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What do you think is the most underrated Star Wars story?

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This can be a movie, series, book, game, whatever. I’m sure we all have at least one Star Wars thing we think deserves more credit than it usually gets, so, here is the place to highlight it!

Of course, it becomes pretty complicated because it’s difficult to determine what the general opinion on something really is - it all depends on personal experience and I guess also what portion or smaller community of the fandom you’re in. But let’s do our best anyway.

Anyone who has seen enough of my posts on here probably knows that for me, it has to be Star Wars: Rebels. I still think the series is the golden standard for character development and is the best Star Wars TV show we’ve had so far. I always see lots of praise and attention for scenes involving Clone Wars characters (the Ahsoka vs Vader duel and the Ben vs Maul duel are the two most viewed Rebels clips on YouTube, for example) but not as much for what they achieved with the new characters. Still, most of the overwhelming love for TCW today comes from the people who grew up watching the series, and I think we’re starting to see more and more of that for Rebels as well. Maybe soon enough it’ll be overrated, who knows?

I’m very curious to see other responses. Fire away.

“Remember, the Force will be with you. Always.”

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Most underrated? I’d say the story mode on Star Wars: Battlefront II. It’s interesting seeing the Battle of Endor and the destruction of the second Death Star from the side of the Empire. Iden Versio has a great story. There’s even a prequel novel, Inferno Squad, but I haven’t read it yet.

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I actually haven’t played any of the Battlefront games, but I’ve read Inferno Squad. It’s very, very good, especially if you’re a fan of Rogue One. Very similar vibe and some connections to the movie.

“Remember, the Force will be with you. Always.”

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jedi_bendu said:

I actually haven’t played any of the Battlefront games, but I’ve read Inferno Squad. It’s very, very good, especially if you’re a fan of Rogue One. Very similar vibe and some connections to the movie.

I’ll have to check it out then.

I’m not a big fan of the Battlefront style of play. It’s very popular, but just not for me. I picked it up because I saw it on sale for $8 on either Black Friday, Star Wars Day, or something like that. I think it regularly goes on sale. I think the story mode alone is worth it for that price. Most people don’t care about that mode, and just get it for the online play.

Have you read Lost Stars? It takes place during the original Trilogy as well. I highly recommend it. One of the best Star Wars books I’ve read.

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Rodney-2187 said:

Have you read Lost Stars? It takes place during the original Trilogy as well. I highly recommend it. One of the best Star Wars books I’ve read.

Not yet, but I’ve heard so many great things I definitely will - I’m partly building up to it by reading other Claudia Gray books first!

“Remember, the Force will be with you. Always.”

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Dark Force Rising.

I’m not really that much of a movie purist. I really should’ve thought my name out a bit more.

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The Star Wars Purist said:

Dark Force Rising.

I agree. A lot of people call it a more bland ‘getting from A to B novel’, and I understand where that’s coming from, but I personally loved it. It also introduced one of my favourite SW characters, Garm Bel Iblis.

“Remember, the Force will be with you. Always.”

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I’ve always had sort of a soft spot for Phantom Menace. I like the underwater city, the pod race and the duel of the fates. I liked Obi Wan. I liked Qui Gon, i didn’t hate Anakin in it like other people did. I liked Padme leading her people in secret as her handmaiden. I didn’t mind the slapstick of Jar Jar or him playing the fool/sidekick.

For me its the most enjoyable of the prequels.

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Genndy Tartakovsky’s 2003 Clone Wars series.

It is mad, fun, highly stylized, and is canon (before Disney said it wasn’t in 2012, which doesn’t mean much to me). It also feels very Star Wars, despite not being anything like it in that universe before. It is not for all tastes, but that is okay too.

I think Tartakovsky did an awesome job with the series, and is a bit of shame we had to wait until the recent Star Wars: Visions anthology series to see anything this different again.

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Riquendes said:

Genndy Tartakovsky’s 2003 Clone Wars series.

It is mad, fun, highly stylized, and is canon (before Disney said it wasn’t in 2012, which doesn’t mean much to me). It also feels very Star Wars, despite not being anything like it in that universe before. It is not for all tastes, but that is okay too.

I think Tartakovsky did an awesome job with the series, and is a bit of shame we had to wait until the recent Star Wars: Visions anthology series to see anything this different again.

I hadn’t thought of the 03 Clone Wars as underrated, but now that you mention it, I agree. It doesn’t get nearly enough recognition from fans these days. It really is something special.

But we can’t turn back. Fear is their greatest defense. I doubt if the actual security there is any greater than it was on Aquilae or Sullust. And what there is is most likely directed towards a large-scale assault.

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The Darth Vader Dark Horse comics: specifically Darth Vader And The Lost Command, Darth Vader And The Ghost Prison and Darth Vader And The 9th Assassin.

I’m just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe.

Star Wars has 3 eras: The eras are 1977-1983(pre Expanded Universe), (1983-2014) expanded universe, or (2014- now) Disney-bought version. Each are valid.

Important voice tool:
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I have to agree with you, jedi_bendu. Rebels is certainly underrated. I don’t love it as much as The Clone Wars but I do think it’s up there as my favourite content of the Disney era. I love how it expands on the Force with Bendu and The World Between Worlds. I also love seeing Darth Maul as a Dark Side master. His death at the hands of Obi-Wan truly made me cry. I never thought I’d cry with him but I did. The Ghost crew is great too. I love how each of them play a role and have different strengths and weaknesses. All and all it’s a fun watch with some good wisdom here and there. I think it helps that Dave Filoni has so much admiration and respect for George. I feel it truly shows. Same with the art design being inspired heavily and taken from Ralph McQuarrie. It is pretty cool to see.

I will also add a vote for Attack of the Clones. It’s not a perfect film but I think over time it’s become one of my favourites in the series. The film is more about the atmosphere it creates and less about the narrative. It’s the calm before the storm. There’s so much going on beneath the surface. Some of my favourite things are how the planets all contrast different and similar ideals. Coruscant has grown commercial, Tatooine is wretched hive of scum and villainy, Kamino is dehumanizing, Geonosis is manufacturing, and Naboo is still idealistic and idyllic. You see it with the gungans conversing with each other outside of the palace. They found their place with the surface dwellers after the Battle of Naboo. They live in harmony and as one society. I love the subtle nods like how Padme tells Anakin she’s relieved her term as queen wasn’t extended. This is contrasted by Palpatine who is staying in office long after his expired. There’s also Ki-Adi-Mundi calling Dooku a “political idealist” while years later we have Obi-Wan call the Clone War an “idealistic crusade”. The Clone War was just that. It was a war rooted in different ideals and beliefs not being able to coexist. It’s interesting seeing really how the Separatists in a lot of ways are the Rebel Alliance but on opposite sides of the spectrum. Plus there’s how the arena is more or less the Roman Colosseum and Anakin is more lead by individualism than Luke later on.

All and all, it’s the little things. It’s a film about what you feel and not so much I find what you think. It’s more quieter and reflective like The Empire Strikes Back. It’s a film about the contrasting of the idealist and realist.

I also recently bought the DVD as I loss my disc two with bonus features years ago. I love the scenes with Padme and her family. I wish they had been included in the film but I understand why they were cut.

“Heroes come in all sizes, and you don’t have to be a giant hero. You can be a very small hero. It’s just as important to understand that accepting self-responsibility for the things you do, having good manners, caring about other people - these are heroic acts. Everybody has the choice of being a hero or not being a hero every day of their lives.” - George Lucas

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Some really interesting answers in here, thanks guys.

I actually agree AOTC is underrated. It feels strange saying that, because for the longest time it was my least favourite Star Wars movie (only dethroned by TROS). I still find it awkward to watch at times, and think parts are badly done, but there are MANY aspects of the basic story premise I think are fantastic. Mixing a romance plot with a detective plot in Star Wars, culminating in an epic display of visual effects in the climactic Battle of Geonosis, is great and I’ve come to respect the movie a lot more than I used to. It’s a very imaginative way to set in motion the rise of the Empire.

I think a lot of my distaste for it in past years comes from the visuals. I think both Coruscant and the interiors of Kamino looked too futuristic in the movie, but I’ve gotten used to those portrayals.

“Remember, the Force will be with you. Always.”

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jedi_bendu said:

I actually agree AOTC is underrated. It feels strange saying that, because for the longest time it was my least favourite Star Wars movie (only dethroned by TROS). I still find it awkward to watch at times, and think parts are badly done, but there are MANY aspects of the basic story premise I think are fantastic. Mixing a romance plot with a detective plot in Star Wars, culminating in an epic display of visual effects in the climactic Battle of Geonosis, is great and I’ve come to respect the movie a lot more than I used to. It’s a very imaginative way to set in motion the rise of the Empire.

I think a lot of my distaste for it in past years comes from the visuals. I think both Coruscant and the interiors of Kamino looked too futuristic in the movie, but I’ve gotten used to those portrayals.

It was near the bottom for me too. There’s definitely some awkward moments here and there but they don’t bother me really too much. They mainly come I find in the beginning of the film when Anakin and Obi-Wan are talking about Padme when she’s asleep but things smooth out from there on out. I like the mixture of romance and detective story too.

That’s fair. I think one thing I love about the designs of both parts of the film is they’re direct homages to THX 1138 and American Graffiti.

Of course Mel’s Diner and Dex’s Diner too but I couldn’t find pictures of the exact shots I was looking for. There’s a lot of thematic and similarities between the films. In a lot of ways American Graffiti is the last night of innocence before the Vietnam War as Attack of the Clones is the last days of innocence before the Clone War. In THX 1138 they’re manufacturing their own repression. Just as in Attack of the Clones they’re doing the same thing.

The list of mirroring goes on and on and on. There’s a through line between all of his films. George didn’t change as much as I think people believe he did.

“Heroes come in all sizes, and you don’t have to be a giant hero. You can be a very small hero. It’s just as important to understand that accepting self-responsibility for the things you do, having good manners, caring about other people - these are heroic acts. Everybody has the choice of being a hero or not being a hero every day of their lives.” - George Lucas

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The most underrated Star Wars story? Four words: Clone Wars Multimedia Project.

I actually agree AOTC is underrated. It feels strange saying that, because for the longest time it was my least favourite Star Wars movie (only dethroned by TROS). I still find it awkward to watch at times, and think parts are badly done, but there are MANY aspects of the basic story premise I think are fantastic. Mixing a romance plot with a detective plot in Star Wars, culminating in an epic display of visual effects in the climactic Battle of Geonosis, is great and I’ve come to respect the movie a lot more than I used to. It’s a very imaginative way to set in motion the rise of the Empire.

I definitely agree. I think Attack of the Clones is the most underrated movie in George’s hexology.

«This is where the fun begins!»
(Anakin Skywalker)

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Riquendes said:

Genndy Tartakovsky’s 2003 Clone Wars series.

It is mad, fun, highly stylized, and is canon (before Disney said it wasn’t in 2012, which doesn’t mean much to me). It also feels very Star Wars, despite not being anything like it in that universe before. It is not for all tastes, but that is okay too.

I think Tartakovsky did an awesome job with the series, and is a bit of shame we had to wait until the recent Star Wars: Visions anthology series to see anything this different again.

+1

General Grievous was much more compelling as a villain. And we got introduced to Asaj Ventress.

“It is only through interaction, through decision and choice, through confrontation, physical or mental, that the Force can grow within you.”
-Kreia, Jedi Master and Sith Lord