George Lucas’ epic Star Wars franchise took the world by storm for its creator’s genius in visualizing an unforgettable sci-fi fantasy world. Among the many prequels and sequels that covered decades of cinema, the Star Wars trilogy of the 2000s featured the narrative of Anakin Skywalker descending into the chilling antagonist Darth Vader. The films were also a pioneering effort in visual effects that were incorporated into the narrative.
One of the key segments of the the trilogy was the final dramatic lightsaber face-off between Hayden Christensen’s Darth Vader and Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi on the volcanic planet of Mustafar in Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith. This climax though, had an alternate culmination which both actors fervently fought to include in the film but did not materialize.
Star Wars Alternate Ending Did Not Find Favor With George Lucas
Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith culminated the trilogy with the iconic galactic battle between Anakin Skywalker aka Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi. In the duel on the volcanic planet of Mustafar, both characters are engaged in an intense tussle before Obi-Wan Kenobi uses a devastating move to severe Darth Vader’s legs and left arm before leaving him for dead near a lava flow. Interestingly, this scene had an alternative ending that did not make the final cut despite both stars fighting for it to be used.
Prolific stunt coordinator Nick Gillard who was responsible for all the action sequences in the Star Wars films, revealed that George Lucas remained undeterred by Ewan McGregor’s and Hayden Christensen’s insistence on using the ending which would have reflected an accidental defeat of Darth Vader rather than the premeditated one that was depicted. Elaborating on what could have happened, Gillard said.
“Anakin just grabbed [Obi-Wan] by the throat… He’s got him and Obi’s saber is down on the ground, and Anakin says, ‘I’m sorry it has to be this way, my master,’ and actually lets [the lightsaber] go.”
This ending, in retrospect, could have been a poetic end to the master-student relationship. It could have also changed the way Princess Leia viewed Anakin Skywalker by possibly understanding that there was still a good side to Darth Vader as opposed to the evil persona that he became in the film.
Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge Of The Sith Had Some Interesting On Set Experiences
It goes without saying that putting George Lucas’s immensely creative mind on paper is a daunting task. But the cast and crew of the Star Wars franchise ensured that the director’s genius would be captured perfectly on screen. There were many challenges during filming this visually complex epic including one particular scene in Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith.
In the elevator scene where Anakin Skywalker cuts a hole in the ceiling and jumps out, the technical team was unable to find a stunt double to jump on cue or have the equipment to pull Hayden Christensen in time for the jumps. Eventually, they ended up doing a digital copy of him doing the stunt. The production team also wanted to have all the scenes that didn’t have any actors in them to be done before they started filming and managed to complete these scenes 3 to 4 months before actual shooting was done.
Source: SFF Gazette
