Why I LOVE the Prequels | Video Essay

The Star Wars Prequels have always had a special place in my heart, and in this video I dig deep into all of the reasons why I love them so much! What do you think of the prequels? Drop a comment below! #starwarsprequels #starwars
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[@TurinTurambar98]

I love the fact that the Qui-Gon vs Darth Maul fight was essentially a fight to determine Anakin's fate with the force. And by Darth Maul beating Qui-Gon, Anakin was destined to fall to the dark side due to Qui-Gon dying.

[@Rishi123456789]

Agreed. Qui-Gon was the father figure Anakin desperately needed, not Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon was willing to break the rules (just like Anakin), whereas Obi-Wan was much more of a by-the-book kind of guy. I have no doubt that Anakin would not have fallen to the Dark Side if the Will of the Force was for Qui-Gon to have not been killed by Darth Maul.

[@TurinTurambar98]

@Rishi123456789 Yup. The dynamics between Master and Apprentice in Star Wars is much like the dynamic of a son and his father, the Padawan will often rebell against the father - Obi-Wan did it, whereas Qui-Gon was rebellious with the Jedi Council, Obi-Wan was obedient, and if Qui-Gon had survived, Anakin most likely would have turned out to be at least more obedient than what he was in Revenge of The Sith. Obi-Wan was more of a brother, and whilst the dynamic worked, it wasn't what Anakin needed.

[@Rishi123456789]

@redpineapple1527 You're right, Obi-Wan was more of a brother to Anakin than a father, even in the opinion of Obi-Wan himself. That's why in Revenge Of The Sith, Obi-Wan says "You were my brother Anakin, I loved you!".

[@occam7382]

@@TurinTurambar98, Qui-Gon definitely wouldn't have let Palpatine get anywhere near Anakin.

[@caseypayne5138]

yes, that's literally why it's called "The Duel of the Fates"

[@GabeOwzer]

I had a Star Wars calendar when I was younger. January was “Sentator Palpatine” . December was “Emperor Palpatine”. That’s how I figured it out before episode 3 😂

[@real.rusoka]

oh, i love that so much! that's awesome😭

[@Seamonkey96]

Of all the things to put on a calender assumedly for kids, why start off with a senator lol

[@orivilletycoon1437]

The reason the sequels suck is because they completely ignored politics, which they did to avoid the idiotic critique that "politics are boring." When you're in a franchise with war in the title, you kinda need politics. Politics is war without the guns, and war is politics with guns. The sequels aren't star wars because we have no idea what is going on in the galaxy, making the conflict weightless and meaningless.

[@OnlyCitrus]

Plus they also failed to deliver what happened in the time gap. We still have no clear idea about how the resistance failed and how it led to the first order taking command over the galaxy.

[@Helperbot-2000]

yeah, also, one of the first scenes in a new hope is literally a princess and diplomat trying to get out of a situation by saying the imperial senate will side with her, while the right hand man of the emperor calls her a traitorous rebel acting against the empire and arrests her.

[@SunShine-xc6dh]

They suck because they were counterfeit star wars

[@Nerdrakere]

@@OnlyCitruswell watch the side story of a comic of a tv series of a kids show of a prequel of a sequel. Then you’ll understand more of course 😌

[@Settling_]

I agree however, they needed to change more stuff than only the politics

[@Wastelander84]

For me, Anakin vs Obi-Wan tops the Darth Maul fight. Both are great, but I can rewatch the Anakin fight every day. The emotion behind it is perfect

[@rgoodwyn]

Plus the Darth Maul fight was harder to take seriously because George had shown that Jedi can run insanely fast but Obi Wan just chose not to for some reason 🤷 Sorry Qui Gon lol

[@KidPrarchord95]

@@rgoodwyn The some reason is as follows: He was pretty worn out from the fight up to that point. This was the first Sith in one-thousand years, and Kenobi was not equipped for the physical nor mental strain to handle it. Whether or not it's a good lore element can be debated, but George has always viewed the force as having a gamey stamina bar that can be depleted, and likely considers that with his writing. Even despite all of that, Obi-Wan probably could've pulled off a force-aided sprint, but having to launch himself like sixty feet into the air directly beforehand probably diminished any chance of that being viable

[@rgoodwyn]

@@KidPrarchord95 Yeah I can make up head canon to justify anything too but the fact is that George has complete creative control from start to finish and he chose to leave massive plot holes and inconsistencies like this. Nice of people to do all the mental legwork and play defense for his mediocre writing though. Plus obi wan had enough force fuel or whatever to throw himself up and over Darth Maul to win the fight. But running fast for like 30 ft was not possible? The fact is that it was time for Qui Gon to die and all logic had to bend for that to happen no matter what.

[@christinestevenson4304]

Me too! I love it! Such an amazing scene due to their training and love of it!

[@Jessica-wo6px]

It is a tragic fight.

[@astrocohorsclub]

According to the (now legend) book "Labyrinth of Evil", the incident of Cato Neimodia was Obi-Wan getting high accidentally from mushroom spores, because he forgot to wear his filter mask. The result was him fighting against the droids somehow "drunk", which lead to Anakin poking fun at him saying: "I thought you were inventing a completely new kind of light saber fighting style."

[@WhyDaRumGone]

thats so cool

[@mikeexits]

Was he hallucinating too or as you say simply "drunk" and intoxicated in a more simplistic way?

[@astrocohorsclub]

@@mikeexits That was never clearly stated, but it seemed to me that he was "only" intoxicated and not hallucinating.

[@notamonkie2199]

Honestly, it could be entirely possible that it DIDN'T affect him like how psilocybin mushrooms effects us, it is a random spore somewhere across the vast SW universe it can do anything tbh lol

[@starlighter93]

33:54 Yeah, most people (including myself) for the longest time thought that Duel of the Fates is like the Darth Maul theme. Until a few years ago Dave Filoni clarified that this soundtrack is titled as such because it is about Anakin's fate: whether he will stay on the light or descend into darkness. That was an enlightening moment for me and from then on it totally made sense to use it here, and again at the last duel in ROTS.

[@avalon-vx]

have i already watched 3 video essays about the prequels...... yes...... will i watch another one........... absolutely

[@starlighter93]

24:45 Well, Sidious didn't want the Jedi to find out about the clone army right away. He needed the perfect circumstances for his plan to work. He needed the separatist movement, raising the tensions to a point where it could turn into a civil war, and when the Jedi and the Republic had no choice other than to use the clone army. I guess Sidious was kinda lucky that Jango used a saber dart that led the Jedi to Kamino, but his greatest skill was that he was always able to adapt to any situation and turn the events in his favor. I'm pretty sure though he had a plan how he would have led the Jedi to discover Kamino if it wouldn't have happened naturally.

[@curthagens]

Yeah that makes sense

[@mariozehren4666]

I don't even think it "happened naturally" as you say. I think the events at the beginning of AOTC exactly are one of Palpatines plans to lead the Jedi to Kamino (the one that ultimately works - there were most definitely multiple backup plans if that one didn't work). I think about it like that: Gunray wants Padmé dead to fully cooperate with the separatists. So Dooku has to believably sell to Gunray that they are attempting to kill Padmé while Palpatine of course actually wants her to live as a means to manipulate Anakin. So what does Palpatine do? He uses that situation as best as possible to simultanously achieve multiple goals: He orders Dooku to recruite Jango Fett for an "assassination-attempt" on Padmé (the bomb on her ship), which he knew would fail because she always uses a decoy. How does that help him? 1. Dooku can tell Gunray that he is trying to kill Padmé but unfortunately the attempt failed. 2. Palpatine can recommend "an old friend, like Master Kenobi" as extra security for Padmé which brings Anakin and Padmé around each other again after ten years. 3. Palpatine can be very sure that the Jedi will try to track down the assassin. So with that assassin being Jango Fett, there now is a good chance that their investigations will lead the Jedi directly (and seemingly naturally) to Kamino. (Edit, I hadn't watched the video until that point before making the comment: 4. Palpatine can send Padmé away "for her safety", so she can't oppose the use of the clones in the senate. I never considered that before)

[@starlighter93]

@@mariozehren4666 I can agree with what you said. What I meant by "happened naturally" is that I doubt Palpatine told Dooku to tell Jango that when the Jedi evetually capture his colleague, Zam, be sure he kills her with a specific type of weapon that is manufactured only on Kamino so that the Jedi can find the planet. :D

[@mariozehren4666]

@@starlighter93 Yes of course, I agree. I didn't mean to imply that. Even Sheev couldn't make plans that fine-grained (and if he could, it would be rather stupid). :D But I'm sure he was pretty confident on a general level that if the Jedi were to track down Jango, they would eventually find some trace that leads them to Kamino.

[@occam7382]

@@mariozehren4666, Palpatine is the type of guy who has his elaborate plans, and then his backup plans, and then backup plans for his backup plans, and when all else fails, he knows how to just wing it.

[@DarthKhai1991]

33:01 attack of the clones was my first Star Wars movie as well. It was such a cool experience to have that seismic charge sound literally all around you in the room. I’m very thankful my mom was willing to take me there, even though she didn’t really understand the Star Wars obsession.

[@trevorwinn5012]

I'm so glad to hear you give Attack of the Clones the love it deserves ! I agree with you 100% on it being one of the most underrated , over hated movies of all time ,

[@DertBagg]

But it’s awful.

[@HalfEatenMedia]

Great video you made here. I know it takes time to put together 1 hour videos but I must encourage you to continue. Keep up the good work

[@curthagens]

Thank you so much! Really appreciate it ❤️

[@Br0ku]

Seeing the Phantom Menace in theaters was a dream come true as that was my first Star Wars film I saw when my parents got me a VHS tape of it for Christmas. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen that movie, but to see it in theaters with a bunch of other people and hearing everybody laugh at the jokes, smile in awe at the action, and even see the tears at the end with Qui-Gon’s death was a pure nostalgia trip. Looking forward to watching this video.

[@curthagens]

I sooo badly wish I could’ve seen it in theaters, but I was just a little too young. Attack of the Clones was my first

[@steevrawjers]

After 25 years it still holds up

[@vgrepairs]

Did you guys know the theatrical cut (also released on VHS) is drastically different than the DVD and bluray /disney + ensuing versions?

[@MaxRamos8]

Everyone hates it because they want a han/Leia romance when George Lucas himslef said it was like medieval times where a knight would try to woo the princess. That PLUS Anakin's rough childhood in slavery makes him akward around padme since he never developed those crucial emotions through puberty. And he was more relatable to me a kid with ADHD and Autism, I also struggle with emotional queues and didn't date. GL explained that he wrote anakin to be a tragic character like Oedipus Rex. I love the prequels BEFORE any memes came out of it. Episode 1 establishes the setting of royalty, anakins troubled past, and Sidious' long term plan. Episode two was the mideval romance/star crossed lovers, explained the clone wars, and a lot of world building. Episode 3 is the Greek Tragedy, a very poetic movie. Shows us Anakins fears, Palpatine's evil ambition, obiwan's attempt to save his brother. I find it wierd that people mock the Vader "nooooo" scene. To me it made PERFECT sense as Vader realizes the consequences of his actions, and that he has nothing to return to. Star wars was always a high fantasy setting, the way GL directed them in HIS vision was Artistically sound. I wrote my graduate essay in English on comparing ROTS to other Greek Trajedies, that made me respect GL SO much more

[@Jessica-wo6px]

Well, of course it would be different. Han/Leia made the hero's journey and were triumphant(until the ST ruined it), Anakin/Padme are supposed to be more tragic and Anakin is not supposed to be a carbon copy of Han.

[@harrybottero6756]

That’s so cool. Would it be okay to ask to read ur grad thesis?

[@edenglass3098]

love that explanation!!! Thank you, I have many a time comapred rots to a shakespeare, and I will forever stand by that!! Anakin is a tragic hero and the level of distrust and sadness and passion all boils over the top to a thrilling culmination

[@weeaboobaguette3943]

"Palpatine playing 4D chess with himself" Totally agree ! Playing with yourself is great !

[@spearfisherman308]

He did it against the Jedi.

[@horatiocarrillo2176]

I'm old enough to have seen the originals in the theater, and these days, and I've come to enjoy the prequel era more than the original time frame.. Anakin has long-since supplanted Luke as my favorite character of the saga. I walked out of Episode 3 in 2005 wondering if I'd just seen the best of the Star Wars saga. I'm now sure that I did. I just wish we would have had at least 4 parts (if not 5 or 6) back then, while Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor were the right age for the parts. Clone Wars had a lot of great stories to tell, which could have been condensed into some real quality between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

[@servus_incognitus]

Anakin is a much more complex and in depth character then Luke. The same is true for the Prequels vis-a-vis the originals true, of course, so your position is quite sensible.

[@Vladimir_Lootin1]

Finally, a fellow AOTC enjoyer! I always loved the grand ideas behind this movie, even if they weren't always presented perfectly. A sci-fi take on Romeo and Juliet's star-crossed lovers. Anakin's tragic and confused emotional state leading to dark tendencies. The building tension of an inevitable war, with uncertain motives, being uncovered by Obi Wan. Then all that tension finally explodes in the last act and we see hundreds of prime Jedi fight side by side in a literal gladiator arena! And so much more, thank you for this video!

[@Grivian]

I remember how awesome it was to see Attack of the Clones in theaters for the first time. It was so cool to see an adult Anakin doing sick jedi movies. The incredible Coruscant chase, the bar scene, the battle of geonosis, the yoda fight.

[@indigo22284]

The floating the pear 🍐 over to Padme … shows Anakin’s cavalier approach to using the Force to his advantage in ways he feels he can justify to himself. I always really loved that moment and was always so frustrated whenever I tried to explain why to my friends who would always blow up in anger and never let anyone suggest an opinion different from their own

[@Grivian]

@@indigo22284 I always liked Anakin casually using the force, something we don't see any jedi do otherwise. But back in the day when I discussed this scene with my friends they didn't like it because Anakin didn't act "jedi like"

[@Nordy941]

I definitely had no idea Palpatine was the emperor and and until I watched it again did I even realize that the senator from Naboo in Ep 1 was the same guy in 2 & 3 who became the emperor in the originals. I was a teenager when it came out and I remember when I rewatched them on vhs and put it all together.

[@katyatheruski]

I have always ADORED the Prequels, particularly Revenge of the Sith. You make excellent points in this video.

[@carlgrimeseyepatch27]

I will fight for respect for the Prequels for life! The storytelling, as you mention, is amazing and just blossoms from Phantom to Revenge. Watching these over as an adult and seeing the foreshadowing of Anakin’s fall from the very beginning is just so good!

[@andrewhelm2813]

While no one film could possibly deemed to be flawless...the prequel trilogy comes pretty darn close! I watched Star Wars back in March 1978 - that film and the other two parts of the original trilogy will always have a special nostalgia for me...but the prequels have *so* much more depth to them. George Lucas should have been applauded for sticking to his guns and making the movies *he* wanted to make, and revolutionising the way films were made in the process. I can't understand all the utter contempt his work regularly receives by prequel haters on KZbin.

[@Damon-xf4kt]

Jealousy!

[@Fancy_Lebowski]

First time I heard the first Seismic Charge in theaters I was like "Yeah! Guitar chord!", the second Charge I believe I did an air guitar strum.

[@minitzonthesun]

I still have my ticket. May 27th 1999. My brother and I saw the phantom menace after chugging 3 beers each in the theatre parking lot. I saw every prequel movie in theaters high and drunk. 😂 I was 17. I loved every minute, I remember every minute and when I watch these stupid movies today, my soul lights up like it did those nights we got to go together. My brother was the man.

[@GGBlaster]

I find it amusing that, in a universe with a supernatural energy field connecting all living things, people can’t seem to fathom Padme dying despite being physically healthy. 😂

[@Hamentsios10]

This video represents a large group of people who can't put their thoughts into words when challenged with defending the prequels. Yes they have flaws, but they're Luca's vision accomplished.

[@candacegertrudeflynn7026]

The Star Wars prequels are some of my favorite movies of all time and I will stand by that

[@TKinfinity01]

Ive gone through a few phases with the Prequel Trilogy. Phase 1: Initial viewings and childhood - Watching and loving them as a kid with multiple watches under my belt. Phase 2: RedLetterMedia Era - Their videos almost made it cool to hate on the prequels and the criticisms aren't unreasonable for the most part. Phase 3: Prequel Memes and Post Sequel Trilogy Era - I am now enjoying these movies once again with a newly added view. I appreciate them for all they are and can understand they are not perfect. In a way, their imperfections have made them more timeless throughout the past few decades. Not only with the memes and quotable lines, but with the political intrigue that I can now appreciate and enjoy as an adult. All in all, my love for these Star Wars movies has only gotten stronger over time. I am glad they are getting the recognition by the fans they deserve.

[@fundhund62]

You stopped enjoying the films because of RedLetterMedia? 🤔

[@TKinfinity01]

@@fundhund62 I was a lot younger and more suggestive. Now that I am older I am less so and have more confidence to have my own opinions.

[@xadalau9758]

For me it is the same.

[@Humbertusmarius]

I was 16 in 1977 when Star Wars came out. I never understood the hate towards the Prequels, which I love. To me there are only seven Star Wars movies; The original Trilogy, the Prequel Trilogy, and of course Rogue One.

[@servus_incognitus]

Six*. Rogue One had nothing to do with the creator of Star Wars.

[@jw_gojifan19]

But Rogue One is at least an entertaining film and doesn’t insult its audience

[@jamememes4114]

"I know a lot of people who actually didn't [know that Palpatine was the emperor]" Man. I feel old.

[@werewolfofmandalore]

25:02 Palpatine didn't want anyone to prematurely discovered The Clones, Dooku deleted the records and assumed Sifo Dyas's identity to ensure the project continued without issues. At that point in time The Clones are only known to Darth Tyranus and Darth Sidious, the war in AOTC begins on Geonosis as they planned. Equally the duel at the end was also planned. Or at least the duel between Tyranus and the duo. I think unexpectedly Yoda showing up threw Tyranus off but he had instructions to not kill any of them. A theme which would be his downfall in Episode 3, toying with Anakin under instructions and believing in the fantasy Darth Sidious blinder him with.

[@moogs5992]

When you said that duel of the Fates may not be the best OST in these movies, I was so hoping that you were talking about across the stars. I hope to walk down the aisle to this fucking song one day man

[@gr-8166]

Better cut the track right before the horns start playing the battlefront Galactic Conquest track. Or else some of your mates will start saying, “please select a fleet to command!”

[@Dexter037S4]

@@gr-8166 Still hoping we get the Project ACES Sound Team remix one of these days, please Bamco, do a Star Wars Ace Combat game.

[@gr-8166]

@@Dexter037S4 if Namco and Team Aces work on that… I’d buy 10 copies 👀

[@Pocketkid2]

The podrace in episode 1 is not only the most captivating scene in star wars, it's one of the best scenes in all of cinema.

[@rgoodwyn]

Lol this was beyond hilarious. Thank you, you have made my morning 😅

[@collectorman101]

I was born in 1998. I grew up with the prequels, and the Clone Wars, so a lot of it is probably definitely Nostalgia, but I think episodes 7-9 being so bad really makes the prequels look better, I also didn't grow up with the Original trilogy so to me all Star Wars was good(1-6) plus the lightsaber fights were so high paced and high stakes

[@cowboys8897]

The phantom menace is pretty good, not perfect by any means but good nonetheless. Attack of the clones is also really good but revenge of the sith is fantastic

[@curthagens]

Agreed!

[@Adrenaline4P]

I saw ROTS when I was 13, & when he shocked himself, that’s when I learned Palpatine was Darth Sidious lol

[@gr-8166]

My dad actually was caught off guard when that happened. He did not expect it to be the same person, keep in mind he’s not watching it with that much attention on the audio because English is his second language.

[@BlackMaleSpirituality]

I originally thought that Sideous somehow took the place of Palpatine sort of like how that one G.I. Joe villian took the place of the president.

[@Lj_Redd]

you understand these movies better than anyone I've seen

[@gr-8166]

Look up Rick Worley. There’s a video he made on criticizing the prequels as well as three other videos called “Star Wars Quoting other movies”, Star Wars in an unironically sense is experimental cinema. Star Wars is the end game buildup and celebration of 100 years of cinema. While in front of us we have a beautiful space opera saga, we also have iconic cinema with shot recreations like Buster Keaton and Fall of the Roman Empire. Even the battle sequences in 2 and 3 are direct shot compositions inspired by DW Griffith. Look up the battle scenes in The Birth of a Nation (1916) and compare the shot composition with the Battle of Geonosis. People keep mocking these films but Lucas is right, they’re media illiterate.

[@SquidmanJones]

I was lucky enough as a kid to never have made the connection that senator Palpatine was Darth Sidious. So when it was revealed that he was the evil one it blew me away. When I was a kid the fact that he was evil wasn't apparent to me until it was unavoidably obvious near the end. I actually thought he was one of the kindest characters in the movies because of how nice he was to Anakin, so it was an emotional and very gripping experience.

[@tritone11]

So glad someone finally says this about AOTC. I can only wholeheartedly agree.

[@Bondrewd_The_Based]

Thank you. I hate how actors catch the hate from "fans." They're doing their job. Criticize the writers and studio if you dislike Jarjar or young Anakin.

[@gr-8166]

It’s actually endearing why Jar Jar was even named that. Apparently Lucas’ son Jett Lucas (Youngling Zett in Episode III) would name cars as Jar Jars and he found it funny. Lucas created these things and it was the studio that told him the franchise will be dead if he went with this decision. He phrased it like this, “I went to the studio and said, ‘I want to make a Star Wars movie about Darth Vader...”. The studio loved the idea, until I finished my sentence, ‘as a child’”. I actually never got mad at the film as a kid, although I’ll be honest when I say Jar Jar was very unwatchable to my eyes, I never liked his character design, after my teen years I still laugh at his antics. If anything the Clone Wars show made me a bit happier because there is more Jar Jar content… yes I’m being unironic here.

[@Bondrewd_The_Based]

@@gr-8166 you know, I feel the same about TCW. Jar Jar was much better there.

[@gr-8166]

@@Bondrewd_The_Based the only negative I had with his was the two poo jokes. Never was a big fan of that type of humor in anything, I guess it comes from my dad’s humor box who finds Mel Brooks annoying and his humor beyond idiotic. 🤷‍♂️

[@Dexter037S4]

@@Bondrewd_The_Based Phil Lamarr really put his all into the role after Ahmed asked him to do it.

[@Bondrewd_The_Based]

@gr-8166 I didn't like that either. I just attribute it to an aspect of the film's target audience. Lucas has stated that Star Wars was aimed toward 12 years old's. Granted, he firmly believes that 12 year old's are much more complex and intelligent than we give them credit for, but he still added some childish humor to make them laugh and hold their attention.

[@prizedpear929]

I don’t normally comment on videos, but this one really blew me away. This is one of the better video essays I’ve seen recently and you deserve WAY more subscribers. I know I’ll definitely be looking forward to your upcoming content!

[@nicklang6798]

I thought Paptine was going to kill Sidous because I've always heard he killed his master 😂

[@KristopherPrime]

Anikan probably would have been trained better under qui-gon than obi-wan, I agree. He had already become attached to qui-gon as a father figure, but metaphorically got dumped onto the uncle or brother who hates his guts. People are more willing to listen to those they subconsciously see as a parent figure. Add to the fact qui-gon took a more caring-yet-stern approach with anikan than obi-wan did.

[@Jessica-wo6px]

Yep, he better respected Qui-Gon as a master than he did Obi-Wan.

[@jameshancock2309]

I’ve always viewed Obi-wan and Anakin’s relationship as that of brothers, but with a father that died so then the older brother has to take on a father-figure role as well. They had a dynamic that was muddied and confusing for the both of them. The Prequels are underrated and got so much undeserved hate from purists. Rewatch Hayden’s performance in the garage after he returns with Shmi’s body. There is just SO MUCH raw emotion there, a young man pushed past his breaking point. Anger and rage mixed with guilt and regret. They just needed that LotR treatment with about double the screen time so we could get Al the story we needed.

[@Jessica-wo6px]

Hayden is a better actor than he was given credit for.

[@prollymarkus]

perfect timing - just forced my partner to watch the six first films and was discussing how much i love the prequels. my parents, who were there for the release of new hope, highly prefer the originals. it’s interesting that there seems to be a split in age with people who are okay with the prequels (since the sequels removed hatred for them) and people who love them

[@SavouryGalette]

I also love that the prequels didn't just delve into _how_ Anakin became Vader, but also _why_ he became Vader. It makes him a much more compelling and likeable character without diminishing his evil throughout the franchise.

[@EddieBloecher]

While initially I was a bit disappointed with Episode 1 on opening night , it did grow on me after a few more viewings. Now I am in minority about Attack of the Clones but to this day it's one of my absolute favorite Star Wars movies Revenge of the Sith was a bit depressing but nessesary. I do not and have not understood the prequel hate. Especially for Attack of the Clones, where we finally get to see real Jedi doing Jedi shit. Pardon my Huttese there lol. I so appreciate your video and great viewpoint on the beloved prequels. I am a Star Wars fan since 1977. Great video Brother!

[@jordangordon2350]

The sound design in Phantom Menace especially, such as John Williams score and the podrace, is some of the most amazing sound design ive ever heard in a film. I noticed it recently because we watched it in surround sound at home

[@jaieregilmore971]

I agree I say the prequels trilogy is the most unique era in the Star Wars saga especially the multimedia project the comics,books,shows and games got me hooked in the days. The romance with Anakin and Padme was purposely awkward Anakin has no experience with women or romance he not Han Solo or Lando but at least their love grown through out the story it make more sense over that Reylo nonsense in the Disney trilogy. As for the Jedi of this era I like them flawed but no knightly order is perfect I think Anakin benefited more if he was trained by Mace Windu at least having father figure for him while Obi wan is a good teacher later on he was not ready at the time.

[@Jessica-wo6px]

Agree with Anakin and Padme and most of what you said.

[@anglishbookcraft1516]

What a well-made video from such a small channel. Your takes are spot on.

[@I_am_Gaith]

Well said man! I was a little older than you when the prequels came out, but as an awkward teenager when AotC came out, I didn’t feel like Anakin’s awkward dialogue felt out of place. If anything it made me relate to him even more, as I could see myself putting my foot in my mouth when trying to talk to a girl I liked. And I can’t agree more on your thoughts on sound’s importance to the storytelling. The seismic charges is one of the coolest sound designs in all of cinema.

[@QuintetMagician]

DUDE I recently just watched the prequels for the first time, and Attack of the Clones was like a breath of fresh air after the first one. I was excited, I was hyped up, I loved the battles and the acting way more. It was kickass. It may still be my favorite of the three, I was just so pleasantly surprised.

[@masterturtle-duck]

This is an awesome video. You really hit all the marks for why the prequels are my absolute favorite. Can’t wait to see more from you! 🤘

[@curthagens]

Thank you so much!

[@OfficialRaveBlitz]

The Prequels are absolute masterpieces of film! I will defend these films to my dying breath!

[@BigMoTV]

Amazing video. Now I need to rewatch the prequels. It’s been awhile.

[@tvs2108]

Brilliant video, thank you for reminding me what a special place in my heart these movies have. AOTC is also my favorite of them, but after completing Clone Wars and other medias, ROTS hits so hard it is hard to keep eyes dry.

[@GediRitter]

About the Jango death scene: Not only did Jango try to get away but Mace actually KNEW that! He saw it before it happens, as jedi tend to do and therefore hit higher than he would normally have. Both of them were surprised the jetpack didn't work. Mace didn't want to kill Jango. That's why he looks so confused and so high up because he was expecting to disarm a flying Jango not to decapitate a standing one. I really really like this detail!

[@reecefullerton4252]

The world building and storytelling of the prequels is unmatched

[@dontmindme1025]

Im also a prequals fan myself. I love the way the whole movie foreshadows anakins falls to the darkside and the many creative alien settings throughput starwars. I do think it gets too much hate even for things that really shouldn't be too much of an issue.

[@lilacdragon17329]

Just wanted to comment that i appreciate this, among the billions of other videos that only focus on the negatives, it was like a breath of fresh air

[@joshuawilliams7734]

What I think is really wonderful about the prequels is even though the execution of some ideas that George Lucas had like in regards to Anakin being a ten year old in the first film instead of a teenager is kind of an odd choice but when it came to the end of that sequence where Anakin is told by Qui-gon that he's going become a Jedi and he's free and hes's very excited but then he asks 'what about mum?' That is incredibly powerful. It may not have meant much to the adults at the time but that moment where jake lyold cries and says he couldn't do it because he didn't want to leave his mum, I thought George Lucas you are a genius because that scene still manages to make me weepy even to this day. But I think the whole trilogy has stuff to appreciate. The death of anakin's mum in attack of the clones was so well done. I love how hayden christianson lowered his face in sadness and when he looks up he gives this very sinister scowl. Also I want to mention in regards to that scene John Williams' score during that moment was masterful, somewhat showing his whirlwind of emotion from being bitter and resentful, to be having sadness and then anger. I'm reading the novelisation of Revenge of the Sith right now and I don't usually like film novelisations but this one is one of the best its by Mattew Stover and he does a brilliant job with the story that George Lucas laid out beautifully. Any fan of the prequels deserves to give this book a read and I would also recommend the star wars The Clone Wars series on Disney plus its amazing.

[@st.thomasreporter9350]

I think the big thing with midi-chlorians that leads to people not liking them is a sort of dualistic idea that the spiritual is necessarily "de-mystified" when it interacts with the physical. It doesn't seem like George Lucas views it this way, and I think his view seems to be a healthier understanding of how the physical and spiritual interact. As a religious person, I deeply believe the physical and spiritual profoundly interact in distinct ways, yet never separate ways.

[@P8nplays]

The fight between obiwan and anakin is the best fight scene in cinema period when it comes to the epicness and the stakes.

[@MorgothsBalrog]

Uhhh, no.😂😂😂

[@edugarcia1808]

I was in Naboo today and can confirm it is beautiful

[@ericgeddes3353]

I saw the OT on video and loved it. But these were the first new ones to be released in my life time. I still own the original six. This was my Star Wars.

[@martinrangecroft9971]

I love the prequels. I have ended up watching them more than the OT. Whilst I acknowledge the OT are objectively better movies, the prequels reveals themselves slowly and bear up to repeat viewings so well. I watch them all the time, I'm obsessed with them. I say this as a 48 year old who grew up on the OT.

[@americansoccerunited]

I also grew up and love the prequels. I liked the love they started to get from grown up fans like myself (and after the disaster of the sequels) in recent years but it seems the hate is swinging back sadly. I've seen a lot of "why the prequels are still bad" videos being made in response to the re release of The Phantom Menace.

[@Damon-xf4kt]

I luv the prequels so grateful that their having a revival.

[@pendragonsxskywalkers9518]

Great analysis! ❤‍🔥❤‍🔥❤‍🔥 Also - I too believe that Padme met her end because of Palpatine's machinations on life energy.

[@michaelsupak7436]

I am an OT guy! Was in the exact same situation as you, I was a child and Empire was my first movie experience that I remember. My dad took me to A New Hope but I do not remember because I was 2. I have grown to love the prequels and I love the fact that Star Wars can command the love of generations of people. I don’t hate on the sequels because in the long run, this may be this generations favorite! Well done! Subscription earned!

[@NATESUCKSATGAMING]

Dooku as a character is always so great because there are so many layers to him. It's one of the few great parts of episode 2. I always figured that he was against all the corruption in the Republic which is why he joined the separatists. But hes not really down with the sith

[@WhyDaRumGone]

Whats not to love about the prequels; Cohesion, Pew Pew, Awesome characters, Humour for kids (Jar Jar), Meme worthy Dialogue!

[@sfkeepay]

A spirited and thoughtful defense. While I disagree with some of your points, you’ve won me over on others. Earned my sub. Nice work.

[@curthagens]

Awesome! Thank you so much ❤️

[@israelhammans7329]

Really enjoy this, especially your take on ep II I had the Lego bounty hunter pursuit set as a kid I was crazy about

[@DarthKhai1991]

6:32 I remember as a kid I didn’t realize senator Palpatine was Sidious until episode 2

[@chriskrahn]

Great video

[@curthagens]

Thank you! ❤

[@chaosmos24]

6:05 Is it brilliant foreshadowing when it is as subtle as an explosion?

[@lgtrex1116]

Jake Lloyd's mom actually came out recently and said that Jake never had any idea people were mad about his performance. Jake had some issues later in life because of family reasons and some stuff that ran biologically in the family. It's just fake news that Phantom Menace ruined his life.

[@youngcanuck5397]

I always appreciate the prequels getting some love. Great video man

[@bp6942]

As a young teenager when Phantom came out, who was already a huge OT fan, I think the negative reception of the prequels is due to that a lot of the boomers watching the prequels forgot they were children/teenagers when the OT came out. Most of the stuff they complain about with the sequels is also true of the OT, they were just horribly cynical adults at the point. Younger audiences like me felt bullied into not liking the sequels, and eventually just internalized the terrible criticism of the jaded adults, in order to fit in.

[@mokithepepe2454]

24:50 my theory is that he was planting tons of little seed like these that are really hard to follow back to kamino so that when the jedi finally went there they dont suspect that they were intentionally led there

[@pergos1]

Yes, Sidious did want the Jedi to find Kamino. However, he had Dooku erase it 10 years ago to help ensure that it wouldn't be discovered until the time was right (which is when the movie begins). During Attack of the Clones, Sidious sets things in motion to lead the Jedi to Kamino AND to Geonosis. First, he ok's the "Assassination Attempt" on Padme (quick note he is NOT actually trying to kill her as seen by his next move). Next, he assigns our two Jedi friends Anakin and Ben. The next "Assassination attempt" is botched and one of the assassins is killed with a very particular dart that very conveniently (as in this was around the time frame Sidious was wanting the Jedi to start looking for and discovering Kamino) leads Ben to Kamino.

[@flaminggmonkeyss]

attack of the clones really kind of does feel like a bit of a romantic epic the more I watch it

[@Irose_YTBE]

Out of all the 3 it's the one I rewatch the most because it's such a strange and unique piece of work....

[@28vasko]

Because it is my friend

[@wizard_of_poz4413]

I stg I think they screwed up what they were supposed to edit out and what needed to be left in

[@EddieBloecher]

It's my favorite of the 3. For me it's right up there with The Empire Strikes Back. Not a popular opinion to be sure lol.

[@pendragonsxskywalkers9518]

@@wizard_of_poz4413 I think the biggest mistake was putting scsne when Anakin argues with Padme in Naboo Royal palace, instead of one when he goes with her to meet her family. For setting out love arc it would be better show Anakin more calm around her. I understand why she fell for him - he made her feel free and she was strucked by his honesty and being unapologetic - but judging how many people have problem with understanding this, there would be bit better to cut out scene when he yells at her and show one additional of them bonding together.

[@starlighter93]

There are two version of the Cato Neimoidia story. The canon one is in the beginning of the last story arc in The Clone Wars series. You can check it out easily. Before The Clone Wars series, there was a novel from 2007 titled Labyrinth of Evil which served as kind of a prelude to ROTS. I don't remember exactly as I read it probably in 2008, but Obi-Wan and Anakin got separated during a fight against battle droids and the room Obi-Wan was in was filled with some kind of gas which made him act like he was drunk. He still held his own, though. Later, the gas left the room, but Obi-Wan was still affected by it and Anakin joined him against the droids. Which he interpreted as he saved Obi-Wan. But from Obi-Wan's point of view, it was an embarrassing moment for him, yet he wasn't in need of saving.

[@curthagens]

Ohhhh interesting

[@occam7382]

"The canon one is in the beginning of the last story arc in The Clone Wars series. You can check it out easily." Wait a minute... I thought they were on Yerbana at the beginning of the Siege of Mandalore arc?

[@starlighter93]

@@occam7382 Is it? I'll be honest I didn't know for a fact what planet they were on, I just assumed looking at the architecture that it could be Cato Neimoidia. ... Okay, I just checked, it is in fact Yerbana. Sorry, for spreading false information. :D So then, the only story about what happened on Cato Neimoidia is actually from Labyrinth of Evil. That simplifies things.

[@occam7382]

@@starlighter93, nah, you're cool. That story from Labyrinth of Evil is pretty wild, though.

[@starlighter93]

@@curthagens Hi, I've come back with newly acquired information. A novel published in 2022 titled Brotherhood also tells an adventure on Cato Neimoidia that can be seen as the canon version of what happened there. Although the writer said that he loved Labyrinth Of Evil and fans can still view that Obi-Wan talks about that incident in the movie and that version and this new story can co-exist. I just got my hands on Brotherhood so I don't know yet what this story is about.

[@RamenStains]

Mid way through the vid and i have to say i agree with this so much. Funny thing is the more I know about filmmaking and the more great filmmakers delve into the more I appreciate these movies. the only major problem i have with them is that the dialogue can be extremely clunky at times. I also love how many risks george took with this trilogy. He made it a prescient and cutting political commentary which only becomes more relevant as time goes on. Truly spectacular

[@MimMdance]

Unpopular opinion: Give it a decade or two more and Attack of the Clones will almost feel like a classic movie of old Hollywood Golden Era. I am not saying it is as great as such films were, but hear me out here. Portman's beauty, Padme's outfits, and Across the Stars alone will be enough enough to creare that feeling. And then there is all the rest. It is such a pleasant adventure flick.

[@godsoneus]

Gotta say....this is so well written and articulated. You made so many points that I've long agreed with. Especially regarding the acting. I honestly believe Lucas achieved what he was looking for through Hayden. Yes, it's not perfect all the time, but I believe many people just missed the point. You've summed things up so well and been honest about it. Nice to see something presented in an intelligent and open and genuine way.

[@grxzy7950]

As a kid I realised sideous and palpatine were the same people the week of ep 3s release and was so pumped to see if I was right

[@kimmypfeiffer9130]

i have come to love the force dyad theory ...that padme gave up her life force to anakin for him to live so his children could redeem him...that she sacrificed herself so he would not be eternally damned...

[@JankyJacky]

You nailed it man

[@Random_alias_JP-tl5xz]

It is tragic to me every time I watch E1-3 when I realize, that if Mace Windu hadn't hesitated when he overpowered Palpatine, the galaxy would have had relative peace for a long time and the Jedi order would have had a chance to reevaluate their ways.

[@occam7382]

Mace was never gonna kill Palpatine. Only Anakin could do that, as that was the prophecy. Had Anakin been there when Palpatine intitially went nuts on the Jedi sent to arrest him, things might've turned out differently.

[@IsaiahSmith-rd8jk]

Great long form review and breakdown of some amazing nostalgic movies I grew up with! Love hearing all your thoughts and opinions on each of these movies. I loved Hayden too and it was amazing seeing him again in the Obi wan show whenever we saw him😵‍💫 and he was great in the Ashoka show 🐐

[@tomnorton4277]

Hayden's one of those actors who actually gets better the more you analyse him. His eyes alone are incredibly expressive.

[@Subzerobyrd]

I loved the prequels growing up considering I saw them before the OT phantom menace was the first Star Wars movie I saw at 6 yo, I’ve definitely only grown to appreciate them more over the years as well as the OT I don’t understand people that say the OT looks dated in terms of effects I think for the most part those practical effects hold up you forget half of those backgrounds are matte paintings, and the prequels did a great job of showing the Jedi and republic at the height of their power,

[@rodrigohernandez225]

rewatched the prequels with my gf the other day who was watching it for the first time. Similar to the notes in the video, we both became invested in the politics and Shakespearean storytelling of the prequels while also having fun with the amazing music, sets and memability of the films, especially revenge of the sith. glad to see more prequel love especially after the sequels, maybe we can make those non canon one day like they did with legends

[@noahtheslash]

Fun fact about the line "his fate will be the same as ours" All 3 of them ended up dying on a Death Star (before somehow, Palpatine returned of course).

[@williamstormo2922]

I know that’s such an awesome detail

[@dean.mcmxcvi]

I never really got into the online discourse surrounding Star Wars.. was just an avid fan of the original two trilogies. So finding out within the past two weeks that the prequels were widely hated to me is like breaking my brain. I had no idea 😭 the prequels have always been my favorite. Great vid! Edit: in a lot of ways I feel like the prequels are pretty camp … and that’s a lot of what makes them so fun! I know now that people complain about the ‘politics’ but it’s like ….. there’s gotta be a base storyline here it can’t just be three hours of guys waving and clashing flashing glow sticks at each other 😅

[@chaosmos24]

1:31 "small stuff" : proceeds to describe the most important asoects of any film

[@CompComp]

I absolutely love that KZbin recommends smaller channels now. I love the prequels and love this video!

[@keyseronthewire]

The Prequels are layered genius. They actually have more depth than the OT imo... The symbolism, the thematics, the lore expansion, the art design, the saber duels, and the emotional tragedy of Anakin Skywalker is the most compelling arc imo as well... Revenge of the Sith is my all time favorite Star Wars film. Attack of the Clones is 💯 the most underrated Star Wars film. The Mace and Sidious fight had to have Mace win because Anakin wouldn't have been put in the situation to turn as well... I think Palpatine went full force at the start of the fight but was just figuting Windu long enough until Anakin showed up, knowing he'd show up. He speaks to Anakin while he's impatiently waiting in pain. In the original fight, Palpatine actually singes Mace but Kit Fisto is there to help protect Windu from a killing blow. Nic Gillard was the original one to stuntman that fight. Windu overpowered him in saber combat later because Palpatine wasn't going all out so while Mace wins fair and square like George said... Palpatine definitely more powerful than him. Mace is a level 8 according to Nic Gillard and Palpatine is a 9. I will say too that imo, Obi-Wan vs Anakin is the best duel with Duel of the Fates being a close second... The Obi-Wan vs Anakin was just more emotionally charged because of their connection and how they know each other so well they're nearly perfectly balanced. Plus, it's on a lava planet so you can't get any better than that. To try and answer your question about the Kamino records etc... If the records were present before Palpatine's plans have come to fruition... Things would've been ruined. The imminent threat of war prompted the need for an army without any drawback or hesitation... If there wasn't threat of war, the army creation act would have never been considered and the clone army would've never been accepted. That's how I see it. Since you're a genuine fan of the Prequels, you should really check out Paul Duncan's The Archives 1999-2005... It dives deep into everything about the Prequels and the overall meaning behind Star Wars in general and its truly a treat to see what George has to say in retrospect.

[@skywalkerhendrix]

I've been seeing more and more love for AOTC and I've been saying it for years! It's the best one. Now I love ROTS as well but Attack is just star wars at its most fun.

[@marcelzdrahala8095]

Im glad Im not the only one who likes the prequels. And yeah the political aspect of Star Wars is something Ive come to enjoy over the years too.