At the time of its release, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith was vastly different and darker from anything else Star Wars had ever done on-screen, and it made George Lucas hesitant for one specific reason. Lucas was never one to stray from his vision, especially in the Star Wars universe, and he maintained that same prerogative with Revenge of the Sith. Anakin Skywalker’s story was headed to a darker place, and Lucas needed to go there.

He knew, however, that this was a potentially risky move for a trilogy that was already being berated by critics and fans alike. Thankfully, Lucas wasn’t afraid to stick to his original vision, even if he acknowledged what he could be giving up in the process. There was one specific reason why Lucas figured Revenge of the Sith could lose some of its audience, and although he ended up being proven wrong with the movie’s success, I actually serve as proof of why he had a valid reason to worry.

George Lucas Thought Revenge Of The Sith’s Darkness Would Hinder Its Success

“It’s Way Too Strong”

Lucas was self-aware of the potential consequences of the decisions he made to tell the story he wanted to tell in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, and that was especially the case with Revenge of the Sith. In an interview with CBS News in March 2005, Lucas went in depth on the darkness that was to come in Revenge of the Sith. He shared that it would likely become the first PG-13 rating in Star Wars (which, as we know, it did), and that it could have likely been prevented – but he didn’t want that.

It’s way too strong. I could pull it back a little bit, but I don’t really want to.

Lucas no doubt knew what he was risking by isolating a chunk of his young audience, but that was a risk he was willing to take in favor of carrying out his vision for this chapter of Anakin’s story. Now, in an era where Revenge of the Sith is hailed as some of Star Wars’ best and most iconic work to date, we know it paid off. There is, however, one point Lucas raised in this interview that ended up becoming an extremely valid take:

I would take a 9- or a 10-year-old to [Revenge of the Sith] — or an 11-. But I don’t think I would take a 5- or 6-year-old to this.

Revenge Of The Sith Was Definitely Too Dark For Me

At 5 Years Old, I Was Terrified

I was just 5 years old when Revenge of the Sith hit theaters, but my parents wanted to take me and my two older siblings to see it. This was the first Star Wars movie I had ever seen in theaters, and I still remember the experience vividly. Of course, the only part I truly remember is how traumatized I was by its ending.

I remember seeing what had happened to Anakin on Mustafar in the gaps between my dad’s fingers as he tried to conceal the sight from me with his hand. He was doing the same to my six-year-old sister on his other side. Meanwhile, my mom had to leave us, because my eight-year-old brother had already made a run for it out of the movie theater as soon as he realized what was happening. To be fair to both my parents, they had no idea any of this was going to happen.

This experience made me dislike Revenge of the Sith for a long time, until I was old enough to brave it again and realize just how tragically wonderful it really is – especially after Star Wars: The Clone Wars had done so much work to enhance it. I now consider it one of my favorite Star Wars movies to date, and I know my brother has always felt the same way, despite his initially fearful reaction to its content. Lucas’ gamble definitely paid off in the long run.

Lucas’ Risk Was Worth The Investment In The Long Run

That Darkness Was A Necessity

While in the short-term, seeing Revenge of the Sith at such a young age did affect my view of the overall movie, I was still able to revisit it as an adult and appreciate the darkness that had once scared me as a child. I’m glad Lucas stuck to his vision, because it’s aged so much better, especially with supplementary material like The Clone Wars, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, and more.

Lucas may have thought that the movie’s success could be hindered by this darkness, but he was wrong – because it still managed to succeed in its own right. He did have a point about kids being too young to see it, but those kids have now grown up to become the movie’s biggest cheerleaders. Revenge of the Sith absolutely had to be told the way it was, because if it was any different, it wouldn’t be the fan-favorite movie that it is today.