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Post #1485738

Author
Spottyfriend
Parent topic
What is Your Preferred Watch Order, and Which Versions (Fan edits/official releases)?
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1485738/action/topic#1485738
Date created
25-May-2022, 1:56 PM

Personally, this is me (assuming I have to watch all the live-action, theatrical releases):

‘Phase 1’
Star Wars (4K77 or Despecialized)
Empire Strikes Back (4K80 (when released) or Despecialized.)
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (octoroxx’s ‘Sanded Down’.)
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (HAL9000’s ‘Labyrinth of Evil’.)
Return of the Jedi (4k83 or Despecialized.)

‘Phase 2’
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (HAL9000’s Cloak of Deception.)
Solo: A Star Wars Story (Theatrical/Bluray)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Theatrical/Bluray)

‘Phase 3’
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Theatrical/Bluray)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Theatrical/Bluray)
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Theatrical/Bluray)

If I’m doing a marathon, I have a little break between phases. Phase 2 is skippable, especially since I don’t like Solo at all.


Phase 1 - Star Wars
Experience the story of Luke Skywalker, his journey from farm boy, to war hero, to Jedi Knight. Witness the shattering revelation that Luke’s own father is the dark lord Darth Vader, the man who was once Anakin Skywalker. See Anakin’s tragic fall, and his final redemption at the hands of his son.

[This is the ‘main story’ of Luke Skywalker, with a delve into the prequels to answer all the questions we are left with at the end of Empire. This is the classic Machete Order.]


Phase 2 - Star Wars Stories
How did Anakin, powerful Jedi and dark lord of the Sith, come to join the Jedi order? How did the Rebels acquire those fateful Death Star plans? How did Han and Chewie come to meet? In these films, we delve into those areas of the Star Wars universe unexplored by the central films.

[If I want to watch all the films, this is where I put the odd ones out. It effectively distances those with different tones (Solo, Rogue One) to the saga films, and it means you don’t have to derail the Machete Order by watching Episode I. It also puts a bit of distance between the ‘main story’ and the Sequels, which reckon with the originals in a way that is more impactful if a bit of time is spent between 6 and 7. ]


Phase 3 - Star Wars Legacy
After the destruction of the Empire, tales of heroes and of the force have faded into myth. A new threat presents itself, and new heroes must reckon with the legacy of the old.

[I personally don’t like TRoS, and can happily end with TLJ as a ‘and some stay the battle continues today - the light will always resist the darkness’ kind of ending. I’m looking forward to Lifeincontext’s The Last Jedi: A ST One-Film Edit as a very promising solution to my Sequel problems.]