Countdown to Star Wars Episode VII, pt 5: Which trilogy to watch first, Episodes 4 to 6 or Episodes 1 to 3?

(image courtesy of sodahead.com)

One major debate amongst aficionados of the Star Wars franchise is the one that seeks to clarify which of the two trilogies should be viewed first: Episodes 4 to 6  or Episodes 1 to 3.  Episodes 4 to 6 include A New Hope (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and The Return of the Jedi  (1983). This trilogy was the one that introduced the Star Wars franchise to the world in a major way.  This trilogy tells the tale of Luke Skywalker and his band of adventurers, which included the charismatic Han Solo, as they joined the rebel alliance to defeat the Galactic Empire. The Galactic Empire was led by the Emperor Palpatine or Darth Sidious and his principal enforcer Darth Vader.  Darth Vader is the father of Luke Skywalker and  Princess Leia and his story became very important as the trilogy progressed  because it was discovered that he was once a Jedi knight who was very strong in the ways of the force until he was seduced by the dark side. Luke eventually rescues Vader’s corrupted soul from its abject subservience to the wily yet physically weak emperor.  Vader’s story,  especially his relationship with Luke,  becomes the emotional backbone for the big picture story in the first trilogy  that was concerned primarily with the warring factions of  the rebel alliance and the Galactic Empire.  Vader’s story also assumes a larger significance as it is a reminder  to many who have watched the films in the Star Wars franchise about the consequences of succumbing to the dark side that includes fear, anger and aggression. This takes us to the next trilogy,  Episodes 1 to 3, which include The Phantom Menace (1999),  The Attack of the Clones  (2002) and The Revenge of the Sith (2005).  This trilogy is set years before the events in Episodes 4 to 6 and chronicles from an emotional point of view how Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader and his love for Padme from the planet of Naboo. How Anakin becomes Vader takes place when the old republic was transformed into the Galactic Empire as a result of the political maneuverings of the Sith lord Darth Sidious who was senator Palpatine from the planet of naboo who eventually became Chancellor of the Republic and then Emperor of the Galactic Empire. Episodes 1 to 3 also chronicle a golden age for the Jedi Knights and their all powerful council that dominated affairs in the galaxy before they were destroyed with the rise of the Empire. The relationship between Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin, his apprentice,  is also developed. It is also made clear that the force flows strongly through Anakin and he is supposed to be the chosen one that will bring about balance to the force.

So which trilogy to watch first? Well since George Lucas added Episodes 1- 3 later it’s probably clear that episodes 4-6 are the ones to watch first. Even then that still depends on your own perspective. If you read the history of how Star Wars (1977) came into being it becomes clear that Lucas never imagined a episodic element and made it up on a whimsical basis. Sifting through many ideas until he found one that stuck. There was nothing set in stone originally.  He only added Episode 4: A New Hope to the original Star Wars film in the 1981 re release. This is because when The Empire Strikes Back premiered in 1980 the opening crawl said that it was Episode 5. Lucas then felt that in the 1981 re- release of the original Star Wars film it should be branded as Episode 4: A New Hope.  It’s all the same with Episode 6: The Return of the Jedi which was originally titled The Revenge of the Jedi.  To be fair Lucas originally considered episode 6 to be title The Return of the Jedi but the title was considered weak or soft by Lawrence Kasdan. Lucas eventually stuck with the return of the Jedi after the brief switch to The Revenge of the Jedi. The historical record for the first trilogy clearly shows that Lucas was making this up as he went along. For instance it was not clear if Vader was to be Luke’s father. One must bear in mind that Lucas did not have a blueprint like a comic book or a novel and so it makes sense that he had to consider all the possibilities that would make the story work on its own without seeming to be derivative.  One of the great things about Star Wars as a blockbuster  franchise is that it got the full treatment as a series of films that were then adapted to other medium. A lot of the major blockbusters today are based on novels or comic books. This is one reason why the Star Wars franchise and Indiana Jones are so great. The Fast and The Furious franchise also deserves a lot of credit as well. 

When Lucas made Episodes 1 to 3 he had a much clearer idea of how he wanted the story to be told particularly from an episodic point of view.  Well these episodes were not well received critically apart from The Revenge of the Sith. These episodes were visually more advanced in terms of CGI but these images appeared to be very plastic at times. The live models of the first trilogy were not utilized much and so a real live quality was missing from this trilogy. This trilogy is also very heavy with historical exposition regarding the details first revealed in the first trilogy. A lot of gaps are filled out but there are some inconsistencies. For instance Qui-Gon is not mentioned in Episodes 4-6 as Obi-Wan’s former master or chief instructor. In that trilogy Yoda is referred to as  Obi-Wan’s former master. Also in The Empire Strikes Back Obi-Wan seems to have forgotten that Luke had a twin sister and had to be reminded by Yoda. By the time of The Return of the Jedi he has all the details about Luke’s sister. To be fair something must have sparked him in A New Hope to entreat Luke to go on the quest to help the princess after receiving her message. At that moment he should have remembered because he certainly remembered about Luke. The clone wars are given some treatment in Episodes 1 to 3 and must have been considered a major battle based on how it’s referred to in A New Hope. Although Episodes 1 to 3 were not well received critically this does not mean that all was lost. Episodes 1 to 3 are stronger than Episodes 4-6 when it comes to understanding the Star Wars galaxy. The political maneuverings of Palpatine that eventually brought  an end to the republic, that lasted for thousands of years, and the Jedi council. The republic was built on democratic values but eventually became a tyranny in the form of the Galactic Empire. Lucas must have read The Republic by Plato.  Episodes 1 to 3 are also very effective in showing how the Sith were able to infiltrate the republic and destroy it from within. In terms of those political elements Episodes 1 to 3 are very effective and make the Star wars galaxy seem very grounded.  These episodes are pretty weak on the dramatic side but very strong on the side of exposition and in providing a lot of detail about the various types of beings  in the galaxy and how they came together in the Old republic. The exposition had to be done well or one could never understand how the Galactic Empire was formed and how Vader eventually came to the forefront to lead it alongside the Emperor.

From a dramatic point of view Episodes 4 to 6 should be viewed first. In terms of a strict historical basis then clearly Episodes 1 to 3 should be viewed first. Both trilogies are dramatic based on how the events lead to the end of something grand. Episodes 1 to 3 are more sinister and heartbreaking as it leads to the formation of the Galactic Empire whereas Episodes 4 to 6 are more hopeful as it leads to the end of Empire and the return of the Jedi in the form of Luke and Leia and the formation of a new republic. Episodes 4 to 6 however take on a  different form that makes it more relatable. In that trilogy all the great orders have been swept away. The Jedi are seen as mystical legends of the past and war is fought with laser blasts on the ground and in the air. When you watch Episode 4 it seems more adventurous in that regard. The lightsaber is featured and there is one duel between Darth and Obi-Wan but the core of the action is not about that. The core is about the rebel alliance vs. galactic empire.  In Episodes 4 to 6 the light saber duels are isolated from the major action that is taking place. It takes on a very personal or emotional touch especially between Luke and his father, Vader. One thing that becomes clear though is that it does have an impact on the larger battle because to lead the galactic empire with such a firm hand for many years required someone strong in the ways of the force. Being strong with the force would allow that individual to be able to oversee everything in the Galaxy. So the death of the emperor in Episode 6 must have been  considered a major victory especially when one considers the power at his disposal and that he was a Sith lord. The death of Vader and the Emperor brought an abrupt end to the Sith order.

So in Episodes 4 to 6 the story is more relatable. Yes, Luke eventually becomes a Jedi knight but a large part of the action in that trilogy wasn’t about wielding light sabers. In that sense it had to take on a more relatable edge. It becomes an adventure about regular people that get swept up in the war for the galaxy. At the end of that trilogy Luke is the only Jedi because Leia did not receive any training. The Jedi do embody the values that were sacred to the old republic  and so their return probably means that there are people  that will be able to lead the new republic from a good perspective. In Episodes 1 to 3 however the lightsaber duels dominate the action. There are so many jedi knights around that their presence becomes commonplace. The Jedi are revered and respected and their presence is uneasy for any that would seek to do something evil.  Episodes 1 to 3 seem more like a golden age. It’s very bright and glitzy with all these worlds to explore. The CGI becomes overbearing at times.  Harmony seems to be  the norm until the Sith infiltrate and take over. The look of Episodes 4 to 6 suggest that the golden age in Episodes 1 to 3 is gone even if you watched the former first. 

This is always the case based on how we live. From we are born as individuals we always hear of the great past or the legends (good and bad) that paved the way for us. Whenever we hear about these distant personalities or events it takes on an almost mystical air. As a young person when you encounter those people that either witnessed or took part in the great events of the past you are awed and hold them in great esteem but you do acknowledge that times have changed and these people seem more like fossils in statue or street name forms. It’s only when you get older that you try to understand this great past that has shaped you and your community. You hear the stories about people dead and gone and so the credibility of those stories can be clearly questioned until you encounter an aged person that  was there.  This is what will happen in Episode 7. From that perspective I do think watching Episodes 4 to 6 is much easier because it does take on a more relatable outlook. The outlook that most of us can relate to. You’re born into this world hearing about legendary people and events from long ago and only gradually do you come to learn the history of it all. Episodes 4 to 6 have a certain immediacy as there is not time for tales of legends or for things long gone. The immediate aim is for the rebel alliance to defeat the galactic empire. The more you fall in love with the Star Wars universe the more eager are you to know the history of it all and this is when you watch Episodes 1 to 3 that took place before.  After watching Episodes 4 to 6 you come to realize that the Galactic Empire that replaced the Old republic is gone and so a new republic must be constructed from the ashes.  There is a certain element related to how we live; out with the old and in with the new.  The old is based in a historical prism and did have an impact on the present but it does not have the immediacy of building something new.

So for me it’s Episodes 4 to 6 first and then, at your leisure, you watch Episodes 1 to 3 in order to learn the history of it all. In the past the mystical or grand elements seem to be more commonplace than in the present.