One of best things about the Star Wars movies is the continuity. You can follow Anakin from when he’s just a child, through his rise to become a galactic leader, and straight to his demise. It’s rare for a movie series to accomplish that. Even Rocky starts with a young adult (although we get to see plenty of his life). In fact, even a TV series, which has much more airtime, will usually struggle to get very far. The Simpsons, for example, have only covered one school year in nearly two decades.
Star Wars will be graced with a live action TV series, slated to air in 2008, and covering the period between Episodes 3 and 4, where Vader clearly embraces his new power and rises to prominence.
Most people know that Lucas has written all nine episodes of Star Wars already. In fact, I was able to find what one guy says are plots for Episode 7: The Fallen Hero, Episode 8: The Republic In Crisis and Episode 9: Victory of the Force. Even though the plots are quite fake, those will be blockbuster movies, and very interesting progression of the post-Vader era. I can’t wait to see them.
However, I am more interested in the beginning, before The Phantom Menace. Rumor has it that Darth Sideous (aka Palpatine/Emporer) manipulated midichlorians to create Anakin by “immaculate conception.” I would like to see how this played out. Let’s see a young Qui-Gon, a younger Yoda, and the parent(s) of Darth Vader. Mostly, I want to see the relationship between an apprentice Palpatine and his mentor, Darth Plagueis.
I’m sure most people reading this have little idea about what I just wrote. But remember, I didn’t get hooked on Star Wars until Episode II came out. That was the movie that tied everything together. Up until that point, I didn’t realize that Palpatine was the Emporer and other basic Star Wars truths. A movie about the early years, especially Palpatine’s apprenticeship, would certainly make fans out of quite a few who have seen the movies but didn’t really “get it.” Plus, there is some potential for a great movie here, with the standard themes you see in movies like this. The student becomes the master. There is a struggle between good and evil. And lots of battles, perhaps even with light sabers.
