The original Star Wars trilogy was officially complete with the release of Return of the Jedi in 1983. There aren’t many fans out there who don’t see the original trilogy as the high point – if not, the pinnacle – of Star Wars. However, in the many decades since the OG trilogy came out there have been many things that have happened that have affected the legacy of the original films.
Future films (sequels, prequels, and more) have altered the original films’ story – some have improved it or fleshed it out, while others have watered down elements or altogether ruined certain things. There have also been re-edits of the original films that have directly changed sometimes large elements of the film - the end result being that the original trilogy is not necessarily the same thing we loved and cherished back in the day.
15 Throw A New Coat On It
In 1997, George Lucas released an updated version of the original trilogy. One of the most prevalent changes was adding in numerous new CGI scenes and elements throughout the films. The end result of the CGI was awkward to say the least, with the new (quite low quality) graphics not blending well with the original footage in any instance.
14 Demystifying Greedo & Han
Along with the CGI additions, Lucas, even more controversially, addressed a long debated scene from A New Hope. In the infamous scene involving Greedo and Han, Greedo's death happens after shots from each gun goes off. Whereas the original version made it so that it was unknown who shot first - implying Han may have preemptively shot Greedo - the new version makes clear that Greedo shot first, confirming that Han is the sweetheart we always knew he was.
13 Jedi Rock Ft. Sy Snootles
One of the most infamous additions to Lucas' re-release of the original trilogy was the song 'Jedi Rock' performed in Return of the Jedi in Jabba's palace by Sy Snootles and her band. The scene is so unbelievably unnecessary and cringey on every level that, to this day, it warrants a fast forward to get through the black spot on the franchise.
12 Family Love
One detriment to not plotting out the entirety of a series is that some prior elements of a story may not jive well with later events. Nothing is more troublesome in this regard than the kiss that Luke and Leia share in The Empire Strikes Back... that is, prior to the reveal in Return of the Jedi that the two are actually siblings... and twins... yuck.
11 Romance… In Space
George Lucas is a mastermind at world-building, plotting overarching stories and action, however, when it comes to writing romance... there are definitely better options. A significant element of the prequel trilogies was the romance between Anakin and Padme, which hit its peak in Attack of the Clones. Unfortunately, the scenes of the courtship between the two on Naboo are some of the cringiest parts of the entire Saga.
10 Politics... In Space
Another thing prevalent in the prequel trilogy was the heavy focus on galactic politics. Between the Jedi Council, the Senate, planetary monarchies, the Trade confederation, and the musical chair swapping of political positions between various characters, there was simply a lot of politics going on. Compared to the streamlined plot of the original trilogy, many see the politically-motivated prequels as a low point for Star Wars.
9 Jar Jar Bunk
The anticipation leading to the return of Star Wars with The Phantom Menace could not have been higher. Unfortunately, the film introduced one of the worst things to ever happen to the franchise and something that would mar the series and original trilogy for a long time afterwards. That thing's name is Jar Jar Binks...
8 Han Solo The Movie
While a lot of elements of Star Wars films can be argued for and against, the Solo movie was one thing that was almost universally panned. Commercially, it was one of Star Wars' only major busts, which makes sense for a movie that no one really asked for. The film attempted to fill in a lot of the blanks in Han Solo's past, which really only served to take away from the original trilogy's mystery and intrigue.
7 Bringing Back The Dead
Though it may be able to be done tastefully, recreating characters through CGI of actors who have either died or aged significantly is a troublesome move. In the original trilogy, the villainous Tarkin was played by Peter Cushing. In Rogue One, Tarkin was completely remade in CGI to resemble Cushing, though the actor had died more than twenty years prior. Controversial move, to say the least.
6 Luke's Journey
The Last Jedi unquestionably rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way. The grand return of Luke Skywalker suddenly as a curmudgeon who wanted no part with the Force or the Jedi tarnished the beloved character in many fans' eyes. Even though he seemed to return by the end of the film, the arduous process in him getting back to his Jedi ways was too much for some to bear.
