fiduciary

Author Topic: the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.  (Read 3920 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline WEDGE ANTILLES

  • formerly known as Cobalt60
  • FX-SABERS VIP II
  • Master Force User
  • *
  • Posts: 2852
  • May the LAG be with you
the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.
« on: March 18, 2013, 11:13:36 AM »
my favorite website of all time has posted a new article: the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.

http://www.secrethistoryofstarwars.com/completehistoryofthesequeltrilogy.html

this is a very interesting read which chronicles GL's evolving "vision" and how it changed over time, from a "12 episode saga" (in which the ST was always intended to be made), to an offhanded comment in the media (in which the ST was never intended to be made), to an 'incentive' to make the company more attractive to disney.

it also reveals some of the story development that went into the OT: it reveals exactly 'when' vader was written in as luke's father (this was NOT intended from the beginning of the saga); it talks about the "other" mentioned in ESB, how this character was intended to be the focus of the ST, and how GL decided to scrap the idea and just make leia into the "other" instead, at the last minute, just to wrap things up because he never wanted to make another sequel. evar. (read: because he just didn't care anymore) :-\

Quote

Not surprisingly, the final draft of Empire Strikes Back, written earlier that year, contains a tantalizing hint at a story to come. As Luke is leaving Dagobah, Kenobi remarks that Luke is their only hope. "No," Yoda replies, "there is another."

Recently, on the Empire 2004 DVD for example, Lucas claims that this line wasn't referring to anyone specific but was simply added to increase the danger, that Luke could die because there was someone else ready to replace him. The explanation doesn't quite hold up. But an examination of this infamous line reveals that Lucas indeed must have had some plans for sequels. The line in the initial drafts achieves what Lucas claims of it, and it first appears in the revised second draft. Yoda says, "Now we must find another." In the third draft the line is similar: "No...we must search for another." But in the fourth draft it undergoes a subtle yet highly significant change: "No, there is another." Implying that somebody is already out there, ready to step in and replace Luke, someone that only Yoda knows of....

...Unfortunately, as production of Empire Strikes Back dragged on and on, Lucas may have begun to re-consider things. The difficult shoot was infamously nightmarish, with the budget nearly doubling, accidents and all sorts of problems on sets, and a methodical director that didn't always listen to George, who suffered health problems just as he did on the first film. Making Empire Strikes Back was not the fun adventure he thought it would be in 1977...


...Out of this, an option loomed for Lucas of simply ending the franchise with Episode VI. With Return of the Jedi tying up the story--Vader dead, the Empire defeated, the heroes victorious--what need was there to extend the story beyond this? The third film stood poised to tie up the loose ends and finish the story in a satisfying way, and because of this, Lucas would vow to never make a Star Wars film again by the time Jedi went into production. [Pollock, Skywalking, p. 274-5]

This, of course, left one major lingering hole: the mention of the "other". If Lucas wanted to eliminate the sequel trilogy, as he had envisioned it, or at least give him the option of backing out of making it, then this now needed to be addressed, especially since audiences were looking forward to the reveal of who this would be. Without room to satisfyingly introduce a new character just to address this issue, Leia was merged with this character, justifying her importance as the last hope by making her Anakin's daughter and Luke's twin sister, re-using the twin sister concept that had been in place in the first draft of Empire Strikes Back; this also resolved the Luke-Leia-Han love triangle more definitively.

--> it seems the "other" was supposed to be the focus of the ST, but instead GL threw in the towel, and swore to never make another SW movie.  He just wanted to walk away, and in so doing, the "other" became leia by default.  :-\


-========-

here are some choice 'Lucas Quotes' from the article:



Quote
MTV online on September 10th, 2004:

"This was never planned as a nine-episode work. The media [pounced when] I made an offhand comment, 'It might be fun to come back when everyone's 80 and do another one of these.' But I never had any intention of doing that."

Quote
Merge Digital in 2006:

"Merge: Can this really be the end of the Star Wars saga?

Lucas: Yes. The series starts with Darth Vader as a young lad and ends with him dying. So I don't know where else I can take it.

Merge: Wasn't there talk at one time of three trilogies?

Lucas: That was created by the media, not me."


Quote
Total Film magazine in May 2008:

Lucas: I've left pretty explicit instructions for there not to be any more features. There will definitely be no Episodes VII-IX. That's because there isn't any story. I mean, I never thought of anything. And now there have been novels about the events after Episode VI, which isn't at all what I would have done with it.
The Star Wars story is really the tragedy of Darth Vader. That is the story. Once Vader dies, he doesn't come back to life, the Emperor doesn't get cloned and Luke doesn't get married."

Quote
"Han and Leia probably did get married. They settled down. She became a senator, and they got a nice little house with a white picket fence. Han Solo is out there cooking burgers on the grill. Is that a movie? I don't think so."

---> 'fast forward' to 2012 ---->

Quote

"When Kathy came on, we started talking about starting up the whole franchise again  ... and I said, 'Well, I've got to build this company up so that it functions without me, and we need to do something to make it attractive.' So I said, 'Well, let's just do these movies.' "
  ::)
« Last Edit: April 10, 2013, 08:12:28 AM by WEDGE ANTILLES »
"The Star Wars story is really the tragedy of Darth Vader. That is the story.
Once Vader dies, he doesn't come back to life, the Emperor doesn't get cloned, and Luke doesn't get married..."
- George Lucas

Offline Goodman

  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 1134
Re: the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2013, 12:51:55 PM »
I've always enjoyed your "deep doctrine" -type posts, Wedge. This was a great read with lots of detailed background info!
**I AM RETIRED from saber commission building**

Offline Tifosi

  • Experienced Force User
  • ****
  • Posts: 268
Re: the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.
« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2013, 10:46:13 PM »
I think the "other" that Yoda was referring to was Leia. Remember, it wasn't until ROTJ that we found out Luke has a twin sister and Luke also hinted that the Force is also strong in her. This would be consistent with the ending of ROTS as OWK and Yoda are the only two "people" left that knows about the Skywalker twins.

Offline Scruffy Nerf Herder

  • #1 supporter of Jar Jar for EPVII main lead character
  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 1336
Re: the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2013, 01:32:49 AM »
Bail Organa also knew.

Offline Onli-Won Kanomi

  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 4689
  • Jedi Knight Of Faith
Re: the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2013, 02:42:30 AM »
VERY informative Wedge...Thank You!
To DREAM the IMPOSSIBLE DREAM. To FIGHT the unbeatable foe. To BEAR with unbearable sorrow. To RUN where the brave dare not go. To RIGHT the unrightable wrong. To LOVE, PURE AND CHASTE, FROM AFAR [-sigh-]. To TRY, when your arms are too weary; to REACH the unreachable Star!... This is my Quest; To follow that Star, no matter how hopeless, no matter how far...

Offline Scruffy Nerf Herder

  • #1 supporter of Jar Jar for EPVII main lead character
  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 1336
Re: the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2013, 03:18:20 AM »
I thought we covered this before in another thread?  I was a subscriber to Bantha Tracks way back in the 80's and I remember them talking about 9 movies that long ago...

Offline ScrimpyPIE

  • Experienced Force User
  • ****
  • Posts: 378
  • Guardian's Apprentice
Re: the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2013, 07:24:44 AM »
Bail Organa also knew.

True, but he died when alderaan bit the dust.
What I'm interested in is what if Starkiller/ Starkillers clone could fill the role as the "other". Last we knew, he's alive but MIA, armed with the force, he visited dagobah (so yoda knows of him, but not Obi) and helped build the Alliance (which would make for interesting story. Like 'where did you go' and 'what happened to you' and 'why did you abandon us'). Though not likely, I'd like to see that story, especially since we've been cheated out of TFU3. Lol, well, that's my two cents. :)
"Use the fork, Luke!"

"Are they friendly?" - Obi-wan Kenobi
"Depends... On how good your manners are;
and how big your  'pocket-book' is. - Dexter Jettster

Lightsaber collection-
US Raven
Mhs-based Luke RoTJ
Rebellion KotOR run x2
(Original: violet)
(Second-hand: sky blue)
OM/LDM Lego saber run
LDM Custom "Quobi"
GenesisCustom Ascend CF6 run
GenesisCustom Badaxx "Browncoat"
Personal saber "Illum" by Simpi-gon Sims
"Primum V2" by Darthvix/LDM

Offline WEDGE ANTILLES

  • formerly known as Cobalt60
  • FX-SABERS VIP II
  • Master Force User
  • *
  • Posts: 2852
  • May the LAG be with you
Re: the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2013, 08:10:44 AM »
according to Leigh Bracket's screenplay for ESB, the "other" was called "Nellith Skywalker" and she lived & trained on the other side of the galaxy.
"The Star Wars story is really the tragedy of Darth Vader. That is the story.
Once Vader dies, he doesn't come back to life, the Emperor doesn't get cloned, and Luke doesn't get married..."
- George Lucas

Offline Rusty

  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 626
Re: the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2013, 08:18:21 AM »
Bail Organa also knew.
. Though not likely, I'd like to see that story, especially since we've been cheated out of TFU3. Lol, well, that's my two cents. :)
Well it seems that us star wars fans are always being cheated out of the 3rd game of the series....  kotor 3 battlefront 3, and tfu 3.....,

Brass Starkiller PC-L By Iggy

Offline Scruffy Nerf Herder

  • #1 supporter of Jar Jar for EPVII main lead character
  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 1336
Re: the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2013, 12:41:50 PM »
Bail Organa also knew.

True, but he died when alderaan bit the dust.

That is an assumption.  The screenplay did not establish that he was on the planet when it was destroyed.

Quote
What I'm interested in is what if Starkiller/ Starkillers clone could fill the role as the "other".

You're mixing OT with EU.  While it would make a nice story, everyone already knows how it ends.

Offline Onli-Won Kanomi

  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 4689
  • Jedi Knight Of Faith
Re: the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2013, 12:11:48 PM »
If Bail Organa WASN'T on Alderaan when it was blown up then surely he'd have resurfaced with the other heirarchy of the Rebellion and we'd have seen him next to Mon Mothma somewhere in ESB or ROTJ eh? I guess one could find 'ways' to write 'around' that if one really wanted to give Jimmy Smits an acting job in Ep VII but 'he's probably dead Jim' ;) eh? lol
To DREAM the IMPOSSIBLE DREAM. To FIGHT the unbeatable foe. To BEAR with unbearable sorrow. To RUN where the brave dare not go. To RIGHT the unrightable wrong. To LOVE, PURE AND CHASTE, FROM AFAR [-sigh-]. To TRY, when your arms are too weary; to REACH the unreachable Star!... This is my Quest; To follow that Star, no matter how hopeless, no matter how far...

Offline Scruffy Nerf Herder

  • #1 supporter of Jar Jar for EPVII main lead character
  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 1336
Re: the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2013, 02:16:57 PM »
One  can assume many things but when it comes to hollywood no one is ever truly dead, especially when then there is no hard evidence to support it ;)

Offline David Simmons

  • Force User
  • ***
  • Posts: 128
    • Xenobuzz Construction Headquarters
Re: the complete history of the Sequel Trilogy.
« Reply #12 on: April 11, 2013, 07:35:25 PM »
I would heartily endorse purchasing Michael Kaminski's book.  It is a very well-researched tome that provides a lot of welcome myth-busting.  More than anything, it makes crystal clear the simple fact that GL never had any kind of grand plan.  He made it up as he went along.  Thankfully, he had a LOT of talented people along the way to help him.  I just wish that he had continued to accept the suggestions and ides of others for the prequel trilogy.  If he had been able to keep that creative collaboration going, we might have enjoyed much better films.

I have high hopes that JJ Abrams and Michael Arndt will take the franchise forward with equal parts reverence, respect and joie do vivre!

Dave


"There is no end, no beginning.  There is only the infinite passion of life."  - Federico Fellini

 

retrousse