Best Order to Watch Star Wars?
 

A couple months ago I was searching for the best order to watch Star Wars. I'm planning on rewatching all of them probably the week before Episode VII and who knows, some of my friends have (embarrassingly for me) not watched Star Wars. The obvious ones are Release Order and Episode Order. In doing so, I came across this article. It points out that both of the previous Orders have quite a few flaws. It also introduces a new order: Machete Order. In this order, you watch Episodes IV, V, II, III, and VI. As you can see, there is no Episode I (some of you are going :woot: right now). I won't rewrite the whole article to explain why as it's quite lengthy, but I'd suggest reading it.

Anyways, since I've got AP Calc summer work to do, I decided I'd take the day and watch them in this order. Let me say, Machete Order works! There are some flaws that cutting Episode I out creates during Episodes II and III, but they aren't that major (the article points these out). The two things I noticed that aren't pointed out in the article and actually have an effect on the later movies were these:

1. In Episode II, when Anakin and Obi-Wan are entering the bar to search for Zam, Obi-Wan says "why do I get the feeling you're going to be the death of me?" Well, in Episode IV, Vader ends up striking down Kenobi, so the line doesn't do much more than add a bit of dark humor.
2. Also in Episode II, during the Geonosis battle, once the battle leaves the arena, Poggle and Dooku are having a discussion in the Separatists' command center, and Poggle says "...the Jedi must not find our designs for the Ultimate Weapon. If they find out what we are planning to build, we're doomed." To which Dooku replies, "I will take the designs with me to Coruscant. They will be much safer there… with my Master." That Ultimate Weapon is the Death Star, which the viewer has already been treated to seeing.

Obviously, those two things aren't that big, but you could place Episode II at the beginning of Machete Order and watch them in the order of Episodes II, IV, V, III, and VI. This keeps all of the twists in order. I think it also adds more parallel between Luke and Anakin. By placing Episode II before IV, my first flaw now acts as a bit of foreshadowing for Episode IV and my second flaw now makes the viewer wonder what this Ultimate Weapon can do, and they'll learn quickly in Episode IV.

Now, the article likes the fact that you start off with Luke and end on Luke and there's not a "crappy" movie to begin or end the series. However, I don't think Episode II would be a bad movie to start on (anything's better than Episode I, right? ;)). Also, my friend and I were talking and he pointed out that in Episode IV, you don't really understand how big of a thing the Jedi were (Han even states "hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side."), and how big the downfall actually was. Episode II sets this up.

Moving Episode II before IV in Machete Order could make everything kind of confusing though; one movie of Anakin, two of Luke, another of Anakin, and then finish on Luke. Also, Clone Wars for one, fast forward 30yrs for two, rewind 30yrs for another, and then fast forward 30yrs to finish.

What do you guys think? I really like the Machete Order (with my change or not).

Re: Best Order to Watch Star Wars
 

Well Episode I is my favorite movie and Darth Maul is my favorite character (obviously) so I think it should be in there somewhere at least.

Re: Best Order to Watch Star Wars
 

Read the article. It starts with the order of IV, V, I, II, III, VI, but then explains why it's cut out (besides being a lot of people's least favorite movie) It later suggest just watching it afterwards, as an addition like The Clone Wars and Rebels. Or I suppose if you went with II before IV, you could go with Episodes I, II, IV, V, III, VI, but then you're starting with Episode I (which I don't have a problem with, but if you're showing it to someone new, maybe they won't like it as much :shrug:).

Yeah, don't get me wrong, I like a lot of things from Episode I. Well, Qui-Gon and Maul, really (Aurra Sing also makes an appearance during the Pod Race - I didn't know that until someone in the Sanctum brought it up a while ago - still cool, though) but I was just going off of the article.

Re: Best Order to Watch Star Wars?
 

I prefer release order. The original trilogy started it all and once you've seen the prequels the impressive fights of episode 6 seem less impressive. Additionally, the prequels feel so different in tone from the originals that it's jarring to cut back to the prequels then back to the OT.

Episode one isn't great, but the maul fight and podrace are thrilling and it sets up the characters. Episode two is just as bad as episode one in my opinion (though that won't stop me from watching either when they're on TV). It's the dialogue in episode 2 that kills it, and the fact that Anakin and Padme have no chemistry at all. It's not until episode 3 that the prequels become great Star Wars again.

Re: Best Order to Watch Star Wars?
 

~HS2010, watching Episode I now... Just met Ani.

Re: Best Order to Watch Star Wars?
 

I read the article, I just disagree. It's a cool watching order, but I don't think it's for me. I want immediate payoff after the episode V cliffhanger ending. A new person watching SW might forget what happened to Luke, Han, and so after 3 prequel movies, especially if they sleep through parts of 1 & 2. :p

Re: Best Order to Watch Star Wars?
 

The best way to watch the Star Wars movies is Episodes 4, 5, and 6. Then stop. Maybe watch Episode 3 afterwards if you like that one.

~TAF, who's dabbled in far too much Mr. Plinkett to ever be able to watch the prequels the same way again

Re: Best Order to Watch Star Wars?
 

Isn't that half the point of taking the flashback? How many times do you actually get to have the cliffhanger come to a close directly after it's presented? TV Shows, some Movies, books (though you can just keep reading), etc. That's half of what builds more tension to the resolution in Episode VI. He also relates it to that TV Show that starts out, then goes 24 hours earlier, then by the end, is back to present day and wraps everything up.

Episode I is cut out. So it goes straight to when Anakin is grown up. Like the article says, it leaves you at "I am you're father" and then Episodes II and III prove Vader's telling the truth in a more surprising way than when Obi-Wan tells Luke in RotJ and also, gives you a background as to why Vader is who he is. Also, some say that the victory celebration (especially with the special editions, where even more planets are scene celebrating) is overdone. Like why is everyone celebrating? You seriously only see the Empire fight Rebels. You never see things like we see in Star Wars: Rebels where civilians are upset under the Imperial rule (I guess the destruction of Alderaan and the stormtroopers destroying Luke's home kind of set it up, but still why is everyone celebrating instead of just Luke and the Rebels?). Episode III really shows how much power the Empire will have (control of the whole Senate).

One other thing is about Yoda. Watching Episode III before Episode VI actually improves his character. You have his epic duel with Sidious in which he is forced to flee. In VI then, when he tells Luke not to underestimate the Emperorer, or he will suffer the same fate as his father did, you see he's speaking from experience.

Re: Best Order to Watch Star Wars?
 

If you must acknowledge the existence of the prequels and even go as far as to watch them, then, yeah, Machete Order is definitely the way to do it. But it's highly questionable whether you must. :-P

I think the next trilogy will really help establish what the lasting legacy of the prequels will be. I think there's a good chance the next trilogy is targeted so much towards the original trilogy "purists" that they'll start coming out with boxed sets of the original trilogy pre-digital (before Lucas started tinkering with it) combined with the new movies, at which point I think a lot of folks will just cut mental ties with the prequels altogether.

We'll see!

Re: Best Order to Watch Star Wars?
 

Agree that the next trilogy will be huge. I want to know how we'll be watching everything by the end of it:
- IV, V, II, III, VI, VII, VIII, IX; with I, the spin-offs, The Clone Wars, and Rebels added on
- VII, VIII, IV, V, II, III, VI, IX; with I, the spin-offs, The Clone Wars, and Rebels added on

I think it'll be meant to be watched in the first order. I think Episode VII will assume you know Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie and it'll also probably have flashbacks from the 30yrs since the Battle of Endor so watching parts of the third trilogy before the originals could be confusing.

The new trilogy will also make watching the Star Wars in Release Order weird so Machete Order for the first six is probably the best way to lead up to the third trilogy.

Re: Best Order to Watch Star Wars?
 

Good thing you don't have to wait three whole years to find out what happened, like I did back in 1980-83. :D


Trust me, I didn't forget what happened.

Re: Best Order to Watch Star Wars?
 

I always like to watch them from 1-6, granted some of 1 and 2 aren't my favorite, it just feels right to me. As far as people hating some of the prequels, I feel like more star wars is better than less star wars. As long as its not just filler and has a legitimate storyline.