Let’s face it; the worst idea was to do prequels. They should have done sequels way earlier. Ford, Fisher, and Hamill would have been younger and more convincing as action heroes, and Lucas would probably have respected their input.
I doubt Lucas would’ve respected much of anything. An ST made in the '90s would’ve been preferable to the schlock we got in its place, but only if Lucas left the writing and directing to persons with actual talent and humility.
Lucas has talent, but yeah, the humility had disappeared by the 90s.
He HAD talent, certainly. Somewhere between 1977 and 1997, it evaporated. I see very little artistry in the “shot reverse shot” cinematography of the PT, and absolutely none in the kludgy alterations to the OT.