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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Saga If introducing someone new to SW. Which trilogy would you have them watch first?

Discussion in 'Star Wars Saga In-Depth' started by Jcuk, Mar 31, 2013.

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  1. KilroyMcFadden

    KilroyMcFadden Jedi Knight star 3

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    Oct 31, 2012
    I disagree. There is a certain order in which these movies need to be viewed in order to avoid spoilers.
     
  2. darthfettus2015

    darthfettus2015 Jedi Master star 4

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    Nov 15, 2012
    yes indeed, you are right
     
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  3. PiettsHat

    PiettsHat Force Ghost star 4

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    Jan 1, 2011
    I don't think that's true. This very site is proof of it. There are people here who have watched the Saga in all different orders.

    Plus, it depends on which twists you are worried about spoiling. There's plenty in the PT that are spoiled by watching the OT first and vice versa. No matter which way you watch it, something will be revealed. Personally, I don't think that the big twist of the OT -- that Darth Vader is Luke's father, is as shocking today as it was in 1980 for the simple reason that audiences have gotten used to it and it has been heavily incorporated into popular culture, to the point that it loses its impact.
     
  4. ezekiel22x

    ezekiel22x Chosen One star 5

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    Aug 9, 2002
    I disagree. If a film relies too heavily on a plot twist, it's not a good film. Fortunately, all six Star Wars films bring overall experiences that transcend "spoilers."
     
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  5. Carbon1985

    Carbon1985 Jedi Knight star 3

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    Apr 23, 2013
    I sort of agree with you that a movie can't solely be about the big plot twist to be considered a great movie, but a great movie WITH a great plot twist is memorable. I can still remember my initial reactions to the big twist in Presumed Innocent, The Sixth Sense, The Usual Suspects & of course ESB in 1980. Stuff like that stays with you and reminds why movies are great if they are able to surprise you that much.
     
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  6. Rainbow Knight Star

    Rainbow Knight Star Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 18, 2005
    I would show it to them in order; TPM, AOTC, ROTS, ANH, TESB and ROTJ. That's how it was meant to be viewed. It is easier to understand.
     
  7. Carbon1985

    Carbon1985 Jedi Knight star 3

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    Apr 23, 2013
    I have no problem with someone saying they prefer a particular way to view the saga, but please don't say they were 'meant' to be viewed 1-6 when they weren't written and filmed in that order.
     
  8. TOSCHESTATION

    TOSCHESTATION Jedi Master star 4

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    Jan 17, 2003
    ^^^^^^This.
     
  9. KilroyMcFadden

    KilroyMcFadden Jedi Knight star 3

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    Oct 31, 2012
    ^^^^^^More This
     
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  10. Deputy Rick Grimes

    Deputy Rick Grimes Jedi Grand Master star 6

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    Sep 3, 2012
    Pretty sure Lucas said himself that it was meant to be watched from episodes 1-6
     
  11. Carbon1985

    Carbon1985 Jedi Knight star 3

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    Apr 23, 2013
    Pretty sure Lucas said himself that it was meant to be watched from episodes 1-6[/quote]
    So you are using a quote from when Lucas said he would never make anymore SW movies? And the last time I checked Episode 7 is coming out in 2015....
     
  12. Deputy Rick Grimes

    Deputy Rick Grimes Jedi Grand Master star 6

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    Sep 3, 2012
    What does Episode 7 have to do with anything? Lucas said he isn't doing anymore Star Wars films, which he isn't DISNEY is, there's a difference
     
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  13. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

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    Sep 2, 2012
    Lucas is in an advising role for the story. The ST is happening because he allowed it.
     
  14. PiettsHat

    PiettsHat Force Ghost star 4

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    Jan 1, 2011
    But the order in which they were written and filmed doesn't necessarily indicate the order in which Lucas would prefer the story be viewed, though. The order the films were made could reflect a variety of things, such as which parts of the story Lucas felt would be most commercially successful (very important when you want to continue a series) or which he felt he could actually pull off due to technical limitations.

    What I'm simply saying is this:

    I think you'd agree that the original trilogy trilogy works on its own, correct? Lots of people can and do watch the original trilogy on its own and feel it has a good beginning middle and end with only those three films.

    With the prequels, though, it's possible that Lucas crafted them thinking: "I want to make these films so that the OT serves as a conclusion to the story."

    Personally, that's how I perceive it, and I think Lucas succeeded if that was his intention.

    Why I say this is simple -- Lucas didn't give away the plot of the PT within the films, even though he knew that a lot of members of the audience would already be aware of the endgame since they had seen the OT. Thus, you can easily watch the PT as the beginning of the Saga.

    This is in contrast to a film like, say, The Hobbit which is much more securely placed to be watched after LOTR. Why? Because The Hobbit trilogy gives away the ending -- that Bilbo is alive by the end -- because Peter Jackson presumed that moviegoers had already seen LOTR and were thus aware of the incident with the dragon and the fact that Bilbo went on and survived an adventure.

    Lucas could have gone the same route -- making the endgame clear from the beginning of TPM. Most of the audience already knew that Anakin would become Vader. But he didn't. I would argue this is largely because the PT, as constructed, allows it to be viewed first, if the viewer so desires.

    So I think there might be some truth in what Rainbow Knight Star is saying.

    Because although the OT wasn't crafted to be viewed after the PT, I think Lucas did craft the PT so that it could be viewed before the OT. It doesn't necessarily have to, but I definitely think it can be.
     
  15. Carbon1985

    Carbon1985 Jedi Knight star 3

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    Apr 23, 2013
    The flaw of both trilogies is that each of them spoil the other if you watch them first, so I would say there is no right way of watching the movies. If you watch the PT first, then the whole 'Darth Vader being Luke's dad' plot point in ESB is irrelevant, along with the 'other' Yoda talks about who eventually turns out to be Leia in ROTJ. If you watch the OT first, you know that you when you see Anakin on screen that he will become Darth Vader, etc.

    Now there is a way that Lucas could have written the PT to fit the OT, but he didn't want to do that because he wanted little moments where a person saw the OT would love the connection when watching the PT. If Lucas wanted to really make the PT fit chronologically with the OT, he should have never shown Luke and Leia being born in the PT, he should have never shown the building of Vader (or even mention the name Darth Vader), as he should just left Anakin on Mustafar and everyone who is watching them chronologically thinks he dies, and then they would wonder who is this is Darth Vader character in Episode IV? But Lucas wanted to show the building of Vader in Episode III because that was his way of selling the PT to the SW fans who waited so long. So essentially it is the ultimate catch 22....

    Now I am just thinking of this stuff off the top of my head, but if I sat down and took time I could construct the PT story to fit with the OT story and make sure that the identity of Darth Vader, Luke, and Leia are not revealed in the PT, so when you get to Episode IV, you are essentially watching it the same way fans did in 1977.

    But again, I believe whatever trilogy you watch first, you are spoiling it for the other trilogy. Now don't get me wrong, I love both trilogies and watch the movies endlessly just like many here, so the 4-6,1-3 way wont be a turnoff that many believe the same way 1-6 wont be. I have always said that I am not arguing which way the movies should be watched, I am just argung with those who say the movies HAVE to be watched 1-6.
     
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  16. PiettsHat

    PiettsHat Force Ghost star 4

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    Jan 1, 2011
    That's fair enough.

    I will say that while I agree that whichever trilogy you watch first will spoil parts of the next trilogy, in some places, this can be a good thing. I've always thought, for instance, that the PT helps the reveal that Leia is Luke's sister feel less tacked on than it otherwise would be if you watch the OT alone.

    For my part, I've just seen a lot of people insist that there's no way Lucas could intend for the PT to be watched first since he made them second. And I don't think that's true at all. There's a variety of reasons he might have made the OT first or could have intended for the PT to be watched first. I don't think the order he made them in is any more of a answer to this question than the order he numbered them in.
     
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  17. Carbon1985

    Carbon1985 Jedi Knight star 3

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    Apr 23, 2013
    The other problem with watching each trilogy first is when you watch the other trilogy you are in a sense a step ahead of the characters in the story. When you watch the PT first, you see Luke kiss Leia and you know they are siblings???? You see Yoda acting like a wack job to Luke, and you know that he is the one that Luke is looking for once Obiwan tells him to go see Yoda on Hoth.

    When you watch the OT first, you are watching Anakin and waiting for him to turn to the darkside, you are waiting for Palpatine to become The Emperor, and waiting for Obiwan and Anakin to fight at the end of the trilogy. The only thing that remains intact in both trilogies is the ending to Episode 6, which again works if you watch it 4-6,1-3, or 1-6.

    I don't think its as big a deal as many here, because I can say I saw Rocky II before Rocky I, simply because we didn't have a VCR back then and there was no way to see Rocky I unless it came on TV in the early 80's. In the end, I think Rocky I is a superior movie and I don't choose to watch Rocky II first simply because I saw it that way.
     
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  18. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

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    Sep 2, 2012
    The trilogies can be watched in whatever order you want but to say 1-6 because Lucas wanted it that way just seems tacky to me. You can watch it 1-6 (I prefer 4-6 and then 1-3 myself) but make it so because you want it to be that way, not the preferred way of someone else.
     
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  19. PiettsHat

    PiettsHat Force Ghost star 4

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    Jan 1, 2011
    I always loved that Yoda acted like a "wack job" personally because I thought it was a great moment showing how the Jedi had learned to change their approach from Luke to Anakin. Whereas in the PT, they were rather cold and intimidating to Anakin, with Luke, Yoda was silly and presented a facade. This, I felt, was also important because it taught Luke not to trust first appearances. After the Jedi's experiences with Palpatine, I can imagine that might be a lesson they would want him to grasp quickly. Palpatine might look like a frail old man, but he's not helpless by any stretch of the imagination.

    In terms of Leia kissing Han, yeah, it's a little gross -- but Leia only does it to annoy Han. I always thought the "I've always known" line to be weirder. Even then, it's not like Luke or Leia knew so I don't really have that big a problem with it.

    But, yeah, I don't think it's a huge deal either.
     
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  20. Master Jedi Macen Arren

    Master Jedi Macen Arren Jedi Master star 2

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    Apr 16, 2013
    I'd do it the same way GL did, ANH, TESB, ROTJ, TPM, AOTC then ROTS. Basically ANH is the only one with a beginning and an end, so if they like carry on and if not no harm done.
     
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  21. oierem

    oierem Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Mar 18, 2009
    Agreed. We all have our preferences, and since Lucas' opinions on the matter over the years have changed, both sides can quote Lucas to defend their option. (Lucas made the OT first vs. Lucas says the PT is meant to be watched first). Ultimately, it doesn't matter.
     
  22. Jarren_Lee-Saber

    Jarren_Lee-Saber Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Apr 16, 2008
    I agree. 1-6 would be that certain order.....


    But I'm totally fine with letting people choose.
     
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  23. TheDarkLordess

    TheDarkLordess Jedi Padawan star 3

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    Jun 5, 2013
    I would probably have them watch the movies in the order they were made. I did it this way as well, because it just seemed more right, though I must say that some people would get lost and confused. I'm not really sure what's the best order. [face_dunno]
     
  24. Trisdin Gheer

    Trisdin Gheer Jedi Master star 2

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    Jun 18, 2013
    This will probably have been suggested a thousand times, but... what about IV-I-II-III-V-VI?

    'It ruins the surprise!' you shout. 'We'll know Vader's the father!'

    Actually it could be seen as enhancing the surprise. After you're introduced to the Saga in IV, we then flash back to Anakin Skywalker's- murdered father of Luke- life. We don't know he's the father. For three films, we're on edge, as we learn to love Anakin- maybe- and constantly wait for Darth Vader to show up. Then, bam. Anakin is Darth Vader! Instead of one line, the shock is stretched to three films. Now, I'm not saying this is the best way to view the films, or even the way I'd choose, but I'm intrigued to hear what people think.
     
  25. Darth_Nub

    Darth_Nub Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Apr 26, 2009
    Mod edit: Merging with most recent discussion about episode viewing order
     
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