Older star wars fans who saw Attack of the clone in cinema what was the audience reaction when Yoda fought Count Dooku?

[u/MrNightmare23]

I wasn't born yet but I imagine it must have been funny seeing that old wise green frog from 1980 stroll in and turn into a weaponised fidget spinner in 2002

[u/delatour56]

The moment he opened the robe and the light saber flew into his hand, everyone went crazy.

[u/_MakDiz → u/delatour56]

Yeah. Its was just clapping when he walked in. When the GREEN lightsaber came out, all hell broke loose.

[u/Brykly → u/_MakDiz]

And the audience uproar only crescendoed when he started flipping around.

[u/scio2107 → u/Brykly]

I remember this so acutely. The theater went absolutely crazy. It’s the loudest noise Ive ever heard from the audience in a movie theater…. hands down.

[u/TheOrcDecker → u/scio2107]

My theater was pretty damn old and rickety. The cheering was so loud and fervent that the place began to rumble and shake. It was closed shortly after that but man was that like, an experience.

[u/Nicktendo → u/scio2107]

I saw this in theaters. I think Tobey McGuire in No Way Home was louder. Also Cap picking up Mjolnir in End Game. But this was probably up there.

[u/importvita2 → u/Brykly]

Man, the absolute feels in the theater, everyone went absolutely bonkers! My Dad literally fist pumped next to me 🤣

[u/sicksixgamer → u/_MakDiz]

EXACTLY this!! Core memory.

[u/symbologythere → u/delatour56]

It was the most rambunctious movie theatre experience of my life and probably always will be.

[u/Simplemanreally91 → u/delatour56]

Agreed this was the energy in the theater I saw it. I was pretty excited myself and I don’t disown those feelings. Having thought about it as an adult, however, it’s pretty out of character for master yoda.

[u/PreemoisGOAT]

I don't like being referred to as old when it comes to the prequels

[u/Lycanthropope → u/PreemoisGOAT]

You think I like being referred to as old when it comes to the OT? Get used to it, man. It’s a fact of life, and it’s coming for you

[u/Sere1 → u/Lycanthropope]

Having been born just a couple years after RotJ, I'm right there with you. 2nd gen fan here and now we get to see all those PT kids come to terms with the fact that it's now their films that are over 20 years old. We made our peace with it long ago, now we get to see the next generation go through that existential crisis

[u/Lycanthropope → u/Sere1]

As a 55-year-old, it all feels very weird and a little upsetting. But easier when it’s shared, you’re right.

“ inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened.” —Terry Pratchett

[u/Eviloverlord210 → u/Lycanthropope]

I am a simple man, I see sir Terry Pratchett, I upvote

[u/theseamstressesguild → u/Eviloverlord210]

Every time.

[u/Yuri-theThief → u/Lycanthropope]

GNU Sir Terry Pratchett.

[u/Highest_Koality → u/Lycanthropope]

Ok Granpa let's just get you back to bed.

[u/Lycanthropope → u/Highest_Koality]

Why, in my day, there WAS no “New Hope,” and Han Solo’d be shootin’ first for the next twenty years! It was 70mm, by gum, in a single screen thee-A-ter, and it was the most beautiful thing I ever set my eyes on. Why, I can still smell the popcorn; a buck and a quarter for a large, ‘twas…

[u/seanguay → u/Lycanthropope]

Had to go all the way to morganville, which is what they called shelbyville in those days, to see a picture. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time…

[u/TheOneTrueChris → u/seanguay]

One trick is to give 'em sequels with stories that don't go anywhere...

[u/yojimborobert → u/Lycanthropope]

This is exactly what I sound like talking about 2800 baud modems and text based RPGs. I can still taste the Hi-C...

[u/Low_Pickle_112 → u/Lycanthropope]

No way man, we're gonna keep on rocking forever, forever...

[u/Atticus-XI → u/PreemoisGOAT]

Yeah, I saw ANH with my dad when I was 4 in 1978. Then saw it again when it "came around again". If I remember correctly, ANH had 4 or 5 separate runs, not including the re-releases. Jaws, Raiders, ET ... they all had multiple runs.

Sadly, it's been decades since they've done multiple runs of movies. Even still, streaming makes that concept obsolete, I suppose.

[u/regular_jim81 → u/PreemoisGOAT]

Wait till the 20 something fans start defending the sequels. It wa a real eye opener to find out 10 year olds actually enjoyed Episode 2.

[u/weezmeister808 → u/regular_jim81]

This is why much of the sequel hate amuses me, I'm old enough to have lived through all this once already.

[u/ToasterOwl → u/weezmeister808]

Twice for me, I’m old enough to remember the OT hate. Return of the Jedi was the awful one, like uuurgh Han Solo is wasted, what’s with the teddy bears and a second Death Star? Lame! Star Wars is ruined forever!

And around the wheel goes.

[u/blackertai]

Jesus, "older fans who saw Attack of the Clones in Theaters" has me shook.

What a weird thing to give me a midlife crisis.

[u/Logical-Witness-3361 → u/blackertai]

Yea, I'm used to "older fans" being followed by "who saw the OT when it released" Had to do a double take

[u/3fettknight3 → u/Logical-Witness-3361]

Coming soon- Older fans who saw The Force Awakens in the theater, what was the audience reaction when Kylo Ren killed Han Solo?

[u/OnlinePosterPerson → u/3fettknight3]

Well son, I already anticipated it, because someone on Reddit went around DM-ing spoilers to everyone who commented on an r/Starwars thread

[u/srslybr0 → u/OnlinePosterPerson]

i remember i got spoiled because i happened to be playing cs:go at the time and someone had the name KYLO KILLS HAN in my lobby.

[u/frogger3344 → u/srslybr0]

Later in the trilogy, someone DMd me spoilers for Rise of Skywalker, and i dismissed it because what they said was so ridiculous that it couldn't be true. I saw the movie, everything in the DM happened

[u/ObeseOryx → u/frogger3344]

same thing happened to me, random youtube comment that said REY IS PALPATINE GRANDDAUGHTER, I was already expecting a shitshow so I just looked it up and purposefully spoiled the whole movie for myself, instead of coming out of the theater pissed I just kinda chuckled through the whole thing.

[u/MrChilliBean → u/ObeseOryx]

That was my experience as well. I avoided spoilers for TFA and TLJ, but with TRoS I went all in reading the spoilers. Made the experience much more enjoyable because I just still couldn't believe that what I'd read was actually happening. The leaks were so stupid they couldn't possibly by true. But they were.

[u/ghalta → u/srslybr0]

"SNAPE KILLS DUMBLEDORE ON PAGE 556"

Shouted across the zones in EverQuest to spoil everyone else's fun.

[u/Old-Kaleidoscope1874 → u/Logical-Witness-3361]

Old OT fans laugh in Huttese

[u/Ansoni → u/Logical-Witness-3361]

I think that's what OP means. "Older fans who were used to the OT version of Yoda before seeing AOTC"

[u/Ryjinn → u/blackertai]

Same. Like bro I'm 33 please stop calling me that.

Now I know how my dad felt when I treated him like Yoda for having seen the OT in theaters.

[u/omenmedia → u/Ryjinn]

I watched Return of the Jedi at a drive in cinema. A DRIVE IN.

[u/DaBearsFan85 → u/omenmedia]

I remember when we recorded it on the VCR when it was on tv one Saturday night when I was a kid. THE VCR…..

[u/omenmedia → u/DaBearsFan85]

Yup, we wore out our VCR copy from watching it so many times, haha.

[u/Shudnawz → u/blackertai]

I've seen all Star Wars movies in theaters. Unfortunately, the OG only as Special Edition as it re-ran in theaters. But still, it was great to see them all on the big screen.

[u/MontCoDubV → u/Shudnawz]

The only one I haven't seen in theaters was Rise of Skywalker. I had tickets for opening night, but my stubborn daughter decided she had to be born 5 weeks early the night before.

[u/Shudnawz → u/MontCoDubV]

That was very inconsiderate of her, I must say. Or she was just anxious to see it for herself.

They do have Star Wars marathons now and then, maybe you could catch it at one of those.

[u/MLG_SkittleS → u/Shudnawz]

That was very inconsiderate of her, I must say.

Quite the opposite, she saved her father from a lot of uncomfortable pain ands struggle.

[u/TieNo6744 → u/MLG_SkittleS]

What was the uncomfortable pain and struggle? Watching a string of incredibly ok action sequences strung together by completely disjointed nonsense? Walking out with absolutely zero recollection of the thing you just watched?

[u/drod2015 → u/blackertai]

For real. Me reading this post title. https://media1.tenor.com/m/b8WAqSZ2k7AAAAAC/savingprivateryan-ww2.gif

[u/Fly_Casual_16 → u/blackertai]

Hahahhaha right there with you man. No harm, OP! But also HILARIOUS

[u/MrNightmare23 → u/blackertai]

Shit dude am sorry bro

[u/popegonzo → u/MrNightmare23]

It's skibidi okay.

My kids can't figure out what skibidi means so I told them I'm just going to insert it randomly until it gets me in trouble or I can figure out what it actually means.

[u/CaninesTesticles → u/popegonzo]

The skibidi is strong with this one

[u/MrNightmare23 → u/popegonzo]

Dude I'm only 21 and I don't fucking understand it

[u/Greymeade → u/MrNightmare23]

Wait 20 more years and imagine how out of touch you’ll feel then 😭

[u/ChasingSplashes → u/Greymeade]

"I used to be with 'it', but then they changed what 'it' was. Now, what I'm with isn't 'it', and what's 'it' seems weird and scary to me. It'll happen to you!"

[u/harryhend3rson → u/ChasingSplashes]

No way man, we're gonna keep on rockin' forever...

[u/lukeluke0000 → u/harryhend3rson]

forever... forever...

[u/Christopher9930 → u/MrNightmare23]

I skibidi that. I think?

[u/d0nghunter → u/popegonzo]

It's lowkey bussin skibidi toilet Ohio man.

[u/LegendaryOutlaw → u/d0nghunter]

no cap? the rizz is off.

[u/50eggmafia → u/popegonzo]

I thought it was something my kid made up at school. Didn’t realize the skibidi is this out of control.

[u/MountainCommittee702]

When you just hear his cane tapping on the floor before you see him, someone in my theater said, “That’s an ass whooping coming.” The whole theater lost it. Good times.

[u/grassisalwayspurpler → u/MountainCommittee702]

When Dooku said "its clear this contest cannot be decided with our knowledge of the force... but with our skills with a lightsaber" the crowd went fucking wild

You thought people were hyped when they finally saw Cap weild Thors hammer? They got stupid hyped to finally see Yoda weild a lightsaber. 

[u/Sere1 → u/grassisalwayspurpler]

This. From 1980 to 2002 we had never seen Yoda with a lightsaber. It was a powerful moment when the wise old Jedi Master we had grown up with showed up and decided it was time to whoop some Sith ass. Seeing Dooku easily handle both Obi-Wan and Anakin actually flee from Yoda was something special too. I remembered thinking "oh yeah, Yoda trained Dooku. Guess he had one more lesson to teach him"

[u/proanimus → u/Sere1]

It really was a special moment, I remember it so well.

I also remember riding home from the theater and pondering over how Yoda’s species’ aging must work. My 11-year-old self couldn’t figure out why he was that spry in combat just a few decades before he died at 900+ years old.

[u/The_Nug_King → u/proanimus]

Because he isn't spry at all. Dude can hardly walk and needs a cane or a hover chair. But when he needs to fight, he uses the force to move his body rather than his muscles

[u/Masterchief4smash → u/The_Nug_King]

Why not always do that?

[u/grendus → u/Masterchief4smash]

Probably not easy to do.

[u/dansdata → u/grendus]

And it may be very painful, too.

[u/SankenShip → u/Masterchief4smash]

If never used the muscles are, atrophied they become.

[u/Hashbrownmidget → u/SankenShip]

Use it, you must. Or lose it, you will.

[u/LingonberryLessy → u/Masterchief4smash]

Probably something like "a path to the dark side, being a lazy piece of shit is."

[u/mxzf → u/proanimus]

It makes a lot more sense after you watch a grandparent/parent go steeply downhill in the span of a couple years. It tends to be even faster with older people that lose a spouse/loved one; and Yoda lost everyone he knew and his whole life's work in the span of an afternoon.

[u/amphetaminesfailure → u/mxzf]

Yeah, it's hard to imagine how quickly people can decline in old age unless you've witnessed it yourself.

In 2019 my grandmother was 87 but still riding thrill rides at Universal Studios. By 2021 she couldn't even get out of bed without help and couldn't remember how to cook. By 2023 she was in a nursing home. This past year she died.

The health of someone elderly can drop off a cliff once they reach a certain point.

[u/Tacky-Terangreal → u/proanimus]

My headcannon is depression. Seeing the Jedi order crumble before your eyes will do a number on you and I don’t think Yoda would really be in the mood to keep up with lightsaber training

[u/TheSodernaut → u/Sere1]

Interesting. While it was cool to see the little frog jump around me and my friends was actually a little dissapointed in how it changed the lore.

Warning: Hot takes below: Luke warm take below:

Yoda to me was always this proof that being powerful and a master Jedi was never about skills with the lightsaber but by mastering use of the Force.

Yoda was this frail little gremling who would have a big disadvantagein any swordfight, but he was still a master Jedi and arguably the most respected master on the Counci.

If anything he should have won the fight by superior force mastery, but to me he shouldn't be on the front lines in the first place.

Finally, the "it's clear this contest cannot be decided with our knowlege of the force"-line should have been saved for this stand off with the Emperor.

[u/Mark_40_ → u/grassisalwayspurpler]

Is Yod'n time

[u/grassisalwayspurpler → u/Mark_40_]

And then everyone clapped (but actually)

[u/Superman246o1 → u/grassisalwayspurpler]

Yeah, in my opening night experience, everyone in the audience was clapping. Enthusiastically. Lots of triumphant shouts as Yoda revealed he had his own lightsaber. The moment he ignited his lightsaber was the Cap-wielding-Mjolnir moment of 2002.

The shouts and cheers died down VERY quickly, however, as Yoda started flipping around like a ketamine frog.

[u/grassisalwayspurpler → u/Superman246o1]

Im really bot sure what anyone expected out of a tiny jedi master besides force enhanced speedy acrobatics. Its not like he was going to overpower Dooku like a wookie... thats exactly how Yoda would fight and use his size to his advantage

[u/Superman246o1 → u/grassisalwayspurpler]

Watching the key scenes again just now, I now realize that the problem with the Ep. II fight isn't Yoda. It's Dooku.

Here's Yoda vs. Dooku and Yoda vs. Sidious for reference.

The problem with the duel in AotC is that, well, it isn't one. I just watched the clip several times in a row, and Dooku rarely, if ever, seems like he's actually trying to hit Yoda. It's just a glow stick rave. This is not meant as a slight against Christopher Lee's stunt double, who was probably given the unenviable task of dueling nothing, with George insisting that the CGI experts would make it look good in post production. But there's no real tension in the fight, because it doesn't look like anyone is really trying to hit anyone else.

Yoda vs. Sidious is very different. Yoda is still using his Force-enhanced somersaults to take on an opponent three times his size, but there are enough pauses and parrys in the fight -- however brief -- that they add a degree of verisimilitude that wasn't in his fight with Dooku. A few key lunges from Ian McDiarmid's stunt double create a sense that he's actually fighting someone, and that he's actually trying to hit that being while he's also blocking attacks from someone trying to hit him. It's not much of a difference, but a little goes a long way. Dooku looks like someone who's just swinging a lightsaber around -- because spinning's a good trick -- whlie Palpatine looks like he's trying his hardest to kill the last remaining threat to his master plan.

[u/starpocalypse64 → u/Superman246o1]

I fully agree with you but I do still love both of them. And idk if it’s just a cope but when I watch Yoda vs Dooku I think of the choreography literally.

Like, I imagine Dooku is genuinely flabbergasted by Yodas flurry and is simply waving his lightsaber around to try to survive. I always took the bad choreography as the intended depiction of their duel. Because like you said, it isn’t much of a duel. Yoda just goes absolutely apeshit and Dooku goes “ohfuckohfuckofuck” and tries to just evade. Which I felt was accurate to their characters. That being said, while that part does work for me, the choreography for how Dooku disarms and disables Anakin and Obi Wan, as well as the way he escapes from Yoda, is extremely lacking. Those parts do ruin my immersion a little, but the fight itself not so much. I also think their duel or lack thereof shows the contrast in power level between Dooku and Sidious. Sidious actually has to put the work in to battle Yoda and barely survives. Dooku just twirls around and blocks till he’s like “I’m out screw this” which is accurate for how strong we know him to be. Like, he’s one of the only people who could or would actually even fight Yoda at all, but he’s not stupid he won’t push his luck or stick around like Sidious can.

[u/TheSneakster2020 → u/grassisalwayspurpler]

"A little green buzzsaw of death!"

[u/KamuiT → u/Superman246o1]

It got quiet?! What?! We were hyped as fuck going "HOLY SHIT LOOK AT HIM GO!"

[u/stormcharger → u/KamuiT]

Yea same here bro that shit was fucking amazing in the theatre I saw it in

Yoda the fucking badass lol

[u/Expensive_Plant_9530 → u/Superman246o1]

At my theatre, they didn’t stop cheering when he started jumping around. That shit was wild back in 2002, with Dooku fencing against a flying frog with a plasma sword.

The whole fight had the theatre up in arms (in a good way).

[u/No-Owl-6246 → u/Expensive_Plant_9530]

Yeah, people loved the yoda fights.

[u/DDRDiesel → u/grassisalwayspurpler]

For my midnight, it wasn't even that Yoda pulled the lightsaber, but he did it with the Force, which we on-screen Jedi had done up until that point. Theater was roaring

[u/grassisalwayspurpler → u/DDRDiesel]

And starts it off with a clint eastwood pull the jacket back to unholster

[u/misterjones4 → u/grassisalwayspurpler]

I've got the goosebumps all over again. It was so sick.

[u/TehErk → u/grassisalwayspurpler]

This is a very good summation of it. It was pretty close to Cap and Thor's hammer. We all knew that Yoda was bad ass, but we never got to see it.

For a glimpse, we got to see it, and it was glorious.

[u/T0pl355 → u/MountainCommittee702]

This, then I remember the whole theater laughing after the fight when he picks up his cane and walks all slow again.

[u/belac4862 → u/T0pl355]

My head canon is that this shows how Yoda uses the force. He uses it as a tool. One that's shouldn't be abused. You don't need to use it all the time, but when you do need it, use it correctly.

And so after the fight, he no longer needed to use it, so he went back to an old man. The force boosts his physical prowess.

[u/proanimus → u/belac4862]

It kind of has to work that way for his feebleness in the OT to make any sense really. I assumed he used the force similar to how that dude from Doctor Strange was using magic to restore his ability to walk.

[u/belac4862 → u/proanimus]

from Doctor Strange was using magic to restore his ability to walk.

Exactly. It also shows how the sith differ in that they feel the force is an object, meant to have its will bent for their own purpose.

[u/Phyrexian_Overlord → u/belac4862]

It's a trope from Japanese cinema: the master that acts old as a feint.

[u/Procyon02 → u/T0pl355]

Had the same experience in my theater.

[u/pacific_marvel → u/MountainCommittee702]

The back and forth with Dooku culminating in Yoda igniting his saber had my audience yelling and clapping with similar energy to when Captain America picked up Mjölnir in Avengers Endgame.

[u/StopUrGivingMeABoner → u/MountainCommittee702]

I was a big SW fan growing up, and, even to me, this this movie was pretty lackluster...up until that part. When Yoda showed up I went "....yeeeEEEESSS!" and then the whole auditorium lost it. That was pretty great.

[u/lrdwlmr → u/MountainCommittee702]

Somebody in my theater shouted “YODAAAA!!” and everybody cheered.

Then we all lost our freaking minds when he pulled his lightsaber into his hand with the Force. We knew we were about to see something awesome.

[u/Accomplished-Strike6 → u/MountainCommittee702]

Basically this. Endgame had nothing on the reaction the theater had when that green saber came out. I was jumping all over my theater seat. It was amazing!

[u/countfizix]

It was "Maul ignites 2nd blade" part 2.

[u/KamuiT → u/countfizix]

It was even better than that because Maul's 2nd blade was spoiled in trailers. We didn't see Yoda hopping around until it released in theaters.

Had the whole theater shouting with astonishment and excitement.

[u/Kinkin50 → u/KamuiT]

Yep, gasps when he pulled out the saber, then whoops and cheers during the fight.

[u/endospire → u/Kinkin50]

Not only that…when he dropped his cane and used the fucking force to pull out his saber 😍

[u/-Badger3- → u/KamuiT]

Yoda and Dooku's duel wasn't in any of the theatrical trailers, but it was still spoiled by the TV spots.

[u/MrNightmare23 → u/countfizix]

Oooo what was THAT like?

[u/countfizix → u/MrNightmare23]

The feeling you get when you were 12 and got <current video game platform> in your christmas presents.

[u/MrNightmare23 → u/countfizix]

NINTEDO 64!! Yeah I think I get the vibe

[u/GasPsychological5997 → u/MrNightmare23]

Yeah Maul in theaters at a 12 year old was amazing. And the death of Jin was very shocking.

[u/Riolkin → u/GasPsychological5997]

I was pretty little at the time, like 8, but already a huge Star Wars fans. I'll never forget the reveal of Mauls lightsaber, not only was it cool but also this older guy yelled "HOLY SHIT!!!" and I got concerned because I thought something made him angry and my mom had to lean over and tell me the guy was just excited.

[u/Sere1 → u/GasPsychological5997]

Sadly that death was spoiled for me because of the soundtrack being released before the movie. Looking through the titles on the CD and seeing "Qui-Gon's Noble End" and "Qui-Gon's Funeral" listed there made me realize "oh, there's a Qui-Gon in this and he fuckin' dies."

[u/Cleave → u/Sere1]

And the Jedi I admire most, met up with Darth Maul, and now he's toast... Well I'm still here, and he's a ghost.. I guess, I'll train, this boy.

[u/Greegga → u/GasPsychological5997]

Maul in theaters was my peak cinema moment until i saw end game and the theater went bananas with all the screaming when the portals appeared.

[u/bjthebard → u/MrNightmare23]

Wasn't born yet in 2002 but got N64 for Christmas at age 12?? Something sounds a little sus my friend. You should have been getting the Wii U at 12, much less exciting.

[u/PhotographingLight → u/countfizix]

That is the most accurate way of explaining that feeling. Good job!👏 

[u/citizen_x_ → u/MrNightmare23]

Mind blowing. No one considered the possibility before that. It was a, "what the fuck, you can do that?" moment.

It made his character even more menacing because he was pulling stuff out we hadn't seen before. We didn't know what he was capable of and it the advantage Qui Gon and Obi Wan seemed to have by numbers was canceled out by that. In the real world, I guess this wouldn't really be helpful but by movie logic it made sense

[u/watch_out_4_snakes → u/citizen_x_]

And that slow walk out with the cane was so badass. Like wait wtf is about to happen. Oh shit it’s gonna happen! The place went crazy when he ignited that saber!!

[u/BootyBurglar → u/watch_out_4_snakes]

I know you’re talking about Yoda but the guy you responded to was talking about Maul and the idea of Maul walking out hunched over with a cane Willy Wonka style and doing a roll into a double lightsaber unsheath is hilarious.

[u/opman4 → u/citizen_x_]

I always preferred the Maul's toy lightsaber over the single blades. The extra grip length makes it handle more like a staff.

[u/DeeperIntoTheUnknown → u/citizen_x_]

Mind blowing. No one considered the possibility before that. It was a, "what the fuck, you can do that?" moment.

Wasn't his second blade all over the place in merchandise?

[u/yogo → u/MrNightmare23]

Millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

[u/No-Comment-4619 → u/MrNightmare23]

My wife and I are both in our late 40's and grew up with the OT. My wife has always been oblivious to promotional materials, so went into TPM blind. When they did the big Maul reveal and he threw his hood back to fully reveal his face and horns she audibly gasped in horror. Like it was the most terrible thing she'd ever seen in her life. There were guys several rows back laughing, because she gasped so loud that half the theater could hear her.

[u/LunchPlanner → u/MrNightmare23]

It was heavily advertised. It was in every trailer, every commercial, and the double-bladed saber toys were hot sellers in toy stores before the movie came out.

In fact I saw Episode 1 in a mall movie theater and on the way to the movie, I walked past a mall toy store that had little kids playing with demonstration saber toys right at the store entrance. So if I had somehow dodged every trailer and commercial I still would have been spoiled haha.

The crowd still cheered, sure, but they weren't surprised. Everyone knew.

[u/zneave → u/LunchPlanner]

And then they did the same thing with Kylo Rens Cross guard lightsaber, would have been awesome to leave these reveals as a surprise.

[u/theSchrodingerHat → u/LunchPlanner]

I was at a midnight premiere, and my theater still went absolutely nuts. The energy was really intense.

Even though we knew a little, the reveal was just so perfect that it lived up to every expectation we had. The music drops to quiet as Duel of the Fates starts up, Maul takes up his stance, and it felt like he juiced it for a full minute. Then the music kicks off and it’s a great fight.

It was also a helluva palate cleanser that saved the movie. The mood with all the Jar Jar crap had really died down over that hour, but then Maul rescued it and everyone came out buzzing.

[u/tbcwpg → u/countfizix]

Yep. When Yoda turned on his lightsaber there was a large cheer in the theatre I saw it in.

[u/daveblu92 → u/countfizix]

Gotta disagree here. I'm sure there was still a lot of crowd cheering when it happened, but this was something in the trailers that most people anticipated.

Yoda on the other hand was a pure surprise. The response was way more in line with the crowd erupting moments in the Avengers movies, whether it's assembling for the first time, Thor arriving to battle with Groot and Rocket, or Cap lifting Mjolnir.

[u/Training-Ant-6150]

People lost their shit.

[u/malduvias → u/Training-Ant-6150]

This 100%. I saw this in the Bay Area, CA, so maybe it’s regional (as I’m seeing other people react differently) but the theater fucking erupted with cheers. The second yoda ignited his saber it was pandemonium. I have goosebumps just writing this.

[u/Training-Ant-6150 → u/malduvias]

Funny enough, I also saw it in the Bay Area, so yes it could be regional 😂

[u/orionsfyre]

A mixture of shock and awe.

There were a small number of laughs, because it was so shocking. But most were just freaked out that they were seeing Yoda going ham with a green blade. (We never saw him even hold a saber before)

IT was only later that I began to hear some complaints that it 'ruined' the character for them. But I think most people at the time loved it.

[u/daveblu92 → u/orionsfyre]

I also think having him continue to fight this way against Sidious in 3 helped tremendously.

If this would have remained the only time we saw Yoda fight with a lightsaber, this scene could have aged into corniness.

[u/zth25 → u/daveblu92]

Yoda entering the Emperor's office and bitchsmacking the guards was the perfect continuation of this. And then the audience gets smacked in their faces because Sidious is no Dooku and Yoda actually loses.

[u/grassisalwayspurpler → u/orionsfyre]

Imagine thinking that someone that taught jedi for 900 years (as established in the glorious and perfect original trilogy) wouldnt know how to weild a lightsaber in the middle of a jedi war just because he eventually retired. 

[u/RatQueenHolly → u/grassisalwayspurpler]

But it's not about him knowing how to wield a lightsaber, obviously he would. It's about how the OT portrays its masters of the force as beings above such base violence. Yoda's biggest lessons are spiritual in nature, and Palpatine wont even defend himself, wont even get out of the chair until Luke demonstrates his own enlightenment by throwing his lightsaber away.

The PT goes backwards a bit on this - having the green frog guy do backflips and spin moves IS cool, but you lose some of the mysticism that made the original Yoda interesting.

[u/thatpersonalfinance → u/RatQueenHolly]

This absolutely hits the nail on the head for me. Well said 👏

[u/grassisalwayspurpler → u/RatQueenHolly]

The clone wars was a learning from failure moment for the jedi. Do people not get this? Yoda is SUPPOSE to be wiser in the OT than the PT. Its only going backwards on the OT because... the PT literally happens before it. Yoda fought in that war like the other jedi, and afterwards sees the truth that "war does not make one great". 

Irl the movie came out 20 years later, but people fundamentally forget that in universe it comes before the OT and the events of the PT are going to fundamentally change those characters. Anakin to Vader isnt the only change in character going on in these movies and isnt suppose to be. 

[u/BD401 → u/orionsfyre]

But I think most people at the time loved it.

This was definitely how I remember it - my theatre went nuts with people laughing and cheering, and yells of "oh SHIT!" when it happened.

The scene is a bit extra in hindsight, but it was definitely a crowdpleaser on first viewing.

[u/DrVonScott123]

UK cinema-goer, maybe a week or two into release, few titters of laughter and that was about it

[u/Loffkar → u/DrVonScott123]

Yeah that's mostly what I remember, I'm baffled by all these people describing thunderous applause.

[u/babyscorpse → u/Loffkar]

“So this is how movies are ruined, with thunderous applause”

[u/Loffkar → u/babyscorpse]

Yay someone took the cue

[u/Wrenovator → u/Loffkar]

It's us loud mouthed Americans id wager. Were usually the ones yelling in theaters.

[u/Loffkar → u/Wrenovator]

I assume that must be something to do with it yeah. I don't remember any of this positive response in general, let alone whooping and cheering

[u/ironicfuture → u/Loffkar]

Same here in Sweden. People thought it was the funniest shit that he could barely walk with a cane and then started flying around.

[u/weebomayu → u/Loffkar]

It seems to me that UK and US cinemas have different cultures. In the UK, if someone dared to do some of the things people in this thread are describing they would be public enemy number 1 for the whole rest of the movie. This whole room would hate them

The most I have ever seen people “lose their shit” in a cinema here was when tony snapped in avengers endgame and there were a few gasps in the crowd

[u/seguardon → u/DrVonScott123]

Saw it on release. After the first guy let loose (on seeing the small lightsaber), it was like someone gave everyone permission to follow suit. Started with some small laughs at seeing CGI Yoda growling. By the time Yoda was flipping on the walls, no one could take it seriously.

[u/mint-bint → u/seguardon]

Until your comment I thought I must have watched a different film from all these reactions.

Yoda flipping around was the death of the franchise for me. I couldn't take it seriously after that.

[u/Norman_debris → u/DrVonScott123]

Ha this is absolutely true. Sometimes I feel a bit left out from these kinds of audience reaction discussions. We just don't respond vocally in the cinema.

But also, I saw Deadpool 2 in California and, I'm sorry, I just cannot enjoy a cinema with an American audience. Constant loud, over-the-top reactions to everything. Whooping and cheering and "omg did you see that?!" I found it really annoying.

But yeah, a few chuckles for Yoda's fight

[u/InvestigatorRoyal232 → u/Norman_debris]

Wait, does the rest of the world not clap during every little thing and ruin it all?? You guys actually like, can enjoy the movies without a group of kids for a birthday party screaming every 2 seconds?

[u/Ordinary_Estate1818 → u/DrVonScott123]

I'm uk too, I was 4 years old and I remember vividly laughing my head off at it, I couldn't stop laughing

[u/Britlantine → u/DrVonScott123]

When Anakin was sweating and moaning in his sleep then said "I dreamt of my mother last night" some Bristol lad shouted out "you dirty boy". After that the film became a bit of a Carry On Jedi based on things the audience found funny. Such as Padmai falling into the desert then going "yep, I'm fine".

[u/Muzorra → u/DrVonScott123]

It seems like this is some sort of generational divide point. Every OG fan I knew thought this was quite silly. Yeah it was going to be fun to see Yoda fight. But like that? Always imagined something cooler, more masterful. He bounces around like a cartoon character after hot sauce.

Hearing that people "lost their shit" just confirmed that we, the old fans, had lost Star Wars. (although I guess we could say George judged the crowd better than I did, that's for certain. I would have said nobody wants that from Yoda. Don't be silly. I think you see it in the behind the scenes too; Lucas says everyone's waiting for that moment and the producers etc look pretty skeptical by my reading. )

[u/5AlarmFirefly → u/DrVonScott123]

Same in Canada, the vibe was very low in the theatre. Big disappointment overall and this scene felt gratuitous.

[u/BoppityZipZop → u/DrVonScott123]

I think all over Europe is like that. When I see "audience reaction" videos I can never relate. Because I live in Italy and people are dead quiet, with the exception of the occasional laugh when something really funny happens.

[u/Thin_Advance_2757 → u/DrVonScott123]

I saw it 4 times here in the UK and every time, it was greeted with the usual response:

Silence and some popcorn rustling.

[u/richyyoung → u/DrVonScott123]

Same timeline - we had laughs and sighs in equal measure with walk outs.

[u/niemody]

We are lost it when he used his crutch after the fight.

[u/MrNightmare23 → u/niemody]

I assume back then there wasn't a reason on why Yoda could somehow do all these flips and then need to use his cane again

[u/heeden → u/MrNightmare23]

We'd seen enough Lightsabre duels by then to know that Jedi and Sith must use the Force to enhance their movements on occasions, Yoda turned it up to 11.

[u/Raspberries-Are-Evil → u/MrNightmare23]

The reason was obvious, he channels the Force right through himself...

[u/popotheclowns → u/MrNightmare23]

Not at all. At least for the hardcore fans.

[u/Ribauld]

When he first comes out and whips out his saber people were cheering. Then when he went on the spaz attack the excitement in the theater deflated into more of a WTF is this moment.

[u/dorestes → u/Ribauld]

yes! This is what happened in my theater, too.

[u/Scifibn → u/Ribauld]

This is how I remember it as well. People were like "OH SHIT!" then were like "lol"

[u/Atticus104]

There was some cheering, which was more noticeable since it was not as normal at my theater at the time.

[u/IronChefPhilly]

Everyone loved it. Lots of cheering

[u/viotix90 → u/IronChefPhilly]

I remember seeing Revenge of the Sith and when Order 66 came in and we saw the montage of Jedi dying at the hands of the Clones, everyone was tense as fuck. Then the scene comes with Yoda on Kashyyyk and he does the ketamine-fuelled jump into upside down double decapitation.

The whole cinema erupted into thunderous applause. People jumped up from their seats cheering. It was incredible. The only cinematic moment that I've experienced in my life that has surpassed it was "Avengers...assemble."

[u/Lewapiskow → u/viotix90]

For me it was the finale of grind house: death proof, the only movie where everybody stood up and started clapping and cheering and it happened twice on two different viewings

[u/yogo → u/IronChefPhilly]

One of my teachers was pumped on a Wednesday from seeing it over the weekend. She said people cheered. Then I saw it, people cheered.

[u/orchestragravy]

I remember people in the theater started cheering when his shadow showed up.

[u/laserbrained]

For a lot of people it was the coolest thing ever. For others it ruined their childhood and kidnapped their dog.

[u/dorestes → u/laserbrained]

yeah, I was in college when AOTC came out. The scene was exciting visually, but also cringe to someone raised on ESB. I cheered when he first drew the saber, but started chuckling and sighing as he started hopping around the room.

[u/CheeseDog_ → u/dorestes]

100% this. I remember turning to my brother and both of us being kinda like ‘what the fuck is this’

[u/cruelty → u/laserbrained]

My friends and I were in our mid-twenties. We had really hoped that TPM was a fluke and that AOTC would be leagues better. By the time the scene happened, we were beyond frustrated with the movie and crazy screaming Yoda was the shit cherry on top. I fucking hated it and still do, but I'm happy for those who love the prequels. Live and let live!

[u/electrofiche → u/cruelty]

And the CGI looked shit. This was peak “Lucas fucking with Star Wars on a computer”.

[u/naturalmanofgolf → u/laserbrained]

I hated it. Most memorable scene from that movie for me and not in a good way.

[u/TheScarletCravat]

Snorts of laughter, but I was with adults at the time. There was a sense of people feeling that it looked too silly, and it lacked the muppety charm it should have had. Like it was trying too hard.

I was eleven, I think.

[u/cornerbash → u/TheScarletCravat]

I was older than you, but that was the reaction in my theatre experience. A few people just lost it and laughed when he pulled out a saber. I was ambivalent between also finding it silly and being surprised. The acrobatics that followed admittedly didn’t help, yet by the time Revenge of the Sith rolled around I’d normalized my reaction and accepted it in time for the Sidious/Yoda fight.

[u/Red-on-Red-Lean → u/TheScarletCravat]

Yeah this is more along the lines of what I remember.

[u/SquadPoopy → u/TheScarletCravat]

Yeah as a kid I thought it was cool, as an adult with a developed brain it’s the most ridiculous and laughable shit in the movie.

[u/Peacefrog35 → u/TheScarletCravat]

That was me, 27 at the time, and it felt a bit goofy to me. Not enough to complain, mind you,but a bit cartoony.

[u/StoneGoldX → u/Peacefrog35]

Him pulling the lightsabers got cheers. The spin attacks got some snickers.

It is difficult to give Kermit the Frog a fighting style that looks badass.

[u/philkid3 → u/StoneGoldX]

I think this is a good distinction that in my memory I agree with.

When he pulled out the light saber, screams and applause. The laughter started with the CG flips.

[u/Paladin2019 → u/TheScarletCravat]

I remember laughing, and people around me laughing too. It was like Christopher Lee was playing squash with a lightsaber, and Yoda was the ball.

[u/Obi_Wan_Gebroni]

There was actually a huge cheer when he busted out the lightsaber, great energy in the theater when it happened!

[u/right-sized]

Literally cheering, some people even jumping out of their seats. No exaggeration. It was awesome. This was opening weekend. 

[u/Nearby_Cress_2424 → u/right-sized]

The theater I was in, people laughed.

[u/DarthDregan]

Half the crowd was laughing/cheering. Other half kind of "what the fuck?"

[u/DarthKeyes-twitch]

Tbh I hated it. That might sound cringey, but most people in my friend group seemingly felt the same. I think it’s hard to get why unless your understanding of Star Wars was exclusively the OT growing up just til the PT came out. I’m not special, but I am unique from most in my age group as someone who had fun with TPM when it came out and still do. AOTC was very different though.

Ever since this scene came out our entire perception of Yoda changed. He was no longer this old guy who was powerful because of his unique connection to the force, that should be feared because he is almost supernaturally wise. He was powerful because he is kinda the same as every other Jedi who, seemingly, just uses a cane because it’s his brand I guess. His intro to audiences in E5 is specifically designed to subvert the idea of what a powerful warrior is, because Luke’s (and our) understanding of the force was limited. Yoda being physically limited in size and ability beautifully illustrated this. Once he jumps and does flips, he is established as “no he’s legit a guy who can fight”, which goes against the impact his character has had up till that moment.

I know there’s a lot of rhetoric going on there, but it’s hard to explain just how weird it was without the wealth of the supplementary content to flesh out Pre-OT Yoda what this was like. it felt somehow super pandery and also left-field all at the same time.

To this day I still haven’t come around on it. It is a low moment for me.

[u/humbledrumble → u/DarthKeyes-twitch]

This is my memory of it too.

Star Wars in 1980:

Luke : I'm looking for a great warrior.

Yoda : Ohhh. Great warrior. [laughs and shakes his head] Wars not make one great.

Star Wars in 2002:

jumping, spinning chipmunk with a light saber

Did Lucas even watch Star Wars before he made the PT?

[u/majestic_ubertrout → u/DarthKeyes-twitch]

Awesome description. There definitely was some applause, but equally many of us - admittedly already in a sour mood discovering TPM wasn't a fluke and this was even worse - mostly felt this way.

[u/Amplidyne-78 → u/DarthKeyes-twitch]

I agree 100%. It’s like whoever wrote this scene didn’t understand Yoda. His connection was so powerful with the Force and he had come to master it so well he was above using a lightsaber. His enlightenment was well beyond just a normal Jedi with a lightsaber. It kind of goes against everything we knew him as a character and the lessons he taught Luke. I wish the PT would have just stayed away from all OT characters entirely, so many things were ruined by the PT.

[u/MrNightmare23 → u/DarthKeyes-twitch]

Valid opinion here folks

[u/SQRTLURFACE]

"older star wars fans who saw attack of the clones in cinema"

Brooooooo, I am deceased

[u/slymm]

I thought it was corny. It made Yoda feel less powerful, ironically

[u/Kickasser32 → u/slymm]

On re-watch, it is ridiculous and then the way he just leaves is lame. But initially, in the theater, it was pretty mind-blowing.

[u/Joebotnik]

Mostly laughter during the screening I went to.

[u/bpenfieldj]

Older fans 😂🤣😭