Superman actor David Corenswet has revealed his preferred watch order of the Star Wars franchise, and it improves the Skywalker Saga in several ways. The order of Star Wars movies has long been in debate. After all, George Lucas released the original trilogy, Episodes IV, V, and VI, before going back to do Episodes I, II, and III afterward.

The installments of the original trilogy are often considered the best Star Wars movies, though the prequels have recently been looked upon more fondly. The Star Wars sequel trilogy remains divisive, yet all three trilogies are explored when discussing in which order the iconic films should be watched. Interestingly, the latest person to weigh in on this argument is Superman actor David Corenswet.

Corenswet has made his fandom of the franchise known and is undoubtedly excited for the upcoming Star Wars movies in development. When looking at those from the past, though, Corenswet has revealed his preferred watch order. As it turns out, Corenswet prefers to use a slightly altered version of what has become known as the “Machete” order.

The Machete order claimed that the best way to watch Star Wars is in this order: Episode IV, Episode V, Episode II, Episode III, then Episode VI. Corenswet mostly agrees, besides the Superman actor also includes Episode I between Episode V and Episode II. Admittedly, this order improves the Skywalker Saga in some ways.

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David Corenswet’s Star Wars Watch Order Begins With The Two Best Star Wars Movies

Starting The Marathon Off On A Strong Note

Corenswet mentioned this watch order in the context of showing someone the franchise for the first time. In doing it his way, the new Star Wars watcher will get to watch the two best Star Wars movies first; A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back are often considered the best of the 11 theatrical Star Wars films.

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, however, is one of the weaker installments and would be watched first if someone decided to view Star Wars in chronological order. If Corenswet’s order is adhered to, though, the Star Wars watch-along would start on a big high note that allows newcomers to connect to the franchise.

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Darth Vader’s Big Empire Strikes Back Twist Retains Its Impact

‘HE Is Luke’s Father?!’

One of the disadvantages of watching the Star Wars saga for the first time in chronological order is the impact it has on The Empire Strikes Back‘s twist ending. The reveal that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker’s father remains one of the most iconic twists in cinema history, yet that twist loses its impact if the Skywalker Saga is viewed chronologically.

After all, the prequels were constructed long after the original trilogy, meaning the story reveals and character arcs were written from the perspective that audiences already knew Anakin Skywalker was Darth Vader. This is not to say the prequels are not effective if watched before any other Star Wars movie, as they certainly could be.

However, the character arc of Anakin Skywalker is much more impactful to watch after The Empire Strikes Back. This way, Vader’s words in Episode V retain their shocking, unexpected impact, raising questions for new viewers about how the iconic Star Wars villain could possibly be Luke’s father. Then, the prequels flesh out these questions in the most affecting way.

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The Empire Strikes Back’s Cliffhanger Holds Even More Momentum

The Cliffhanger Is Kept In The Mind For Three More Movies

Stemming from the Vader twist in The Empire Strikes Back, this makes the film’s bleak cliffhanger ending all the better. If a new Star Wars viewer were to watch the series chronologically, though, that cliffhanger can be resolved immediately by simply watching Return of the Jedi. Conversely, with Corenswet’s viewing order, this cliffhanger is given more momentum.

After The Empire Strikes Back, new viewers would then get to experience Episodes I, II, and III, witnessing Anakin’s downfall to explain how the original trilogy came to be. By the end of Episode III, the excitement and sheer hype of seeing how this five-episode saga ends would be palpable, making The Empire Strikes Back‘s cliffhanger even more effective than it already is.

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David Corenswet Agrees The Prequels Work Better As Flashback Stories

The Prequels Stand Better This Way

As individual movies and a trilogy, the prequels have some strange choices. Some plots are unimportant and dropped, some seemingly consequential characters are killed off, and the overall flow, especially of the first two installments, is not quite smooth enough. For these reasons, the prequels work better when viewed as flashbacks.

Corenswet says as much in the interview on Royal Court. If a new Star Wars viewer goes into the prequels with the aim in mind of finding out how Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader, the three movies would feel more focused. Watching the prequels before the originals, though, would cause confusion over dropped plots, abrupt character deaths, and the other admittedly strange story choices Lucas made.

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The Star Wars Saga Feels More Interconnected

And Less Like Two Separate Trilogies

Another benefit of Corenswet’s altered Machete method of watching Star Wars is how it makes the franchise feel more cohesive. As two different trilogies, the originals and prequels feel very removed from one another. Shared characters and universe aside, the visual style and tone of the prequels are vastly different from those of the originals.

This seemed quite jarring upon the prequels’ release, and, if watched chronologically, might lead some to look upon the originals more strangely, given the abrupt shift between Episode III and Episode IV. That said, nestling the prequels between the originals avoids this, with viewers simply watching a past era unfold, only with the characters they have come to know, like Obi-Wan and Yoda.

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David Corenswet’s Star Wars Watch Order Doesn’t Leave Out The Phantom Menace

Episode I Gets Its Time To Shine

As alluded to, the original Machete order of Star Wars leaves out The Phantom Menace. Corenswet notes the movie as an inclusion, though, which is more vital to the saga than some would think. Duel of the Fates, for example, is much more important to Anakin Skywalker’s legacy than a lot of other things in the prequels due to Qui-Gon’s death, as Dave Filoni himself has pointed out.

The Phantom Menace also has some cool sequences and characters, meaning it certainly has its merits. Corenswet agrees, with the actor even mentioning Qui-Gon’s importance to Anakin in the interview, thus proving another way in which his watch order of Star Wars improves the Skywalker Saga.

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This Star Wars Watch Order Removes The Divisiveness Of The Sequels

The Sequels Can Be Argued To Worsen The Original 6 Star Wars Movies

An interesting thing to note about Corenswet’s interview is that he does not mention the Star Wars sequels. As many will know, the Star Wars sequels are divisive. I fall much more on the side of liking the sequels than disliking them. Still, I cannot deny that some elements, like Palpatine’s resurrection, somewhat lessen Anakin Skywalker’s journey as Star Wars’ Chosen One.

Therefore, leaving them out of a watch order when introducing new viewers to Star Wars could be the best move. This is not to say they could not be watched further down the line. Regardless, the prequels and originals are looked back on much more fondly than the sequels recently, meaning this watch order removes most of the controversy that surrounds Star Wars of late.

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Return Of The Jedi Improves Thanks To David Corenswet’s Star Wars Watch Order

Episode VI Is A More Impactful Conclusion

The final way in which Corenswet’s Star Wars watch order improves the Skywalker Saga is by improving Return of the Jedi. Episode VI is widely considered the weakest of Star Wars’ original trilogy films. It works well enough in its own right, but viewing it after two predecessors and three movies that provide heaps of context would be even better.

Stemming from the argument about The Empire Strikes Back‘s cliffhanger gaining momentum this way, that momentum will continue into Return of the Jedi. After seeing that bleak cliffhanger and going back to witness the dark journey of the prequels, the excitement for the final chapter will bolster Return of the Jedi.

For this reason, among many others, David Corenswet’s viewing order for the Star Wars movies improves the Skywalker Saga.