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"Chewie, we're home..."
With Star Wars: The Force Awakens coming out in a few more days, what better way to prepare for the new film than to re-watch the entire Star Wars saga and relive the moments, the adventure, the experience when you traveled to that galaxy far, far, away... And what better time for you to introduce the Star Wars universe to your loved ones, friends and buddies who have never watched Star Wars in their lifetime. Maybe you're one of those who have never watched Star Wars and hoping to catch up on the previous films before watching the upcoming one. Where do you begin? Well, just get the DVDs or the Blu-Rays and start from the first episode, right? Or did you know that the first Star Wars film was released in 1977, while the first chronological episode was released in 1999, so where do you actually begin?
Most older fans would probably suggest the Release Order, which is, as the name suggest,it's the order of the episodes as released in movie history.
- Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
- Star Wars: Episode V -The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
- Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Newer fans would probably watch the saga in Chronological order, as was packed in the complete DVD or Blu-Ray set, and most young fans would tell you it's basic maths and would clearly want to start from the first episode to the last. It's the order that George Lucas, the creator and director of Star Wars would want you to watch.
- Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
- Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
- Star Wars: Episode V -The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
"This is going to be easy..."
As movie-goer and a Star Wars fan at heart, I strongly recommend a different viewing order for the ultimate Star Wars experience for new-timers and old-timers.
- Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
- Star Wars: Episode V -The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
- Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
This is, by far, the best viewing order and I promise you that you'll have an awesome experience!
From here on out, I'll be discussing why I think this is so and I'll be mentioning a whole lot of spoilers. So, if you haven't watch Star Wars before, I would suggest you stop reading here and pop in your DVDs or Blu-Rays and get on with the Star Wars Marathon with this recommended viewing order. Come back here and read the rest of the article once you're done.
If you're a Star Wars fan and wishes to introduce Star Wars to a newbie and requires a little more convincing about this order, then perhaps I can seduce you to the Dark Side.
Let's move along now, shall we?
Here are my FIVE reasons to watch
Star Wars in the Machete Order
REASON 1: A BETTER INTRODUCTION
Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, being the first in the in-universe timeline, would make sense to be the first film to watch in the series if you're using the chronological viewing order. However, this episode fail at so many levels as a movie. Critics would tell you how bad the dialogues are, how wooden the acting is, how overused the CGI are and how boring the plot is. Fans would scorn this movie solely because of one painfully annoying character; Jar Jar Binks. Apart from the epic lightsaber fights and the intense Podracing scenes, you're mostly treated with long discussion and debate scenes in the Senate Hall and in the Jedi Council. If this was your first Star Wars movie, you'll probably get bored to death or get downright confuse as to who the major players are and what the hell is going on. This film is clearly for viewers who already knew the Star Wars universe, it takes for granted that the viewers already know what the Force is, who the Jedi are and the lightsabers they use. This film was meant to expand on the history of the universe that viewers should be familiar with from the earlier released films. To begin this movie for a marathon would be an unwise idea and spare your first timer friends the long winded exposition that you'll be tempted to explain.
Episode 4: A New Hope, being the first released movie, was opened to an audience who knew nothing about Star Wars. They paid tickets to watch a sci-fi movie, which at that time, didn't fare well in cinemas. Well, those audiences left the cinemas, feeling the "Force" and were truly changed forever. Episode 4: A New Hope does a great job in introducing the basic elements of the universe, the major conflict between the Rebel Alliance and the evil Galactic empire, our main heroes; Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, R2-D2 and C-3P0 as well as the main villain; Darth Vader. This film has a simple and a more engaging plot. Who couldn't feel for Luke, a nobody given a chance to be a hero by Ben Kenobi who only to be killed by a man who murdered Luke's father? Who couldn't help but want to be that confident hotshot pilot, Han Solo flying that "piece of junk" Millennium Falcon? Who wouldn't want the hope of Princess Leia to take down the Empire, no matter the hope being as small as a two meters wide thermal exhaust port in a space station the size of a moon? Granted the visual effects aren't as great as today and the lightsaber duel are pretty slow and dull, but what this film has that the prequel lacks is heart. That made it a classic and a timeless film. It was this film that got you rope into the universe and it's this film that will get your friends there as well. It's this film you want to start with before you get invested in the characters development and story arcs in the rest of the saga.
REASON 2: PLOT TWISTS PRESERVED
One of the defining moment of the Star Wars saga is when Darth Vader was revealed to be Luke Skywalker's father. It was the culmination of the duel between our hero, Luke Skywalker who was taking his revenge on Darth Vader, who before this was told by Luke's mentor and father figure, Ben Kenobi that it was Darth Vader who murdered Luke's father. This jaw-dropping revelation was what blew viewers' mind. And it's the must-have Star Wars experience for any first timers. Who doesn't love such an epic plot-twist in movie history? It's people who pushed for the chronological viewing order, that's who!
This fantastic, awesome moment is completely ruined if you viewed the Star Wars saga in chronological order. That because you begin with the prequel trilogy, which showcase the history and the rise of Darth Vader. By the time you watch Episode 5, the revelation would mean nothing to you as you already knew that Darth Vader is Luke's father and you wouldn't be invested in the duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. Why would you want to rob such a cinematic experience? I'm also for keeping your mouth shut on such plot twist from newbies. I rather have them experience it for themselves. I just love it when I see the reaction from my friends, loved ones and family members where I see their eyes widen, their jaw drop and their minds blown, and I just knew in my heart that I just shared one of the greatest movie experience with them.
The prequel trilogy also has a plot twist, although not as iconic and memorable as the original trilogy's plot twist. The prequel trilogy centers around the downfall of the Old Republic and the Jedi Order and the rise of the Galactic Empire and the Sith Order. The main key villain in the Prequel Trilogy is a mysterious hooded figure, Darth Sidious who pushed for war with the Republic and forced the Republic's hand to give more power to the Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and develop a Clone army to battle the Separatist movement hence, sparking the Clone Wars. The plot twist is revealed in Episode 3 that Palpatine and Sidious are one and the same person, playing both sides of the conflict to secure his domination of the galaxy. It's the twist that most older fans would have missed or if you were to watch the saga in the Released order.
In the Released order, you would be first introduce to the Emperor in Episode 5. But it's only in Episode 6 does the film provide more information about the character and it's in the same episode that you witness his demise before going back in time to explore his origin story and rise to power in the Prequel Trilogy. But by the time you hit the Prequel Trilogy, you would have figure out that Palpatine and Sidious are one and the same person. No mystery of the phantom of menace there.
Using the Machete Order and with the second viewing episode being Episode 5, you get to maintain the experience of "Luke, I am you father" plot twist. When followed with the Prequel Trilogy after Episode 5, you set up the trilogy to become an exploration of the plot twist's background and you get to maintain the experience of the second plot twist of the Prequel Trilogy. This way, you preserved both plot twists, without losing either plot twists from either the Chronological Order or the Released Order.
And on the side note, you also preserve the hidden surprise identity of the "great warrior" when Luke stumbles upon Yoda on Dagobah. It's something that could be kept if you watch in the Released order and the Machete order but with the Chronological order, you would first think Yoda has gone from a wise powerful Jedi master to a completely insane lunatic. So, keep the Machete order, keep the "Great warrior" surprise and journey with Luke in discovering who Yoda is.
But here's the real winner for the Machete Order. Believe or not, you get a...
REASON 3: A THIRD PLOT TWIST!
Technically, not a new plot twist. The twist I refer to is the revelation in Episode 6 that Princess Leia turns out be Luke's sister. If you follow the Released Order, you'll learn this from a scene where the ghost of Obi-Wan explained to Luke about Darth Vader's past and who his sister is. A simple straight forward scene where all questions are answered and all loose ends are tied up.
However, if you follow the Machete order, you actually bring this revelation forward to the birth scene in Episode 3, which gives this revelation a more dramatic and impactful sense. In Episode 3; Revenge of the Sith, viewers of the Machete Order would first learn that Padme Amidala is pregnant with a child, and they would naturally assume it's Luke Skywalker. The shocking twist comes only towards the end of the film when the labour room droid informs Obi-Wan that Padme's carrying twins. Viewers will then have to speculate who might this twin sibling of Luke be. The entire birth scene is now brought into a whole different and shocking light when it's revealed to be Leia. This scene serves well in maintaining Leia's twist till the end just by having Luke coming first before Leia.
REASON 4: IT'S STILL LUKE'S STORY
One of the major issues I have with the Chronological order is that the saga has now become the story of Darth Vader. You begin with the Prequel Trilogy which tells the story of our "hero" Anakin Skywalker and with the original trilogy, you viewed it from his son's point of view. Older fans' favourite Skywalker will be Luke while newer fans' favourite Skywalker will be Anakin (especially thanks to the Clone Wars TV series). Star Wars began first as Luke's story and with the prequel trilogy released after the original, it has brought in Anakin's story. We now have two completely different story arc of father and son. So unless you removed the prequel trilogy, Luke will never be central anymore.
That can be settle with the Machete Order. By fitting in the prequel trilogy in between Episode 5 and 6, you're effectively using the prequel as a form of a flashback and flesh out the history of how everything came to be. This is particularly effective story telling. It's a tool that's being more commonplace in TV series where you begin in the middle of the story and you save an episode or two to effective tell how everything came to be before progressing on with the story (Eg. Heroes, Arrow, The Flash). At the end of Episode 5, viewers were left with a cliffhanger. You got the revelation of Darth Vader as Luke's father, the curiosity and the confusion of Obi-Wan's story of Luke's father, the question of the identity of another Skywalker, the introduction of a mysterious hooded figure whom the evil and mighty Darth Vader submit to, a peek at Darth Vader's true form behind the mask and what about Luke's mom?! Whatever happened to her? All these demands answers! What better time to explore the backstory of how everything came to be.
The Machete Order, turning the prequel trilogy into flashbacks, makes the prequels much more bearable to watch. Upon release, the prequels are only engaging because they unfold the backstory of the universe we hold dear in our hearts. Honestly, the prequels sucks as movies and they can't really stand on their own. They're anchored to the greatness of the originals and the only things worth noting from the prequels were the spectacles, the visual effects and lightsaber fights. Tacked on as a flashbacks, we get to see how everything was unfolded. You see the peaceful Republic controlled universe descend to an Imperial dictatorship, witness the tragic fall of Anakin Skywalker and experience how everything falls into place to where we were first fell in love with Star Wars. You're now ready to conclude with the episode and my final reason for the Machete Order.
REASON 5: A GRAND FINALE
Episode 6; Return of the Jedi serves best to conclude the entire saga. It's the episode in which Luke needs to face his destiny in confronting his father and resist following the footsteps of his father, the stakes are higher for the Rebel Alliance as they now have to not only destroy a second Death Star, but seize an opportunity to put an end to the Emperor as he visits the Death Star.
One thing of note in Return of the Jedi is that time has passed, you see that the untrained and foolish Luke from Episode 5 has now become a calm, confident, powerful Jedi knight. You also witness that the Empire now has the second Death Star nearing completion. If you watch the Released or the Chronological order, the illusion of time from Episode 5 and 6 seems pretty short. However with the Machete order, you give viewers a sense of a lengthy time passage between Episode 5 and 6. It wouldn't come as a shock when you see the second Death Star near completion and Luke calling himself a Jedi Knight. And this is the passage of time that was very much felt if you were the audience from 1980's who walked out from the cinema after Episode 5 ended. They had to wait 3 more years before they can actually witness the conclusion, unlike our generation where we can just pop in the next DVD or Blu-Ray.
Episode 6 also takes time to give an exposition on the backstory of how everything came to be by Obi-Wan, which is great as viewers of the Machete Order can now relate to, after having watch the prequels prior to Episode 6. Yoda and Luke's scene would also have a new emotional layer to it after you have invested in Yoda as a character in the prequels. You probably understand full well what Yoda meant when he says:
"Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny."
"Luke... Do not underestimate the powers of the Emperor
or suffer your father's fate, you will."
When you finally come to the confrontation between Luke and Darth Vader, Machete Order viewers would have now been invested in both Luke's and Anakin's story. The stakes feel a lot higher than when you watch the series in either Chronological or Released Order. When you hear Luke tells Vader, "There's still good in you." You remember Padme's last words. When you see Luke's saber clashed with Darth Vader's, you recall Anakin's saber clashed with Count Dooku's. You witness Luke's going down the same path as his father... until one decisive moment. Instead of striking Vader down, Luke tossed his lightsaber aside, refusing to kill his father and embrace the dark side. This led to the Emperor unleashing his deadlyForce-lightning upon Luke. With Vader watching his very own son about to die, viewers will remember the tragic story of Anakin and Padme from the prequels. He remembers how much he wanted to save Padme and their baby. Does all these flashes in Vader's mind? It will certainly flash in ours. When Vader decided to pick the Emperor up and throw him off the walkway, effectively killing him in the shaft, you finally understand and feel the victory in Vader's decision and the redemption of his heart. The machete order and the viewing prequels before this episode will add a whole new experiential layer to this scene. As Darth Vader once said "The circle is now complete."
Return of the Jedi: Special Edition with its additional scenes at the end and alterations done in the Blu-Ray version also serves well in the Machete Order. Additional scenes such as the Coruscant and Naboo celebration would be location familiar and significant to you if you have already watched the Prequels. The controversial change of Sebastian Shaw's head to Hayden Christensen's head would also make a lot of sense to new viewers because you have already seen Anakin's face in Episode 3. However, as for the unmasking of Darth Vader, would the Machete Order rob you of your experience of seeing Vader's true face? Not really. Before Vader was hidden under the mask, we last saw him charred from his experience in Mustafar. Viewers won't know how the passage of time has dealt with his looks from Episode 3 till Episode 6. So, it still fuels viewers' curiosity as to how Vader true form really appear by the time he ask Luke to take off his mask.
This final episode wraps up the film and the entire saga with a celebration. An end to the evil Emperor and his reign. A victory for the Rebel Alliance. A closure of our hero's journey. A high note. Something that can only be achieve in the Chronological Order (which I despise) and cannot be achieve in the Released Order, in which you end on a dark and sad note of Revenge of the Sith. The Machete Order preserves an awesome introduction and ends on a high note, effectively wrapping up the saga beautifully.
CONCLUSION
Whether it's a friend of yours or your loved ones who shared their love for Star Wars or maybe it was the will of the Force that you decided to pick up the movie, you certainly felt the Force flowing through you and it changed your life forever. So, the next time you meet that one person who haven't heard of Star Wars and he/she asked of you about it. Will you invite the person to begin the journey with you to the Alderaan system and learn the ways of the Force? Well, if I may be bold to plead you, take the Millennium Falcon, set your course through the Machete route and make that jump to lightspeed to the galaxy far, far away.
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