Word of the Day
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| Today's word is brought to you by the letter 'A'. |
angst [engk-stuh]
noun
1.A feeling of dread, anxiety or anguish.
2. Inner turmoil.
'A feeling of dread, anxiety or anguish' or what most Star Wars fans feel when watching the Prequels or the digitally enhanced versions of the original trilogy. My favorite film of the prequel trilogy is Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Its plot is no where near as moronic as episode one's cacophony of crap, it's no where near a politically verbose or stunted as episode two debacle, and even though it is bad, it is enjoyable, even watchable. The best parts of the film are those with the Emperor Palpatine
Ian McDiarmid reprized his role as the bitchy sith lord and seemed to truly enjoy the performance and Palpatine is really the only thing that feels right in the prequels.The idea of a villain who really enjoys his work is refreshing. There is no explanation of the Emperor. He wants power for the sake of having power. IT GETS HIM OFF!
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| UNLIMITED POWEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! |
I think the other big factor that sets Revenge of the Sith apart is angst. On the other hand, maybe angst is what ruined the prequels. Luke Skywalker has angst. But he is not a bratty, whiny, sociopath like Anakin AKA Lil' Orphan Annie AKA Wanakin.
Anakin's angst raises it hideous wooden head in Episode II. Anakin, for some reason, doesn't rescue his mother from Tatooine or even check on her for the better half of a decade. He already felt guilty about leaving her in slavery. Well, he returns to Tatooine to discover that, lo and behold, she was freed, married and just before Wanakin shows up was kidnapped by sand people.
In a fit of rage, Anakin kills all the sand people, including women and children. He then carries his mother's defiled body back to her husband. I believe this is the moment the character went from annoying little kid to wooden but somehow still angsty teenage a**hole. He then reveals his slip into the dark side to Padme. I dislike Padme because, much like Quigon, without her Anakin would never have become Darth Vader.
When Anakin reveals his dark secret, Padme doesn't just comfort him. She seems to get aroused by his bad boy, murdering innocents and babies. She chooses this moment to kiss him and this is where the disturbing romance really begins. Ugh.
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| Jabba the Hutt and Leia made a better couple. |
Episode III actually has weight behind its angst. We know that it is inevitable that Anakin will become Darth Vader but we're not quite sure how. We know it involves the Emperor and that before the end of the movie there will be an Empire. So where is Anakin's dread/anxiety coming from? Bad dreams. He dreams that Padme and by extension her twins will die.
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| "They see me trollin', they hatin'." |
Ironically, Anakin, being a malleable idiot, is easily made into the cause of the very prophecy he wishes to prevent. Anakin gets twisted around the Emperor's finger, is mad that the Jedi put him on the council but won't make him a master and that they won't take a more aggressive military approach in the war.
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| If the Jedis had listened to Mace Windu things could've worked out better for everyone. |
Anakin becomes suspicious against everyone and the Emperor tricks him into believing he is the only one who can fix everything. Anakin becomes the Emperor's dog, killing all the jedi, and takes special time to kill the children. ((By the way, anyone notice how there were absolutely no children in the original trilogy...hmmmm...))
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| This is is probably one of the better moments in the film, actually. |
But finally, in the last thirty minutes, we get the biggest mess in Star Wars history. On one hand, it is the most epic the prequels got but on the other it is unsatisfying and even silly.
The final battle between Anakin and Obi Wan is big (actually a little too long-winded). Obi Wan survives the jedi purge, btw, Anakin never considered for a moment that Obi Wan was going to die in the Emperor's plans, and confronts Anakin on Mustafar. Anakin is more powerful than ever and has just killed the last leaders who might stand against the empire.
The battle takes place on mining rigs, bursts of molten steel and magma exploding in the background, in the imagery of Hell itself. Two brothers fight each other to the death, a battle of ideals and passions. A battle between Lucifer and Michael with swords made of flame and light. The music pumping in the background is a call back to the epic climax of the Phantom Menace.
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| "Oh gross....he's like...burnt and stuff." |
We reach our big moment. Obi Wan has the high ground and begs Anakin to submit. Anakin's silly transformation is nearly complete with him spouting off, "I HATE YOU!" like a teenager yelling at his Dad for grounding him and "YOU UNDERESTIMATE MY POWER!" as a teenager telling their Dad they don't really understand. Anakin charges Obi-Wan but, in one fell-swoop, Obi-Wan cuts off three of his limbs, leaving him to tumble down through the ash, and catch aflame at the edge of a river of fire. Obi-Wan leaves his brother in the lake of fire that he has put himself in, his mercy and compassion, keeping him from having the strength to finish him.
Anakin's hate keeps him alive and the Emperor shows up to save him. The Emperor takes him into a room full of surgical robots...this is where we get the silliest moment in Star Wars history. Anakin realizes his new form, which steals his humanity and upon discovering the death of Padme lets out a roar of rage in the silliest moment of Star Wars history.
The genuine angst that the movie might've had going for it...is ruined in one line.
