Star Words: Episode III, Part 2

It is so hard to pick only a few lines from this opening sequence. If I didn't restrain myself, I could easily churn out thirty entries just from the first half hour. Obi-Wan in particular has so many marvelous quips, from the sheer glee of "Spring the trap" to his squabbles with Anakin in the elevator. But let's consider his response to Palpatine when the Chancellor says they'll need help to defeat Dooku.

"Chancellor Palpatine, Sith Lords are our speciality."


I just love it. His jaunty little bow, his careless confidence...it makes you wonder if Anakin has been wearing off on him. And perhaps Obi-Wan has earned the right to be a little smug. He is, as far as anyone knows, the only Jedi to successfully defeat a Sith Lord in over a thousand years. And he and Anakin have fought Dooku before, though of course their attack was less than effective back then. Now, knowing how Anakin has matured and improved his skills in the intervening years, Obi-Wan has little doubt that they'll be able to take him down together.

And they do...though Obi-Wan spends the latter part of the fight unconscious, and he might not fully approve of Anakin's tactics. But there's another side to Obi-Wan's words that he himself is unaware of. He's talking to a Sith Lord. Palpatine is none other than Dooku's master, watching the battle play out with barely concealed delight. Ah, if only Obi-Wan knew. But that would make for a different story, and we all know where this one has to lead.

Next, a pivotal line for Anakin's tragic arc...