Star Wars: Return of the Prequels?

Yes, that’s right, you heard me, I said that dirty little word “prequel.” Well, guess what? You best get used to hearing it, seeing it, and reading it more often, especially now. You see, there’s a new movie coming out in about three months, and this impending film is set to take place “before” Star Wars: A New Hope. Therefore, making it a prequel film and, yes, I’m talking about Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Call it whatever you like, a pioneering film or a groundbreaker. Either way you say it, it is still a prequel. Like them or don’t like them. Regardless, they’re here to stay.

Star Wars is evolving and, as fans, we need to do the same. It’s a new generation of Star Wars and George Lucas is no longer at the helm. Ok, so that might be old news, but so is the timeless fact that we cannot change things that we have no control over. That said, I love Star Wars – all of it! Do I agree with every tiny detail of it? No, but that doesn’t change my love for that galaxy far, far away. Why? Well, for starters, it was meant to be what it is today. The first six were meant to follow a specific pattern – like a poem – they rhyme. There are parallelisms, there are mythology patterns, and yes, tantalizing visuals that are way ahead of their time and remarkably, are still impressive to this very day. Yes, in both the original and prequel films. Side note, there are more practical models in The Phantom Menace than in any of the original three films. Anyways, moving along …

So, I spent my Friday night watching the documentary, The Prequels Strike Back, and I have to say, I was thoroughly impressed. Not that I need any justification for how I feel about the prequels or Star Wars in general, but the content in this film alone is a HUGE eye-opener, for any Star Wars fan. But getting back to my point, the prequels are returning to Star Wars. For the simple fact that in order for them, the story group, to tell the story, they must start at the beginning. Even if that means taking a step back and going back in time, back to where it all began. In other words, “Everything starts from here” and if you saw the new Japanese poster for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, those words are captioned directly below Jyn’s image – along with, “Another Star Wars.” Again, just like poetry, the storytelling rhymes.

Here’s the thing, Star Wars is a space odyssey, an opera. Its purpose is to tell an epic journey of heroism filled with stunning and unbelievable visuals, accompanied by a musical narrative that sets the mood for every scene, and together, it choreographically depicts an amazingly timeless tale. So, you see, the first three films (which are actually the last three until The Force Awakens) do not work on their own. Which means, you need the last three films of the saga (the first three installments of the story), to tell the full story of the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker. In a way, the prequel trilogy is the padawan to the original trilogy’s master. You can’t have one without the other. It just doesn’t make sense.

So again, I love Star Wars! It’s an amazing adventure being a Star Wars fan. These are the only films that change each and every time I watch them. What I mean is, as I grow and evolve, the movies do too. The original trilogy was there as I grew up and the prequels came about at the peak of my adulthood. In a way, I grew up with the films. Between the ages of four and nine, I learned about family, forgiveness, and that good will conquer evil with the original trilogy. As I became a wife and a mother, so did Padmé Amidala and, once again, I was able to relate and empathize with the galaxy far, far away. The prequels only enriched my views of the saga, as the characters emulated aspects of my own life, i.e.: marriage, motherhood, loving people too much and of course, fear. Like Anakin, I, too, now have so much more to lose.

As the movies continue to grow, so do we, and it’s been a wild ride so far. Funny, my mother always says I’m a product of the ‘Sesame Street’ generation, but I’d prefer to think of myself as a product of the Star Wars era. After all, I can’t think of a time where Star Wars didn’t play a part in my life. Whether it was a big part or small part, no matter what path I was on, somehow it always seemed to fit. That’s just how Star Wars works!

Honestly, there’s no better time than now to be a Star Wars fan. So remember, everything starts from here and returning to the prequels just means we’re getting another Star Wars story!

This IS the podcast you’re looking for!

Becca Benjamin is a Medical Receptionist for a Retina Specialist, and the Editor-in-chief for The Cantina Cast, an innovative and thought-provoking Star Wars podcast and website, with a down-to-earth approach. She is also a host (with co-host Mark Sutter) on Tarkin’s Top Shelf, a literary Star Wars podcast and the personal author for Lucasfilm artist Steve Anderson. Becca is a monthly blog contributor to Coffee with Kenobi , and can also be heard on The Star Wars Hour; the official Star Wars podcast for Channel Star Wars discussing anything and everything Star Wars!

• Sources: Ministry of Cinema, the makers of the Star Wars documentary: The Prequels Strike Back! Now available to rent or own on digital/VHX at http://youtube/LdlMJ7df-J0
• Dave Hackerson: For translating the Japanese language from the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story poster.

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