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Archives - June 2000


Owen Lars in Episode II!
The first Select image

 

[Thursday, June 29, 2000]

The official website keeps adding fuel to our speculation by their announcement of Joel Edgerton being cast as Owen Lars! It's a very important clue for the reconstruction of our Episode II Plotline 'puzzle'. According to the novelisation of Return of the Jedi, Owen is Obi-Wan's brother. What else do we know of Owen Lars?

Owen in Episode IV

  1. In Episode IV, he's married to Beru and lives as a farmer on Tatooine.
  2. In Episode IV, he calls his brother 'a crazy old man' and is angered and alarmed by the mention of Obi-Wan's name. Something must have happened between Obi-Wan and Owen that has damaged their relationship. "I don't think he exists anymore. He died about the same time as your father".
  3. Owen must have known Anakin, and must have witnessed his fall to the dark side. "Luke's just not a farmer, Owen. He has too much of his father in him." "That's what I'm afraid of".

Obi-Wan about his brother:

  1. (Luke: "My father didn't fight in the wars. He was a navigator on a spice freighter") "That's what your uncle told you. He didn't hold with your father's ideals. Thought he should have stayed here and not gotten involved".
  2. "I have something here for you. Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough, but your uncle wouldn't allow it. He feared you might follow old Obi-Wan on some damned fool idealistic crusade like your father did."
  3. Luke: "I can't get involved! I've got work to do! It's not that I like the Empire! I hate it! But there's nothing I can do about it right now. It's such a long way from here". Obi-Wan: That's your uncle talking."

Clues for Episode II

In these pieces of dialogue of Episode IV, we might find some important clues for the situation in Episode II:

Owen, Obi-Wan and Anakin are on Tatooine at some point in Episode II.

The phrase "Thought he should have stayed here and not gotten involved" indicates that Owen is on Tatooine before Anakin 'gets involved' (in the Clone Wars?). Anakin is on Tatooine as well, but doesn't want to stay because of his ideals. Owen doesn't agree for some reason.

The damned fool idealistic crusade is Obi-Wan's initiative

Obi-Wan seems to be the one who invites Anakin to go with him on this 'idealistic crusade'. It's likely that Obi-Wan is on Tatooine as well at that point. What exactly is this 'idealistic crusade'? Serving Bail Organa during the Clone Wars?

Owen didn't live on Tatooine before Episode II

Did Owen always live on Tatooine? Although we don't know for sure, it's a bit unlikely. In Episode I, nothing indicates that Obi-Wan has ever been on Tatooine before, neither that his brother lives there. He suggests Tatooine as a good place to hide from the Trade Federation, but he doesn't say "let's go to Tatooine, I know the place, that's where my family lives." I think it's more likely that Owen joins Obi-Wan and Anakin when they go to Tatooine in Episode II, possibly to free the slaves (fulfillment of Anakin's dream).

Could Owen be a Jedi just like Obi-Wan?

Since the Force seems to be strong in certain families, it's not impossible that Owen is a Jedi just like Obi-Wan. Since a Jedi Master can only have one apprentice at a time, it's no problem we haven't seen Owen in Episode I. He might have been a Jedi already, or an apprentice of another Jedi Master. If Owen is a Jedi, it's relatively easy to insert him into the plotline. "Anakin, meet Owen, my brother. He's a Jedi just like me, and he'll go with us to Tatooine to free your mother". If he's not a Jedi, it's trickier. Why would he end up with Obi-Wan and Anakin on Tatooine?

Why does Owen want Anakin to stay on Tatooine?

Difficult question. Why would Owen be opposed to Anakin following Obi-Wan to fight in the Clone Wars? Perhaps Owen and Obi-Wan have different political views. Obi-Wan is very idealistic, just like Anakin, whereas Owen might be more skeptical or pragmatic ("I can't get involved! I've got work to do! It's not that I like the Empire! I hate it! But there's nothing I can do about it right now. It's such a long way from here". Obi-Wan: That's your uncle talking.") Once Anakin has been reunited with his mother and brought an end to slavery on Tatooine, it must have been tempting to stay on Tatooine and settle there, far away from the crumbling Old Republic. But Anakin can't stay because there's a war to fight, and he leaves his mother again. Owen however decides to stay on Tatooine, perhaps because he's fallen in love with a local girl named Beru?

Owen and Threepio?

One last thing. Owen doesn't seem to recognize Threepio in Episode IV. However, we know that we'll see Threepio in his familiar golden plating in Episode II. What could this mean for the plotline? Here's my theory: Threepio is still in his unfinished form at Anakin's mother's house. Perhaps she hasn't activated him for years. When Anakin visits Tatooine in Episode II, he takes the unfinished Threepio with him when he leaves the planet again with Obi-Wan and gives him his golden plating later on in the movie. Since Owen decides to stay on Tatooine, he'll only have seen Threepio in his 'unfinished state'. It all makes sense!

These are just some thoughts about the possible role of Owen in Episode II and the implications for the plotline. Feel free to discuss these theories and add your own thoughts in the discussion forum.

The next update will feature more plotline speculation based on recent news and rumors!

Roderick


About the cool casting news on starwars.com!


[Sunday, June 24, 2000]

Sorry for the lack of updates recently. The last weeks before vacation starts are always terribly busy in my parishes. I've also been busy with the design and the construction of two (not Star Wars related) websites (here and here), so unfortunately there was little energy left for the Virtual Edition. However, the situation is going to improve drastically because

1] my vacation is going to start

2] filming of Episode II is going to start as well!!

I suppose you're just as amazed about the recent casting details on Starwars.com as I am. Fantastic stuff for speculation!

Later, I'm going to post my thoughts about this cool news (and perhaps I'll have time for a new picture as well). In the mean time, feel free to speculate on the discussion forum already!!


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All original content © 2000, Roderick Vonhögen - The Netherlands