Did George Lucas say why he changed Old Anakin Force Ghost to Mid Age Anakin?

J

JBLAKE

Sr Member
Just wondering if there was an official answer from George Lucas as to why he changed The Force Ghost of Anakin at the end of Return of the Jedi to from Older Anakin to mid age Anakin.

Why is Anakin reverted back to mid age Anakin? Why do Yoda and Obi Wan remain there ages they were when they became one with the force?

Is there meaning or was it that they had no idea what a mid age Obi or Yoda would look like.
I am sure Lucas had a reason just would like to know what it was if anything at all.

If this was discussed previously here please put a link in here to it. I would like to read what opinions people may have on it. Thanks
 
JBLAKE said:
Just wondering if there was an official answer from George Lucas as to why he changed The Force Ghost of Anakin at the end of Return of the Jedi to from Older Anakin to mid age Anakin.

Why is Anakin reverted back to mid age Anakin? Why do Yoda and Obi Wan remain there ages they were when they became one with the force?

Is there meaning or was it that they had no idea what a mid age Obi or Yoda would look like.
I am sure Lucas had a reason just would like to know what it was if anything at all.

If this was discussed previously here please put a link in here to it. I would like to read what opinions people may have on it. Thanks
Click to expand...

I thought it had to do with something along the lines of the younger version of Anakin was pre-Vader, a little more pure (with the exception of the events in ROTS) and that version of him embodied the idea of a Jedi, while the older version represented the evil behind the mask for so many years. I thought I read that somewhere, but it could have been fan conjecture and not Lucas' vision.
 
I don't think he gave an overly logical reason, but, my guess is the real reason is that that was the only 'Anakin' image we know as Anakin. Well, short of a 9 year old. So, story-wise (in movie speak) it makes sense he appears as someone we know as Anakin.

In reality you can argue it two ways:

1. He should be the original/older anakin because he was older when he died. And, he appears only to luke, so he'd need to look to luke like someone who could be his father.

2. he should be young because - the spirit manifests itself to the viewer. In theory it should be able to assume whatever from it chooses. I'd imagine it's much easier to assume the form you last recognize yourself as as opposed to one you make up on the fly. His only other choice would be to manifest himself in the suit or his barbecued image - and no one wants to look at that :)
 
JBLAKE said:
I am sure Lucas had a reason just would like to know what it was if anything at all.
Click to expand...

This is what George was thinking:

"Hmmm, these ungrateful fans won't get off my back about how much they hate Hayden and the prequels...and how I better not dare alter THEIR beloved original trilogy movies any more. Well, SCREW them! They're not THEIR movies! They're MY movies! And I can change them any way I like! As for the prequels, they are CANON! And Hayden IS Anakin Skywalker, cause *I* say he is Anakin FRICKEN' Skywalker! I don't give AF what all these bratty nerds say! Ya know what?! I'm gonna put Hayden in the end of ROTJ as Force-ghost Ani, and anyone who says I'm raping their childhood can kiss my fat white azzZZ! Now...where did I put that nose candy??"
 
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Supposedly he is appearing how he appeared as a Jedi Knight. So old Anakin was a Sith I guess. I don't know why redeemed Anakin wouldn't work. THEN they say that Qui Gon learned that Force power from a Shaman of the Whills. The Whills aren't Jedi, so I don't know why that power requires you to look like a Jedi when you come back.



The Wook said:
This is what George was thinking:

"Hmmm, these ungrateful fans won't get off my back about how much they hate Hayden and the prequels...and how I better not dare alter THEIR beloved original trilogy movies any more. Well, SCREW them! They're not THEIR movies! They're MY movies! And I can change them any way I like! As for the prequels, they are CANON! And Hayden IS Anakin Skywalker, cause *I* say he is Anakin FRICKEN' Skywalker! I don't give AF what all these bratty nerds say! Ya know what?! I'm gonna put Hayden in the end of ROTJ as Force-ghost Ani, and anyone who says I'm raping their childhood can kiss my fat white azzZZ! Now...where did I put that nose candy??"
Click to expand...

I think if he was thinking that, he would have stuck Jar Jar in there somewhere.
 
JBLAKE said:
Is there meaning or was it that they had no idea what a mid age Obi or Yoda would look like.
Click to expand...

What does this mean exactly?

They replaced Shaw with Hayden, so they could use Ewan McGregor and the PT Yoda model.

It’s what people say— Anakin reverted to the last time he was himself, not Vader. Which is lame. He goes evil, kills who knows how many people, becomes a fascist, and gets to be eternally young in the afterlife. Obi-Wan stays true and has to be an old man.
 
Luke forges his own path to being his own Jedi and now he's pigeon-holed into playing a Yoda role for the sake of playing a Yoda role. The real answer is that no one gets what they want.
 
I don't have a link, or even remember where I read it, but there's supposedly something coming in either a novel it film that will suggest that the realm the force ghosts inhabit are outside space & time, & that'll reveal why there can be various ages manifested.

As far a what I've seen in the past, Anakin appeared as he was when he was last an actual Jedi.
 
modelcitizen said:
it was continuity with the prequels as he saw it at the time. nothing more
Click to expand...
This. In-universe, it makes no sense for Anakin to appear to Luke as his younger self because Luke had never seen him in that form and wouldn't recognize him. Of course, knowing George Lucas he'd probably say, "Oh, but Luke recognizes him through The Force," or something like that; he's better at creating explanations for his screw-ups than he is at not making them in the first place.
 
Sluis Van Shipyards said:
Supposedly he is appearing how he appeared as a Jedi Knight. So old Anakin was a Sith I guess. I don't know why redeemed Anakin wouldn't work. THEN they say that Qui Gon learned that Force power from a Shaman of the Whills. The Whills aren't Jedi, so I don't know why that power requires you to look like a Jedi when you come back.





I think if he was thinking that, he would have stuck Jar Jar in there somewhere.
Click to expand...

Did you not hearing him shouting "wesa free!" when they cut to Naboo in the planets celebration?
 
the difference was, George at the time could change his movie and then charge the public to see it. the public could not change said movie and charge the public to see it. i know what you mean, though. i like to think i "own" them as well
 
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