alternate SW blather
@noelle Okay, so rather than Anakin having premonitions of Padme's death;
At the end of Ep II the person who busts in and saves our heroes isn't Yoda, but *Padme*. Dooku makes some sort of now I know comment and escapes. The potential threat haunts Anakin, even more with Padme now pregnant. And hey, here's Palpatine offering an only slightly faustian bargain.
Maybe instead of starting out Ep III with just summarily getting rid of Dooku, there's another inconclusive duel before Anakin finally asks to learn to channel the Dark Side to protect those he loves. Maybe Dooku taunts him about knowing exactly where Padme is or their relationship, and there's a point where, a little like the duel with Darth Maul, Anakin *obviously* pulls on being angry to win. It's *that* point, not the beginning of Ep III, where Palpatine does the whole "yes, I can feel how incredibly skeeved off you are!" schtick.
That way, Padme's more active, we get to see more Christopher Lee, there's a way more credible threat to Ani's family, and we don't have to introduce an entire new villain only to kill him off within a single movie.
alternate SW blather
@Leucrotta I like it!
re: alternate SW blather
@noelle The first time I ever saw Lee in anything it was The Three Musketeers/Four Musketeers, and like you can imagine I watched those any time they came on, so that's an influence. And it's SO OBVIOUS he enjoyed the dueling aspect of playing Dooku; it's like the best thing about Ep II is getting to see him being happy.
@Leucrotta I am sure you have but I'd like to hear it again