Can't Help it Star Wars Ramblings

So ... I was looking at this:

http://msnbc.com/modules/starwars/map

and realized how unafraid Lucas is to kill off almost ALL of his important characters.

There are 33 squares on the map. Two of them represent organizations: Droid Army and Clone Army. While both of these incur thousands of fatalities, I will exclude them from this calculation. One of them has two people: Lars family. Two more are duplicates: Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader and Senator Palpatine / The Emperor (imho, "The Emperor" just sounds cooler than "Emperor Palpatine", so kudos to these guys). Get rid of the duplicates and that leaves us with 30 "people".

Of those 30 there two for which, by the end of Episode VI, we do not know the fate: Lama Su and Jar Jar (maybe he gets offed in EpIII, but I doubt it). While Padme does not die on screen (I assume), Leia tells us she is dead. Also, we can assume that Bail Organa was on Alderaan when it blew in Episode IV, though the makers of this site neglected that point. There are 9 characters that we know survive all the way to the end credits of Episode VI. That leaves 19 characters on this map that get whacked on screen. There are a few that die in Episode III ... I hope I am not spoiling it for you if you don't know that. I am making the assumption that none of these people, er "retire" before Episode IV.

These aren't 'red shirts' either. Darth Vader, Obi-Wan, Yoda and Palpatine are, pretty much, the four most central characters of the whole deal. All dead. Besides these guys, the most powerful Jedi (Qui-gon, Mace)? Dead. Most beloved baddies (Boba Fett, Jabba)? Dead. Now ... how 'bout this one that I haven't thought about until now. 'Empire' is generally accepted as a fan favorite and the most dark of the OT (original trilogy). Besides a bunch of bumbling Imperial officers, that's the ONLY movie where a key character doesn't die. Interesting.

If you are reading this, you know I think about Star Wars constantly and could blog about it until my fingers fall off, but I haven't because, "Who want's to hear that?" I thought this one was worthy because the thought was spawned by LB's hypothesis on another popular saga. I don't want to agree that either Hermione or Ron will die by the end of the last Harry Potter book, but ... oh man, I concede. It really could happen.

btw. If you are after some GREAT SW meat to tide you over until the big day, read all of this:

http://darthside.blogspot.com

I just read this snippet. That's GREAT!!!

I meditated in the carbon freezing chamber as Skywalker approached. Out of the steam strode Qui-gon Jinn, shimmering and insubstantial. "Anakin," he called. "The time has come to test him."

"He is only a boy."

"He is stronger than you think," Qui-gon pronounced, and vanished.

So...chalk one up for Qui-gon. The boy is strong. Stronger than I could have imagined.

... or how 'bout this one. RIOT!!!

"I've been waiting for this for a long time," he went on. "Gettin' a chance to talk, just you and me. You wanna know why?"

"Pray tell, Captain."

"I know who you are!" he shouted.

Though my masque betrayed nothing I was startled. Did Luke know about me? I knew the liar Obi-wan would never have told him the truth...but could this smuggler know to tell him? How could that be possible?

"You can't hide it from me any more!" Solo continued. "Your cruelty reveals everything, Lord Vader."

"So, you know the truth..." I said, suddenly afflicted with a pain in the control circuitry of my left leg.

"Yeah, I know alright," spat Solo. "You're my father!"

It took me a moment to absorb that. Then I shook my head and smiled behind my masque. "No Solo," I pronounced darkly. "I killed your father."

Solo winced as if I had struck him. "That's not true," he muttered. "That's impossible."

This is the very best one. He-larious!!!

Dear House of Ozzel,

I regret to inform you that your son has been killed in the line of duty.

He was an incompetent, yammering boob and he will be missed by none. I have allowed the men to pillage his personal belongings, which is why we have enclosed nothing but the sole remaining item: a torn advertisements page from a magazine of midget pornography. May it shock and disturb you, and may you think of it always when you remember your dearly departed son, the ninny.

Know also that his limitations as a sub-par military professional caused the deaths of many of the Emperor's loyal soldiers, whose funeral expenses will appear on your next tax assessment.

Sincerely,
D. Vader

Only 9 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!