A Thousand Stars: Episode I, Part 11
Mar. 17th, 2022 11:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matrilThe dinner sequence, dialogue-heavy and bereft of action. It's just one of those tedious but necessary scenes that delivers exposition, right? Not quite. There's a handful of clues and gags hidden in the visuals if you're willing to look for them.
First off we might note the seating arrangements. Anakin and Jar Jar, positioned together like children across from mother Shmi. Qui-Gon at one end, Padmé at the other. Not surprising that the Jedi leading the mission would sit at a head of the table. But why the handmaiden at the other? Well, not only is she hiding a position of considerable power and authority, she's also about to butt heads with Qui-Gon a whole bunch. They are completely at odds with how he decides to extricate them from their situation. The seeds of that conflict begin in this scene.
Then we have a joke based on the timing of this moment in between two lines:
Qui-Gon has just mentioned Jedi reflexes, then clearly demonstrates his own. Immediately thereafter Anakin voices his hunch that Qui-Gon is a Jedi himself. It all happens so fast you could miss it (and all because poor Jar Jar is probably unfamiliar with human table manners, but that's my personal speculation, anyway, moving on...)
Speaking of fast, it was quite tricky getting a screen shot of this gesture. Quick, but stunning once you see the metaphorical shadow of Darth Vader's imperious pointing finger. Anakin is so innocent here, excitedly formulating a plan to help his new friends, but he has the same mannerism that comes across far differently when he's a towering, black-clad Sith Lord. It's moments like these that give me chills every time I watch the prequels.
Next, more shifted paradigms....
First off we might note the seating arrangements. Anakin and Jar Jar, positioned together like children across from mother Shmi. Qui-Gon at one end, Padmé at the other. Not surprising that the Jedi leading the mission would sit at a head of the table. But why the handmaiden at the other? Well, not only is she hiding a position of considerable power and authority, she's also about to butt heads with Qui-Gon a whole bunch. They are completely at odds with how he decides to extricate them from their situation. The seeds of that conflict begin in this scene.
Then we have a joke based on the timing of this moment in between two lines:
Qui-Gon has just mentioned Jedi reflexes, then clearly demonstrates his own. Immediately thereafter Anakin voices his hunch that Qui-Gon is a Jedi himself. It all happens so fast you could miss it (and all because poor Jar Jar is probably unfamiliar with human table manners, but that's my personal speculation, anyway, moving on...)
Speaking of fast, it was quite tricky getting a screen shot of this gesture. Quick, but stunning once you see the metaphorical shadow of Darth Vader's imperious pointing finger. Anakin is so innocent here, excitedly formulating a plan to help his new friends, but he has the same mannerism that comes across far differently when he's a towering, black-clad Sith Lord. It's moments like these that give me chills every time I watch the prequels.
Next, more shifted paradigms....
