From a galaxy not too far far away, tomorrow is May 4^th, also known as Star Wars Day.  A topic for debate which has been surrounding this franchise for a long time, is what order should you watch the Star Wars films.  This debate has been going on for years, but there has not been a consensus on which way is the “correct way\” to watch. Young Padawan, before you begin your journey into The Force you need background knowledge.

Episodes 4, 5, and 6 are considered the original trilogy. Episodes 1, 2, 3 are considered the prequel trilogy. Episodes 7, 8, and 9 (9 has not come out yet) are considered the sequel trilogy since this takes place 30 years after the original trilogy. Finally, Rogue One is considered a Star Wars Anthology films, with this one occurring during the time between Episode 3 and 4. Now that you have some basic information on the movies, below is three different ways people have debated on how to watch the Star Wars films.

Way Number 1: Release Date

The release date order means you start with the first movie of the Star Wars franchise to ever have been released in 1977, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.  Then goes Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Fast forwarding twenty or so years in the release dates world, you would then watch Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Episode II: Attack of the Clones, and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, in that order. Fast forwarding one more time to ten ish more years later, with the release of Episode VII: The Force Awakens, Anthology: Rogue One, and Episode VIII: The Last Jedi.

Way Number 2: Chronologically

Watching Star Wars using the Chronological order means that the way you decide to watch Star Wars is in the order of events that occur in that Universe. So you begin your journey with the prequels (1, 2, 3), and then you watch Rogue One. From there you go in to the original series (4, 5, 6), and lastly, you watch the sequels (7, 8).

Way Number 3: The Machete

This way got its name for chopping up the series in a unique way. Unlike the previous two, the machete order has you start with Rogue One, and then go into Episodes IV and V. Then the viewer jumps to Episodes, I, II, and III. From there the viewer then goes back to Episodes VI, VII, and VIII. This way was created to focus more on the arch of light verses dark and tries to better parallel Anakin and Luke’s struggle with the light and dark side.

May the Force Be With You!