Galactic News

Friday May 30, 2003
Homing Beacon #86

The latest Homing Beacon has arrived, and today we get to talk about some Episode III plot points! As an artist and director, Iain McCaig keeps a busy schedule with his own creative projects. When Episode II entered pre-production, there was some question as to whether or not he'd return to the Art Department team that helped envision George Lucas' growing Star Wars universe. McCaig did indeed come back, but the same question arose when Episode III started down the conceptual development path. Once again, McCaig found that he couldn't resist the call to return to the galaxy far, far away.

"It's an artist thing," laughs McCaig. "Whatever you make -- it's corny to say -- but they actually are your children in some ways. Helping create Anakin and Padmé in Episode I, I couldn't abandon them after that. I needed to know what happened and see them through to their final moments. You want to accompany your kids as far as you can go."

Episode III is the final chapter detailing what fans already know is a bleak resolution for Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala. The Chosen One succumbs to the call of the dark side, with disastrous consequences for those he loves. McCaig notes satisfaction with the way this transformation currently exists, as words on the script pages and accompanying artwork.

"In Episode I, when we saw Jake Lloyd, we wondered where's the dark side? Why isn't this kid creepy?" recounts McCaig. "And then, in Episode II, Hayden Christensen came across as a justifiably angry teenager more than a kid who crosses over to the true dark side. Killing the Sand People... they killed his mom! I could go mad and do something like that. So, I kept waiting for the dark side to take hold. Spoilers - Highlight to read: In this film, you realize, it's more about Anakin making the wrong choices. He's given a glorious moment by George -- I'm so happy with part of the script -- where he truly has to make a choice. In the end, I think that's a smarter way to go than a slow transformation. It's more tragic this way."

Tragedy follows the beautiful Amidala as well. Since Episode I, McCaig has helped develop Padmé's intricate costumes, which often serve as reflections of her political position, and where she is in her life. "What are we wearing this year in Star Wars?" smiles McCaig. "In Episode I, she was the Queen, and she was wearing disguises. I once said she should be able to slip out of the back of the costume, and you'd never know she was gone. Spoilers - Highlight to read: Ironically, in this one, she's back to wearing disguises. As well as now hiding this marriage to a Jedi, which is not allowed, she has to hide the fact that she's going to have babies. All of the costumes had to disguise these facts."

Well, it is nice to get a few confirmations about these things. Does this mean that the Episode III script is further along then they had initially let on? It has to be close to completed due to the fact filming starts for the movie in just a couple of weeks.

Posted: by Jedi Power