# Attack of the Clones Mysteries. Let's list 'em.(total spoilers)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 17, 2002, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567 "2002-05-17T15:20:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/21 "2002-05-18T00:06:27Z")

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The biggest mystery to me is why wouldn’t Anakin, when he’s in full Darth mode later doesn’t realize where he is when he is in orbit around Tattoine - wouldn’t he remember the place, and realize that the chance that he was there was too much of a coincidence to be ignored?

Another mystery - why couldn’t Obi-Wan and Anakin use the force to ‘pick’ their locks? Hell, Amidala could do it with something she took out of her belt, for Christsakes!

I always knew Jar-Jar ‘would be the death of us all’ 😃

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**Author:** ![furr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ab992/32.png) [@furr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furr)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/22 "2002-05-18T03:29:01Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by lawoot \*  
> \*\*The biggest mystery to me is why wouldn’t Anakin, when he’s in full Darth mode later doesn’t realize where he is when he is in orbit around Tattoine - wouldn’t he remember the place, and realize that the chance that he was there was too much of a coincidence to be ignored?
> 
> \*\*

i think this point is the one im going to have the most trouble with unless they make a point of addressing it.

my boyfriend has a theory that somewhere along the line, when anakin has his series of accident or whatever which requires darth to wear all that breathing helmet thingy, that maybe just maybe he lost part or segments of his memory.

personally i dont really buy that either but it in a very haphazard way could explain darths seemingly incrediable memory lapses.

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**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/23 "2002-05-18T10:45:16Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> I dunno why not make an army of cloned force-users, unless maybe it’s because they’d be a little too powerful, and might be too much to handle, docility-inducing genetic modifications or not.

Well, the Force has a downright terrible influence on clones, it seems. Accelerated growth times cause instability in them enough as it is… presence of the Force magnifies it. Just remember how nuts Joruus C’Baoth went…

Further, as has been pointed out, it seems that Clonemasters _can_ “imprint” certain skills and talents into a ready-made clone… but Jedi training probably can’t.

> [@](#):
>
> hate to break it to you all, but i think the real story is closer to this:
> 
> Lucas made a cute little film a long time ago. He had no idea how it would turn out.

It’s called “suspension of disbelief”. We’re trying to make this entire fictional universe work together. Saying “Lucas didn’t think of that” is an undesirable answer, since it utterly destroys the fun and the fiction of the whole thing.

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**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/24 "2002-05-18T18:58:30Z")

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fiction?  
It _was_ a long time ago in a glaxy far far away so, theoretically, these could be historical documents. An accurate depiction of what happened in the past. Ya know, like Braveheart…

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**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/25 "2002-05-18T21:04:23Z")

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“The biggest mystery to me is why wouldn’t Anakin, when he’s in full Darth mode later doesn’t realize where he is when he is in orbit around Tattoine - wouldn’t he remember the place, and realize that the chance that he was there was too much of a coincidence to be ignored?”

Who’s to say that Darth Vader DOESN’T recognize Tattoine? What would he have done differently in the opening of EP IV? He knows he has a son, but he doesn’t know where the son is. Tattonie seems to me to be a logical choice to hide the child from Vader. Aanakin was a slave there, his mother died there, now that he’s hit the big time, he never wants to go back there again. So in the beginning of Ep IV he’s chasing a ship with the plans to the Death Star. He thinks its heading to Alderaan, but instead it goes to Tattoine. He says “Hmmm…wait a minute. Why is this ship going to Tattoine? Maybe…nahh, couldn’t be…” Then he gets a report that some Jawas in the Jutland wastes recently sold some mysterious droids that fell out of the sky to a homestead close to Anchorhead, so he sends a detachment of stormtroopers to the old Lars homestead where he would have been successful in finding both the Death Star plans AND his son except for an accident of timing (which is probably the result of the intervention of the Force, anyway). By the time all of the pieces have come together for him, the Falcon has blasted its way out of Mos Eisley. Gee where could they be headed? Alderaan? Good thing the Death Star is headed there already. And now the entire picture is coming clear to him. When the Falcon is captured (as he figures it would be) and he senses Obi Wan’s presence on board the Death Star, everything adds up. Vader then proposes a plan to Tarkin–let them go and track them back to the Rebel base. He suspects that the kid who was traveling with Obi Wan is his son, and when he encounters him again above the Death Star he knows for sure. By the beginning of Ep. V, Luke is a well-known hero and Vader knows who he is and is hot on his heels.

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**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/26 "2002-05-18T21:16:27Z")

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Alternatively, how did Vader track the Tantive IV to Tattoine in the first place? He knows that the ship intercepted the transmission of the Death Star plans in deep space. If the Tantive was in the Outer Rim territories in the neighborhood of Tattoine, Naboo, AND Alderaan, why did he go to Tattoine instead of laying in wait around Alderaan? We know there was no tracking device aboard the Tantive, or Vader would have busted them in deep space while they were waiting for the Death Star plans to be transmitted.  
Perhaps Vader saw that Tattoine was close to the place where the Tantive IV recieved the transmission and had a “feeling” like he did about Hoth. And why not get a “feeling” about Tattoine? Two very powerful force users there, after all.  
His commanders were skeptical, but did what he said out of fear of pissing him off and getting the old force choke treatment. Lo and behold, he was right!

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**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/27 "2002-05-18T23:04:47Z")

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I want to know how Anakins big pumpkin-head transformed into such a narrow head in just 10 years.

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**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2002, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/28 "2002-05-18T23:33:00Z")

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I have one that’s maybe a little curious. It seems clear that whoever made these clone troopers _wanted_ the Jedi and the Republic to know about them. So, if Obi-Wan hadn’t found them (say he listened to that nice librarian) then how would the mysterious order-placer have revealed the presence of the clone army to the Jedi?

This one’s not so much a mystery; I think I just missed it. What exactly is the deal with (I have no idea how to spell the name) Cyphodiaz, the Jedi that the Kaminoans claimed had ordered the army 10 years ago?

Here’s another reason to use Jango for the clone template. If they had used, say, Dooku, don’t you think the good guys might have caught on to who was behind it all?

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**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/29 "2002-05-19T00:07:58Z")

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Here’s a mystery. Will Anakin henceforth be known as “Little Orphan Ani”?

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**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/30 "2002-05-19T00:21:32Z")

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interesting, enderw24, my very, very, very old copy of episode iv (book) is titled: star wars from the adventures of luke skywalker. and at the end of the prologue it says: from the first saga journal of the whills. it seems mr lucas started from a “looking back at history” point of view.

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**Author:** ![king\_of\_spain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7cd45c/32.png) [@king\_of\_spain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/king_of_spain)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/31 "2002-05-19T00:50:40Z")

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Where did Mace Windu get the only purple lightsaber in existence?

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**Author:** ![DPWhite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d26b3c/32.png) [@DPWhite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPWhite)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/32 "2002-05-19T01:43:19Z")

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Who is to say that Darth Vader didn’t know exactly who was on Tatoonie all along but kept quiet about it? Why isn’t he entitled to play the same double game that Count Dooku and Palpatine are always playing. When word gets back to Palpatine, he can pretend he didn’t know earlier, but then must act on it.

I’ve got a first edition paperback Star Wars book lying around somewhere.

Another thing. As Alderaan is being blown up, look at how Vader is restraining/holding Leia.

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**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/33 "2002-05-19T01:59:09Z")

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dpwhite, i’m with you on the alderaan thing. i noticed that the first time i saw starwars. i thought he was a bit soft on her. until now, no one else i knew noticed that. he seemed to have quite a few reasons to keep leia alive.

my friends claimed that his cape had me dazzled. ha! just because i have a soft spot for a guy in a cape doesn’t mean i can’t see him clearly.

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**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/34 "2002-05-19T02:05:40Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by JThunder \*  
> \*\*Here’s a mystery. Will Anakin henceforth be known as “Little Orphan Ani”? \*\*

That one got a wookie groan from me.

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**Author:** ![easy\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@easy\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/easy_e)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/35 "2002-05-19T06:27:33Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by king of spain \*  
> \*\*Where did Mace Windu get the only purple lightsaber in existence? \*\*

Maybe that’s what was in Marcellus Wallace’s suitcase?

Maybe because he’s a Bad Mother Fucker?

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**Author:** ![Kirkland1244](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kirkland1244](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kirkland1244)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/36 "2002-05-19T06:58:24Z")

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As for who was Sypho’Diaz… Hmmm…Take out the “pho,” and you have… could it be… Sydiaz? Sideous? DUM DUM DUM!!! Boy that Lucas, clever as ever. 🙂

I love AOTC. Saw it a week before it opened, opening night, and will catch it again this afternoon, hopefully. I’ve only seen it digitally projected, i wanna see a film print.

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**Author:** ![archmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@archmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/archmichael)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/37 "2002-05-19T07:09:51Z")

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Why did the everyone drop the use of missile technology in Episodes IV, V & VI? I think AOTC had the only use of missiles in the series.

Why did a very good actor like Jimmy Smits sign up to only say a total of five line?

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**Author:** ![DPWhite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d26b3c/32.png) [@DPWhite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPWhite)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/38 "2002-05-19T07:34:56Z")

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My question is did Vader know that Leia was his daughter? I suppose that it is possible that he knew all along, and only said so out loud in the presence of the Emperor because Luke was feeling so “loudly” about it that he would have been suspicious of Vader had he not said something. That would tend to make his double game a little more interesting.

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**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/39 "2002-05-19T10:55:55Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by gatopescado \*  
> \*\*  
> hate to break it to you all, but i think the real story is closer to this:
> 
> Lucas made a cute little film a long time ago. He had no idea how it would turn out. Coulda been a flop or a mild success, he didn’t know. It became amazingly popular and he decided to cash in on this bonanza by making a bunch of sequel/prequels. He’s making it up as he goes along and fitting the story into holes around the existing episodes. Like a David Lynch movie, it just doesn’t make sense sometimes and thinking about it too much will make you head explode. Lucas is smart enough to add new charecters that will make great action figures to peddel around the christmas season and to go in Happy McShit meals, cashing in ever deeper.
> 
> it just a movie folks, move along, nothing more to see here… \*\*

There’s always one jackass per thread to point this out isn’t there? Look, everyone KNOWS it’s a movie, the fun that’s had is treating it like a real universe and trying to justify (or just point out) the inconsistencies. Don’t like people doing it? Fine, don’t read the thread. But smugly telling everyone that it’s only a movie just makes you look like an asshole.

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**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-mysteries-lets-list-em-total-spoilers/109567/40 "2002-05-19T13:55:41Z")

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Maybe this has been dealt with before. In Empire Strikes Back, Obi-Wan says as Luke takes off to rescue his friends “That boy was our only hope” then Yoda says “no, there is another”. Does that mean Obi-Wan didn’t know about Leia? I think in ROTJ Obi-Wan mentions something about hiding them both.

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