The Difference Between Prequel Hate and Sequel Hate in Star Wars

I’ve been hearing in certain Star Wars centered spaces lately that this current generation “simply wasn’t ready for the Sequels” and that “with time they’ll be just as loved as the Prequels.” With all due respect, I find that notion to be utterly ridiculous. In this writing I will explain why.

This writing takes it as a given that the reader understands “Prequels” to strictly mean Episodes 1, 2, and 3 of the Star Wars Saga while “Sequels” refers to Episodes 7, 8, and 9, as well that OT stands for “Original Trilogy, which refers to Episodes 4, 5, and 6.

First, the facts. The Star Wars Prequels were, in fact, divisive during their release and long after. There have been many arguments for and against the Prequels, as well as arguments for and against George Lucas himself. A good chunk of Prequel hate was informed by, and then later helped inform, hate against George Lucas himself. Finally, this hate was not born in a vacuum.

Two year prior to releasing Episode 1 (The Phantom Menace), George Lucas re-released the Original Trilogy in theaters via “special editions.” These were enhanced versions of the original movies with certain scenes altered, and some deleted scenes restored. Problem: a good chunk of these alterations were VERY poorly received. Of these alterations, I have to point out the two that remain contentious to this day: Greedo shooting first, and Jedi Rocks.

The reason why these changes were poorly received was not only due to how little they added to the movies, but also for what they took out. Greedo shooting first not only makes Greedo look stupid (WHO THE HELL MISSES A CLEAR SHOT FROM POINT BLANK RANGE!?) but it’s unnecessary; shooting Greedo was already an act of self-defense on Han’s part because, well, GREEDO WAS POINTING A GODDAMN GUN AT HIM!

In any case, the backlash against the Special Edition versions of the original trilogy set a precedence for strong critique against George Lucas, who until then was seen as one of the greatest movie makers alive. This was the dude who made not only Star Wars, but Indiana Jones as well! Excepting Howard the Duck and the Star Wars Holiday Special, it seemed as if EVERYTHING he made was movie dynamite! But now, fans had reason to set aside their blind worship of the man and look over his works with a fine toothed comb.

The Phantom Menace was released in May of 1999. Never before, and never again, has there been a more hyped up movie. For a few months it seemed as though Star Wars was back, and better than ever! The special effects were a SIGHT to behold! Jar Jar Binks looked so real standing next to Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor! Pod racers! New ships! Battle droids! DARTH MAUL!

After the hype died down considerably, general audiences (and the fandom in particular) began noticing the flaws in the movie. The plot slows down quite a bit during the stay in Tattooine; in fact the pod race, as exciting as it is, takes over ten minutes of screen time. Further, the scene with the Galactic Senate is another point of contention, as the scene relies on much political jargon for its first half.

The problem with Phantom Menace which many can perceive is the fact that this whole saga started because of taxations on trade routes. A fantasy series about space wizards with laser swords began with a conflict born out of one of the most mundane explanations ever. In doing this, a portion of the mysticism of Star Wars eroded.

Then there were all the other elements George added to the lore, which many found to ruin more of the mysticism of Star Wars. Particularly, the Midichlorians, which many perceived to be a poor explanation for how the Force works. Also, the revelation that Darth Vader built C-3P0 as a child was not particularly well received, with many fans believing this to be too much to swallow.

To summarize, Phantom Menace began what to many Star Wars fans was anathema: changing the lore. Old school fans preferred to leave this origin as a mystery; NOBODY wanted to know where 3P0 came from, and NOBODY wanted to know the pseudo-scientific explanation for how the Force works. Phantom Menace took out much of the mysticism from Star Wars.

The next contentious movie is Attack of the Clones. Again, this movie removes some of the mysticism of the Star Wars lore by explaining what the Clone War was. For decades, fans had wondered what the Clone Wars that Luke offhandedly asks about in Episode 4 were. Some even questioned if Obi-Wan was REALLY OB-1, a clone soldier! But then Episode 2 went and said “well, the Clone Wars was really a bunch of clones of Boba Fett’s dad versus a bunch of droids. Also Boba Fett’s a clone.” Again, that last part is a question NOBODY ASKED!

And then, Anakin. Good God did the movies paint a poor picture of Anakin Skywalker; Episode 1 made him look like a snot nosed Gary Stu, Episode 2 made him a Backstreet Boys reject with creeper issues, and Episode 3 made him a whiny emo boy who fell to the Dark Side because of a bad dream!

The main VOICED complaint against the Prequels, both during this time and by OT purists, is that the Prequels did away with much of what made the original setting so fantastical. And let us be fair, some of these complaints remain legitimate to this day.

Some moments in the Original Trilogy have become harsher, less magical or awe inspiring thanks to the Prequels. I’d say the one scene to have been forever tarnished by the Prequels would be the scene of Luke being given Anakin’s lightsaber. Nevermind that we now know Obi-Wan is lying through his teeth when he tells Luke Anakin wanted his son to have his lightsaber; Luke has just been handed a weapon used to murder CHILDREN! This is something Obi-Wan knows, and he STILL gives it to Luke as if he were handing down a memento filled with fond memories!

It is these criticisms and more that lend credence to the notion that History will eventually vindicate the Sequels, much like the Prequels are today.

But that’s simply not true. To assume that the Sequels will be vindicated just as the Prequels have been is to assume that the Prequels and the Sequels suffer from the same problems. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case.

I had established that there have been voiced complaints against the Prequels. What this means is that this is what a considerable number of viewers expressed they were against; however, often people don’t actually KNOW what they actually hate about something, and instead make an approximation. Think of it like being sick; you know you’re sick, but you don’t know what you’ve got. You can’t self-diagnose, but you CAN point out the symptoms!

That’s something Prequel and Sequel hate have in common: it’s a pointing out of symptoms that show SOMETHING is wrong with both sets of movies. Of course, not everyone has knowledge of storytelling theory to pinpoint precisely what’s wrong, which is why they latch onto what they CAN identify and say “that’s the problem!”

Thus when you get down to it, what people REALLY complained about was how the Prequels could not tell their story in as satisfactory a way as the Original Trilogy told theirs. This is due to the fact that while the OT was a simple Hero’s Journey, the Prequels tried being a Tragedy.

The Prequels tell two stories: How Anakin fell from grace, and how the Republic fell and became the Empire. Both stories are interconnected, and it’s almost impossible to tell one without telling the other. The Prequels are a story of a man losing everything after he tried so hard not to lose everything, while at the same time a nation loses everything after its fought so hard not to do so.

George Lucas was ambitious in what kind of story he wanted to tell; sadly, his talents couldn’t meet his ambition’s needs. His inability to write dialogue, romantic stories, and subtle narration has led to the Prequels being what they are.

The Sequels have the inverse problem. They were written and directed by proven directors who know how to write dialogue, subvert narrative conventions, and know how to direct effectively. Particularly,JJ Abrams was a man who already had clout in the industry thanks to his Star Trek trilogy, two of the most financially successful Star Trek movies yet made. Likewise, Rian Johnson was a highly celebrated director in the Indie movie and TV circuits due to his movies and directing some of the most celebrated Breaking Bad episodes.

Therein, however, ends whatever praise can be heaped upon the Sequels (beyond Adam Driver’s acting. The man carried these movies). I’d written before that the Sequels are utterly lacking in artistic ambition; not only do I stand by that, I feel as though The Rise of Skywalker has vindicated my position.

For all the problems the Prequels have, and they are plenty, the Sequels have problems that are either subjectively or objectively worse. Whilst the Prequels were too ambitious in the story they wanted to tell, they at least had a story to tell, something that can’t be said for the Sequels.

What even is the central theme to the Sequels? What ties them together, as Anakin’s Fall ties together the Prequels? It’s been argued that the central theme of the Sequels is Anakin’s Legacy: the Galaxy he left behind, how his actions still resonate thirty years after his death, how the damage he’s caused hasn’t even healed yet. That’d be a compelling story to tell, and it WOULD be a neat way to view the Sequels…

Truth is that Anakin’s Legacy is barely touched on; Kylo Ren’s actions aren’t informed by his worship of Vader, they’re informed by the abuse and manipulations of Snoke! In spite of how Vader is mentioned in each of the Sequels at least once and is held as this Paragon for the Dark Side, his narrative presence is minimal at best. Vader informs neither the actions nor the motivations of any of the characters, least of all the one who it made the most sense to do so.

And how does Vader’s legacy impact Rey? It barely does! Rey spends most of Force Awakens reacting to things that happen to her, and most of Last Jedi just sitting around Ach-To getting some ‘training’ from Luke. Rey hardly ever spends time with Luke OR Leia on screen, and we’re STILL expected to find it heartwarming for her to take the Skywalker name!

Now I’m willing to give credit where it is due. I’ve read arguments that the point of the Sequels is the parallels between Anakin and Ben, on how Ben manages to achieve much of what his grandfather aspired to do. Ben succeeded in overthrowing Snoke in The Last Jedi, he ruled the Galaxy for a period of time, and he managed to redeem himself after saving the woman he loves. This is fine and well, but sadly, it’s not entirely true.

We’re never shown Ben ruling ANYTHING except a few forces, and his romance with Rey is far less explored than the romance between Han and Leia. At LEAST with Anakin and Padme, you’re shown the two frolicking together and supporting each other through thick and thin. Because we’re not given many scenes that help build the romance, we’re left with many scenes and actions that fail to resonate with the viewer as intended. Indeed, only the hardcore Reylo (Rey and Ben Solo/Kylo Ren) shippers applauded the now infamous kiss between both characters; most viewers either groaned, or in my case as a staunch Finn/Rey shipper, jeered.

But if the Prequels and the Sequels are flawed, why have the former been vindicated by History, while the latter most likely won’t? There are three reasons.

The first reason is the fountain of memes that the Prequels have turned out to be. It’s been said that nearly every scene in the Prequels, every line has the potential to be exploited as a meme. Indeed, Phantom Menace alone has provided dozens upon dozens of memes, including the following lines:

“Ahh, victory!”

“Now THIS is pod racing!”

“A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one!”

“The ability to speak does not make one intelligent.”

“I’ll try spinning, that’s a good trick!”

“Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering…”

And then there’s Attack of the Clones, which has provided MANY memetic lines, such as:

“She can’t do that! Shoot her, or something!”

“I love democracy…”

“The Techno Union…(insert Techno music here)”

“I hate sand…”

“That’s… what I’m here for!”

And I’m not even gonna get into the fountain of memes that was Revenge of the Sith, otherwise I’d never finish!

The memetic nature of the Prequels is an unplanned grandeur that has somehow managed to sneak up on the movies once accused of “ruining” the franchise. These memes have allowed the Prequels to reach a new audience which has, ironically or not, grown to love the movies.

The second factor in the vindication of the Prequels was the Clone Wars series. Hailed by many as “the best Star Wars project since the Original Trilogy,” the show has given Star Wars fans several story arcs that have gone on to become favorites. Perhaps none have had the emotional impact as the Wrong Jedi arc, wherein Ahsoka Tano is wrongly accused of committing a terrorist act against the Republic.

The Clone Wars series did far more than just deliver great stories during the Prequel era, it gave Anakin Skywalker some much needed development. The show gave Anakin several moments of personal betrayal by the Jedi, which bit by bit eroded his faith in them. This all culminated in the aforementioned Wrong Jedi arc, where the Padawan he had come to care for so much LEFT the Order due to losing faith in the Council; amoment that has left many fans both old and new in tears. It is episodes like this that help better inform Anakin’s dissatisfaction with the Council in Episode 3, which led to his own downfall.

But perhaps the BIGGEST factor towards vindicating the Prequels was just how poorly received the Sequels have been! Particularly after The Last Jedi, many fans were so disappointed with that movie that they went back to the Prequels with a fresh perspective on how bad Star Wars could get. What did they find? A surprisingly solid, well planned trilogy of movies with a central, unifying thesis.

They rediscovered the tragedy of Anakin Skywalker and the fall of the Republic. They finally saw the story George WANTED to tell, and for many, it was a brilliant tale that could have been a game changer for cinema, had Lucas had a team to help him. This includes myself; I used to rag on the prequels and criticize them, but I gave them a second chance after being disappointed in the Sequels, and now I love them. I actually own them on Blu-Ray!

The Prequels got vindicated because the high bar of the Original Trilogy had been cast aside in favor of the low bar of the Sequels. The hype against the Prequels has died down, and now the majority of Star Wars fans are made up of young people who grew up with the Prequels and saw them in theaters when they were kids. These are people for whom a Star Wars marathon is six movies long, not three.

A Star Wars marathon of the first six movies MIGHT cause some scenes in the OT to feel more awkward, but there’s still plenty other scenes that become stronger for it. Particularly, the scene of Vader’s/Anakin’s redemption arguably becomes more poignant due to the parallels between his mother’s death and his own. Like Shmi, Anakin died in the arms of his son; but while Shmi’s death began his fall to the Dark Side, Anakin’s death signified his return to the Light. It’s this contrast that arguably makes the end for Return of the Jedi that much more poignant.

Adding the Sequels to that marathon only makes that ending harsher, trivial, and worst of all, pointless. One movie you’re watching these characters celebrate their victory; the next you find out they’ve become jaded washouts. Han goes from being a hero to an old, washed out smuggler. Leia is STILL leading an army but now she’s older, angrier, and less energetic. And the less said about LUKE, the better.

The Sequels couldn’t build up a story without tearing down what came before it; in contrast, the Prequels had only to build up to the OT. The Prequels were written with a clear end game and story route; the Sequels were written by two different authors who couldn’t even agree on what to do with the main characters, never mind where the story should go. And this difference becomes more pronounced in a marathon watch of the movies! You see in Force Awakens how big of a deal it is to find Luke because he’s the last Jedi, but then in Rise of Skywalker it turns out Leia also has sufficient Jedi training to aid Rey with her own! So… WHY was it important to find Luke again!? Poe destroys Starkiller Base literally DAYS after being tortured; an indeterminately short time after, he gets demoted for losing a grand total of thirteen ships and forty five soldiers while taking down an EVIDENTLY dangerous star destroyer!? The list of examples go on and on!

Ultimately, though, I am willing to concede some ground. Yes the Sequels have their fans. No, they’re not offensively terrible films like Vase de Noces (do NOT look that up!) and the movies do have a moment or two of charm. Perhaps in time the hate towards the Sequels can die down somewhat.

But don’t count on the hate becoming love, like it did for the Prequels. So long as a viewer still grows attached to Luke Skywalker while watching the OT, or Han Solo or Leia Organa, the Sequels will STILL sting. The fact of the matter is that, even if they were an OK trilogy by themselves, they’re still TERRIBLE sequels to one of the greatest stories ever put on film. They’re a trio of movies that surrendered to cynicism and made irrelevant what came before, and ironically that is what has helped to make them irrelevant to the world of cinema, sci-fi, and pop culture beyond the damage they have done. They are a trilogy that has managed to do what the Holiday Special couldn’t: damage the Star Wars brand seemingly beyond repair.