Why the Prequel Trilogy is a Tragic Masterpiece

[@TheFirstOkiro]

Intro: 0:00 The Setting: 4:28 The Lore: 6:22 The Characters: 8:47 Prequel Trio: 11:28 Anakin Skywalker: 11:52 Obi-Wan Kenobi: 13:30 Padmé Amidala: 15:10 The Themes: 21:26 Outro: 24:10 Patrons: 25:06

[@YSL8704]

You think that the movies that made the I don't f*cking like sand meme is a mother f*cking masterpiece

[@burniejarvis9298]

@@YSL8704 They aren't perfect. But they sure as hell aren't as bad as people let on.

[@malcolmjenkins3585]

You can't just ignore flaws and say it's better than the ot.

[@TheFirstOkiro]

@@malcolmjenkins3585 I never did

[@YSL8704]

@@burniejarvis9298 Yeah I can see but there still not masterpieces

[@sandakinpearfloater]

It is a crime against humanity that a majority of Padmé’s arc wound up on the cutting room floor. They were absolutely necessary in establishing her character and the passion she had as a politician to truly help the people. Something lost to most real life politicians.

[@mauriceisaac3646]

I agree. With all her political scenes cut, her role in RotS is reduced to "sad pregnant wife."

[@NikkoNikko98]

I thought the same, I would’ve loved to see more of her history & personal life, I feel like it would’ve made the movies a little better too :/

[@stormbringer2840]

Well it had to be expected , in episode 1 the most disliked scenes were the political scenes and unfortunately george lucas does listen to his fanbase so he decided to ut short on these , unfortunately most of padme 's fight is inherently political .

[@BrandanLee]

Cinematically though, they contributed nothing, and made the pacing grind to a halt. The only way past that is to cut. That's why the Prequels, should have been, an HBO series. The Mandalorian and Game of Thrones is what the Prequels wanted to be, which is why the Clone Wars & Rebels animated shows did so well too. The universe of Star Wars and the stories its trying to tell are book series length and deep. They need room to breathe, and you can't do that in a movie format. It's just not enough room to buildup and deepen threads.

[@Palendrome]

@@BrandanLee I agree. I actually feel there is still a chacne to do that with the PT story, since there are such important gaps between both 1 and 2, and 2 and 3. They could fill those with further stories and characterization (they would need new actors for certain parts obviously). I feel that is what this new Obiwan show is trying to be, kind of a redemption to the Prequels.

[@TheLo1323]

As a defender of the prequels since my youngest age, I can't agree more with this video!

[@MichaelM28]

Then you're not a real Star Wars fan dumbass!

[@mcboat3467]

@@MichaelM28 ok disney shill

[@snowfox4277]

@@MichaelM28 George Lucas and his vision is Star Wars. He completed his story with episodes 1-3.

[@mindartis4081]

I agree.

[@austinsinger7565]

same!

[@TheDanielk4]

Man, the World Building in the Prequels is literally out of this world. Back in the mid 00's, this was definitive Star Wars, and for good reason. The Consistency, one clear Vision, that's something you rarely get in Trilogies/big Franchises nowadays.

[@PixXx31]

It's no coincidence that tons of games and dozens of seasons of clone wars exist now.

[@andrewpye2114]

Exactly especially that it tells a better clear story than the sequels, and to be honest I find that the prequels and the original expanded universe along with the original trilogy, especially the latter two actually focus on world building and its heroes and its villains like with Star Wars Legacy which I actually find pretty good and interesting as Cade Skywalker is his own person as he is the opposite of both Luke and Anakin, along with Darth Krayt and I find that unlike Kylo Ren, he does have a interesting backstory, especially when it turns out that in a twist that he was a Jedi from a issue of Star Wars Republic and he only appeared in just one issue, but it turns out that he is the main villain of the story the whole time, along with the prequels giving Darth Vader reasons why he turned along with showing Obi-Wan Kenobi though heroic and noble a man with his own flaws, and the fact that in the third films of the two trilogies that the end of the era is set by two heroes one that is fallen and the other who is not, and that it ends with Anakin’s fall at one end, while the other ends with his redemption and death as well.

[@jaieregilmore971]

@@andrewpye2114 Finally someone who agrees sure the expanding universe can be weird but I can live with that it helps expand the universe the galaxy and the world.

[@Criteon]

the world building is insane. i think the casual viewer would find that kinda boring though and nerdy. lowkey it is nerdy though but i dont think it's boring lol

[@Yosemite_sam694]

No just no. World-building means providing a setting and interesting lore that fleshes out and makes the world feel real. Not simply putting cgi shots in the background that hold like garbage today. The plot makes absolutely no sense and the politics are more confusing than anything because they repeat the word trade and senator a million times thinking that is interesting politics

[@AnaBrigidaGomez]

I always loved the prequels and was surprised by the hate telling a backwards hero's journey was supposed to be hard and make you sad. Vader is one of the few villains I feel is justified to get a sympathetic origin story because he was redeemed by his son.

[@MichaelM28]

He never got a sympathetic original story in the garbage prequels. He was written to be an unlikeable brat instead of the hero he was described as to Luke in ANH. We hate the prequels because George Lucas fucked up nearly every character in it!

[@MarioLandscape]

@@MichaelM28. Someone hasn't watched the Clone Wars. During the Clone Wars, Anakin become more mature.

[@andycopeland7051]

@@MichaelM28 people like you are the reason G Lucas sold Star Wars. The same types of people pumping out that garbage you're proliferating got to give it a go and it was a disaster. So thanks for helping turn Star Wars into a dumpster fire

[@nocrtname]

@@MarioLandscape The Clone Wars animated series (the second one with Ahsoka) didn't exist when the prequel trilogy came out. It's good planning, but poor execution. They could have been amazing but were closer to meh, and a missed opportunity.

[@unhandydaddy5117]

@@MichaelM28 a kid who grew up as a slave, had to be seperated from his mother from a very young age, being doubted from pretty much everyone. He wasnt able to save his mother and she was brutally murdered after being tortured for god knows how long. He gave up his entire life for a chance to not lose his wife and child the same way but in the end, it all turned out to be for nothing. He lost his friends, his life, his future, his body, his soul and in the end, it all counted for absolutely nothing but a life of agony and misery. Anakin was not a bad person. He was flawed in countless ways but to many he was also the hero of the Republic.

[@TMoneySartwell]

Absolutely phenomenal. I agree with you that Padme's deleted scenes should have stayed in. She was manipulated nearly as much as Anakin was by Palpatine but in a different way.

[@TheFirstOkiro]

Yes! Exactly!!!!

[@sectorgovernor]

Indeed, Padmé also was a kind of tool for Palpatine. He used her for creating instability and war (Ep1) so he could get more political power.

[@VibingMeike]

Yep, love those deleted scenes, but I can still understand why they were cut

[@MMZERO9]

The worse part is that Padmé never really had a chance to process what Obi-Wan meant when he said that Palpatine was the Sith Lord. As the audience we know what Kenobi means, but Padmé didn’t understand that. But what if Padmé had the chance to process that information fully? Or what if she had the information that we knew from the Darth Plageus and Darth Bane books, as well as the Clone Wars series, and went through that entire information inside and out, top-to-bottom? How would Padmé feel, realizing that the Republic she loved was a sham for the past millennium?

[@superjumpbros64]

True

[@DeepDiveAnalysis]

7:10 Yes! More praise for politics in the prequels, I love it. And 10:28, it's so rare to see Shmi Skywalker get the credit she deserves - Great video!

[@TheFirstOkiro]

Shmi Skywalker is a giant favorite of mine. She's such a lovely and heartwrenching character. I never understand why she's always on the short straw of folks talking with her.

[@richardkim9952]

Back when ROTS came out, lots of writers noticed the parallels with Sidious' rise to power and the Empire and fall of the Republic with the Iraq War in 2005, and it is more relevant with the Trump era. The fact that the Disney sequel films totally omit any political commentary is a huge failing.

[@waltuh2.3bviews3secondsago3]

@Kristopher Prime guess he sorta looks like biden idk biden has a thinner face

[@sm.brazen6444]

@@richardkim9952 Haha, well the Last Jedi certainly had some political commentary... *cough cough* Canto Bight *cough cough* Admiral Purple hair Holdo, they just arent the good kind, that covertly makes us draw connections and THINK as opposed to "This thing bad, feel guilty"

[@samuelalexander1014]

@@richardkim9952 But because a couple of lesbians kiss in the final film it's groundbreaking!

[@averagekentuckyfan870]

I relate to anikan way more than Luke, his loss and fear of loss are feelings I have felt since my first memories

[@criticaldrive7688]

Everything alright?

[@jms0313]

I fell in love with a woman I couldn’t be with. I’ve felt all the rage he has. I relate to Anakin more than any character I’ve seen.

[@bdboy2871]

Don't be bad like Anakin

[@victoriaanne6332]

I didn’t like that Luke barely reacted to his aunt and uncle being burned to death. Already he felt kinda inhuman and emotionless. But he got way better in the second movie when he reacts to learning Vader was his father.

[@ryanphillips5341]

Once you lose about 6 close family members in your life you'll get used to it

[@Pomoscorzo]

The prequels were not what the fans of the classics expected, that was their biggest problem. After all of these years, many fans have grown to like them better.

[@s4mpson]

I've always wondered what these fans actually expected. What preconceived notions did they have going into it?

[@Pomoscorzo]

@@s4mpson A copy-paste of the classics, maybe? Anakin being cool instead of hotheaded? The Jedi being more heroic and less narrow-minded....?

[@tomnorton4277]

@@keithwilliams88 People don't like seeing real depth and nuance in their movies. They only want lip service to that sort of thing, which is why idiots jerked off to The Last Jedi. Most people have realised that the Disney Trilogy is complete garbage but many are still in denial about how good the Prequels actually are.

[@gumdeo]

Lots of people would have been happier with Vader in the suit hunting down and killing Jedi, but that would have missed the point.

[@Chemical_Argentum]

The prequels had badly written dialouges, clunky story, and bad characters. But it had lightsabers, so the kids still liked them. And people who grew up with them, have their nostalgic bonds to them.

[@Pluto624]

Padmé Amidala's inevitable death, the final straw, the icing on the cake, the moment that finally completed Anakin's fall (with a LOT of nudging from Palps).

[@TheFirstOkiro]

Agreed

[@deliveranze3342]

Beautiful analysis of one of the most underrated stories in cinema. The Prequel Trilogy is an incredible recontextulization of a more popular story (the OT). Anakin Skywalker is a brilliant anti-hero/hero/protagonist and I appreciate Lucas had the balls to tell the story (even the ugly parts of Anakin's descent) from his POV.

[@caseypayne5138]

It's why I hate the butthurt "you made Vader a bitch" fanbois. They never understood that Vader has ALWAYS been a tragic character. He's always under someone else's thumb in the OT, and the only time he actually uses his own agency is when he throws the emperor into the Death Start at the end of RoTJ. Some people would rather have shallow and one-dimensional "evil" instead of a very complex, nuanced villian that you get the sense is always actively struggling to snuff out that little ember of good that's still smoldering inside. The Prequels turned Anakin/Vader into one of the best-written and truly tragic characters ever created.

[@malcolmjenkins3585]

Underrated? Good one!

[@StackND]

@@malcolmjenkins3585 yes underrated

[@DemonicRemption]

@Sarah Carroll Oh it recontextualized the OT all right... While I haven't seen the OT, as someone who grew up on the prequel, when I saw a clip of Luke and Vader's conversation in the elevator to meet Palpatine, and Vader told Luke it was too late for him to turn from the dark side...? That moment alone broke my heart, because the prequels caused me to understand who Vader was. So watching that scene had me like:"It's not too late Anakin. If your son believes in you, then darn it, so do I! ;_; And if that resulted from the PT, I can't imagine what watching the OT in full will be like for me.

[@tomnorton4277]

@@caseypayne5138 I'll go even further. Vader was always a tragic character but the Prequels didn't make him a little bitch. He's ALWAYS been a little bitch. In the Original Trilogy, people just didn't see it because of the cool suit, the Force powers, the lightsaber and James Earl Jones' awesome voice. Even his body language in the Original Trilogy - no disrespect to David Prowse because it actually fits Vader - tended to be that of a weak man pretending to be strong, like when he jabs his finger at people whilst telling them off. I remember seeing at least one comment about Rogue One which claimed that he "walks like a priss" even though Vader's walk in that movie is completely in line with his body language in the OT. The reason it worked was because the suit made him look intimidating and he had powers that only a fellow Force user could resist.

[@rcdune7132]

It's rather eerie watching the unrest of the Republic in the Prequels and seeing the similarities playing out in our world today... I've said I'd before and I'll say it again... George Lucas with his genius was on to something back then.

[@tomnorton4277]

I'm starting to wonder if the media hit pieces on the Prequels were due to fear that they would help people wake up to how shitty the American government is. It wasn't only the fans that tore into them and considering the shit show that America is right now (thankfully, I don't live there), the Prequels were definitely a potent warning about what can happen when people manipulate the system. Biden's nowhere near smart enough to be Palpatine - I doubt he was even before his mind started to collapse - but his puppeteers might be and they don't want people to catch on.

[@nocrtname]

@@tomnorton4277 Lucas always pulled from history and recent events to plunk things into Star Wars. The fighters are reminiscent of the dogfights in WWII, same with the trench run (dam busters, and there was a b/w movie that he drew from heavily for the entire sequence). Return of the jedi has the ewoks overcoming the empire, which was drawn from the US experience in Vietnam. In the lead up to RotS, the war on terror had just started, presidential powers and the security state were expanding at a rapid pace (the patriot act, department of homeland security) and GWB the US president famously said "either you are with us, or you are with the terrrorists." and Lucas took that and plunked it into star wars "if you're not with me, then you're my enemy." Nobody really _hated_ the prequel trilogy when it came out. It was just kind of meh. A lot of hard core star wars fans vehemently defended it against detractors, who were mostly casual fans who just didn't like them as much as the originals. It took the rise of social media in the late 00's for the vitriol to really get going. This can be epitomized in redlettermedia's tongue in cheek and deliberately over the top critique of the phantom menace. A lot of people took that as gospel and ignored the good things about the trilogy, and then took it to the nth degree. Add to that the polarization of literally everything in the US, and here we are.

[@anthonygarcia8749]

@@nocrtnameexactly I'm pretty sure the prequels were always recieved well by the majority of fans when they came out. It wasn't until KZbin started becoming a thing and all the pea brained whiney fans got on these platforms and went hardcore with this narrative.

[@rcdune7132]

@@tomnorton4277 ooo speaking a firey truth my friend!

[@ryanbarth6691]

@@tomnorton4277 the best thing of the prequels is jar jar Binks

[@マシュードーラン]

Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker is one of the most tragic and saddening characters of all time. He lost his mother, his one true love and his master/brother over lies and deceit. He destroyed his life and himself desperately trying to do good by those he cared about. All to have it bring him nothing but pain and suffering. Him destroying the very thing that got him there in ROTJ was fulfilling and necessary. He was the chosen one and he died making things right!

[@traviscunningham7062]

That proves why Anakin/ Vader is my favorite Star Wars character of all time period!

[@Enigma2Me]

A large part of the hate from my perspective stems from the fact that people claim they want morally complex flawed characters, but in reality they want the watered down version of that kind of character, the one who doesn't provoke them, doesn't make them deeply uncomfortable, where we see them at their worst, their best and everything in between. They want the "moral complexity" without the actual complexity and rawness that actually entails. They wanted easy to swallow, comfortable, relatable characters wrapped in "complex, mature" packaging instead of the heavily flawed and fascinating characters we actually got. Anakin is the biggest example, as his emotions and behavior in the prequels are only "whiny" and "bratty" to those who obsessively want him to be purely cool to justify their love of Darth Vader, because him not being "purely cool/relatable until he turned to evil" corrodes the "myth" of Darth Vader, from an invincible badass villain to a deep down broken, unstable, and deeply flawed man who was basically ruined by an order who failed to understand and help him, manipulated by those around him, and succumbing to his own hubris and desperation, whose "coolness" masks his countless mistakes and atrocities. That's not the kind of character who fits into the archetypical fantasy wish fulfillment that a number of Star Wars fans seem to desire.

[@TheFirstOkiro]

You’ve basically summed up why TLJ’s moral complexity always rung hallow for me

[@AgentLemmon]

You sir, are a delusional fanboy. The movies are trash. The points on why they are trash are out there, so i wont get into it (watch the red letter media review for reference). Even Lucas would tell you that much. I mean, did you see the making of the Phantom menace? Everybody in that crew knew it was a bad movie including Lucas himself. When they previewed the movie and everybody in the crew had a face of utter disappointment and bewilderment is as much proof you can get that they weren't pleased with how it came out. The documentary was a truly sad, but laughable at the same time, such as the movies where. Anyone defending this either is really, and i mean really biased, or doesn't have any clue on what good cinema is.

[@MarioLandscape]

@@AgentLemmon. You sir, are a delusional hater. The movies are great. The points on why they are amazing are out there, so I won't get into it. (A bunch of nonsense) Anyone hating this either is really, and I mean, really biased, or doesn't have a clue on what good cinema is.

[@andycopeland7051]

Excellent analysis

[@AgentLemmon]

@@MarioLandscape Strong rebuttal... Also, Anakin was considered to be whiney and bratty because the script was lazy and he acted childish, not because he is a conflicted deep character LMAO. There is a difference between hating a character because of their actions in the movie and hating a character because his dialogue is shit ad he acts like a six year old having a fit. Coolness has nothing to do with it. You'd probably would want him to get an Oscar or something for his portrayal of a deeply flawed and tortured character lol, come on son. You don't know movies apparantly

[@Octalux]

100% agree with every word. excellent breakdown and sadly many people don't take the time to understand and comprehend how immense, elaborate and intricate the story is. Add in The Clone Wars and man it's just the best SW could ever possibly be imo!

[@TheFirstOkiro]

🔥

[@AgentLemmon]

Well, that's the point, it shouldn't be intricate, it shouldn't be a political drama epic, it shouldn't be boring, it shouldn't have the most one dimensional characters ever. It shouldn't look cheap. Describe one of the characters to me, you can't because every character has no character.

[@Octalux]

@@AgentLemmon to show the magnitude of how evil and destructive the empire was, the prequel and clone wars eta had to be broad and expansive to demonstrate the contracture of the empire and their dominance.as well as to illustrate how little hope the was in the galaxy to ever escape it. “Before the dark times, before the empire” - the contrast of the PT and OT eras is summed up in this line.

[@waltuh2.3bviews3secondsago3]

@@AgentLemmon eh imma do myself, a strong magnificent warrior who is perfect at everything (this is a joke btw, i'm really a cowardly robot who tries to put on a massive show to make myself look majestic, ya know the 4 lightsabers but even with 4 lightsabers there is no chance against big boi kenobi)

[@officert5147]

@@AgentLemmon "shouldn't be intricate/a political drama" George Lucas told the type of story he wanted to tell, not everyone liked it and that's fine but "shouldn't" isn't the word to use here. It has many flaws but tons of people love it anyway for what it attempted. While the characterizations could have been stronger they're not that hard to pick up if you're actually invested I'll describe Qui-Gon. He's generally gentle-mannered. He's extremely outspoken. Has a "things happen for a reason" attitude. Does what he thinks is right even at the expense of his friends' approval and feelings, but is not cold. Is very spiritual and respects what he perceives as the will of the universe, single-mindedly focused on fulfilling what he sees as his purpose at any given moment. He acts irreverent towards other people as often as not, can be a bit rude or inconsiderate, but is essentially a kind, empathetic man doing his best to help those around him. Values truth over convention. Seems to reserve most of his patience for when he's teaching lol. Not afraid to tell it like he sees it but is not forceful except in words. Seems to like kids. I wish we'd gotten more about him, but that's just some stuff I pulled off the top of my head from the one movie he was in. Anakin, as another example, has I think the strongest characterization of all as an arrogant, headstrong, highly idealistic boy who wants to do good and help people but is ultimately too emotionally immature and so afraid of things not going his way that he turns into King Murder. It's very compelling, if you like that kind of story. Not every story is everyone's cup of tea but that doesn't mean it's bad.

[@jeremiahramirez8915]

The prequels we're what got me into star wars in the first place so regardless of any flaws, I will always love this trilogy.

[@TheFirstOkiro]

They lovely 🥰

[@jogsi1558]

Fuck the prequels/sequels. The original films are actually good cinema

[@newsduke]

That’s too bad. If you saw the prequels first, then the ending of Empire Strikes Back was ruined for you.

[@saulslauge3834]

@@newsduke bro if youre born after 1990 everyone knew that vader is lukes father even without watching star wars. It wouldnt make any difference

[@newsduke]

@@saulslauge3834 Well, yeah. But I'm trying to protect my son. I want him to watch the original trilogy before he knows anything about it yet. He's five, I think I can do it.

[@lyndabethcave3835]

I smashed that like button when you talked about Shmi being your favourite character. We don't talk about Shmi Skywalker enough. She's remarkable; a slave woman on a harsh desert planet raising a child alone, and still doing so with tenderness, compassion and kindness. She's willing to give up her son, all so that he can have a better life.

[@Cosmonautitsa]

just like the prequels went from the fun and uplifting TPM, to deepening the story in AOTC to a tragic end of ROTS, but with a sliver of hope at the end - so this video followed the same style. I started with lol-ing at your great comedic timing to verging on tears near the end. Great video essay, completely agree with all you said. Prequels had a tragic story and tragic characters that grew in depth with each closer look. A masterpiece that didn’t deserve the hate it got.

[@MelonTartVA]

It helps that George Lucas knew where he wanted to go in the trilogy. He had a series of plot points he knew he had to hit and he did a great job.

[@dontturnaround9592]

Now we know what it's like when they don't have a plan. Thanks sequels

[@theGodfather5870]

F A X X X X X 💯🙏😁

[@noodledogs]

i knew padme had scenes cut out but the scenes here..... that was practically an entire subplot that got deleted!!! (her & bail trying to create their own council). like, what!!!! sigh, but anyways, i loved this entire video! i got into star wars only a few months before TROS came out, and i immediately loved the prequels. i couldnt wrap my head around hearing it got so much hate upon release, because it really was a Tragic Masterpiece™. tbh at some points it even felt shakespearean! it just added so *much* to the star wars universe, from origin stories to world building to morality discussions to just having more cool planets (and aliens) to look at! the PT was great!

[@geko1331]

I used to be a huge Star Wars fan up until 2015 I was born in 2003, I watched TFA and my interest just fell of as a child. I always grew up loving the prequel era as that was my childhood, and just like you I had got back into it just before the real ease of TROS, I had gone in with a blank slate basically as I could barely remember a thing about the prequels and OT but I could vaguely remember the amount of hate the prequels got. I watched the prequels first (as you should) and was sort of hearing the hate till I watched ROTS and realised that this is phenomenal and the fact that it gets hate and is deemed a bad movie is unbelievable. Nothing made me feel like the prequels and how genius that story was and I am now a huge Star Wars fan again and a prequel fan for life

[@TailsSpain]

These stories were wrritten in the novelizations

[@petersarubbi]

Absolutely spot on... The Phantom Menace is an essential part of the story... It's the beginning of the end... And watching sweet little Ani grow from a wide eyed, hopeful child into a broken man is monumentally important to understanding Darth Vader... Thank you for pointing out that Master Qui Gon is the quintessential Jedi (and the best character in all of Star Wars imho)... Amazing video... Well spoken Sir💙

[@emparker2101]

Another brilliant video! It’s funny because my dad didn’t get to see RotS. He died the year after AoTC. I vividly remember him telling my brother that George Lucas was a genius at world building, they very few creatives could touch him on that, but that the story was thin and it stretched disbelief that Padme, Obi-Wan, Anakin could be so blind as to what was really going on. I look at the deleted Padme scenes and hear your commentary and realize what an issue may have been with my dad’s POV and maybe that of other’s - the reluctance to see the PT as the almost Shakespearean tragedy it was. It had been so long since the OT and the PT that people seemed to engage more with the pew pew and not the political ramifications, which probably seemed out of place. Now because my dad didn’t get to finish the PT, I can’t say that he wouldn’t have changed his mind about the plot being watery. But you bring up such excellent points that I think a lot of PT haters may not have engaged with. I read the novelizations of the PT and preferred them because they went into more detail, but this video reminds me that the PT was maligned for no real reason, and when you view the movies under the lens of it being a tragedy, many more things make sense. But cutting out so much of Padme’s arc? Ugh!

[@TheFirstOkiro]

I'm sure your father would've loved ROTS. It's always been my dad's favorite for years of the PT. Anakin and Obi-wan's arc flowed well in ROTS, but yeah, Padme's arc was always the weakest link, and there are other deleted scenes that I didn't even put in the video. It's actually ironic, with all of Padme's deleted scenes put back into the film, she has more agency than even Obi-Wan and carries the world-building aspect of the trilogy. I'm still lost why so much was cut there.

[@alexbastos6960]

Damn... Your comment legitimately just got me teared up, mate. My dad died when I was five, but I really enjoyed watching Star Wars with my mom. She passed away in 2003, so she never got to watch Revenge of the Sith either.

[@waltuh2.3bviews3secondsago3]

RIP if only he lived a bit longer or better lived far longer

[@HideousSideous]

@@alexbastos6960 I'm sorry for your loss, both of you

[@alexbastos6960]

@@HideousSideous I appreciate it, mate.

[@manz7860]

4:02 nailed it right on the head. Lucas new we didn't want the same shit all over again. Or else we would just rewatch the OT

[@morrigannibairseach1211]

The prequels are a masterpiece. Didnt fully appreciate them when I was younger but I did enjoy them but all the negativity did make me think less of them. That Lucas had made mistakes. I now see the mistake was not trusting Lucas. There should be special edition extended cuts of the prequels.

[@user-zr3eu7ng5h]

20:24 Padme ask Anakin after his nightmare in Episode 3 "What if we (the republic) are the bad guys?". This question makes way more sense with all her deleted scence. I always thought her question is kinda random because she never was in a situation where she was against the republic / Palpatine.

[@jermainehaslam5634]

George Lucas knocked it out of the park with Revenge of the Sith, sure it has it's flaws but honestly I think it's the most emotionally effective star wars movie in general, I really get invested in the friendship with Obi Wan and Anakin and Anakin's romance with Pamde I feel was better handled in the third movie more than Attack of the Clones and the lightsabers battles are so cool!

[@KoolKeithProductions]

@Kenobi Revenge of the Sith has NO flaws.

[@dontturnaround9592]

The ONLY thing that bothers me in ROTS is how quick the other 3 jedi get killed by Palpatine. That's it.

[@KoolKeithProductions]

@@dontturnaround9592 well Palp was a SITH LORD, so what would you expect? My only even minor flaw l would say Ep 3 had was l wanted to see Ani do more damage at the jedi temple. We see him walk in there looking like a badass, and then all we get was a few secs of security footage later showing him fighting someone, but thats it.

[@dontturnaround9592]

@@KoolKeithProductions I agree Palps would have won the fight in the end no matter what but its four of the most powerful jedi against 1 sith. And one guy palps literally winded up and stabbed him in the chest which a real jedi master would've easily blocked. Still my favorite Star Wars movie tho.

[@dontturnaround9592]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoXZhZ2KhJebd6s Go to 0:22. Mans literally facing the wrong direction

[@elitehonor117]

Anakin is an incredibly human character at his roots, and I think the generation that grew up with the prequels realised this subconciously. We all have moments of awkwardness, we all have the feeling that we should be more than we are. The generation was raised to believe that we were and could be something great, that we had the potential, and many became disillusioned as we failed in our settings. "I'm not the Jedi I should be." And as things progressed people continued to live and make choiced they felt compromised them, or had go choose one thing over the other. Anakin valued his family above all else...is that not a value we generally advocate? Anakin is only strengthened by his depiction in The Clone Wars, as we see someone concerned only with saving as many of his people as he can, and some of those above others. Anakin doesn't hold an impossible moral high ground- He's perfectly willing to kill a guy with a bomb to save people. He struggles with his emotions, often failing,and who he should be as an example to his apprentice and with his past. He's a human in medium where people are so often super- or inhuman, and that involves his capacity to make the wrong or selfish decision. The prequels are the strong foundation and ground floor of a house that we've only seen grow stronger, bigger, and better as people contributed to it, and I hold my ground as Anakin being a good character.

[@ryanevans2655]

Over time I’ve appreciated the prequels more. The OT is iconic, but a plucky rebels vs big bad empire story kinda writes itself. Writing a complex, decadent society crumble and its heroes fall? That’s so much harder. And the world-building & action scenes in the prequels is the best in Star Wars and some of the best in all of Sci-Fi cinema.

[@TheFirstOkiro]

I think what makes the prequel trilogy so special is that George wasn’t looking to invalidate or even compete with the original trilogy. He was trying to pay tribute to it by thinking of a story of what came before his own story. So even regardless of the execution of the prequel trilogy, his intent was always to honor and give weight to the originals

[@jogsi1558]

Fuck the prequels

[@newsduke]

The prequels still suck.

[@jogsi1558]

@@newsduke yes they do. As well as the sequels

[@unclebozo9845]

I hope we eventually get an extended "Lucas Cut" of the prequels with all these deleted scenes

[@tau-5794]

Forget that, I want the original Lucas version planned for the sequels instead of what the Disney boards and committees came up with in 3 hours and a lunch break.

[@gabriellegoodwin4422]

Alright you've convinced me going to go rewatch the prequels now

[@kensvideos1]

Well did you?

[@cassiopeiasfire6457]

i'd never seen padme's deleted scenes before. thanks for sharing them! they add some depth to her character that i didn't get before.

[@swiftstrike4044]

Glad I found this video. Those scenes would've been great to see in theaters. Mother of Rebellion indeed.

[@Savoritas]

I love the whole cast of the prequels.. Haydens been perfect as Anakin. Ewan's been perfect as Obi-Wan, Windu, Padme, Papa Palps, Dooku, Qui-Gon.. and so on, have all been played PERFECTLY and the actors made those roles iconic, diverse and unforgettable.

[@jraelien5798]

Oh, come on! "PERFECTLY"? Even the most starry eyed fan boy can't possibly really believe that! Have you ever seen any other movies?

[@bloodysimile4893]

​@@jraelien5798have you?

[@TheZamaron]

@@jraelien5798 When you actually look into what ANakin's life is like, the cringe dialogue makes it better, as you can tell ANakin is broken, uncertain, not getting the proper care and raising he in his unique situation needs. Being manipulated by others. Anakin is broken.

[@jraelien5798]

@@TheZamaron Your mind is broken

[@TheZamaron]

@@jraelien5798 No it’s pretty rational.

[@winglessmecha]

I grew up with the prequel trilogy and the Phantom Menace was my favorite movie...back when it was good

[@TheFirstOkiro]

i was shown the OT as a kid, but I got to see the PT in theaters and I even now I still love them.

[@winglessmecha]

@@TheFirstOkiro the prequels have a great story but it's just poorly told

[@VibingMeike]

@@winglessmecha I hear that a lot but I still can't really figure out what that actually means

[@winglessmecha]

@@VibingMeike the prequels were about characters/story and not agendas or subverting expectations. Thats what I meant when I said "back when it was good"

[@VibingMeike]

@@winglessmecha Oh sorry, I thought you were talking about TPM and not about Star Wars as a whole, my apologies

[@theviking6052]

I’m an original trilogy guy, born in 77 but I loved the prequels from the start. My father past when I was 3 so the father son dynamic was what I loved most about Star Wars in the biggest question I had after the original trilogy was how did Anakin become Vader and that was the prequel’s so they were loved by me!

[@mr.dipsticc1119]

I’ve always loved the prequels and I was so excited when you announced that you’d be covering them! Thank you for this! I also love that you brought up how many concepts were introduced in the prequels (the sith, for example) that people seem to forget about.

[@MichaelM28]

If you like the garbage prequels you're not a real Star Wars fan dumbass!

[@ianwenger4152]

@@MichaelM28 you know you're the problem not the prequels you are aloud dislike them but leave your toxic hatred out of it

[@arthursanchez9809]

I agree with u I think the prequels r Star Wars at its purest at its finest, the display of a once trusted government falling into disarray at the first sign of conflict at Naboo. Also the tragedy of anakin and how his destiny was incredibly influenced by the people around him and how it was sealed on that fateful day in the palace hangar on Naboo. The character archs r beautiful and compelling, also I think palpatine is one of the greatest villains in all of cinema, his rise to power is rivaled by very few and his scope was immaculate

[@tomnorton4277]

There is an argument that Palpatine is THE greatest villain in cinema. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gonWipaajcaUbas I personally agree with this take. People push themselves to make the most psychologically complex villains and this is a great way to flesh out an antagonist but it can also lead to the audience sympathising with them. George Lucas is more than capable of doing this, as shown by Darth Vader and, despite his limited screen time, Count Dooku. With so many varying motivations, backstories and psychologies among villains however, there's always going to be a degree of personal bias when it comes to choosing the best one. Do you prefer a tragic villain like Joaquin Phoenix's Joker? A man who truly believes he's fighting for the greater good like Thanos? A sociopathic narcissist with mommy issues like Azula? With so many to choose from, the only way you can find the best of all time using anything that even approaches objectivity is by looking at how well a villain achieved their goals. And in that regard, Palpatine is unparalleled. I challenge you to find any other villain who had an entire galaxy bowing at his feet. Palpatine is the Star Wars incarnation of Satan himself. This isn't just an interpretation, this comes directly from George Lucas who outright stated "Palpatine represents the Devil." He has no complex psychological problems, no traumatic past, nothing that is designed to make you root for him or sympathise with him. The Devil himself waltzed into the Republic, tore it apart from the inside, eliminated the Jedi Order, and corrupted their Chosen One, which was little more than a side project because he didn't NEED Anakin to achieve his goal. He already had it all planned out before Anakin turned up so turning him to the Dark side was just a bonus. Darth Vader was just Palpatine's trophy and he waved him in Obi-Wan, Yoda and the other surviving Jedi's faces to make his victory sting them just a little bit more. Palpatine is the worst of the worst, the ultimate evil in the Star Wars universe and the most terrifying thing about him is that he WON. It was a victory that only lasted for 2 decades but no less legitimate than it would be if it had lasted as long as the Republic's 1000 year history. Palpatine ripped the government apart from the inside and showed how fragile democracy is when evil people take advantage of it. Hell, the Disney Trilogy is complete trash but in a weird way, The Rise of Skywalker solidified Palpatine AKA Satan's victory. It was done through sheer incompetence because Abrams and Terrio had no idea what they were doing, not to mention they completely butchered Palpatine in the process (he would never announce himself to the Galaxy because 1) he has absolutely no concept of fair play so he wouldn't give his enemies a fighting chance and 2) he thrives when he's operating behind the scenes), but at the end of the day, Rey did EXACTLY what the Emperor wanted her to do by killing him. If you apply simple logic to the moronic setup that Abrams and Terrio provided, Palpatine is now hanging out in his granddaughter's body, basking in the glory of finally destroying the entire Skywalker line.

[@ailineaquinoj]

"Let me get this straight. You think killing those younlings is funny?" Me: I do. And I'm tired of pretending it's not.

[@juanita-dark]

That was beautiful! I remember reading an article that said that the problem of the prequels was that it was too ambitious of a concept/story to adequately fit it's trilogy format - and I agree with that. Otherwise I think it's a highly pertinent and timely tale - and I'm not sure if that's part of why it got/gets dunked on so much (but that's a whole other story). I also think that all the PT characters are both flawed and complex in a way that the OT doesn't present int the same way because the circumstances are different. People often forget that and try to roll over said flaws. Take Obi Wan, for example, he splits Anakin into Anakin and Vader in his mind solely because doing so is the only way he can confront and cut down Anakin. He holds to that idea even in the OT and Luke - thankfully - ultimately rejects that idea and sees Vader, Anakin and his father as the same person, ultimately catalysing Anakin to respond like a Jedi. People take Obi Wan's words about Vader as the gospel but they're really about Obi Wan's greatest failing and what he was tasked with doing after Anakin fell to the dark side. Also, thanks for talking about Padme's arc, so few people dwell on or consider that because of how she dies but in a way she represents the spirit of the republic dying (the implication being that that spirit lives on in Leia - or would have before Disney).

[@TheFirstOkiro]

Thank you so much! I agree. The characters of the OT and PT are vastly different and are thrown into different situations. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme are thrown into a conflict that the OT characters just weren't in. I can't ignore Padme's arc because honestly the deleted scenes in ROTS and especially AOTC make her into a vastly more interesting character and I wish we could get them remastered and put into the films on Disney +. She's a really underrated character

[@AnimaVox_]

"...but in a way she represents the spirit of the republic dying (the implication being that that spirit lives on in Leia..." This is something that the EU also understood, hence why Leia was so involved in the political sphere of the New Republic and Luke wasn't.

[@berberbro]

Hands down , the story arcs in the prequels are for me the best in the whole SW universe. Even better than the original trilogy.

[@MelonTartVA]

Especially Obi-wan! How he went from this young, sort of brash Padawan in "The Phantom Menace" to the wise mentor we see in "A New Hope"

[@berberbro]

@@MelonTartVA yes ! That intergalactic coming of age arc alone would have filled numerous seasons in streaming these days

[@Hiushisan]

A character I really like from the prequel trilogy is Sebulba, with the cool worldbuilding of introducing a popular sport to the franchise, he was a nicely written obstacle for Anakin to overcome. Also his podracer is still wicked. Honestly, the whole podrace itself needs more recognition. No, it's not a lightsaber fight, but it was a good way to show the audience Anakin's abilities both as a pilot and with the force.

[@jyrlan2596]

Don't forget the SOUND of his podracer. The scene where he's directly behind Anakin still gives me chills

[@Evfollower]

As someone who has loved the prequels since the beginning, this was *chef’s kiss.* I love that you had me both laughing and on the verge of sentimental tears, and it was nice to see Shmi get a well deserved shoutout.

[@imyouralibi6208]

Hey, thanks for defending Mace. It really is just immature people who don't understand his character. He was SUPPOSED to be a hardass and you're absolutely right that he was just doing his job and in the end he was right. Mace deserves more appreciation as a character.

[@TheFirstOkiro]

I’ll die defending Mace

[@tomnorton4277]

I like Mace Windu because George combined every flaw of the Jedi Order into one character. Arrogance? Check. Hypocrisy? Check. Inflexibility? Check. Lack of faith? Check. Mace Windu embodies every single flaw in the Jedi Order whilst also having enough good traits to be seen as a good guy - he went out of his way to rescue Obi-Wan in AOTC and in TCW, he was conflicted about the extermination of the Zillo Beast - and he does all this whilst looking badass. Also, I'd argue that Windu is Samuel L Jackson's most iconic character. Jackson was already a celebrated actor before Star Wars and has remained a celebrated one since, but Windu is the only character I know of in his filmography that is completely unique from both the other characters he's played and Samuel himself. If you watch the behind the scenes of the Star Wars Prequels, he's actually a laid back guy who has fun on set. He's also made a career by playing characters who yell "motherfucker", which is so well known as a Samuel L Jackson word that Nick Fury tries to say it before he's snapped out of existence by Thanos. With Mace Windu, Jackson was actually allowed to do something different and set the character apart from all the rest. He's cool and calm but also inflexible, arrogant, hypocritical and has a dark edge which is represented by his purple lightsaber and manifests while he's fighting Palpatine. Just look at Jackson's eyes when he holds Palpatine at blade point. Windu is teetering on the edge of the Dark side, he is legitimately ready to kill Sidious, and unlike Anakin with Dooku, he's past the point of caring about the Jedi Code.

[@Mattchu.the.Pikachu]

Very true however mace windu most likely set anakin off to the dark side. I'm not saying he wasn't close already but before he saved Palpatine he begs windu to give him a chance to stand trail. This is a list of multiple instances where he saw the jedi order break its own rules. This and the need for Palpatines power to save padme set him fully to the Dark side.

[@imyouralibi6208]

@@Mattchu.the.Pikachu Well, I mean, Windu was right. Palps was too dangerous to be left alive since he had control of the Senate. And I don't really see how that flies in the face of Jedi values either since one of their tenets is "don't sacrifice a thousand lives to save one" 🤷‍♀

[@UndeadSlayer5]

He was still responsible for putting anakin on the path to the dark side

[@bascistalliance8857]

The prequels are honestly my favorite and always have been George made episode 1 for kids and I as a kid at the time loved every minute of it, the dialogue, Jar Jar, everything was and still is amazing to me. It will always be my favorite era of star wars.

[@mmluon]

Bravo! Excellent! I have always said that the prequels were grossly underrated from a storytelling perspective. A shame it took the disrespectful mishandling of the Disney sequels for people to realize that and give the prequels their due. Great video!

[@AnimaVox_]

I watched the prequels for the first time as an adult and I couldn't for the life of me understand why they'd received-and still do, to an extent-so much hate. Stuff that I thought was obvious (like Anakin's characterization and the Shakespearean-esque drama) seemed to either fly over a lot of people's heads, or they were simply too biased to evaluate the trilogy more rationally. So many people just seem to go into these movies with preconceived notions and don't want to bother giving the story a chance or make the slightest effort to understand what it's trying to say. And I'm not saying one has to be super smart to get it, no, on the contrary, the storytelling is simple enough that a child can follow along. Which is why I'm confused as to why adults couldn't. Thank you for summing up many of my thoughts on these films in a single video.

[@anthonygarcia8749]

A lot of it too has to do with how fans and haters go about talking about Anakin's character too. I hate how if they say mainstream bs justifications as oh he's inexpierenced and doesn't know how to flirt and the jedi supress everything it's just simply not true and they miss everything. All of that is simply not the way to go about talking about Anakin's character. It cheapens, stereotypes, and undermines the character and lore. It makes it waaayy less interesting and generic and it's simply not how it's meant to come across at all and it's certainly how I don't interpret it as. The more things like this are said it never goes away and keeps propagating dumb bullshit and justifications smh.

[@AnimaVox_]

@@anthonygarcia8749 Kind of disagree about Anakin not knowing how to flirt. It can be seen as a character flaw and I think it's something that humanizes him, not cheapens his arc. But that's how I choose to interpret it because it makes sense to me regarding his backstory and I think it falls within the realm of possibility. And it's canon that the Jedi taught themselves to repress their emotions. Of course, that doesn't mean that there wasn't more going on than that, multiple things can be true at once sometimes.

[@anthonygarcia8749]

@@AnimaVox_ but it's simply not true to see in that light and I can disagree with that interpretation. Multiple things can be true sometimes from a subjective point of view and how one chooses to see it. In other words, why must this always be heard and given validity? it's annoying and paints a bad picture. And Anakin often speaks to Padmé in a sophisticated and eloquent manner. Anakin and Padmé are both mature in their own ways. Anakin is sincere and direct and open about his feelings but respectful. Padmé attempts to be professional and responsible and not encourage this since it's forbidden and deny her desires. Things are taken at face value and twisted and put into this stigmatized and stereotyped box. It's not about flirting or any of those when it comes to Anakin and Padmé. Also, it's not that they repress their emotions, they must control and not let it cloud them. Jedi still express their emotions and they all have flaws but a good jedi overcomes these flaws and they believe in compassionate love, not possessive love which is selfish and tends to your own desires and not accepting people have their own fates. Compassionate love means helping and being in service of others and keeping the peace, that's what they believe. Anakin was stuck in between both of that and both of them in general were in a conflict of love and duty. In scenes like the lake or fireplace she ALREADY likes him a great deal and genuinely cares for him but chooses to not encourage this relationship for the reasons mentioned above. Also where would Anakin find the time to focus on love when he's training all those years and going on many adventures and exploits with Obi-Wan and can't sleep well due to nightmares of his mother. All this takes a toll on him but thinking of Padmé calms him down and soothes him. He only had eyes for her and only thought of her she left such an impression on him. He knew what to say to her exactly and compliments her and goofs around with her and they connect because he ignites a feeling in her that no one else does and allows her not take herself so seriously and they just have fun and chatter and everything. At the same time you can't impose dumb social norms or put any sort of cultural standard on it. Just let it be. But by saying that.type of stuff just denigrates it and paints a bad picture and perception that keeps getting propagated and then people wonder why the subtlety and nuance and overlooked and underrated aspects don't get talked about enough. It's because of discourse like that. It just sucks and feels like I'm the only person who hates seeing in that sort of context because again it just feels generic and cheapened and stereotypes into some whatever type of teen romance smh. Also the certain things that Anakin says are misconstrued as "oh he doesn't know how to flirt" or whatever when it's not meant to be seen in that light at all. There's certain things that he says that are meant to be taken sincerely and not tongue in cheek. Shakesperean in nature and with Padmé as well. Most fans fail to defend the romance and explain because they misconflate and misconstrue the intentions and meaning of the characters and what they're and saying and doing themselves.

[@AnimaVox_]

@@anthonygarcia8749 I understand what you're saying, and to a degree, I agree. Do I think George intended those scenes to come off like Anakin was socially awkward? Probably not. It's like you said, the dialogue is very Shakespearean, which is not something many people realize because they also fail to understand Shakespeare. It's supposed to be melodramatic and Shakespeare wrote Romeo & Juliet like that on purpose, since it was meant to poke fun a bit at how fickle young love is. So I get where you're coming from. I personally choose to interpret it slightly different because I think it fits with his Jedi background and is a reflection of how the Order treated him specifically. At the end of the day, I prefer a blunt, slightly socially awkward Anakin to the cookie-cutter caricature we got in TCW, which was further off-base from his film and comics counterpart. And him using flowery prose and it seeming silly to people (again, Shakespearean language) doesn't devalue his feelings for Padmé at all; if anything, it makes me realize how far he went to win her over. Anakin's flirting being interpreted as awkward does not take away from the character's sincerity in expressing his feelings, and I can actually see it as adding authenticity to his development. Besides, it's not like he seemed awkward all the time: the only scenes I could even consider to be awkwardly flirty with them are the sand and confession scenes. Which makes sense that they'd be nervous in those scenes because they're expressing their feelings for each other for the first time and they're probably both new to the whole experience considering how busy they've both been kept for most of their lives. The beauty of art is that it can be evaluated both objectively and subjectively, and things like this can be open to interpretation while also taking into account authorial intent. All that being said, it's obvious that George was going for a specific style of speech and simultaneously wanted to place more emphasis on the visual side of filmmaking than the dialogue. The Shakespearean-like fashion the characters speak in is just meant to be how they talk in the Galaxy. This doesn't necessarily contradict the interpretation that Anakin might not know how to flirt, I think both can be valid ways of seeing things. Yes, Jedi are supposed to be all those good things you mention, but the reality is that they were just as flawed as everyone else and were blinded by their hubris. Hence why Luke ultimately rejects the aspect of their teachings regarding emotions to save his father. Qui-Gon was the only example in the prequels of the ideal Jedi, but he died and with it, so did his approach. This is something that was done deliberately too. The other Jedi put too much emphasis on control and not enough on what to do when someone finds himself losing control. They weren't the bad guys, they were simply flawed people with a few flawed ideals. Just my two cents.

[@anthonygarcia8749]

@@AnimaVox_ I agree on a lot of what you said but still disagree with the whole flirting thing and I also wanna add to some great stuff you brought up. In terms of the flirting I'll frankly won't and never wanna see it like that and again gets misconstrued and misinterpreted as such in certain scenes. Also that's just the thing like you said he is not awkward. He's direct, sincere, charming, fun, reckless, stubborn. But he's a flawed human with genuine fears and concerns and vulnerabilities and pain and frustrations. Very complex and nuanced. Also why does a teen have to be depicted as some awkward kinda dude who can't flirt. Like he can still be and just in general you can be naturally charming and know what to say it's not rocket science to feel for someone and express feelings for them to which he does do quite openly and with Padmé alone. But why does a teen who (not saying this is Anakin. Just saying in general for teens) may stumble on his words or not know how to articulate his feelings for whatever reason around the girl he loves or cares for why does that have to be seen as awkward and somewhat shameful by some? It's just human and natural and this goes for teen or young adult or adult. But moreover, that lake scene gets misinterpreted like crazy. That line "I don't like sand. It's course and rough and irritating" carries huge subtext that is often missed. He says this in response to Padmé talking about her upbringing on Naboo and as a kid she would dry her feet on the sand and hence why he says that line because he's relating to what she's saying and telling her his upbringing and how shitty it was but in a tongue in cheek kinda way he wasn't taking himself so seriously here and he said it cheerfully and with a smile. How tf is that misinterpreted as nervous or whatever? But he resents his upbringing on Tatooine and lowkey masking the guilt he feels from leaving his mother behind on a desolate planet covered in sand and full of unpleasantries and intense heat and sand storms on top of being born into slavery. He conveys all this with that. It's the little things and the subtlety and nuance that must be payed attention to. But he proceeds to say "But not like here everything feels soft and smooth" he's talking about Naboo and how beautiful it is and how different it is than his home planet of tatooine and also within saying that is meaning Padmé and how beautiful and nice she is and so he caresses her because he wants to pursue his own desires and engage in a relationship despite attachment being forbidden according to the jedi which gets misinterpreted and misconstrued as well and Padmé here who ALREADY is into him and genuinely likes and cares for him a great deal is reluctant to repond to his affection because she doesn't wish to encourage this further and resist her desires and resist falling in love but she loses herself here in this moment and they both share a passionate kiss but then stops and breaks away and Anakin respectfully apologizes and doesn't force himself and then they just look onward at the landscape and were a bit unsettled in a normal human and natural way. Each step closer means a step backwards because they can't engage in a relationship. It's a conflict over love and duty. I absolutely hate and don't care for TCW Anakin. It's not Anakin it's like an entirely different character. Matt Lanter's voice is just jarring and offputting compared to Hayden and Matt Lucas' soft spoken yet fierce and stern voice when need be. TCW Anakin is devoid of all the complexity, warmth, and nuance of Hayden Anakin and Matt Lucas Anakin. He's cheapened and again stereotyped into some typical jocky kinda character that just has an anger issue and kills whenever he feels like that and walks away like it's all good. George said in casting Hayden he wanted someone who can convey the light side but also have the undercurrent of the dark side to work with as opposed to someone who's just lighthearted all the time. When Hayden killed the sand people, the very people who kidnapped and tortured his mother he was in tears and trying to process what he'd done and it truly affected him and you understand and sympathize with him yet he truthfully admits he hated them, again understandably so. Even with killing Dooku he was conflicted and reluctant prior to beheading him but that nudge from Palpatine tipped him over and part of him wanted to do it anyways and so he goes through with it and is again lowkey unsettled but remains objective on the task at hand and proceeds to lead them out and save them all. Even with killing Mace Windu he expresses remorse and regret and even after all he had done with order 66 he still shed a tear and was in internal anguish. Do we see any of this with TCW Anakin? Nope. So yup agreed he's inferior to the og Anakin.

[@jordanalimusic]

One of the most nuanced poetic analyses I’ve seen of any movie series. So well done man.

[@bereweillschmidt]

I LOVE THIS. I was a child when these movies came out and totally fell in love with them.

[@kensvideos1]

I wasn't even a child.

[@luckymushroom828]

This video is old so this comment probably won’t get attention but I just love this vid so much. Love especially how you talk about Shmi and Padmè. It is such a shame that her most important scenes were cut. I really want a super cut. I do wanna say re the Youngling slaying that I remember reading a novel from Anakin’s POV where he rationalized that killing the Younglings was a mercy compared to what would have happened to them otherwise. Adding the whole ‘inquisitor’ lore that was later added in and I wonder if that was part of it. Obvs that’s not in the movies but I do think while it’s insanely dark and disturbing you can see some rationale to it in Anakin’s mind, completely twisted as it is in the moment. I also love how Lucas freely shows Anakin crying from doing all this, so rarely are male characters allowed to be so brutally emotional and it just shows the weight of everything on him. I love him as a protag so much because he does feel so flawed and yet so real and human. Luke was absolutely an awesome protag as well but he’s more what we should aspire to be by the end of ROTJ. Anakin instead shows more raw realism I feel.

[@TheFirstOkiro]

I still read all the comments to these And I appreciate your warm words 💛

[@vibroniccookie5952]

This is the best defense of the prequels on KZbin. I personally am not a fan of these movies but you articulated why you enjoy them better than anyone I've seen so far.

[@rowandavis2061]

Thank you for not being one of those fans that tries to ram down our throats why we shouldn't like the prequels haha

[@BennyProductions]

Your channel is super underrated bro

[@davidstrosnider]

Thank you for this. As that rare breed (or what feels like it) of SW fan who grew up seeing all of the OT upon its original theatrical release and also loved the PT from the get-go, it's validating to watch a video essay such as this and know I wasn't alone in my admiration of all of George Lucas's Star Wars films. He's always been an artistic hero of mine. He brought so much to the table in the PT that people seemed to overlook. Beyond what you discuss in the video is his sheer brilliance as a visual storyteller who understands how to employ all aspects of the medium to deliver an immersive cinematic experience like few others have done. Don't even get me started on his unparalleled ability to choreograph sound and action, or to compose movement through the frame. He delivers more cinematic morsels in two hours than most directors can across their entire filmography. But I digress. I often felt compelled to write my own essay on the PT because of how difficult it was to engage in any kind of real discourse about them (online at any rate). This video has given me...well, you know.

[@Jared_Wignall]

The Original Trilogy and The Prequel Trilogy are what make Star Wars, Star Wars. The original trilogy is a classic tale with incredible characters and has an excellent ending. The prequel trilogy expands upon this classic tale and makes the originals even better when viewing the trilogies back to back. The Star Wars Saga has an excellent beginning, Episodes I & II, an excellent middle, Episodes III & IV and an excellent ending, Episodes V & VI. George Lucas crafted one of the best film franchises ever made and I will forever be grateful for the fantastic memories I have with this franchise.

[@SRR-5657]

I am SO glad someone gave Shmi some credit finally, I always loved her character and I'm surprised that no one ever brings her up, I guess because she doesn't have much lore and action. She's a really cool person and I wish we had seen some more of her.

[@pikathemimikyu6655]

I never realized how much hatred there was for the prequels. It makes me sad, I think they're the best movies in the franchise.

[@Zizzle-sg1qg]

I was born in ‘98, I grew up on the prequels. I still remember watching the third movie in theaters with my grandpa. When Anakin fell in the lava, my heart was shattered. What times!

[@masterskywalker4840]

Really interesting video mixed with some great humor :) I love finding small but amazing channels with Star Wars content that has a lot of thought put into it. We will watch your career with great interest!

[@jifjafi5590]

24:00 “there will always be a new hope” That gave me chills especially with that transition. Great video 👏

[@jacobp249]

Those Padme deleted scenes were great! I wish they were in a "directors cut" version of AotC (and RotS)

[@britt6184]

Or extended edition like the lord of the rings trilogy.

[@Wackaz]

This is still the best video I've ever watched on KZbin. Thank you so much my friend - you are a wonderful human being; God bless you.

[@decades1912]

I didn't even grow up with the Prequels & I still love them.

[@Seany135]

"Duel of the fates" - I was today yo when I got that. That's a subscription

[@anotherskywalker3090]

OUTSTANDING!!! Why haven't I checked into your channel previously? This was outstanding. The deleted scenes obviously would have made AOTC a 2 hour and 45 minute movie, but they would have made it a 4 star movie also.

[@luciobuzzano4439]

I absolutely loved this video. It depicts so clearly the tragedy of every character's arc and the genius behind the Prequel Trilogy. It enables you to see how deep a story they tell - a depth I don't believe even the Original Trilogy reached. I'm positively saving this one for many rewatchs.

[@youngmarshmellow1627]

Dude it’s crazy how even sped up duel of fates gives me goosebumps

[@biscuit119]

I enjoyed this video, that says a lot it's fresh , the humor isn't forced aside from the stick on knife joke , I found it funny and well articulated. Im looking forward to more content from you. Also you have a good speaking voice. Pure excellence.

[@TheFirstOkiro]

Knife joke? Honestly I was editing this for so long I actually don’t even remember the jokes I put in them lol 😂 Thank you for your kind words!

[@biscuit119]

@@TheFirstOkiro Just keep making this kind of content ,you have heart and precision a rare combo. Stay vigilant fellow creator.

[@jowoman7799]

Definitely one of my favorite videos on KZbin right now. The Prequels are my favorite Star Wars trilogy, and favorite trilogy overall. George made it where Anakin into a way better character, and added so much depth to him. Now when he's redeemed it hits harder. And I'm not talking about Clone Wars show, because the Prequel movies already build upon his character. We see it all. Obi-Wan was phenomenal, and Ewan was perfect casting. I can rewatch these three movies forever. I'll always love them and defend them. It is Star Wars in its purist form as George with complete power allows him to go as crazy as he wants. Which to me, brought out so many things many would say no to. Thank you for this video!

[@waynestarkey756]

Thank you for articulating how good the prequel trilogy is. For me its amazing and it only gets better as I get older and wiser. There is so much depth to it.

[@bilalkhares9337]

I think that the youngling slaying makes Anakin's redemption even more impactful as it shows how dark he went and that really anyone can be redeemed.

[@mattgould8592]

Yes, a magnificent masterpiece, every scene is worthy of pausing and looking closely at, so many visually striking images. Thanks for your insights.

[@Сайтамен]

TPM shows why Anakin is so important, his strong attachment to his mom, why Obi-Wan wasn't right teacher to him, why he hates Tatooine, Jedi rules, Palpatine becoming chancellor, world building, etc...And of course, podracing and Darth Maul. AOTC actually tells a story (Palpatine's rise to power by manipulation Republic and Separatists, Anakin's progression of falling to the Dark Side, start of the Clone Wars), develops characters, shows us real war, new planets, species, ships, droids, world, and has connection with 1 and 3. What ROTS show us? The largest battle in the Clone Wars, deaths of Dooku and Grievous, Kashyyk battle, Anakin's conflict with Jedi and himself, his weakness (save who he loves), which perfectly works with saving Luke, Palpatine's manipulation and rise to power, Order 66, 2 amasing final battles and the creation of Darth Vader and Empire, birth of Luke and Leia, new hope. It is meaning for the whole Galaxy and is the most emotional.

[@nicholasdaniels780]

I have always loved the Prequels, the first Star Wars movie I saw as a kid was The Phantom Menace. I have to say after all the years of people shitting on these movies because it was popular to do so and because they're not exactly like the Originals, it is so satisfying to see this video.

[@arveduim8024]

In 20 years, people will say the same about the sequels I think, despite how meh they were.

[@tomnorton4277]

@@arveduim8024 In 20 years, people will either hate the Disney Trilogy or will have outright forgotten it. That train wreck will age terribly, unlike George Lucas' Star Wars movies.

[@arveduim8024]

@@tomnorton4277 But the prequels are often fondly remembered by those who saw them as children, we can now acknowledge what was wrong with them, but like them still. The same will happen with the kids that grew up with these films I think. Nostalgia is a powerful weapon.

[@tomnorton4277]

@@arveduim8024 It won't work with the Disney Trilogy. They used up their Nostalgia by ripping off so much from the better movies instead of creating new memories that people will look back on fondly.

[@manz7860]

Never really thought of how obi wan failed through inaction and believing anakin would do the "right" thing

[@spyrofrost9158]

And then there's the sequel trilogy that was artificially praised and loved by the media but hated by the actual fans. The opposite of the prequels

[@MiraBoo]

Thank you for sharing the compilation of Padme’s deleted scenes. I wish they had made it into the films.

[@lelandanderson8319]

Wow this was a awesome piece!! By far the best breakdown of the prequels. This deserves a million views!!

[@HeimatIIProject]

Completely agree with the analysis...

[@SraMacaco]

Excellent analysis and presentation! I love, love, love the prequel trilogy. I only recently became aware of The Clone Wars and the related animated shows. I can’t believe I missed them! I guess that’s a lesson for me to not judge a book by its cover. 🫤 The prequels and TCW have a different feel than the later stuff. Once the Jedi were gone, the light went out of the universe. As mentioned in one of the novelizations, each Jedi was a spark of light in the Force and when those were extinguished, the galaxy went dark. Most of the few remaining Jedi were not fully trained, like rebels Kanan and Ezra and Cal Kestis. It leaves a permeating sense of sadness over everything. Once Obi-Wan and Yoda are gone, only Luke is left. It’s heartbreaking.

[@novustalks7525]

"I thank you for bringing this to my attention padme" Oh god what a scene. There's such tension there

[@jurriaanlouwerse1603]

14:25 His padawan, his brother, his best friend.. Man that hits hard

[@TheFirstOkiro]

Right in the gut

[@rauleduardoalarconmolina8899]

The deleted scenes of padme were amazing

[@christinestevenson4304]

Your videos are great! I just found your channel and i wish i would have sooner! You do things so differently it makes it fresh again! I was four when a new hope came out and i made my uncle take me to see it twice a week. We had a movie theater literally a 5 minute walk from my house! Day time movies were $1 for adults and .50 for kids! When the prequels came out, i loved them just as much! I never understood the hate! Ewan and christian were next level! There has never been anyone that came close to them and maul deuling!

[@frankwitte1022]

I loved watching this video! As A Star Wars fan since '77 I loved the Prequel Trilogy from the get go. Having the unexpected pleasure of watching new Star Wars, watching the Prequels, in cinema with my own young children was mind-blowing. Anakin killing the younglings was a tough scene to watch but I was grateful that George had had the courage to go there. It made Vader unredeemable for the Galaxy at large, it fits the fact that in the OT Anakin's redemption is only "witnessed", only "a thing", for Anakin's children. Regrettably the Sequels showed us little about how Luke & Leia processed and handled that family trauma of irredeemable guilt. I have hope however Filoni and Favreau will find a moment, perhaps a moment between Luke, Leia and Ahsoka to highlight that. Star Wars is about family, about Hope but also about how we as fallible humans sometimes cause damage we cannot fix ourselves, where that hope which seems lost ... is bestowed on the next generation.

[@ArcTrooper269]

EACH MOVIE IS SO UNIQUE & FUN TO WATCH FOR ME Ep.1.- A POLITICAL THRILLER & A RACE AGAINST TIME Ep.2.- A Conspiracy Chase & the Start Of a War Ep.3.- the End of An Era & the Begining of a New One

[@UrbanTiger74]

Excellent video bro. All facts!

[@spencergates5766]

We need 4-hour extended editions of the Prequels. It’s not what the people want, its what we need

[@robpetrone2459]

I saw the original "Star Wars" (a/k/a A New Hope) in the theater in 1977, so, I'm no kid. And while the change in tone from the Classic Trilogy's grim and gritty 70s-style to the poppy and cartoonish turn-of-the-millennium style did bother me, I absolutely LOVED The Phantom Menace when I saw it. I loved how it expanded the universe. I loved Qui-Gon, the quintessential Jedi; Ewan's spot-on portrayal of a young Obi-Wan; and the badassery that is Darth Maul. TPM gave us the most iconic swordfight in the history of cinema, and the iconic Duel of the Fates soundtrack to go along with it. Yeah, the Prequel Trilogy was off to a great start. I thought Attack of the Clones fell short of its predecessor, but it was a worthy follow-up that gave us the badassery that was Temuera Morrison's Jango Fett and the mind-boggling mystery of Sifo-Dyas and the clone army. Then, Revenge of the Sith starts off with one word: "WAR!" and then delivers just that. Everyone is tortured from beginning to end in this trilogy, and if you're not feeling it, you're TRYING not to feel it. I am with you 100%, Okiro, the Prequel Trilogy is a tragic masterpiece.

[@Tonycillian5]

Thank u for the Shmi mention, she is such a good mother. And her scenes with Anakin made me connect with the character so much.

[@Deuteromis]

I always liked The Prequels, still will defend them. They aren't perfect, but The Originals aren't either. They balance each other out.

[@tomnorton4277]

I'd say the Originals are actually slightly worse than the Prequels. For example, implying incestuous feelings between Luke and Leia, which I know was a mistake but that doesn't excuse it, is far worse than any of the flaws in the Prequels.

[@scepticalbeliever]

@@tomnorton4277 I always said Luke and Leia being siblings was the worst recon in SW.

[@prevarikator]

Thank you so much for including the Padme deleted scenes in your video!

[@rangers94ism]

Honestly, most of the hatred for the Prequels stems from Red Letter Media. They ripped apart the films in a way that changed the way online critics review a film. However, their victim was the Prequel Trilogy. They used a classic tactic in arguing which is, 'I have this point of view and all who disagree with me is an idiot.' Well, no one wants to be an idiot so you mindlessly agree with them. Seriously, anyone who uses that tactic isn't really confident in their point of view. They are scared that someone might come up with a point that will destroy their argument so make fun of them before they do it. If someone does that to you recognize that you are being gaslit so walk right through that argument and poke holes in their logic anyway.

[@tomnorton4277]

Mike Stoklarsehole is jealous of George Lucas. I don't need to be a psychologist to figure that out.

[@colesudkamp1538]

The beauty of the the tragedy of the prequels is you know Anakin turns to Vader and you see more good than evil at first but as it progresses you see more evil. There are so many possible good outcomes and one of the most tragic outcomes happens because of the flaws in Anakins character.

[@swooshswish4063]

I now believe the thing with Midichlorians it was the gradual accumulation of the Jedi arrogance that caused them to monopolise the force and create a tier system to recruit people whether or not it was truly relevant t someone's potential. This is why Ahsoka recruiting Sabine is perfect.

[@pedrorios2650]

Just discovered your channel, this is a fantastic analysis. I loved your presentation and analysis of Padme with the deleted scenes. So on point.

[@jairusjackson7799]

Woah! I've been defending the Prequels for a long time, a lot of the arguments I made are in this video, by the end of it I nearly shed a tear. I haven't felt this way about Star Wars in a while, thank you man for reminding me why I love this franchise.

[@anthonygarcia8749]

Unfortunately there's things that both fans and haters alike misconstrue and misconflate with tho.

[@thoriumsucks7142]

Bro when you said there will always be a new hope that gave me chills

[@obenohnebohne]

A well crafted video. I enjoyed every minute of it because you explained it very well.

[@RoverIAC]

I'm a Star Wars fan from '77 and always likes the Prequel Trilogy and appreciated how different they where from the OT and how the 2nd and 3rd films moved towards the OT.

[@andycopeland7051]

Fantastic video man! I've always loved the prequels. I think I was seven years old when Ep. I came out. I think some criticisms of the prequels are warranted if not valid but it is my observation that most people hate on the prequels simply because it's the fashionable thing to do. The truth is that the story the prequels tell is beyond rock solid. When you bring into consideration the setting, lore, plot, themes, and characters like you did you can't avoid the conclusion you're drawing. George Lucas knew what he was doing. It's unfortunate that he didn't make the sequels himself.

[@tommy_s]

Man, your video's literally perfect

[@COOLSAUCE21]

While I love the prequels, nothing will beat the OT for me. Maybe because I was a kid when I first watched them, I didn't understand the finer aspects of the prequels to really appreciate it. And now that I do understand, it makes both PT and OT better. Guess the prequels got so much hate at first, because it changed how you look at the characters in the OT so much. Vader doesn't seem so cool or evil anymore (all that hate about him being whiny, and the iconic sand monologue), Palpatine doesn't seem overconfident to the point of being stupid, Obi Wan and Yoda aren't the perfect mentors... And most hated of all, the whole midichlorian theory changing what the Force meant. Of course, there were issues with the dialogue, CGI and the pacing.. but it didn't deserve that kind of hate, and atleast I liked what they did with the CGI.

[@onebadn8]

Great video!! I love these fan vids going deeper into the prequels. Makes my memory of them so much better!! Thanks!!

[@TheFirstOkiro]

Thank you!