Posted 14 June 2006 - 04:55 PM
Here are my ideas. I think I've posted these before.. can't remember anymore.. I'll do it anyway.
Here's how i'd "fix" ROTJ.
-Instead of a new "bigger, badder" DS, have weapon platforms in orbit over Coruscant (like Lucas had originally proposed in early drafts), and Endor is Coruscant's moon (like it was in an early draft, and which some dialogue referring to the "sanctuary moon" still remains in the current film). Vader has been called back by the Emperor, and Vader is angry that his search for Luke has been called off. Vader visits the Emperor in the ancient, converted Jedi Temple. Like in the early concepts for the Emperor's throne room, it is located in the depths of the temple, a large room ringed by a chasm of fire. Palpatine tells Vader that he called him back because he knows Luke will come looking for him. He's also concerned about where is the real Skywalker.
-Between ESB and ROTJ, Luke has been completing his training with Yoda (like he said he would). Yoda isn't the one to tell Luke that Vader is his father (that's Obi-Wan's job, IMHO), but tells Luke that he's training him in order to train other Jedi when they reappear. Yoda tells Luke that the Force has sustained him, and that he has only hung on long enough to impart all of his wisdom and training to Luke. He also tells him that it is imperative that Luke stays away from Vader and the Emperor in order to allow his powers to grow; in time he will be powerful enough to face the two of them. Yoda then enters his hutt, the lights die, and the master vanishes, becoming one with the Force.
-When talking to Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan tells Luke that, he too, has utilized the Force too long as well, in order to lead Luke to Yoda. Obi-Wan tells Luke that he must now add his own life spirit to the Force, and he can no longer help Luke. Luke asks about Vader. Obi-Wan informs Luke that DARTH VADER is indeed his father, that Obi-Wan believed Luke to be the child of Skywalker. The Emperor fears the Skywalker family as they've always managed to destroy the Sith, he has a particular vendetta against them. Luke believes that there is good in Vader, and Obi-Wan does not. So, Obi-Wan explains, when Lady Skywalker brought Luke to him, he thought he was the true son of Skywalker. Instead, he was a decoy to protect the real Skywalker. When Luke asks who is the real Skywalker, Obi-Wan tells him that the child is 'safely anonymous', but that one day, like moths to a flame, those strong in the Force, will be drawn to one another. Obi-Wan says good-bye to Luke, and then vanishes forever.
-The Rescue of Han: Luke returns to Tatooine. He confronts Jabba. And Jabba can be as he is in the original. Big, fat, but give him some decent guards rather than orcs. Put technology around him so that it looks like he's in touch with the underworld (if you've seen the big fat thing in "Blade" that's what I have more in mind than a oblivious blob on a Dungeons & Dragon magazine cover). We could still keep the Rancor pit, and he tries to eliminate Luke, but Luke escapes after R2 drops his lightsaber to him, and Luke kills the rancor. Luke leaps out of the pit and holds the blade to Jabba's throat. Jabba laughs as his cohorts arm their weapons, ready to blast him, but then several of the other cohorts remove their hoods, helmets, etc., revealing Leia, Lando, and multiple rebels. It's a Mexican standoff. Luke makes an offer to Jabba. Join them. He could even become a bonafide businessman. Would the Empire offer anything better? Jabba agrees, but we as an audience (and Luke, too), know that Jabba is a big fat stinker.
(Meanwhile, Boba Fett slips away)
-Once releasing Han, they join the rebellion. Leia informs the gathered that the weapon platforms are incomplete, and the star fleet is scattered throughout the galaxy seeking out the new hidden rebel base. Now is the time to strike. She also informs them that the Emperor has moved his palace from Coruscant to the ancient, abandoned Jedi temple on Endor. Here, also, (like in the original) the Force field is generated. A small group is needed to infiltrate and take out the shield generator, allowing the rebel fleet to come in and capture the Emperor and Coruscant. Luke volunteers to go because he plans on facing Vader.
-After the rebels land (and in a shuttle that looks like it'd actually bring parts to the moon), R2 and C3P0 are LEFT BEHIND because they'll monitor transmissions and alert the strikeforce if there is any notice of their presence. Not long after the rebels leave, the Ewoks tap on the hull of the ship. R2 and C3P0 exit and the Ewoks begin to worship him. Meanwhile, the rebels come across gargantuan 'levellers,' machines that are used to clear away trees and land to build the Imperial compounds.
-Like the original, the rebels come across the Imperial scouts and a speeder bike chase ensues. During the speeder bike chase, Leai performs a nearly impossible maneuver and Luke realizes---she's Skywalker! They're split up. Again, like in the original, they encounter the Ewoks, discover that R2 and C3P0 are treated like dieties. Apparently, there is some Ewok prophecy that the "Golden One" will "tame the tree-eater" and destroy the "bone-skins." (Yeah, yeah, you can see where I'm going with this). Oh yeah, they're reunited with Leia, too.
-Luke and Leia speak. Luke reveals that he is the son of Vader, and that Leia is the daughter of Skywalker, and that he must face Vader to protect her. She begs him not to.
(Meanwhile, Boba Fett is skulking in the underbrush, watching the rebels, plotting)
-In the morning, Boba Fett informs Vader and the Imperials what the rebels are up to. Like the original, the rebels find the 'backdoor' and the Ewoks prove their worthfulness by not only distracting the guards, but a couple of them sneak in through the ventilation system and open the door from the inside. The rebels rush in and begin to plant their armaments. Meanwhile, the rebel fleet is approaching Coruscant.
-As Han is placing a bomb, a figure steps out of the shadows. Boba Fett. Han fires at him, and yells its an ambush. After a fierce firefight, they escape, only to be surrounded by none other than Vader and a large contingency of stormtroopers. Luke gives himself up if Vader will spare his friends. Luke goes with Vader. C3P0, seeing his master go with Vader from a distance, doesn't know what to do, when it finally dawns on him and says, "Wait, I have a plan."
-When it appears that the rebels are doomed, out of the woods comes the leveller, chewing up trees and stormtroopers in its path. Ewoks fire rocks and such from their hiding places. The heroes take advantage of the situation and escape their captors. Han makes his way to the machine and tells the droids of his plan to run the leveller into the generator dish. Han offers to steer the machine, but C3P0 informs him that it can only be controlled by a droid. They offer to sacrifice themselves. Han, touched, tells them that he will always think of them as heroes, and actually hugs threepio (much to his surprise).
-Luke is brought before the Emperor, and much of what transpired before in the original still happens here.
(As Han exits the leveller, he's suddenly attacked by Boba Fett. They battle on the top of the machine when Chewbacca swings in and knocks the bounty hunter into the spinning maw <insert Wilhelm scream>)
-As the rebels battle against the stormtroopers, and the rebel fleet has its problems (much like the original), the droids drive the leveller into the dish under a hail of laserfire. The dish goes up with the leveller, the shields lower. The rebel fleet flies in. They manage to destroy the three weapon platforms (Wedge takes out one, Lando the other, and they plow the Super Star destroyer into the other--haha!).
-Meanwhile, like the original, Luke and Vader fight, and then Luke doesn't succumb to the dark side, and the Emperor electrocutes him (Luke tries to deflect, but he's not strong enough yet). Luke pleads to Vader to help, and finally Vader tosses the Emperor into the fiery chasm. The Emperor's death causes all of the clone stormtroopers to die (okay, I know people will hate that concept).
-Leia and Han break into the temple and find Luke with Vader. Vader asks for forgiveness and dies.
-At the Ewok celebration, the heroes are reunited. Lando brings back the Millennium Falcon, but it has considerable damage. Han approaches Lando like he's mad (like Lando did to him in ESB), but then when it looks like he's going to hit Lando, he laughs and hugs him.
-The heroes hear a droid chirp from the woods and turn to see the two droids, battered and "carbon-scored," but alive. They all run to them, hugging them, reunited. The music swells and the camera pans up and we see faint, subtle images of Obi-Wan, Anakin, Yoda, etc. (or not, don't have to) in the sky.