__________________ "Nothing pisses me off more than when I have an amazing new idea, and then someone says, 'Wow, God is soooooooooo smart for thinking of that.' It makes me want to throw a brick in their face."
No offense, but it depends on the skill of the combatants. It certainly didn't help Mace's posse, despite outnumbering Sidious, because he still slaughtered them in a matter of seconds.
That's true, but they were Jedi, and surprised by the attack, these are 3 Sith Lords, powerful ones at that, and I just remembered Grievous taking on 5 Jedi with only 2 sabers
__________________ "Nothing pisses me off more than when I have an amazing new idea, and then someone says, 'Wow, God is soooooooooo smart for thinking of that.' It makes me want to throw a brick in their face."
As I recall, they knew that Palpatine was a Sith Lord going in. They also had their sabers drawn before he did. Not to mention, he took his jolly time unleashing his lightsaber, and even tossed off a one liner, before pwning them.
Furthermore, those three Jedi were heralded as some of the best that the Order produced. But, Sidious was simply too powerful for them - all save for Mace.
As for powerful, you do realize that Luke is leagues better than all of them. Exar could put up a fight. But, even he is outclassed.
By that logic, nearly everyone who ever lost a battle is 'surprised' because no one knows exactly how skilled somone is till you actually fight them.
__________________ "Nothing pisses me off more than when I have an amazing new idea, and then someone says, 'Wow, God is soooooooooo smart for thinking of that.' It makes me want to throw a brick in their face."
They didn't actually KNOW he was, Mace said to Anakin that if what he said was in fact true, he would have gained his trust, they were just trying to Intimidate him with their Sabers, they didn't expect him to Pull a Lightsaber from no where, jump in a Corkscrew through the Air, and cut them down
The point is: Palpatine had been the Supreme Chancellor for over ten years - he looked old and weak. If anything, they probably expected him to be around Dooku's level, and definitley not a match for four jedi masters (all of whom were great warriors). They had no clue that he would be able to defeat 3 of them in a matter of seconds - they were clearly surprised at how powerful he was.
Then I suppose that Mace's kick to Palpatine was a surprise attack? That Palpatine disarming Yoda was a surprise attack? That Dooku using Force lightning against Anakin was a surprise attack? That every single move ever used in a fight is a surprised one?
No.
They had reason to believe, going in, that he was a powerful Sith Lord. If someone gives me good reason to believe that someone (whom I've been suspecting for years) is a terrorist, I'm not going to treat that person as if he weren't. I'd be prepared for it.
They were. They knew. They were just ownt because he was better.
The bottom line is that Dooku looked older and weaker, and they took him seriously. Furthermore, Yoda looks downright pitiful. The Jedi are aware of the "looks can be deceiving" act.
Besides, the scene weren't made to make the jedi look like punks, it was made to make Sidious look powerful. (Said by GL himself). So surprise was not really in mind in this battle...
__________________
Necessity is the mother of inventions.
(Don't be a pig, get an Icejaw sig.)
Adding to what Escape already said, being 'suprised' about how powerful somone is has little to do with the outcome of a fight unless there was some sort of 'suprise attack' involved, which there was none.
__________________ "Nothing pisses me off more than when I have an amazing new idea, and then someone says, 'Wow, God is soooooooooo smart for thinking of that.' It makes me want to throw a brick in their face."
__________________ "Nothing pisses me off more than when I have an amazing new idea, and then someone says, 'Wow, God is soooooooooo smart for thinking of that.' It makes me want to throw a brick in their face."