It’s time to dive into some deleted and extended scenes from Revenge of the Sith after your 20th anniversary rewatch — but stay out of that Mustafar lava!
Whether you’re one of the fans who watched Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith in the theater for its triumphant anniversary screenings or you’re enjoying the film from the comfort of your own home, watching the deleted and extended scenes from the film on Disney+ can give you additional insight into the epic end of the prequel trilogy.
While some deleted scenes were fully completed, many had incomplete effects, or included temporary animation in some parts of the frame.
Seeds of Rebellion
Revenge of the Sith saw the fall of the Galactic Republic as well as the Jedi Order. Several deleted scenes help to shine a light on both Palpatine’s manipulations and several senator’s attempts to rein in his power. In “Changes to the Constitution” Palpatine tells Skywalker that the senate is going to ask him to take direct control of the Jedi High Council. When Skywalker suggests the Jedi may not be happy with these changes Palpatine assures him that changes to the constitution will bring about a quick end to the war.
One of the most significant plot points found in the deleted scenes from Sith was the Delegation of 2,000 — a petition signed by 2,000 senators who were dismayed by Palpatine’s ever growing emergency powers in the Senate. Among the deleted scenes that refer to the Delegation of 2,000 is “Seeds of Rebellion,” which features a group of senators meeting in Padmé Amidala’s Coruscant apartment. In addition to Padmé, the sequence included Bail Organa and Mon Mothma. Although the latter did not appear in the final version of the film, it marks the first time Mon was played by actress Genevieve O’Reilly who later portrayed Mothma in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Andor. In “Seeds,” Mothma talks about wanting to stop Palpatine from further subverting the constitution. Padmé says that she wants to share this idea with a Jedi that she trusts but other senators including Chi Eekway, Bana Breemu, and Bail Organa convince her to wait to see what the senate could accomplish before alerting the Jedi to their plans.
Yoda’s Journey
Grand Master Yoda makes an appearance in several deleted scenes that add to his character’s journey. “A Plot to Destroy the Jedi” includes an extended conversation between Yoda, Mace Windu, and Obi-Wan Kenobi where Yoda voices his concerns that Palpatine is trying to take control of the Jedi Council. The scene includes some lines of dialogue that can be found in the finished film such as Windu saying that he senses a plot to destroy the Jedi. Kenobi adds that many Jedi have sensed a massive shift in the Force.
“Yoda Communes with Qui-Gon” takes place on Polis Masa shortly before Padmé Amidala gave birth to Luke and Leia. The deleted scene consists of illustrations and temporary animation showing Yoda in meditation where he hears the voice of Qui-Gon Jinn (a temporary recording was used for Jinn’s voice in this scene). Jinn tells Yoda that training he has learned will allow Yoda to merge with the Force at will. In the final version of Revenge of the Sith, Yoda revealed to Kenobi, before Kenobi set out with Luke on Tatooine, that he had a conversation with Jinn about these new abilities.
Finally, while Star Wars fans know that Yoda spends his time in exile during the height of the Galactic Empire on the swamp planet Dagobah, the “Exiled to Dagobah” scene shows the Jedi Master’s arrival. The scene includes an exterior show of the planet and a look at the swamp Yoda will call his home for the years to come as he prepares to exit his pod with a heavy sigh.
Death of a Jedi
Jedi Master Shaak Ti’s death wasn’t shown in the final version of Revenge of the Sith, but deleted scenes reveal her demise was captured in two different ways during filming. “Grievous Slaughters a Jedi/Escape from the General” shows General Grievous stabbing a captured Shaak Ti in the back with a lightsaber in front of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker during the Battle of Coruscant. “Anakin Kills Shaak Ti” shows an alternative version of Ti’s death, this time at the hands of Anakin Skywalker after he turned to the dark side. After killing a meditating Ti in the Jedi Temple, Anakin walks out into the Temple hallways where clone troopers are gunning down other Jedi.
Extended scenes and animatics
Many of the deleted scenes from Revenge of the Sith on Disney+ include additional scenes from significant sequences in the film. “Elevator Antics” and “Escape Through the Hangar” offer extended sequences from Kenobi and Skywalker’s rescue of Palpatine. “Jedi Imposters of the Temple” revealed clone troopers dressed in Jedi robes outside the Jedi Temple on Coruscant during Order 66. Not surprisingly, their attempt to fool Jedi Masters Yoda and Kenobi did not succeed.
Animatic sequences (preliminary animated storyboards) are included in Sith deleted scenes from sequences on Utapau, where Kenobi and his Varactyl, Boga, chase Grievous, to Mustafar, where Kenobi and Skywalker battle, and even Kashyyyk during the battle there and Order 66.
You can find these Revenge of the Sith deleted scenes on Disney+ under the “Extras” where you’ll also find a trailer for the film.
