A Beginner’s Guide to Star Wars Before Watching ‘The Last Jedi’
Confused about where The Last Jedi fits in the Star Wars movie universe? Here’s The Quint’s guide.
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Too many Star Wars movies and even more Star Wars pop culture references can give anyone a sense of FOMO. So, if your friends are nerding out over the The Last Jedi – the upcoming addition to the Star Wars universe – don’t freak out, here’s a quick guide to the epic intergalactic saga created by George Lucas.
First the original trilogy, then a prequel trilogy and now a sequel trilogy (!) can make the timeline confusing, even for those who have watched these films. Here are all the Star Wars movies in sequence of the events that take place in a galaxy far far away...
Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
The Phantom Menace is the first addition to the prequel trilogy. It is called Episode I but it was not the first Star Wars movie to hit the theatres. It was released almost 16 years after the premiere of the previous Star Wars movie – Return of the Jedi.
Episode I follows the adventures of Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi as they protect Queen Amidala while contending with the mysterious return of the Sith. They are joined by Anakin Skywalker, a young slave with unusually strong natural powers of the Force.
Star Wars Episode II – Attack of The Clones (2002)
Set 10 years after the events in The Phantom Menace, the galaxy is on the brink of civil war. After Padmé Amidala evades assassination, Anakin Skywalker becomes her protector. Soon Anakin, Padmé and Obi-Wan witness the onset of a new threat to the galaxy – the Clone Wars.
Attack of The Clones received poor critical response for the Anakin-Padmé romance and its long runtime, though the film was a financial success worldwide.
Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of The Sith (2005)
The final installment of the prequel trilogy, Revenge of The Sith portrays the drifting of Anakin Skywalker to the dark side as he acts as a double agent between the Jedi Council and antagonist Palpatine, and is lured into a sinister plan to rule the galaxy.
Most critics have considered Episode III the best instalment of the prequel trilogy. It was also the highest grossing movie the year of its release.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
The latest Star Wars film is also the first to be the part of the anthology series. They are described as ‘spin-off movies, part of the vast universe’. Rogue One is set immediately before the events of the original trilogy and has a different tone compared to other Star Wars movies.
Rogue One follows the daughter of an Imperial scientist who joins a group of rebels on a mission to steal the plans for the Death Star, the Galactic Empire's superweapon.
Combined with breathtaking visual effects, action sequences and superb background score, Rogue One received heavy critical praise and grossed over a billion dollars worldwide. Following its success, there are more anthology films slated for 2018 and 2020 release.
Rogue One acts as Episode 3.5 and seamlessly merges its ending with the exact beginning of A New Hope. Hence, bridging a gap of 39 years between the ending of one movie and the beginning of another.
Here is a fan-made video of the two scenes. Spoiler Warning!
Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
This is where it all began. Written and directed by George Lucas, A New Hope was the first ever Star Wars film to be released.
The film introduces us to the key protagonist Luke Skywalker who joins forces with Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, pilot Han Solo, a Wookiee called Chewbacca, and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle-station while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the evil Darth Vader.
Originally titled just Star Wars, it was once the highest grossing movie and is still date regarded as one of the most important films in history of motion picture due to its global appeal.
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
The Empire Strikes Back is often described as the best Star Wars movie and is regarded as one of the best sequels of all time.
As the name suggest, the movie marks the return of Darth Vader’s evil Empire. After the rebels are overpowered by the Empire, Luke Skywalker begins Jedi training with Yoda when Vader captures Luke's friends.
The film is a fan favourite, rated number 12 on IMDB 250 list. It also made Darth Vader one of the most famous villains in cinema and delivered a great plot twist in the end, which is till date quoted in pop culture.
Star Wars Episode VI - Return of The Jedi (1983)
The epic conclusion of the original trilogy. While Return of The Jedi could not match the success of its predecessors, it remains a fun sci-fi adventure and a fitting end to the classic trilogy.
The Galactic Empire, under the direction of the ruthless Emperor or Darth Sidious, is constructing a second Death Star in order to crush the Rebels. The Rebel Fleet launches a full-scale attack on the Death Star in order to prevent its completion and kill the Emperor, effectively bringing an end to the Empire's hold over the galaxy.
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
After Walt Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012, The Force Awakens was the first release in the Star Wars franchise in ten years. It also marks the beginning of what is called the ‘sequel trilogy’.
Set 30 years after Return of the Jedi, it follows Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron's search for Luke Skywalker and their fight alongside the Resistance against Kylo Ren and the First Order, which rose from the ashes of the Galactic Empire.
The widely anticipated movie banked on the nostalgia of original Star Wars fans. While paying a homage to the classics and reuniting the old characters, The Force Awakens successfully set the future of the franchise and gives us plenty to look forward to.
The Force Awakens received overwhelmingly positive reviews and grossed a whopping 2 billion dollars worldwide, making it the third highest-grossing movie of all time.
Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
An immediate sequel to The Force Awakens, the latest episode, The Last Jedi is slated to release on 15 December worldwide.
The film continues with the journey of Rey as she learns the Jedi way from none other than Luke Skywalker himself. The heroes join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past.
There is no fixed order and format in which you should necessarily watch the Star Wars movies. Popularly, first-timers watch the original trilogy first and then go to the prequels, which doesn’t give away the big twist at the end of Empire Strikes Back. Thus the order being: Episode IV-V-VI-I-II-III-VII-VIII. If you follow this order, you are likely to hate the prequel trilogy because it never lives up to the original.
However, you can also follow the sequence in which the movies are listed in the article, starting with the prequel trilogy and then reaching The Last Jedi.
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