WARNING: The following post has real spoilers for the 9 Star Wars Skywalker Saga films.
DISCLAIMER: This is just an opinion post, so no one is being FORCED to agree with it at all, only if you would prefer.
Speaking of force, I must admit, just where would Earth be without THIS franchise nowadays?
As ya probably know, it’s also got plenty of very iconic, unforgettable characters, whether they’re Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa, Obi-Wan Kenobi, R2-D2, C-3PO, BB8, Chewbacca, or Yoda, along with its villains, including Emperor Palpatine, the Stormtroopers, Boba Fett, Jabba the Hutt, Darth Maul, and, oh yeah, the legendary Darth Vader! Did you also know that the original 1970s movie quickly grew so iconic, it was even one of the first 25 films chosen to be preserved in the National Film Registry in 1989?
Anyway, if you’re an expert on Star Wars movies, then you should know that not 1, not 2, but 3 trilogies have been made to this day as well:
All 9 of those films are connected to one another as an overall plot, which each of them set in a different year (except for The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, both being set in the same one). Star Wars’s second trilogy is additionally set before the first, while trilogy number 3 takes place after the previous two. Thus, the second & third ones are known as SW’s Prequel and Sequel Trilogies, respectively, while its first is known as the Original Trilogy. Altogether, the three of them make up the “Skywalker Saga” since they all follow a storyline revolving around Star Wars’s Skywalker family characters.
However, you might also have heard that Star Wars’s later 2 trilogies are considered not actually as good its Original Trilogy. While they at least aren’t as bad as the infamous 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special or 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars CGI movie, if it had been up to ME, both those two later trilogies would’ve been been absolutely better. Furthermore, I know the original one has still got some specific issues with it itself, so yeah, I’d have had that OT better in some ways, too. Of course, this post will talk about mainly just that. As you might’ve guessed, I’ll be talking about each Skywalker Saga film from oldest to newest.
On top of all that, there’s this one part of The Phantom Menace, consisting of a fictional, unique sport known as podracing…
While considered enjoyable, it’s also been known for feeling out of place for a SW film plot. Why I am saying this now, and not a bit later in my post? Well, after I’m done talking about how I would’ve had those nine movies different, some more of the post will be about podracing entirely being its own spin-off too, just to give you a head’s up.
Yeah, while I undoubtedly would’ve had other Star Wars stuff different (including, you know it, that Star Wars Holiday Special & Star Wars: The Clone Wars CGI film), truth is, there are SO many SW things which I would’ve had differently overall, if I explained them all in this same post here, I’m afraid it would’ve simply made it too long! Therefore, I decided: why not just talk about the Star Wars productions which we ALL know of, then for podracing afterwards? Hope that’s OK with ya.
Alright, now we’ll begin with the Star Wars movie that started it all (plus Original Trilogy film number 1) – Episode IV: A New Hope!
Yeah people, I know, this film here has been considered one of the best, most influential movies ever made. Believe me, I truly do understand that as well, and I’m no perfectionist either. Yet, even Episode IV has faced some certain criticisms. In fact, since 1997, newer prints of ANH have had some changes to the film, which sadly have also made it not quite as well-received as before. Furthermore, A New Hope was considered to have several specific issues with it even before then. Thus, here is how that first ever Star Wars feature film would’ve been better if I were to have had it…
First, here’s one such problematic post-1997 addition for that movie: what I just showed you above in the still image. When ANH was originally released as simply Star Wars in May 1977, while Jabba was mentioned, he never was seen throughout it once. So I get what one would perhaps very well think when first hearing of this exact added-in scene: “Yeah, it’s nice we get to see Jabba in the movie now, but this should’ve been a part of it when that film first came out.” However, I’m afraid you should just think again, people! Both critics and fans have actually been less than happy with this sequence. For one thing, Jabba’s threatening role is considered dumbed down here; he appears to interact with Solo in an ironically friendly-like manner. Not only that, but Solo even awkwardly just steps on the tail of such a powerful, antagonistic gangster here as he’s walking behind/around the Hutt. Solo’s conversation with Greedo (a Rodian minion of Jabba’s, who Solo himself has just killed before this scene) is technically rehashed here, too. Plus, having Jabba even appear as his full, in-person self does ruin the exciting suspense of him not being entirely revealed until Return of the Jedi for the original SW trilogy. Lastly, this CGI-animated Jabba here feels painfully out of place with the 1970s-filmed setting. (Although had the Docking Bay 94 scene always been there in Episode IV right from its 1977 release, with Jabba as a full-body character here, THAT one criticism wouldn’t ever have existed, would it?)
Well, I’ll admit, while I definitely do agree with it being better that Jabba’s full, physical appearance never gets fully revealed in A New Hope OR The Empire Strikes Back (allowing the crucial suspense for ROTJ to have remained), as there are those who still like seeing him one way or another, I actually would’ve always had this scene with him being shown, only not entirely in person.
BONUS:
One way or another, I’ve still posted links to videos with these top iconic Star Wars scenes (particularly from the Original Trilogy) for anyone who’s are interested in seeing any of them…
First, the “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope” line being spoken in A New Hope: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGwszApFEcY
Second, it is that part with Tatooine’s 2-sun sunset in A New Hope, too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41ak2jr55fE
This third one would be A New Hope’s Cantina sequence, also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU_XqqiEMwI
Furthermore, here’s the Death Star Trench Run part of A New Hope as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCU2P2AvflQ
Next here just so happens to be SW’s most iconic scene of all – the “I Am Your Father” sequence in The Empire Strikes Back! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF15bOeWNlM
Fifth, Return of the Jedi’s scene where Vader redeems himself to save Luke’s life, epically throwing Palpatine down into a reactor shaft in the process (the original 1983 version without there being a “No…NOOOOOO!” here): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnswb1xA4ig
Plus, I’ve posted links to videos of The Phantom Menace’s pod racing scene, for those who’d like to see it anyway. Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3rhPRPhSzc Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3rhPRPhSzc
Next, that Duel of the Fates part of The Phantom Menace, too (where Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan both take on Darth Maul): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUNXQJnsyGY
We’ve additionally got the Order 66 scene from Revenge of the Sith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3nuk8UI76M
Lastly, here is where Obi-Wan & Darth Vader (shortly before Vader got his trademark black armor after being burned) duel on Mustafar, again from Revenge of the Sith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3OtoO5zjjU
In addition to those scene clip links, I just thought I’d also put links to these 2 highly iconic musical numbers (that I’ll bet plenty of us would recognize anywhere), for anyone who feels like hearing them.
First, of course, is the main title theme song of Star Wars overall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D0ZQPqeJkk
This other one? Darth Vader’s own theme tune…THE IMPERIAL MARCH! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bzWSJG93P8
P.S. Do eternally Rest in Peace:
David Prowse (1 July 1935 – 28 November 2020), the masked Darth Vader’s portrayer in Star Wars’s Original Trilogy.
Sebastian Shaw (29 May 1905 – 23 December 1994), who portrayed the reformed Anakin in Return of the Jedi, and his force sprit ghost at the end in the original version.
Carrie Fisher (October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016). She will always be known as Leia’s actress for the movies, including posthumously in the later two Sequel Trilogy films.
Alec Guinness (2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000), who played Obi-Wan, as well as his force spirit, in the Original Trilogy.
Peter Mayhew (19 May 1944 – 30 April 2019), actor of Chewbacca in the films, up until The Force Awakens.
Jeremy Bulloch (16 February 1945 – 17 December 2020), who portrayed Boba Fett in SW’s Original Trilogy also, before briefly returning to the franchise in Revenge of the Sith, playing a minor character, Captain Colton.
Jason Wingreen (October 9, 1920 – December 25, 2015), Boba’s voice in The Empire Strikes Back & Return of the Jedi, too.
Marjorie Eaton (February 5, 1901 – April 21, 1986).
Larry Ward (October 3, 1924 – February 16, 1985).
That additionally goes for any other deceased person who has ever contributed to a Star Wars production.
UPDATE: Just to be clear, this now also includes James Earl Jones (January 17, 1931 – September 9, 2024). We will forever know him as Darth Vader’s voice in Episodes III, IV, V, and VI.
UPDATE 2: Clive Revill (18 April 1930 – 11 March 2025) is now included here, as well.
CATCH MY OTHER POSTS, & MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU, FOREVER AND ALWAYS!