Page 60 - Star Wars Insider #188

SITH UNSEEN: A RETROSPECTIVE

the book of the film
REVENGE OF THE SITH – MOVIE NOVELIZATION

RELEASE DATE: April 2, 2005 PUBLISHER: Del Rey AUTHOR: Matthew Stover

he novelization of Revenge of In Skywalker’s mind, he needs to
the Sith primarily relays the be a master so that he has a chance

T film’s consequential scenes, to dig through the Archives, learn
but also opens a window into the as much as possible about Plagueis,
thoughts and motivations that and save Padmé.

influenced notable actions. Just as Labyrinth of Evil
Anakin Skywalker’s visions expounds on its source material,
pertaining to Padmé’s death during this novelization offers additional
childbirth, his desire to protect insight into familiar scenes. For
her, and his anger over not being instance, while the war rages,
granted the rank of Jedi Master, Palpatine disturbs his critics by
are all well-documented onscreen, installing Republic governors
but the novelization lends further accompanied by clone units to
insight into the young man’s many planets. Allegedly sent to help
frustration relating to his status local officials, these forces surely act
on the Council. He as a foothold for the
knows the Jedi Temple Just as Labyrinth Imperial government
contains holocrons of Evil expounds on once the Empire the game of the film
filled with knowledge replaces the Republic. REVENGE

from generations of its source material, Equally, on his way OF THE SITH –
Jedi, but protocol this novelization to altering the message
states that only Jedi being broadcast by the THE VIDEO GAME
Masters retain access offers additional Jedi Temple’s beacon,
to those resources. insight into the book also reveals RELEASE DATE: April2,2005
Anakin initially plans Kenobi’s humorous PUBLISHER: LucasArts
to research other Jedi familiar scenes. ruse to dispatch the
who have experienced troopers guarding the
prophecies and whether the building. He poses as a hunchback nleashed on the public
foreseen events could be prevented, intent on surrendering a Jedi infant prior to the fi lm’s offi cial
but his focus shifts when Palpatine to the troops... a baby who turns U premiere, the Revenge Of
tells him about Darth Plagueis’ out to be a fully grown, lightsaber- The Sith video game sees players
ability to save people from death. wielding Yoda. battle through levels as either
Skywalker’s choice to serve the Anakin Skywalker or Obi-Wan
Emperor and be renamed Darth Kenobi. The release stuck to
Vader is not the only evolving the movie’s plot and revolves
relationship to be conferred here. around consequential moments,
While Yoda explains to Obi-Wan so supplementary themes do not
about communing with Qui-Gon truly materialize in this format.

Jinn in the film, the novel actually However, the game spearheaded
portrays one such interaction. an appealing new approach to
Following his failure to best the marketing a movie, previewing
Emperor in combat, Yoda converses exclusive locales prior to their

with Jinn’s disembodied voice and official arrival in cinemas,
becomes aware of the potential including the Invisible Hand,
to live on through the Force after Utapau, and Mustafar. It also
death. In a parallel to young contained more than 10 minutes
Skywalker’s submission to the of actual scenes from the yet-to-be-
darkness, the older Yoda pledges to released theatrical version. Such an
open himself to new teachings and extensive use of previously unseen
become Jinn’s apprentice. Ironically, footage is rarely seen outside of
the Jedi uncover the means to avoid approved trailers and inexorably
death, a talent that Sidious and binds the game to its counterpart
Vader so desperately sought. on the big screen.

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