This gives the original films a whole new dimension of thematic power, and is another reason that for me the PT and ST trilogies don’t exist in the same universe as the OT.
I’m going to get off topic here but I want to say that I think this point reminds me of something I’ve always felt about Star Wars. The OT really is its own little universe, the way the story is told, the tone, the characters, etc. It feels like its own realm which no other Star Wars film or EU material has ever been able to match for me. Within the trilogy themselves even, the movies are so distinct and unique in their own right and I think this adds to the feeling for me. They are all different but unified. The thematic elements of the OT mixed with their visuals and characters is something else.
I totally agree. The OT really does feel like it’s on an island of its own relative to the rest of Star Wars. That’s part of what makes it special. The one thing I can think of that comes closest to the OT in tone and style is the Thrawn trilogy.