The prequels: every Star Wars fan’s favorite thing to hate. George Lucas’ much-maligned movie trilogy chronicles the rise of the Empire and fall of the Jedi. It has been a subject of much debate amongst Star Wars fans for years. A lot has been said about what people didn’t like, what didn’t resonate, and why the backlash to these movies eventually drove George Lucas away from Star Wars. However, we tend to forget that these movies are actually… kind of amazing!
For many people, myself included, the prequels were our introduction to Star Wars. They are responsible for us falling in love with science fiction, space opera, and the Force. While they are certainly not without their flaws, let’s take a moment to remember some things this trilogy had going for it that are frequently overlooked.
1. Qui-Gon Jinn
A terrific actor with a number of significant roles under his belt, Liam Neeson is undeniably gripping as the Jedi who trained Obi-Wan Kenobi and discovered Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace. My only regret is that we don’t get to see more of him, but I am hopeful that he will make an appearance (in Force ghost form) in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series. He exemplifies the calm, wise nobility that every Jedi is supposed to have.
There’s a good argument to be made that Qui-Gon’s death is the most important event that leads to Anakin’s eventual downfall. He’s a special Jedi Master in that he doesn’t fully believe that a Jedi should be void of personal attachments. He believes in nurturing our capacity to care for one another and sees that Anakin’s greatest strength is his passion and dedication to people he loves (a trait that the Jedi council are constantly trying to hammer out of him). In his absence, Anakin is left without an experienced father figure willing to help him sort through his dark past in a healthy way.
Qui-Gon is a brilliantly conceived character, one of the best from the prequel trilogy.
2. Tragedy
People were so vocally upset over Jake Lloyd’s performance as Young Anakin that the poor kid left Hollywood forever. Fans complain that he’s too sweet, too innocent, that Hayden Christiansen is just a boring movie heartthrob, that none of this is the Darth Vader they want…
This is exactly the point, and it’s why this characterization is genius! We have to sit through three whole movies following an affable protagonist who we know will eventually become one of the greatest villains in Cinema History.
Every point leads up to tragedy. We know everything is doomed from the very start, yet we yearn for things to go right anyway. All the heroes are making what seem to be the right decisions, but every step leads to the ultimate downfall of the Republic.
3. Unique Lightsabers
At the end of the day, isn’t Star Wars meant to be fun? Isn’t it all about making us go “cool!” “Awesome!” “Wow look at that!” What more can we really ask for? Why isn’t that enough?
When it comes to that “Wow factor”, George Lucas brings his A game to the prequels. The iconic weapons that Lucas introduced in the original trilogy are given constant upgrades. It’s incredibly creative and shows great innovation on the part of Lucas and the rest of the team at Lucasfilms.
Whether it’s Darth Mauls iconic dual blades or Count Dooku’s curved handle, the lightsabers in the prequels are cooler than in any other Star Wars sequence before or since. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the crossguard blade that Kylo Ren has, but it’s got nothing on Maul or Dooku. Samuel L. Jackson got to have his lightsaber be PURPLE! Just because he asked!
That’s what good, fun, enjoyable filmmaking should be about: everyone having a good time and making something that we can all appreciate for it’s pure awesomeness.
4. Galactic Politics
Perhaps it’s the lack of subtlety that many fans found grating about the prequels in comparison to the original trilogy. The Original Trilogy has a simple villain: an evil empire that’s oppressing the common people and destroying planets. Simple.
Don’t get me wrong, it works. But a prequel is inherently going to get more complicated than that. We’re going to have to be really detailed about how the Empire came to power and all the intergalactic political structures that allowed it to happen. More importantly, we have to try and do this in a way that reflects the modern world and speaks to themes that are important to the story we’re telling. The prequels lacked the original trilogy’s simplicity, sometimes confusing audiences who (fairly) didn’t have the time to figure out the difference between the trade federation, the galactic republic, and individual planetary governments.
The world that Lucas created for his prequels in vast and complex. The political structures are thought out, well imagined, and mirror those in our own world. It’s actually scary to see the ways that executive powers in the real world mirror Palpatine’s “emergency power ” grab. It’s like the fall of Rome under Caesar. We get to question the motives of a seemingly just republic and see how easily our systems of law and government can be turned to evil.
5. The Jedi Council
Because of the prequels, whenever I need to have a discussion with a group of people, I call a “Jedi Council Meeting.” Does this make me the biggest nerd of any given group? Yes it does. But I digress. There’s nothing cooler than a group of warrior monks sitting in a circle of floating chairs discussing politics and war. All our favorite Jedi in one place, hashing out philosophy and deciding on a course of action. It feels like the best kind of fan service: all the characters you love all together, making important decisions that effect the plot.
I could watch three whole movies of just Jedi Council meetings. Show me how they write amendments to their bylaws! Do they have a secretary? A treasurer? Who takes meeting notes? Let me see them argue about next year’s budget and how they’re going to fundraise for the annual Life Day banquet!… I love Jedi Councils.
6. Cool Villains
Star Wars is known for having great bad guys. Darth Vader is a legend from the original trilogy, and the Emperor basically defines evil. Kylo Ren is pretty scary himself, although the sequel trilogy wasted a good opportunity like Supreme Leader Snoke.
This is where the prequel movies shine! Each movie has at least one, if not two new mysterious villains working for the Dark Side. They’re all completely different from one another, but each belongs in the annals of great Star Wars villains.
Darth Maul’s terrifying face and lack of lines is absolutely iconic, so much so that they brought him back to life to continue his story in The Clone Wars, Rebels, and Solo: A Star Wars Story. Then you have Count Dooku, played by the incomparable Christopher Lee. He’s a former Jedi who’s turned to the Dark Side who used to be trained by Yoda! How cool is that? Then they up the ante one more time with a creepy spider-like cyborg who can wield four lightsabers at a time! All of these villains in one trilogy? Sign me up!
7. Jar Jar is Fun!
Enough with the Jar Jar hate. Miss me with all that. Do you know how horribly received C-3PO and R2-D2 were when the original trilogy premiered in theaters? Star Wars has always had helpless sidekicks that mainly serve as comedic relief. So Jar Jar speaks gibberish. So he never has any idea what’s going on. So what? He’s funny, and sweet, and quite endearing.
Ahmed Best brings Jar Jar to life with a comedic physicality that is nothing short of genius, and the CGI they use for the character is ahead of its time. It’s revolutionary, whether you like it or not. Also, Jar Jar is not as useless as you might think. He negotiates with the Gungan’s and helps lead a very important attack on the droid army in Episode I, and eventually ends up a prominent member of the Senate. He’s even responsible for Palpatine being granted emergency powers, which isn’t a good thing, but it makes him an important part of the overall story.
I’m done pretending that Jar Jar is lame. He’s weird and offputting, and that’s exactly what I love about him.
8. Incredible Lightsaber Duels
Whether it’s Episode 1’s Duel of the Fates or Episode III’s Battle of Heroes, the Prequel Series has, arguably, the top two lightsaber battles in all of Star Wars. That’s without even mentioning the epic battle of flippery and confusion that occurs between Dooku and Yoda in Episode II, or the Mace Windu vs Palpatine strangeness in Episode III. They’re everywhere!
That’s what makes the prequels so great. The fighting in these battles is often to the death and it tends to pit two opponents who are or were friends against one another, raising the stakes sky-high. Say what you want about the prequels, but you can’t deny that Anakin vs Obi-Wan is one of the most legendary showdowns in all of cinematic history.
9. Shakesperean Dialogue
Okay, sure: I’ll admit that the prequels have their fair share of eye-roll-worthy dialogue. BUT, I also think some of the more commonly mocked lines are products of the very specific, larger-than-life writing style George Lucas has always employed in Star Wars.
It may often feel melodramatic, but characters in Star Wars always say exactly what they’re feeling. We’re in an epic, grandiose, space opera; of course they’re going to say things that no real person would ever say. Sure, Anakin explaining all the reasons why he hates sand is kind of silly, but that’s what Star Wars is: he’s letting his emotions get the better of him and they are taking control of his words. Even though it’s silly, it’s powerful and true to what the genre is meant to be.
10. Pod Racing
Not much to say other than how awesome it was. I wish there had been more of it, honestly. Who cares if it’s a long sequence that barely relates to the plot? It’s cool! I would watch three hours of different Star Wars galaxy sports events. Come on Disney+, where is my Pod Racing spinoff series?
11. Variety of Planets
Star Wars, more than anything else, is a sprawling adventure across a fantastical galaxy. The stories are best when they explore different planets and people that, while mirroring our own lives and struggles, are unlike anything we’ve ever seen. The prequels bring us all over the Star Wars universe to every corner of this densely imagined galaxy that George Lucas has created for our enjoyment.
Coruscant, Mustafar, Naboo, etc. We’re constantly being brought to beautifully realized landscapes with rich histories and unique people and cultures. No other Star Wars property save maybe The Mandalorian can match the scale of the prequel stories. They take us to as many different places to allow our imaginations to run wild.
12. Padme is a Badass
I feel like it’s often forgotten how cool Padme is because people are so focused on the awkward love story between her and Anakin. She’s a skilled diplomat, is able to trick Jedi into missing her true identity, cares deeply about the people of her planet, and can hold her own in a fight.
While she may be relegated to annoying damsel-in-distress roles from time to time, if one looks closer, she’s one of the smartest, most resourceful characters in the Star Wars saga. She never really needs rescuing time and time again, as she always seems to have a plan and can figure her way out of any tough spot. She’s also suspicious of Palpatine from the very beginning, and through her, we see the true tragedy of the Republic’s fall and the Galaxy’s submission to the Dark Side.
13. The Allure of the Dark Side
The Dark Side usually doesn’t feel like something a rational person would ever feasibly take to. Darth Vader shows off the Dark Side’s true power in the original trilogy, and it’s clear how dangerous he is, but it’s never clear why one would gravitate towards this side of the Force, not when the Jedi are painted as perfectly good, pure, and without flaws.
The prequels add so much more nuance to that! The Jedi are shown to be harsh, unfeeling people who fail to do what is right, making us question the morality of a structure that’s inherently light vs dark. Anakin’s descent to madness is trackable and clear, because the Jedi don’t offer him anything that can fix his problems, but the Dark Side does. We’re shown over and over again how people throughout the galaxy are suffering, and Anakin being born as a slave and wanting to protect the people he loves from death is unlike anything any other Jedi has experienced. The Dark Side actually feels alluring for the first time ever, and his decision to try and save people through ultimate power and control makes a lot of sense.
14. Epic Scale
Some fans complain that the prequels are a mess because Lucas is trying to do “too much.” There’re too many characters, too many plotlines, too many planets, too many adventures, etc. I’d argue that he didn’t do enough! Why do you think The Clone Wars is so successful? Lucas sets up an entire war full of unique characters, gives us dense backstory on characters from the original trilogy (Obi-Wan, Boba Fett), and introduces us to an entirely new era of his universe.
Sometimes, it seems as if by trying to appease studios and fans, Lucas was forced to compromise certain aspects and details of his full vision, leaving some of them only half-realized. I’m greatly looking forward to the continued Disney+ expansion shows, and am hopeful that we get more content in this era of Star Wars.
15. Brotherhood — This IS STAR WARS!
At the heart of Star Wars is a story about love, compassion, and brotherhood. It’s always about one generation (Yoda, Obi-Wan, Vader) struggling to prevent a younger generation (Luke, Leia, Rey), from making the same mistakes they made in their past. The relationship between these characters is what anchors the story. Otherwise, it’s just space wizards fighting monsters!
Each installment of the prequel series is deeply true to this theme. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan in The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan and Anakin in Attack of the Clones, and Anakin and Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith. Lucas weaves this theme into every single subplot throughout the trilogy. Yoda with Dooku, the Jedi Council with everybody, Anakin with Padme, Boba Fett with Jango Fett. Even the way the Republic is seeking to exert control of the galaxy for its touches on this theme. The dangers of trying to protect those we love by controlling or holding power over them instead of listening and respecting one another are exactly what bring down the Jedi, leads Anakin to the Dark Side and leads to the fall of the Republic. Lucas takes the themes of Star Wars and applies them on a universal level. It doesn’t get more Star Wars than this!
I’m not saying that you have to like the prequel movies. They can be messy and definitely aren’t for everyone. But as a Star Wars superfan, I’ll take any one of these movies over a travesty like The Rise of Skywalker any day of the week. All I ask is that you give them another watch if it’s been a while since you last sampled them.
Star Wars is meant to be fun and unique. It’s meant to be messy and imperfect. That’s what makes it so amazing.
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels