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Star Wars Movie Parallels Between Episodes II and V...

I: Star Wars Episodes II and V - The Absence of a Full Scale Space Battle

The over-arching name of the trilogies, Star Wars, suggests that in each episode there should be one particular theme incorporated, namely a war in space featuring a full scale battle between two opposing space fleets. The mid-episodes in each of the first two trilogies (II and V) are the only ones so far that deviate from this.

Of all the films thus far Episode VII The Force Awakens epitomises the title best since this is the film in which there is actually a war in space which uses a Star as the source of power for another ultimate weapon. This is literally Star Wars as the two sides are battling over the control of a sun's energy. As an aside, this makes a neat contrast with The Return of the Jedi when the two sides battle over the control of a moon in a struggle to destroy the weaponised space station which depends upon it.

Note I: The Last Jedi breaks with this convention of not having a full scale space battle in the second movie of a trilogy. In Episode VIII almost the entire movie consists of space battles with only interludes in which the action takes place at ground level.

II: Star Wars Episodes II and IV - Dining Tables and Jedi Tricks

Across the first two Trilogies we only see four dinner tables in which a sit down meal is going to be served. Two of these are on Tatooine in humble surroundings (at the Lars Homestead in Episode IV and the Skywalker hovel in Episode I). These two dining scenes from the first movie in each trilogy in themselves are interesting as movie parallels since both involve a boy or young man about to leave home and set off on an adventure with the opportunity to start fulfilling his stiffled potential.

The other two dining table scenes make for a more interesting contrast though, and these both happen roughly three quarters of the way through the middle movie of each trilogy. These happen in Episode II when Anakin innocuously uses his Jedi skills to send food across the dining table to Padmé at the retreat on Naboo and in Episode V in which Vader uses the Force to relinquish Han of his blaster and send it flying over the dining table into his hand. We are immediately reminded of Anakin as a young Jedi flirting with Padmé, which calls to mind the journey he has taken to be at the point where he is now using the same Jedi trick as part of a trap to ensnare their son and turn him to the Dark Side. It's a very pregnant parallel which in an instant takes us back across several movies and encapsulates a journey of several decades from one place to the other in the blink of an eye.

This nexus between the movies also serves to remind us of the contrast between Anakin then and Anakin now, especially with the stark contrasts and pertinent similarities between his actions in the following scenes. In The Attack of the Clones the meal shortly precedes Anakin's journey to Tatooine to rescue his mother Shmi from the Sand People and in The Empire Strikes Back it shortly precedes his attempt to vanquish his son Luke and to tempt him to join him. In both scenes Anakin/ Vader's immediate family is missing and both meals precede an attempt by Anakin / Vader at reunion with his immediate family.

See also my article on Food and Drink in the Star Wars Movies.

III: Star Wars Episodes II and V - 'I Love You' Conversations Cut Short

In The Attack of the Clones Shmi tells her son Anakin 'I love....' not getting chance to say the 'you' part before she dies.

In The Empire Strikes Back Leia tells Han, 'I love you' just as he is being lowered into the carbonite chamber. Han fails to finish off the reciprocation, and simply replies 'I know'.

Later on Geonosis when Anakin and Padme are captured there is another version of this conversation. Padme tells Anakin: 'I love you' and in stark contrast to the cocky way Han responds to Leia, Anakin doubts what he is hearing and asks 'you love me?'

In none of these conversations is the declaration of love finished off with a conventional reciprocation.

IV: Star Wars Episodes II and V - The Fett Family and New Bounty Hunters

Both of the second films in the first two Star Wars trilogies introduce new bounty hunters. Episode II introduces Jango Fett and Episode V introduces his son Boba Fett for this first time. As well as these prominent bounty hunters we have the introduction of the other five bounty hunters on the bridge of the Executor and of Zam Wesell in The Attack of the Clones.

Note I: The Last Jedi breaks with the tradition of introducing new bounty hunters in the second movie of a trilogy and all we get in their place is arguably the code breaker DJ; albeit DJ is more of a Lando Calrissian figure whose motives are not yet totally clear. I suspect (as with Lando) we will encounter DJ again in the third part of this trilogy.

Note 2: Now that we have the trailer for Episode IX Echoes of the Jedi it seems that the third trilogy has actually bucked this trend deliberately as we catch a glimpse of a Mandalorian Bounty Hunter who at a glance looks remarkably like Boba Fett. Having had a quick look online I can't yet find any speculation as to who this character might be.

V: Star Wars Episodes II and V - The Loss of Limbs

In Episode II Anakin loses an arm and in Episode V Luke loses a hand. Both losses represent a mid-way turning point on the major characters journeys of becoming (or of fulfilling their destinies in other words). In both movies C-3PO also becomes dismantled shortly before his respective masters suffer this misfortune.

See my article on The Amputation Motif in the Star Wars Movies and my article on The Significance of C-3PO.

VI: Star Wars Episodes II and V - Battles in an Asteroid Field

Both movies feature a battle in an asteroid field with the spaceship Slave I either in persuit or about to be in persuit. Both battles shortly precede instances of fate-changing misfortune for the heroes. In Episode II the asteroid field battle precedes Luke's loss of a hand and the carbon freezing of Han before being returned to Tatooine as Jabba the Hutt's prisoner. In Episode II the asteroid battle prefigures the start of the decimation of the Jedi Order and Anakin's loss of a forearm. Arguably the cloud of asteroids provides a metaphor for the blindness of the heroes as to their fates and destinations in both instances.

In The Empire Strikes Back the worsening plight of the Rebel Alliance is also represented by the sheer number of times that Luke Skywalker finds himself upside-down. See my article on The Empire Strikes Back and the World Turned Upside-Down. Notably, in the second instance in which Luke finds himself upside-down he is undergoing Jedi training which involves him moving rocks around with his mind. Whilst Luke is creating this mini asteroid field by defying the laws of gravity, Han is navigating the Millennium Falcon through a real asteroid field and defying the odds of survival.

All Star Wars action figures, vehicles, collectibles and Star Wars toys shown on this website are the 3.75 inch scale and from my own private Star Wars collection unless otherwise stated. Where possible original vintage accessories have been used but in some instances I have placed Kenner Star Wars figures with either reproduction weapons and accessories or for Hasbro figures close approximations have been used. This is mostly the case for modern Star Wars lightsabers where the correct item can be very difficult to identify on some ocassions. Vintage Star Wars action figures are shown with their original weapon or accessory when I have them. When a vintage Kenner action figure is shown with an accessory which is not original I have tried to point this out where possible.

All of the Star Wars action figures shown were purchased second hand, usually incomplete, and in bulk. They have been reunited with their original weapons and accessories where we could get hold of them.

All opinions expressed are those of the author and not those of LucasFilm, Disney, Kenner or Hasbro toys. All Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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