Should We See This in ROTS (SPOILAGE)

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2005-04-19 01:45pm

The Death Star (or, the "Great Weapon" if you prefer) - in any form? I think its silly for the technological reasons and is yet another example of GL trying to use a plot device from the original ANH as a crutch.

I think the same scene would work equally well with Tarkin, Vader, Palpatine, and some courtiers looking over Kuat (or some anonymous world) with the thousands of ISDs and maybe the (some) Executor(s) or a (some) proto-Executor(s) of the OT under varying states of construction.

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2005-04-19 01:46pm

I would prefer thousands of ISD peronally, just for the awe factor.

Crossroads Inc. · Post by **Crossroads Inc.** » 2005-04-19 01:47pm

It has been mentioned that we will see 'A' DeathStar under construction in the last scenes... Now if this is going to be the DeathStart "Prototype" I wouldn't have a problem... If this is supposed to be THE DeathStart from ANH, THEN I'd be pissed.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2005-04-19 01:48pm

I forget how the novel describes it and I believe Saxton has a claim that it's the remains of what the CIS was trying to build.

Personally I would've rather had a fleet then the DS.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-04-19 01:49pm

It can't be the DSP, because that was built completely in the Maw black hole supercluster.

I think that the Kuat construction yards would have been better, and could be done so that it isn't confusing to those not in the know.

VT-16 · Post by **VT-16** » 2005-04-19 02:07pm

another example of GL trying to use a plot device from the original ANH as a crutch.

To be honest, it´s just in one final scene in the movie. Not a crucial plot-point.

Sharpshooter · Post by **Sharpshooter** » 2005-04-19 02:13pm

For the sake of sanity, we'd better hope that it's the CIS prototype or something other than THE Death Star, 'cause if it is, He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is going to whore that scene out to no end to try and debunk Imperial construction capabilities.

Of course, depending upon how Lucas plays the scene out, it might be a shot of the DS in the time period of ANH - you know, some fast-forward scene to link the two trilogies, where the Emperor orders Vader to retake the Death Star plans, we get the fly-by from the film's beginning, and things end just as ANH picks up.

Soontir C'boath · Post by **Soontir C'boath** » 2005-04-19 02:22pm

Although it has been written that the prototype was made in the Maw, George could turn it around and just shove it in a corporate shipyard like Kuat.

*Note: I am spoil-less* If he is going to have the DS in the end, I'd like George to put on the original Imperial March in the last parting scenes of the movie with a pan of the still constructing prototype DS defended by a fleet of Venators and other class ships. Which then pan over to a set of shipyards with Star Destroyers launching and departing showing the engines flaring until they hyperjump to their assigned Sector Fleet signaling the end of the Republic and the beginning of the Empire once and for all.

Crossroads Inc. · Post by **Crossroads Inc.** » 2005-04-19 02:29pm

I am saddly not sure about the Maw. Lucus has a History of giving a big Middle Finger to the EU. Almost everything in the Pre-quals plays into this. So if he decides to have the ORIGINAL DeathStar begin made 20 years before it should at the Kuat shipyards... Oh well

darthnidankendo · Post by **darthnidankendo** » 2005-04-19 02:32pm

Crossroads Inc. wrote:It has been mentioned that we will see 'A' DeathStar under construction in the last scenes... Now if this is going to be the DeathStart "Prototype" I wouldn't have a problem... If this is supposed to be THE DeathStart from ANH, THEN I'd be pissed.

I would guess that it would have to be some sort of prototype to the Death Star of ANH. Otherwise it would just take to long to build, there is about a 19-20 year difference between RotS and ANH. That amount of time for the Empire to spend on building the fucking thing would be rediculous.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2005-04-19 02:33pm

I'd far preffer the fleet, yes. To be specific, the assembled starfleet of the Empire.

A space parade of millions (Yes, Millions) of Imperator/Imperial Star Destroyers, thousands of Venators, cruisers, battleships, dreadnoughts. Make the Byss fleet look pathetic and block the sky over Coruscant out entirely.

VT-16 · Post by **VT-16** » 2005-04-19 02:35pm

I really can´t understand the problem. This keeps coming up and people keep bitching about it every now and then. I´d like to think people can come up with an explanation without falling over themselves:

The Death Star takes longer to build due to experimentation, keeping it secret from the Senate (who still have certain influence and say in the Empire) and possibly sidelining it for a while if the development and production of conventional warships take up more resources and time.

There, that didn´t hurt a bit, now did it?

A space parade of millions (Yes, Milliones) of Imperator/Imperial Star Destroyers, thousands of Venators, cruisers, battleships, dreadnoughts. Make the Byss fleet look pathetic and block the sky over Coruscant out entirely.

Judging from the concept art we do get a fleet, in the construction site´s vicinity. Doesn´t cover the planet, though.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2005-04-19 02:37pm

Spoilers: it's quite clear in the book version at least that this was around the time Luke was delivered to Owen and Beru. That is a long time.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2005-04-19 02:39pm

VT-16 wrote:Judging from the concept art we do get a fleet, in the construction site´s vicinity. Doesn´t cover the planet, though.

I've seen it. The fleet is not big enough for my taste. Not by a long way.

VT-16 · Post by **VT-16** » 2005-04-19 02:39pm

Spoilers: it's quite clear in the book version at least that this was around the time Luke was delivered to Owen and Beru. That is a long time.

I know that, I was just trying to come up with something.

I've seen it. The fleet is not big enough for my taste. Not by a long way.

If we get several shiptypes other than Venators, I´ll be happy.

Trytostaydead · Post by **Trytostaydead** » 2005-04-19 02:48pm

I've always been upset from the very beginning in AOTC that it wasn't an Imperial design, but made from funny looking flying creatures.

SylasGaunt · Post by **SylasGaunt** » 2005-04-19 02:54pm

The Geonosians claim to fame is the fact that they're weaponmakers. In fact IIRC they're referred to as 'The weapon-masters of Geonosis' several times in the ROTS novel.

What is the problem exactly? Or is this more 'it's not the way I saw it so I dislike it'?

Connor MacLeod · Post by **Connor MacLeod** » 2005-04-19 02:56pm

We know that aside from the Maw-installation prototype, the Eye of Palpatine was smaller than the 1st DS and lacked the single "superlaser" (instead preferring smaller but more numerous heavy guns), but had comparable power-generation capabilities according to CotJ. Aside from the 'Great Weapon', the hints at Republic Superweapons (IE Medstar 2, Rogue Planet) and the possibility of the ROTS DS being visually different from the other DS's (which would prove they aren't the same, despite what the script says.), suggest that there might have been others. And while ITW:SWT tends to frown on the idea of a large number of prototype DS's, it doesn't prevent them from experimenting with different designs (different kinds of armaments, different powerplants/engines, different control systems, etc.) The Eye of Palpatine and the Death Star highlight quite a wide diversity in possible ship designs in the intervening period between the prequels and the OT.

As for what happened to them: Most of the prototypes might have been recycled (for the materials) or disarmed (the world-ships Palpy gave to some of his lackeys could be decomissioned prototypes) and a few probably could have blown up (mistakes do happen.) A couple of others might have been hidden away (DS prototype at the maw) or used for other purposes (the E of P).

This is in addition to the needs of secrecy, the R&D involved in developing a newer, bigger, more powerful device, and so on.

It must also be remembered that despite what ROTS may hint at, the ability to construct artificial planetoids IS an establsiehd capability, even well back in the TPM-era Republic (or earlier.) since Rogue Planet not only had the Raith Sienar "Expeditioanry Battle Platform", but also Zonoma Sekot's inorganic ion and hyperdrive engines. And of course the 2nd DS. So there's no real reason it should take decades for them to build it (for purely technical reasons.)

Connor MacLeod · Post by **Connor MacLeod** » 2005-04-19 02:58pm

VT-16 wrote: Judging from the concept art we do get a fleet, in the construction site´s vicinity. Doesn´t cover the planet, though.

Is the concept art online somewhere?

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-04-19 03:04pm

It's over at MF.com, or at least it was. You can also see it in the Art of RotS book, which is where it came from.

VT-16 · Post by **VT-16** » 2005-04-19 03:16pm

but made from funny looking flying creatures

It can blow up planets and cross the galaxy, if they made it, that´s to their credit, wings or not.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2005-04-19 03:18pm

That's not the final art though; GL didn't like the construction droids for one.

Crossroads Inc. · Post by **Crossroads Inc.** » 2005-04-19 03:19pm

Wait, whats this "From Across the Galaxy" bit? This is the DeathStar we're talking about, not the Galaxy Gun,.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-04-19 03:20pm

Refering to the ability of the Death Star to travel through Hyperspace.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-04-19 03:21pm

Illuminatus Primus wrote:That's not the final art though; GL didn't like the construction droids for one.

Although a rare occurance based on what's known from the Art of book, the construction ships could be dropped with the Death Star design approved.