# One thing George Lucas doesn't get enough credit for (actually 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159 "2015-03-27T21:37:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/21 "2015-03-27T22:56:46Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > So, I know the problem with my question will be that one group of movies was made before the other, but, does the fact that Palpatine _doesn’t_ use a lightsaber in the ROTJ that he is so bad ass in the force now that if Vader or Luke tried to strike him down he would just levitate them or force lighting them or whatever??? IIRC, in the cartoon _The Clone Wars_, Darth Sidious kicks Maul and his brother’s asses at the same time using dual lightsabers and throwing them around with the Force; can’t remember if he used lightening. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/22 "2015-03-27T22:58:51Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > Ah, cool. This could get kind of graphic if we wanted it too. My next dark force power: Fry your insides by just staring intently at your abdomen… seriously though, why do you think Lucas had so few powers for Vader to use? Is it too keep the story focused and make the powers he does have really really cool? I’ve heard somebody speculate that since Vader is basically a torso and head, his midi-chlorians are greatly reduced. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/23 "2015-03-27T23:02:53Z")
Besides, if he tried to use force lightning, he’d short himself out. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/24 "2015-03-27T23:03:25Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > I’ve heard somebody speculate that since Vader is basically a torso and head, his midi-chlorians are greatly reduced. I’ve heard that idea, too (although, thankfully, without mentioning midichlorians) but the problem I have with it is that even just being a head and a torso, he still has more living matter in him than Yoda does in his entire body. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/25 "2015-03-27T23:07:21Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I’ve heard that idea, too (although, thankfully, without mentioning midichlorians) but the problem I have with it is that even just being a head and a torso, he still has more living matter in him than Yoda does in his entire body. Size matters not. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/26 "2015-03-27T23:14:26Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > IIRC, in the cartoon _The Clone Wars_, Darth Sidious kicks Maul and his brother’s asses at the same time using dual lightsabers and throwing them around with the Force; can’t remember if he used lightening. Yeah, I was going to list that but some people say only what is in the movies is canon. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/27 "2015-03-27T23:18:00Z")
I think I have to watch these Star Wars movies someday. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/28 "2015-03-27T23:20:26Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I think I have to watch these Star Wars movies someday. Wait 'til you find out who Luke’s father is. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/29 "2015-03-27T23:28:17Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Darth Maul is a cool design, but I’d hesitate to call him a character. He’s got no evident personality, no clear motivations (besides “Argh! Jedis!”) and nothing even remotely resembling a character arc. The Millennium Falcon is a better defined character than he is. And has almost as much dialogue. Cool design indeed, and Lucas shouldn’t get credit for it. Lucas asked designer Iain McCaig to draw his worst nightmare and George unfortunately went with McCaig’s _second_ worst nightmare. [The first design was far, far more awesome](http://i.imgur.com/P0gHl17.jpg?1). ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/30 "2015-03-27T23:32:44Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > Size matters not. Right. So it shouldn’t matter if you could scrape up all the organic material in Vader’s body in a teaspoon, he should be just as powerful a Jedi as he was when he was a whiny emo teenager. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/31 "2015-03-27T23:45:12Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Right. So it shouldn’t matter if you could scrape up all the organic material in Vader’s body in a teaspoon, he should be just as powerful a Jedi as he was when he was a whiny emo teenager. I’m guessing the theory is that since Vader is “half” his original size, he’s lost 50% of his original, innate power/potential. The less said about midi-chloians, the better. I’ve heard the theory that he can’t generate Force lightening because he doesn’t have organic hands to shoot them out of. And, he would electrocute himself ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/32 "2015-03-27T23:53:49Z")
Shouldn’t Palpatine been able to float out of that shaft? ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/33 "2015-03-27T23:57:21Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > I’ve heard somebody speculate that since Vader is basically a torso and head, his midi-chlorians are greatly reduced. That’s essentially the canon explanation. Kenobi says “He’s more machine now than man.” No force lightning because no hands with which to throw it, though that sounds like something Yoda would scoff at. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/34 "2015-03-27T23:58:43Z")
> [@Tinker\_Grey](#): > > Shouldn’t Palpatine been able to float out of that shaft? Yup ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2015, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/35 "2015-03-28T00:02:34Z")
> [@Tinker\_Grey](#): > > Shouldn’t Palpatine been able to float out of that shaft? There’s, like, a _serious_ downdraft there. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/36 "2015-03-28T00:05:30Z")
And do it while turning flips in mid-air and monologuing like a mofo. Everybody seems to forget they have telekinesis when the chips are down. Hell, Mace Windu should have floated to safety on any number of balconies after Palpatine threw him out that window. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2015, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/37 "2015-03-28T00:08:25Z")
Never would have worked. He didn’t have any arms to make the dramatic “I’m using telekinesis!” pose that Jedi always adopt when moving shit with their minds. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2015, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/38 "2015-03-28T00:25:38Z")
Darth Maul is the lamest villian in the history of film. Sure, he looked impressive, but he had no personality, no lines of dialog, no background, no anything but a face. He is an absolute nothing and about as interesting as a blank sheet of paper. There are two reasons why **The Phantom Menance** is the worst of the **Star Wars** films, and Maul is probably even a bigger factor than Jar Jar Binks. As for Palpatine, Vetirnari would eat him for lunch. Hell, even the talented Mr. Ripley was more devious on his worst day. Adrian Veidt would have left him standing stupified, and Bruno Anthony would have had him stuck on a merry-go-round. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2015, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/39 "2015-03-28T00:31:16Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Darth Maul is the lamest villian in the history of film. Sure, he looked impressive, but he had no personality, no lines of dialog, no background, no anything but a face. Well he looks cool and he fights well. Your criticisms are largely correct though. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2015, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159/40 "2015-03-28T00:32:06Z")
I’m rather curious what Palpatine’s motive is:? According to Jedi theology, he’s someone who has given in to anger and hatred and fear, and so is theoretically spiteful, destructive, and chaotic. However, the man we see is cool, scheming, and his greatest desire in life is to create an ordered and well-functioning galactic empire. 😕 Overall, I think it would be fairly easy to argue that the greatest villain in the Star Wars series was Princess Leia, as the ring leader of a bunch of terrorists. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-thing-george-lucas-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for-actually-2/716159.md?page=3)