[CowboyCurtis]

It's true, he didn't. If you read through the early script treatments and early script drafts, you can definitely see a mish-mash of ideas, concepts and thoughts, but boy are they the hardest things to read through.

The most predominant thing in the scripts and treatments is the "death star" or space fortress, and it is no wonder that it is used twice in the films. Lucas just couldn't come up with another "big idea" to keep the movies going.

Essentially, they are all the same movie, ANH. So, there really was no super-detailed outline. Most of it is just a flotsam of ideas that seem to conveniently fall into place when Lucas needs, whether they really work or not.

There are several versions of Han Solo, and there are several versions of Ben Kenobi and Darth Vader. Han Solo's description in one script describes him as large reptilian, and he and a Jedi character embrace when they meet. Sound familiar?

There are scenes where these Wookies (called Jawas in one script) have a battle with the Imperial-like characters, which resembles, of course, the battle on Endor. There is also a "Count" character, a corrupt senator. Vader is a grand moff-like character in one. There is a scene where an "agent of Lettow" (Sith lord) suddenly turns on the Empire to help a Jedi (no true motivation sited).

So, Lucas just kept switching the pieces around until something shaped up.

Just for fun, I've been illustrating one of the scripts. I'll let you know when it's all done. I didn't use any of the names which were used in the already established SW universe.

[AdmiralViscen]

...More importantly, in the final script for ANH Luke is 18 and Leia is 16.

[Supes]

It's true, he didn't. If you read through the early script treatments and early script drafts, you can definitely see a mish-mash of ideas, concepts and thoughts, but boy are they the hardest things to read through.

Where can one find these early scripts and treatments? I see people referring to them quite a lot but I have not seen them myself.

[AdmiralViscen]

http://www.starwarz....ler/scripts.htm


Most of the things cowboy mentioned are irrelevant, as they are from very early drafts of the script. However, even the final script had things that do not fit with the storyline Lucas later developed. The movies were not planned.

[Supes]

Thanks Admiral. Much appreciated. It's still nice to be able to look at some of these references.

[CowboyCurtis]

Most of the things cowboy mentioned are irrelevant

Sorry about that. I rambled a bit. I wasn't trying to say that Lucas had a plan---he really didn't. It's all smoke and mirrors.

[AdmiralViscen]

Oh, I know. I was just telling the other guy that Lucas wasn't quite as crazy as you made it out to be, because a lot of the things you mentioned were his very first thoughts from the mid/early 70s.

[CowboyCurtis]

Some of those ideas he should've hung onto, like the look of the Knights, their equipment...