# And now, the other side: Things that bug you about Star Wars. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 25, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442 "2003-05-25T19:36:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Zap\_Rowsdower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3da27b/32.png) [@Zap\_Rowsdower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zap_Rowsdower)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/61 "2003-05-26T16:04:00Z")
What I do not like with the prequels and with sequels and prequels in general is the need to explain things from the original movie or series. I liked the mystery of the original Star Wars. What happened to the Jedi? What is the force? Why were the droids even needed? Is Lucas so untalented that he could not come up with new characters? Why include Tattooine at all? etc. The prequels in my opinion are destroying the reason I still enjoy the movie to this day. Also, whats with the heavy handed foreshadowing. A few things were nicely done, such as Anniken on Tattooine with the Darth Vader shadow in the background. But most of the other stuff was so unnecessary. The movies, IMO should stand on their own and have little direct reference to the “later” series. Then there is Lucas himself. He has said, I believe, that he does not like directing people. (Can’t find quote) And that is obvious in the latest series. Fine, just get someone who does. Natalie Portman can act, but her performance so far seems more fitting for _Plan 9 From Outer Space_. The scene where she drops on her knees and pleads for help is so wooden it looks like a run through. Also, in ep. 1, I do not blame the kid who played Anni. Lucas wrote the lines and story so all the nonsense (accidently blowing up the command ship etc) is his fault as well. I can suspend my disbelief so far. He also seems to have no regard for the fans who put him where he is today. He won’t release the original versions (which is his right) even though many want it that way. While the extras are for the most part ok (excpet Greedo shooting first) it really does not add anything. Also, while the original SW appealed to all ages, ep. 1 was a kids movie, and seem to be more an excuse to sell toys than tell a good story. Another thing I remember, don’t have a site, is that after the US version of Godzilla came out, the SW website put up a banner saying “Story Does Matter” making fun of the “Size Does Matter” Godzilla promotion. Unfortunately he fell into the same trap, put enough special effects and nobody will notice the weak story. I cannot believe I have written all this, honestly I am definitely not one of those mega fans. I like the movies, but the rest (EU, games etc.) I have no interest in. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/62 "2003-05-26T16:19:10Z")
The very first time I saw the first movie, the absolute first day it was ever shown (in Houston), on the very first showing of the day (get the picture?), I was disturbed by _this_ line: “I made the Kessle Run in 12 parsecs.” I was shocked, shocked I tell you! I almost broke down in tears at the amazing stupidity (in my young mind) of that one line. No amount of back pedalling and explanations has made up for that faus pax, and nothing ever will. But, I really liked the movie. ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/63 "2003-05-26T16:43:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Engywook \* > \*\*But the thing is that they didn’t need Luke at all - he didn’t save them. Han still took that dip in the chilly carbonite, and Lando had to back the car up to save Luke. > > If he had completed his training, he could have saved Han later - and possibly more capably. But as a result of dropping out of school, he only endangered himself and Leia - and he learned the truth about his father. \*\* First of all, Leia was driving, not Lando. 😛 But seriously, what I was saying is that I think Luke’s presence alone is what kept Han and Leia from dying–I have no doubts that they would have suffered some sort of pain/damage regardless of Luke’s plans. I agree that dropping the training was not bright, and that his talents would have been more honed, but I think that, had Luke stayed with Yoda, there wouldn’t have been a Han or a Leia (or a Chewie) to save. This is, of course, my opinion, and as of yet, I’m backing this up solely on my interpretation of the dialogue in ESB. I don’t mean to say that anyone is right or wrong, merely that this is what makes the most sense to me. **No Clue Boy** , I hate to show my stupidity over this mistake regarding parsecs but…I don’t get it. Is a parsec not a unit of time? I know there’s something wrong with that line (a few years of this fandom have gotten me that much), but I can’t find what, exactly, it is. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/64 "2003-05-26T16:47:29Z")
What he should do with the DVD release is have one version be the theatrical version and then have the “Special George Lucas Messing Stuff Up” edition seperately, so everyone could be happy. Though I don’t know anyone who likes the Special George Lucas Messing Stuff Up versions. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/65 "2003-05-26T16:49:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pepperlandgirl \* > \*\*The scene in question didn’t bother me. I thought Lucus was trying to say “Look what a sick and twisted bitch you have to be to fall in love with Darth Vader! She’s almost as bad as the bastard himself!” I really really really did not get the impression that we were supposed to think badly of Amidala. I think it was just piss poor writing with no respect for any prior character development. Amidala is the heroine of Eps I-III, and I lost all respect for her in that scene. She’s an idiot. > [@](#): > > But then I realized Lucus probably didn’t put that muc thought into her motivations, so I then I stopped worrying about it. I suggest everybody try that. Lucus doesn’t care, why should you? Do you really want me to list the reasons? OK: 1. Because I loved the original 3 movies. They were the emblematic movies of my childhood and they mean a lot to me. I have an emotional investment in the Star Wars franchise, much the way some people have an investment in, oh, say… the Buffy franchise? 2. I paid $7 to see the damn thing, for which I expect some quality. I don’t go to the movies that often, and when I do, I really want it not to suck, considering how much it costs now. 3. Frankly, I don’t know why, but I expected better from George Lucas. More fool me. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/66 "2003-05-26T16:49:57Z")
A parsec is a unit of distance. Parallax of one second of arc. It’s larger than a light year (which is another term that gets mixed up, btw) So anyways… It’s like saying, “I ran the marathon in 82 leagues.” Sounds cool, unless you know it’s misused. I was a bit of a science and math geek in school. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/67 "2003-05-26T16:59:58Z")
[Parsec (Parallax arc-sec) is defined as the distance to a star which exhibits a parallax angle of 1 arc-second.](http://physics.ucsd.edu/students/courses/winter2002/physics7/notes/lecture2/tsld018.htm) ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/68 "2003-05-26T17:02:21Z")
So he was probably still telling the truth, right? Oh, well, he’s still the coolest guy in the galaxy. ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/69 "2003-05-26T19:05:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BuckleberryFerry \* > \*\*The fact that Vader can both breathe in and speak normally at the same time. > \*\* Vader’s lungs are too damaged for him to breathe unassisted in a normal atmosphere for very long so his helmet has a sort of respirator in it that cycles air into it under pressure. It operates independantly of his actual breathing but he can adjust it as needed. ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/70 "2003-05-26T19:14:56Z")
::sigh:: Let’s pretend I never posted… ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/71 "2003-05-26T19:27:33Z")
I took it as a joke, **BuckFer**. Don’t worry, though. You should hear the stupid things I tell my gf. “Does this dress make me look fat?” “No. It’s your big ass that makes you look fat.” FTR: She’s not fat and I really like her butt. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/72 "2003-05-26T19:29:21Z")
I’ve got to remember to THINK before I POST. I could have come up with answers to all my points and wouldn’t have bothered you people any. I don’t see why you put up with me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/73 "2003-05-26T19:32:18Z")
I can’t believe I forgot this: Chewbacca doesn’t get a medal at the end of Ep IV. Luke and Han get them, but not Chewie. WHY? That’s just wrong and it’s always bugged me. ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/74 "2003-05-26T19:37:04Z")
It’s never said that Chewbacca holds any sort of official role in the Rebellion. We KNOW Solo is “Captain Solo” by the end, but Chewie could very well not have a rank–he is, after all, there as a life debt to Han, so perhaps he thought official rank in the Rebellion would distract him from his duties to Han. I don’t see his lack of a medal to be wrong so much as…easily explained but not explained at all. ---
**Author:** ![captainQwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@captainQwark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/captainQwark)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/75 "2003-05-26T20:00:35Z")
Here’s somethings I don’t like about the prequels. I really hate the farting animal in TPM. In AOTC, I think the guy with the “death stick” in the club scene was a stupid thing. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/76 "2003-05-26T20:08:54Z")
> [@](#): > > I can’t believe I forgot this: Chewbacca doesn’t get a medal at the end of Ep IV. Luke and Han get them, but not Chewie. WHY? That’s just wrong and it’s always bugged me. Just bigotry. They’ll acknowlede a bunch of white guys, but not a Wookie. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/77 "2003-05-26T20:17:59Z")
How about lightsabers? No one ever thinks to question lightsabers, but really, how stupid is this concept? What is the beam supposed to be? If it’s light, then a.) how does it stop two feet from the source? and B.) why would it cut anything. It;s not a laser beam, what _si_ it? Also, why would light interfere with light (i.e. why would the beams crash into each other when they intersect? Why don’t they just go through?) Lightsabers insult my intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/78 "2003-05-26T20:23:41Z")
Mixing Spanish and English in a Star Wars rant hurts my head, **DtG**. Didn’t someone explain that “light saber” is just their slang name? I swear I heard that before… ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/79 "2003-05-26T20:24:24Z")
AFAIK, Lightsabers are somehow activated by energy being shot through a gem that is cut and heated and cut and heated etc until it is at the specific shape and size that will produce a beam of, IIRC, photons. AFAIK, photons are light, but I could be wrong in either my definition of photons or my recollection of what the beam is… I’ve come to think that a lightsaber blade is the same a a blaster bolt, only thicker and longer, and is not discharged from the weapon itself. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442/80 "2003-05-26T20:30:10Z")
Gosh, now I’m a Wars geek, too. [How LightSabers Work](http://www.cs.vu.nl/~dick/LightSaber/LightSaber.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-the-other-side-things-that-bug-you-about-star-wars/177442.md?page=5)