In looking at the end of the Star Wars Original Trilogy, we look at why some fans also consider Return of the Jedi the weakest of the three.
"Anakin Skywalker: “Now go my son…leave me. Luke Skywalker: “No. No, you’re coming with me. I won’t leave you here, I’ve got to save you! Anakin Skywalker: “You already have, Luke.”"
Of all the films in the original trilogy, Return of the Jedi (1983) is, for whatever reason, the most hotly debated among Star Wars fandom. Some say it’s the best of the series, even over The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Others say that, while it’s still very good, it’s not as good as it should’ve been. The staunchest of fans claim this is the movie where George Lucas compromised his artistic integrity for the sake of mass market appeal. Others say it’s just plain fun.
All of these opinions about Return of the Jedi are true, but some are more true than others. It’s also true that what would become Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi underwent more changes than the other two movies. Even the “Special Edition” drastically alters certain scenes from the original theatrical release. And when you learn what the original plans for Return of the Jedi were, it’s one of those movies that makes you wonder what might have been.
Another director [for Return of the Jedi] Lucas considered: David Lynch…However, the weirdest (and perhaps most desperate) option Lucas considered was writer-director David Cronenberg
For starters, writer Lawrence Kasdan preferred Revenge of the Jedi over Return of the Jedi as a title and persuaded Lucas to change it. Thus “Episode VI” would be called Revenge of the Jedi right on up to the first trailer. It was only when fans reacted negatively towards that title that Lucas eventually changed it back. That or he realized that “revenge” was something that Jedi, as devotees to the Light Side of the Force, wouldn’t do. Or maybe it was because 20th Century Fox didn’t want moviegoers to mistake it for Star Trek II: The Vengeance of Khan. Which, funny enough, Paramount would later change to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) to avoid moviegoers confusing it with Revenge of the Jedi.
Also, Lucas originally wanted Steven Spielberg to direct. After all, they already collaborated together on Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and are good friends besides. Unfortunately, during the release of The Empire Strikes Back, both the Director’s Guild and Writer’s Guild fined Lucas for not having the credits at the beginning of that movie. In protest, Lucas quit both guilds and the Motion Picture Association for good measure. Spielberg, meanwhile, was in his own dispute over wanting a PG rating instead of an R-rating for Raiders of the Lost Ark. As a result, the Director’s Guild prohibited Spielberg from directing Return of the Jedi.
Another director Lucas considered: David Lynch. Yes, the same David Lynch who made such art house films like Eraserhead (1977), The Elephant Man (1980), and would later create the cult television series Twin Peaks (1990 – 1991). The reason he turned Lucas down is, according to Lynch, he started getting migraines when Lucas started talking about Wookies. That and he was more interested in “doing his own thing” like Lucas. Ironically, Lynch would go on to direct an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune.
However, the weirdest (and perhaps most desperate) option Lucas considered was writer-director David Cronenberg, known for his body horror pictures such as Shivers (1975), The Brood (1979), Scanners (1981) and later Videodrome (1983). When Lucas contacted him, Cronenberg said he “[didn’t] do other people’s material.” Of course, he would eventually direct an adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dead Zone (1983).
Eventually, Lucas settled on Richard Marquand, who’s only big hit at the time was an adaptation of Ken Follett’s Eye of the Needle (1981). In the end, Lucas would wind up directing portions of the movie himself uncredited. Not to mention that the cast and crew couldn’t stand Marquand, either.
As former Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back producer Gary Kurtz claims, it was those potential toys sales which had became the primary motivator behind the decisions on Return of the Jedi.
The next task was to complete a script, even though production on the movie already started. In fact, Lucas, Marquand, Kasdan, David Peoples, and producer Howard Kazanjian spent only two weeks creating the shooting script after the budget was already finalized. As both Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back had gone well over budget )and as Lucas was also financing much of Return of the Jedi himself), he didn’t want to overspend on a movie for a third time.
Moreover, given how critics and fans didn’t warmly receive Empire Strikes Back at the time, Lucas and company felt Return of the Jedi should be more of a crowd-pleaser. And having a crowd-pleaser also meant better merchandising revenue. As former Star Wars and Empire producer Gary Kurtz claims it was those potential toys sales which had become the primary motivator behind the decisions on Jedi.
This may also explain why Return of the Jedi has so many callbacks to the original Star Wars. Like the first movie, the Rebels must destroy another Death Star (the original draft called for two). Once again, our heroes are on the planet Tatooine, and enter a place full of aliens, lowlifes, and jazzy music; only this time, it’s Jabba the Hutt’s palace instead of the Mos Eisley Cantina. There’s even a rescue attempt involving disguise and subterfuge, which ultimately results in a firefight, only they’re rescuing Han Solo (Harrison Ford) instead of Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher).
Speaking of the charming scoundrel, Han Solo was originally supposed to die. At least that’s what Harrison Ford wanted after being convinced by his agent to come back for the third movie. Ford believed that, since Han Solo’s character arc from mercenary to hero was already complete, it only made sense for him to sacrifice himself for the sake of his friends and the Rebellion. Kasdan agreed, but Lucas didn’t, apparently, according to Ford, because “he didn’t think there was any future in dead Han toys.” Strangely enough, Han’s death is still foreshadowed in Jedi despite it never happening. Why else would he say to Leia about how he thinks that he’ll never see the Millenium Falcon again before their mission to Endor?
Another major alteration is that while Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) was always intended to have a twin sister, as hinted by Yoda in both Empire and Jedi, she was never meant to be Leia. The real identity of the “other” Skywalker would be saved for a potential sequel trilogy. Moreover, Kurtz said the original ending for Jedi would’ve had Luke wander off “like Clint Eastwood in the spaghetti westerns” in search of his sister. Only because Hamill signed up for three films, and because Jedi was marketed as the conclusion to the trilogy, it was decided that Leia would be Luke’s sister for expediency’s sake (even if it did also make the kiss between Luke and Leia in Empire really awkward and gross).
Even as far back as his original treatment for Star Wars, Lucas envisioned–as an metaphor for the Vietnam War–that a primitive, tribal culture would help defeat the more technologically advanced, galactic Empire. That primitive, tribal culture would’ve [originally] been the Wookiees.
But the most infamous change pertains to those cuddly, alien teddy bears, the Ewoks. Even as far back as his original treatment for Star Wars, Lucas envisioned–as a metaphor for the Vietnam War–that a primitive, tribal culture would help defeat the more technologically advanced, galactic Empire. That primitive, tribal culture would’ve been the Wookiees. But the story goes that while Lucas, Kasdan, Marquand, and Kazanjian worked out the script, they figured that since Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) was Han’s co-pilot, then Wookiees were already familiar with technology. So Lucas and company “cut the [Wookies] in half,” made them more bear-like, and switched the letters around.
However, cynical fans believe the Ewoks (which are not even mentioned by name in the movie) were really created to, once again, sell more toys to kids. It didn’t matter if they tried roasting Han Solo on a spit, or used Imperial Stormtrooper heads for drums; they were just so darn cute. Surely, the Empire must be evil if they dare harm Wicket (Warwick Davis) and friends, right? It’s also no coincidence that Lucasfilm would later go on to make two ( yes two!) made-for-TV Ewok movies and a Saturday morning cartoon show.
Still, whether it pandered too much to kids or no, the original release of Return of the Jedi did earn more domestically than Empire Strikes Back, and was a hit with audiences and critics. Sure the production doesn’t look as grand or epic despite being more expensive than A New Hope or Empire. Yes, Han Solo doesn’t have much to do after being defrosted out of carbonite. And everyone agrees that Boba Fett’s death was embarrassing for the best bounty hunter in all the galaxy. Even so, there’s still so much to like about the movie.
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Jabba the Hutt, for example, is a fantastic creation, as much a pinnacle of puppetry as Yoda. So is the Rancor, and thank goodness Lucas opted for that instead of a man in a suit à la Godzilla like he originally wanted. The action scenes are riveting, too. The fight over the Sarlac pit is pure swashbuckling goodness, and the speeder bike chase, though clearly a combination of blue screen, high-speed cameras, and stop-motion, still provides an adrenaline rush. And even after almost forty years, the three-way Battle of Endor, particularly the space combat, is still considered the gold standard among Star Wars fans.
Yet Return of the Jedi is at its strongest when it focuses on Luke, Darth Vader (David Prowse, James Earl Jones, and Sebastian Shaw) and the delightfully scene-chewing Ian McDiarmid as the Galactic Emperor. Though it doesn’t top their duel in Empire, Luke and Vader’s rematch perfectly incorporates the Emperor’s psychological warfare and Luke’s own need to redeem his father’s soul. Also, the moment Vader saves Luke from the Emperor remains as triumphant as ever. Just as Luke helping to take off a dying Vader’s mask, as a soft version of John Williams’ “Imperial March” plays, will moisten the tear ducts.
It also shows that, regardless of whatever compromises Lucas made, his overall vision of the original trilogy as a coming of age story remains. Could Return of the Jedi have been better without caving into commercialism or fans still disgruntled by Empire Strikes Back? Sure. Yet it’s also still a satisfying ending to the original Star Wars trilogy regardless. And for many years, it was, indeed, the end… until it wasn’t.