Designed to read as each movie's introductory crawl...the arc of the prequels that should have been. We know
that Anakin becomes Vader, we know
(partly) of his betrayal...the story given to us is a paint by numbers call back to IV, it must elevate beyond what we know and offer surprises and gravitas.
EPISODE I: The Prophecy Illuminated
CRAWL: "In the darkest shadows of the shining Republic, a slave named Oeast gives birth to Anakin Skywalker. A prophecy that has lingered in the once dead Sith (ancient disciples dedicated to the principles of the Dark Force), has seen that Anakin will eventually lead them to victory over the Jedi Order. The Jedi are the proud disciples of the Light Side of the Force, the undeniable energy that permeates the Galaxy and they too have seen this vision.
Led by the ancient, but wise, Yoda, the Jedi have been mobilized through-out the Galaxy in search of Anakin and bring the child under the watchful eye of the Order.
In the non-federated systems of the Fringe, Oeast does her best to keep her child from both factions, but the machinations of war have already begun. The Sith, needing to use guile in their strategy, began fanning of flames to start war against the waning Republic.
On the planet of Das, Oeast seeks to hide, but attack ships from both the Sith and Jedi converge upon them."
SYNOPSIS: This is a knock-out fight to the death for the ultimate 'ownership' of the child, Anakin, who has undeniable powers of the force. The Sith see him as the prophetic master to finally crush the Jedi Order, who have been in power for some 2,000 years. The Jedi see the threat as well, but, because they are soft with the lack of struggle, they only halfheartedly begin the fight with an enemy they misunderstand.
Yoda sends Arnaul Vidyn, Jedi Master, and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, to the planet of Das to secure the child, but, the entire weight of the Sith Empire, once thought to be extinct, come upon them, dozens to one. "The Jedi have lived far too long in the confines of their vanity. And, the Republic! It is nothing but a mirror of the gluttonous and ravenous Order that only seeks peace where peace seeks to suit them and their pockets. And all of you here are nothing but their handmaidens and their chattel! You have forgotten the promises of your fathers before you and live in the ruins and have nothing to fill your bellies but sorrow and defeat. Rise again! Rise along with the Sith! They are not the childish horror stories of your youth: they are the promise of a tomorrow where you can be proud to stand on your own feet and say that you are truly free!"
Meanwhile, the Sith run, in tandem, the efforts to bend the Fringe systems to a great war with the Republic, sparking a debate within the Senate as to freedom among the non-federated states and those seeking independence from the 'tyranny' of the Republic. As the Jedi become engrossed in other matters, and distracted over Anakin, they miss the opportunity to stop this before it begins.
There is a great battle across the systems in the Fringe, where Oeast is killed, clutching her poor child. The Jedi are victorious at the end of the story. However, Yoda reaches out with the Force and sees that the prophecy is indeed true. Yoda believes there may be a way to sullen the child without resorting to killing him.
EPISODE II: Stalemate
CRAWL: "Anakin Skywalker, child subject of the Jedi Order, has become a backdrop to the crisis that surrounds the Republic. With his mentor, Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin is an attentive pupil to both Kenobi and Jedi Master Agostin, but the child is lacking the basic tenants of the Force, striking out at the Order with growing frequency.
The Republic, led by Arin Mil'anor and the weight of the Senate, mobilize themselves against the threat of open military actions led, in secret, by the Sith Empire and their Vizier, Phyvius. The Jedi Order is called into action to lead the assaults against the non-federated systems - but their lack of initiative is being questioned.
The Sith run a campaign against the Jedi and the 'Old' Republic, casting them as tyrannical leaders with questionable conduct in the war they have 'chosen' to wage against them. Systems become increasingly attuned to the Dark Forces.
Meanwhile, Phyvius runs a third prong against the Light, seeking decisive weapons from illegal weapons manufacturers, the Hutts of Tatooine. Bounty hunters are sought to ensure that the exotic weapons are kept away from the Republican Army until the time is come."
SYNOPSIS: Anakin has been taken deep within the halls of the Core Worlds for Jedi training with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Agostin. Despite the young age of the child, he is highly attuned to the Force, but Obi-Wan detects that it is not the Force of Light. Agostin however, is an optimist and continues to seek more and more advanced training to the child, who pulls it in like a collapsed star.
It is in one of these sessions that Anakin sees a vision of Phyvius, who tells him the prophecy and the twists the death of his mother as the attempt to kill him by the Jedi. "The Jedi wanted to kill you as well, Anakin, but they are crippled with guilt and petty hand wringing in their twisted tenants. You see it as well: their 'Light' is questioned in their hears on a daily basis. It is not the basis of faith, but weakness. You are strong...so strong. Strike out with the full weight of your Force, the Dark strength that flows in you now. You should be released, not confined." Anakin then kills Agostin while alone. Obi-Wan suspects him but cannot prove it. Anakin then makes a decision to kill Yoda but binds his intention until the time is right.
Yoda is provided a vision, deducing two of the three prongs of the Sith strategy. He sends his best Jedi and defeats a few of the non-federated systems and offers them peace. The exotic weapons turn out to be clones, generated from the worst of the Sith, to fight as equals to the Jedi, who find themselves, in many millennia, having to fight to stay alive, fight to stay relevant.
Palpatine, a Vizier and Dark Disciple, grows in political power in direct opposition to the Republic systems and the Senate. He never fails in his ability to outmaneuver the stymied politicos.
In the throes of the war, Anakin attempts to kill Yoda to win a decisive victory, but Obi-Wan senses this before it happen. Phyvius and his upstart pupil are on hand to obtain Anakin, Yoda and Obi-Wan fight tooth and nail, only to see Anakin in the hands of the Sith. It comes at a price for the Dark Side, who have to struggle to re-build their resources. But in the end Phyvius is hopeful for the Sith's future - they have Palpatine, Skywalker and their clones to a(n unsure) victory.
EPISODE III: The Fall of Order
CRAWL: "The Republic is in turmoil. Even the most loyal to the cause of peace are questioning the Galactic Leader, Arin Mil'anor, and his ability to hold together the fabric of unity. The Jedi commanders are losing system after system, stemming not only from the subversive tactics of the Sith, but their ability to undermine the promises of stability from the Galactic Senate. Hope appears to fade in the last light of the Jedi Order, where the last crucial decisions of Master Yoda and the Jedi Knight Obi Wan Kenobi guide the remainder of fighters to dubious victory.
Poised to strike, the Sith have successfully placed General Anakin Skywalker and Chancellor Palpatine as outspoken leaders of the non-federated systems, calling out for justice and order in a universe that is fast moving toward chaos. Skywalker continues to win battles against separatist forces, and Palpatine has brought federation to systems where none have existed before, earning the trust and resources of their people.
Meanwhile, the rest of the galaxy is seeing the destruction of 2,000 years of peace dissolve before their eyes.
Now, Jedi forces seek to control one of the last, key systems in the Outer Fringe from the Sith, while the children of Amidala Sashir, sired by the criminal acts of Skywalker, request asylum. In the darkness, the growing triumph of the Sith amass a force to take on the core systems of the once stable Republic."
SYNOPSIS: The finality and triumph of the Sith is seen in the final acts of the movie. System after system falter and eventual either: fall to the Sith, or, fall into chaos and destruction. With no real foundation to stand upon, Arin Mil'anor is eventually forced out of office, and Chancellor Palpatine resumes control of the withering Republic, replacing it with Imperial Order. Anakin is cheered to the Halls of the Senate after a decisive battle against what is perceived as the Jedi maneuvering to manipulate the system of Chrysalis. This fully discredits Yoda and Obi-Wan, who with the mother of Luke and Leia Skywalker, are forced into hiding.
In the halls of the Senate, where Palpatine sends away all those that opposed him, he says "Let it be recorded that those that oppose the ultimate unity and order that the Imperial Code represents, will suffer along with their people. We are willingly and irrefutably sent here, to Coruscant, to the very head of the known systems, to once again unify that which was tattered. We were cheered by the peoples of right-thinking systems to sit here and ensure a quick resolution to this conflict and assure the purpose of peace."
The Jedi are not only shamed by openly hunted by Sith and bounty hunters through-out the Galaxy, the Order is lost. The last remnants of the Republic, crippled because they never made preparations for war, find themselves in need of the resources to fight once again.
Anakin and Palpatine now seek the last revenge against their enemies in the Senate, their systems, the Jedi and, to conclude their plans, even the warriors of the Sith.
Amidala is killed where Obi-Wan could do nothing to stop it, instead making the decision to hide the twins from their tyrannical father. In the fight, Obi-Wan not only defeats Anakin, but suffers him a lethal blow. Anakin is held together by the power of the Dark Side, but chooses to stay alive and to wipe away as much of his humanity to better fight the ongoing struggle of Order against Chaos and takes on the moniker Darth Vader.
We see a galaxy torn asunder by evil and no footing for the good. Technology falls into disrepair and the Rebellion takes its first steps in infancy to rise up where they could not win before.
