Plot holes, plot holes everywhere. Either that or people that watched the films simply didn't get anything from them or pay enough attention, then ironically play it out as being "true Star Wars fans"
This is the first small batch of "plot-holes" (as some like to call them) that I gathered here to debunk, and/or incorrect comprehensions with regards to the films that need some sorting out. Here goes.
Plot-hole complaint 0.1- "That whole prophecy is just further proof of the plot holes in the prequels and sloppy work from Lucas. Qui Gon was the only one that believed Anakin was the chosen one, then they completely disregard the fact that others disagree with Qui Gon to conveniently play it off as if Anakin was indeed the chosen one and didn't look back." Along the lines of other comments adding to the notion that the prophecy was forced into the story.
What actually went down- The fact is that the only thing the Jedi council didn't agree to was Anakin being trained at such an old age (that is also a point I would like to cover in #2 perhaps). Nobody denied he was the chosen one, and even so agreed to it when Qui-Gon mentioned it. And if we want to get technical Yoda was the only one that agreed and nobody else denied it: Qui-Gon- "He is the chosen one, you must see this." Yoda- "The chosen one he may be, never the less, grave danger I fear in his training."
At which point, again, no one popped in to deny anything about Anakin being the chosen one.
Plot-hole complaint 0.2- "The prophecy said the chosen one would bring balance. He hardly brought balance and Luke ended up being the chosen one."
What actually went down- Well... I don't know how this qualifies as a plot hole really and why they use it, since Anakin could have been the darkest Sith to ever rise and it still wouldn't be a plot hole. Somehow the story element of the Jedi having a prophecy becomes so important to some fans that are more loyal to the image of the Jedi than the story was meant to be and God forbid the plot has the Jedi make a mistake it's a plot hole. I'll get to that later.
The fact remains that what the prophecy said would happen is exactly what happened. Anakin was the chosen one and he in fact brought balance to the galaxy twice.
The first was in the prequels, the Jedi controlling everything is hardly balance neither was the Republic which wasn't functioning, clearly, otherwise Palpatine would not have been able to sway anyone against it from within and outside it. The Jedi being wiped out balanced the Light Side and Dark Side of the Force. The Empire rising balanced out the Republic, and once there was no Republic left, just the rebels, Anakin took the Empire out as well (The Emperor more or less). No Empire, no Republic, no Jedi or Sith orders controlling things, all due to one person!
Given that some say that Lucas explained that balance meant balance in the force, which is accomplished only when there would be no Sith any more, I will at that point use his own lines and logic from his own movies "that Anakin brought balance from a certain point of view". But even if that was the case then ok, Anakin did not bring balance twice. He did however fulfil the prophecy and took out the last remaining Sith, and also himself. So the prophecy holds true either way from either perspective.
On the Jedi misreading a prophecy
Of course the Jedi misread the prophecy (in my perspective) however given Lucas's side of things which seem to be (here it comes, I know you crazy SW fans love this word) canon, they did not misread the prophecy (ultimately). Either way, not a plot hole.
To each ones understanding of course, since a lot of philosophy or even politics can be applied to this franchise. The Jedi were very dogmatic and controlling just like religions are today and they thought they were the good guys. They thought "bring balance" meant the Jedi roaming free and controlling everything because obviously they thought they were so pure. From a philosophical point of view this is not balance, this is utopia or perhaps even perfection (provided they actually were as pure as they thought, which they weren't, which then makes it tyrannical). But even when someone is pure and in control, they are not pure enough to allow a new challenger pop into the game and fight back. Again, another trait of tyranny.
Either way, the Jedi themselves speculate that perhaps they misread the prophecy. Anyone trying to deny this story progression as a plot hole is really as biased as hell and can't comprehend the simple elements of unexpected turning points in a story (which were barely unexpected since we knew how everything was going to turn out, and this for many was a turn-off and others exciting... I belong to the second).
The conversation between Obi Wan, Yoda and Windu shows their dilemma clearly. "Wasn't he meant to be the chosen one?" Says Obi Wan, nobody here denies him, they are all on board with this since Anakin was indeed the most powerful Jedi in the Galaxy (adding to the first "plot hole" as well, that only Qui Gon believed he was the chosen one), and they then simply move on to say that they might have read the prophecy wrong.
Plot-hole complaint 0.3- "The prophecy created such plot holes, Luke ended up being the chosen one..."
What actually went down- What? Luke was what? Did they not see the classics? Luke brought Anakin back to the Light Side of the force. Anakin killed the Emperor, killing the last Sith and fulfilling the prophecy. If he had not turned back, Luke would pretty much be toasted bread now.
Plot-hole complaint 0.4- Here, this is a good one actually. I chuckled once reading it as above all it made it so obvious that many of these "hardcore fans" haven't even seen the films. "The plot holes are as many as the classics, poorly written work Lucas, poorly written work. I mean how does the Emperor survive the Death Star exploding in a New Hope in the first place?"
Ok, I know I am mean for picking on this one, but it's fun.
What actually went down- Here goes. (clears throat) The Emperor was never on the Death Star when it blew up the first time! Otherwise no one would communicate with him through holograms ALL THE TIME! He was on Coruscant. He is an Emperor, not a star fleet commander. He is on the throne of the Empire, you know, the equivalent of a once senate chancellor "throne" seen in Coruscant in the prequels?
He comes to overlook the making of the second death star and this is the whole point behind the second Rebel attack on the new Death Star.
Hint 1- And I quote: "Further more, we have intelligence that the Emperor himself will be on the Death Star overlooking its construction... many died to bring us this information".
Hint 2- Darth Vader tells the men when he arrives that the Emperor is coming himself, and all are surprised since obviously it is unlikely of him to show up (hence, he was never on the FIRST DEATH STAR). "We shall double our efforts then, my Lord"... Vader- "I hope for your sake that you do, the Emperor is not as forgiving as I."
Hint 3- Did someone miss the entire sequence where the Emperor finally arrives and Vader kneels to great him with a whole parade of soldiers standing by?
That's all folks...
And that's all for Round 1. That last one was more for chuckles really but its always great fun to pick on people that you see bash on something then post such nonsense proving they simply didn't like the franchise or pay attention to it period (which is completely ok... bitching about something that doesn't even interest you is not). Call me cruel, but it's still funny to read such priceless nonsense none the less.
Yes yes, George Lucas pissed on your childhoods and didn't know anything about the story he himself wrote (/sarcasm).
If anything, I'm afraid the next chapters from J.J will be inconsistent and full of plot holes. The idea is that there is no Empire or Republic any more, and true balance. So they better tread rightfully by this and make sure the themes and concepts that they deal with stick to the initial plots, which were all justified in the first 6 films. Or at the most show a falloff from the Empire as long as they tread carefully about it.
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| Hmmm... A new stormtrooper helmet... Lets hope they tie it in to the old films to do it justice. These are clearly a new line of soldiers, which bears the question who built them if the Empire was defeated? The new Alliance? o.O |
These new titles could indeed prove more controversial than all before them, but seeing as to them being handled by J.J Abrams chances are people will suck up to them none the less.
An added plot hole that may rise from a new Republic or new Empire wouldn't be exactly against the prophecy either however hence even that wont be a plot hole, since everything the prophecy claimed will happen actually happened. It never said how long balance will last and if someone else will pop up to ruin that balance after that. But, like I said, they better tread carefully on all these things.
Lastly, we can also argue on the whole idea of what is truly meant by balance based on each ones' own perspective of what kind of balance was at hand before (in the time of the Republic and the Jedi controlling everything), but that is another conversation all together diving head first into more ethical, philosophical, social and political opinions.
The verdict of this handful of "plot holes" alone simply implies that the prophecy was a forced element into the story. Something which is not true. It brought everything together and also created struggles for Anakin and the council along with so much more. And no, having not heard about the prophecy in the classics does not mean it could not have been present. After the fall of the Republic we barely know what the Jedi had accomplished and how much was lost (including the Midichlorian theories... omg, another thing they bitch about, that should be for Round 2) at which point nothing is forced into anything. It is simply developing a story with more interesting elements and character.
You don't add anything to a plot and "it's too simple, they were too bored to even think of anything," you add too much, "oh my God, they added so much to it all and ruined the franchise"... Yes, but the Expanded Universe novels did not add a pile of stuff did they? And a writer should not write their own story, they should try to tiptoe across a million lines to make sure they don't cross over to too much extra content or too little (/more sarcasm), which is of course impossible anyway because haters are gonna hate and no matter what you do they have a complaint about everything.
But beyond the haters, I'm really starting to wonder if people on the Internet know what plot-hole means. Maybe if they paid some attention instead of having their mind already made up before hand, thus trying desperately to find things where they are not... then maybe they wouldn't be seeing "plot holes" everywhere... Just a thought.
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