Filoni is almost singlehandedly responsible for me having any affection towards the prequel era, and it's entirely due to the Clone Wars cartoon, which ends up making Revenge of the Sith actually moving for me. Like, ROTS is a fantastic capstone for Clone Wars. As a PT by itself? Meh. It's the least bad of the three story-wise. Still appreciate George having a vision and artistic integrity even if I don't love what he made, but...I don't love what he made by itself.
If Filoni did something with the ST, I expect it could rehab that trilogy decently. Although I think it'd take five seasons of material to make the jump from TLJ to TROS actually "work." And it still wouldn't work for me.
Honestly, I'd rather they just left the ST alone and move on. I think a lot of the rehabilitation of the PT is due to (A) kids growing up with it having nostalgia for it, and (B) the Clone Wars cartoon playing a huge part in that.
Oh I fully expect the general sentiment towards TFA and TLJ to be extremely positive 20 years from now, assuming we're not all too busy with the climate apocalypse to worry about it lol.
Honestly most of the criticism of TLJ I've seen online felt like it was part of the outrage industry, it was just the thing to hate for a while, like She Hulk or Steven Universe. I don't think I've ever met someone in real life who hated it as much as some rando on reddit or YouTube did. Amongst my circle of friends it's probably regarded as the second best Star Wars movie right behind ESB.
I do not expect any general sentiment shift for TRoS. I reckon as appreciation for TLJ grows the disdain for that particular piece of corporate cowardice is just gonna look worse and worse, like a Snoke clone decaying in a pickle jar.
The best I could see is some "TLJ is underrated" comments but I still think its as BS as the recent revival in love for PT and the false narrative that "PT was never hated."
I grew up with PT and its a bad trilogy. Just from a basic narrative standpoint, there are many clear flaws such as significant time skips, too much tell not show, no clear central protagonist, and stuff getting added in because it would be cool/sell merch. I do think the story Lucas was trying to tell was interesting and had potential (the fall of a pretty clean democracy and the rise of a dictatorship through the machinations of one man) but it was not executed well.
The only one I could see aging kind of well is TFA. Its a basic movie that has decent pacing and character development and the best of the three movies in ST. Its ruined because its "mystery boxes" are ruined by the sequels but it was a decent setup.
TLJ is overrated and made by someone who doesnt understand Star Wars. I dont think its well done because its tone is completely different from Star Wars and thats not a good thing for a franchise entry. Nevermind its complete lack of character development for the main trio (honestly Kylo Ren got the most character development in the trilogy), adding in new lore that ruins any suspense, and locking the story into an inevitable conclusion that killed the last entry. This has already been discussed ad nauseum but I dont think the ST will be looked back on fondly unless Disney releases a new trilogy which is even worse than ST. I do think the recent revival for PT is also driven by how bad the ST was as well. If the ST was good, there wouldnt be a PT revival.
To me, nothing can save ROTS. There's no circumstance that anyone with a functioning braincell thinks 'ok fine' when told 'so, you think it's possible your secret wife might, die, if you go slaughter an elementary school with on onsite pre-school, i think i can help you keep that from happening'. It just does not work and it will never work.I feel the warming up to the PT is because people can see the story it was trying to make, but that the movies themselves failed to deliver. George set a good setting and framework... but wasn't able to make it work. He needed a second writer and better directors and editors, instead of surrounding himself with yes-men that let him dictate everything. More limited budgets and restraints on the cgi would have pushed him to not overindulge.
Oh yes, the Monty Python reset option.Anakin killing younglings -
I figure he was intoxicated by the Dark Side at that point. He made a conscious choice to let it in and that's on him. But it hit his mind like a drug and clouded his judgement. It's a snowball effect, like the way being a little bit drunk makes you more willing to keep drinking.
I agree that Anakin's dark turn needed work in general. The logic of the big important things was not ironed out. The cause of his fear (that Padme was in danger) was not concrete enough to be satsifying. His reasoning for turning dark (how would that save her?) felt even less finished. Her actual death felt like "the animator suffered a fatal heart attack."
but Padme, who is definitely someone who should have reported that behavior to Kenobe, kept it under her hat. He just killed all the women and children and she grieves FOR HIM.
Indeed.Anakin killing younglings -
Was there anything in the movies besides that though about him 'falling'? I guess killing dooku, but considering the dude cut off his arm, i sorta get that. The only other thing that comes to mind is secretly getting married. To get to wiping at that many children, you HAVE to earn that big time to get the audience to buy it. Even after the CW they didn't earn it.Oh yes, the Monty Python reset option.
But we did see Anakin well off the path far earlier. I agree that he was guilty of a great many things by the time we see him kill younglings. The issue we all suffer from is his redemption in the clone wars where he resolutely does show mercy and logic all the time. He is not the same Anakin who wiped out the entire local tribe of Sand people, "and their women and children too" "and this little Beagle named Penny", but Padme, who is definitely someone who should have reported that behavior to Kenobe, kept it under her hat. He just killed all the women and children and she grieves FOR HIM.
Except for that fact, that if you go that route, that's the very thing that makes you 'WTF have I done?' and go back to the other side. Woulda been much cooler (maybe) had that happened, and anakin steps in to defend the kids and dies.. Then we see palps reviving a clone with implanted memories that makes him an easy puppet. I mean, that was largely set up when they explained the clone army.Indeed.
I think there could have been a better story if he had not actually gone to the temple to kill, but to go there to round up and arrest the remaining Jedi.
And when he had started doing that, the story would change into showing that he wasn't actually the person in control, because he wasn't able to stop the troopers from massacring the rounded-up Jedi.
Anakin/Vader's story is not just a story of anger and ambition. It is a story of despair.
And it directed well, it would not have had to contradict the idea of Obi-Wan thinking that Anakin would have killed younglings.
But we still wanted the movie to better show what lies behind the line "You don't know the power of the Dark Side. I must obey my master" from ROTJ.
They don't even have to kill him... or make a clone... but simply not have Anakin there when it happens. The troopers do it and Anakin gets mad at Palpatine who bitch slaps him into submission, saying it had to be done, it was the only way.Except for that fact, that if you go that route, that's the very thing that makes you 'WTF have I done?' and go back to the other side. Woulda been much cooler (maybe) had that happened, and anakin steps in to defend the kids and dies.. Then we see palps reviving a clone with implanted memories that makes him an easy puppet. I mean, that was largely set up when they explained the clone army.
You could spin it differently as well...clone comes in and is the one who kills him. Then you're not retconning Ben's explanation to luke.They don't even have to kill him... or make a clone... but simply not have Anakin there when it happens. The troopers do it and Anakin gets mad at Palpatine who bitch slaps him into submission, saying it had to be done, it was the only way.