Summary

The three trilogies are the backbone of the Star Wars franchise, focusing on the Skywalker family, the Jedi and Sith conflict, and the Republic vs. Empire dynamics. While not all films were well received, the prequel trilogy has aged better and gained perspective, suggesting the sequel trilogy could also improve with time. To make the sequel trilogy more relevant, there should be an expansion on the galactic governments, non-Jedi characters, and the context behind the films through complementary media.

Star Wars goes far beyond its films, but the three trilogies that premiered in movie theaters are the vertebral column of the franchise’s narrative. The episodic features tell the biggest story in this galaxy, which mostly focuses on the Skywalker family, the fight between the Jedi and the Sith, and the political fluctuation between the Republic and the Empire. With different levels of success, each of the nine episodes of the Star Wars film series narrated these events, shaping most of the content that happened between them, from TV and streaming shows to spin-off movies.

Needless to say, not every film in the whole saga was well received. In particular, the sequel trilogy, though owner of a significant fanbase, is not as loved as the other two. In fact, whereas the original trilogy remains the most beloved one, the prequel trilogy has aged better than expected, with a lot of the criticism that originally rejected those films gaining some perspective after the release of more media.

In other words, the sequel trilogy might go on the same path if it gets the same treatment as the original movies, even when the content in episodes VII, VIII, and IX are not exempt from mistakes or controversial decisions that are not easy to reverse. Far from reboots and erasing what happened, there are ways to repurpose the sequel trilogy.

The Original Trilogies’ Expansion
Disney Platform Distribution

As mentioned, the story of the Star Wars films focused mostly on the Skywalkers while the universe was oscillating between democracy and autocracy. The political nuances, as well as the large and rich set of non-Jedi characters, were present on the back as the main plot focused on family feuds with an impact on the whole galaxy. There wasn’t enough room to develop the specifics of the galactic governments’ transformations, the different tribes and planets who abided by the changes (and those who didn’t), and the many ways both the Republic and the Empire were followed and resisted in each era.

Even though the Star Wars comics had already done a lot to cover the gaps in the story, it was until the surface of more movies and TV/streaming shows that the wider audiences grew to understand a lot of what was going on behind the scenes of the Skywalkers’ attempt to wound the Empire by beating Darth Vader, the imperial heart, and Emperor Palpatine, the regime’s leader.

Star Wars: Rogue One provided further context on how the original plan to end the Death Star came to be and shows as Rebels elaborated on how other insurgent groups worked against the Imperial order. This series also provided context on the Empire’s scheme to persecute every remaining Jedi, something that Obi-Wan Kenobi further explained from the perspective of one of the franchise’s most memorable characters.

Related: Star Wars: What Future Movies Can Learn From Disney+ Series

The point is that the context between films and behind each trilogy revalued what’s going on in the movie, even with some of them not being a hit in the first place. What could be deemed as “poor choices” from movies in terms of what’s told (and what’s omitted) benefits from enticing complementary media that provides the right context, exactly what the sequel trilogy desperately needs to become more relevant.

What Should Be Expanded from the Sequel Trilogy
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

There are many loose ends in Episodes VII, VIII, and IX, or elements that were properly hinted at but need to become shows or films in the not-so-distant future. For starters, the new Jedi Academy built by Luke Skywalker is starting to surface with The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, which actually marks what could be the beginning and its demise. To put it differently, viewers already know the basics of how it started and how it ended, but an interesting middle narrative could bring new value to the story so far.

The second arc that Disney is already looking to elaborate on is Rey’s revival of the Jedi Academy. What happens after Episode IX is blurry, but it can justify part of what happened in previous films, even when the facts were messy, to say the least. The Jedi were not as present as they could have been in the sequel trilogy, and Rey can correct that in only so many ways.

Last but not least, the most controversial aspect of the sequel trilogy should not be ignored: Palpatine’s revival. Though criticized, Star Wars should embrace it fully, as denying it would be hitting The Rise of Skywalker on the floor. The concept, though conflictive with the original narrative of the trilogy and unoriginal in terms of representing evil in Star Wars, has some interesting ideas that can make for a good show/movie, such as a cult that wants to bring an old leader back, and conspiracies that can be great plots to watch. The goal is to give new strength to undeveloped ideas, even if they are not initially well-received, as it solidifies the whole structure of the narrative.

Related: Why Ahsoka Would Have Been a Much Better Sequel Trilogy

Filling the gaps is basically Star Wars’ essence. Knowing that Anakin Skywalker would eventually become Darth Vader didn’t stop audiences from flocking to movie theaters to see the first trilogy, even if not everyone was entirely happy with how those turned out. Complex franchises such as this thrive on expansion rather than individual masterpieces. The sequel trilogy would gain a new perspective as long as it’s properly developed.