For decades now, there has been a debate within theStar Warsfanbase regarding which trilogy is the best, the original trilogy or the prequels, but these 10 examples suggest it is indeed the prequel trilogy. Both the original trilogy movies and the prequel movies rank highly on the list ofStar Wars’best movies.
For some,Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithis the best, but for many others,The Empire Strikes Backhas held that title for more than 40 years. There are certainly reasonable arguments to be made on both sides, althoughthese 10 aspects of the prequel movies suggest the younger trilogy may very well be the best.
10Palpatine’s Rise To Power Was Genuinely Interesting To See
While Palpatine was a compelling villain in the original trilogy, it is in the prequel trilogy that he truly shines as one ofStar Wars’most powerful Sith. After all, in the original trilogy, we know next to nothing about his background or how he came to possess such power.
His character is therefore entirely more interesting in the prequels, aswe finally saw Palpatine’s rise to power and just how manipulative and ingenious he really was. Palpatine didn’t simply have raw power that he used to destroy his enemies; on the contrary, he bided his time and meticulously plotted to bring down the Jedi.
Getting to see Palpatine weaponize the political system in his favor was particularly interesting, and it has come to define his character in the franchise and influence countless otherStar Warsmovies and TV shows, fromStar Wars: The Bad BatchtoAndor.
9Master Yoda Looked So Much Better
Although a less serious detail, there’s no denying thatMaster Yoda looks infinitely better in the prequel trilogy than he did in the original trilogy. In part, this is just because of the time that passed between the two trilogies and how much technology had advanced in that time.
Ultimately, this was particularly needed in the prequels, in which Yoda had an array of impressive feats that would have been quite challenging with the puppet used in the original trilogy. In fairness to the original movies, though, there is a charm to that puppet that gets dropped with Yoda in the prequels.
Obi-Wan Kenobi prequel trilogy actor Ewan McGregor has himself spoken about how the CGI Yoda lost something special that the puppet had, which shouldn’t be discounted. Solely in terms of how Yoda looked on-screen, though, and how much more ability it allowed for, this version of Yoda was much better.
8So Many Confusing Original Trilogy Stories Suddenly Made Sense
The original trilogy is iconic for a reason, and that should never be in question. Yet, there were multiple aspects of the original trilogy that made very little sense, especially in light of the movies' many plot twists. This includes, for one, the complex history ofthe Skywalker family.
The Empire Strikes Backhad revealed that Darth Vader was really Luke’s biological father, Anakin Skywalker, andReturn of the Jedimade things even more surprising with the plot twist that Leia was also Luke’s sister. There were many questions stemming from these revelations, but the original trilogy largely left them unanswered.
The prequel trilogy, particularlyRevenge of the Sith, addressed many of these questions, not only in terms of how Luke and Leia came to be but also with how they ended up on their respective planets—Luke on Tatooine with Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen and Leia with the Organas on Alderaan.
Several ofStar Wars’best characterswere introduced in the prequel trilogy, including Padmé Amidala, portrayed by Natalie Portman. Padmé proved to be a fierce and brave young queen inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, and that bravery and noble nature persisted inStar Wars: Episode II - Attack of the ClonesandRevenge of the Sith.
She was also the perfect biological mother of Luke and Leia, not only because she looked like them, but also because so many of their traits were clear in her. For Luke, this included kindness and compassion, and for Leia, this meant her sense of justice and her boldness (although Anakin, of course, can also be seen in such traits).
With this casting,the prequel trilogy brought Natalie Portman into theStar Warsfranchise, and she remains one of the most beloved and highly-regarded actors throughout allStar Warsshows and movies, for very good reason.
6The Sith Became So Much Better Defined
The Sith were part of the original trilogy, yes, butit wasn’t until the prequel trilogy that we really began to see and understand the Sith. Aspects of these dark-siders that have since become key within the larger franchise, such asthe Sith Rule of Two, were introduced in these movies, and we were also introduced to brand-new Sith.
Namely, Darth Maul and Count Dooku both debuted in the prequel trilogy, and they had a massive influence on our understanding of the Sith inStar Wars. They were also incredibly popular characters, and they continue to be today, which is clear in upcoming projects likeMaul: Shadow Lord.
The prequels were ultimately essential to the history of the Sith inStar Wars, in fact, as they provided some examples beyond just Palpatine and Darth Vader on theStar Warsscreen. Notably, since the prequels, we have yet to see any new Sith inStar Warsmovies.
As with the Sith,we got to see and learn so much more about the Jedi in the prequel trilogy. In the original trilogy, the only full-fledged Jedi we see are Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda, at least until Luke completes his training. By contrast,there were thousands of Jedi prior to Order 66.
Because of that, in the prequels, we were introduced to so many more ofStar Wars’most powerful Jedi, and the explanations and explorations of the Jedi and the Force were similarly expanded considerably in these movies. Yet again, since the prequels, we’ve not seen the Jedi in their glory inStar Warsmovies.
4The Jedi Order Was Finally Depicted On Screen
With so many Jedi came a look at the Jedi Order, which was a focal point of this trilogy. This was arguably one of the most interesting things to come out of the prequels, as we were able to see how the Jedi operated when they were at their height, fromthe Jedi Order ranksto the rule against attachments.
We likewise have yet to see anything come close to the Jedi Order again inStar Wars. While it was fascinating to see Luke be trained first by Obi-Wan and then by Yoda in the original trilogy, it really can’t compete with getting to see the full Jedi Order just on the heels of its golden age.
3The Casting For Anakin And Obi-Wan Was Perfect
The performances may be one of the biggestcomplaints about the prequel trilogy, but the actors deserve so much more respect and recognition, especially Anakin actor Hayden Christensen and Obi-Wan actor Ewan McGregor. While Christensen was much more heavily criticized than McGregor,both actors were absolutely perfect for their roles.
They have also continued to prove their dedication to the franchise and how right they were as choices, with both actors returning inObi-Wan Kenobiand Christensen returning not only inAhsokaseason 1 but also in the upcoming second season of the show.
Thankfully, in the more than 20 years since the prequels were released, these actors have begun to receive the recognition and praise they always deserved. Both McGregor and Christensen are now widely considered two of the most iconic actors in the franchise.
2We Got To See The Chosen One In His Prime
The introduction ofthe Chosen One prophecyinThe Phantom Menacewas not initially all that popular, as some believed it added a level of mysticism that didn’t belong inStar Wars. However, it came to define Anakin as a character, and he certainly lived up to his title.
We especially get to see that inRevenge of the Sith, when Anakin is at the peak of his power. In fact, George Lucas himself has commented on the fact that the Darth Vader suit actually restricted Anakin’s power, meaningthis movie is the most powerful we ever get to see him.
Scenes like Anakin killing Count Dooku, a Sith Lord, on his own reinforce that this is absolutely right, and it makesRevenge of the Sithone ofStar Wars’greatest movies, because seeing that unbridled power, even after he turns to the dark side, is thrilling.
1Duel Of The Fates And The Mustafar Duel Haven’t Yet Been Topped
Finally,the prequel trilogy arguably deserves the top spot inStar Warsbecause of its epic duels. Both the Duel of the Fates inThe Phantom Menaceand the Mustafar battle between Anakin and Obi-Wan inRevenge of the Sithrank among thebest lightsaber duels inStar Wars.
Since the prequels, there hasn’t really been a lightsaber battle that’s come close, especially in terms of the movies. Yes, the iconic battles between Luke and Darth Vader are also on the list, but these duels are arguably two of the very best inStar Wars, making quite the case for the prequels being the better trilogy.
