It’s true that Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader before he was badly disfigured on Mustafar, but most people associate Vader with the black suit. That final transformation took place after Palpatine’s search and rescue mission was a success. Vader was rebuilt, and the rest was cinematic history. The shots discussed here are not all full scenes loaded with dialogue, but mostly extra bits from or changes to the existing shots.
PALPATINE’S SHUTTLE
Here are a few shots from the published script that didn’t make it into the final edit of the film.
First, according to the Episode III “depth commentary” which you can find at Starwars.com when you put your DVD in your computer, it turns out that Darth Sidious had an extra scene on Mustafar.
The commentary reads: “Scenes were shot of Sidious walking through the complex on Mustafar, and seeing the carnage of the Separatists, but this slowed the story down to much.”
Then there’s this very minor shot:
219 EXT. MUSTAFAR-LANDING PLATFORM-IMPERIAL SHUTTLE-DAY
An Imperial Shuttle closes its wings and settles on the highest of the Mustafar Landing Platforms. A PLATOON OF CLONE TROOPERS exits the craft, followed by DARTH SIDIOUS.
In the film, we do see the shuttle land but we never see anyone exit it.
Shortly after that there’s this minor bit:
DARTH SIDIOUS
Anakin! Anakin! There he is.
He’s still alive. Get a medical
capsule, immediately.
Of course, Sidious says this in the film, but not the “Anakin! Anakin!” which seems to have been replaced by a clone trooper’s, “Your Majesty, this way!” Again, not a big deal, but there it is.
Then there’s this scene:
223 EXT. MUSTAFAR-LANDING PLATFORM-DAY
The CLONES have placed ANAKIN in a medical capsule. They float the wounded Sith Lord into the belly of the IMPERIAL CRUISER. DARTH SIDIOUS follows the capsule into the ship. The ship takes off.
In the film, we see Sidious kneel down near Anakin and touch his forehead. The next time we see him, he’s exiting the shuttle on Coruscant. This little bit isn’t in the film at all.
As with every Star Wars film, the teasers and trailers often times contain footage that doesn’t make it into the final version of the film. This is mostly due to the early deadlines of the trailers and the need to get them finished and out there many months before the film is completed. Many filmmakers decide late in the editing process to remove certain shots or scenes to help the film flow better or for other reasons. There are some images I’m including here from the theatrical trailer of Palpatine’s shuttle and some accompanying V-wings that never made it into the film.
I’m also including another image from the Episode III Visual Dictionary that suggests the footage we saw in the trailer is a bit longer than what we actually saw. This shot shows one of Coruscant’s moons to the left and the ships coming at us on the right. It looks like we follow the whole flyby of the ships from the front view all the way around until the ships are seen from behind and approaching the planet. You can catch a quick glimpse of that moon in the first few frames of the trailer if you pause it at the right time.
I compared an image of the medical tower to a screenshot from the film and there are a few subtle differences. The sky is the most noticeable.
HANDS UP!
If you watched the teaser/trailer for Episode III and then saw the film, you may have noticed that something looked slightly different when Vader rose on that table after being reconstructed. In the teaser, Vader is holding his hands up with bent arms. In the theatrical version of the film, they’re down. Perhaps the scene was shot in both positions or was digitally altered in post-production.
The only reference to this that I’ve found is in the Starwars.com DVD “Depth Commentary” that you get from sticking your DVD in a computer and accessing the internet-exclusive content.
Here’s the relevant excerpt from the textual commentary:
As easily noticed by many keen-eyed viewers, this shot changed from the teaser trailer version where Vader’s arms were shackled in an upright position. This was done mostly to make the shot look better, but also to match continuity from previous scenes where his reconstruction did not necessitate his arms being held up.
There are a few more dialogue alterations that we should mention here just for completeness. There’s a line of dialogue from the good old galactic chopper droid which really drives home the Frankenstein homage and there are also a few Palpatine bits in there.
Check out this script passage and the matching comic book illustrations:
231 INT. CORUSCANT-IMPERIAL REHAB CENTER-DAY
DARTH SIDIOUS hovers around the periphery of a group of MEDICAL DROIDS who are working on ANAKIN. DARTH SIDIOUS paces in the foreground. A DROID approaches the Dark Lord.MEDICAL DROID
My Lord, the construction
is finished… he lives.DARTH SIDIOUS
Good. Good.The DROID moves back to the table where DARTH VADER lies. The table begins to move upright. DARTH SIDIOUS moves in next to DARTH VADER.
DARTH SIDIOUS
(continuing)
Lord Vader,
can you hear me?DARTH VADER, with his dark mask and helmet, moves up into the frame until he is in a CLOSEUP.
DARTH VADER
Yes, My Master.DARTH VADER looks around the room.
DARTH VADER
(continuing)
Where is Padmé?
Is she safe, is she all right?DARTH SIDIOUS moves closer to the half droid/half man.
DARTH SIDIOUS
I’m afraid she died.
…it seems in your anger,
you killed her.A LOW GROAN emanates from Vader’s mask. Suddenly everything in the room begins to implode, including some of the DROIDS.
DARTH VADER
I couldn’t have! She was alive!
I felt her! She was alive!
It’s impossible! No!!!VADER SCREAMS, breaks his bonds to the table, and steps forward, waving his hands, causing objects to fly around the room. SIDIOUS deflects the objects, but some of the DROIDS aren’t so lucky. VADER’S PAINFUL SCREAMS echo throughout the Center.
Also included is an image of the chopper droid from an angle that isn’t in the finished film. Could this be where he says his big line? Perhaps.
A WHIRLWIND OF DESTRUCTION
When it comes to throwing a tantrum, Darth Vader proved he was up there with the best of them. Originally, the animators envisioned a scene where not only did Vader destroy everything in the room, but he did it tornado style with a whirlwind of destruction, including flying droid parts.
The following passage from The Making of Revenge of the Sith (the bonus e-chapter with the script) explains one of the decisions about this scene and why it was toned down a bit, including the removal of some fire effects as well.
Next up is Darth Vader in the rehab center, where Anakin is being rebuilt following his duel with Obi-Wan on the volcano planet. Lucas adds small lights glowing through the gloom, and refers to the objects Vader destroys in his rage upon hearing of Padmé’s death: “I was going to have the guys upstairs do more specific animatics, because things need to be crushed, more than thrown around.”
“So…imploding?” Coleman asks.
“Yeah. Things can crumple and fall over, but not this tornado.” He also suggests that it might be a good idea to frame Vader among the pipes and have him appear as a silhouette. “I think we can be artistic in how we handle it.”
“How about the fire, George?” Guyett asks.
“I think that it’s a bit too much. I’d take it out. I think we’ve been too obvious. We need a subtler version of this.”
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”