My Commentary On The Episode I Reasons

Reason #21
Jar Jar steps in poop
On Tatooine Jar Jar steps in what we assume is Bantha poop. Contrary to what George Lucas may believe, this scene is not necessary.

And notice how Qui-Gon, Living Slackmaster of The Force that he is, simply ALLOWS him to step in it. Even though he's all about the Living Force and does hippie stuff like meditating when there's a break in the battle, you can tell that Jar Jar's starting to get to even him. Why do you think he lets him piss off Sebulba later on?

Reason #22
A Nubian?
At one point Qui-Gon shows a hologram of their ship to Watto, an annoying flying character. Watto strokes his chin and says: "Ah, nice ship... Nubian." We can assume that he means the ship is from Naboo. He clearly says "Nubian" and not "Nabooian". I have a copy of the script and it is spelled N-U-B-I-A-N. Why not just say "Canadian" or "European" or some other word that will totally distract the audience for the rest of the scene? Yet another reference to something strictly Earth related that should never have made it into the final cut.

Well, be fair, the only REAL other option would have been "Naboobian," and even with Lucas' rapidly encroaching senility, he recognized that after that, the audience would be too busy giggling to watch the rest of the film.

Reason #23
Angels

I think you're right with this one. It IS over the top. Just saying "You're pretty" would've been more believeable and not required Lucas to use up valuable screen time explaining it away.

Reason #24
Force-Proof Heads
When Qui-Gon offers Republic credits to Watto, Watto isn't interested. Qui-Gon attempts to use the Jedi Mind Trick to get him to accept the offer. Watto then says: "What you think you're some kinda Jedi, waving your hand around like that? I'm a Toydarian. Mind tricks don'ta work on me, only money." How is it that a creature can have a Force-Proof head? Watto's head didn't look all that unusual. One of Jacques's least favorite of the Timothy Zahn novels (which I rather enjoyed and consider a much more real part of the Star Wars universe than Episode I) was this special material that could repel the Force. In retrospect I believe that Jacques is right. The Force shouldn't be like an X-ray or radiation or something. Something that powerful should not have a kryptonite. This brings us to the question of: "What is a Jedi mind trick?" Does it use the force at all? If so then why don't Toydarians make all the Jedi their bitches?

Well, hey, if Jabba can be resistant to the Jedi Mind Trick, who's to say a little flying, elephant-hummingbird-Jewish stereotype can't? What I always thought about this is "Then why doesn't Qui-Gon just go up to a wealthy-looking NON-Toydarian and tell him 'You want to trade me all your worthless local money for some nice, shiny Republic credits."

Reason #25
More aliens?
Somewhere around the time that Watto (the alien who owns Anakin and flies around) is introduced I remember thinking to myself "How many damned aliens are there in this Universe?" I understand that the universe is big and that Lucas is trying to show how diverse this galaxy is but how realistic is it that every movie introduces new aliens as minor characters? Where is Watto's race during Episode IV? I get sick of seeing one of every alien while all of the important characters are usually human. It would have been a lot cooler if Jar Jar was a Sullustan (Nien Nunb) or a Mon Calamari (Admiral Akbar). Both are aquatic type aliens that we would have been familiar with; it would have made a lot more sense to see them. You could say: "Oh... so that's how the Mon Calamari eventually became such strong supporters of the rebellion!" Instead of: "Oh no... I hate the Gungans!"

In all the storylines, the Star Wars galaxy was this big, cosmopolitan place where You and Me are Free to be You and Me until Palpatine takes over and wipes out/enslaves most of the non-human species. As for why Jar Jar couldn't be a Mon Calamari or a Sullustan, I'm going to have to go with the whole "The books are official until George says otherwise" rule and say "Because they're not on Mon Calamari or Sullust." Thus, some new Naboobian creature is called for. Enter, the One Who May Unite All Mankind.

Reason #26
Sebulba
Sebulba might as well be wearing a leather jacket, have greased back hair and have a pack of Marlboros rolled up in his shirt sleeve. This guy is just a classic movie bully with no substance. I'm sure we all enjoyed him giving Jar Jar a good thrashing but I maintain that he could have been toned down a bit.

Remember, four years before Episode IV, Lucas made "American Graffiti." So, since Lucas already knows we're going to be having a drag race in a few scenes, why not throw in an evil, hot-roddin' Anti-Fonz? If anything he should be admired for having the guts to go beat up Jar Jar. I mean, here you and I are, just armchair Jar Jar haters, but Sebulba actually goes and DOES something about it.

Reasons #27 - 29

Since I agree with you completely on these ones, let me just offer up a little something of my own. The Jedi are supposed to be the guardians of peace and freedom and liberty and happy little kittens all throughout the galaxy, right? I would've really liked to see the part where Qui-Gon comes back to the Jedi Council, has his debriefing, and has to explain to them how he not only botched the job of preventing a war on Naboo, but came back owning two sentient lifeforms. Also, why didn't Qui-Gon just offer to trade Watto the pod for Anakin's mother?

Reason #30
Slaves have microchips in their heads.
Slaves have microchips in the head so that if a slave escapes they can blow the slave up. What more do I have to say? That's really stupid.

Bob: Hey, Dave, you wanna try to escape today?

Dave: I dunno. Didn't Bill try that a couple days ago?

Bob: Sure did! Why there's some of his head over here, and his arm over there, and what MIGHT'VE been his spleen over there.

Dave: Nah, not today. Catch me some other time?

QUOTE

Reason #24
Force-Proof Heads
When Qui-Gon offers Republic credits to Watto, Watto isn't interested. Qui-Gon attempts to use the Jedi Mind Trick to get him to accept the offer. Watto then says: "What you think you're some kinda Jedi, waving your hand around like that? I'm a Toydarian. Mind tricks don'ta work on me, only money." How is it that a creature can have a Force-Proof head? Watto's head didn't look all that unusual. One of Jacques's least favorite of the Timothy Zahn novels (which I rather enjoyed and consider a much more real part of the Star Wars universe than Episode I) was this special material that could repel the Force. In retrospect I believe that Jacques is right. The Force shouldn't be like an X-ray or radiation or something. Something that powerful should not have a kryptonite. This brings us to the question of: "What is a Jedi mind trick?" Does it use the force at all? If so then why don't Toydarians make all the Jedi their bitches?

Well, hey, if Jabba can be resistant to the Jedi Mind Trick, who's to say a little flying, elephant-hummingbird-Jewish stereotype can't? What I always thought about this is "Then why doesn't Qui-Gon just go up to a wealthy-looking NON-Toydarian and tell him 'You want to trade me all your worthless local money for some nice, shiny Republic credits."

Wow your responses are almost as long as mine, X. In response to this, the "force proof head" issue, this is anothe rexample of a minor piece of dialogue in the Original trilogy that has been blown out of proportion. Similar to Yoda's "he is too old" speech in ESB.

The only reason Lucas brings up the fact that some beings are force proof is that Jabba mentions in ROTJ that Lucas powers won't work on him. The problem there is that the reason that force doesn't work on Jabba has nothing to do with his race or biological makeup. Remember in A New Hope, when Obi-Wan used his powers on thos stormtroopers, the "these are not the droids you are looking for speech'. Obi-Wan clearly states that the force works against the WEAK MINDED!!!. That's the answer! Luke's powers didn;t work because Jabba was too strong minded an individual! This is a perfectly logical explanation, when you consider that hypnotists say the exact same thing about subjects. Lucas has been so inept and sloppy in his planning the New trilogy that he forgot the explanations to his own mythos. :angry: