Personally, I never had a problem with The Phantom Menace being first. I think what George was going for was showing how an innocent kid can go from being a good kid to a murderous Sith Lord.

Although several aspects of both The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones have some cringe moments, each of them are necessary for the overall story and character development.

TPM was Padmé’s movie if you think about it. She’s the only character in the movie, who truly has a full fleshed out character arc. Not to mention George Lucas himself admitted this in the dvd commentary. It sets her up as the other political figure and protagonist competing for both Anakin’s soul and heart of the galaxy.

It would be bad if we had started with Episode II. Episode I is absolutely essential to the prequels. It delves into the first steps of Anakin's dark side, Padmé's character development, the corruption of the Republic and why there are so many systems that want to secede, how Palpatine rose to power, insight into the Force and how it operates in a symbiotic relationship with life and more context on why Obi-Wan failed Anakin as a mentor. The movie establishes a time of "peace and justice" in the Old Republic. TPM does a good job of making it clear that we're in a different era than the OT (something TFA didn't well). People complain about it being about trade taxes, but this is wrong because a) this is just the setup, it's not like the movie revolves around actual trade negotiations, and b) starting off with a minor and mundane conflict is the whole point. These are not the dark times yet. This is just the first domino to fall, and something that seems trivial at first having much larger consequences is more interesting. This conflict leads to Palpatine becoming chancellor. Again, I'd argue that seeing him manipulate his away into becoming chancellor is more interesting than him just being it from the start. It makes for a more complete arch for him over the three movies. The sith are revealed to the jedi, a pretty big deal. It shows that Anakin's strength with the force was sensed right away, and that it was feared too dangerous to train him. the fact that Obi-wan agreed he was dangerous, and ends up promising Qui-Gon he will train him while still being young himself is part of the conflict between the two going forward. Remember in RotJ Obi-wan says he was wrong thinking he could train him. Anakin promises his mom that he will come back and free her. This is possibly the most important because it's where his fall to the dark side is centered around. He's explicitly told that his fear of losing his mother can lead to the dark side. Then in episode II he fails to save her, fails to keep his promise. He asks if he'd ever see her again, and it turns out that the next time he sees her she dies in front of him. Without the context of TPM, the death of his mother in AotC loses a lot of its weight. The whole foundation of Anakin's dark side journey is laid in TPM. The moment you see him sitting on that ship alone in the cold ; to the dirty look he shoots Mace after it's revealed he won't be trained ( establishing an early mistrust between the boy and his adopted 'family' ) ... to his infatuation with Padme after abandoning his mother ... it's all in the second half of that movie. Things quietly begin to turn dark for Anakin the moment he leaves Tatooine, as a little boy is removed from the framework of family into a situation where he's almost immediately rejected by an ostensible 'adopted family', his father figure dies, and he belongs to no-one before being taken on by a reluctant 'uncle' who is too inexperienced to train anyone but is obligated to fulfill the wishes of a dead man. He has no solid ground ; no institution or clan to fully belong to, no-one who takes him without reservation or doubt - never really the same as the other Jedi, but never allowed to be free of them. Little wonder, then, that he grows up into a neurotic mess with a repressed hatred of the people who took him in. This is what his story is fundamentally about ; someone slipping through the cracks because everybody else neglected to see the seeds of conflict psychologically pulling between two worlds planted so young.

I was just watching Phantom Menace yesterday, and I feel that it was essential to the story Lucas was trying to tell in the prequels. We needed to see Anakin's life as a slave and meet his mom to understand him and to feel the anguish and anger he felt when she died in Attack of the Clones. Qui-Gon was needed to show that the Jedi Council was losing their way and why there was animosity and distrust between them and Anakin in the later films. Palpatine's rise to power starts in Phantom Menace, as the movie shows him manipulating Queen Amidala and the Trade Federation to get himself elected as Chancellor to carry out his master plan of revenge. I think it was important to see him as a simple politician, weaseling his way into more and more power, as politicians often do. While Maul didn't have much of a character in this movie, without this movie, we would never have gotten his return in Clone Wars and Rebels. While there are some wooden acting performances and goofy scenes with Jar Jar that weren't necessary, this movie is still good and was the best place Lucas could've started the prequels, in my opinion.

I like that Episode 1 sets up Padme helping Palpatine to gain the power that eventually leads to her own downfall. It shows how he’s a trusted friend to her, which continues in Episode 2. With Anakin’s obsession with Padme, it makes sense that he then trusts Palpatine through that mutual connection.

Hey Thor, I was wondering about your opinion of the Yuuzhan Vong. I know they were very controversial when the NJO books came out, especially with things like killing off Chewbacca, but I've always found them fascinating. They're a new threat with new technology and actually put the Jedi and the New Republic on the run (to say the least), and eventually forced the New Republic, the Jedi, the Empire, the Mandalorians, the Hutts and others to join forces against their common enemy. And it was a nice break from the constant cycle of fighting Imperial remnant warlords and Jedi vs. Sith. Honestly, I think the Vong could've been good villains for the sequel trilogy instead of just rehashing the Empire.

I like The Phantom Menace. And sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who does. It gets so tiring to see and hear it derided so badly so often. So it's great to watch this video and see so many appreciative comments attached to it. 🙂👍

One of the things I always missed in the Prequels was the famous Anakin and Obi-Wan friendship. Because we don't actually see that. We are told they're friends, brothers, but we only see them bicker in some scenes and everything about their friendship happens off-screen. Maybe if they had started with Anakin a bit older, we could've seen some of that and it would've made things a lot more dramatic than it already was when Anakin turned.

Lightning response question: Since it appears you're no longer gonna release your planned remake of the sequel trilogy you had planned a couple years ago. Can tell us what the story is for your sequel trilogy. Like give us the full outline of what you were gonna do with your sequel trilogy films, spoilers and all. Thanks

It is a big maybe and Attack of the Clones would need such an extreme change... that they'd almost be a completely different series.

I think you hit on everything major, so I'd love to see it fleshed out. Both a brief summary of what this version of Attack of the Clones looks like and what the episode 2 of this new prequel trilogy would be.

It’s a double edged sword honestly cause it seems to me that most people’s argument for starting with Attack of the Clones is Anakin being older and I understand why many people aren’t that fond of him when he’s little but Anakin’s story beginning when he’s young is essential to understanding the groundwork for why he makes the choices he makes later.

I think one thing we can all agree on is that Christopher Lee is criminally underused in the prequels.

With all these changes I would just say age up Anakin (and Padme a little) in Phantom Menace and tone down Jar-Jar 90%. What remains isn't too bad.

For any unacquainted with many of the gritty details of Star Wars productions, there is a lot about George's writing process found in the "Icons Unearthed" documentary that explains a lot about the Prequels

If starting as you mentioned, his childhood could be covered through conversations about it, flashbacks to it, dreams, etc. They could still establish his past as a slave freed to be trained as a Jedi whose mother was left behind. Then he could visit later as he did in episode 2.

I used to be one of those that was kind of down on the prequels, but I’ve really gained a new respect for them of late. I honestly feel they are mainly maligned due to being framed as late stage add-ons, and yeah from that perspective it becomes easier to be unsatisfied with them. But I think it’s interesting to watch them with the mindset that, now that they are in place, this is simply how the story goes. With that view, TPM imo is great because of how it “sets the pieces on the board” The introduction sets up the Jedi quickly and gives you a sense of what they are about while also thrusting you into a strange world in the following action pieces. I also love Qui-Gon’s bits about the living force and seeking to feel its guidance. The whole film after all deals heavily with themes of Fate and gives a sense that the small things now are paving the way to bigger things later on. The Star Wars universe is at least somewhat deterministic after all and I’ve always felt we see the guiding hand of the force setting things in motion. This little trade dispute just happens to be the start of something bigger and it just so happens to pull 2 particular Jedi into the mix. Things happen so that out of all the universe they just happen to meet a boy on an unremarkable back water world which will change everything. I honestly think on e of the most interesting bits is Qui-Gon using the force to ensure the chance cube roll he wants - is he interning in the course of destiny or was it destined for him to be there in order to bring about the outcome that happened? All this to say I actually have grown to truly love TPM in particular. Not saying it’s perfect, but it’s thematic elements strike a chord with me. And despite what I said earlier about tying to approach them purely from a chronological standpoint, I think these themes only become more relevant when viewed through the lens of the climax in RotJ and ruminating on all the pieces that preceded and set up those moments

In answer to your question, I am old enough that I saw the original trilogy in the theatres. I did, however get to watch the Prequels with my two sons. The Prequels are my favorite, largely because I got to share them with my children. Also (take note for once Disney), they had the most, and the best lightsaber fights.

I wouldn't even go that far. Just age Anakin up so the hotrod feel of the pdracers makes more sense and the Luke parallels are stronger. I think it's also a strange omission that we never see Anakin interact with other padawans around his age. It would help us to see a difference between Anakin and those who started training at the conventional age.

Your ideas were certainly interesting, and I wouldn't be sad if they had played out that way (though, obviously, I wouldn't know any different, would I?) But The Phantom Menace is my favorite of the 6 Lucas Star Wars movies, so as it stands right now, I'd be sad without it. I'm happy with what we got.

I honestly love the Phantom Menace very much so I don't wanna see it erased

I have gone back and forth on this a lot. I think seeing Anakin as a young kid is really important for the story. He's at his most innocent and altruistic at this point. By the time of Ep 2, he's already feeling anger at the Jedi for the things he feels is holding him back.

Starting Anakin’s story with a movie that shows him first meeting Obi-wan and Padme has its merits, but starting the trilogy with Anakin as Obi-wans apprentice already still allows for allusions to Anakin’s past (similar to what we get in ANH) such as leaving his mother behind and even being a slave if such a thing was truly necessary. Anakin and Padme’s romance should take center stage, with hints at his tendencies toward the dark side. This will basically be a new movie, neither the Ep 2 we know nor anything like Ep 1. I wonder if Thor was rewatching the Mr Plinkett reviews lately.

I love phantom menace, but your version of this story sounds pretty awesome!

Or we could just enjoy the first six movies knowing what comes afterwards and look at them as epic masterpieces by comparison

Add the important phantom menace bits as flashbacks throughout and your what if idea sounds damn spot on for how id see it going

Great video! Would love to see more fleshing out of this idea, maybe a full rundown of these new Episodes 1 and 2!

Hey, Thor. I have been wondering. What if the prequels had been made in 1987, 1990 and 1993 as originally planned? Personally, I think Johnny Depp would be cast as Anakin because at the time he was the right age and had that "Rebel Without a Cause" vibe. I also think that both sides of the clone wars would use clones because of the limited computer technology. Lastly, while I think Naboo, Coruscant, Tatooine, Geonosis and Mustafar would be *relatively* the same with a few tweaks, I think the rest of the planets we saw would be considerably different. But what do you think?

I have such fond memories of TPM when I was a kid, but this was a fun thought experiment. I do think it would be interesting if more was done with Episode 1 than set up.

The Phantom Menace is essential for the Prequels as it contains so much information of how the Republic was like before the Clone Wars. Attack of the Clones didn’t have enough time by itself to show that and the pre-war circumstances of the Republic are important for showing how Palpatine came to power.

Yes! I've thought we missed so much opportunity with Dukoo. In toying around with re-writing the prequels in the past, I latched onto the idea of combining Qui Gon and Dukoo. Either that there was no TPM or its fight, so he was still alive and had left the Jedi Order or that Qui Gon never existed and you take aspects of both characters and merge them into one.

I like the Phantom Menace it just ties things together and gives background to Anakin's beginnings.

Ive always thought that a cut down Phantom Menace could work as a prologue to AotC, because there is so much story stuff in there that is really needed for the rest of the movies

Omitting TPM is ridiculous and the fact that people even entertain that notion shows how little fans understand what Lucas is doing. What is so great about the prequels is that Lucas made them matter even though they really werent needed and the OT could easily have been its own contained story. And most of that was established in TPM. TPM is setting up not only the rest of the PT but the OT as well. Its the beginning of a six part story. Not the first part of a second trilogy. That's what TFA should have done instead of being a cheap rehash of ANH.

ive always liked these kind of thought experiments, it really helps bring new discussions to the table

Then the Prequels would've been worse as George Lucas's vision wouldn't have been fully fulfilled...

Watching Darth Maul fight in the first film of the Clone Wars would’ve been interesting

For the most part, I’d be interested to see this version play out, but I do think Dooku needed the Qui Gon stuff to propel him into the dark

This sounds like a fun "what if" style series you could do

This new episode 1 idea is pretty cool. That said, I’m happy with PM. Gave us Qui Gon and Darth Maul.

here are some additional ways to improve the prequel trilogy: Anakin's Journey: Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader is a central aspect of the prequel trilogy. To make his journey more compelling, focus on his internal conflicts, the temptations of the dark side, and the emotional toll it takes on him. Show his struggle to reconcile his love for Padmé, his loyalty to the Jedi Order, and his growing disillusionment with their dogmatic approach. Padmé's Agency: Give Padmé Amidala a more active role in the story. Portray her as a strong and capable leader who is not solely defined by her romantic relationship with Anakin. Showcase her political acumen, her dedication to her people, and her efforts to maintain peace amidst the growing turmoil. The Clone Wars: Expand on the complexities and moral dilemmas of the Clone Wars. Highlight the impact of the war on the galaxy, the civilian population, and the soldiers themselves. Explore the ethics of the Jedi leading an army, the manipulation of public opinion, and the sacrifices made by the clones. Palpatine's Manipulation: Illuminate the gradual rise of Palpatine and his manipulation of events behind the scenes. Showcase his masterful manipulation of the political landscape, his ability to exploit divisions within the Republic, and his cunning schemes to consolidate power. Jedi Order's Decline: Examine the flaws within the Jedi Order that contribute to their downfall. Illustrate their detachment from the struggles of the galaxy, their increasing reliance on bureaucracy, and their failure to recognize the darkness growing within their own ranks. Emphasize the internal conflicts among the Jedi and their struggle to adapt to the changing times. High-Stakes Consequences: Raise the stakes and consequences of the characters' actions. Make the choices and decisions they face more impactful and emotionally resonant. Show the tragic consequences of Anakin's fall, the loss of innocent lives, and the destruction caused by the war. Symbolism and Mythology: Introduce more symbolic and mythological elements to enhance the depth of the story. Explore the prophecy of the Chosen One, the balance of the Force, and the ancient history of the Jedi and Sith. By tapping into these deeper layers, the prequels can resonate on a mythic level, connecting to the larger Star Wars saga.

I saw someone recently react to SW and they skipped ep 1 and they were so confused watching ep2 because they missed out on so much set up. Apparently there is a order to watch the films called “in machete order” which goes 4,5,2,3,6. Not sure why you would watch them in that order as again, you lose a lot of back story

I think you could distill the Phantom Menance into the intro (Dark Knight Trilogy Style) along with flashbacks sprinkled in of his mother.

I think The Phantom Menace could have been skipped (as you said, some stuff would need to be moved to Attack of the Clones to have it make sense). Anakin's childhood promise to come back to his mother could be a flashback, or he could have just explained it to Padme at some point, contrasting the verdant planet and the palaces they are staying in to his childhood as a slave in Tatooine. In the place of the Phantom Menace, we could have gotten the Best Anakin, that of the Clone Wars, and really show him and Obi-Wan becoming brothers, as well as the deepening relationship with him and Padme, including a marriage. I think it would help much more in character development and making us believe these relationships much more than what we got. Of course, this would require that the middle movie would be good and have great dialogue, but, referencing back to another question earlier, I was really expecting to see some Clone Wars in the Prequels, and I was left wanting, to be honest. They all got skipped between Ep. II and Ep. III.

'The Phantom Menace' is essential because it sets up how an angelic, gifted child becomes one of the most feared and evil beings in the galaxy. Darth Vader is also a combination of each villain in each episode: I / Darth Maul - A Sith Lord filled with rage and shared hatred of the Jedi II / Count Dooku - A fallen Jedi turned to the dark side III / General Grevious - A cyborg, brought back to life through a life support system and body armor.

I asked this like Yesterday. That was quicķ. Thank you for anwsering.

Well, I would’ve missed out on a very interesting start to my career as a prop modeller! (My other option at the time was Lost in Space!)

I still love Revenge Of The Sith.

Would love to see more. Some very intriguing ideas.

Whoever hates the prequels just doesn't have a vision. The dialogue doesn't take anything away from the storytelling aspects of the movie. The world building, easter eggs and overall pacing of the story was amazing. The prequels are masterpieces

I have a thought about the whole "Anakins connection to his mother" being a difficult thing to get around if we don't have TPM. It was done well, and more efficiently in X Men-First class with Magneto. The didn't need a whole movie of baby Magneto to show how important that relationship was to him, or how the loss sent him down a dark path. A couple flashback scenes written well with a good actor, and we get it, and IMO felt it cut deeper than how Lucas handled Anakin. I think it would have helped if we got to know Anakin better as a conflicted adult and given him more screen time to display that conflict and eventually give in to the Faustian offer from the Dark side.

I think TPM and AOTC could have been combined; Qui-gon with a very young padawan Anakin, Obi-Wan a newly made Knight and former Padawan of Qui-gon, the Trade Fed blockade and the trip to Coruscant. So Anakin and Padme, both young teenagers, can meet and mature more evenly. Dooku and Maul as a team could have been amazing on screen together.

I love the prequels a lot, including the Phantom Menace, even more than the OT. And I love yours ideas about a way you would re-work the prequels story-wise. I would love to see all those possible variants and various changes somehow made into actual movies. I wouldn't mind have two, or even many more, versions of the same prequel trilogy story. I just love that overall setting and the feel of it and main plots. The main and big loss for me of redoing prequels would be the absence or reduced role of the Qui-Gon Jinn character and the actor Liam Neeson who did play him originally in Lucas' version. I love them both, the character, and how Liam plays him - I think he is perfect for that character role.

No Phantom Menace is really good Gives a great build up to the hole saga. All 6 films. Loved it The only thing, which I got used to now, is that Jar-Jar was to much goofy. When i saw the movie the first time I was so "sucked into it" but every time when Jar-Jar turned up it snapped me out of it.

i prefer the movies skipping over the 3 years of the clone wars. a single movie wouldnt have been able to cover nearly the same amount of plot as the clone wars tv show did. i also like the phantom menace setting the political stage as to what is happening and setting up many of the characters

Hey Thor! i'd like to hear what you think this new version of Episodes 2 & 3 would look like to you. i always did enjoy your "what if" videos haha.

The suggested changes with Anakin and Padme sounds so much better. Good job.

For me, this ties in to the previous video on what fans of the OT thought the prequels would be like back in the day. It would have been a completely different story structure, but I thought essentially Episodes I and II could have been skipped. Episode I would have been comprised of story elements we saw in The Clone Wars series. Episode II would have been essentially Revenge of the Sith. Episode III would have been Vader hunting down the remnants of the Jedi order, like we have seen piecemeal in the Kenobi series, Rebels, and other places.

Stick with TPM for the most part, but have the Clone Wars already happening, age Anakin up to the same age as Padme and make him Qui-Gon's apprentice with OB1 tagging along as a "journeyman" Jedi who has just been elevated to Knight; when they go to Tatooine, use the scene from AOTC regarding his mom. Then do NOT come back to Tatooine until the very last scene of episode III. Don't kill Maul, but make it look like he may have died. Ep II: Clone Wars ongoing. Anakin & Padme already sort of involved. Anakin turns to the Dark Side in a flip from Luke's Bespin scene (after he whacks Maul and "rescues" Palpatine) but this is hidden. The few remaining Jedi as a whole go into hiding at the end of this movie. Ep III: Clone Wars ends in the middle. Luke & Leia are born on Dagobah. Most of ROTS could play out, though I personally have a completely different idea personally...

Next time you watch the prequels may I suggest saving time and just watching the music video for "The Saga Begins" by Weird Al instead of TPM. It's shorter, covers all the plot points, and is just simply more entertaining.

In this hypothetical, we could have that 3PO was a gift to padme as a personal senate protocol droid, and Anakin builds r2. They would meet when Padme and Anakin are leaving for their mission.

Really interesting ideas, especially considering themes could be fleshed out more broadly with another movie there. That said, I do like the Machete order of: Episode IV Episode V Episode II Episode III Episode Vi, And having Episode I as a stand-alone movie for context and lore. It’s how I plan to introduce my kids to Star Wars when they’re a bit older, if only to preserve the tension from ESB.

Hey Thor im rlly happy with your answer,take care!

Phantom menace should've been a stand alone to start the Prequels then AOTC, Republic at War, Revenge of the Sith.

ok i NEED to see the full length no phantom menace prequels videos

You know i think if TPM and AOTC had been fused together as an Episode 1 it might've worked. Anakin and his mom are critical to his arc and the world building done while not strictly necessary to the plot does some nice fleshing out of the galaxy. Opinions are fairly mixed here in the comments.

I've thought about this for years. Episode I should've combined the best parts of the actual Episodes I & II. Episode II would be a live-action version of the Clone Wars, which we were mostly robbed of seeing on the big screen. Episode III remains unchanged.

TPM was necessary in my understanding & the understanding of many comments & fans I've witnessed. I love seeing Anakin be this so generous & kind person in Eps I & III & how Palps twists him into the powerful, heartless Sith Lord Darth Vader. As a story-teller, I love that Anakin was a slave for 9 yrs of his life & it makes it all the more believeable he's had pent up emotions for his whole life, Qui Gon is great, Darth Maul, pod-racing, Palpatine becoming Chancellor, to an extent I like the concept of midi chlorians. The corruption of the Republic & Senate & their apathy to outlying star systems, the era of peace the Jedi guarded*, I really like TPM & if Jar Jar's silliness was lessened to be closer to Captain Tarpals I'd love the film

here's my idea: episode one should be a combination of phantom manace and attack of the clones. show us Anakin and his mother, the Jedi discovering him, the moment he says bye to his mother to go with the Jedi, those parts. then "10 years later" and jump to what is attack of the clones (but edited for pacing and lenght). both movies have important information and scenes to understand anakin, but I think the execution could have been better, and it would have been great to have an episode 2 dedicated completly to the clone wars. it's an important event, and we didn't get to see the adventures of Anakin and Obi Wan fighting in the clone wars in a main movie. I know there's the animated series, but I think it's a part of the story that should have been in the movies. then episode 3 as it is, that one is fine.

For the sake of discussion, about half the PM could have been left out. The Pod racing and the Gungans don’t really pay off in the grand scheme of the trilogy. Now they could be sparingly used as flashbacks to flesh out Anakin, but shift the focus to his relationship with his mother and flesh Shmi out further. Personally I would have preferred an older Anakin, mid teens?, who had a bit of weariness and justified him being “too old” for the council. Also for my personal taste, giving Padme a more humble background then rising to Senator would have made the relationship more layered. Them both striving and successful, where thier ambitions also cause problems for the relationship.

I've always loved the idea of just one prequel movie where it starts with the Duel of the Fates from Phantom Menace as the prologue, Qui Gon dies like normal, implores Obi-Wan to train Anakin, all the same, and then we cut straight to Revenge of the Sith. While there's the odd thing I like about Attack of the Clones, e.g. Dooku is an all time great for me, short of some small adjustments, I think Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones could be almost entirely excised. Like how the Palpatine/Anakin content pretty much completely takes place in Revenge of the Sith, or the really good content, away from Anakin having delusions of grandeur or temper tantrums on holiday with Padme, which is almost the entirety of Attack of the Clones, happens in Revenge of the Sith.

I used to play with re writing the prequels all the time, and this was a frequent choice of mine. Diving into the action.

Hey Thor, do you think it would now be better to tell Grogus backstory in a separate series rather than in Mando flash backs? It seems kinda pointless keeping his backstory in Mando, seeing as how none of this info about Grogu is actually relayed to Mando himself.

I was hoping that the love story of on the run was gonna be in some point kenobi and Satine. Maybe that will be part of kenobi season 2

Looking at the discussions in the comment section reminded me that when I first watched the Prequels (I was also relatively young) I didn't see all the dots that were being connected, like why Anakin's attachment to his mother would contribute to him falling to the Dark Side, or how the corruption in the Senate we saw in Episode I led to the Separatists in Episode II, or how Qui-Gon's death altered Anakin's fate. In fact, when I first saw the Prequels, I really enjoyed them (mostly the action, and the toys). But as I got older I joined the Prequel hater camp and thought that Jar Jar was awful, Anakin and Padme's relationship was cringy, and that Anakin's fall to the Darkside happened way to fast without enough buildup. It was only years later watching video essays on KZfaq that helped me see more of the details and connections that I missed, and the "poetic" aspects of Lucas' storytelling. And yes, the Sequels did make me appreciate the Prequels a little more. But even before then, I would rewatch the Prequels and I softened my stance on hating them. I actually don't get too upset anymore about Jar Jar, or how "easily" Anakin falling to the Dark Side, or Padme and Anakin... but their scenes in AOTC are still cringy, despite the explanations. Clone Wars really helped give them more chemistry that makes their live action relationship more bearable. I think time and careful analysis has made the Prequels better. I think if they were not as subtle with some things, it would have been easier for audiences back then to get some of the deeper stuff.

HEY THOR: with the Ahsoka series about to start do you think we will get any good rebels cameos? We had so many great characters in that series. Personally I’d like to see Hondo or Fenn Rau but I’d like to know what cameos if any you would like to see ?

As interesting as this discussion is, I think folks are forgetting the first rule of story telling/movies. Each story/movie should be well written enough to stand on its own. The Phantom Menace, and even the original Star Wars both do that well. What the comments are suggesting here is having an episode 1 that is clearly the first part of a trilogy, with little regard for it being a solid movie by itself. When we saw something similar to that last, we got The Force Awakens with itself was clearly a “beginning of a trilogy” kind of film, and doesn’t really hold up on its own with how many JJ Abrams mystery boxes it had. 😬

I'm fine with Phantom Menace as Episode 1, but if AotC came first, could you keep the story mostly unchanged? Anakin still has a fond memory of Padme from a previous meeting. Dooku still talks to Obi-wan about Qui-Gonn. etc etc? Would that just count as world building with a bunch of references and history to things that we're fuzzy on that books and TV shows, etc could all build on? Like with Sifo-Dyas in current Episode 2? I do think you'd need to include a flashback to young Anakin with Shmi (multiple flashbacks, probably) to make her death mean something.

Phantom menace is actually my favourite prequel film

Funny thing about the 9 Skywalker movies: Cut Ep. 1 and Ep. 9, and I pretty much have no complaints except the awkward love story in Ep. 2. (I know, I'm in the minority so please don't waste your breath yelling at me about Ep. 8.) That said, it seems to me that most of the things we fans would rather have seen by cutting Ep. 1 and having a different movie after Attack Of The Clones is much more adult. Deeper explorations of Qui-Gon, Dooku, and Grievous all come to mind. (Especially Grievous; prior to having the Clone Wars show fill in his background a bit, he seemed to come from out of nowhere in Ep. 3 and also seemed rather easily dispatched.) But the thing to remember is Lucas wanted Ep. 1 to be for kids, and that would be lost. For my money, Ep. 1 would be mostly saved if they just made one change: having Anakin blow up that command ship deliberately. Having his "blow up the Death Star" moment played as a goofy slapstick accident has always sucked.

Episode 1- The Clone Wars: focus on split in senate and beginning of war- find the chosen one- Hayden age (jealousy w/ Obi wan nearly same age) death of Qui gon by maul killed by- Anakin or Kenobi?🤔 was ani but council says it was kenobi causing more resentment… Ep 2- The Phantom Menace: war is raging! there’s a Sith Lord in the senate mystery movie 😮( like Vader is the Poppa) Ep 3 Revenge of the Sith- war is ending and the dark side is growing Jedi sense something is amiss but too late Execute order 66…😢 Use visions- qui gon to find Anakin Obi wan/ Yoda to defeat grevious/ also Sith Lord in the senate And Ani about padme and the end of the Jedi

I think one of the positive things that would come with starting at Episode 2 would be that the story would involve the Separatists rather than some trade dispute.

I just finished reading a comment that summed up every argument for TPM being relevant and necessary. Back in high school, I toyed with the idea of rewriting the Prequel Trilogy, but I didn't get very far. It wasn't much of a priority anyway, but it greatly informed my opinion of the Prequels through the experience. I believe there's one key reason why the Prequels will live on and the Sequels won't: foundationally, the Prequels are pretty great stories. Most people say that the Prequels failed in their execution, but that's only half true. Some really creative people expressed their abilities in those movies resulting in some of the most iconic music, sounds, choreography, cinematography, special and digital effects, and even dialogue. Of course, it isn't all perfect (there are even some hiccups with the music, like "Harry Potter" music being in "Episode II," or maybe I have that backward, but that's a story for another time). Still, I've always joked that it's almost easier to get someone to listen to the story of the Prequels conceptually than it is to get them to watch them, and that's because the foundational elements of the films work and are compelling. All that being said, I really enjoyed this hypothetical look at a Prequel Trilogy that begins with "Attack of the Clones." I tried to do something similar before and got nowhere with it, and you're a far better storyteller than I. 😅 I'd certainly enjoy some more "episodes" from you on this topic. It also had me thinking about the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" rewrite you started before. I really enjoyed that, too, and I would love for you to pick that series back up. I was very intruiged and wanted to see where it was going. I still do! Anyway, keep up the great work. I enjoy your videos a whole lot.

The set up can literally be done with the opening crawl or minor lines added to scenes Anakin and his mother is a series of flash backs each time he has to make a moral decision Why do we need to see him meet her? Just leave it at they know each other a little. They are flirty but it's reinforced that they can't be together by obi wan Qui Gon should be a force ghost. He's training obi wan to be a force ghost and he works a little like Yoda to obi wan. But I like the dooku angle is interesting Opening crawl can tell of obi wans master having just been killed by a sith starting the ball rolling, the fight is in a flashback as he tries to explain the threat he and his master faced Agreed, I don't really care that much about the chosen one. The qui Gon force ghost could easily explain the prophecy is why he was so adamant about taking Anakin as a Padawan

There are a few fan edit cuts of the prequels. Some are interesting.

I really like your off the top of your head version. I would love to have seen Anakin and Obi Wan on more of their adventures in the nest of Gundarks etc and losing TPM means we lose some of the most unnecessary stuff in the prequels; midichlorians, 3PO created by Vader and especially the dreadful 'chosen one' concept. For someone who saw the OT on release, these felt as jarring as Greedo shooting first. However, as you point out, the problem is with losing the development of Annakin's relationship with his mother. I wonder if that could have been a flashback, dream or something.

Hey Thor, in your opinion what is the best order to introduce someone new to Star Wars?

Anakin's relationship with his mother is really important to the story all told, but I don't think we need TPM to get that. I'm thinking of Fellowship of the Ring off the top of my head, how important Aragon's relationship with Arwen is to his journey (particularly in ROTK). They didn't go back to when they met and fell in love and bonded. Granted they had some time to establish that in the film before he left. I think if you skipped TPM, you push a little more emphasis on the anxiety of Anakin worrying about his mother. Obi Wan can try to settle him saying that he's too attached--that they went back and made sure to buy her freedom. She's remarried with that Lars guy (and Anakin and grumble about how much he didn't care for the Lars family, but have no good reason for feeling that way). Obi Wan can dismiss it and say she's as safe as anyone else in the galaxy. He needs to focus on the commitments he has made to the Jedi way. I think that would do a lot for the mother relationship.

But what about the droid attack on the wookies?

wo even wathcing the vid immediatly YES. You can give the backstory in this film through dilaglogue, makes the mystery even better

I want to see a Thor fan fiction on this!!!

You lose “Duel of the Fates” too Hands down best lightsaber fight in the saga

TPM is my least favorite prequel part. That being said it works perfectly as an Act 1 setup and world building to Acts 2 and 3 ,and as an elegant setup of characters: showing the universe/republic in the heydays before their downfall. Its the light part before the red twilight of episode II and the grim nightfall of Episode III. Lucas really thought this trilogy through this time (other than the originals that strongly contradict themselves especially with the twists, despite of what Lucas claims that thing was never planned properly).

I think some of the ideas have merit but I don't know that starting at AotC would be my choice. I really liked the Outbound Flight story which gave Anakin more a belief in might making right and the idea of the noble tyrant through a friendship with C'Boath. If they were to remake the origin, it might make sense to set the character beats up by flashback instead of a linear story. It would allow for the expanded second act which is really necessary. Ultimately, a better director than Lucas would have really helped overall. Lucas is great as a visionary and big idea person but he needed someone else doing the day to day.

Episode 1 could be a 10 minute intro. And the rest of the film could be Anakin at their prime, straying more and more from the Jedi Council over 3 movies, instead of forcing Anakin to suddenly turn to the dark side instantaneously in 15 minutes of Order 66.

this could be a pretty sick AU, esp if Ashoka were included in the new ep 2

You can definitely remove the Phantom Menace but you can't start watching in Episode order. You can start with Ep. 4, though, since that is literally the only Star Wars movie made with the assumption that no one knew anything about Star Wars before watching it (because no one did). If you do the machete order, 4,5,2,3,6, you can get away without Ep. 1 because it doesn't introduce any characters that are either A) not dead by the end of it or B) not better introduced in another movie.

I still hold out hope that one day someone will do a really great remake the prequels. Because I think that while the execution of the prequels we got was really shaky, the underlying story was really good. Denis Villeneuve would knock it out of the park like he has (so far) with the Dune remake. Tony Gilroy would be another great choice given his stellar work on Andor. Hey, I can dream.

Dooku should've be in TPM