There is perhaps no greater debated franchise in the history of film than that of George Lucas’ magum opus, The Star Wars saga. With the eighth film in the franchise set to premiere only a week from this essay’s writing (December 8th, 2016) it can be described as nothing less than a mega franchise. The three original films in the series (Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi) each had their own massive cultural impact- whether that be due to incredible special effects for the era, the greatest cinematic twist of all time, or a riveting conclusion, each film left a mark and resonated with audiences like so few ever had before. Of course, it is impossible to encapsulate 100% of the population, but the original Star Wars trilogy
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They each set the stage, and while The Phantom Menace may attempt to be more politically savvy, more “wowing” in action, and more stoic, the opening of A New Hope still trumps it by introducing strong characters, (Clever Princess Leia, bumbling C3PO, and imposing Darth Vader) a clear conflict, and has the superior action in the form of a gunfight. Both films also make use of a wise old sage type character who later dies, with The Phantom Menace killing Qui-Gon Jin and A New Hope depicting the demise of Obi-Wan Kenobi. And while Qui-Gon is an interesting and unique character, the audience still felt more at the death of Obi-Wan due to his higher involvement in his respective film, stronger character traits, and likeability. Despite these deaths, however, ach film also shares the traits of being the most optimistic of each trilogy- the end of both films is that of a happy celebration in the light of victory. And yet, by the end of each trilogy 's second installment, the protagonists still end up in the same place- the darkest part of their journey, with the most difficult part of the struggle lying ahead in wait. By the end of each second film, it seems that all hope may be lost- Attack of the Clones sets the stage for a massive intergalactic war that the Jedi cannot hope to win, and The Empire Strikes Back sees such beloved characters as Han …show more content…
Luke is young, bold, noble, and frustrated with the life he was born into- he’s an average guy with big dreams he doesn’t think he can ever realize. Audiences identify with him because it’s a plight most people have gone through. He is also kind, funny, and likable, causing audiences to universally accept and root for him. Anakin Skywalker, on the other hand, while an interesting character, cannot be identified with as easily by audiences. He is smart and kind, yes, but he is so young that he cannot even begin to grasp the concepts and meaning of events happening around him. He is a slave, though he doesn’t know what this means, and while he understands that there is a conflict, he can’t even begin to grasp the ideas of trade route taxation or puppet monarchies. Due to this, and the simple fact that he is so young, most people can’t relate or empathize with him because his own life is so different than their own. While Anakin is a slave, Luke is a farmer. Additionally, Anakin’s very childishness was annoying to some audience members, thus making him instantly less positively impactful than Luke, even despite their similarities. Another structural similarity between the two trilogies is their overarching plot- and
They each set the stage, and while The Phantom Menace may attempt to be more politically savvy, more “wowing” in action, and more stoic, the opening of A New Hope still trumps it by introducing strong characters, (Clever Princess Leia, bumbling C3PO, and imposing Darth Vader) a clear conflict, and has the superior action in the form of a gunfight. Both films also make use of a wise old sage type character who later dies, with The Phantom Menace killing Qui-Gon Jin and A New Hope depicting the demise of Obi-Wan Kenobi. And while Qui-Gon is an interesting and unique character, the audience still felt more at the death of Obi-Wan due to his higher involvement in his respective film, stronger character traits, and likeability. Despite these deaths, however, ach film also shares the traits of being the most optimistic of each trilogy- the end of both films is that of a happy celebration in the light of victory. And yet, by the end of each trilogy 's second installment, the protagonists still end up in the same place- the darkest part of their journey, with the most difficult part of the struggle lying ahead in wait. By the end of each second film, it seems that all hope may be lost- Attack of the Clones sets the stage for a massive intergalactic war that the Jedi cannot hope to win, and The Empire Strikes Back sees such beloved characters as Han …show more content…
Luke is young, bold, noble, and frustrated with the life he was born into- he’s an average guy with big dreams he doesn’t think he can ever realize. Audiences identify with him because it’s a plight most people have gone through. He is also kind, funny, and likable, causing audiences to universally accept and root for him. Anakin Skywalker, on the other hand, while an interesting character, cannot be identified with as easily by audiences. He is smart and kind, yes, but he is so young that he cannot even begin to grasp the concepts and meaning of events happening around him. He is a slave, though he doesn’t know what this means, and while he understands that there is a conflict, he can’t even begin to grasp the ideas of trade route taxation or puppet monarchies. Due to this, and the simple fact that he is so young, most people can’t relate or empathize with him because his own life is so different than their own. While Anakin is a slave, Luke is a farmer. Additionally, Anakin’s very childishness was annoying to some audience members, thus making him instantly less positively impactful than Luke, even despite their similarities. Another structural similarity between the two trilogies is their overarching plot- and