A poster of “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.” Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox and Lucasfilm Ltd.
“Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” has earned over $25.2 million as of this writing, since it was re-released in cinemas in the U.S. during the weekend. This marks the second-highest box-office opening for a Star Wars re-release, excluding the special re-release of “A New Hope”, which occurred in 1997. “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” holds a special place in the hearts of many Star Wars fans who were either not born when the original trilogy was released or were too young to watch them at the time.
The reality was that many longtime and older Star Wars fans were unhappy with “The Phantom Menace” because it was underwhelming. Then, a few years later, George Lucas followed it up with “The Clone Wars,” a vastly improved film with a faster pace, more action scenes, and the introduction of new characters, enriching the Star Wars lore. That sequel paved the way for “Revenge of the Sith,” which became the grand finale of the prequel trilogy, delivering everything expected and more while connecting all the missing dots, unanswered questions, and plot holes from the two previous entries.
However, as the prequels were released one by one over the years, those young Star Wars fans had the chance to experience the Force for themselves on the big screen. I can only speak from my own experience of watching “Revenge of the Sith” in cinemas, as it was my first time seeing it, and by that point, I believe most of us, if not all of us, knew that this film was going to surpass the previous two prequels. George Lucas wanted to conclude the prequel trilogy on the strongest note possible, given that it included Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader, which was one of the main reasons why people wanted to watch this, because they knew more or less what was going to happen in it.
Interestingly, I remember watching “The Phantom Menace” first on VHS, then “The Clone Wars” on DVD, and finally “Revenge of the Sith” in cinemas. Let me tell you, none of these films are in the same league as the original trilogy, but they provided undeniable entertainment value. You will experience some of the magic that the original trilogy had, and you get your introduction to the galaxy in which Star Wars exists. These were all wonderful things to feel when you were that young, and when Star Wars, when its creator, George Lucas, was still at the helm of everything, you were guaranteed such superior quality that was almost otherworldly in the best way possible in how it would greatly improve your movie experience in cinemas or by other means you would be able to watch the Star Wars prequels.
Indeed, the groundwork had been laid, the two trilogies had been completed, and Star Wars, as a film franchise, had reached its definitive conclusion at that time, and in the back of our minds, we knew that Star Wars was over, and it had closed its final chapter fittingly. None of us could have ever imagined that Star Wars would come back in cinemas under a new ownership with so many spin-offs, sequels, and offshoots of the franchise, but presented mainly in such a distorted woke fashion. At that time, we were focused on one film, and this was it.
Truly, there was anticipation for “Revenge of the Sith” to be the best entry in the prequel trilogy, since this would lead us back to the original trilogy. The historical reports indicate that there was significant pressure on Lucasfilm to exceed expectations and ensure that the final Star Wars film was as impactful as possible. I believe they achieved that because I recall that when the movie ended, some moviegoers in the same row as I were teary-eyed, and some were sobbing at the death of Anakin Skywalker’s beloved Padmé during childbirth.
It has to be said that George Lucas did a masterful job in finishing up Star Wars because “Revenge of the Sith” ends the prequel trilogy with a loud, reverberating, and resounding bang. Many longtime and new fans were impressed by the conclusion despite the depressing outcome for Anakin Skywalker, but they knew that this was the much-awaited backstory that fans wanted to know about Darth Vader, because we never got to see how he became the version of himself he had become in those first three movies. For all of us, watching “Revenge of the Sith” meant we would finally discover how Anakin Skywalker would become Darth Vader. That was all the reason we needed to line up in cinemas to watch this.
“Revenge of the Sith” had a bittersweet ending that to this day all Star Wars fans will remember. It is because here was Anakin Skywalker, who had joined the Dark Side, became the Emperor’s apprentice, lost all his limbs in a fierce battle with his Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and became a monstrous cyborg figure in the form of Darth Vader. It was one of the most surreal outcomes, and left many in the cinema I attended with heavy hearts, feeling only a glimmer of hope with Obi-Wan Kenobi’s survival and what it would all mean on the grander scale of things. Obi-Wan Kenobi would eventually play a crucial role in the main Star Wars trilogy when he mentors Luke Skywalker before Yoda would after his passing, marking the beginning of Luke Skywalker’s hero’s journey toward becoming a part of The Force, a Jedi Master, and the key male figure of the original Star Wars trilogy.
“Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.” Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox and Lucasfilm Ltd.
Upon reflection, sometimes we forget that the first three Star Wars movies were released in chapters 4, 5, and 6, meaning that George Lucas intentionally skipped the first three chapters, and decided to jump ahead in the storyline of his most legendary creation in movies. There were many things left unanswered, many origin stories unexplored, and based on the documentaries, interviews, and verified reports, that is how George Lucas intended Star Wars to be: to start in the middle, move toward the end, and then go back to the beginning, where the two volumes meet in between. A brilliant long-term strategy is what George Lucas did here because he made Star Wars what it was.
In hindsight, as a longtime fan at this point in my life, after getting to watch the prequel trilogy in order in the late 90s to mid-2000s, it was the correct decision because it shaped our understanding of everything Star Wars and put the pieces where they belong and where they would fit.
In closing, when you consider that these three prequel films were written, directed, and produced by George Lucas himself, it was the stamp of approval that they needed for everyone, because simply put, it was the same genius who handled the first three Star Wars movies that we all know and love. Unlike now, where Kathleen Kennedy and Disney have been in charge of everything related to Star Wars since buying it from George Lucas years ago, there was no confusion about the direction of the legendary space soap opera at that time. On the other hand, when George Lucas was still in charge, you could say that you had complete confidence in the product. Never second-guessing, never doubting, and never worrying about the future, if there was ever going to be another Star Wars movie. Re-watching “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” will remind you of those glorious times.