What order should noobs watch the films in now?

By mazz0, in X-Wing Off-Topic

VIII VI VII V III O IX

VIII VI VII V III O IX

What are O and IX?

Up until those it looks like a list of the best Final Fantasies.

Original Trilogy first, no shortcuts, really ORIGINAL TRILOGY, no special editions, han shoots first. Theatrical release.

After that, Episode 1,2, Clone Wars, The Clone Wars, Episode 3, Rebels Season 1-3, Rogue One, OT Special Edition (mainly for reference), Episode VII

Optional Bonus Content after the main dish: Carvan of the Brave, the ewok movie. And maybe the animated ewok series and the lego stuff.

Avoid at all cost: Droids, the Christmas Special and the second ewok movie.

The bonus content is not really good, but shows you at least that Star Wars had not so good content long before the prequels.

Random suggestion: alternating original and prequel.

So

  1. Episode 4: Definitely the best 'starting point' - no understanding is required or assumed.
  2. Episode 1: It's a dramatic shift, but it's also an intro point. Having heard about "luke's father", you get to see him as a child when Obi-Wan meets him
  3. Episode 5: The first time you see the Emperor (who you'll recognise as 'Lord Sidious', and that twist.
  4. Episode 2: Assuming you don't know anything about the story you've not seen on-screen, You could be mistaken for assuming Dooku to be a good guy. Everything he says is, after all, true (and you've seen the consquences when he - presumably - fails

I'd be half-tempted to then watch 3 then 6 - yes, you lose out on the "another skywalker" twist, but if you hadn't figured out who sidious was, that deserves to be the next thing you see. Besides which, Jedi as "good guys triumph" deserves to be the last one watched.

Original Trilogy first, no shortcuts, really ORIGINAL TRILOGY, no special editions, han shoots first. Theatrical release.

After that, Episode 1,2, Clone Wars, The Clone Wars, Episode 3, Rebels Season 1-3, Rogue One, OT Special Edition (mainly for reference), Episode VII

Optional Bonus Content after the main dish: Carvan of the Brave, the ewok movie. And maybe the animated ewok series and the lego stuff.

Avoid at all cost: Droids, the Christmas Special and the second ewok movie.

The bonus content is not really good, but shows you at least that Star Wars had not so good content long before the prequels.

You wouldn't want to watch The Clone Wars seasons 5 or 6 before Sith. Spoilers.

Yea I think both clone wars and rebels you'd want to watch after all the movies. Partly because of spoilers, but also because with all those seasons you'd have a super long wait between some of the movies.

As I said already though I think for now chronlogical order will stick work best. Rogue One looks to have several prequels references so I think it will go good in order.

I'd go with the Machete order myself. Rogue One could easily be viewed first as long as it doesn't give too much away as spoilers. I would however hold off on watching Clone Wars or anything episodic until all the movies are done. Otherwise, you'll have spent multiple weeks getting through a series only to go back to OT and have people saying 'Luke who?'. Additionally, it puts a lot more weight on the character of the Emperor after his initial cameo and you actually get a better sense of his power and charisma in ROTJ instead of scratching your head thinking 'so this guy can shoot lighting?'.

As for Episode 1, while the Machete order gives a good argument against it, there are a few things in it that add to the story.

1. The Senate: While you see Palpatine gaining power in II and III, you never really see WHY the Sepratists want to break away in the first place or why the Republic is so dysfunctional. Seeing them at full gridlock in response to a planetary invasion and destruction of a Republic ship helps set up the reasoning as to why the Senate was so willing to just let Palpatine become Emperor.

2. The Sith: If you include I in the prequel block of the Machete order, you'll have just seen The Emperor in TESB. When Yoda mentions that there's always two Sith and you see a similar holographic figure in a dark robe, it could create an interesting moment of discovery for a new watcher. 'Oh man, that guys the Emperor isn't he? OH MAN DARTH VADER ISN'T THE MAIN SITH!'. Having that occur so soon after TESB's father moment will have new viewers a bit more hyped about the rest of the prequels.

All in all you have to weigh the pros of this vs. the cons of Episode I (which are considerable).

So in sum: RO,IV,V,I*,II,III,VI,CW,VII

Hmm, wonder why Rebels isn't on that list?

A special organ would of made more sense as a conduit.

BATUL BRUTHA! DO NAHT TRY TO PLAYCE THEH SPEHTIAL ORGAHNS INTO THEH SPESS WAHS! EF THEH JEHDI DO NAHT REHPREDEHCE, HOW DO YOU KEHP ET FRAHM BEYING LAHST? ES ET GEYNE SEYED?! THEHN WHY WEHR THEH JEHDI AGHAISNT THA HOLEH EMPRAH?

Edited by flyboymb

I wonder how watching 4-1-7-5-2-(8)-6-3-(9) would be. Probably not very statisfying.

Yea I think both clone wars and rebels you'd want to watch after all the movies. Partly because of spoilers, but also because with all those seasons you'd have a super long wait between some of the movies.

As I said already though I think for now chronlogical order will stick work best. Rogue One looks to have several prequels references so I think it will go good in order.

I wouldn't tell anyone they need to watch a kids show or read a half obscure novel for that.

VIII VI VII V III O IX

What are O and IX?

Up until those it looks like a list of the best Final Fantasies.

Sorry I should have specified. O is Rogue One. IX hasn't come out yet, but makes sense that it would be last.

I call this the Jenny order.

VIII VI VII V III O IX

What are O and IX?

Up until those it looks like a list of the best Final Fantasies.

Sorry I should have specified. O is Rogue One. IX hasn't come out yet, but makes sense that it would be last.

I call this the Jenny order.

Ah, OK

Good, cos an order for Final Fantasy's it's rubbish. The correct order is [7, 8, 9 - joint first], 6, 12, 10, Everything Else.

IV, V, I, II, Clone Wars, III, Rebels, R1, VI

RO is an addition and not required watching.