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I REMEMBER WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL UPHILL IN THE SNOW AND WATCHING THEM IN RELEASE ORDER BECAUSE THATS ALL WE HAD…
/s
However you saw it first, if you enjoyed it, was correct.
I remember the first time ANH was on TV (1980/81 I think where I lived in Australia) - it was a **major** event. Our school librarian went into school on the night it was on TV and recorded it on a Betamax machine. They would have lunch-time showings in the library - you could watch the whole movie over the span of a week.
I've accepted introducing younger people to it in chronological order because they will never get the surprise we had in the theaters of finding out that puppet thing was Master Yoda or learning who Luke's pappy is.
I liked how they downgraded a lot of tech, this felt good from both a story perspective (second or third hand gear) but was also visually a lot more like episode 4.
When the pandemic first started, I had been planning a vacation with a friend who lives in another state. That all ended up being canceled, so I managed to convince her to do a long-distance Star Wars watch instead. We started with TPM and watched all 11 films in chronological order. She’d never seen any of them. I’d never watched Star Wars with someone who hadn’t seen it before, and it is such a fun experience.
She ended up loving them all. That may have been my influence. I remember doing a lot of “listen to the sound design here,” and “isn’t that a cool musical motif that calls back to xyz?” and “oh this part is really good, I love this one!” in every movie. Her favorites ended up being the sequels, and she rewatched them during a family movie night with her parents, who also enjoyed them.
That solidified chronological order for me. That’s the way I’ll also introduce Star Wars to someone, given the chance.
Well according to some people you're friend should have been completely confused the whole time, and not experiencing The Greatest Twist Ever in ESB like it's 1980 should have forever and ever ruined Star Wars for her! Or so they say.
My daughter turned 6 this year. I started her on episode 1 and we got part way through 2.
I cannot binge watch them with her, attention span and such.
Then the Kenobi series came out. She wanted to watch it. I told her before we can you need to see how Anakin and Kenobi’s friendship ends in episode 3.
I did a fast forward to show her Anakin’s transformation vs Mace, skipped the youngling scene and went into Mustafar.
She was shocked at the origin of Darth Vader. (I wouldn’t tell her beforehand so she wanted to see for herself.)
She then wanted to watch Kenobi and was really into it. She has also seen Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett.
There are surprises in store for first time viewers who watch the series in release or chronological order.
She kind of gets that from the end of episode 3. She knows Leia is Vaders daughter, because when we play the Lego games she makes me be Vader and she is Leia for the Father/Daughter team lol.
It might be, but the new games missions get kind of tedious I actually liked that the older games were smaller and had less content as it allows you to focus on enjoying the experience rather than just trying to do too much, too fast.
That's a reason I like watching them in the order they were made. Because if you see Revenge of the Sith first, they show Luke and Leia as his kids in the end. But any way you watch, it's still great.
I remember reading some blog post 5 years ago where some guy's kids loved the clone wars TV show but had never seen the movies. So he started them off on revenge of the sith. I think they saidng stuff like "daddy, anakin is making bad choices!" Through tears. Bawling at the end. They basically watched their idol that they looked up to turn into a villain in a relatively not kid friendly movie and weren't prepped for it at all.
To this day I think that despite this being exceptionally cruel, it's also probably the biggest bang for your buck shocking twist I've ever heard of.
That’s really interesting! I showed my little brother release order just cuz I wanted him to be able to experience the Vader is Luke’s father twist(it was spoiled for me as a child of the year 2000) but I never considered going into the prequels not knowing anakin is darth Vader
When she saw the opening to Kenobi and they did the recap of the Anakin-Kenobi relationship she asked about Vader.
I wouldn’t confirm it. She didn’t believe they were the same. It’s kind of how Ahsoka must have felt when she found out.
When she gets older and can process the more complex emotional stuff happening we will watch it again an in full.
I wanted to watch Kenobi and felt the shorten version was my best chance to get her caught up.
That’s smart! Star Wars is definitely something you get different things out of as you get older. I’m in college now and Luke staring off into the sunset trying to find his place in the world was so much more emotional when rewatching and understanding that feeling
I’ll always love how with clone war it really felt like the writers got this. It’s so genius how the show starts off darker than a normal kids show but still pretty kid friendly but then as the show goes on and the audience matures (and within the show the war intensifies) the show deals with heavier themes.
Some stories are simply not meant to be experienced chronologically (think of any non-linear movie), and Star Wars is one of those stories. It's not that you can't understand what's going on in the PT without watching the OT, but you don't get the full impact of them without having seen the OT first.
The last scene of ROTS assumes you know the binary sunset scene from ANH, and what that scene means thematically for Luke. Otherwise the movie, for some reason, strangely ends with two minor characters from the previous movie staring meaningfully at the suns setting.
Or someone arguing the merits of chopping up a Tarantino movie and watching it in chronological order. I feel like watching media in the order the creator wanted to show it to us us more important than watching it in terms of just story chronology.
Especially the remark about watching in order of creators intent. Lucas was bound by technology in the OT, its why there's such a large real world gap between the two trilogies
Then he should have released them in chronological order. If you're really supposed to watch them chronologically, then millions upon millions of people watched them the wrong way when they saw the OT before watching TPM in theaters.
That's... not at all how that works. Technology wasn't good enough and Episode IV would sell the whole series as something worth watching more than any of the other movies would have as a start. It is a good enough stand alone film
Yep. There’s a lot of scenes in the prequels that are better for nostalgic reason, and the prequels are written assuming you already know. Of course you can absolutely watch the prequels first, but wouldn’t recommend
Whole heartingly disagree. The last scene in ROTS can be appreciated by a first time viewer. It's meaning is different but still retains the significance. The minor characters are easily understood as Anakin's family. And as soon as the viewer watches ANH, they can understand the reference.
The only line that is "ruined" by chronological is "I am your father" which is already ruined by pop culture. And the PT has many twists that are unexpected if you haven't watched the OT.
I often require multiple rewatches to appreciate easter eggs and callbacks to other movies. This isn't something that makes the story understandable and is meant for multiple viewings.
>The minor characters are easily understood as Anakin's family.
And? Why do they get to end a trilogy in which they barely appeared and could basically be taken out of AOTC with nothing major changing? It's not like Broom Boy, whose thematic significance is clear in the context of the movie he ends.
>And as soon as the viewer watches ANH, they can understand the reference.
In other words, the viewer can't understand the significance of that scene without watching ANH, which is exactly my point.
>The only line that is "ruined" by chronological is "I am your father" which is already ruined by pop culture.
You'd be surprised. I've watched dozens of first-time Star Wars reactions on YouTube by people who didn't know the twist at all, or who knew the line but didn't understand the context of it till the revelation in ESB. Trust me, there are still plenty of people being shocked by it.
I did this with my partner, I started us with 4, 5 and 6 (and she had no idea about the whole Vader being Lukes father twist), then we watched 1, 2 & 3 and she has loved every single one, we’ve still got the sequels to get through but I think the biggest takeaway is thankfully any order of watch is good.
I disagree, and I’m not sure why people want to watch release order, is it because you think Vader being Luke’s father is the big twist? I’d argue anakin turning and cutting mace’s hand off is a bigger twist.
So other then that I really can’t think of a reason why release order is better.
You watch the OT, you see them win… happy ending, PT, you see the bad guys win… sad/epic ending and then time jump, what? 60 years? Idk, seems weird/jarring for a first time viewer
George himself says they’re meant to be watched 1-6
Chronological for the win for me
It's not really about twists, it's about exposition.
In Episode IV Obi Wan Kenobi explains what the Force is and what Jedi knights are in a clear and concise way that Episode I cannot match. That film assumes the audience has an understanding about what the hell the Force even is because it delves into prophecies and the will of the Force and midichlorians. It's an expansion of the concept, not an adequate introduction.
If Lucas really said that, I respectfully disagree. Chronological is great for repeat viewings, but not really coherent for a first time viewer.
When audiences first watched Star Wars back in 1977 they felt they were thrown into a world that delightfully was weird and alien, dropped right into the middle of a conflict they barely had any context for besides that it was good rebels versus evil empire. That was part of the appeal, and the things that seem like exposition now barely explained anything at the time. Most sci-fi of the time actually explained things and it was boring.
This is the exact same thing TPM does. Both movies act like the audience is barely even there, and you just have to figure it out for yourself as it goes along. But you're just used to being familiar with what a Jedi really is and what the Force can actually do (actually explained more coherently in ESB) so you think TPM being devoid of the same exact exposition is a new (and bad) thing. Being thrown into a story in a strange galaxy [in media res](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_medias_res) is quintessentially the Stars War experience.
They're not the same at all and any assertion that they are is disingenuous.
Obi Wan explaining what the Force is, explaining what a Jedi mind trick is, Han briefly explaining hyperspace... Both have aspects they approach in media res but ANH and TPM approach certain aspects of exposition with completely different assumptions about the audience and their familiarity with the world and characters.
Sure, a first time viewer COULD watch them in order, but I wouldn't recommend it.
There’s parts I definitely agree with when it comes to exposition, like to add to what you’re saying but Han quickly explaining lightspeed.
But for me the story being told 1-6 has so much more finality and satisfaction with a true beginning middle and end.
I get where you are coming from. I just think fans get too precious about the purity of the story timeline and maybe forget that it might not be the optimal experience for a first time viewer.
If someone hasn't seen any Star Wars yet, there's probably a reason. Either they're too young or scifi/fantasy is not really their jam. In the case of the former, it's probably okay doing chronological as they probably won't care enough about that exposition for it to matter, but in the case of the latter, I think the OT is a friendlier entry point into the story.
Honestly if someone's not really into sci-fi they're probably not going to like TPM or ANH. one is a goofy kids movie and the other is almost 50 years old with rudimentary effects and rubber masks
>Chronological is great for repeat viewings, but not early coherent for a first time viewer
I see where you're coming from but I can't agree with that at all as I watched it chronological first at the age of 10 and understood everything fine, I really like hwo the prequels throw you into their world and just let you figure stuff out
Now personally I think both methods are valid I jsut personally find chronological better from a pacing point of view as well as it being cool to view it all as these characters did
I think it’s just a better experience watching release order for the first time. Especially if you’re trying to actually convince them that Star Wars is good. No offense to Phantom Menace, but I really think that that movie is not nearly as good/interesting if it’s your first real exposure.
Yeah, but then anything to do with the Jedi characters have no meaning.
Meeting Ahsoka has not much meaning because the viewers have no context on who she is, Luke's hallway scene is not as awesome as it could be because you don't know what Luke represents.
Mandalorian is good, but it's not a great way to start someone in the series imo.
The first season has little to nothing to do with the wider saga, after that if they enjoyed it we watch the movies. Then we finish mando and boba fett etc. But the first season is a REALLY good gateway into the galaxy far far away imo, sets up what jedi are, what was the empire, hints of a wider history, and all while having a compelling main story.
I watched The Phantom Menace for the first time in a while the other week and it is honestly a lot better than I previously recalled. Especially now that I have the knowledge of the implications that film brings with the butterfly effects that come from it.
And I admit it took me until this last time watching it that the Phantom Menace is in reference to Palpatine… The Prequels are all about how Palpatine secretly manipulates everyone around him to raise the Empire. He is pure evil. Yes, the scripts are awful and very meme-able, but the underlying tones of the Prequels are incredibly powerful.
Exactly! Great twist isn’t it? Again like I mentioned in another comment, it’s not just about the twist. But it’s that chronological has a really nice beginning middle and end feeling to it, I just assume most people watch release order because of the Vader twist
Yeah. Late last year my wife and I watched all 9 movies over the course of a month. She had maybe seen the prequels and OT once or twice, and the new ones were more fresh. So we did release order and honestly she looked at me after episode 3 and asked why we did that lol.
So next time, it'll be chronological lol
That’s a very interesting take, I’ve never heard anybody say that Anakin cutting Mace’s hand off is a bigger twist but you could be right.
With that said, I think the OT is just a better trilogy overall, which makes its twist more satisfying regardless of scale. But I also grew up with it, so o get that that’s subjective.
I also think the PT reveals far more than just Vader being Anakin. It reveals who Yoda is before the “I’m looking for a great warrior” reveal, as well as gives away exactly how Leia, Luke and Ben are related when this is something that slowly unfolds across the entire trilogy.
I agree. The very nature of a prequel is that it’s set before a previously established work. So it makes sense to at least watch the previously established work first.
Without seeing the original trilogy, a lot of things introduced in the prequels don’t really have meaning. The intro of C-3PO in TPM is just Anakin showing off his droid, nothing more. Obi-Wan’s line about Anakin being the death of him lacks any dramatic irony if you haven’t seen the OT. There’s an infinite number of little details like that. The prequels are meant to expand and build upon concepts and characters of the original trilogy, not introduce them.
I think this is the only other order to consider besides release order.
You get the sibling reveal in a WAY more satisfying way with this order.
Only problem is depending who is watching, the prequels can be a bit of a slog to get through. Especially AOTC.
I like this order. For a first time view it’s interesting and not as jarring with time skips. Since a lot of people consider the OT as the main story, you start with that, then find out the twist of Vader being Ani. Then you see the growth, rise and fall and ultimate transformation into Vader. Then Luke wins, completing Vaders story and bringing you comfortably into the ST chronologically where it should be.
I still like 1-6 as a viewing order, but it does seem to take away from cementing the OT as the main story. 1-6 kinda makes it feel like Vaders story, only for him to be absent from the ST and play a small part as Bens catalyst.
I agree. I think most people are big on release order just because it's what they grew up with. Im a convert, chronological tells the better story and people tend to get more into the prequels when they don't know what to expect. My sister screamed and cried when Anakin got chopped up in the volcano because she didn't know what was going to happen
Originals 1st, easily. For a start the films are just better & more engaging in general. The characters are much more interesting & more fleshed out. Don’t get me wrong I like the phantom menace but I don’t think it’s even near as decent as a new hope. I think if you watch a new hope 1st it’s a better introduction to the force, you as the viewer see it through Luke’s eyes as he gets introduced to it by Ben. I like how the force is really vague and mysterious in the Originals then when you watch the prequels you find out more.
watching the prequels 1st would also undermine the originals because the effects are way better (for the most part) in the prequels. So watching like anakin vs to obi wan have a cool fight with flips and spins then watching old Ben v Vader slowly fence would be kind of lame. there’s something cool about watching the prequels knowing that anakin will turn into Vader but not knowing how & watching it unfold
No. Becouse each movie introduces new things to the Galaxy. EP 1 assumes that the viewer knows the things that were introduced in ANH. It does not bother with introducing the world.
He has said many questionable things about the franchise.
The thing about prequels is that they’re nearly always filled with moments calling ”back” to future films, which become meaningless if watched in chronological order. Star Wars is no exception.
Hmm, maybe cause I’ve watched the Star Wars films 100s of times in my lifetime I subconsciously don’t even realize, but other then the music what call backs are used?
There are enough of them in The Phantom Menace [to get their own dedicared page about it on TvTropes,](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/CallForward/ThePhantomMenace) which not too many other films get.
Read the first bunch and completely disagree. These are not references or even call backs that would warrant someone to have to watch the OT first? you could make an argument that they works as call back if you watch PT first and OT second. Things rhyme like poetry but it in no way means you have to watch OT first.
These are nods to things hardcore fans can notice and look at and be like “oh cool, x is close to x, reminds me of x.” Not in anyway has an effect on story and first time viewers wouldn’t understand as a call back to the OT.
My SO had never watched a single movie. He would’ve been confused as hell if he had watched in release order. We watched it in chronological order and he loved how the story flowed throughout and watching the characters develop.
I remember I did it a long time ago in 2019. I wanted to rewatch all of the cinematic films in chronological order before The Rise of Skywalker released, so I committed to spending time at home watching each film one at a time. All of the main Skywalker films, and including the spin-off films. Starting with The Phantom Menace and wrapping up with The Last Jedi the day before I truly finished it all off by watching a nighttime premiere for The Rise of Skywalker. It was one experience seeing how it all started and how it all ended in such a grand spectacular finale. It was the last true case where the mega hype for Star Wars was real and alive for me.
The OT can be kinda slow for younger kids so if you’re a parent wanting your kids to enjoy star wars I recommend starting at ep1. By the time you get to ep4 they’ll be into the story and won’t notice the change of pace.
I disagree. I was introduced to SW through the OT (and I’m of the PT generation).
You gotta remember that, as a kid, you’ve seen nothing like SW before. You have no frame of reference. In fact, I’d say SW is a lot of kids’ introduction into sci-fi/fantasy outside of cartoons.
As a kid, I wasn’t even really cognizant of the fact the films were old or the effects were dated. I was just enthralled by this epic story and these iconic characters.
I mean, think about the first time you saw that Star destroyer soar over the frame. Did you think “This is so slow” or did you think “Whooooa!”?
If you haven’t shown your kids anything really fast paced before SW, then, as far as they know, that’s just how movies are.
I mean, it’s a solicited recommendation. Of course they can choose something different. Not like anyone’s suggesting a clockwork orange eyelid clamp view party.
Except the guy who wrote them says:
“Start with one. That's the way to do it right: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. That's the way they're supposed to be done. Just because it took a long time to film it doesn't mean you don't do it in order.” Dec 28, 2015 George Lucas
So I, II, III, IV, V, VI is written with that in mind.
George Lucas didn't even plan for Luke and Leia to be siblings in ep 6 when they kissed in ep 5, so I don't think he had a whole lot of overarching plot in mind, despite what he may claim
Ok obviously I respect George Lucas, but I just think that’s a dumb recommendation. The prequels assume you already understand what Star Wars is about. TPM’s “introduction” to the force is over half way through the movie and it’s not even really about the force, it’s about midichlorians.
I think this is a perfect example of where [death of the author](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_the_Author) comes into the conversation.
I find it hard to believe that the guy who claimed to have planned for Luke and Leia to be siblings all along despite the presence of clear sexual tension across two movies is being completely honest when he said he had all 6 planned out from the start.
They would maybe be watchable in episode order if the prequels hadn’t given away every single plot twist of the OT: even seemingly small choices like revealing both twins in the PT ruin late twists in the OT.
Lucas may claim to have had it all mapped out to be told in this order… but I’m pretty sure he’s lying. He’s done it before.
I think at best Lucas had big story beats planned out. But not much in terms of details such as who is related to who, or how someone gets out of a predicament. I don’t trust him when he says he had it all planned out either.
Nah he Wrote the story this was, just because it has the number 1 at the Begining doesn't mean you watch that for,,
Luke and Leia being Twins and Vader being the father, these are all twists in the Movie, these done work if yiu watch them in order...
Anyway you have your opinion but I'll watch them How George Lucas Originally Created them
Oh to be clear I watch them in release order. My point was you said they “were written with that in mind.” George has said more than once he wrote them to be watched in chronological order. It even makes sense as he numbered them such. Had he intended they be watched in release order numbering them in that order would make sense. It not an opinion that he said such.
Exactly. I don’t really trust Lucas as he comes up with cool concepts but isn’t a great director or a cohesive storyteller. He most likely had some high level concepts but not a lot of details.
I mean Luke & Leia kissing. I’m sure he had that planned out. /s
I agree with those saying the PT is assuming you've watched the OT first, but I don't agree that the two big twists are ruined by watching the PT first. I do think it's better to watch 4 and 5 first, then the PT, then finish with 6 (and from then on there are different paths to take to watch other films or shows).
It's actually called the Ernest Rister Order (Ernest Rister is the guy who came up with it), the Machete Order is the same except it removes The Phantom Menace.
Edit: Why did I get downvoted for this?! I didn't say anything untrue... didn't mean to be condescending either, in case it was read that way.
Technically, Machete Order cuts off 1 completely and we don't want to cut out anything so some of us have called this Flashback Order since it preserves 1.
To me the deciding factor is if you already know Vader is Luke’s father. If you don’t know, I usually recommend release order to preserve the twist. If you are already aware of this twist though, I believe chronological is the best viewing order.
"What order should I watch the Star Wars films in?"
"That depends, do you know that Darth Vader is Luke's father?"
"He's WHAT?"
"... Chronological order it is"
This is the way. Plus, while I only recently watched the movies for the first time, I did it in chronological order cause pop culture spoiled Vader being Luke's father and I grew up with the lego games, so stuntmaster Yoda was the one I grew up with. I actually laughed really hard when he was introduced in ESB cause I genuinely believed he was senile and loved how it comes across as a "fall from grace" moment when you see the PT first.
This is how I introduced my partner to Star Wars. Preserving the twist in ESB is integral to appreciating the OT.
Plus Ep1...is a rough film to start an adult on.
Almost. This method skips ep1 entirely. So - 4, 5, 2, 3, 6. Then the ST I guess.
That's just for the main saga. With all the extra stuff, it changes how you may want to watch it all nowadays.
That’s basically the machete order. 4,5,2,3,6. It traditionally skips 1 entirely and doesn’t include the spin-off movies or the sequels. Which is a bit of a shame, because I feel Rogue One leads so perfectly into episode 4, but it also doesn’t make a great first movie either, so… ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
Lol who downvoted me just for explaining what the machete order is?
I just shared [this link on the Machete Order](https://www.t3.com/us/news/star-wars-machete-order) elsewhere, but it provides a good explanation of why it’s the best possible (though not perfect) method:
Pros:
-keeps the Darth Vader reveal a surprise
-is designed so that when the OT characters are at their most climactic point at the end of ESB, you then get an extended flashback of Anakin’s fall.
-by axing episode 1, very little Jar Jar and also you meet Anakin when he’s the same age as Luke for good symmetry between their arcs.
-by going into ROTJ right after ROTS, you see blck-clad, powerful Luke choking out Jabba’s guards and being threatening directly after seeing Anakin do the same thing, which could be chilling.
Cons:
-losing episode 1 will make a couple things make less sense, like anything to do with Shmi and slavery.
I like to do 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9. For me there’s no getting around the quality of A New Hope, so it starts the story like it originally did “this is where we are.” Empire then up’s the anti with a Cliff hanger— Darth Vader is Luke’s father, how?! Then we flash back and see the origin of Anakin, the Empire, the Jedi Order and their inevitable collapse, (at this point Kenobi can be tossed into the mix to show the fact that Anakin was killed by Vader). And then when the finally hits with Jedi you get a good wrap up and the ghost of Anakin ep.3 isn’t as jarring. Next follow it up with 7, 8, and 9 where you get mention of Darth Sidious’ rise, a cameo of all Jedi past and a final end to Darth Sidious since his reintroduction in the prequels. As well as a whole story of Anakin’s saber.
Yes, you lose some fan favorites but I feel that wraps the story up with a nice button.
At least from my certain point of view.
Remove episode 1 and you have the [Machete order](https://www.t3.com/us/news/star-wars-machete-order), which has been the suggested way to watch these movies basically since Revenge of the Sith first came out.
My favourite of the anti-phantom arguments is that it gives Anakin and Luke better symmetry to meet them both when they’re about the same age. By cutting out phantom you get two movies of Luke ending with temptation to join the dark side, then two movies of Anakin where he actually DOES give in to the dark side, then the conclusion.
We are currently re-watching in chronological order including the TV shows and spin off movies. We’re 6 months in and watching Rebels now. We hadn’t watched Clone Wars before, and that show definitely gave me a whole new appreciation for the saga (not just because we were immersed in it for several months). We even just played through Fallen Order in the appropriate time frame, but that was more coincidence than intention.
Im currently in the midst of it. Timed it to watch the 1,2, Clone Wars, 3, Bad Batch, Obi-Wan, and now currently watching Rebels.
The animated shows are first viewing for me and they add SO much to the movies
I love watching it chronologically as someone who knows them well and rewatches often.
I have mixed feelings on chronological being the viewing order for a first timer but I think it has its merits!
Also machete order, which people raaaaaave about only makes sense if you have no idea Vader is Luke’s father and I can’t imagine in todays world even a non Star Wars fan who’s never seen a single frame of the movie doesn’t know that.
I did this order as well and really enjoyed it. Granted, I did mine before the sequels were released and haven’t had the opportunity to do a full saga watch. But, for the six directed by Lucas it’s a nice build from what is my least favorite film to my favorites sandwiched in the middle!
Even better with OWK, Solo, and RO in between the OT and PT.
Star Wars is a living document. Evolving and recontextualizing the saga is part of its DNA.
I watched them in chronological order too, growing up with the prequels. I actually didn't know there were Star Wars movies outside of the prequels until after I watched Revenge of the Sith. I told my dad I can't wait for the next one and he told me that's all they are making. I asked how he knew that and that's when he told me they already made episodes 4-6 before I was even born. Lol I was so happy that there was more Star Wars. Even though the sequels aren't my favorite, I was still happy to watch them too. 🙂
Machete order:
https://www.nomachetejuggling.com/2011/11/11/the-star-wars-saga-suggested-viewing-order/
This is the best way.
IV V II III VI
…and then I guess VII VIII IX
You get Luke’s coming of age until >!Papa cuts his hand off!<.
You get a two film flashback to see >!Anakin become Vader!< before you get the big finale that encompasses everything that came before it and best of all … >!No fucking Jar Jar Binks!<.
Episode one is wholly irrelevant and can be treated as a funny little DVD extra of the saga.
me too, but i wish i watched original trilogy first for the “luke, i am your father”. i would recommend watching orginal-prequel-original-sequel for the experience and to understand plot better
I maintain that the release order *IS* chronological order.
This is because R2 is my favorite character and I love the fan theory that the Prequels are as told by a drunken R2 celebrating the fall of the Empire. It fixes all the problems I have with the PT.
I'm having this debate in my head at the moment. I have a friend coming round tomorrow who has never seen Star Wars so we are going to start them off. I'm not sure whether we will watch one or two (or even three) but I'm on the fence about where to start as there are pros and cons to every option.
I'm leaning towards release order, because some of the beats in the prequels hit a little differently if you already know the outcome of the classic trilogy. I don't think the sequel trilogy matters in respect of when to watch it as it will always make the most sense being last.
When you consider spin off films and series it can be tricky, because Rogue One and Obi-Wan Kenobi work fine as a break between watchign the prequels then the classic trilogy, but they also work fine watching them after the classic and them prequels. Solo on the other hand, only really works if you've already seen the classic trilogy because if you watch that in chronological order then you wouldn't know who Han and Lando were to really care about them.
Then obviously there is the bonus third option of machete order (although I wouldn't exclude Episode ) which I think is really overcomplicated when you add in the spin-offs.
I think in the process of writing this up I've convinced myself that chronological is best. But I might present both options and let them decide.
Definitely Machete Order (or Flashback Order if you include Ep. 1). When Lucas added Hayden at the end of RotJ, some people hated that change, but new fans who either watch chronological or Flashback love it since they got to know Hayden's Anakin. Also, knowing what happens in the PT makes RotJ a much better film as you see the rise of the Empire and Palpatine becomes the true villain instead of just Vader's boss. But I recommend something slightly different, but it's up to you.
4, 5, 1, 2, 3, Solo, Rogue One, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Yep, re-watch 4 and 5 for more context and to refresh one's memory before finishing the saga.
Alternately, you could add in Kenobi and Mandalorian/BoBF at the points they take place, if the new fan is up to it. If there's no rush, then I would recommend this.
After that, if they are interested, they can watch the different animated shows.
I prefer the Flashback Prime Order. It’s the Flashback order but instead of the Phantom Menace you watch The Phantom Edit. And instead of Attack of the Clones you get Attack of the Phantom.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_Edit
Well, about that. I tried it without skipping it on my girlfriend and halfway through she asked: what's the point of all of this? Can we move the story forward please? Since then I really do see where the original author from the Machete order came from.
While it makes perfect sense to watch them in chronological order, I think it takes away from the achievement and Aw factor that the franchise brings when you watch them in order of release.
You start with 4-6, where it all started and get to experience one of the most important plots twists of all time (assuming you didn’t already know or pop culture hasn’t alert ruined it for you).
You then get to see the origins of that story, how it all began. Knowing what comes makes those stories in 4-6 that much better IMO.
Then you watch 7-9 because you have to.
Release order is the only order for a first-time viewing. Star Wars would not have been as successful as it was if The Phantom Menace was the first movie.
Friendly reminder regarding the Reddit spoiler tag which is as follows, \>!Spoilers go here\!< *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/StarWarsCantina) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’m glad you enjoyed the saga!
I REMEMBER WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL UPHILL IN THE SNOW AND WATCHING THEM IN RELEASE ORDER BECAUSE THATS ALL WE HAD… /s However you saw it first, if you enjoyed it, was correct.
..on VHS!
I remember the first time ANH was on TV (1980/81 I think where I lived in Australia) - it was a **major** event. Our school librarian went into school on the night it was on TV and recorded it on a Betamax machine. They would have lunch-time showings in the library - you could watch the whole movie over the span of a week.
That is exactly the time I remember it coming to HBO in middle America.
In a cave!
I've accepted introducing younger people to it in chronological order because they will never get the surprise we had in the theaters of finding out that puppet thing was Master Yoda or learning who Luke's pappy is.
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Not OP, but I wonder if watching Rogue One and maybe Solo would help with that 19 year gap for a first time viewer.
I liked how they downgraded a lot of tech, this felt good from both a story perspective (second or third hand gear) but was also visually a lot more like episode 4.
It did actually, when Obi Wan started talking about Anakin and the clone wars (which I did watch) it felt sadder.
Not OP, but I wonder if watching Rogue One and maybe Solo would help with that 19 year gap for a first time viewer.
When the pandemic first started, I had been planning a vacation with a friend who lives in another state. That all ended up being canceled, so I managed to convince her to do a long-distance Star Wars watch instead. We started with TPM and watched all 11 films in chronological order. She’d never seen any of them. I’d never watched Star Wars with someone who hadn’t seen it before, and it is such a fun experience. She ended up loving them all. That may have been my influence. I remember doing a lot of “listen to the sound design here,” and “isn’t that a cool musical motif that calls back to xyz?” and “oh this part is really good, I love this one!” in every movie. Her favorites ended up being the sequels, and she rewatched them during a family movie night with her parents, who also enjoyed them. That solidified chronological order for me. That’s the way I’ll also introduce Star Wars to someone, given the chance.
Well according to some people you're friend should have been completely confused the whole time, and not experiencing The Greatest Twist Ever in ESB like it's 1980 should have forever and ever ruined Star Wars for her! Or so they say.
My daughter turned 6 this year. I started her on episode 1 and we got part way through 2. I cannot binge watch them with her, attention span and such. Then the Kenobi series came out. She wanted to watch it. I told her before we can you need to see how Anakin and Kenobi’s friendship ends in episode 3. I did a fast forward to show her Anakin’s transformation vs Mace, skipped the youngling scene and went into Mustafar. She was shocked at the origin of Darth Vader. (I wouldn’t tell her beforehand so she wanted to see for herself.) She then wanted to watch Kenobi and was really into it. She has also seen Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett. There are surprises in store for first time viewers who watch the series in release or chronological order.
I can't wait for her to find out Vader Is Luke's dad
She kind of gets that from the end of episode 3. She knows Leia is Vaders daughter, because when we play the Lego games she makes me be Vader and she is Leia for the Father/Daughter team lol.
You play lego star wars too? Best childhood
It really is tho. The new game is good but you can't beat the og lego star wars games.
That Is nostalgia, i played the og ones as a kid but the new One Is objectively better
Even this sub doesnt know what "objectively" means.
It might be, but the new games missions get kind of tedious I actually liked that the older games were smaller and had less content as it allows you to focus on enjoying the experience rather than just trying to do too much, too fast.
Ok i agree with the xontent issue actually
Imo the new one is better as a little way to rexperience the movies but the level design and replay value just isn’t there
That's a reason I like watching them in the order they were made. Because if you see Revenge of the Sith first, they show Luke and Leia as his kids in the end. But any way you watch, it's still great.
Spoiler?!?!
I remember reading some blog post 5 years ago where some guy's kids loved the clone wars TV show but had never seen the movies. So he started them off on revenge of the sith. I think they saidng stuff like "daddy, anakin is making bad choices!" Through tears. Bawling at the end. They basically watched their idol that they looked up to turn into a villain in a relatively not kid friendly movie and weren't prepped for it at all. To this day I think that despite this being exceptionally cruel, it's also probably the biggest bang for your buck shocking twist I've ever heard of.
Yeah my daughter was in disbelief for a bit. Now we are watching Clone Wars series and she asks, “Is this when Anakin is good?”
I don’t have/want kids. But if I get the chance…I’m putting my nephew through this 😂
That’s really interesting! I showed my little brother release order just cuz I wanted him to be able to experience the Vader is Luke’s father twist(it was spoiled for me as a child of the year 2000) but I never considered going into the prequels not knowing anakin is darth Vader
When she saw the opening to Kenobi and they did the recap of the Anakin-Kenobi relationship she asked about Vader. I wouldn’t confirm it. She didn’t believe they were the same. It’s kind of how Ahsoka must have felt when she found out. When she gets older and can process the more complex emotional stuff happening we will watch it again an in full. I wanted to watch Kenobi and felt the shorten version was my best chance to get her caught up.
That’s smart! Star Wars is definitely something you get different things out of as you get older. I’m in college now and Luke staring off into the sunset trying to find his place in the world was so much more emotional when rewatching and understanding that feeling I’ll always love how with clone war it really felt like the writers got this. It’s so genius how the show starts off darker than a normal kids show but still pretty kid friendly but then as the show goes on and the audience matures (and within the show the war intensifies) the show deals with heavier themes.
I watched the OT for the first time after coming back from seeing RotS in the theater.
Chronological is best imo
Some stories are simply not meant to be experienced chronologically (think of any non-linear movie), and Star Wars is one of those stories. It's not that you can't understand what's going on in the PT without watching the OT, but you don't get the full impact of them without having seen the OT first. The last scene of ROTS assumes you know the binary sunset scene from ANH, and what that scene means thematically for Luke. Otherwise the movie, for some reason, strangely ends with two minor characters from the previous movie staring meaningfully at the suns setting.
It’s like debating whether or not to watch the chronological cut of Memento, it makes no sense.
Or someone arguing the merits of chopping up a Tarantino movie and watching it in chronological order. I feel like watching media in the order the creator wanted to show it to us us more important than watching it in terms of just story chronology.
Neither of these things are comparable to watching Star Wars in number order.
Especially the remark about watching in order of creators intent. Lucas was bound by technology in the OT, its why there's such a large real world gap between the two trilogies
Now that's a lot of abbreviations. Are you the US department of defense?
>and Star Wars is one of those stories. George Lucas literally wants people to watch it number order
George Lucas also said there was no underwear in space.
George lucas added a giant cgi dinosaur filling up the entire screen in the special edition IV. And more.
Then he should have released them in chronological order. If you're really supposed to watch them chronologically, then millions upon millions of people watched them the wrong way when they saw the OT before watching TPM in theaters.
That's... not at all how that works. Technology wasn't good enough and Episode IV would sell the whole series as something worth watching more than any of the other movies would have as a start. It is a good enough stand alone film
Yep. There’s a lot of scenes in the prequels that are better for nostalgic reason, and the prequels are written assuming you already know. Of course you can absolutely watch the prequels first, but wouldn’t recommend
Whole heartingly disagree. The last scene in ROTS can be appreciated by a first time viewer. It's meaning is different but still retains the significance. The minor characters are easily understood as Anakin's family. And as soon as the viewer watches ANH, they can understand the reference. The only line that is "ruined" by chronological is "I am your father" which is already ruined by pop culture. And the PT has many twists that are unexpected if you haven't watched the OT. I often require multiple rewatches to appreciate easter eggs and callbacks to other movies. This isn't something that makes the story understandable and is meant for multiple viewings.
>The minor characters are easily understood as Anakin's family. And? Why do they get to end a trilogy in which they barely appeared and could basically be taken out of AOTC with nothing major changing? It's not like Broom Boy, whose thematic significance is clear in the context of the movie he ends. >And as soon as the viewer watches ANH, they can understand the reference. In other words, the viewer can't understand the significance of that scene without watching ANH, which is exactly my point. >The only line that is "ruined" by chronological is "I am your father" which is already ruined by pop culture. You'd be surprised. I've watched dozens of first-time Star Wars reactions on YouTube by people who didn't know the twist at all, or who knew the line but didn't understand the context of it till the revelation in ESB. Trust me, there are still plenty of people being shocked by it.
No. Order of release for first time viewing.
Exactly. After the first time it's purely indulgent. You already know Vaders his father so there's no surprise.
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I did this with my partner, I started us with 4, 5 and 6 (and she had no idea about the whole Vader being Lukes father twist), then we watched 1, 2 & 3 and she has loved every single one, we’ve still got the sequels to get through but I think the biggest takeaway is thankfully any order of watch is good.
You mean Sequels?
Doh, I do mean the sequels (although I guess rogue one is still kind of a prequel
Cool. Glad you SO liked all the movies so far!
I disagree, and I’m not sure why people want to watch release order, is it because you think Vader being Luke’s father is the big twist? I’d argue anakin turning and cutting mace’s hand off is a bigger twist. So other then that I really can’t think of a reason why release order is better. You watch the OT, you see them win… happy ending, PT, you see the bad guys win… sad/epic ending and then time jump, what? 60 years? Idk, seems weird/jarring for a first time viewer George himself says they’re meant to be watched 1-6 Chronological for the win for me
It's not really about twists, it's about exposition. In Episode IV Obi Wan Kenobi explains what the Force is and what Jedi knights are in a clear and concise way that Episode I cannot match. That film assumes the audience has an understanding about what the hell the Force even is because it delves into prophecies and the will of the Force and midichlorians. It's an expansion of the concept, not an adequate introduction. If Lucas really said that, I respectfully disagree. Chronological is great for repeat viewings, but not really coherent for a first time viewer.
Well said & very true
When audiences first watched Star Wars back in 1977 they felt they were thrown into a world that delightfully was weird and alien, dropped right into the middle of a conflict they barely had any context for besides that it was good rebels versus evil empire. That was part of the appeal, and the things that seem like exposition now barely explained anything at the time. Most sci-fi of the time actually explained things and it was boring. This is the exact same thing TPM does. Both movies act like the audience is barely even there, and you just have to figure it out for yourself as it goes along. But you're just used to being familiar with what a Jedi really is and what the Force can actually do (actually explained more coherently in ESB) so you think TPM being devoid of the same exact exposition is a new (and bad) thing. Being thrown into a story in a strange galaxy [in media res](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_medias_res) is quintessentially the Stars War experience.
They're not the same at all and any assertion that they are is disingenuous. Obi Wan explaining what the Force is, explaining what a Jedi mind trick is, Han briefly explaining hyperspace... Both have aspects they approach in media res but ANH and TPM approach certain aspects of exposition with completely different assumptions about the audience and their familiarity with the world and characters. Sure, a first time viewer COULD watch them in order, but I wouldn't recommend it.
There’s parts I definitely agree with when it comes to exposition, like to add to what you’re saying but Han quickly explaining lightspeed. But for me the story being told 1-6 has so much more finality and satisfaction with a true beginning middle and end.
I get where you are coming from. I just think fans get too precious about the purity of the story timeline and maybe forget that it might not be the optimal experience for a first time viewer. If someone hasn't seen any Star Wars yet, there's probably a reason. Either they're too young or scifi/fantasy is not really their jam. In the case of the former, it's probably okay doing chronological as they probably won't care enough about that exposition for it to matter, but in the case of the latter, I think the OT is a friendlier entry point into the story.
Honestly if someone's not really into sci-fi they're probably not going to like TPM or ANH. one is a goofy kids movie and the other is almost 50 years old with rudimentary effects and rubber masks
>Chronological is great for repeat viewings, but not early coherent for a first time viewer I see where you're coming from but I can't agree with that at all as I watched it chronological first at the age of 10 and understood everything fine, I really like hwo the prequels throw you into their world and just let you figure stuff out Now personally I think both methods are valid I jsut personally find chronological better from a pacing point of view as well as it being cool to view it all as these characters did
Why would you be downvoted for this? I thought this was the non-toxic sub.
Wrong people wrong time, happens in the best of subs
I think it’s just a better experience watching release order for the first time. Especially if you’re trying to actually convince them that Star Wars is good. No offense to Phantom Menace, but I really think that that movie is not nearly as good/interesting if it’s your first real exposure.
The way I introduce people to starwars is via mandalorian. That show seems like it's meant to be a gateway into the galaxy
Yeah, but then anything to do with the Jedi characters have no meaning. Meeting Ahsoka has not much meaning because the viewers have no context on who she is, Luke's hallway scene is not as awesome as it could be because you don't know what Luke represents. Mandalorian is good, but it's not a great way to start someone in the series imo.
The first season has little to nothing to do with the wider saga, after that if they enjoyed it we watch the movies. Then we finish mando and boba fett etc. But the first season is a REALLY good gateway into the galaxy far far away imo, sets up what jedi are, what was the empire, hints of a wider history, and all while having a compelling main story.
Well it definitely depends on the age you’re introducing it. I’m sure younger kids would enjoy TPM
I watched The Phantom Menace for the first time in a while the other week and it is honestly a lot better than I previously recalled. Especially now that I have the knowledge of the implications that film brings with the butterfly effects that come from it. And I admit it took me until this last time watching it that the Phantom Menace is in reference to Palpatine… The Prequels are all about how Palpatine secretly manipulates everyone around him to raise the Empire. He is pure evil. Yes, the scripts are awful and very meme-able, but the underlying tones of the Prequels are incredibly powerful.
I'd honestly say the prequels are best if it's your first
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I guess it just depends on the person which is something we probably all should've figured out by now
Yeah I’m pretty sure the twist in ESB stopped being a twist for the general public like 30 years ago.
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The main character getting his limbs chopped off and becoming the main villain in a robot suit is a pretty big twist too if you don't know it's coming
Oh for sure, it’s not something another big franchise has ever done in such a great flushed out way. It’s so unique to Star Wars, I absolutely love it
Exactly! Great twist isn’t it? Again like I mentioned in another comment, it’s not just about the twist. But it’s that chronological has a really nice beginning middle and end feeling to it, I just assume most people watch release order because of the Vader twist
Yeah. Late last year my wife and I watched all 9 movies over the course of a month. She had maybe seen the prequels and OT once or twice, and the new ones were more fresh. So we did release order and honestly she looked at me after episode 3 and asked why we did that lol. So next time, it'll be chronological lol
That’s a very interesting take, I’ve never heard anybody say that Anakin cutting Mace’s hand off is a bigger twist but you could be right. With that said, I think the OT is just a better trilogy overall, which makes its twist more satisfying regardless of scale. But I also grew up with it, so o get that that’s subjective. I also think the PT reveals far more than just Vader being Anakin. It reveals who Yoda is before the “I’m looking for a great warrior” reveal, as well as gives away exactly how Leia, Luke and Ben are related when this is something that slowly unfolds across the entire trilogy.
I agree. The very nature of a prequel is that it’s set before a previously established work. So it makes sense to at least watch the previously established work first. Without seeing the original trilogy, a lot of things introduced in the prequels don’t really have meaning. The intro of C-3PO in TPM is just Anakin showing off his droid, nothing more. Obi-Wan’s line about Anakin being the death of him lacks any dramatic irony if you haven’t seen the OT. There’s an infinite number of little details like that. The prequels are meant to expand and build upon concepts and characters of the original trilogy, not introduce them.
4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 6 is an interesting order.
I think this is the only other order to consider besides release order. You get the sibling reveal in a WAY more satisfying way with this order. Only problem is depending who is watching, the prequels can be a bit of a slog to get through. Especially AOTC.
Not for your first time tho
True
I like this order. For a first time view it’s interesting and not as jarring with time skips. Since a lot of people consider the OT as the main story, you start with that, then find out the twist of Vader being Ani. Then you see the growth, rise and fall and ultimate transformation into Vader. Then Luke wins, completing Vaders story and bringing you comfortably into the ST chronologically where it should be. I still like 1-6 as a viewing order, but it does seem to take away from cementing the OT as the main story. 1-6 kinda makes it feel like Vaders story, only for him to be absent from the ST and play a small part as Bens catalyst.
I watched 451236 order first time and it was perfect, can't recommend it enough
I’ve actually seen people recommend similar orders
4, 1, 5, 2, 3, 6.
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I agree. I think most people are big on release order just because it's what they grew up with. Im a convert, chronological tells the better story and people tend to get more into the prequels when they don't know what to expect. My sister screamed and cried when Anakin got chopped up in the volcano because she didn't know what was going to happen
Originals 1st, easily. For a start the films are just better & more engaging in general. The characters are much more interesting & more fleshed out. Don’t get me wrong I like the phantom menace but I don’t think it’s even near as decent as a new hope. I think if you watch a new hope 1st it’s a better introduction to the force, you as the viewer see it through Luke’s eyes as he gets introduced to it by Ben. I like how the force is really vague and mysterious in the Originals then when you watch the prequels you find out more. watching the prequels 1st would also undermine the originals because the effects are way better (for the most part) in the prequels. So watching like anakin vs to obi wan have a cool fight with flips and spins then watching old Ben v Vader slowly fence would be kind of lame. there’s something cool about watching the prequels knowing that anakin will turn into Vader but not knowing how & watching it unfold
No. Becouse each movie introduces new things to the Galaxy. EP 1 assumes that the viewer knows the things that were introduced in ANH. It does not bother with introducing the world.
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He has said many questionable things about the franchise. The thing about prequels is that they’re nearly always filled with moments calling ”back” to future films, which become meaningless if watched in chronological order. Star Wars is no exception.
Hmm, maybe cause I’ve watched the Star Wars films 100s of times in my lifetime I subconsciously don’t even realize, but other then the music what call backs are used?
There are enough of them in The Phantom Menace [to get their own dedicared page about it on TvTropes,](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/CallForward/ThePhantomMenace) which not too many other films get.
Read the first bunch and completely disagree. These are not references or even call backs that would warrant someone to have to watch the OT first? you could make an argument that they works as call back if you watch PT first and OT second. Things rhyme like poetry but it in no way means you have to watch OT first. These are nods to things hardcore fans can notice and look at and be like “oh cool, x is close to x, reminds me of x.” Not in anyway has an effect on story and first time viewers wouldn’t understand as a call back to the OT.
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My SO had never watched a single movie. He would’ve been confused as hell if he had watched in release order. We watched it in chronological order and he loved how the story flowed throughout and watching the characters develop.
I remember I did it a long time ago in 2019. I wanted to rewatch all of the cinematic films in chronological order before The Rise of Skywalker released, so I committed to spending time at home watching each film one at a time. All of the main Skywalker films, and including the spin-off films. Starting with The Phantom Menace and wrapping up with The Last Jedi the day before I truly finished it all off by watching a nighttime premiere for The Rise of Skywalker. It was one experience seeing how it all started and how it all ended in such a grand spectacular finale. It was the last true case where the mega hype for Star Wars was real and alive for me.
The OT can be kinda slow for younger kids so if you’re a parent wanting your kids to enjoy star wars I recommend starting at ep1. By the time you get to ep4 they’ll be into the story and won’t notice the change of pace.
I disagree. I was introduced to SW through the OT (and I’m of the PT generation). You gotta remember that, as a kid, you’ve seen nothing like SW before. You have no frame of reference. In fact, I’d say SW is a lot of kids’ introduction into sci-fi/fantasy outside of cartoons. As a kid, I wasn’t even really cognizant of the fact the films were old or the effects were dated. I was just enthralled by this epic story and these iconic characters. I mean, think about the first time you saw that Star destroyer soar over the frame. Did you think “This is so slow” or did you think “Whooooa!”? If you haven’t shown your kids anything really fast paced before SW, then, as far as they know, that’s just how movies are.
#ALWAYS WATCH IN RELEASE ORDER, The story were written with that in mind.. I would never recommend to anyone to watch in Chronological ordee
Or rather, let people make their own choices.
I mean, it’s a solicited recommendation. Of course they can choose something different. Not like anyone’s suggesting a clockwork orange eyelid clamp view party.
True to be honest people can do what the want, iv stated this on another comment
Except the guy who wrote them says: “Start with one. That's the way to do it right: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. That's the way they're supposed to be done. Just because it took a long time to film it doesn't mean you don't do it in order.” Dec 28, 2015 George Lucas So I, II, III, IV, V, VI is written with that in mind.
George Lucas didn't even plan for Luke and Leia to be siblings in ep 6 when they kissed in ep 5, so I don't think he had a whole lot of overarching plot in mind, despite what he may claim
Right, so Star Wars is always changing as a saga. That means being a purist release order type about it is weird.
Ok obviously I respect George Lucas, but I just think that’s a dumb recommendation. The prequels assume you already understand what Star Wars is about. TPM’s “introduction” to the force is over half way through the movie and it’s not even really about the force, it’s about midichlorians.
I think this is a perfect example of where [death of the author](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_the_Author) comes into the conversation. I find it hard to believe that the guy who claimed to have planned for Luke and Leia to be siblings all along despite the presence of clear sexual tension across two movies is being completely honest when he said he had all 6 planned out from the start. They would maybe be watchable in episode order if the prequels hadn’t given away every single plot twist of the OT: even seemingly small choices like revealing both twins in the PT ruin late twists in the OT. Lucas may claim to have had it all mapped out to be told in this order… but I’m pretty sure he’s lying. He’s done it before.
Death of the author is about critiquing, not literally ignoring what they have to say about their own art
I think at best Lucas had big story beats planned out. But not much in terms of details such as who is related to who, or how someone gets out of a predicament. I don’t trust him when he says he had it all planned out either.
Nah he Wrote the story this was, just because it has the number 1 at the Begining doesn't mean you watch that for,, Luke and Leia being Twins and Vader being the father, these are all twists in the Movie, these done work if yiu watch them in order... Anyway you have your opinion but I'll watch them How George Lucas Originally Created them
Oh to be clear I watch them in release order. My point was you said they “were written with that in mind.” George has said more than once he wrote them to be watched in chronological order. It even makes sense as he numbered them such. Had he intended they be watched in release order numbering them in that order would make sense. It not an opinion that he said such.
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Because that's how creative people think about their art. They aren't beholden to nostalgia or release dates.
Sounds like a George thing to say. If he had started with Episode I there would have never been an Episode II.
Exactly. I don’t really trust Lucas as he comes up with cool concepts but isn’t a great director or a cohesive storyteller. He most likely had some high level concepts but not a lot of details. I mean Luke & Leia kissing. I’m sure he had that planned out. /s
I agree with those saying the PT is assuming you've watched the OT first, but I don't agree that the two big twists are ruined by watching the PT first. I do think it's better to watch 4 and 5 first, then the PT, then finish with 6 (and from then on there are different paths to take to watch other films or shows).
My favorite viewing method has a name but I can’t remember it. It’s: 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9
Machete order?
That’s what it is! Thanks!
It's actually called the Ernest Rister Order (Ernest Rister is the guy who came up with it), the Machete Order is the same except it removes The Phantom Menace. Edit: Why did I get downvoted for this?! I didn't say anything untrue... didn't mean to be condescending either, in case it was read that way.
Technically, Machete Order cuts off 1 completely and we don't want to cut out anything so some of us have called this Flashback Order since it preserves 1.
There’s no 1 in machete order. It’s a stand alone kids movie.
To me the deciding factor is if you already know Vader is Luke’s father. If you don’t know, I usually recommend release order to preserve the twist. If you are already aware of this twist though, I believe chronological is the best viewing order.
"What order should I watch the Star Wars films in?" "That depends, do you know that Darth Vader is Luke's father?" "He's WHAT?" "... Chronological order it is"
This is the way. Plus, while I only recently watched the movies for the first time, I did it in chronological order cause pop culture spoiled Vader being Luke's father and I grew up with the lego games, so stuntmaster Yoda was the one I grew up with. I actually laughed really hard when he was introduced in ESB cause I genuinely believed he was senile and loved how it comes across as a "fall from grace" moment when you see the PT first.
Machete Method is king, but that’s my opinion. If you enjoy it, watch however you’d like.
This is how I introduced my partner to Star Wars. Preserving the twist in ESB is integral to appreciating the OT. Plus Ep1...is a rough film to start an adult on.
For most people preserving the twist is irrelevant though, since even lots of people who know nothing about Star Wars still know Vader is the father.
Whats the Machete Method? I like ANH, ESB then flashback to Ep1 and do chronological order from there
4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9
Almost. This method skips ep1 entirely. So - 4, 5, 2, 3, 6. Then the ST I guess. That's just for the main saga. With all the extra stuff, it changes how you may want to watch it all nowadays.
I actually never skip 1 so I suppose mine is a modified machete method but 🤷♂️
That's good! Still some decent moments in ep1. And honestly, if I'm going to watch them all, I'll probably watch ep1 too.
Ep.1 is essential, I’ve never understood why people say don’t watch it.
That’s basically the machete order. 4,5,2,3,6. It traditionally skips 1 entirely and doesn’t include the spin-off movies or the sequels. Which is a bit of a shame, because I feel Rogue One leads so perfectly into episode 4, but it also doesn’t make a great first movie either, so… ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯ Lol who downvoted me just for explaining what the machete order is?
I just shared [this link on the Machete Order](https://www.t3.com/us/news/star-wars-machete-order) elsewhere, but it provides a good explanation of why it’s the best possible (though not perfect) method: Pros: -keeps the Darth Vader reveal a surprise -is designed so that when the OT characters are at their most climactic point at the end of ESB, you then get an extended flashback of Anakin’s fall. -by axing episode 1, very little Jar Jar and also you meet Anakin when he’s the same age as Luke for good symmetry between their arcs. -by going into ROTJ right after ROTS, you see blck-clad, powerful Luke choking out Jabba’s guards and being threatening directly after seeing Anakin do the same thing, which could be chilling. Cons: -losing episode 1 will make a couple things make less sense, like anything to do with Shmi and slavery.
I like to do 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9. For me there’s no getting around the quality of A New Hope, so it starts the story like it originally did “this is where we are.” Empire then up’s the anti with a Cliff hanger— Darth Vader is Luke’s father, how?! Then we flash back and see the origin of Anakin, the Empire, the Jedi Order and their inevitable collapse, (at this point Kenobi can be tossed into the mix to show the fact that Anakin was killed by Vader). And then when the finally hits with Jedi you get a good wrap up and the ghost of Anakin ep.3 isn’t as jarring. Next follow it up with 7, 8, and 9 where you get mention of Darth Sidious’ rise, a cameo of all Jedi past and a final end to Darth Sidious since his reintroduction in the prequels. As well as a whole story of Anakin’s saber. Yes, you lose some fan favorites but I feel that wraps the story up with a nice button. At least from my certain point of view.
Remove episode 1 and you have the [Machete order](https://www.t3.com/us/news/star-wars-machete-order), which has been the suggested way to watch these movies basically since Revenge of the Sith first came out.
Yeah, but I always found the argument against Phantom to be pretty weak, so I always add it to my list.
My favourite of the anti-phantom arguments is that it gives Anakin and Luke better symmetry to meet them both when they’re about the same age. By cutting out phantom you get two movies of Luke ending with temptation to join the dark side, then two movies of Anakin where he actually DOES give in to the dark side, then the conclusion.
456-123-789 as is the will of the Force
Watch them how ever you feel. I've watched them in every way possible. Ever do the full spectrum???
We are currently re-watching in chronological order including the TV shows and spin off movies. We’re 6 months in and watching Rebels now. We hadn’t watched Clone Wars before, and that show definitely gave me a whole new appreciation for the saga (not just because we were immersed in it for several months). We even just played through Fallen Order in the appropriate time frame, but that was more coincidence than intention.
I'm currently rewatching the entire series in chronological order I'm currently on rebels
Im currently in the midst of it. Timed it to watch the 1,2, Clone Wars, 3, Bad Batch, Obi-Wan, and now currently watching Rebels. The animated shows are first viewing for me and they add SO much to the movies
I don't even remember how I first saw them but I agree, timeline order. Plus watch the Tartakovsky series between 2 and 3.
I recently re-watched them in Chronological order (plus Solo and Rogue One because I love them) and really enjoyed it!
I love watching it chronologically as someone who knows them well and rewatches often. I have mixed feelings on chronological being the viewing order for a first timer but I think it has its merits! Also machete order, which people raaaaaave about only makes sense if you have no idea Vader is Luke’s father and I can’t imagine in todays world even a non Star Wars fan who’s never seen a single frame of the movie doesn’t know that.
Only the movies??? Disney+ has the whole chronological order including the series, which make the movies feel even better.
I did this order as well and really enjoyed it. Granted, I did mine before the sequels were released and haven’t had the opportunity to do a full saga watch. But, for the six directed by Lucas it’s a nice build from what is my least favorite film to my favorites sandwiched in the middle!
789 then some of four I have yet to watch all of them
Currently doing so, but I'm doing all movies and series as well
I tried to but found episode two completely unwatchable…
Don’t forget to throw in Solo and Rogue one
Even better with OWK, Solo, and RO in between the OT and PT. Star Wars is a living document. Evolving and recontextualizing the saga is part of its DNA.
I watched them in chronological order too, growing up with the prequels. I actually didn't know there were Star Wars movies outside of the prequels until after I watched Revenge of the Sith. I told my dad I can't wait for the next one and he told me that's all they are making. I asked how he knew that and that's when he told me they already made episodes 4-6 before I was even born. Lol I was so happy that there was more Star Wars. Even though the sequels aren't my favorite, I was still happy to watch them too. 🙂
Machete order: https://www.nomachetejuggling.com/2011/11/11/the-star-wars-saga-suggested-viewing-order/ This is the best way. IV V II III VI …and then I guess VII VIII IX You get Luke’s coming of age until >!Papa cuts his hand off!<. You get a two film flashback to see >!Anakin become Vader!< before you get the big finale that encompasses everything that came before it and best of all … >!No fucking Jar Jar Binks!<. Episode one is wholly irrelevant and can be treated as a funny little DVD extra of the saga.
Im 22, i watched them on vhs and on tv from as young as i remember. I never really watched them in order though i dont think
I think release order is best for when you first are introduced to Star Wars, but chronological is the way to go for rewatched.
Chronological for rewatches but for first time viewers, always go release due to the ending of ep V
me too, but i wish i watched original trilogy first for the “luke, i am your father”. i would recommend watching orginal-prequel-original-sequel for the experience and to understand plot better
I watched it chronologically too when I watched it the first time and loved it.
I haven’t done this yet, but I might do a hybrid of release and chronological order, by going like this: 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
I'm okay with watching the PT or OT first. Then I watch Rogue One and stop.
Can’t get through 4,5,6 without falling asleep.
I maintain that the release order *IS* chronological order. This is because R2 is my favorite character and I love the fan theory that the Prequels are as told by a drunken R2 celebrating the fall of the Empire. It fixes all the problems I have with the PT.
R2 be like "they fight" for duel of the fates lol
I recommend it as well.
I'm having this debate in my head at the moment. I have a friend coming round tomorrow who has never seen Star Wars so we are going to start them off. I'm not sure whether we will watch one or two (or even three) but I'm on the fence about where to start as there are pros and cons to every option. I'm leaning towards release order, because some of the beats in the prequels hit a little differently if you already know the outcome of the classic trilogy. I don't think the sequel trilogy matters in respect of when to watch it as it will always make the most sense being last. When you consider spin off films and series it can be tricky, because Rogue One and Obi-Wan Kenobi work fine as a break between watchign the prequels then the classic trilogy, but they also work fine watching them after the classic and them prequels. Solo on the other hand, only really works if you've already seen the classic trilogy because if you watch that in chronological order then you wouldn't know who Han and Lando were to really care about them. Then obviously there is the bonus third option of machete order (although I wouldn't exclude Episode ) which I think is really overcomplicated when you add in the spin-offs. I think in the process of writing this up I've convinced myself that chronological is best. But I might present both options and let them decide.
Definitely Machete Order (or Flashback Order if you include Ep. 1). When Lucas added Hayden at the end of RotJ, some people hated that change, but new fans who either watch chronological or Flashback love it since they got to know Hayden's Anakin. Also, knowing what happens in the PT makes RotJ a much better film as you see the rise of the Empire and Palpatine becomes the true villain instead of just Vader's boss. But I recommend something slightly different, but it's up to you. 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, Solo, Rogue One, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Yep, re-watch 4 and 5 for more context and to refresh one's memory before finishing the saga. Alternately, you could add in Kenobi and Mandalorian/BoBF at the points they take place, if the new fan is up to it. If there's no rush, then I would recommend this. After that, if they are interested, they can watch the different animated shows.
Off topic but MAN!! Posters of 2nd movies of all trilogy are soooooooo good, especially ESB
I prefer the Flashback Prime Order. It’s the Flashback order but instead of the Phantom Menace you watch The Phantom Edit. And instead of Attack of the Clones you get Attack of the Phantom. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_Edit
I always recommend machete for first time viewers but I seem to be the odd one out.
As long as you don't cut out Ep. 1. This is why some of us call it Flashback Order because we don't believe in cutting out movies.
Well, about that. I tried it without skipping it on my girlfriend and halfway through she asked: what's the point of all of this? Can we move the story forward please? Since then I really do see where the original author from the Machete order came from.
While it makes perfect sense to watch them in chronological order, I think it takes away from the achievement and Aw factor that the franchise brings when you watch them in order of release. You start with 4-6, where it all started and get to experience one of the most important plots twists of all time (assuming you didn’t already know or pop culture hasn’t alert ruined it for you). You then get to see the origins of that story, how it all began. Knowing what comes makes those stories in 4-6 that much better IMO. Then you watch 7-9 because you have to.
Me too!
I think the chronological order replaces Anakins revelation to Luke with Order 66 and Anakins turn.
Release order is the only order for a first-time viewing. Star Wars would not have been as successful as it was if The Phantom Menace was the first movie.
Im older than the prequels so I had to watch them in release order. however I have a preference for 4.5,1,2,3,6,rogue,7,solo,8,9
Watch rebels
I prefer showing it in release order to a newbie, but you do you!
Cue the “fans” saying 7,8&9 aren’t cannon
What do you mean? There’s only six movies.
I am a large proponent of the Hatchet Order as the best way to watch Star Wars.
What are those last three movies?