Star Wars is easily the second biggest cultural export of the United States. (Disney is No 1. So it seems natural that Disney eventually acquired the rights to Star Wars).
Parents often want to share the excitement of the mythology of Star Wars with young kids. This is not easy for those who lived through the nostalgia of the 80s that was nearly corrupted by the tragedies of the 90s prequels. Such parents often ponder the following question:
In what order do I introduce Star Wars to my kids?
The following advice follows from my experience. (Caveat: I don’t claim to be the biggest fan of Star Wars, and the following idea is definitely not mine. All credit goes to Rod Hilton. I am only chiming in my support and expressing my viewpoint).
Think of two “natural” sequences:
- Episode Order (I, II, III, and so on…): This violates the sensibilities of every fan I know.
- Release Order (IV – A new hope, V, VI, I, II, and III and so on): Due to “re-processing” of the films, there are many issues with this approach).
A better approach that worked for us is what’s called the Machete Order
Basically, the sequence I followed is
- Ep. IV: A New Hope
- Ep. V: The Empire Strikes Back
- Ep. I: The Phantom Menace (Note: Machete Order says skip this movie, which is good advice, but I am a sucker for “completeness”).
- Ep II: Attack of the Clones.
- Ep III: Revenge of the Sith.
- Ep VI: The Return of the Jedi.
- Episodes VII, VIII,… and so on. (Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, etc.)
- Other connected stories in the Star Wars Universe like Rogue One.
To understand how the new sequels fit in, please see the Machete Update.
I absolutely love how this order holds up. Machete order has some minor negatives for sure, but it is superior to all other alternatives and preserves the sense of amazement and storytelling for kids.
Anyway, if you are a dad or mom, try out with this order with your kid(s). At some future point, I will post some notes from our experiences watching the movies in Machete Order. I highly recommend this order.
PS: I particularly love the Machete guy’s response to fans who argue that Rogue One has to be seen first, before all Star War movies: “That’s like suggesting you read Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead before Hamlet.”
The Internet thrives on deep discussions on such minutiae and trivia.