormtroopers stationed on Pzob were present on the planet as late as 18 BBY if not earlier yet the descriptions of their helmets do not match the images we see in Episode 3 which was set in the same time period.
“A second band had emerged from the trees on the opposite edge of the great clearing, equally dirty, drooling, shaggy, clothed in spiked armor wrought half of bright-colored reptile leather, half of scrap metal clearly scavenged or stolen from the Imperial base that for thirty years now had rotted in the woods.”
— “Children of the Jedi”, p. 62
“Children of the Jedi”, set in 12 ABY, indicates the Imperial base was abandoned about 18 BBY. The Novel does not exactly indicate when the Imperial base was originally built but suggests a period of time several years prior. According to the Prequels, the Empire was first formed in 19 BBY and the new Emperor would have very little time to set up such a base if both sources agreed.
“Luke, the Force runs strong in your family. Pass on what you have learned.”
— Master Yoda, “Return of the Jedi”
“For ten or twelve years nobody remembered them at all — though it's quite clear from examining the ruins of Plett's house that he'd been living here for some seventy years before the other Jedi brought their spouses and children here to hide.”
— Jevax the Mluki, “Children of the Jedi”, p. 69
“But when I broke into it I couldn't find out anything except that at the end of the Clone Wars there'd been some kind of secret mission whose target was one of the rift valleys on Belsavis. Security was so heavy that even the people who worked on it didn't know what was going on. If it was a move against the Jedi — against their families and children — I can see why they did it that way.”
— Mara Jade, “Children of the Jedi”, p. 186
“Anakin, this baby will change our lives. I doubt the Queen will continue to allow me to serve in the Senate, and if the Council discovers you are the father, you will be expelled from the Jedi Order.”
— Senator Padmé Amidala, “Revenge of the Sith”
As evidenced by the title of the novel “Children of the Jedi”, Jedi not only married but had children in the open during the Old Republic. In spite of this we discover Jedi are not permitted to marry or have children in the Prequels. The events of the Prequels essentially undermine the entire reason and premise for Barbara Hambly's novel to exist.
“Grand Moff Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board.”
— Princess Leia Organa, “A New Hope”
“Charming to the last. You don't know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life!”
— Grand Moff Tarkin, “A New Hope”
The animosity exchanged between Leia and Tarkin seems to be much older than than the rebellion itself. Tarkin's reputation seems infamous.
“She knew Tarkin. She knew he despised Bail Organa and she knew he was aware of the opposition centered on Alderaan. She knew that under his self-satisfied efficiency he had a spiteful streak the width of the Spiral Arm and loved to tell people that his — or the Emperor's — most frightful retaliations were actually the fault of the victims.
Of the Atravis Sector massacres, he'd said "they have only themselves to blame".
She knew, too, that as a millitary man he'd been dying to try his new weapon, to see it in action... to describe its performance to the Emperor and hear that pale cold voice whisper like dead leaves on stone, "It is well."
In her heart, she knew he'd intended Alderaan as his target all along.”
— Princess Leia Organa Solo (memories), “Childran of the Jedi”, p. 248
“I haven't gone by the name Obi-Wan since oh, before you were born.”
— Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi, “A New Hope”
“Then a wholly unexpected sound is born, a sound such as I have not heard for a hundred years: the low-pitched, throbbing hum of an unsheathed and triggered lightsaber.”
— Dannik Jerriko, “Soup's On: The Pipe Smoker's Tale” -
“Tales of the Mos Eisley Cantina”, p. 289
A hundred years
? “Soup's On: The Pipe Smoker's Tale” is set in 0 BBY so Dannik Jerriko is referring to memories back in 100 BBY. Dannik Jerriko, an Anzat, is much like a mythical vampire preying on victims and drinking their "luck" instead of blood. This lifestyle requires constant movement and extensive travel to avoid the authorities. because of this, Dannik Jerriko does travel the more seedy and disreputable paths of the galaxy but over time he does, on occasion, intersect with Jedi and their unique weapons.
According to the Prequels, the lightsabers of the Jedi fell silent shortly after Order 66
and the Jedi Purge of 19 BBY. If this is so, Dannik Jerriko has not encountered any Jedi in his extensive travels for 81 years.
“As he passed over the cliff for the second time, he spotted her ship—an elderly Verpine Adventurer—resting a hundred meters back from the precipice.
I can't believe I didn't hear that clunker coming, he thought. Pre-Empire, lifting body design, hoverjets for atmospheric mode—”
— Master Luke Skywalker's observations, “Before the Storm”, pp. 107-108
“Before the Storm” takes place in the year 16 ABY thus according to the Prequels, the Verpine Adventurer was a minimum of 35-36 years old (early 19 to 20 BBY). Fighters like the Z-95 Headhunter are considered very old as compared to X-wings and Y-wings but even the Z-95 Headhunter has repulsorlifts to augment its aerodynamic design and to allow the fighter to travel from one planet to another (in-system).
elderlyand
clunkeruse to describe a 35 year old ship?
elderlyship, and its relatively crude technology (pre-repulsorlift), indicate the Empire is older than the Prequels suggest?
“The Red gladiator droids hadn't been seen by any of them except an ancient astromech unit, one that had been old during the Clone Wars.”
— “The New Rebellion”, p. 516
Ancient
? Old
? “The New Rebellion” is set in the year 17 ABY and according to the Prequels the Clone Wars spanned the years of 22 BBY through 19 BBY. According to the Prequels the droid described as ancient
was considered old
36 to 39 years ago.
ancientand
oldindicate the Clone Wars occurred, further back in time, than the Prequels suggest?
“The ancient troopship, a relic of the Clone Wars, hung in orbit over the planet Corellia, silent and seemingly derelict.”
— “The Paradise Snare”, p. 1
Ancient
? Relic
? The novel “The Paradise Snare” is set 10 years before the events of “A New Hope” (10 BBY) and according to the Prequels, 9 years after “Revenge of the Sith”.
ancientand
relicseem appropriate to describe a ship that saw service 9 years prior in Episode 3?
ancientand
relicseem more appropriate to describe a ship that saw service many decades ago?
“AGE: 43”
— “Star File - Official Business - Boba Fett”, card #11
“We know you (Boba Fett) were an imperial Stormtrooper. We have proof you murdered your superior officer.”
— Zasm Katth, “Dark Empire II - Duel on Nar Shaddaa”, 2 of 6, p. 4
“Once Years ago, the man had been a Journeyman Protector named "Jaster Mereel". That had been before he killed a man, and paid the price for his crime.
Now he had no name save the one he had adopted for himself—Boba Fett. Over the past ten years, he'd become the best-known and most feared bounty hunter in the Empire.”
— “The Hutt Gambit”, p. 178
The backstory, age, and details of Boba Fett's life are radically changed in the Prequels. Originally Boba Fett was not a clone of Jango Fett, named himself Boba Fett
, and was older and closer to the age of Anakin Skywalker.
Welcome to the 50th anniversary edition of Galladinium's Galactic Datalog of Fantastic Technology. For 50 standard years, the executives and employees of Galladinium Galactic Exports have dedicated themselves to bringing you the very finest in Imperial technology.
— “Galladinium's Fantastic Technology”, p. 8
Set between the events of “Star Wars®: A New Hope”, and “Star Wars®: The Empire Strikes Back”, the datalog is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary selling imperial products starting in the year 49 BBY. This is a discrepancy of the birth of the empire by at least 30 years, when compared to Episode 3 set in 19 BBY.
“Greenlanx had never recived such a message before in his career — and he had served over thirty years in the Navy.”
— “The Hutt Gambit”, p. 249
The novel “The Hutt Gambit” takes place 4 BBY. If we assume over thirty years
is at least 31 years and we take the year 4 BBY then subtract 31 years, we realize that Admiral Greelanx started his Imperial career in the Imperial Navy in 35 BBY or possibly before. According to the Prequels, the Empire was born in 19 BBY, a discrepancy of at least 16 years.
“For generations new cadets were indoctrinated into the Emperor's service, toughened up by the world's higher-than-standard gravity.”
— “The Essential Guide to Planets and Moons”, p. 54
Generations
? We first hear of the planet Carida in the novel “Jedi Search” in the year 11 ABY. According to the Prequels, 19 BBY was the founding year of the Galactic Empire and if we subtract that from 11 ABY, we get a span of 30 years. If we assume as little as 15 years is a generation, we can very weakly argue the academy on Carida was teaching cadets for 2 Generations
. More realistically, if we consider a generation 19 to 25 years, then this source indicates the Empire was in existence as far back as the years 27 BBY through 39 BBY, a discrepancy of at least 8 years or more.
As Deevee activated the computer terminal, Hoole, who had shifted back into his own shape, said, "Go back years, Deevee. Look for something that was discovered before the Empire took over."
"Why?" Tash asked her uncle.
"If a planet was discovered under the Empire, it was probably discovered by Imperials. We do not want to go anywhere they have been. We want a place that was discovered a long time ago, and then forgotten."
"I think I've found just the planet," Deevee said, after a short search. "This planet was discovered by an exploration team almost forty years ago.
— “Star Wars® Galaxy of Fear: The Hunger”, p. 26
The novel “Star Wars® Galaxy of Fear: The Hunger” takes place in the year 1 ABY so if we were to go back almost 40 years we would be around 37-38 BBY, a discrepancy of about 18-19 years with Episode 3.
The language of and knowledge of Death Star production was greatly changed from the first to second editions of this publication. On page 41 of the First Edition of “Galaxy Guide 1: A New Hope” it states the following:
“Admiral Motti was appropriately one of the strongest supporters of the Death Star project and his own enthusiasm is partly responsible for the eventual approval of the project, which was slow in coming indeed. Not since the requisition for the Imperial-class Star Destroyer hit the Senate floor has so much debate been heard over a military defense item. Now, of course, such debates have become irrelevant with the dissolving of the Senate altogether. It is terrifying to project what military priorities have been set within the newly formed Imperial planning councils, now that debate on such matters and their ultimate procurement is held solely in the hands of the Emperor himself.”
Conjecture: The nature of this change, between editions, suggests that the authors of West End Games, realized the knowledge of the Death Star by the Imperial Senate would have lead to the Emperor's immediate dismissal without his absolute power afforded after the dissolution of the council. It is also possible this change was ordered by George Lucas himself.
Clone Warsis always expressed in the plural form, it is entirely possible a series of violent wars involving clones were possible.
Many references exist throughout the Star Wars® Expanded Universe that speak of the events of the Prequels but are not necessarily in disagreement with the Prequel movies. They are noted here for completeness.
“That's quite a fleet for bottling up one undefended dust cloud. What do they think this is, the Clone Wars?”
— Lando Calrissian, “Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBoka”, pp. 15-16
“10. Jann Tosh A teenager who was orphaned in the Clone Wars and now travels with the adventurous UNCLE GUNDY.”
— “Droids Toy Line” (Boba Fett), back of card, item #10
Noted as being discontinued during the Clone Wars and replaced by the C3 series on page 158 of “Children of the Jedi”.
"It must be fascinating to do your kind of work," Ta'a Chume said to Luke as they finished the last course. "I've always been very provincial, staying close to home, but you traveling across the galaxy, searching for records of the Jedi."
"I really haven't been doing it long," Luke said, "just the past few months. I'm afraid I haven't found anything of value. I'm beginning to suspect that I never will."
"Oh, I'm sure there are records on dozens of worlds. Why, I remember when I was younger, my mother once granted refuge to some Jedi, a group of fifty or so. They hid out in the ancient ruins of one of our worlds for a year, running a small academy." Her voice became rough. "Then Lord Vader and his Dark Knights came to the Hapes cluster and hunted the Jedi down. After Vader killed the Jedi, he merely sealed them in the ruins at Reboam, I hear. Perhaps they kept some records of their doings, I don't know."
"Reboam?" Luke asked, suddenly intense. "Where is that?"
"It's a small world, harsh climate, relatively uninhabited not unlike your own Tatooine."
Isolder could see a sudden, unreasoning hunger in Luke's eyes, as if he wanted to discuss this more. Ta'a Chume offered, "When this is all over and you've rescued Leia, come to Hapes. One of my counselors, who is getting quite old now, could show you the caves. You would be welcome to keep anything you find in them."
— Luke Skywalker and Ta'a Chume, “The Courtship of Princess Leia”, p. 106
“But when I broke into it I couldn't find out anything except that at the end of the Clone Wars there'd been some kind of secret mission whose target was one of the rift valleys on Belsavis. Security was so heavy that even the people who worked on it didn't know what was going on. If it was a move against the Jedi — against their families and children — I can see why they did it that way.”
— Mara Jade, “Children of the Jedi”, p. 186
“The Emperor took whatever steps he felt necessary to reduce the risk of civil war. Whatever else can be said about them, the Jedi were potential insurgents who he felt could not be trusted with power”
— Ohran Keldor, “Children of the Jedi”, p. 371
“I'm glad you called this meeting, President, because I was about to call one myself. You need to know that there's a no-confidence movement in the Senate. There will be a vote shortly.”
— Senator Meido the Adinian, “The New Rebellion”, p. 278
“I move for a "vote of no confidence"...in Chancellor Valorum's leadership.”
— Queen Amidala of the Naboo, “The Phantom Menace”
How ironic that the daughter would be put through the same ordeal as inflicted by the mother.