Just a question about Return of the Jedi... who were those 'pale-looking' people that accompanied the Emperor to the Death Star? They were later seen in the Throne room... they were wearing blue and purplish red robes... they looked quite old and pale - I gather they have been twisted by the darkside? The emperor was pale and twisted, so was Vader (when the helmet came off) and well, we don't know about Darth Maul, cause he had facial tattoos.
Oh, and I'm not talking about the Imperial guards in red.
AndrewR
[ May 30, 2001: Message edited by: AndrewR ]
Posted by Banana Fish (Member # 36) on :
They were probably advisors etc.
Also, I think you're confusing "pale and twisted" with "over the age of 60." As for Vader, I think he fell into a lava pit.
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
Yeah, I don't think we ever heard who or what they were. It's probable that they were human, 'cause the Emp didn't like aliens (which raises questions about Maul), but that's about all we know.
Posted by Jeff Kardde (Member # 411) on :
Why does it raise questions about Maul?
If he disliked alien species as a whole, he probably didn't mind alien individuals -- especially those "strong" in the Force, whom he could train and use to his own ends: like Maul.
Posted by Banana Fish (Member # 36) on :
The whole "Emperor didn't like aliens" thing is a myth, I think.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
well, the Empire seemed to be very racist...i.e. the officers low regard for Chewbacka...but perhaps that distaste was only for species that were quite different from humans...Maul is very humanoid.
Oh, and I believe I read somewhere that those old pale dudes were "Imperial Dignitaries"...probably members of the Imperial Senate or something...
Posted by NightWing (Member # 4) on :
The 'Grand Inquisator' (sp?) is one of them, at least that's what I've seen somewhere in a Technology book about the Death Star...
Posted by Banana Fish (Member # 36) on :
I don't think the reaction of a few officers towards a bear-like thing (of unknown intelligence) should be considered an indication of a "racist" empire...
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
It very well could be a myth, because the first time I heard about it was in the Thrawn book series...
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
Yes, but those books are about as canon as they get, outside of novelizations of the movies.
Posted by Banana Fish (Member # 36) on :
Except when they conflict with the films. Which is in every other line. Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
*L*
Riiiiiight...
I never noticed any conflict.
Posted by Seven Languages (Member # 36) on :
Well, this "racism" one is already a conflict. In TPM, the emperor's co-conspirators were Darth Maul, the Neimoidians, etc.
Posted by Jeff Kardde (Member # 411) on :
I don't think the Zahn novels were ever intended to be canon, and I don't think a lot of what those books suggested were specificly stated in any of the Star Wars films ...
I think Zahn just asked some questions -- "Gee, why do we only see humans in Imperial uniforms?" "Gee, why do those TIE fighter pilots really suck?" -- and expanded on those answers.
Frankly, I wish the SW novel series had ended after the Zahn novels and "Tales From the Mos Eisley Cantina."
I'd've been happy ...
Posted by Jeff Raven (Member # 20) on :
Who says Maul was an alien? His skin has already been noted as "tatoos" so why can't his horns be another prosthetic enhancement?
The Neimoidians can be explained that Sidious/Palpatine was using them as a tool(as I'm sure most Lords of the Sith would see things). He certainly didn't care for them.
Posted by Cracker Soul (Member # 36) on :
Or maybe we're just grasping for rationalisations here. (Although I suppose those are good points.)
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
OK - yeah those 'officals' were 'old' but they were still pretty pale... go take a good look, the look 'sickly white' like the emperor.
Vader, too could be white because of the darkside or just because - being under a helmet for that long wouldn't really give you a tan!
Oh, and remember they can't be Senators, since the 'Galactic Senate' was dissolved in ANH - hence the line "the last vestiges of the old republic are gone" or something like that. Leia was a Senator to Alderaan. I read where Mon Mothma was a Senator too... I'd REALLY love to see more of Mon Mothma in the next two episodes - she seemed to be quite a revered figure in the alliance. Plus for the little screen time she had - she added a lot.
Posted by Jeff Kardde (Member # 411) on :
They could have been Imperial Governors ... or maybe the Emperor's Harem ...
I think Maul was an alien. I don't see why he'd be in disguise as an alien, I don't see why George Lucas would have him in that get-up if he wasn't supposed to be an alien, and I think you're (seriously) grasping at straws there, JeffR ...
Posted by Jeff Raven (Member # 20) on :
Not at all, JeffK. Could you not logically assume Sith lords being so evil that they like to look menacing? Or are into self-mutalation? It's not that big a leap.
Posted by Jeff Kardde (Member # 411) on :
You know, I hear that bagels who want to appear tempting to children make themselves up as donuts.
Posted by Raisinfonnel (Member # 71) on :
One of those old, pale dudes looks like Sate Pestage from the comics...
Posted by TLE (Member # 280) on :
Anything written in the books has to get approval from Lucasflims meaning there are few minor contradictions, and what few there are, can be explained away or can be reinterpeted, like Maul and the Nimodians being just tools of Sidious, or maybe he wasn't biased against aliens until something in Ep 2 or 3 happens maybe?
Posted by Peregrinus (Member # 504) on :
I just have to point out that Maul looks an awful lot like the ancient Sith race with the red skin and yellow eyes... Maybe yes, maybe no, but it would be cool if...
