[screams in the void said:]
I have a new order to recommend: the Spoiler Order, one that preserves the famous “twists” of the franchise for longer than either the Release Order or the Machete Order.I am curious to hear others opinions on this…
I watched a YouTube video recently that made a good case for watching chronological vs release order. Almost everyone knows of the famous “I am your father” line at this point, even non-fans, which works against the biggest reason to suggest release order.
It was a real treat watching it with someone who didn’t know the line see it for the first time.
But even if you know the twist it’s still better to do release order in my opinion. Going from Return of the Jedi to Phantom Menace is much less jarring in terms of technology and visual aesthetic compared to going from Revenge of the Sith to Star Wars. The prequels also have a lot of in-jokes, callbacks, and “coming full circle” moments that don’t mean anything unless you’re already familiar with the original trilogy. That’s how it works even if you’re just listening to the music, there’s a lot of leitmotifs that are references to themes that were already developed elsewhere.