Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

Release Date: May 19, 2005

Watch Date: June 14, 2024

“Discover the true power of the dark side in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Years after the onset of the Clone Wars, the noble Jedi Knights lead a massive clone army into a galaxy-wide battle against the Separatists. When the sinister Sith unveil a thousand-year-old plot to rule the galaxy, the Republic crumbles, and from its ashes rises the Galactic Empire. Jedi hero Anakin Skywalker is seduced by the dark side of the Force to become the Emperor’s new apprentice—Darth Vader. The Jedi are decimated, as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Master Yoda are forced into hiding.”

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   Review!

   I might start all of my write-ups like that from now on. Revenge of the Sith did and no one complained. If it’s good enough for George Lucas, it’s good enough for me.

   If you asked my husband, which you might if you actually read this blog, this is the best movie to ever exist ever. I might debate him on this, but I’d lose. Not because of force of argument, but because of lack of passion. It wasn’t until this film that it really hit me just how much he loves Star Wars.

   He really, really loves Star Wars.

   He not only knows outside canonical context, he can tell me whether it was canon before or after Disney took over. He’ll point out a random dude in the background and tell me their name. He identifies clones, by name, based on nothing but armor, and can tell me their whole story. To say he’s intense about this is probably an understatement. But, in my opinion, when you really love your partner you adore watching them be passionate about their weird hobbies, and so watching him watch this movie was half of the fun.

   I will admit that I have been watching ‘The Clone Wars’ television show. And yea, it is a little bit more emotionally effective to watch the Jedi be attacked if you have. Because you recognize a lot of those Jedi, and you now have established a fondness for certain clones – now if those clones are featured in this scene I couldn’t tell you but trust me, Bob could. It just hits a little bit differently, and I’m only just finishing up Season 1. I’ve watched this movie once before with no context and I had no emotional attachment, and yes, you could tell that it was a tragedy but it didn’t feel as bad, I suppose?

   Also, having watched ‘The Clone Wars’ show, I wish Anakin didn’t come off so wooden? There’s moments when he’s with Obi-Wan when you feel that brotherly affection and playfulness between the two of them, but it’s few and far between and there’s still no chemistry between him and Padme. Obviously the show is, at this point, not capturing him in his darkest moments and the character has more time to breathe but…I’m going to believe he comes off the way he does because he clearly has difficulties repressing his emotions. Which, by the way, should be a pretty obvious answer as to why Mace Windu doesn’t feel comfortable granting him the title of Master. You should probably master your emotions, which is sort of the base of Jedi training, to be a Master. Even if he is really good at all the other things. Why don’t you get to be a Master, Anakin? Because you’re throwing a tantrum, which is exactly what a Master of the Jedi arts would not do.

   I’m just saying.

   The part that always confused me, and I say always and mean the one other time I’ve watched this film, was why Padme died. It was handwaved away but other people I asked as simply being from a broken heart, which makes sense I suppose, though it’s cheesy. But never fear, because Bob knew the answer. You see Anakin should have died, but somehow Palpatine stole Padme’s life force to give to Anakin to keep him alive. Now, one could argue he could have stolen anyone’s life force and had the same results, but I guess making Anakin truly believe he was evil and had killed Padme himself kills two birds with one stone.

   I am really enjoying “May the Force be With June” and it’s only too bad that if we manage to finish all the movies this month, there won’t be another one. We’re planning a major multi-day binge this weekend, so we’ll have to see how it goes. Either way, I’m kind of getting why the fandom is so passionate and how it’s captured so many people’s hearts for so many years. Let’s see if it continues to win me over!