A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… Actually not that long ago, on May 25th, 1977, and right here on Earth, Star Wars hit theaters for the first time, and one of, if not the biggest, movie franchise was born.
Nowadays, 46 years later, the saga has grown significantly, conquered millions of fans worldwide, and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. There are many, and I mean many upcoming Star Wars contents, to the point where even the old-school fans are confused about which ones to watch next.
That leaves me thinking: what about the new generation of fans? Will this multitude of movies, series, games and books encourage or discourage them from diving into the Star Wars universe? Is there a simple way of introducing someone to a franchise that is almost 50 years old and expands day after day?
Well, my young padawan, here are my thoughts on the matter as a long-time Star Wars fan. And with some luck, I might be able to show you the ways of the Force…
WHY IS THIS EVEN A DEBATE?
It should be fairly simple, right? You watch movie 1, followed by movie 2, then movie 3, and so on. Well you could, but there is some debate about whether or not that would give you the best experience.
You see, the Star Wars movies were released “out of order”, meaning that the first trilogy tells a story that takes place after the one told in the second trilogy. The first one, the “original”, started in 1977 and follows Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and Han Solo in their fight alongside the Rebel Alliance against the Empire. That is the one that started it all and it ended with The Return of The Jedi in 1983.
Following the original trilogy’s success, the second one, aka “prequels”, ran between 1999 and 2005 and told the story of Anakin Skywalker from his start as a young boy in Tatooine to his turn to the dark side of the Force. All that happens with the background of the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire (yes, the same Empire that Luke, Leia, and Han fight against).
The most recent trilogy was produced by Disney and achieved enormous success from its start in 2015 with The Force Awakens to its conclusion in 2019 with The Rise of Skywalker. This one takes place after the original trilogy and because of that was nicknamed “sequels”.
You see the issue, right? When it comes to watching Star Wars for the first time, you are faced with a choice between following the storyline as it was originally released or as the events take place within the universe. And this only gets more and more complicated with the upcoming projects and all the other content that has already been released.
STARTING OFF WITH THE BASICS: THE MOVIES
Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start (wrong movie, sorry). So, let’s not overly complicate ourselves right now and take into account only the movies, which gives us a total of 11 installments divided into three trilogies and two spin-offs.
Many, and especially the older fans, would say that you should kick things off with the original trilogy and from there follow the release order. The main argument for that is that by starting with the first movies, you’ll be able to share the same feelings fans had because you will be faced with the plot twists and plot developments in the order they first happened to the public.
But let’s be honest, most of the story is already well-known to even those who don’t watch Star Wars. Since the franchise has been so deeply embedded in pop culture, most of us are pretty much born knowing that Luke is Darth Vader’s son (sorry if that was a spoiler for anyone). That’s not to say that the original plot of the rebels rallying against the Empire isn’t enjoyable. If I may say so, the original trilogy is actually my favorite one. Although I would argue that starting with the older movies might not give you the best viewing experience.
If you are used to fast-paced movies with a lot of special effects that mimic reality almost perfectly, you’ll likely have a hard time sitting through a 2 hour long movie that was produced in the 70’s. Everything from the set and costume designs, acting choices, progression of the script, and the visuals may seem off to you. Instead, I would suggest you pick up the prequels or sequels instead as they are more catered to modern audiences and might be better suited for you.
Other fans would indicate that a good way to go is to watch the movies according to how the general storyline progresses. I don’t think that is a bad idea and would say that it could work for a lot of people, but I wouldn’t go so far as to affirm that this is the best way to go for everyone. Waiting 11 movies to see a very long story gradually progress might not be for you. Also, going through a saga like this would mean you would have to alternate watching trilogies from completely different decades and the contrast between them can push some people away.
In other words, I believe the best plan is to build your viewing list based on your preferences for the characteristics of each trilogy. And by that I mean technical aspects like pacing and special effects. From that, once you get used to the characters and the universe, getting through the slower-paced older installments will be a bit easier.
The exception to that would be the two spin-offs: Rogue One and Solo. Since they tell stories that are mentioned all across the franchise, in order to fully appreciate them, I would recommend you save them for last.
LET’S LEVEL IT UP: ANIMATED AND LIVE-ACTION SERIES
Say you’ve watched all 11 movies and are craving even more Star Wars, the next step for you is the multiple series the franchise has to offer. Take your pick: animated, live-action, funny, sad, serious, the sky – or should I say, the galaxy – is the limit.
Rather than a must-watch part of the saga, I would consider the series a nice way of keeping in touch with the Star Wars universe. Take for instance The Clone Wars which first aired in 2008 and is comprised of 25 minutes long animated episodes.
Ever wondered what happened during the Clone Wars? Well, here’s your answer. Or maybe you are eager to know more about Obi-Wan’s time in Tatooine between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Look no further than the appropriately named Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) live-action show. Generally speaking, the show doesn’t interfere with the movies but does a wonderful job of expanding the universe and deepening characters.
I wouldn’t, however, indicate the series as the best start-off point for new fans. Even though they are well-crafted pieces of storytelling and are incredible additions to the franchise, they aren’t exactly “beginner-friendly”.
The shows take place in different time periods, making things even more complicated and requiring some pre-established knowledge of the general plot. Mandalorian, for example, starts after the original trilogy, and right in the first episode terms like “Empire” and “Great Purge” are thrown around without much explanation. Sure, you can deduce a thing or two from context, but that’s not an easy task and it makes enjoying the shows a lot more complicated.
Another good example is Tales of the Jedi, if you try to watch this without any knowledge of the Star Wars universe whatsoever, chances are you’ll be asking yourself “What’s going on?” and “Who is that guy?” during most of the time.
But, as I said, there are a few exceptions and I would point them out as The Clone Wars and Rebels. They both are animated series that build off almost completely new foundations. That is to say, they have new characters that aren’t tied to already established plotlines and are free to explore their own adventures.
Yes, they are directed toward a younger audience, but they are enjoyable all the same and do a great job at developing characters and storylines in a way that feels compelling and moving for adults and children. Both The Clone Wars and Rebels work as introductory contents to the Star Wars saga and as light-hearted fun binge-watching material.
WELL, THAT WAS A LOT…
I know this seems like a lot of information for just a movie saga, but don’t take this as a sign to give up on Star Wars. I promise it’s worth it as it is a wonderful franchise with a rich universe and amazing storylines.
So, my young padawan, I hope this has helped you in your journey into the Star Wars universe. May the Force be with you!
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The article above was edited by Ana Carolina Micheletti.
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