Good Things About The Prequel Trilogy

Inspired by the latest episode of the Bothan Report, I decided to make a thread listing all the good things about the prequel trilogy, in response to people tiredly bashing it. Now, I won't list everything I like about the prequels, that would undermine having a discussive thread! Instead, he's a link to a very good article.

The Good Side Of The Phantom Menace Article

There is another on AOTC, but I can't find the page just yet. But for now, here's another: Let's Talk Star Wars While I've not read it myself, it does start with the phrase 'I don't hate the prequel trilogy, so I guess it would fit here!
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I am a Star Wars fan. That doesn't mean that I hate or love Jar Jar. That doesn't mean I hate or love Lucas, or agree or disagree 100% with him. That doesn't mean I prefer the PT over the OT, or vice versa. That doesn't mean I hate the EU, or even love all of it. These are not prerequisites. Being a man is not a prerequisite. Being a geek is not a prerequisite. The only prerequisite is that I love something about Star Wars. I am a Star Wars fan.

Huzzah! I have found it! Or at least I think I have... Bob Strikes Back At AOTC Naysayers
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I am a Star Wars fan. That doesn't mean that I hate or love Jar Jar. That doesn't mean I hate or love Lucas, or agree or disagree 100% with him. That doesn't mean I prefer the PT over the OT, or vice versa. That doesn't mean I hate the EU, or even love all of it. These are not prerequisites. Being a man is not a prerequisite. Being a geek is not a prerequisite. The only prerequisite is that I love something about Star Wars. I am a Star Wars fan.

Another, by the same author Notes On Duel Of The Fates
While I haven't read that one, I'm sure it's still well worth the read.
And belatedly I warn you that these articles may be a little long...
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I am a Star Wars fan. That doesn't mean that I hate or love Jar Jar. That doesn't mean I hate or love Lucas, or agree or disagree 100% with him. That doesn't mean I prefer the PT over the OT, or vice versa. That doesn't mean I hate the EU, or even love all of it. These are not prerequisites. Being a man is not a prerequisite. Being a geek is not a prerequisite. The only prerequisite is that I love something about Star Wars. I am a Star Wars fan.

Master Joined: 11 Jun 2009 Posts: 1348

Frankly, I laugh whenever I hear some ramble on about how the PT was bad. They nitpick every single scene, to the point where you'd think a character that blinked twice in 30 seconds would set them off.

This guy makes some good points, and while I didn't read the whole thing, I agree with him.

While the first two prequels weren't much on par with the original trilogy, they were good and enjoyable films, and they paved the way for Revenge of the Sith, which pretty much outshines the rest of the saga.

Depending on your views this might actually be a bad thing, but I liked how the PT fleshed out the Star Wars galaxy and got more in depth into what exactly the Jedi and Sith are. I guess it did kind of ruin the mystery, but I can't help but think it's cool. Cool

The way the galaxy was fleshed out also really helped the EU out of it's rudimentary days of Waru, the Empire that never dies, the Holiday Special etc. Once the Star Wars galaxy had the depth that the PT gave it, the EU really took off.

And, yes Jedi Joe, the PT brought us Revenge of the Sith! Very Happy

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Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek,
There is the utter east.

I quite like the prequels. Of course, I'm the one lone fan who actually prefers AotC to TPM. Wink

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All things die, Anakin Skywalker, even stars burn out.

So this is how liberty dies....with thunderous applause.

Those without swords can still die upon them

The world is a mess and I just need to rule it.

I personally liked the PT movies. Granted I still like the OT more but the PT isn't bad. For one thing I think the PT movies have great scores by John Williams, and the quality of the movie score is important to me. As Reep said it fleshed out the whole Jedi vs Sith thing. Another thing I liked is it highlighted the elaborate skill in lightsaber combat that the OT really only scratched. It also explained why Obi-Wan saw the lightsaber as so symbolically important in ANH.
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Someone posted this on the sw.com forums, and it was just too epic to ignore. A 108 page rebuttal to criticism of Ep I:
The Rebuttal
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I am a Star Wars fan. That doesn't mean that I hate or love Jar Jar. That doesn't mean I hate or love Lucas, or agree or disagree 100% with him. That doesn't mean I prefer the PT over the OT, or vice versa. That doesn't mean I hate the EU, or even love all of it. These are not prerequisites. Being a man is not a prerequisite. Being a geek is not a prerequisite. The only prerequisite is that I love something about Star Wars. I am a Star Wars fan.

Master Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Posts: 1796 Location: Carcosa

I sought out a bunch of pro-prequel reviews and essays back when the Plinkett stuff was popular, I'll see if I can find them. I find the prequel hate to be an interesting phenomenon... I think by making more SW movies, this sort of backlash was inevitable to some extent.

As for the films themselves, I honestly cannot rate them... and I can't pick one trilogy over the other. If you had asked me at different points of my life which was my favorite film, I would have different answers. I think I've given up on having a favorite.

Though it's interesting that for the longest time as a child, it was Return of the Jedi, which is generally regarded to be the weakest entry of the original trilogy, but I'm pretty sure was the first one I saw.

Master Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Posts: 1796 Location: Carcosa

ROTJ had Ewoks, which were the Jar Jar prototype. I'm guessing the 12-16 year olds that saw SW in theaters were 18-22 when ROTJ came out and disliked the Ewoks.

I also always felt Star Wars was the weakest of the OT, which was the last one I saw, which I suppose is funny that I saw them in reverse order. To me as a child, it was the most boring and didn't have a lightsaber duel and the space battle wasn't as good as Hoth or Endor. Now, I'm starting to feel like it's the best, because it's the best standalone film.

I think enjoyment of the films is all a matter of when you saw them and in which order.

What I find peculiar though is a subset of SW fans that hate the prequels (and now, TCW) due to the contradictions with the EU. I never had that problem because I suppose I always viewed the films as more authentic. Like the Jedi disappearing at death and Jedi marriage stuff, that never bothered me. And I was a huge EU fan and had read all the stuff that existed prior to Episode I. I don't know, I guess I'm an aberration in that sense, because most people seem to dislike the prequels for that.

Master Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Posts: 1796 Location: Carcosa

I'm on my phone on my break, so I'll be brief. I think the EU disregards itself just as much as TCW does. Example: I know people may dislike hearing this, but Zahn is pretty revisionist in the Hand of Thrawn. Look at what he did with Mara and Lando.

People don't have an issue with the EU changing itself if they like the change. Another example: Vergere. I think most disliked the character and so LotF didn't bother them. But with the prequels and TCW, people default toward disliking any change without giving the new stuff a chance. I think TFU doesn't get a fair shake either.

I can elaborate further later this evening.

@Life: I'll read the rebuttal sometime soon, but I'm afraid I'm all epic-ed out today.
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Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek,
There is the utter east.

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