Star Wars: Prequel Trilogy vs Sequel Trilogy – Face Off

The vast Star Wars universe is currently enjoying a major renaissance on the small screen with the widely-praised live-action Mandalorian series, a successful salvation from the pit of Sarlacc for Boba Fett, the long-awaited return of Jedi legend Obi-Wan Kenobi in his own series, plus various other animated shows littered across Disney+ with more on the way. Therefore, it’s high time we dive in head-first, lightsaber in hand, to reassess the two theatrical trilogies that bookend the classic trilogy to see how they fare with attempting to not only expand upon the Star Wars universe, but also please a demanding, rabid fanbase. Easier than beating a Wookie at holochess, right? Haha, wrong! 

Is there a movie franchise that exists today that polarizes its fanbase more than Star Wars? Maybe there is. To some, James Bond has lost his edge, Star Trek movies have stalled while the TV shows like Picard still hold relevance amongst its core fanbase, the MCU has consistently knocked it out of the park since Iron Man was released back in 2008, but doesn’t seem to have a clear vision — no pun intended! — as to where to go now that Thanos is gone. Perhaps it’s up to Indiana Jones to prove that a beloved franchise can satiate fans still traumatized from seeing Shia LeBeouf out swinging monkeys in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, by delivering a kick-ass fifth (and final?) outing for the distinguished archaeologist. One can only hope. 

The classic Star Wars trilogy is not without its detractors, specifically pointing to the “special editions” and controversial revisions. Despite these misgivings, it still holds a special place in the hearts of many movie fans all over the world, and cinema was revolutionized from the moment that huge, seemingly never-ending Star Destroyer rumbled across screens at the beginning of A New Hope way back in 1977. So, when the prequel series (The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith) was announced in the early 90s, along with a subsequent sequel trilogy (The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker) from Disney announced in 2012, could they possibly live up to the inevitable hype, and which one succeeded in doing so the most, if at all…? So grab a glass of Bantha milk and try not to force-choke your subordinates because there’s only one way to find out: FACE OFF! 

This episode of Face Off is written by Adam Walton, narrated by Shawn Knippelberg, and edited by Adam Walton. Let us know in the comments which trilogy you prefer – the Star Wars prequels or sequels!