Prequel Trilogy

After a nearly 20 year gap (1983-1999) Star Wars returned with a new Prequel trilogy that would take place approximately 30 years before the original Star Wars: A New Hope. The prequel trilogy would receive much criticism from Star Wars original trilogy fans, but as time goes on the movies become more and more respected.

In 1999 Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was released. As anticipated for a franchise with such a large following the expectations and hype were unattainable, and for that reason this movie received a lot of hate. The story begins with a Jedi Master, Qui Gon-Jinn, and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi arriving at an outpost of the Trade Federation to negotiate a deal. The Trade Federation currently had a blockade on the planet of Naboo. When they are attacked, they flee to the planets surface and meet a native Gungan named Jar Jar Binks. He takes them to the capital of Naboo where they meet the leader of the Planet, Queen Amidala (Padme). Believing she is in danger they attempt to fly Amidala to the Galaxy's capital on Courscant, but when leaving Naboo they are attacked by the Trade Federation and forced to land on Tatooine a desert planet. They find the part they need to repair their ship but no means of payment. Master Qui Gon bets their whole ship on an upcoming Podrace on a young 9 year old slave named Anakin Skywalker. Qui Gon senses that the force is strong with Anakin, and Anakin wins which pays for the part as well as his freedom. He leaves his mother (He has no father, and it is revealed that he was conceived by the presence of the force) on Tatooine to travel with Master Qui Gon to begin training as a Jedi. Right before take off Qui Gon is attacked by a Sith named Darth Maul, whom is an apprentice of the Emperor. This is the first time a Sith has been seen in hundreds of years.

The boy is denied training by the Jedi Council, but Qui Gon vows to train the boy regardless believing he will fulfill a centuries old prophecy that will bring balance to the force. The movie concludes by the senate granting permission to attack the Trade Federation for their illegal blockade. Anakin and a fleet of star fighters attack the ship of the Federation which controls the droids. While Jar Jar leads the Gungans in battle against the TF's droids, Qui Gon and Obi-Wan lead The Queen and her personal guard back into the temple to take out the leaders of the Federation. While there Qui Gon and Obi-Wan engage in battle with Darth Maul once again, ending with Qui Gon losing his life and then Obi-Wan avenging it and killing Maul. Qui Gon's dying wish to Obi-Wan is to train Anakin, and Obi-Wan follows through. Anakin blows up the main ship and the droids lose power and Naboo is safely defended.


Episode II: Attack of the Clones was released in May of 2002. With the criticism of Phantom Menace quit a few people figured it would be just as big of a flop so the saga had lost a little bit of steam. The movie is set 10 years after the events of Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan has taken on Anakin as his Padawan. The two have been assigned to protect Senator Amidala (Padme) who has had several attempts made on her life. After a nearly successful attempt that they thwart, Anakin is sent with Padme to Naboo where she will be in hiding. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan is sent to the stormy planet of Kamino where he believes the assassin was assigned from. While there he finds out that an army of Clones has been made by his former master Qui Gon-Jinn, as he had learned of a separatist movement. This separatist movement was on the brink of breaking out and was being headed by a former Jedi named Count Dooku.

Back on Naboo, Anakin and Padme have started to engage in a romantic relationship, which is forbidden by the jedi code. However, he pursues the relationship regardless the rules and the two fall in love. When Anakin starts having dreams of his mother being killed back on his home planet of Tatooine he and Padme travel back there to rescue her. He finds her being held by tusken raiders and out of anger he murders them all, this scene plants the seeds for Anakin later becoming Darth Vader. Obi-Wan tracks Dooku to Genosis and Anakin and Padme then follow his distress signal. The three are captured and about to be killed in a gladiator style sacrifice. When every other Jedi arrives in defense of them along with the prepared clone army. This arena battle on Genosis is known as the starting point of the "Clone Wars". Obi-Wan and Anakin attack Count Dooku while he is trying to escape, and during battle Anakin loses his hand. When both Anakin and Obi have been incapacitated Yoda steps in and the his battle with Dooku ends in a draw with Dooku escaping. The movie ends with the Jedi Council licking their wounds and preparing for the struggles that will take place during The Clone Wars.


For what was believed to be the final Star Wars movie to ever be made there was spectacular anticipation. The film begins not long after episode two with Anakin and Obi-Wan engaged in a space battle still as part of the Clone Wars. They land on a ship where they believe a separatist General Grievous is holding the kidnaped Chancellor Palpatine. They track down the Chancellor to find Count Dooku there using him as bait. This time, Anakin disarms Dooku and at the encouragement of the Chancellor beheads him despite the fact that killing an unarmed person is against the Jedi Code. Obi, Anakin, and the rescued Chancellor are then captured while trying to escape by Grievous. He abandons ship and Anakin lands the nearly destroyed star ship on Courscant. Anakin is rewarded for his courage by being admitted on to the council, yet he is not granted the rank of Master. They then ask him to spy on the Chancellor as they think he has a hidden Agenda. In the mean time, it is revealed that Padme is pregnant with Anakin's baby, yet he consistently has dreams of her dying in child birth similar to the dreams he had about his mother. Obi-Wan travels to Utapu to track down Grievous, and he ends up defeating him and effectively ending the Clone Wars. While talking to the Chancellor, he tells Anakin about a dark power of the force which is rumored to be able to keep people from dying. Upon hearing this Anakin realizes that Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord (Darth Sidius) the Jedi have been searching for. He tells Master Mace Windu and he begins to battle with Darth Sidius. After defeating him, he is about to execute him claiming "He is too powerful to be kept alive," but Anakin being there and seeing the only foreseeable hope of saving his wife Padme about to die reacts and slices off Mace Windu's hand.

 Darth Sidius then throws Mace out of the building to his death. Sidius has gained control of the Senate and became The Emperor and declares war on the Jedi. He then dubs Anakin Darth Vader and tells he and the clones to "Execute Order 66" a demand programmed into all the clones that will cause them to attack and kill any Jedi. Anakin goes to a lava planet called Mustafar and kills off the last separatists officially ending the Clone Wars. Obi-Wan arrives there and despite is love and strong relationship with Anakin he fights him in what is the most passionate lightsaber battle in the saga. It ends with Anakin losing his arm and two legs and being badly burnt when the Emperor finds him and puts him into the robotic suit that makes him look like the Darth Vader of the original trilogy. Then you see Padme die in child birth delivering Luke Skywalker, and Leia Skywalker. The two twins are separated to kept from being found by their father. Obi takes Luke to Tatooine to live with Owen Lars, and Bail Organa take Leia to Alderaan to be his daughter.

The prequel trilogy receives a lot of hate for not following the exact style of the original trilogy, but as a true fan you will be able to see the greatness in both trilogies. In case you want a visual taste of the prequel trilogy, here is a