What will the final image in Ep III be?

[Jinn Fizz]

The thread about what makes Anakin fall to the dark side made me think of this topic. We all know that Ep III is going to have some extremely difficult and depressing moments in it. But I don't think the final image can be something really negative, I think the final image is going to have to hint at hope and redemption, and the story "to come" in Eps IV-VI.

So while I know there are some people who think the final image in Ep III will be Anakin as Vader for the first time, I think it might actually be something more like the young Luke running around on Tatooine, possibly also a glimpse of the young Leia on Alderaan.

Any other thoughts?

[Super Wookiee]

I think the final images will be of peace and celebration in the galaxy under the rule of the empire, contrasted with the remaining jedi understanding the true nature of the condition of the galax......that the dark times have begun.

[Admiral Lebron]

I think it will end by showing Kenobi and Yoda on seperate places, both distressed, then cut to Couruscant into the thrown room with Palpatine laughing and Vader beside him.

[Nathaniel Nore]

I think it could be two possible things:

Anakin as Vader for the first time or someone holding the 2 twins as babies

[JMK]

The second to last scene will be of Vader and the Emperor standing together and the Emperor saying that there is no one to stop them, that the galaxy is theirs. The last scene will be of Padme, Obi Wan on the Lars farm standing with the twins, then Padme leaves with Leia and leaves Owen, Beru and Obi Wan to watch Padme's cruiser as it gets lost between Tatooine's twin suns.

[JonathanLB]

All of these ideas seem really cool to me, but personally I must say I would LOVE to see the final shot of Vader perhaps landing his shuttle on Coruscant, walking off, taking a few breaths, and then perhaps meeting Sidious, who says something like, "You have done well my friend, together we will rule the galaxy..." (something else at the end, that doesn't sound cheesy, hehe). Just something along the lines of seeing Vader for the first time.

Perhaps it would be appropriate to show "hope" in the future, but I am not sure, because we do know the title of the next is A NEW HOPE, so you can get that idea, hehe. It would be like if you had 6 chapters in a book and you finish chapter 3, then see the title of the next chapter is "A NEW HOPE," so you know that you're going to be able to read about good things, maybe, hehe.

I'm not sure what Lucas will do, but my box office predictions for Episode III probably won't be that high, haha. It is absolutely going to be the best Star Wars film yet, I think. It will blow Empire out of the water in darkness and fans are going to love it. I think it'll build on what AOTC did, which is to say that AOTC received the adoration of fans and mostly the respect of critics (a lot more so than TPM), but with Episode III, they'll be like, "Well he has finally done it, third time is the charm," blah blah, stupid critics. Anyway, whatever, but the point is, this film is going to rock!!!

Every time I see AOTC, though, I want to go back and watch ROTJ or something, or even TPM, because it's a pretty dark movie.

[Super Wookiee]

"You have done well my friend, together we will rule the galaxy...AS FATHER AND SON" hehehehehe So much for Midichlorians.

Thats what I would really love to see.

[Live Wire]

I hope its something showing that the dark side has finally come into full power. I dont want to see something too hopefull cause thats the next movie. I think if they want to show a little hope thats fine but it should end on a very very dark note.

[Marcus Telcontar]

I think it will be very dark - and we wont see this, but we could well hear the crying of a newborn baby.

Just before the credits.

That I think would be cooooool

[Master Yoghurt]

I think we will se the Emperor and Vader standing in the throne room of the Death Star. The Imperial march thundering in the background as they look out of the viewscreen.. star destroyers can be seen gathering in space.

[JMK]

The Death Star already? It's only introduced in ANH, what do they do with it all that time between Ep3 and ANH?

[Quadinaros]

Padme will give birth to the twins, then she will give birth to a baby Gungan, as father Jar Jar Binks looks on... :x :x

[Figrin D'an]

I agree that the end of the film will be very very dark... it's pretty much unavoidable at this point for it to be as such. Perhaps, as a little glimmer of hope, we see a shot of Owen and Beru accepting a baby Luke from Obi-Wan.

I'm sure GL already knows how he is going to end Episode III, and I'm sure it is something quite dramatic. My only wish is that we do not see anything to indicate Darth Vader's true identity. I think the audience should be made to believe that Anakin is killed in his big battle with Obi-Wan, and that Darth Vader appears a bit later in the film as Sidious new apprentice. . That way, the revelation at the end of ESB is still preserved.

There was also a little snipet of an interview, posted at TF.N, with Hayden Chistiansen, in which he said that he and Ewan MacGregor made a pact that, before shooting for Episode III got underway, they would arrive on location several months before hand to really perfect their sabre technique, in anticipation of a big battle between them... I thought that was pretty cool... they both have said that the want the sabre battle in Episode III to be the best of all the films. :)

[Doc Milo]

I think it will be Obi-Wan and Yoda on Tatooine, with Owen and Beru. Obi-Wan gives Owen Luke. It is night. There is a campfire burning. After giving Luke to Owen, Obi-Wan goes off to the side, then Yoda joins him, and there they sees the spirit of Qui-Gon, Mace Windu, and a host of other Jedi Spirits, their faces reveal the pain and sadness of what has transpired, but there is something else behind those pained expressions, a feeling of guarded hope.

[JMK]

We seem to be on the same track Doc in that we both think it will end with Obi Wan with Owen at the Lars farm. ;)

I got to thinking about Owen's bitterness towards Obi Wan, and so far, the only other time I can imagine seeing Owen in Episode 3 is at the end when Luke is handed over. Did Owen find out that Anakin blames Obi Wan for holding him back, and the death of Shmi? Is that what makes Owen hate Obi Wan?

[Live Wire]

I dont think owen hates obi wan in anh. I think he just fears for luke.

[Admiral Lebron]

Yeah. I think Owen doesn't want Luke to become like Vader, and Obi-Wan is that connection.

[darth_mcbain]

I'm not even going to speculate on what the final image will be - a lot of what you've all mentioned makes sense, but if I've learned anything in the SW movies, its that George Lucas always seems to have something up his sleeve that we didn't expect. Whatever the ending is, it'll be good!!!

And JMK, on the Owen thing, I don't know if there is that much personal bitterness towards Obi-Wan, I think he is just being protective of Luke (and his own interests in the farm), trying to stop him from going along with Obi-Wan. I feel Owen is a very down-to-earth guy who doesn't believe in getting involved in any matters outside his farm. When Luke brings up the name Obi-Wan, Owen knows that if Luke follows up on the lead, it could lead to Luke leaving the farm, and the farm is Owen's main concern. Also, Owen most likely knows what happened to Anakin, and he doesn't want the same to happen to Luke.

[Live Wire]

I think owen just feels conflicted. Hes been intrusted with Luke and feels responsible for him and hes been torn between what he wants for luke and what luke wants for himself. And luke probably doesnt understand owens overly protective nature.

[Doc Milo]

"Owen, he can't stay here forever. He's got too much of his father in him."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

As for the end scene, I just think that just like TPM was similar to ANH, and AotC was similar to ESB, it will be very similar to what the ending of RotJ is. Now, it won't be a great celebration of victory, but I think we can see the ending with the Jedi Spirits. In RotJ is was the spirits of Yoda, Obi-Wan and Anakin, happy at the redemption of Anakin, and the victory of the rebellion. In ep3, I think it will be the Jedi spirits saddened by the loss of the Republic, with tempered hope lying in the infant twins...

[JMK]

I concur.:D

[imported_QuiGonJ]

I think that's a pretty good idea Doc, but I think the imagery would be slightly different.

I see three scenes: the first being Obi-Wan delivering Baby Luke to Owen, then a scene of 3PO and Artoo at Bail's side as he holds Baby Leia at a small memorial service for Padme Amidala, similar to the one we saw for Shmi, and then the final scene will be a full on swell of the Imperial March at a rally for the victorious Emperor with Vader at his side, similar to the end of E1 but feeling very perverse.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I hope we don't see Anakin as Darth Vader. I mean, ESB will be ruined...no surprise for first time viewers! Hard to believe that there will be first time viewers, but I'm thinking about our kids here. Future generations. :D

But then...Luke will always still be caught by surprise. Poor guy.

[Live Wire]

luke just can't catch a break.

[Kar'h'tzen Shaed]

An Episode III with no Darth Vader is no Episode III at all.

But I think it's an extremely interesting idea to conceal that Anakin IS Darth Vader.

Also, all of everyone's ideas of the final images are pretty good, I can't say there are any I wouldn't like to see at all. Of course, I also agree that George will pull something off that no one expects at all.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Final Image:

Threepio getting a memory wipe, and introducing himself to everyone AGAIN and AGAIN! :lol

[HunterJodoKast]

:lol And R2 would be forced to do major bodily harm.

[Master Yoghurt]

Originally posted by JMK
The Death Star already? It's only introduced in ANH, what do they do with it all that time between Ep3 and ANH?

I imagine the structure would be incomplete and not operational. In ANH, it has recently been complete. In AOTC, it is on a design stage. Somewhere in between, I think Lucas wants to show us the Death Star in its early form. The last third or the very end seem probable IMO

I also rather like Doc Milo's and Qui Gon's ideas..

[BUFFJEDI]

I think the one of the last shots will be of VADER and the Palpy looking over there empire, Like lets say looking from a star destroyer looking at the DEATH STAR or from the Death Star looking at all the play things they have ie.star destroyers, tie fighters , troops etc.(with a menacing theme playing in the back ground(imperial march)

But the final shot(s) will be of the twins.with the new hope theme playing.leia first than the last shot of baby Luke

[Jinn Fizz]

CNN has an article that addresses this subject today:

http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/23/ca.s02.starwars.darkend.ap/index.html

[JMK]

Those rats! They're stealing our thunder!!!! >_<

[Jinn Fizz]

Originally posted by JMK
Those rats! They're stealing our thunder!!!! >_<

Yeah, should we sue???? >D

[JMK]

Yeah! Hell yeah! And we should call them sexist and racist too! Why? Just because. Everyone else seems to be doing it.

[Jinn Fizz]

:lol :lol :lol

[Gabran Darkysa]

:lol JMK

[Kar'h'tzen Shaed]

The director said he already filmed one of the last images of "Episode III" during production of "Attack of the Clones."

"It's not the exact closing image, but it's one of the final images," Lucas said. Laughing, he added: "I won't say what it is."

Consider that they've already shot scenes in "Tatooine" during Episode II filming for the next movie, so they wouldn't have to go back there again.

Consider where Obi-Wan and Luke end up.

Seems like one of the closing scenes is pretty obvious...

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Yeah it would *seem* that way...

[JMK]

I'd bet its not at all what we're thinking...

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Still, my previous point will come to pass, I believe. THreepio HAS to get a memory wipe at some point.

He very clearly has a great memory (he *is* a droid, after all) and recognized Anakin on Tatooine, AS WELL as Padme, even after ten years. If he does NOT get a memory wipe, then he would recognize Luke, or at least the Skywalker name, not to mention Tatooine, and the Lars family home.

But he doesn't. R2-D2 seems to be the only one of the pair who knows what he's doing in ANH.

[Rama]

Maybe........maybe not. 3-P0 went off with Leia, and he knew Leia.....maybe her whole life. Same with R2. But 3-PO has never seen Luke......and there are hundreds of farms that look just like that. I can see how Owen didn't know him. He is gold now, and he barely saw R2-D2.......as to why he doesn't know the name Lars.....I don't know.


The thing that bugs me is how Obi-Wan didn't know R2......3-PO i can see....cause he looks different and most Protcol droids all look the same. But R2 hasn't changed and Obi was around him more.

[darth_mcbain]

Originally posted by Rama
3-P0 went off with Leia, and he knew Leia.....maybe her whole life.

I don't think that's true - when Luke asked Threepio who she was, Threepio said "I'm afraid I'm not quite sure sir."

[Doc Milo]

Rama, who's to say that Obi-Wan didn't recognize Artoo -- and just hid the fact from Luke? Remember, before Luke comes to, he does call Artoo, "my little friend." While that can just be an expression, it could also be a sign that he recognizes Artoo. He said he can't recall "owning" a droid, and he never did own Artoo... He wouldn't want too much information coming out too quickly ... so he wouldn't exactly go about saying, "hey! This is that Artoo droid from when I knew your father!"

So, it's entirely possible that Obi-Wan does recognize Artoo...

[Gabran Darkysa]

R2 and threepio both need a memory swipe or they would recall Owen and Obi. As far as Owen goes, perhaps too many years have passed and droid designations are often similar. How many years did Owen spend with threepio is unclear. Just that Watto sold Shmi "years ago." Plus the given fact of the hidious events of the Empire rising to power and ruling the galaxy. Too many happenings over too short of time. What are a pair droids to a person when the galaxy SUFFERED so much radical change. When the droids departed Owen's company so many years ago, I doubt he thought much about droids other than the ones under his charge on the moisture farm.

[Doc Milo]

I don't think Artoo needs a memory wipe. He seems quite capable at keeping secrets . . . and no one can understand him anyway!

[JMK]

3P0 doesn't need a memory wipe yet either. Obi Wan and 3P0 have not been in the same place at the same time yet, so why would 3P0 recognize him? The only place they were together was during the arena battle and its not like they were in close quarters. They could conceivably maintain this until ANH when they meet in the Jundland wastes.

[Kar'h'tzen Shaed]

Good point.

R2-D2 probably does not get a memory wipe, as he seems to remember Obi-Wan Kenobi from the name. He is by far the smartest of the two droids, and is close-circuited about all information he receives, so it is likely enough he knows all, sees all. Obi-Wan is likely pretending to not know R2 at all.

C-3PO probably, in fact, MUST, get a memory wipe in some fashion. Or else he would remember the Skywalker and Lars names. It is not at all likely he would visually recognize Owen, Beru, or Luke - one was a baby, the others were barely out of their teens or still in them, not really sure. But he and Kenobi have not crossed paths yet, so there's no need to ponder that "connection". As for recognizing Threepio, he's gone through more physical changes than Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber.

Hope that summed up everything accurately.

[JMK]

I don't know how Lucas is going to explain it. It's going to have to be good though. If 3P0 recognized Anakin and Padme after 10 years, why wouldn't he recognize Owen and Beru after 20 years? God this is confusing. I hope it isn't as confusing in GL's mind.

[Kar'h'tzen Shaed]

I think it's more likely that he'd remember their names than their faces - which twenty years CAN change, and who knows how well a droid like Threepio could match a person's aged face with their younger selves.

Still, the wipe must happen. Or perhaps he gets accidently taken apart so much that his memory just starts failing... he bumbles more than Jar Jar, and always with much more serious personal injury-related consequences.

...Okay, so he's not responsible for the Empire.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Shaed, C-3PO recognized Anakin, and the last time he'd seen him Ani was like 8. He didn't look like the same kid who'd left him on Tatooine in TPM. He rememebered Padme, whom he only met ONCE on Tatooine, ten years previously. I think its safe to say he's recognize the Lars name and the Skywalker name.

As to Owen...yeah I think you're right, he wouldn't necessarily remember the droids.

Threepio gets the memory wipe, R2 does not. I'm willing to bet money on it. :D

[Kar'h'tzen Shaed]

So would I.

But... blast... I gave no thought whatsoever to Threepio recognizing Anakin, whom he had last seen as a 8-year-old. So he DOES have some pretty good - actually, it must be awesome - recognition program that can factor in how someone will look when thay are older... or how they looked when they were younger. Or their voices. Or whatever. Thanks for pointing that out, though.

[Jedieb]

Yes, 3PO is definitely going to have to have a memory wipe. As for Owen not recognizing 3PO, that's kind of simple. 3PO is going to get all of his coverings replaced except for that one leg that still has the dark silver coloring. So he just looks like yet another protocol droid to Owen. I'm kind of guessing that R2 will have a memory wipe as well. I mean, what would it take for him to catch up 3PO as to what went on years earlier? A quick burst of information? It just doesn't make sense that R2 wouldn't at some point fill in 3PO. Imagine this;
Luke: "I wish I knew more about my mother."
R2: beep toot beep
Luke looks at screen; "WHAT?! You were her droid for years! You were there when she married my father! Who's my father! Tell me everything you stupid bucket of bolts!"

They've BOTH got to have memory wipes. As for the last image of EP3, it's got to have some kind of lift in there somewhere. I see some kind of Palpy and Vader image quickly followed by a shot of the twins. But the tone is going to be the darkest we've seen yet.

[JMK]

I think everyone's in agreement that the movie has to end with a shot of the twins, or at the very least, Luke.

We know that Lucas intended Vader's revelation to be a surprise, but does he intend for Luke's revelation to Leia to be a surprise as well? If so, then we may only see Luke being born, and another 'unnamed' baby that is whisked away. It will only be in ROTJ that we find out who that baby really is.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Artoo is too smart to tell Threepio anything. *May*be he gets the memory wipe as well, but I don't think so. He did know his way around Tatooine pretty well, even if 3PO didn't believe him.

[Doc Milo]

I think Threepio gets a memory wipe, and I think Anakin is the one to wipe his memory! Maybe Threepio sees something he shouldn't re: Anakin and his turn to the darkside...

If not Anakin, then Bail Organa or Padme, to keep him quiet about the twins...

[Threepio]

A memory wipe!? Oh my!

This is indeed distressing news!

[JMK]

Don't worry Threepio, you won't feel a thing. More importantly, you won't remember a thing!;)

[darth_mcbain]

Originally posted by JMK
We know that Lucas intended Vader's revelation to be a surprise

Is it possible that the ending of Ep. III will see the "death" of Anakin and not give any clue that he is still alive? Given that Lucas is considering making some tweaks to the OT, that could happen. Anakin could "die" in Ep III. Then in the OT, you have Vader but you don't know who he is. He makes his revelation in ESB. And then in a tweaked scene from ROTJ, Obi-Wan could tie it together - saying that Anakin must have survived...

[JMK]

Anything is possible in the SW universe, but I really think the audience has to be led to believe that Anakin is probably dead, but left ambiguous because you never actually see him dead.

[Doc Milo]

I think, if he wants to create that effect, then one of the tweaks we will get to ANH will be an edited version of what Obi-Wan tells Luke about Anakin.

"A young Jedi named Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil..."

The "he was a pupil of mine.." has to be cut out, because, unless we see Obi-Wan with another pupil, we'll know he's talking about Anakin...

[JMK]

True, although Lucas has to be careful when he's changing dialogue, and not simple changes just to mix things up. He'll risk changing the whole story if he isn't careful.

[BUFFJEDI]

After obi wan beats anikin and he falls into the lava.We are to assume he is dead.Later palpy is walking around with this guy know only as Darth Vader his right hand man.After of course we see Palpy's people repairing someone in the shadow's.

Obi-wan figure's out as does Yoda that it is anikin.

[Kar'h'tzen Shaed]

Jedieb: If Artoo was that forthcoming with information, Luke wouldn't have had the trouble trying to get that holographic message from Leia to play that he did. He would not have played international droid of mystery in Jabba's palace. He could have told everyone about Dagobah and Yoda, but apparently never does. He is a rather incredibly canny droid - really, he's one of the most responsible beings in the OT (and Prequels, apparently) for saving all of the other main characters' butts. And if his memory is wiped, how does he know the way to Obi-Wan's place?

On the "knowing that Anakin is Darth Vader in Ep III" note, I think that we must be shown that he is. Yoda and Obi-Wan know SOMEhow. I doubt they would just be left hanging in Ep III and then magically have guessed it by the time of the OT.