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When George Lucas first embarked on a grand adventure of the space opera known as Star Wars, he probably had no idea it would have such a wide fanbase dedicated to the saga’s veracity and lore. Lucas’ multi-billion dollar empire has amassed such a following that only a few other franchises have been able to match its success. However, that doesn't mean the saga has not faced criticism in the past.
When the saga’s prequels were released from 1999 to 2005, the fanbase had some negative opinions about them. Fans claimed that they were poorly written and overloaded with CGI. Of course, after Disney bought the franchise and released the sequel trilogy, many fans have largely been more forgiving of the prequels.
The fans seemed too harsh on the prequels, to begin with, and their reception has warmed over the years. That may also be due to Disney+’s new series Obi-Wan Kenobi, which honors the memory of the prequel trilogy perfectly.
Here is why the Star Wars prequels are fantastic.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the views of the author.
What makes Star Wars prequels fantastic?
The Prequels did something new for the franchise. Unlike the Star Wars sequels, which did nothing but recycling content from the franchise’s glory days, the prequels could venture into new territory and tell different stories of how the Clone Wars began and who or what made Anakin Skywalker turn to the dark side.
The structure of the story is based around some new central characters with différent motivations than that of Luke Sykwalker in the original trilogy. Luke attempts to find a better life for himself outside of his farmboy life and stumbles upon Obi-Wan Kenobi, who teaches him the ways of the Jedi.
Anakin was born into slavery and longed to be freed off the planet Tatooine. Anakin’s predicament is more critical and gives his character a sense of urgency rather than being like Luke, who is pushed by the external forces around him.
All about the best lightsaber fights
Something that has been unanimous in the saga's fanbase is that the lightsaber duels are incredible in the prequels. Given that the original trilogy’s lightsaber duels were slow and dull and the sequel trilogy piggy-backed off the prequels, it doesn't take a lot to realize that the prequels were the pinnacle of saber battles.
Whether people are talking about the duel of the fates or the final battle between Obi-Wan and Anakin, these battles hold a spot dear to our hearts. The fights are not gratuitous battles for fanservice but rather a poetic dance between good and evil.
Exploring the history of Star Wars
Since the sequels were a total miss, the prequels were able to flow through a plethora of history that has been bubbling beneath the Star Wars franchise since 1977. Fans were finally able to see what Jedis were actually like and how they acted. The history of the Republic and the formation of the Empire is perfectly encapsulated in the storytelling of the prequels.
The film details the tragic tale behind the Clone Wars and why the Jedi were, according to Obi-Wan, all but extinct when he first met nineteen-year-old Luke.
Plenty of Planets
Another thing that proves to be so wonderful in the plot of the prequels is the fact that they have a cornucopia of planets that people could easily indulge in. Whether people were tuning into the bleak and rainy landscape of Kamino or the beautiful city-planet that is Coruscant, each planet has a unique texture and a brilliant story behind its design.
When writing the prequels, it is evident that George Lucas thought intensively about the history of each planet. It almost looks like each planet was written to denote a specific mood.
Obviously, the prequels have their ups and downs, but they are better than what people give them credit for. Their legacy will live on for generations to come and they might even be as acclaimed as the movies that made fans love the space saga that is Star Wars.
