THE ROLE OF THE JEDI COUNCIL
NOV 20   
     
The Northlander wrote: "my suggestion to you is this:  In one of the balcony designs, you can see two figures standing there.  It looks like they may be wearing Jedi robes or something.  Obviously a set was built of the balcony, so we know that there is a scene on it, probably a conversation between two characters.  Also, don't overlook the possibility that the Jedi Temple is in more than one scene. There may not be one big Jedi Council scene, but instead there could be several scenes here scattered throughout the movie.  Maybe a lot of the story revolves around what happens in this tower."
> NOV 20 - REACTION 1   
Jom writes: "To add my Two Cents in : I think that the council is probably debating the Naboo attack. I think Obi-wan is probably already a Jedi by SW1. I can see the council somewhere down the line debating whether to have Anakin trained though. Maybe in SW2 or in between SW1 and SW2."   

"Actually I've thought that Anakin wears the Jedi Council uniform (as Vader later on) because he sort of mocks the council. They probably had some sort of disagreement with him on some issue.  Maybe in SW2 or SW3 Anakin is so powerful he thinks he can become a Jedi Master but the council refuses saying Anakin is too reckless. Maybe they thought he should have trained with Yoda instead of Ben.  Anakin, in his growing arrogance, resents this refusal of the council and their rebuffing of Ben (after all, they are good friends) so later on he wears this uniform in mockery of the council. Since Anakin also has much to do with the eventual assassination of the council during the Jedi Purge this kind of makes sense."
> NOV 24 - REACTION 2 

Brandon Butler  (GONK on the now-defunct AICN SW forum), writes: "In response to Jom, I believe that if the Jedi Council is going to be debating the training of Anakin, then it would first have to be established to them that Anakin is an exceptional Jedi for them to be bothering with him. After all, there are still a lot of Jedi at this point, and if they deliberated on ALL of them, they'd never get anything done. :)     

Therefore, this speculation ties in with the earlier rumors that Anakin will be presented not only as a great Hero like Obi-Wan, but a figure of great religious importance, like Jesus Christ. He is their Messiah, like Paul Atredies to the Fremen, the one with the most potential to surpass all Jedi, both Masters and Knights- if he is trained correctly. Your thoughts on the 'great myth' could be on the money in your story line, except that it doesn't have to be so open-ended. Episode I could very much leave the matter resolved that it will be ANAKIN Skywalker who is this messiah and will ultimately defeat the 'Bogan' or Dark Side of the force, not just A Skywalker, which would be an open-ended allusion to Luke. This is because in the end, it really is Anakin who defeats the Emperor, and sort of redeems the Galaxy along with himself.     

This means that not only will Anakin have to be an exceptional pilot- although that might be his most prominent skill. He'll also likely be very advanced in telekinesis and other force aspects- much more so than his wussy son in ANH :)     

Therefore the Council's discussion about Anakin will likely be left for the conclusion of the movie, after Anakin is clearly seen to be this supurb force-sensitive. There will probably be an establishing scene before this which could be either at the beginning or midway through the movie, just so we can get aquainted with these people before this decision- otherwise it will look rather thrown-together. The establishing scene would probably have them discussing the overall situation, with no clue of Anakin's existence. Obi-Wan will likely be present at some point if Yoda is on the council, maybe in the background somewhere. It might be even good form to speculate that they send Obi-Wan on a mission concerning the Naboo, or they have Yoda tell him that he's being sent on a mission.     

NOTE: It might be effective if Obi-Wan is present when Mace Windu (Sam Jackson) says the famous force-addage. In fact, the exact words could be addressed to Obi-Wan, and exactly identical to what Obi-Wan says to Luke in the Death Star control room, the last time he speaks to him alive: "Remember, the force will be with you....always."
> NOV 24 - REACTION 3 

Sameer Ketkar: "don't you think that it would be the SITH council that wears the Vader style helmets?  i really liked the idea of vader mocking the council by wearing their robes in the second trilogy (whoever thought of that, give them a special bonus or something), but it just seems impractical.  the first time we see Vader in ANH, we just KNOW that he's bad.  it's all the black clothing (that's why luke has a shade-of-gray look in ROTJ, remember?) i think.  now if we see the high and mighty jedi council dressing like this, the first thing that i will think is : "Dark jedi!! corruption!! ahh!!" i guess it would be okay if they had the same outfit and helmet but white or light blue in color, that would be "good guy-ish", but it just seems too much like a bad guy thing for them to wear the Vader helmets and clothing.  if they wore different colors, then it would be even more of a mockery of the jedi council when verdure dresses the same, but purposely in black as a symbolic gesture!"
> NOV 24 - REACTION 4 

Allan Price writes: "I think this could be the pivotal scene in the first Trilogy. The two characters could be OB1 and Anakin. OB1 is telling Anakin how he must be patient and calm when he faces the Jedi Council. They have heard a lot about his power so far and will be interested to see whether he has learned to control it as he must. Anakin agrees to be as calm as he can.       
The Jedi Council enter the room and OB1 and Anakin enter too, Anakin  stands in front of the table and Ben stands behind him. The council  asks him many questions relating to his aims and goals, where his  loyalties lie and most importantly what he thinks about the Jedi  council and it's work. During these questions Anakin becomes more and  more agitated and starts to argue with the council members. This  calms down and everyone in the room is calm except Anakin who has  allowed his rage to get the better of him. The council denies him the  chance to join them and Anakin retorts with an evil remark and storms out. On his way out he passes Senator Palpatine who is standing just outside the door with a large grin on his face." 
> DEC 8 - REACTION 5 

Lucas S. Erickson writes: "I just read all of the speculations about the role of the Jedi council based on one frame in the story board. I think speculations is all that they are. The two figures seen in that ONE frame could be anybody. It could be the Jedi Master character Liam Neeson plays. It could be bit characters who we'll never see besides that ONE frame. All of those suggestions dug too deep. There is nothing given by that one frame. No one can decipher major elements about the prequels from white shadows.  
   
I don't know what's going on in the scene nor do I want to know until I see the movie myself. But I don't think that the Jedi Council will play as big a role as many of those letters gave them. I think it would be better to compare the Jedi Council's role in episode 1 to that of the Imperial Senate's role in episode 4. Sure the Council will get screen time whereas the Senate didn't, but the characters, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Neeson's Jedi Master will be making the major decisions and influences concerning the plot, NOT a council filled with extras. Remember what Obi-Wan told Luke in ROTJ, "I took it upon myself to train him as a Jedi," This line suggests to me that Obi-Wan didn't ask ANY council permission to teach Anakin. Nor does it suggest that the council came in to play at all concerning Anakin's training. Obi-Wan says HE decided to teach Anakin. Not the council.  
   
If the council discusses anything, I think it will concern galactic events. I am most likely wrong as most of us are. But I'm glad if I am wrong. When I watch the next film I hope to be surprised. I don't want all of the secrets and events dictated to me already."
> DEC 17 - REACTION 6 
   
 Apocalypse wrote: "I would just like to add my opinion on the role of the Jedi Council.  I am of the opinion that it will be a relatively minor "character" as such, but it will be responsible for a rather mind-blowing reversal of fortunes or change in the way things proceed over the course of the prequels.  I'm sure, based on the evidence from the Official Site, that the Jedi Council will appear in the first film.  But, I believe their main role will come in the second film.  
  
Here's the scenario (completely conjecture on my part, but I think this would be awesome if some type of event of this sort plays out):  Obi-Wan, at some point in the first film, will be asked by the Council to go to Tatooine and bring back a new Jedi that is very strong with the Force.  Perhaps, before he leaves, Yoda and he or Mace Windu and he will converse on the balcony discussing the potential of this young Jedi.  He then leaves for Tatooine and ends up gettting caught up in the whole Padme/Qui-Gon/Mos Espa affair that I will not even portend to conjecture about.  In essence, Obi-Wan will get entangled in a situation that he should probably have nothing to do with much like Han Solo in the first trilogy.  Throughout the film, Obi-Wan and Anakin will grow closer, and Obi-Wan will choose to begin to train Anakin in the ways of the Force with the ulitmate goal of returning him to the Council.  
  
Eventually, at some point in the trilogy (perhaps at the center of the second film to pattern ESB,) Obi-Wan and Anakin will return to the Council, and they will ask that Anakin be allowed to continue his training.  The Council, disappointed by Obi-Wan's decision to try to begin training Anakin, will rebuke and disgrace him and deny Anakin the chance to be trained as a true Jedi Knight.  Dejectedly, Obi-Wan leaves the Council, perhaps with the intention of disappearing into the twin sunsets of Tatooine.  Later, knowing a confrontation is necessary, he will return to face Anakin.  
  
Anakin becomes angry, leaves the Council, and is later confronted by Senator Palpatine who promises to complete his training properly, giving in to the Dark Side (almost) unitentionally.  At the end of the second film, Anakin returns for revenge, razes the chamber and kills every Jedi but Yoda, and the second film ends with him donning the blood soaked cloak and helmet of one of the Council members. Just an idea, but I do believe the Council will play a small but pivotal role."
> DEC 19 - REACTION 7 
   
Bishop066 wrote: "With regards to the Jedi Council, I seriously doubt there will be any interaction between them and Anakin. More likely, Ben will very purposefully steer young Anakin away from them, probably due to a mixture of mistrust due to Palpatine's manipulations in the council and his own arrogance that he could train the young jedi better than old-fashioned Yoda. 
The significance of presenting the council visually in the movie is doubtless to convey two major plot elements: firstly, to let us see the corruption and indecisiveness of a ponderous old cult gone to seed, and secondly, a good place for most Jedi to be gathered and snuffed out all at once ( I seriously doubt Lucas intends to show a couple thousand Jedi getting killed in individual duels with Sith Lords and fledgling Boba Fetts). Think of the design and modeling efforts going into the creation of this council chamber as something along the lines of the model of the white house they made for Independence Day."
> DEC 23 - REACTION 8 
  
Streen Bean wrote: "Certainly it's the Council's job to slap bad Jedi's wrists or whatever happens when a Jedi gets naughty (maybe you should listen up, Ewan...). So when a guy comes into your house with the Jedi High Judicial Council cloak and headdress and says "Hasta la vista, baby," you, like any Jedi that respects the Council that runs the Order, obediently lay your neck to the blade.  It also gives a little bit more meaning, perhaps, to the nomenclemature of Vader's SSD flagship... Executor."
> JAN 17 - REACTION 9 
  
Nathaniel Reed wrote: "As regards the Jedi Council's absence, I've always felt there to be a clear distinction between a Jedi Knight and a Jedimaster. So the council could be seen as the 'generals', who send their Knights out to settle disputes, and therefore there will be not much, if any, absence from Coruscant. This might help to start the distrust of the Jedi, with a widening gulf opening up between what the Knights hear 'on the ground', and what the generals want to hear .... Vietnam, anyone ??"
> JAN 17 - REACTION 9 
  
Streen Bean wrote: "I always thought there was a 'division of labor' among the Jedi: the Knights, who went out and fought, the Masters, who were either teachers or the 'Generals in' the Council, and Healers, who were doctors, scientists, etc. Also Jedi diplomats, negotiators (a la the Barabel and the Rodian in DFR), judges, Observers (SOTP), the list could go on."
> JAN 24 - REACTION 10 
  
Sinead R. wrote: "I must take issue with my fellow SW enthusiasts who envision a reactionary or micro-managing Jedi Council.

I am under the impression that the Jedi and the Jedi Council are an institution in the Old Republic.  I believe that, like most institutions, the Jedi Council is conservative by its very nature.   Steeped in history, mindful of its influence and protective of its members, the Council deliberates but rarely acts overtly.  It chooses its battles wisely, very careful not to squander its goodwill or alarm citizens who could be persuaded to mistrust an elite group of persons born to special powers.   

It will be the Council's reluctance to act that will be its undoing--George Lucas' gentle reminder that vigilance is necessary for the defense of liberty."