That’s the question that arises when you’re new to Star Wars or want to start watching it from scratch, as you’ve never watched them thoroughly before. If you have a Star Wars deep-fan in your circle of friends, then you’re lucky; they probably suggest the right way to watch the franchise. If you don’t have geeky-friend, you probably may even go to Reddit or Quora.
Should you watch the saga in the order George Lucas released them, or should you follow the timeline of the galaxy far, far away? It’s like choosing between a lightsaber and a blaster cause both have their merits. But whoever chooses blaster is the loser. Seems George Lucas loves blasters.
I’ve watched each Star Wars movie at least 5 times. Just because I’m a geek about Star Wars Universe. So, I’m promoting the franchise to all my friends. And if I’m promoting, I’m happy to watch. I’ve watched the franchise in the release order, in chronological order, and even in a mosaic order. And here’s what I think.
Release order is the classic way. The way folks first met Luke, Leia, and Han. You start with the original trilogy, move to the prequels, and then hit the sequels. It’s a journey through film history, not just Star Wars lore.
With the chronological order, you start with the origins, the prequels. You see Anakin Skywalker’s rise and fall before you even meet Luke. It’s a different flavor, like eating dessert before the main course.
Some opt for a mix, skipping certain episodes or adding in standalone films like “Rogue One” to enhance the main storyline.
And that’s the way you should watch the movie. The mix is the only good way to watch Star Wars and get the most out of the franchise. You should never watch it chronologically, that’s my opinion. And I’m a Star Wars veteran, I know what I’m talking about. I spend hours each day inside the Star Wars community, and in my opinion, it is the last you need.
Lucas is wrong. Completely.
Lucas says to watch (they refer to Vulture, but it requires a subscription) chronologically. Lucas is wrong. Lucas is wrong in many things; that’s one of them.
George Lucas, the man who gave us Star Wars, insists that chronological order is the way to go. He views the saga as one big movie centered around Darth Vader and his story. But here’s where I diverge from the creator’s vision.
Okay, for me, that’s also the story about Lord Vader. And now what? The right way to understand the story is to read the original trilogy first, then the prequels. Because that will give you the most of understanding of the Vader’s story.
I can’t spoil here, but there’s nothing special in watching the reason and the consequences. The real story of Vader is when you first meet consequences, you’re going into the bleak world of the Emperor’s rule, and then you go to see how the universe gets there.
And don’t forget the Empire Strikes Back twist. Of course, it’s so well-known that you probably know it. But what is the reason for ruining the moment?
So, no, don’t follow Lucas. Left him alone to watch Star Wars in chronological flow. I hope he enjoys watching Episode 9 every day.
The scenes
Do I have something to prove my opinion? Yes, but I won’t spoil it, so the argumentation is limited a bit. But look.
Episodes IV, V, and VI are extremely great but a little bit outdated. Lightsaber duels aren’t attractive, fast, and blood-thrilling. Everything looks old. Right the way it should look, taking into account that Episode VI was released in 1977, almost 50 years ago. So, if you watch Episodes I, II, and III first, the original trilogy will feel a little bit boring. Don’t ruin your own experience.
Lucas is wrong; Leite from ScreenRant is wrong. You SHOULD watch the original trilogy first.
The right order to watch Star Wars
That’s the only order I really suggest:
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: A Prelude to “A New Hope” is a must-watch.
- Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope: Where it all began. Meet Luke, Leia, and Han.
- Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back: The one with the big reveal. No spoilers!
- Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi: The original saga wraps up.
- Solo: A Star Wars Story: Learn how Han Solo became the scoundrel we all love.
- The Mandalorian: A fresh story set after “Return of the Jedi.”
- The Acolyte (when it would be released)
- Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace: Now that you’re invested, let’s go back to where Anakin started.
- Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones: More Anakin and the start of the Clone Wars.
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Cartoon Series): Adds depth to the prequels and introduces Ahsoka Tano.
- Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Cartoon Series): A Clone Wars spin-off.
- Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith: Anakin’s transformation.
- Obi-Wan Kenobi: The worst thing I ever watched.
- Star Wars Rebels (2014-2018): Fills in gaps between the prequels and the original trilogy.
- Andor (2022-present): Fills in gaps between the prequels and the original trilogy.
- The Book of Boba Fett
- Ahsoka
- Skeleton Crew
- Star Wars: Resistance (2018-2020)
- Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens: New faces, same epic struggle.
- Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi: Things get complicated.
- Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker: The grand finale.
Cartoons aren’t bold; movies are highlighted in bold; series are highlighted in bold italic.
And that’s the only thing you need to watch Star Wars. You don’t need to watch the saga chronologically.
But if you don’t want to follow my advice – here’s how to watch the saga in chronological order.
