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The Separatist Slaughter
Since the attack on the Jedi Temple happend mostly off screen, the purge of the Separatists was the audience's first full glimpse to finally see Vader in full Darkside mode.
However, not all of the Separatist baddies recieved an onscreen death. Some, mainly the CG characters got left out with the exception of Poggle and Lesser. These included, San Hill, Shu Mai and her aide, Sun Fac (Poggle's aide) and Wat Tambor.
The script mentions that Shu Mai and Wat Tambor were supposed to die in the conference room, but that whole portion was cut. As you can see from the pictures below, Wat Tambor's death was completed with VFX. He can also be seen cowering behind the table in the back ground when Vader turns toward the camera with Sith eyes.
Originally, before the pickups, it was Nute Gunray who was to be seen cowering behind the table. In the Making of Episode III webdoc "Pickups and Reshoots", there's a segment of the purge being played back on a monitor, the part where Anakin looks back for his Sith eyes moment you can see Nute duck down behind the table. Rune Haako can also be seen off to the left. As described in the script Nute hid under the table then crawled out while Vader killed Wat and Shu Mai and let in a pair of Destroyer Droids which fail to slow the Dark Lord down.
The Making of book confirms the filming of this segment as well as Nick Gillard's choreography encompassing all the Separatists including the CG ones.
The Neimoidian solidiers briefly seen in the background guarding the doorways were also supposed to be seen cut down. The two guarding the entrance would have been the first to go when Vader arrives as seen in a picture below from the Making of book. The other two can be seen littering the floor of the conference room.
Last but not least, Rune Haako technically did not get an oncreen death either. What? You say you saw a close-up of Rune shouting "No, no!" before Vader cut him down? True, but that shot was lifted from the conference room where he was supposed to get killed and used as a reaction shot for the other Neimoidian aide in gold robes that was present with Nute and Rune.
Here is the excerpt from the "ROTS Illustrated Screenplay" E-book...
178 INT. MUSTAFAR-MAIN CONTROL CENTER-DAY
ANAKIN ignites his lightsaber, NUTE and the OTHERS panic. The DROIDS at the controls and the GUARDS grab their weapons, but it is too late. They are cut down in a flash. The Separatists bang on the doors, and NUTE and RUNE HAAKO flee under a table.
ANAKIN, stone-faced, moves through the room like the grim reaper. Bodies drop everywhere. SCREAMS are cut short as the head of the Banking Clan dies.
Then POGGLE THE LESSER loses his head; WAT TAMBOR, SHU MAI, and the REST OF THE SEPARATISTS run into the conference room.
****
182 INT. MUSTAFAR-MAIN CONTROL CENTER-CONFERENCE ROOM-DAY
After everyone in the Main Control Room is dead, ANAKIN moves to the small conference room where WAT TAMBOR. SHU MAI, and some OTHER SEPARATISTS are hiding. RUNE HAAKO tries to run but is trapped by a dead-end as ANAKIN advances.
RUNE HAAKO
Stop! Enough, this is
not right!
RUNE is cut down. NUTE GUNRAY crawls out from under the table and opens the Main Door, allowing DESTROYER DROIDS to enter. WAT TAMBOR is cut down, along with SHU MAI. DESTROYER DROIDS appear in the doorway and blast away, causing total destruction. When the firing is over, ANAKIN is gone. Blown away? No. ANAKIN drops from the ceiling behind the TWO DROIDS and cuts them to pieces before they know what hit them.
Here is an excerpt from the Making of book describing the filming of the conference room portion of the Separatist purge...
"Everything was great - except the door didn't open, "Lucas says to Silas Carson, who plays two characters in two different death scenes. Today he is being killed as Neimoidian viceroy Nute Gunray; later he'll be blasted to death as Jedi Ki-Adi-Mundi.
In Nute's case, Anakin Skywalker does the honors. As they rehearse, Christensen walks through the set, methodically killing additional CG characters. During the first take, Fletcher calls out "droids" to cue the arrival of droidekas. Lights flash to simulate their CG blasts.
"It looked good," Lucas says to Christensen. "I'm just going to show you a picture of Wat Tambor," he adds, indicating a spot where the actor can pretend to grasp the CG Separatist - as he stabs him. "This is Shu Mai, who you will kill on the table," Lucas continues, showing him another photo. "It's always nice to get to know the people you're killing."
Pic #1: Shot of Vader cutting down two Neimoidian guards right after he arrives in the control center. (From the Making of book.)
Pic #2: Completed but omitted VFX shot. Would have followed the previous shot of the guards getting killed.
Pic #3: Shot from the Animatics version of the TV Spot "Unite". Shows original footage of the conference room with Rune Haako in the background.
Pic #4: Shot of the video playback monitor shown in the Making of Episode III #10 "Pickups and Reshoots". Nute Gunray can be seen ducking down behind the table in the background.
Pic #5: Production painting of the conference room portion of the slaughter. From the Making of book.
Pic #6: Close up of Rune Haako from the film, lifted from the conference room footage and used for a different Neimoidian's death.
Pic #7: Shot of the conference room during the duel, Rune's body can be seen on the floor on the left.
Pic #8-9: Completed but omitted VFX shots of Wat Tambor's death. Note Nute Gunray standing in the doorway in the background of pic 9.
Pic #10: Sith Snap of Nute, Rune and guards in the conference room.
Sources:
-Illustrated Screenplay E-Book.
-ROTS Visual Dictionary.
-Topps ROTS movie cards.
-ROTS Making of book.
-ROTS DVD.
-starwars.com: Making of Ep3 #10, TV Spot "Unite", Sith Snaps.
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