The Star Wars prequel trilogy – consisting of Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002), and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) – has had quite the journey in the hearts of the franchise’s fans. When the films were first released in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, they were immensely divisive. While some people enjoyed them, many were very vocal about their disappointment with the movies, even going as far as spewing hatred and insults toward George Lucas and any fans that enjoyed the films. It was an early taste of the toxicity that many major franchises have had to deal with throughout the 21st century, though thankfully it has mostly passed by now.
As time has gone on, the fan base for the Star Wars prequels has grown and become much more positive. There are a lot of factors that have contributed to that. Firstly is the general effect of age on the films, as people have sat with them, the intentions, ideas, and visions that Lucas had for the films have become clearer. Secondly, is that a lot of the most toxic Star Wars fans have redirected their ridiculously active hatred toward the sequel trilogy from Disney. Thirdly, Dave Filoni’s animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series did a lot to build out and deepen the prequel era of the franchise. And finally, and most importantly, the generation of kids who loved the prequels upon their release (such as this writer) have grown up with an immense fondness for the films that has translated into a deep appreciation and nostalgia for the trilogy.
With all of that in mind, we wanted to take some time to revisit the Star Wars prequels and highlight many of the best aspects of them. They certainly aren’t perfect films, and there are many valid criticisms that can be directed at them, but there are also many outstanding moments and creative ideas sprinkled throughout all three movies. They play on some of the best aspects established in the original Star Wars trilogy, while also bringing a noticeably different personality to the table. It has been two decades since the release of the Star Wars prequels, and here are 11 of the best moments to be found throughout the entire trilogy.
11 Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) – The Opening Battle Sequence
Starting off the list, the entire opening sequence to Revenge of the Sith provides some of the best Star Wars material that has ever been put to screen. Following the somewhat cartoony opening crawl, which declares a state of “War!” in the galaxy, the film jumps into an invigorating space dogfight as Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi attempt to board a Separatist cruiser upon which the Chancellor is held hostage. This entire sequence not only features impressive visual effects, an outstanding score from John Williams, and numerous excellent action beats, it also further establishes the brotherhood between Skywalker and Kenobi as they banter back and forth.
The sequence then continues onto the Separatist cruiser, through the duel between the Jedi and Count Dooku, before concluding with Anakin’s fateful decision to kill Dooku instead of taking him prisoner as he should, clearly showcasing to the audience the tragic path he is on.
10 Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) – The Podrace
As disappointed as many fans were with The Phantom Menace upon its release in 1999, one thing that most could agree on was how great the podracing sequence on Tatooine was. To this day, it remains one of the major highlights of the movie. In order to secure his freedom from slavery and his future of Jedi training, the young Skywalker enters a potentially life-or-death race against some of the worst scum on the planet. The entire sequence that follows provides some of the most energy of the entire film, largely as a result of the excellent editing, visual effects, sound design and overall atmosphere. It’s no wonder why the podracing video game, Star Wars Episode I: Racer, was and remains such a massive hit.
9 Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) – Obi-Wan on Kamino
As for Attack of the Clones, the film is responsible for introducing one of the best elements of the Star Wars franchise to date: the clones. While the clones themselves may not have been explored or developed into deeper characters until Filoni’s Clone Wars series, the general concept of the clone army of the Republic has become one of the most memorable aspects of the franchise. This idea is introduced through a great sequence, as Kenobi travels to the mysterious ocean planet Kamino in order to discover this army developed in secret. The overall design of the planet and the Kaminoan cloning facilities is breathtaking, and Ewan McGregor does some of his best acting in the trilogy throughout the sequence.
8 Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) – Darth Plagueis the Wise
One of the most famous scenes in Revenge of the Sith is also one of the quietest and most dialogue-driven in the entire film. It comes about halfway through the film, as Skywalker joins Chancellor Palpatine in his private box at an opera, and the two proceed to discuss the challenges that the young Jedi is facing in his life. Under the guise of Palpatine’s trusting demeanor, Darth Sidious has already begun to seduce Skywalker with the Dark Side, and this scene is the moment that he does it most directly.
He speaks openly to Anakin about the Sith Lord Darth Plagueis (Sidious’ former Master), and how he had used the Dark Side of the Force to gain control over life. This story tempts Anakin even further into the clutches of the Sith, all while deepening the broader Star Wars lore. Plus, Ian McDiarmid’s delivery of “Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plageuis the Wise?” is one of the most iconic lines of the entire prequel trilogy.
7 Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) – Introducing Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn
How could we create a list like this and not include the fantastic introduction to the entire prequel trilogy? Immediately following the opening crawl of The Phantom Menace, the film depicts a young Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Master Qui-Gon Jinn as they attempt to negotiate a peace with the Trade Federation, before being openly attacked by the villainous corporate elites.
This opening to the film not only introduces the viewers to Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson’s characters, it also shows the Jedi Order operating openly when they were at a higher seat of power than they’d been in the original trilogy. Its political undertones also established a key aspect of the overall approach that Lucas was taking to the prequels, which were much more transparent in their political themes than the original trilogy had been.
6 Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) – Anakin’s Fall to the Dark Side
Anakin’s fall to the Dark Side and transformation into Darth Vader is the crux upon which the entire prequel trilogy was balanced. If this moment had not worked, then the films would have failed almost entirely. Thankfully, through an excellent set-up and a fantastic preceding scene, in which Mace Windu and several other Jedi Masters attempt to arrest Chancellor Palpatine, Anakin’s turn makes for one of the best moments in the entire trilogy. By protecting Palpatine, his actions led to the death of Windu, to which Anakin is left shocked, horrified and despairing. Hayden Christensen’s delivery of “What have I done?” in the aftermath is perfection, and his subsequent renaming to Darth Vader is one of the most heartbreaking moments in the entire Star Wars franchise.
5 Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) – Pursuing Jango Fett in Space
Going back to Attack of the Clones, another one of the best moments in the film comes shortly after Kenobi’s investigation of Kamino. After he finds and pursues the bounty hunter Jango Fett off the planet and to the world of Geonosis, fans are treated with another excellent chase, except this time it's in space. As Fett and Kenobi weave their way through an asteroid field, it feels reminiscent of Han and Leia’s similar escape from the Empire in The Empire Strikes Back. On top of that, the sound design for Fett’s seismic charges continues the long tradition of outstanding sound effects in Star Wars.
4 Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) – Execute Order 66
One of the biggest questions fans had heading into the prequels was what happened to the Jedi Order that left it so decimated and defeated leading into the original Star Wars film. Well, after Anakin’s fall to Darth Vader, that question was answered. Darth Sidious enacted “Order 66,” a plan that saw the vast majority of the Jedi wiped out almost instantaneously by the Clone Troopers they fought alongside.
This moment has become one of the darkest and most crucial moments in the entire Star Wars canon, and its effects are still actively seen in new shows like Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Bad Batch. Additionally, it was made even more heartbreaking through its depiction in the Clone Wars animated series, which personified the clones and gave even further depth to the tragic events.
3 Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) – The Battle of Geonosis
The end of Attack of the Clones sees the full-scale beginning of the Clone Wars. Not only does it showcase an entire army of Jedi in action – a dream come true for long-time fans – it then ramps it up from there as the brand-new clone army of the Republic arrives, led by Master Yoda, in order to assist in the battle. It’s one of the largest-scale battle sequences that has ever been seen in a Star Wars film, and it includes countless incredible visuals, such as the Jedi Order’s stand in the center of a battle coliseum, Mace Windu’s purple lightsaber, the death of Jango Fett and more.
2 Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) – Duel of the Fates
This list would be incomplete without discussing the finale of The Phantom Menace, which sees Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn facing off with the villainous Darth Maul in a multiphased showdown. There are so many iconic aspects of this duel, ranging from the reveal of Maul’s double-bladed red lightsaber to the spectacular score from John Williams that plays underneath it all. Williams’ “Duel of the Fates” theme might just be one of the best musical moments in any Star Wars film, not just the prequels. The energy to this fight is electric.
It’s fast-paced yet elegant, and every move seems carefully choreographed and planned out. It’s a notably different feel than any lightsaber duel in the original trilogy, and it’s one of the most exciting that the prequels have to offer.
1 Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) – Anakin vs. Obi-Wan
Finally, the climactic duel of the entire prequel trilogy occurs between Anakin and Obi-Wan in a literal volcanic hellscape on the planet Mustafar. While the choreography of the entire duel is astounding, as it serves as the pinnacle of all three films, the true excellence of this sequence is the result of the immense emotion that underlies it all. The audience is watching helplessly as these two brothers duel, each intent on ending the other’s life, because they believe it’s what they need to do in order to save the galaxy.
It’s a finale of epic proportions, and it ultimately concludes with Anakin’s immolation and final descent into the grips of Darth Vader. Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor’s performances are remarkable, and they both sell the immense emotional weight of the scenes perfectly. It can be hard to watch at times, but that’s precisely what makes it so phenomenal.
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