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Unrest in the Senate
May 11, 2005
"As a practical matter, the Senate no longer exists..." This uncharacteristically gloomy proclamation from frustrated political idealist, Mon Mothma, is nonetheless accurate.
Democracy is one of the casualties of the Clone Wars. In a conflict started by traitors to the Republic, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine surrounded himself with loyalist Senators determined to preserve the grand institution. The Republic they idealize, however, is only a shadow. By the time the first cannons fire in the Clone Wars, the government is already riddled by corruption.
In the state of emergency sparked by the war, Palpatine instituted sweeping proclamations that transformed the system, taking power away from the Senate -- from the people. These are some of the politicians active in the twilight days of the Senate and the trappings of their declining office.
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I may have missed this, but I loved the Senatorial update.
We finally get to see someone who is making all these ships - Gidden Danu 
Also, there are a couple of pics of cut scenes and costumes.
The end result was a very expressive background character capable of a great range of radio-controlled lip and eye movement. So impressed with the new Mon Calamari mask was Lucas that he briefly considered replacing the footage of Admiral Ackbar in Return of the Jedi with the improved mask.
Uh-oh.
