Saga Viewing Order Post-TFA

So, now that The Force Awakens has been in theaters for well over two months (wow), and it's hitting iTunes in only two weeks (again, wow), it's time to talk about how this film is going to factor into our marathons, which if you're anything like me, are rather frequent.

Which side of the camp do you fall on? Release order (4-5-6-1-2-3-7) or episodic order (1-7)? Were you previously a release order person who switched over to episode order following the release of the film? Did you switch from episode order to release order for some reason? Share your now one-film-longer marathon intentions, and that reasons why you think that's the proper way to go. For the sake of conversation, all seven films have to be taken into account. Or not, do what you want.

 

After all this Star Wars; watching the six films before TFA, watching most of the bluray features and commentaries, I decided to throw in those old GameCube Rogue Squadron games. I group Force Awakens with that stuff. Mindless offshoot material. It doesn't work within the established mythology of the series. It negates so much character development, ironically from the series it tries to mimic and love so much.

Disney would have been better off just starting fresh. If they were going to approach the material this way they could have just started with Star Wars: Act One, or something to that effect.

 

I disagree profoundly, but hey, that's how it goes.

 

Definitely the episodic order. I've always watched the saga this way, and will more than likely continue to do so in the foreseeable future.

 

If I seriously attempted a "marathon" it would be ROTS and ANH. Couldn't sit there for longer than that, so I'd whittle things down to a mini-story of extreme quality.

If I'm talking about the whole arc over an extended period of time, then I-VI. Harsh to leave out TFA, true, but I don't plan on owning the film at this point.

 

I always pace mine out over two or three days, because it's just not feasible for me to spend half a day doing the whole thing in one run. I'm likely going to stick to release order, simply because I don't like TPM as an introductory film and I don't like the transition from RotS to SW. I also like seeing the way filmmaking technology alters the way the world is depicted over the decades.

However, if I'm being totally honest, I think I'm going to phase out the PT the next time I watch the films. It got to the point where I really only watched them because it meant more Star Wars, but with more films coming meaning increasingly long marathons I don't know if I have it in me to devote 6.5 hours of it to films I don't even really like. Better to just stick to the four I love and add from there.

 

Can't wait to do 4-9 or 7-9 and then 4-6. I'm trying that second one at least once.

Of the main options listed, production order.

 

What Pym said. It must be release order; it is destiny. All else is futile.

 

For someone who has never seen SW I think the best way is 4,5,1,2,3,6,7

For me it's 1,2,3,(RO soon enough),4,HS,5,6,7

 

I think the release order is the best, and feels the most comfortable regarding the technology the films were made with. You get to see the conflict between Luke and Vader, then get to find out more about Vader and Obi-Wan, and then finally see the ramifications of what Luke did.

 

Where did the flashback order come from?

 

I think alotta people have come up with the flashback order independently

 

Yeah, I've noticed it's mostly always ANH, TESB, then the PT, and finally ROTJ.

 

the flashback order preserves most of the good reveals like Yoda, the father and the face of the Emperor.

 

I think release order feels lopsided now because there's only one ST film so far. After it's done, it'll go back to being more balanced. I'd then tell them to pick and choose the Anthology films based off their personal interest, or possibly tell them to watch them all depending on how good they each end up being. But I'd keep them separate from the Saga films for first time viewers, and I'll need to see them before I figure out if I'm going to be starting my marathons with Rogue One before doing the OT.

Are you actually masochistic enough to force yourself through the Holiday Special every time you watch the series, or was it included in jest?

 

dp

 

Nope. I actually love the HS. More than any PT episode.

 

1-3
















1-6

 

release order for introducing people to the saga

but probably episodic order for marathons...

 

Release order, since it's a lot less jarring seeing the technology advance in chronological order. Like, hopping from ROTS to ANH just feels weird for some reason because they were made at different times and you hop back 30 years worth of technological advancement.

 

These new people have already seen TFA though so that order is out.

The whole idea theoretical idea of the flashback order to "protect" the Vader revelation (which is always going to be a revelation to Luke regardless) was based their not being any more movies to "ruin" the surprise.

TFA obviously "ruins' it as Kylo Ren is Ben Solo and Vader's grandson whose mother, Leia, is Vader's daughter and Luke Skywalker is her brother.

So that is totally out.

As the beginning of the story is with the prequels and they give so much depth and context to all the subsequent events going forward then episodic is the strongest way to see them.

You could do IV-VI then I-III but since IV-VI become far more meaningful in so many ways but especially with the Anakin/Vader story that is by far the best way.

 

I'll stick with the chronological order for a dedicated marathon viewing. Otherwise I'll just watch the movies (and trilogies) whenever I feel like it.
After all, I'm not religious about the movies; I'm just a happy fan. That reminds me... I can't wait to see TFA on bluray!

 

Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope
Star Wars Episode V - The Empire Stikes
Star Wars Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VII - The Force Awakens

Watch the films in whichever order you want. That doesn´t change the fact that I-VI... is the correct order as intended by the artist.

 

Episodic Over a few weeks most likely. I'll do it leading up to Episode 8 and then again for 9.