Which order should new fans experience Star Wars?

Collector Freaks Forum

Help Support Collector Freaks Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Darth Vader being Luke's father is one of the greatest plot twists/revelations/gotcha moments in cinema, and watching the prequels first totally ruins that. I can't see how watching the prequels first wouldn't ruin the story elements in the OT.

not entirely true. Most kids hear the phrase "Luke...I am your father" before even watching star wars as it became such an iconic and yet typical everyday kind of phrase. I mean I know I heard it before watching anything SW. I didn't know who Luke was nor Darth Vader but the phrase stuck. So to me, the "waaaaa?!" moment wasn't so great. In reality there wasn't one. There was just a "oh, that's where the phrase came from"
 
not entirely true. Most kids hear the phrase "Luke...I am your father" before even watching star wars as it became such an iconic and yet typical everyday kind of phrase. I mean I know I heard it before watching anything SW. I didn't know who Luke was nor Darth Vader but the phrase stuck. So to me, the "waaaaa?!" moment wasn't so great. In reality there wasn't one. There was just a "oh, that's where the phrase came from"

It's so interesting to see the different points of view from the younger generation. I can remember that moment of "Luke...I am you father" as one of the greatest jaw dropping experiences of my childhood.
 

:lecture:lecture:lecture Start with Episode 1 and work your way through. They only get better. Sure you'll lose moments like Vader's admission to Luke, but it'll give his demise in ROTJ that much more meaning, so it's a fair trade-off. Plus it makes the Luke/Leia deal look more like giving Han a hard time than the gross thing it became with the reveal in ROTJ. :lol
 
I still dont know why people even talk about the new trilogy. If you have to, 4,5,6,3. And three is just for a deeper understanding of vaders downfall.
The vader reveal in empire is like losing your virginity. Dont ruin it by going with a dumb waste of time.
A friend of mine admitted recently that she hadnt seen any star wars films. It was like I stumbled upon the holy grail. I didnt think these types of people existed. I remember being a kid when I seen the reveal, jaw dropping and all that. So I convinced her it would be a good idea to watch the OT one Sunday and the NT the following Sunday. After she watched the OT and became obsessed with Star Wars, I didnt have the heart to ruin her experience with the NT. I agree, its something that you need to wait 30 years so it doesnt take from the OT.
 
When I first met my wife she hadn't seen a single SW movie so I had her watch 4,5,1,2,3,6. Best way to be introduced to the saga IMO. She'd grown up passingly aware of "I am your father" but was still shocked at the end of ESB because it never occurred to her that it was Darth Vader who said it. She assumed it was Obi-Wan.

Watching ROTJ last she even got to be shocked when Padme spit out twins at the end of ROTS, a much better revelation than the anticlimactic "sitting on a log" scene in ROTJ.
 
This is actually a very interesting question and one that I'm wrestling with as my two young ones will eventually sit down with me to watch them all... They've seen parts of all-- and they obviously know most of the characters with my collection, but what's important for them is that they don't know the context. For example, in their minds Anakin is a hero and Darth Vader is a bad guy-- they do not know that they are one in the same. While those of us pushing 40 and beyond had the absolute joy of experience the OT without internet spoilers I think the more powerful reveal will be their hero's fall (in ROTS) and eventual return to hero (in ROTJ) so I'll eventually be showing my girls the movies in order: 1 through to 6.
 
For virgin SW viewers, the framework and foundation for the "world" of all six films is laid down in the original Star Wars. Much of the content of the prequel trilogy is designed with the assumption that the viewer has experienced 4-6 first, and I believe 1-3 resonate far better with having seen (at least) Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back beforehand. I also think that Return Of The Jedi is strengthened as a film by viewing Revenge Of The Sith before it.

I would go the 4,5,1,2,3 and 6 route. But, above all else, I think it's essential to start with the one that changed the world in 1977.
 
My girlfriend has actually never seen a single SW movie. And, you know what... that's perfectly fine with me.
 
My girlfriend has actually never seen a single SW movie. And, you know what... that's perfectly fine with me.

My wife's the same way... but as my two girls love watching the Clone Wars cartoon with me and they love my collection it's definitely an experience that I want to share with them...
 
I quess I consider myself an old timer since I'm in my mid thirties I grew up watching 4,5,6 in that order over 500 times. But ever since the PT came out I been watching 1-6. If you watch it that way you miss out on the shock of Luke "I'm your Father" but the ending of ROTJ is more climatic. I just finished showing my six year old son SW from 1-6 and he was shocked at the end of ROTJ when Vader tossed the Emperor. He almost was in tears when he saw ghost Anakin at the end and yes it was in a good way. I have watched 4,5,6 so many times in that order that I needed to change it up. My boy loved episode 2 and 3 lost some interest during 4 but liked 5 and loved ROTJ. I can't wait for the 3d editions because he'll get to experience SW for the first time in the movies as well as my 2 year old who already breathes like Vader when he sees my collection. As for the people who hate the PT everyone is untitled to their own opinion but I consider myself lucky that I like the PT because I have 6 Star Wars movies to enjoy:lol
 
4-6 only.... I've never seen the other films so I have no idea what they're about anyway.


No really, 4-6 (Not the ____ing SEs either!) then 1-3.... Watching the PT first ruins more than just the Vader/Luke reveal. It robs the viewer of meeting Yoda and Jabba for the first time, which in both instances are far more dramatic than that of the PT.

And remember, this isn't "Which order do you watch Star Wars?" it's "How should a n00b watch SW?"
 
Darth Vader being Luke's father is one of the greatest plot twists/revelations/gotcha moments in cinema, and watching the prequels first totally ruins that. I can't see how watching the prequels first wouldn't ruin the story elements in the OT.
I couldn't agree with your more. For the first viewing only, it must be OT, then prequels. For any subsequent viewings, 1-6 works fine.
 
Honestly, if someone had sat me down and showed me I, II and III, I would have no interest in watching any more StarWars ever!

And good point about the SE. I wish I could erase Greedo shooting first and Han's jerky head from my memory.
 
Made the mistake to show Ep I to the missus for a start, she stated (right) that it sucked and she doesn't want to see the rest.

So again as others stated: Go for IV, V and VI - then tell her, her father was no freight navigator etc.
 
This is something I'm going to struggle with. I'm 34 years old so I watched them in the order they were released. Now, I have a 2 year old and eventually we'll watch them and I'm torn with how to do it. On one hand, you watch them from 1-6, and you'll be surpised at who lives and who dies. There really was no suspense to the prequels since we already knew the fate of all of the characters. However, now it'll seem extra creepy with the Luke and Leia thing. One the other, the big Vader/Father reveal thing won't be a surpise at all. Decisions....decisions.
 
Back
Top