Home STAR WARS: The Big Picture STAR WARS: Episode III Other

On the positive side of Episode III, is the historical materialism. If you are an atheist, and you believe in Marxist, Leninist, Stalinist thought, then Episode III fills the bill. From the Stalin point of view, Vader before the helmet was flawed by his reeling emotions; and he could not control his anger. But after the helmet, Vader is colder and separated from all that is human. Vader can use the Dark Side and control it at will. He can turn it on and off, so to speak. Now in the helmet, Vader is the tough guy and rules the galaxy.

On the negative side, if you believe in any religion, higher justice or esoteric truth, you are left very sad because the worst creep gets away scot free to live to a ripe old age. Who is the worst creep? Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan and Yoda were responsible for Anakin's training, and they blew it. Mace set up Qui-Gon to be killed in Episode I. The Jedi were so busy fighting to keep their positions of power, they did not do kind things to Anakin or the rest of the galaxy for that matter. To have Obi-Wan get away is like having the character Covington from the movie "The Patriot" get away to live a nice life in England. In that movie the audience was so glad when Covington is killed by Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson). To leave Vader to die of his burns is like the mentality of an Auschwitz guard or Abu Graib. Another example is the Terry Sciavo case. Instead of lethal injection which is quick and painless, or the other option, to allow Terry Shiavo to live and get therapy, which was Palpatine's option. Vader gets the suit. America chose the worst of all options, death by slow torture through the denial of food and water. Even serial killers who have killed ten, twenty, or even thirty people have got lethal injection. So America, like Obi-Wan, shows a sadistic flare for torture. The lethal injection option was not even allowed to be discussed. When Vader killed, he did it as a proper soldier quickly and efficiently, leaving none to suffer. Obi-Wan not only left Vader to suffer and die, but he took the time to wallow and yell at Vader. After the movie, you feel Obi-Wan should face the Hague Court system. Remember Obi-Wan did not know that Palpatine would save Vader.

In Episode III, you are also denied, from the audience point of view, the joy of getting revenge because Lucas makes so much tragedy in the movie, you leave sad. I was hoping Episode III would have had a more Clint Eastwood or Arnold Swarzenegger feel that you want to clap when Vader cleans up the galaxy and gets revenge against those who hurt him most. Also in Episode III, there should have been a scene where Qui-Gon as a ghost scolds both Yoda and Obi-Wan as wrong. I also believe the movie should have been extended to allow more scenes of Vader in the helmet. There should have been one hidden Jedi, who got away to fight Vader in the helmet. Here we should witness Vader's full power because remember when Vader fights Luke, Vader is holding back because Vader does not want to kill Luke but to recruit Luke.

Hayden is very athletic and talented so he should have been allowed to show his stuff. I feel Hayden was robbed of the cool part by only giving him only two quick scenes to do. No one would have noticed if the stilts were not used. Hayden would have brought excitement and energy Vader deserved. In the last analysis, Episode II was my favorite of all six. In Episode II you meet the inner Anakin and have the fun of falling in love with him.