Hi guys! I’m new here and wanted to talk about the only reason Star Wars still occupies my mind to this day: the prequels. I don’t hate them, at all. I also don’t love them. But I like them enough. Enough to often wonder if a certain tweak could’ve changed how we felt about them.
I guess I fall within the millennial category, and my Dad never got into the Star Wars hype when he was young, so when I wanted to watch Star Wars as a kid, he didn’t know better to steer me away from the prequels. In fact, he told me I was lucky to be a kid now since I could watch them chronologically (he knew that much)! So the first Star Wars movie I saw was the first installment of the prequel trilogy, the Phantom Menace (I had no idea what that meant and it was a real turnoff at first (it sounded real nerdy)).
The only bad part I remember was Darth Vader not showing up in the first 2 movies, but that’s the only thing that kept me going. I didn’t care about Yoda or the lightsabers that much. That’s why episode 3 got me pumped, but I had to skip that one since it was 2004 and it wasn’t out yet. So I started watching the original trilogy. That’s when Star Wars got good. But keep in mind, the difference between a good movie and a bad movie to a kid is attention span. Unlike the prequels, my attention did not waiver with the originals. I was sill hooked certain moments in the prequels, but I was actually interested in the originals. The best moment from episode 4 for me was seeing Obi-Wan because I immediately recognized him and felt such shock. What happened to the young guy from episode 2? Why is he hiding in a desert? Then episode 5 came and the real surprise hit me; Darth Vader is Anakin. Wow. Did not at all see that coming. Huge twist, especially since I saw what he was before. That’s just some insight on how a millennial grew up with Star Wars. The prequels didn’t ruin everything for us. In fact, they lowered our expectations, which in turn made the originals even more awesome. I feel sorry for the guys who had to watch the originals than the prequels. That must’ve sucked.
Growing older and looking back at the Prequels is different for me since I grew up with them instead of the originals. All I can see is the potential, still untapped. The only reason I still think about Star Wars, is because I’d like to figure out if certain parts of the prequels could’ve been tweaked enough to enhance the Star Wars saga. I’ve seen all these “What if they were good” videos, but I don’t think the answer is laying in a new foundation. Sure you could do that, but it’s unnecessary. Just certain things need to be changed, not the entire story. In fact, I think the underlying plot of the prequels is much more entertaining than the original trilogy. That’s why I find this frustrating! I’m going to present my ideas on how small tweaks could greatly enhance the Phantom Menace, a good movie that is boggled down by trivial elements. I would love to also hear everyone else’s ideas as well!
tl;dr
Tell me what small changes could’ve been made to the Phantom Menace that would’ve greatly enhanced the Star Wars Saga