Revenge of the Sith Ruins Star Wars with 3 Unforgivable Mistakes

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The Star Wars series has had its fair share of triumphs, but also some disappointments. Fans frequently discuss creative choices such as the creation of Midi-chlorians, the return of Palpatine, and the inclusion of Ewoks, yet three particularly damaging mistakes are found in one of the franchise’s most acclaimed films – “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.” Despite being hailed for its advancements over earlier prequels and often praised by fans, this film is marred by a few questionable decisions that have left lasting negative impacts on the Star Wars universe for over 20 years.

In “Revenge of the Sith,” George Lucas faced a significant challenge: he had to depict Anakin Skywalker’s descent from virtue into Darth Vader, while also wrapping up the storylines for characters introduced in “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” and “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones.” This dual task resulted in some significant missteps as Lucas attempted to construct a plausible transition linking the prequels to the original trilogy. Despite its strong points, the film’s weakest moments undermine what could have been one of the top movies in the Star Wars series.

Youngling Slaughter

As a die-hard Star Wars fan, I’ve always been captivated by the enigmatic figure of Darth Vader, his transformation from a noble Jedi Knight to an emblem of fear. In the original trilogy, the notion of Vader exterminating the Jedi Knights was a chilling and intriguing concept that added depth to his character. However, in “Revenge of the Sith,” instead of witnessing this epic confrontation, we’re faced with Anakin Skywalker slaughtering the Youngling students at the Jedi Temple. This event, which should have been a pivotal moment in Star Wars history, falls short of the grandeur and suspense that was promised earlier in the saga.

Instead, what we saw on screen in Revenge of the Sith was Anakin brutally killing children, which was well beyond his Force abilities. Despite the scene where Anakin ignites his lightsaber in front of the Younglings being embarrassingly childish, it portrays Vader as weaker than he ever appears in the original trilogy. This also negatively impacted subsequent Star Wars media, as fans often make jokes about him killing cast members of children’s shows like Young Jedi Adventures.

Besides making Vader appear feeble with his act of killing the Younglings, it also diminishes the impact of his redemption in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Now, Vader’s small acts of sacrifice seem trivial compared to his past crimes. The original trilogy portrays Anakin as being “drawn to the dark side,” but it never conveys a sense of him becoming truly corrupted or losing control. Instead, he swiftly turns into Palpatine’s puppet, eagerly carrying out horrific acts that are even more appalling than anything we witness from the Emperor himself. The decision to have Vader write off the Younglings was practically necessary, but suggesting that the Clone Troopers were responsible for their deaths would have achieved the same result.

A more impactful outcome might have been achieved if Anakin had vented his anger towards the most powerful Jedi Knights, considering his growing discontent with the Jedi and the Senate after two prequel movies. The fact that the Jedi allowed Shmi Skywalker to perish in slavery on Tatooine, never to meet her son again, made his frustrations somewhat justifiable. However, rather than showing us the climax of his mounting anger, the film portrays Anakin killing a group of innocent children instead, a decision that seems oddly out-of-place and weakens the movie’s impact.

Death by Sadness

Regarding the portrayal of character deaths, one significant criticism of “Revenge of the Sith” centers around the demise of Padmé Amidala. Instead of having her die during childbirth or at Anakin’s hands, as might be expected based on the circumstances, she succumbs after losing all hope. Given that she now has twin children to nurture and guide in a galaxy dominated by their evil father, Emperor Palpatine, one would assume that this would provide ample motivation for her to persevere. However, the film depicts Padmé as giving up due to a broken heart, which seems odd given her demonstrated confidence and resilience in the earlier films. This portrayal of her death is widely regarded as poorly conceived, leading fans to seek alternative explanations rather than accepting the one provided within the movie itself.

Show, Don’t Tell

The primary flaw in the film’s narrative is its overemphasis on narration rather than visual storytelling, particularly in portraying the relationship between Anakin and Padmé. Although several years elapse between “Attack of the Clones” and “Revenge of the Sith,” crucial aspects of their relationship unfold off-screen. Consequently, viewers are expected to accept that Padmé’s grief over Anakin’s descent into darkness results in her death, yet this emotional journey is mostly absent from the screen. Furthermore, a moment intended to be moving instead appears comical when the resurrected Darth Vader exclaims “Nooooo!” upon learning about Padmé’s fate.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I found that the movie, “Revenge of the Sith,” glosses over crucial plot development, heavily relying on shows such as “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” to provide depth to this period in the franchise. Unlike the original trilogy, which left room for imagination, the lack of detail in “Revenge of the Sith” feels more pronounced and direct compared to its predecessors.

As a die-hard Star Wars fan, I’ve seen plenty of disagreement among us about the missteps in the franchise, but it’s tough to argue against the magnitude of some of these creative blunders and their detrimental effects on the series. Despite its flaws, however, I firmly believe that Revenge of the Sith is not a poor Star Wars movie. The film boasts an impressive scope, and Palpatine’s ascent to power still sends chills down my spine after twenty years. George Lucas masterfully used this movie as a reflection of U.S. politics during his time, and his warnings about the dangers of unchecked power during wartime continue to resonate strongly today. The film is far from perfect, but its powerful moments have helped me, and many other fans, look past its flaws.

The re-release of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith is now in theaters.

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2025-04-27 23:43