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Today , theStar Warsfranchise can be found across all medium , with two continuities ( canyon and Legends ) bring in a overplus of exciting character and storylines to Lucas ’ universe of discourse . hot - action TV shows likeThe Mandalorianhave become the new typeface ofStar Warsand spinoff filmslikeRogue One : A Star Wars Storyhave explored the saga in fascinating newfangled way , but it is at long last the Skywalker Saga that definesStar Wars . At its core , Star Warsis the antithesis of cynicism , and while many of the Skywalker Saga films venture into drear dominion , the dealership as a whole is about family , buyback , oppose against oppressiveness , and becoming the best reading of oneself . The threeStar Warstrilogies can be judged by how nearly they adhere to these elements , along with how well they develop their characters , and story . Here are all threeStar Warstrilogies , ranked from worst to good .
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3. Sequel Trilogy
For many witness , theStar Warssaga told a complete tarradiddle with only the original and prequel trilogies , so the announcement ofa newStar Warstrilogyalongside Disney ’s accomplishment of Lucasfilm was met with as much caution as it was enthusiasm . For others , there was a stage of worry over the newfangled trilogy ’s timber , given the prequel trilogy ’s poorer reception than the original trilogy . In the lead - up toStar Wars : The Force Awakens , Star Warsmarketed its return to theaters by focusing on the original trilogy almost as much as it did the forthcoming 7th saga moving picture . This was a fitting move , asThe Force Awakens , for better or speculative , take over intemperately fromA New Hope , and while the film is clearly well - intentioned , its glaring similarity to the 1977 film is one of its heavy criticisms .
To make issue worse , The Force Awakensis overallfar too interested with setting up next plotlines than tell a staring taradiddle , making it one of the saga ’s more episodic installments . Its sequel , Star war : The Last Jedi , seek to be the opposition , but ultimately reused elements of the original trilogy in a far more backbreaking - handed manner . Entire sequences fromThe Empire Strikes BackandReturn of the Jediare remade shot - for - injection , and Luke Skywalker ’s divisive characterization is , fundamentally , a repetition of his Episode VI arc , sans complexity and consistency with his previous visual aspect ( and earning the disapproval of Mark Hamill himself).The Force Awakenstries perhaps a bit too hard to replicate the magic of the original trilogy whileThe Last Jedi , in its chase of appearing more original , only wipe out as much meaning from theStar Warssaga as it can , dividingStar Warsviewership .
This putStar war : The Rise of Skywalkerin an unenviable position . Not only did the picture seek to bring the dividedStar Warsfandom back together but it also require to satisfyingly conclude both the continuation trilogy and theStar Warssaga as a whole after its predecessor wasted meter teasing next instalment or attempt to nullify past instalment , respectively . The unfortunate resultant was a celluloid that purport to please everyone but ultimately left viewers underwhelmed . With so small left hand of the original trilogy to reduplicate , The Rise of Skywalkerinstead repurposes element of theDark Empirecomic serial publication from legend ( which was previously the officialStar Warstimeline ) , land back Palpatine and retroactively attain him the true scoundrel of the sequel trilogy all along .
When all is said and done , theStar Warssequel trilogy , however well - intentioned its installments might have been , is far too implicated with metanarratives . Whether revering the previous films or haphazardly undertake to deconstruct them , the sequel trilogy realized far too deep that it needed to simply secern a timber account that tastily retain the character arcs of the original trilogy heroes while introducing new protagonists . The sequels often leave behind their new character underdeveloped and the revert heroes mischaracterized and thus do not valuate up to the quality of the late two trilogies .
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2. Prequel Trilogy
The quality of theStar Warsprequel trilogy is moderately discrepant . Rather than giving the definitive hero ’s journey a science fantasy twist , the prequels are a tragedy , detail the fall from grace of Anakin Skywalker and his rebirth as theSith Lord Darth Vader . While the prequel moving-picture show went into uncharted territory for theStar Warssaga , they never strayed too far from the original trilogy ’s lore , result in movies that are clearly set in the same universe as the original trilogy , even on worlds like Kamino , which defy the enfranchisement ’s “ worn universe ” stylings . The prequel trilogy films are often criticized for their overreliance on CGI effects , awkward dialogue , and too strong of a centering on astronomical politics , and while these complaints are not unwarranted , the trilogy ’s merit far overshadow its shortcomings .
The trilogy ’s first instalment , Star Wars : Episode I – The Phantom Menace , highlight the corruption of both the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic they serve in the background of Anakin Skywalker , Palpatine , and Obi - Wan Kenobi’sorigins . While the film is often mocked for its more syndicate - favorable nature and often goofy humor , it serves as the beginning of the end for the Republic ’s millenary of serenity and introduce engrossing new details regarding the chronicle of the Jedi and Sith . Anakin Skywalker ’s fall to the grim side and Palpatine ’s forbidding machinations are promised inStar Wars : Episode II – Attack of the Clones , which is arguably the only true “ downer ” in the saga . The cinema is , unluckily , notorious for its poor writing during Anakin and Padmé ’s romanticism , but it congeal the stagecoach for the former ’s nightfall from grace and the Republic ’s fascistic coup while inaugurate the fascinatingly complex baddie Count Dooku .
Thedark hope made byAttack of the Clonesare fulfilled inStar war : Episode III – retaliation of the Sith , which is considered by many to be the skilful of the prequel films . The natural process - packed conclusion ties up every loose final stage and show , tragically , that the fall of Anakin Skywalker and the parturition of Darth Vader can be assign as much to the Jedi Order ’s failings as it can Palpatine ’s manipulations . Anakin ’s Faustian bargain foot race parallel to Palpatine putrefy the Republic into the Galactic Empire and while the movie occasionally turn tail into interchangeable outlet with dialog toAttack of the Clones(and a lack of exposition for General Grievous , could potentially confuse viewer unfamiliar with Legends - era cloth ) , its sheer emotional depth and gravitas more than make up for it .
TheStar Warsprequel trilogytells a fabulously complex and tragical story of political machination , incorporated and religious corruption , and a would - be hero sandwich who flew too close to the sun . Despite its flaw , the prequels tell a essentially different story than the original trilogy , explore deeper concepts , and enrich theStar Warsgalaxy ’s chronicle . For this , theStar Warsprequel trilogy is a close endorsement .
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1. Original Trilogy
TheStar Warsoriginal trilogy stay on the cream of the harvest of the franchise ’s picture , with its timeless tale , sympathetic character , and emotional seriousness grant it to conserve relevance decades after its completion . The trilogy ’s narrative is , by designing , dewy-eyed , but its theatrical role are complex and their respective characterizations across the films are easy the most compelling elementsof the Skywalker Saga . For better or big , the quality of newStar Warsproperties will always be compared to the original trilogy .
A New Hope(initially known only asStar Wars ) has a square narrative and is perhaps the only instalment in the Skywalker Saga that can stand entirely on its own . Using classic mythological archetype and a story that is all at once a phantasy larger-than-life and state of war flick , A New Hopecreates an immersive universe and character who are surprisingly human for their circumstance , all while bequeath room for future installation . This , of course , allowedThe Empire Strikes Backto enrich the saga even further .
Popularly ensure asthe bestStar Warsfilm , The Empire Strikes Backtakes the type and universe of its herald and move them all into deeper and more complicated territory . Luke Skywalker in special has his integral worldview take exception , if not obliterated , by his grueling Jedi education and the startling divine revelation of his father ’s fate . The philosophical system of the Jedi and Sith ( and their several uses of the Force itself ) are cut into into and the cast gain a new hero in Lando Calrissian . While a more occasional entry in the Skywalker Saga , The Empire Strikes Backpositions its submarine sandwich for their ultimate endgame and allow the enfranchisement to avoid simply repeatingA New Hope .
Return of the Jedi , while unfortunately considered by many to be the weak ledger entry in the original trilogy , supply some best character write in the saga , particularly forLuke Skywalker and Darth Vader . Vader is no longer a unsubdivided sorcerer and military drawing card but is now a broken in military personnel free to his villainy . Luke Skywalker , still fight in the backwash ofThe Empire Strikes Back , faces a on the face of it insufferable choice between patricide or becoming The Emperor ’s next Sith apprentice . Luke ’s alternative of a third alternative incarnate the noble-mindedness of theStar Warsfranchise itself and slump the fault of the honest-to-goodness generation of Jedi . proceeds of the Jediis , however , often criticized both for its act 1 rescue of Han Solo lasting perhaps a bit too long and Endor ’s notoriously kitschy Ewoks . Whatever shortcomings the film may have , however , are more than made up for its characterizations .
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The originalStar Warstrilogyultimately hold in the franchise ’s best writing , dissemble , and filmmaking . The movie , while not perfect , helped create the modern blockbuster yet stand the mental testing of time as they stay on to pep up fibber . While theStar Warsfranchise and its two continuities are comprised of far more than films , its heart is the Skywalker Saga , and its great trilogy is the one that commence it all .
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