C3PO Problems (WAS Episode II) -- SPOILER

[Tim Strzechowski]

NOTE: This is a spoiler warning. If you haven't seen the new Star Wars film
yet, be advised that this e-mail contains a reference to the ending.
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I agree with the praises of Quail and Dave Monroe for the film, BUT at the
same time I have some serious C3PO problems:

1.  When Anakin and Padme arrive on Tatooine, they are first greeted by
C3PO, who is an employee on the Lars moisture farm and who introduces the
two former characters to "Master Owen."  Yet, in Episode IV when R2 and C3PO
land on Tatooine in the escape pod, C3PO not only expresses awe at the
planet's desolation (doesn't he ask Luke the planet's name?), but later when
he and R2 are sold by the Jawas to Owen and Luke, he never once makes
reference to his previous employment there. (One can argue that Uncle Owen
is significantly older in Episode IV and the droid didn't recognize him, but
you'd think he would recognize the farm itself.) I foresee a continuity
problem for Lucas, unless droids have a limited memory or something. (By the
way, the "having the droids' memory erased" explanation seems too deus ex
machina for me).

2.  At the gravesite of Shmi Skywalker the Lars family, Anakin & Padme, and
C3PO are gathered when R2D2 rolls in with the message from Obi-Wan. C3PO
says to Anakin: "R2 has a message from an Obi-Wan Kenobi. Does that name
mean anything to you, sir?" Hence, even though C3PO never actually meets
Obi-Wan in this movie, he's at least heard the name in a relatively
important context. Yet, in Episode IV he makes no mention of recognizing the
name when Luke inadvertantly gets R2 to play the "Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
You're my only hope" hologram. Again, I'd expect better memory from a
protocal droid.

3.  Why is C3PO on the spaceship with Anakin, Padme, and R2 when they leave
Tatooine to begin the Obi-Wan rescue effort?  I thought C3PO is an employee
of the moisture farm? Even though anakin originally built him, was there an
ownership transaction we didn't witness?

4.  Just to nitpick here, we see R2D2 and C3PO at the Naboo ceremony at the
end, wherein Anakin and Padme are taking vows, but how did they get there?
Previously, they had been left amid the corpses at the colloseum, with R2
reattaching C3PO's head, abandoned by all Jedi forces. Again, I assume there
was a recon mission to gather survivors, but no mention is made.

Questions #1 and #2 are more important to me, because they hold potential
flaws in the continuity of the series.  Questions #3 and #4 are merely
storytelling holes that can probably be explained. If anyone has insights,
please let me know.  I need some sleep already.

A man with apparently no Life, I remain,

Tim


Also: When Anakin and Padme are watching the Tatooine sunset, there's only
ONE sun . . . why? In Episode IV, Luke observes TWO.

And: We see that Dooku can emit visible blue electrical charges from his
hands as we see from Darth Sidious in Episode VI -- but why don't the Jedi
use this tactic?  Is blue lightning only reserved for evil enterprise?