How I’d Have Written the Star Wars Prequels

My version of Episodes I, II, and III.

It is generally agreed that George Lucas’s Star Wars prequels were a disappointment. Despite being technically proficient, with outstanding visual effects, production design, music score, and the odd thrilling lightsabre duel, the storytelling was largely a plodding bore of trade disputes and ludicrous dialogue about sand. My big issues with the prequels had nothing to do with Jar Jar Binks, and everything to do with wasting the chance to create a set of films on a par with the original classic trilogy.

An alternative treatment

My own treatment for the Star Wars prequels, written in posthumous frustration, went something like this: Episode I begins when the Clone Wars kick-off, introducing Obi-Wan Kenobi as a recently qualified Jedi who has yet to take an apprentice. Battles between Separatists and the Republic are fought, manipulated by Chancellor Palpatine. He is revealed as Darth Sidious immediately, with multiple Sith under his command, not just one.

Amid this turmoil, Obi-Wan discovers eighteen-year-old Anakin on Tatooine; an orphan living rough in Mos Eisley who has incredible raw Force powers. Anakin is charming and resourceful, having survived on the streets since running away from distant relatives as a child (hence the non-blood relative Owen Lars connection). But his powers are extremely dangerous, and Obi-Wan witnesses Anakin abusing them. He is also a killer, having taken revenge for the death of his parents some years earlier. However, Anakin lies to Obi-Wan about this, claiming the killings were self-defence.

After Anakin assists Obi-Wan in his mission on Tatooine, Obi-Wan takes him under his wing. But Yoda senses the darkness in Anakin and insists he not be trained as a Jedi. Obi-Wan disobeys and trains Anakin in secret. Anakin has no problem with this deception.

During their adventures, Obi-Wan is assigned to protect Padme, a Republic senator and ally of Palpatine (unaware of his true intentions). Padme is a strong leader, but also has a rebellious side, and is understandably drawn to Anakin’s flamboyant heroics. This love story takes place in the first film, and not in secret, as there are no prohibitions to romantic attachments among the Jedi. (The Jedi chastity cult thing never sat well with me, considering Yoda told Luke in Return of the Jedi the Force runs strong in his family, and to pass on what he had learned.) Obi-Wan is also attracted to Padme, but keeps his distance, seeing she has fallen for Anakin.

By the end of the first film, Yoda and the Jedi discover Obi-Wan’s deception and are angry with him. But with Anakin now trained as a Jedi, and because of his heroic actions, they reluctantly convey Jedi status on Anakin. This is mainly for political reasons, as he proves instrumental in saving Chancellor Palpatine from death at the hands of the Separatists (a situation Palpatine manipulated, as he is secretly controlling the Sith Lords that assist the Separatists).

The second film in my prequel treatment primarily deals with Anakin’s fall to the dark side, which takes place because he craves power, and is frustrated at what he sees as Jedi’s ineffectiveness through their refusal to use the dark side. Anakin and Padme are now married, and Padme is pregnant, but Anakin is increasingly disinterested in her. The Clone Wars conclude in this film and Palpatine moves against the Republic, consolidating his power and creating the Empire. He betrays the Jedi, largely wiping them out with the help of the Clones.

After Anakin is seduced to the dark side by Palpatine, the film climaxes with the fiery duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan, with Anakin burned and left for dead. But Palpatine, who is now Emperor, rescues him and Darth Vader is born. Vader’s former identity is kept secret. Obi-Wan, Yoda, and the surviving Jedi assume Anakin is dead, with Obi-Wan choosing to keep a heartbroken Padme in the dark about what really happened to her husband.

The final film in my prequel treatment is a chase from start to finish. It opens with Obi-Wan and Yoda discovering the truth about Vader’s secret identity, as he goes about ruthlessly exterminating the remaining Jedi whilst the Empire consolidates its power. Dismayed by Imperial ruthlessness, Padme begins the Rebel Alliance.

Between films, Padme has given birth to Luke and Leia. Because of his still unrequited love for Padme, the twins’ safety is Obi-Wan’s primary concern. Yoda has gone into exile on Dagobah, and for a while, Obi-Wan hides there with him and Padme (along with toddler Luke and Leia, which explains why Luke says Dagobah is familiar in The Empire Strikes Back).

The film becomes an increasingly desperate quest for escape, as Vader obsessively searches for his former master. Amid the chase, Obi-Wan finally confesses the truth about Anakin to Padme. She is heartbroken and angry, feeling she has been betrayed by everyone. Obi-Wan asks her to come with him, but she refuses. Because of this, against her will, Obi-Wan separates Luke and Leia, leaving Leia with Padme on Alderaan (where Padme later dies between episodes 3 and 4). Obi-Wan then takes Luke to Anakin’s distant relatives on Tatooine, thinking it is the last place Vader would ever think to look. Obi-Wan also settles on Tatooine, keeping an eye on Luke as he grows up.

That sums up my (much longer and more rambling) prequel treatment. I’ve only covered the core characters here, but my version of the films would obviously have included plenty of lightsabre duels, some of them featuring huge quantities of Jedi in pitched battles, as well as the expected space dogfights, aliens, monsters, droids (including R2 D2 and C3PO), Sith Lords, and more.

I also created a few of my own new planets and characters, including a female Sith Lord (why haven’t we had one of those in the main films?), who becomes the main antagonist of Episode I, working alongside Count Dooku. Fan favourite Darth Maul crops up in Episode I, and survives most of Episode II as well. My treatment also included Jango and Boba Fett, though in my version they aren’t the source of the clone DNA. The Clones are simply an emergency measure previously ordered by Palpatine at the start of Episode I, when the Clone Wars begin.

The Clone Wars finale

To end on a positive note, there actually is a much better conclusion to the prequel era in the form of the final four episodes of The Clone Wars animated TV series. Although hamstrung by the storytelling decisions in Revenge of the Sith, it manages to overlap with events in that film, cleverly weaving in bits and pieces with Anakin, Obi-Wan, Yoda, Mace Windu et al, but told from the point of view of fan favourites Jedi Ahsoka Tano, Clone Trooper Rex, and still-not-dead Sith renegade Darth Maul. These three have more interesting, convincing, and nuanced character arcs than any of the main characters in the film prequels.

In these four episodes, the levels of pathos, existential crisis, and heartfelt tragic irony far exceed what one would expect, in between battles and lightsabre duels. From the epic siege of Mandalore, to the Order 66 massacre, and a final stand-off that amps up a feeling of genuine peril, this is a much better Revenge of the Sith than Revenge of the Sith. Yes, you know the story and what’s going to happen, but how it happens is what makes these episodes fabulous. The melancholy final scenes — far too good to spoil — almost brought a geek-out tear to my eye. The Republic has fallen. Long live the Empire.

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