The What-if game

[AdmiralToguroAni]

Here's an idea that I had. I want to see if it pans out. I'll open up with something that happens in Star Wars, but change something (like in the Star Wars Infinities comic). Then, people reply with what the consequences would be in the form of a story! Once the story either ends or people stop posting on it, we'll move to another "what-if". Sound fun? Lets give it a try!

 

Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace

 

Qui-Gon Jin sat down and meditated as the red rayshield created the only barrier between him and the menacing Sith, Darth Maul. He knew he wouldn't survive, but he had to weaken the Sith enough for his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, to defeat. "That boy IS the Chosen One, no matter what the council says" he thought to himself. "If he reaches his potential, he can bring balance to the force. What is my life compared to that?"

 

The rayshield rotated and the fight began anew. Now trapped in the rayshield, Obi-Wan watched as Qui-Gon struggled to defeat the menacing Zabrak. The Sith's lightsabre style was a perfect fusion of quarterstaff and martial arts techniques. Obi-Wan could only stare in horror as the Sith eventually found the advantage and pierced through his master.

 

Finally the rayshield lifted, and Obi-Wan began his dance of death with the Darth. Again, Maul seemed to have the advantage. Obi-Wan soon found himself hanging on for dear life from the edge of the reactor room in which they were fighting, Maul waiting above him, ready to pounce like a cat. He saw Obi-Wan's lightsabre. "I won't let master Qui-Gon down!" Using the Force, he pulled the sabre to him, and lept up, igniting his sabre. Before he could even hit the floor, Maul turned his blade and swiftly cut Obi-Wan in two.

 

"I had the high ground." Maul sneered, and walked past the two Jedi corpses.

 

What happens next?

[DarthTofu]

Hmm, interesting game you have, here... Personally I think the "Higher Ground" line is a bit off, but whatever. I say that Maul goes off to assist in the fight against the Gungans and slaughters hundreds of them. That was the one thing I wanted to see in all three movies and never saw- Gungans being slaughtered!!!

[Darth_Rob]

If Maul survived the Battle of Theed, Sidious would have no need to use Dooku. Maul would have been the one to assist him in his plans for galatic domination. And without Anakin around to become Vader, Maul would be the Emperor's right-hand man for destroying the Jedi order. I do believe that Maul would give Vader a run for his money, so I can see ANH having Darth Maul running about the Death Star.

[Elmarae]

Darth Maul sneered down at the two fallen Jedi. Sidious would be pleased. He notices that Qui Gon still breathes, igniting his saber he moves to strike, to finish this Jedi off.

 

"The boy, he's the chosen one!" Qui-Gon gasps with his last breath, not believing that he's failed.

 

The Sith Apprentice remembers the boy with Qui Gon from tantooine, could this be the same boy?

 

Meanwhile in the Palace, Nute Gunray is a prisoner of Queen Armidala. The Droid command ship destroyed by Anakins strange tactics and luck. The fields of battle littered with deactivated droids.

 

Unnoticed a Sith Fighter leaves the system. Darth Sidious' hologram appears to his apprentice.

 

"The Jedi are defeated My Master. They think some boy is the chosen one."

 

"Good, Good. You have done well my apprentice. Go to the Genoshia System, Lord Tyrannus will take care of your training."

 

The funeral of Obi Wan and Qui Gon. The flames burn sending smoke and ash towards the sky. Chancellor Palpatine looks down at Anakin Skywalker, the boy he'd taken into his care and to give him guidance.

[Evaders99]

(Off-topic: there was no Lord Tyrannus until after Darth Maul had been killed. Lord Tyrannus aka Count Dooku was to replace Maul as the next Sith Apprentice)

[Elmarae]

My implication was that Sidious was playing Dooku and Maul off against each other, to see whom was the stronger.

[AdmiralToguroAni]

(I dont know what the books say, but that would make sense, since I don't see Maul being able to do the negotiating that Dooku did.)

[Darth_Rob]

I would like to change my stance on this, since my last post.

 

Maul was more of a vicious fighter. He was great for winning one battle on the side of one particular planet (Trade Federation). But Palpy needed someone different to head the CIS. Maul would not have been able to do that. The Seperatists needed a Sith who was a leader and diplomat in order to bring them together and be recognized for what they stood for. Had Maul survived the Battle of Naboo, then eventually Palpy would have betrayed Maul eventually for Dooku.

[Elmarae]

Exactly that was my thinking. Maul for the grunt work then send him to Dooku to be killed. So then Dooku can take on the diplomatic side of things.

[DarthTofu]

Umm, we know very little about Darth Maul. He has all of, what, two lines in the movie which consist of five words apiece max? For all we know he could be an excellent speaker who merely chose not to speak very often.

[Stellar_Magic]

Stellar walks into the room...

 

"Beware the quiet ones, for they shall rule the galaxy."

 

He walks out leaving the room in stunned silence.

[Darth_Rob]

Maul seemed more rough and animalistic. He was just a very scary person who had a commanding presense that instilled fear into all. He def. did not have the look of a diplomat. A politician must have a certain warmth about him, otherwise he fails to sway the masses. Dooku most certainitly had a regal presense that inspired awe into others. He's the reason the CIS continued to grow in numbers.

[AdmiralToguroAni]

Okay, time for round 2!

 

Attack of the Clones: Jar-Jar Binks stood on his floating platform, addressing the senate, everyone listening intently to what he had to say. "And thats-a why mesa thinks wesa should grant Emergency Powers to Chancellor Palpatine!"

 

Everyone fell silent. They looked around at each other, nervously. Then, in a thunderous roar of disapproval, they boo Jar-Jar off the senate floor.

 

A scandal erupts in the Republic, long the bastion of democracy and freedom. How could Chancellor Palpatine use an established war hero like Jar-Jar Binks to further his own plans? A hearing is called, and Palpatine is brought before a senate hearing committee.

 

"These are trying times, and the Republic cannot afford to debate while the Separatists tear this Republic in two!" said the chancellor, pleading his case before the panel.

 

"This was nothing more than a bid for power, and your behavior is a stain on the good name of the Republic! This senate committee hereby impeaches and removes you from your position in the senate."

 

And with that, Palpatine no longer stands among the representatives of the largest lawmaking body of the universe.

 

What happens?

[Paul]

I don't buy into this one, Palpatine owned the Senate.-Grand Moff Conway

[Stellar_Magic]

You should have just left it off with the booing... Everybody hate's Jar Jar.

[AdmiralToguroAni]

Exactly. Everyone hates Jar-Jar. So what if they hated him SO much that it completely destroyed Palpatine's plans? Would the empire not form, or would Sidious bounce back and win with the droid army?

 

Its not about whether it was likely to happen, but just what it if DID

[Darth_Rob]

Palpatine would still have won. With or without the Senate's approval, the Clone Army was already produced and awaiting pickup. Palpy only had to have implemented Order 66, and bam, the Clone Army is under his control. As Darth Sidious, he still had the CIS convinced that the Republic was evil. So Palpy could have decided to "defect" to the CIS, and then have the droid army AND clone army versus the Republic. Either way, Palpy had this thing planned out for soooo long that it would have been impossible for him to lose.

[DarthTofu]

I don't think so- if the clones weren't being utalized at the time, as I believe was partially Palpy's doing, they couldn't have killed all of the jedi- remember, most were caught by surprise, and having Jedi would be a powerful asset to the New Republic even if all they could do was destroy droid factories or whatever.

[DarthTex]

Let's say Jar-Jar does get booed out of the Senate for his remark. All Palpy has to do is wait. The Separatists were gaining strength and power, which means the Republic was losing such. Palpatine needs the initial consent of the Senate or there would be a civil war within a civil war (Palpy's supporters vs. Jedi/Republic idealists vs. Separatists). There are several paths that could all lead to the same conclusion: 1) Eventually someone else would make the same motion as Jar-Jar and voila, same things happen; 2) Palpy could let the civil war rage indefinitely (he is in charge of both sides, but this can't last too long without outcry from the Senate/citizens); 3) If things drag out too long, Palpy "surrenders" to the Separatists and as part of the "surrender" (for appeasement purposes for the survivors of the Republic), Palpy is named the new leader of the CIS. Then he would have a clone AND a droid army. The Jedi would object, but even if the Jedi were prepared, could they fight against TWO armies?

[Darth_Rob]

I don't think so- if the clones weren't being utalized at the time, as I believe was partially Palpy's doing, they couldn't have killed all of the jedi- remember, most were caught by surprise, and having Jedi would be a powerful asset to the New Republic even if all they could do was destroy droid factories or whatever.

 

 

I dont know. Palpy was the one who ordered the creation of the Clone army. He had them programmed from the beginning to take orders directly from him (Order 66). Then like Jar Jar said, he would have the Clone Army (as Palpy) and the Droid Army (as Sidious). Palpy could say that "the Jedi are traitors to the Republic", and join with the CIS. Then, both sides would join to combat the remainder of the Republic, under the Jedi. There is no way the Jedi could hold their own for long against both the droids and the clones.

[DarthTofu]

hmm, interesting points made by all, though I might add into this a different strategy- making the Jedi actual traiors. Hear me out- Palpy manages to get Anakin on his side, correct? What if he starts doing that with Jedi apprentices and padawans, too? What if he manages to create his own secret army of children who think they are Jedi Knights, but in reality use Sith methods? This would create for a rather awesome new series of movies in which Luke faces several Sith of varying strengths While Anakin was brought in older than the other students, youths are highly impressionable, and the good Jedi masters can't live forever- let's face it, if Palpy could outlive Yoda, he can outlive anyone.

[Darth_Rob]

Hmmm...any army of Sith. That would be interesting. I'm sure that Palpy would have been able to seduce many more Jedi if he wanted to. But I think he liked the idea of one master, one apprentice. If he had an army of Sith under him, then he would have to keep an eye on all of them to make sure none of them turned traitor and tried to usurp the throne from him. But with just one apprentice, Palpy could breathe a little bit easier, espicially when he put so much effort into turning Anakin that there was nothing but loyality for the Empire and it's Emperor left in him.

[DarthTofu]

CLEAR! CLEAR! We have a heartbeat! The thread is still unstable, but it has been revived, repeast, it has been revived!

 

The Scene: Mace Windu appeared as if a shadow walking behind Tyranus and Fett. In short order he dispatched the droids standing guard over the two.

His deep voice echoed ominously down the hall way as he stated, "This party's over."

"Indeed?" Dooku answered, arching an eyebrow and revealing yellow teeth in a feral smile. "I think not."

Drawing his saber Dooku lunged toward Windu, bouncing back as the blow was parried. Back and forth the two dueled, almost equal matches for one another. Sensing Fett taking a shot from behind Mace leaps high into the air and clear of the attack. The double stream of blaster bolts impacts Dooku high on the chest propelling him violently into a wall with blood drippping from his corpse.

Mace turns and advances on Fett parying all the while, coming closer and closer when the clones arrive. Distracted, Windu is also shot dead, his saber falling from limp fingers.

Glancing down at the two bodies, Fett shakes his head. "There's going to be Hell to pay for this... Come, Boba, we'll have to lie low for a while. We have enough money put away that we should be able to live comfortably until matters calm down."

 

What happens next? Or should that have been an ROTS question?

[AdmiralToguroAni]

With the leader of the Separatists dead, but many planets still in the Confederacy, Palpatine could still follow through with his plan. Just use General Grievous a bit early, then find another way to push Anakin to the dark side in lieu of killing Dooku.

[AdmiralToguroAni]

Oooh...I thought of a good one. Two, actually. This is for Episode 4.

 

Scenario 1: Obi-Wan manages to defeat Darth Vader on the Death Star.

 

Scenario 2: Luke's shot misses, and he DOESN'T Blow up the Death Star.

 

What would happen?