Why The Star Wars Prequels Aren't As Bad As You Remember

Even though the prequels were convoluted and sloppy, George Lucas had a good idea where he wanted the saga to go. In his head, he could always picture the beginning, middle, and end.

You have to commend Lucas for sticking with his guns, especially when viewers weren't happy with certain elements. Fans were outraged when it was mentioned in The Phantom Menace how the Force works through microscopic lifeforms called midi-chlorians.

But in Revenge of the Sith, Darth Sidious explains to Anakin how his master could manipulate this midi-chlorians to cheat death. It is this revelation that convinces Anakin to join the Dark Side.

We hated this development at first because we didn't understand why Lucas bothered to mention sentient bacteria in the first place. But we now understand they were a part of a bigger story arc, and we had to be patient to see the pay-off. Not only do the midi-chlorians not bother fans as much as it used to, it's being incorporated into other Star Wars mediums, including The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Mandalorian.

If Lucas panicked about the prequels receiving backlash, he could've retconned any number of plot threads, which would've compromised his vision and potentially derail the franchise. The prequels may have its faults but the overarching story does work as a whole.