Anna Daniels
The force is strong with these Star Wars movies. After nine award-winning feature films, the Skywalker saga is coming to an end. What order should you watch the Star Wars movies, in order of the storyline? Here’s our look into the movies released by Disney and Lucasfilm, including A New Hope and The Rise of Skywalker.
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The first movie in the Skywalker Saga is ‘Star Wars: The Phantom Menace’
It all started with a young boy who dreamed of becoming a podracer. He stumbles upon two Jedis and Senator Padmé Amidala. They change his life forever. In order of storyline, The Phantom Menace is the first movie in the Skywalker Saga.
This film is followed by Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, both of which illustrate the rise of Anakin Skywalker as a powerful Jedi and his eventual turn to the dark side. Along the way, he falls in love with Padmé, creating Luke and Leia, two of the main characters in future Star Wars movies.
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There are movies and television shows that fill in the gaps between ‘Revenge of the Sith’ and ‘A New Hope’
So how, exactly, did Princess Leia get the plans to the Death Star? Turns out, there was an entire movie dedicated to heroes behind the rebellion. That includes Jyn Erso, Cassian Andor, and K-2SO, along with a few other force-sensitive characters who pilot the ship nicknamed “Rogue One.”
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story fits between Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: A New Hope, bridging the story between the prequels and the original trilogy. There’s also the movie, Solo: A Star Wars Story, which helps viewers learn more about Han Solo and his trusty, furry co-pilot, Chewbacca.
The original trilogy takes place after ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’
Although these movies started the Star Wars phenomenon, they’re not actually where the story begins. Viewers first learned about Anakin Skywalker from the prequels, before he was known as Darth Vader.
With Star Wars: A New Hope, viewers enter when the Sith and the Empire is ruling the galaxy, primarily thanks to Darth Vader and Darth Sidious. In chronological order, the movie is followed by The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, respectively. However, that’s not the end of the Skywalker Saga.
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The First Order and Kylo Ren rise with ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’
Although the original trilogy premiered decades ago, there’s still more to this story. After the Empire falls, a new power rises to rule over the galaxy — the First Order. This ruthless dictatorship is ruled by the powerful and angsty Kylo Ren, also known by his birth name, Ben Solo.
By chance, fate, or luck, a droid carrying a map to Luke Skywalker is found by the scavenger, Rey, who eventually becomes a key piece to the resistance, along with rebels Finn, Poe, and Rose.
The first movie in this sequel trilogy is The Force Awakens, followed by the 2017 release, The Last Jedi. The final movie in the Skywalker Saga is The Rise of Skywalker which Lucasfilm and Disney released in December 2019.
Most Star Wars movies are available for streaming on Disney+. To learn more about Disney’s streaming platform and to subscribe, visit their website.
Written by: Cheat
