8. The Jedi Order
In the original trilogy, the jedi knights are talked about as mysterious figures, lost to antiquity. There’s something to be said for mystery, and how delving too deep into it robs the imagination and intrigue. However, I still think it was incredibly cool to see the Jedi Order in their prime. We got to see their temple and their customs, how they taught the young and how they arranged their hierarchy. They weren’t just some myth, they were a legitimate force for good, complete with their own set of beliefs, values, and traditions. I even think it’s nice that they had some bits of absurd bureaucracy in the council, and that they ended up as significant political players. These flaws made them feel more grounded and less idealistic, and their involvement in the war was a solid set-up for their downfall.
It was also nice to see a much wider set of diversity in the Jedi order. In the original trilogy, knowledge of the Force seems to be restricted to just a few dudes and a puppet. But in the prequels, we saw a whole slew of Jedis of all varying races, genders, and even species. You didn’t have to be Luke Skywalker if you wanted to pretend to be a Jedi anymore, you could be literally anyone, and that kind of broad openness is the perfect thing to bring “Star Wars” to more generations of viewers from all over the world.
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