Debate: Star Wars order

[-Apples-]

The subject is more complicated than it sounds. What this means is what would you call the first movie, second movie etc. Do you order them based on the years released, or the episode numbers?

If you order them based on years released, the first Star Wars movie is A New Hope.
If you order them based on episode numbers, the first Star Wars movie is The Phantom Menace.

I find it rather strange that they started with Episode IV, but this makes another debate. I created this thread in response to the release of Star Wars on the digital version for the very first time. This is not a thread discussing what the best and worst movies are. This is a thread discussing what order you like. If you want a general Star Wars discussion thread, you can start one on your own.

My opinion:

I order the chronological order based on the events in the saga rather than the order they are released in theaters. In this way, the first three movies are the prequels as the second three movies are part of the original trilogy.

 

[badcrumbs]

Imo, A New Hope is the first one and the prequels don't exist.

 

[EmmaFrost]

4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3.
This is the way we were intended to view them, and the most enjoyable way imo.
I usually skip over the Phantom Menace when watching my bluray set though haha.

 

[CookingOkasan]

I really don't find it too complicated. Theres the original trilogy and the prequels.... The prequels being 1-3 and the original trilogy 4-6. You can't really argue against the fact that the episode numbers are 1-6.

Personally if someone who has never seen the saga asks (working in a video rental store, it happens all the time), I would recommend that they watch the original trilogy first and then the prequels. but as far as story goes the prequels are obv well... prequels.

In my case it isn't so much of which is the "first" movie (because I understand PM is episode 1 and NH is 4) so much as it is which one is good and which one is garbage (looking at you jar jar...)

 

[Alienfish]

Eh I did not find the newer films that much enjoyable, probably because they were made in a too modern age...

Imo 4-6, 1-3. the 1-3 could be skipped though unless you are hardcore

 

[-Apples-]

Even if I think the first three movies are thre prequels, I admit that the fourth, fifth, and sixth movies (1977-1983) were better. Last weekend, I only saw the original trilogy. I have yet to see the prequels.

 

[oath2order]

Whatever is number 4 is the first movie.