For those of you asking about the Clone Wars series!!! Meg and I have already started it and have our first few unedited reactions posted on our Patreon (link in video description)! We're watching the series in chronological story arcs, so we're jumping around a bit, and we are LOVING it so far. I have also started diving into the comics and EU novels (I am currently going through the post-RoTS Marvel Vader series along with "Master & Apprecntice"). The edited reactions will of course end up here once I finish them, but rest assured, the Clone Wars journey has already begun. We want ALL THE STAR WARS. Thanks again for giving us the opportunity to share these stories with you. Even though I have seen these movies before, experiencing them with Meg and with all of you has truly been something special. Star Wars came along when we needed it most, and we are so grateful to have received such a warm welcome to this galaxy far far away :) Lots of love, The Mage Family (Meg, Caleb, Yuna, & Bumi)

Fun fact: when Dooku was at Anakin's mercy, he was supposed to say "protect me, Chancellor!" but Christopher Lee cringed at that line so he decided not to say anything at all and let his character die with somewhat more dignity.

I think the reason why Anakin killing Dooku was so much worse than Obi Wan killing Maul is that Dooku was unarmed and defenseless. Anakin had already won the fight and they could have taken Dooku prisoner instead of killing him. Whereas Obi Wan was losing the fight with Maul before he got the jump on him and sliced him in half. Maul was still very much a threat, while Dooku was not.

Like Lucas explained: Upon learning Padme died, Anakin lost the will to live as well, he had nothing and destroyed everything. All he had left was his second identity and connection to Palpatine. If that was all that remained, then that was all that there would be. Anakin was dead and Vader lived on. Upon learning of Luke, his son, Vader was in conflict, a remainder of Anakin/Padme still lived, and he was torn between his son and master. The final push was when his master, the one who promised that Anakin would be able to save his loved ones, tried to kill his loved one... and Anakin returned to kill him, and fulfill the prophecy, at the cost of himself. Shedding his burnt aged body, Anakin's spirit passed into the force as the Jedi he once was.

Padme's last words: "There is good in him... I know there is still... Anakin's last words: "... You were right..."

Hayden really doesn’t get the respect he deserves especially during the scene when Anakin learns that Padme is pregnant the way he portrays how conflicted his emotions are in those few seconds is very accurate to what the majority of guys feel when they are told or find out

An awesome thing to know for the duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan: George Lucas had planned to speed up the duel sequence but Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor practiced so much and so many times this duel that what we have is the actual speed. No CGI, no camera tricks, no speed up in post production, not even stunts, THEY are moving that fast. I remember seeing this movie for the first time in 2005 as a kid with my father. We were blown away. I cried more for this than Bambi'sm other or Mufasa. I don't care if it has its flaws, to this day it's one my favorite movies and by far the best Star Wars with Empire Strikes Back.

The scene of the republic happily surrendering to become an empire is such a good one By the end of his manipulations, it makes perfect sense that people would believe the Jedi were taking over, considering that in just over a decade they went from reclusive monks to generals of a massive, nameless army, horribly mutilating a popular world popular leader while attempting to extrajudicially arrest him

“You loved her. You will always love her. You could never will her death. Never. But you remember. You remember all of it. You remember the dragon that you brought Vader forward from your heart to slay. The cold venom in Vaders blood. The furnace of Vaders fury and the black hatred of seizing her throat to silence her lying mouth. And there is one blazing moment in which you finally understand that there was no dragon. That there was no Vader. That there was only you. Only Anakin Skywalker. That it was all you. Is you. Only you. You did it. You killed her. You killed her because finally, when you could have saved her. When you could have gone away with her. When you could have been thinking about her. You were thinking about yourself. It is in this blazing moment that you finally understand the trap of the dark side. The final cruelty of the Sith. Because now yourself is all you’ll ever have. This is how it feels to be Anakin Skywalker… Forever”. RotS novelization by Matthew Stover Y’all don’t understand how much you guys are helping me relive my childhood you guys are great!

Another aspect to Yoda’s philosophy: he’s like 800 years old, so when he says ‘learn to not get attached to anyone, because everybody is gonna die eventually’ he’s lived through that experience over and over and over again, he’s outlived everyone he ever met.

Only R2 still remembers, C3PO is only one who got his mind wiped. R2 is an Astromech Droid, not a Protocol Droid.

Hayden is such a good actor that when I watch the original trilogy and see Vader, I see Anakin. And he wasn't even born yet. Crazy.

emperor voice: "i have waited a loooong time for this moment...." Cackles maniacally. episode 3 tears are the best tears.

Watching Ep3 as an adult, versus watching it as a child, is insane. After processing trauma related to long-term narcissistic manipulation, there is so much that Ep3 got right that I didn’t understand until more recently - the absolute depth and reality of Anakin’s “irrationality,” “all-or-nothing,” seemingly-immediate hard-swap to unthinkable acts under Palpatine’s influence, like killing younglings… It’s all sooooo real. And it’s a testament to great writing and acting through both Anakin and Palpatine. The Skywalker Story is a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions: Anakin’s naive but genuine and powerful love, misunderstood by the Jedi, manipulated by Palpatine, groomed past critical points-of-no-return, until the only remaining option was to commit to a lifetime of slavery under the same manipulator. What prevents it being a total tragedy is the final redemption (why Anakin truly was the one to bring balance) of overthrowing the emperor at the cost of his own life. Far from just being a “space western.” And Hayden’s performance, as an adult viewer and trauma/abuse-survivor, is absolutely gut-wrenchingly spot-on.

The big difference between Obi-Wan cutting Maul in half and Anakin beheading Dooku is that Dooku was disarmed (literally). The Jedi code doesnt prohibit killing someone in combat, but executing someone you've clearly beaten is different.

Leia knows what Padme looks like because Bail would tell her about her mother and father, and she would see Force Visions of her, most likely from his mind. Luke can't remember because Owen and Beru "protected" him by lying to him about who his father was. It's because of their separation and upbringing. Leia's denial of Vader being her father lasts almost until the Sequel Trilogy.

@14:02 When Anakin states, "his fate will be the same as ours," was a prediction of them all dying on the Death Star together

Palpatine didn’t compel Anakin, it’s all Anakin’s choices. He was manipulated, yes, but not through mysticism. Just misdirection and playing on Anakin’s faults. His fear of loss, his doubt in the Jedi, his anger, his thirst for renown.

Anakin wasn't possessed or compelled to commit the atrocities he did, more like he was manipulated into a mindset where he believed he was doing the right thing. Windu forced Anakin to essentially make a choice between his wife and the jedi, and he chose his wife by saving palpatines life. After crossing that line, there would be no turning back, so Anakin committed to the path he chose so he could at least save the person he loved. What comes after is a series of desperate, selfish, and arrogant decisions where his new plan is to serve the emperor until he could guarantee his family's safety and one day become powerful enough to overthrow the emperor for his own selfish aspirations. This is something that the emperor wanted because it would carry on the legacy of the sith and his replacement would be even more powerful and corrupt than he was. When Anakin was left mutilated and crippled by obi wan, all that potential for a perfect heir was destroyed and palpatine was so disgusted and furious with his loss that he decided that Anakin was now unworthy to surpass him, choosing instead to enslave him in a cybernetic prison and keep him forever subservient and replaceable while the emperor continued rule the galaxy indefinitely.

"How isn't cutting in half a guy in the middle of a fight while he's trying to kill me the exact same as beheading a defeated kneeling opponent with no hands?" is certainly a question.

If you listen, when Senator Organa says to wipe 3PO’s mind, R2 laughs at him lol

I'm glad someone called Palpatine a groomer. Too many people accuse Padme of being a groomer when she hadn't even seen Anakin grow up. It was Palpatine who saw Anakin grow up.

Fun fact, not only did they not clean up Vader's burns, they didn't even use anesthesia during his surgery. Why? Palpatine's orders. He wanted to punish Vader for losing to Obi-Wan, and also because the pain would push him further to the dark side.

There were roughly 10.000 Jedi before order 66, after it happened less than 100 remained. Also the Reason R2 never stays with the ship is because the last person to say that to him never came back.

It’s never really portrayed properly how horrible the clone wars were. But here everything comes full circle. Everything that Yoda said in episode one came true, “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” That’s what we see happen to Anakin in the prequels and what transforms him from Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader. The fear of losing his mother and Padme turns to hate towards the Jedi and then to the suffering of having to live with the consequences of destroying everything he loved. But as we see even when he becomes Darth Vader, Anakin is the chosen one. He destroys the Sith, himself and the emperor because he is redeemed by his son.

Ewan is scottish, not irish Edit: i love how they made grievous and anakin never meet in clone wars to keep that line intact, about Grievous being shorter than anakin expected Edit 2: grievous wasnt a human, but he did have an organic body

"His fate will be the same as ours." Obi-Wan Kenobi. Dies on a Death Star. Sheev Palpatine: Dies on a Death Star. Anakin Skywalker: Dies on a Death Star. Treachery is the way of the Sith. The novel talks about Dooku watching his own mentor coldly order his death, realizing that he was being played the whole time.

When you watch Ep VI first, Ep III hits hard. When you watch Ep III first, then Ep VI hits hard.

To clarify: Grievous is not a droid, he used to be an alien warlord but slowly became a cyborg in his quest to hunt down the jedi he hated so much. His cough is meant to create a parallel with Vader's breathing, you know as they are both jedi killing cyborgs

Palpatine: "He was too dangerous to be left alive." Mace: "He is too dangerous to be left alive!" Palpatine: "They don't trust you." Mace: "-you will have gained my trust." Palpatine: "The Jedi want control of the senate." Mace: "The Jedi Council would have to take control of the senate-" Palpatine: "I was right, the Jedi are taking over!" Yoda: "To a dark place, this line of thought will take us." Palpatine: "The Sith and Jedi are similar in almost every way."

You are the only reactor that I'm aware of who noticed that they didn't really bother treating Vader's wounds before the armor was put on. No anesthetic was used when the artificial limbs were attached to his nerve endings. His burns were hardly treated, only to remove what was left of his clothes fused to his skin to prevent infection. His burnt flesh would chafe inside the suit and the limbs and the sharp metal edges within the suit would poke, prod and drag on his skin. Sidious had Vader's suite made intentionally to be agonizing. The only time Vader could find some semblance of peace was to remove his armor and bathe in bacta, his body would he scrubbed of necrotic flesh from the burns. He would meditate and think of Padme. The pain, a constant reminder. Which is why Vader is known to be so ruthless and cruel.

,,is it possible to learn this power?" *Ad interrupts* ,,with OLD SPICE everything is possible ..." just perfect timing😂

The Sith eyes are a representation of a Force User who has completely embraced the Dark Side. A symbol of absolute devotion to anger and passion.

There is no compulsion that Anakin is following. Only fear. Palpatine played on all the fear and anger and emotion that he's never been able to let go, and used that to subtly maneuver him to wear he should be; on the council but not a master, a strong warrior and combatant but not going to take down grievous, even when windu had a saber to palpatine. His desperation and fear pushed him forward, and having been responsible for disarming windu, allowing him to die at the hands of a sith lord, he fell to the dark side as his only recourse. There is no disassociation either; Anakin and Vader are the same person, and Anakin is fully aware of what he is doing.

The end of the beginning. You’ll probably watch all the other Star Wars content, but I for one cannot wait for Rogue One and Andor. On a storytelling aspect, it’s the best that Star Wars has ever been.

That "your breaking my heart" gives me goosebumps every time. Shes so good.

Anakin's choices are based around a combination of manipulation and imagined slights mixed with his fears. Yoda said it in the first film. It was his fear of loss that drove his actions forward. He killed Windu in that one moment because in that moment the man threatened to take away the one chance he thought could save his wife. Anakin was willing to destroy everything he swore to defend, kill anyone: Man, woman or child as long as it meant he could save the life of his wife and children. He attacks her in anger in the heat of the moment without thinking of the consequences. I always get shades of MacBeth in his story.

My friend on discord began calling General Grievous "Commander Covid" because of his coughing and i can't stop calling him that 😂

53:46 Long story short, no: The Sith Lords originally numbered in the thousands. Darth Bane saw that the Sith were continually defeated again and again by the Jedi for thousands of years and concluded that the only way to destroy the Jedi was through secrecy and manipulation. Bane tricked the other Dark Lords of the Sith into committing suicide (they detonated a Sith bomb in an attempt to kill as many Jedi as possible), and then rebuilt the Sith under the Rule of Two. Darth Sidious is the culmination of almost 1,000 years of the Grand Plan: the Sith plan to kill every Jedi and turn the Galactic Republic into a Sith Empire.

Glad to see more people appreciate and understand how good of an actor Hayden is, and how perfect, and meant for the role he was.

14:18 There's a HUGE difference between Obi-Wan cutting Maul in half, and Anakin beheading Dooku: Obi-Wan killed Maul in combat, while Maul was still very much armed and dangerous. Anakin executed Dooku, *after* Dooku had been disarmed (literally) and at Anakin's mercy. To illustrate: a cop shooting a bank robber in the action is justified. A cop shooting a bank robber in the head, once he is handcuffed and on the ground, is not.

Did Obi-wan know about Anakin and Padme? "I am not blind, Padme. Though I have tried to be, for Anakin's sake. And for yours. Anakin has loved you since the day you met, in that horrible junk shop on Tatooine. He's never even tried to hide it, though we do not speak of it. We... pretend that I don't know. And i was happy to, because it made him happy. You made him happy, when nothing else ever truly could."

Palpatine always looked disfigured, its explained in the lore how he was using Sith alchemy to hide his dark side corruption that had marked his face and body, when he was exposed to his own force lightning the ''spell'' was broken.

Ewan McGregor is Scottish not Irish

Anakin's fall reminds me of a quote from my favorite Star Wars book - I, Jedi. It's a great book from the Legends (Old EU) about the main character finding their identity, and in this passage another Jedi says this: "People start telling themselves they're amassing power for this goal or that, and they convince themselves that it's a good thing. Then when they get enough they find that circumstances have changed. They find they need more power or they need to wield this power in ways they didn't expect before. An opponent who won't listen to reason becomes a bug to be squashed instead of a friend who just needs to be convinced. Power comes to poison those who hoard it." I always loved this line as it ties to Anakin's fall so perfectly.

The braid and ponytail is a symbol of Jedi Rank in the order. In the previous film Anakin was still a padawan (trainee) so he had the padawan braid and short hair, whereas in this film he is a fully fledged Jedi Knight so no longer needs to braid and keep his hair short. He also wore darker clothing than the other Jedi to show his independence (and also a bit of foreshadowing from George) Also, Greivous is coughing because old boy Mace Windu literally crushed his chest with the force in the Clone Wars animation.

If you watch a bit more of the extended canon, you'll see how much Vader disassociates. To the point that he refers to Anakin as another person entirely.

The story of the Prequels is of how a religion hands the Messiah over to the Devil.

I wish the movie had shown the full Palpatine speech. If you're curious, here it is. "Citizens of the civilized galaxy! Senators! On this day we mark a transition. For a thousand years, the Republic stood as the crowning achievement of civilized beings. But there were those who would set us against one another, and we took up arms to defend our way of life against the Separatists. In so doing, we never suspected that the greatest threat came from within. The Jedi, and some within our own Senate, had conspired to create the shadow of Separatism using one of their own as the enemy's leader. They had hoped to grind the Republic into ruin. But the hatred in their hearts could not be hidden forever. At last, there came a day when our enemies showed their true natures. The Jedi hoped to unleash their destructive power against the Republic by assassinating the head of government and usurping control of the clone army. But the aims of would-be tyrants were valiantly opposed by those without elitist, dangerous powers. The war is over. The Separatists have been eliminated and the Jedi rebellion has been foiled. The remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated. Any collaborators will suffer the same fate. Those who protect the enemy are the enemy! Now is the time! Now we will strike back! Now we will destroy the destroyers! These are trying times, but we have passed the test. The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed, but I assure you, my resolve has never been stronger! The Clone War was our final test. It was the last gasp of the forces of darkness! Now we have left that darkness behind us forever, and a new day has begun! It is morning in the Republic! Never again will we be divided! Never again will sector turn against sector, planet turn against planet, sibling turn against sibling. We are one nation, indivisible! To ensure that we will always stand together, that we will always speak with a single voice and act with a single hand, the Republic must change. We must evolve. We must grow. In order to ensure the security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire for a safe and secure society! We are an Empire that will continue to be ruled by this august body! We are an Empire that will never return to the political maneuvering and corruption that have wounded us so deeply. We are an Empire that will be directed by a single sovereign, chosen for life! We are an Empire ruled by the majority! An Empire ruled by a new Constitution! An Empire of laws, not of politicians! An Empire devoted to the preservation of a just society. We are an Empire that will stand for ten thousand years! By bringing the entire galaxy under one law, one language, and the enlightened guidance of one individual, the corruption that plagued the Republic in its later years will never take root. Regional governors will eliminate the bureaucracy that allowed the Separatist movement to grow unchecked. A strong and growing military will ensure the rule of law. Under the Empire's New Order, our most cherished beliefs will be safeguarded. We will defend our ideals by force of arms. We will give no ground to our enemies and will stand together against attacks from within or without. Let the enemies of the Empire take heed: those who challenge Imperial resolve will be crushed. We have taken on a task that will be difficult, but the people of the Empire are ready for the challenge. Because of our efforts, the galaxy has traded war for peace and anarchy for stability. Trillions of beings now look forward to a secure future. The Empire will grow as more planets feel the call, from the Rim to the wilds of unknown space. Imperial citizens must do their part. Join our grand star fleet. Become the eyes of the Empire by reporting suspected insurrectionists. Travel to the corners of the galaxy to spread the principles of the New Order to barbarians. Build monuments and technical wonders that will speak of our glory for generations to come. The Grand Army has tackled the dangerous work of fighting our enemies on the front lines. Many have died in their devotion to the Empire. Imperial citizens would do well to remember their example. The New Order of peace has triumphed over the shadowy secrecy of the Jedi. The direction of our course is clear. I will lead the Empire to glories beyond imagining. We have been tested, but we have emerged stronger. We move forward as one people: the Imperial citizens of the first Galactic Empire. We will prevail. Ten thousand years of peace begins today."

That sequence where it cross cuts between Padme giving birth while dying and Vader being born (where Anakin dies) might just be the most well edited sequence in the franchise.

14:20 There's a big difference, Obi-wan cut Maul in half in an active battle to defeat him while Anakin had Dooku defeated then proceeded to execute him.

Hayden has the best facial emotes....he really does show all the emotional ranges on his face and doesn't have to say a word. You see them and believe them and know exactly what his character is thinking

Your husband looks like someone I would love to have as a buddy. He sounds great!

Palpatine: You're no match for him. He can only be defeated by dorks. Obi-wan: Chancellor Palpatine, being dorks is our speciality.

Let me tell you, I was a teenager when this came out and when I saw Hayden shirtless I almost fainted lol 🥰

There are certain movies, no matter what happens to you, that just remain with you and always bring you to a special place, regardless of their quality. For me, “Revenge of the Sith” is one of those movies. I actually first saw this movie during my last day of high school. It was my first period, which was a computer science course. Everyone in my class were seniors and we were ready to graduate the following week, so instead of doing any kind of work, one of my peers brought a bootleg copy of RotS for all of us to watch. It was on a laptop, and everyone huddled close to see it. And let me tell you, it was a glorious sight to behold, even though we only saw the first half hour of the movie. Me and everyone else in class were just amazed by it, and when I finally saw it in theaters that evening, it was even more amazing. This is a movie I will never hate, and since it came out during a very special time of my life, it will always bring back great memories of my final days of childhood and passage into adulthood. It also helps that RotS is a great movie! 😊

Anakin killed the seperatists because the fact that Palpatine actually was their co-conspirator must nit be discovered. He's ordered to tie up the loose ends.

Clone Wars!

I'm so glad you guys felt every scene with Yoda. He's just such an embodiment of goodness and light in the universe that merely watching his cane drop to the floor is a powerful moment. Seeing him reel and clutch his heart from the deaths of all the Jedi is just gut-wrenching every time I watch it. The music helps sell it perfectly too (I sincerely believe this is John Williams' finest composition for any movie, and certainly the best among the Star Wars films). Then there's the fight with the Emperor, which is for me just as impactful as the battle between brothers coinciding with it. It's the ultimate forces of Light and Dark clashing, as Yoda desperately tries to defend the last gasp of the dead Republic as it all comes crashing down around him, with Sidious exulting and reveling in his dominion and ultimate victory. For my money it also has the best use of the Duel of the Fates score, even over the original usage of it in The Phantom Menace.

You are literally the first reactor I've ever watched who switched back and forth from laughing at Palpatine being over the top in his one-liners, to screaming at Mace Windu getting zapped. I have to admit that was so hilarious!

My wife & I love it when you & Caleb are together for a reaction. Shame on those folks. Don’t let them bring you down. We love ya both.

When Obi-wan is unconscious in the beginning, and Palpatine tells Anakin to leave hime behind, Anakin says "His fate will be the same as ours". All three characters die upon the Death Star.

Caleb, you always bring great stuff to these reactions! Seeing you and Mage together is always a treat. Quick note on Jedi killing enemies: It is not against the code to kill enemies. Big difference between the deaths of Maul and Dooku. Maul was actively hostile and about to murder Obi-Wan. Dooku had been disarmed (literally 😂) and was now a defenseless prisoner. I think of it more is that Jedi are the absolute opposite of "results at any cost". If there is even a shred of possibility that an enemy can be negotiated with, captured, disarmed, and/or reasoned with, a Jedi is supposed to take that route. It speaks to the brilliance of Palpatine's plan. Because he forced the Jedi into a position where they felt they had to take up the role of generals and pit themselves against the ideals of their own code. Even as late as Episode II, Mace is still saying "we are Keepers of the Peace, not soldiers". This inevitably weakens their connection to the Force over years of war, leaving them perfectly vulnerable. Last note: You guys will LOVE Clone Wars. Essential Star Wars!

Great reaction Meg. Hands down my favorite Star Wars movie. The true Tragedy of Darth Vader and it hurts because of how PREVENTABLE it was. One of my favorite scenes is when Anakin is crying on Mustafar, because it shows his regret and remorse for what he's doing. The fight with Anakin vs Obi-Wan is nothing short of heartbreaking. Plus seeing Hayden's lightsaber move is always cool to see. Also if you get the chance there's a UKpostsr named Concordia Jedi made a series on his own original character set during the Prequels. I think you'd enjoy it.

"I don't know. Anakin doesn't talk to me anymore." -R2D2

Darth Plagueis the wise and Palpatine "created" life, and that´s why Shmi Skywalker was pregnant with no man. When Palpatine... Darth Plagueis apprentice... had all over control... he murdered his master Plagueis in his sleep.

when you guys go back and watch it again. at 34.44 knowing what you know now, is truly so sad. the last time you ever see obiwan and aninkin as freinds. also btw you brought up , if qui gon jin had lived and been master well, that is why in the phantom menace, the title of the song was called the duel of fates. if qui gon had lived, he would have prevented anikin from going to the dark side. and by losing and dying. we wound up where we wound up

Anakin slaughtering the Separatist leaders makes a lot of sense frankly. He was never fond of the greedy war-profiteers of the Separatists, so killing them would've been one of the few of his violent acts in the new Empire that would have actually brought him some semblance of satisfaction. Gunray specifically wanted to have Padme assassinated in the previous movie, and several of them, Gunray included, were present during the execution in the arena, as well as aiding the Separatists in numerous atrocities through their financial backing and lending of supplies. They were also the only remaining powerful members of the opposition. Once Dooku and Grievous were dead, Gunray and the other squabbling cowards were all that was left.

Qui Gonn spirit taught Obi Wan to become a force ghost, (at the end of the movie Yoda said to Obi that someone returned from the netherworld of the force). In all those years in solitude in Tatooine Obi Wan learnt it. That´s why he told Vader in episode IV: "if you strike me down, I´ll become more powerful that you can possibly imagine".

“His fate will be the same as ours” - all 3 die by Anakin’s hand in a Death Star

As a new subscriber, I just wanted to thank you (both) for such an exquisite reaction video. So many of these are just one word comments, or massively skip through the film. I love your insight, humour, and ways of analysing scenes which I didn't always catch even having seen this film countless times. Most of my friends aren't that into Star Wars, and even when they give it a chance they're not this invested in diving into the content. Thank you!

Mistakes were made, limbs were lost, hearts were broken and orders of stalwart peacekeepers were betrayed. You can see why things are so dire come A New Hope.

49:30 He actually always did look like that. He was using a dark side force ability to conceal his true appearance, that whole thing was just a show.

As for Anakin's seemingly swift turn, it was just that all of his previous experiences with his loved ones and the council had been leading up to this one, fateful decision in the chancellor's office. It was the Chosen One's first opportunity to fulfill his destiny and destroy the Sith. But he makes the, undeniably semi-rational, choice of saving Palpatine from an apparently hypocritical, code-breaking Windu's blade, and it's unfortunately the wrong decision and a one-way-ticket to the dark side of the force. Because you can't assist in the murder of a Jedi master to learn unnatural, death-defying dark side powers from a Sith Lord to control the fate of your forbidden wife and still be a Jedi. At that point you need to commit to the side you've chosen. You have no other choice. And that means amassing dark side power by committing atrocities to gain the falsely promised abilities that could possibly save Padmé. But the dark side is treacherous. Like a drug. It'll get you drunk with anger, hatred, jealousy and lust for power. And that's when you get lost in the sauce and choke out the woman you wanted to save in the first place, single-handedly causing the death you so desperately wanted to prevent. All in all, the choice was about as Sith as it gets. Mainly because of how selfish it was. Yeah it was out of love, but out of _selfish_ love. Anakin can't live without Padmé, so he decides that he will gain ultimate control over her fate, even when she told him that she doesn't want that and that she'll be alright on her own. Ironically, Padmé followed Yoda's advice about accepting things as they come much better than Anakin. Same thing with Shmi. She told Anakin to happily seize the opportunity that was given to him, to live his own life and to not look back. He obsessively looked back. With her dying words, she told him that she was complete and at peace. He declared a vengeful war on the Tuskens. He loved the women in his life immensely, no question, but he also consistently went against their will. He lived for selfish love. And it wasn't until his children, the literal embodiments of his and Padmé's love, inspired him with selfless acts that he learned a different kind of love. They made him learn to die for selfless love. Sacrificing himself to save his son, kill the Emperor, destroy the Sith, bring balance to the force and fulfill his destiny. And had he been selfless before, listened to Shmi, Padmé and Yoda and not selfishly clung to Palpatine and his false promises, that could've already happened many, many years and countless deaths earlier. But the circumstances just weren't in his favor. Qui-Gon's death, the flaws of the Jedi council and their code, the disconnect between him seeing Kenobi as a father while the latter saw him as a brother, the devilishly planned out manipulation by the Sith, all of that enabled the wrong choice he made. At the same time, it was still ultimately _his choice alone_ that doomed him and the galaxy. And it was _his choice alone_ that eventually saved his soul, and the day. That's what makes it powerful. After all, he really _is_ the Chosen One. It's a brilliantly written tragedy by one of the greatest, and simultaneously most baselessly shunned artists of our time. "George can retcon whatever he wants. He can do whatever he wants. He's a genius." ❤ If only more people had shared that sentiment, then the series would be in a much better place. But the audience likes to feel smarter than the artist and that leads to art getting dumber. Lucas's work was phenomenal, and its rejection was downright philistine. Now, for the remainder, I'd say the only truly worthwhile thing left is The Clone Wars. The non-canon 2003 miniseries (just Clone Wars) is phenomenal and honestly aligns with the tone and characterizations of the films much better than its successor from 2008, but that latter one is the canon version and also the last Star Wars piece that Lucas was involved with, while answering many questions, including possible ones about Qui-Gon, so I'd say both are more than worth checking out. Then there's also non-canon but fascinating books from before Disney, most notably "Darth Plagueis" and "Kenobi", if you want to experience some fascinating outside interpretations of certain characters and events. The only Disney content that gets it even remotely right is Rogue One and Andor, so maybe consider these too. Lastly, I can only say that it was an absolute pleasure to watch people who actually _get_ these movies react so passionately to them. That's the kind of people Lucas made them for, besides, you know, himself. May the force be with you!

Outstanding video guys. I enjoyed your analysis so much and you two brought up some really great points that I never considered, and Ive seen this movie a bunch of times. This was a lot of fun and made my day better. Emotional for sure...but better.

Excellent work you two, your emotions are so moving living through it decades from my youth. I'm a original fan got took to see star wars as a 5 year old with my big brother. I was hooked back in 1977 it was everywhere. You can't explain it to people now how it was back then it was massive. Every end film cliff hanger and endless questions was with us for years till the next one. As a kid I lived and breathed star wars throughout my childhood. All the kids at school was into it films Figures etc. I was so ground breaking you couldn't explain it to someone who never lived through that time. First day at school for being good my late mum bought me a figure and iconically it was my favourite of all charectors. My mum had no knowledge of the star wars universe only that I loved it. It was chewbacca and I treasure that figure not only as my fave character but sentimental reasons it was fate from my mother's choice for me.

One interesting point is that before Anakin kills Dooku, Palpatine says "He's too dangerous to be left alive", then before Mace attempts to kill Palpatine, Mace says "He has control over the courts and the Senate, He's Too Dangerous To Be Left Alive". No difference between the most physically capable Jedi (other than, perhaps, Yoda) and a Sith Lord. This makes his line to Obi-Wan hit so much harder - "from my point of view, the Jedi are evil" - in that moment, he isn't wrong. Anakin regretted killing Dooku, and didn't want Mace to live with that same conflict, so, seeing a defeated Palpatine who Anakin believed posed no threat, and knowing his own ability to live with a lost hand, literally disarms Mace, so that no one died by the hand of another. Anakin actually learns from this in Return of the Jedi, when Luke moves to strike down Palpatine in anger and darkness, Vader *deflects* the attack, leaving Luke armed. Even as Vader, he is both calculating and caring, and in the end, that allows him to finally fulfill the prophecy of the Chosen One, and bring balance to the Force.

So the reason Anakin's lightsaber is still blue is because he didn't perform a Sith ritual to bleed a Kyber crystal until he fully became Darth Vader, red lightsabers aren't natural, the ritual is done by a Sith by using the force to pour all their hate and pain into the crystal twisting it to their will causing it to quote on quote bleed making the crystal red thus having a red lightsaber It's pretty sickening especially because Kyber crystals are alluded to be some what alive in a way

Meg, I think you would love the Revenge of the Sith novelization by Matthew Stover, it gives some amazing insight to all of the characters, it is one of my favorite pieces of Star Wars media.

It was wild to watch your reaction to this. As a lifelong Star Wars fan I saw this first as a teenager. Watching it alongside you highlighted the devastation of this film in a way I never quite felt before. Thank you for sharing your experience with us!

This is another great Star Wars movie You and Caleb are watching here today have a nice Easter weekend and thanks Meg and Caleb. 💞🐕🐶🐶🐕💞

There's a popular fan theory that Palpatine used Sith alchemy to siphon Padme's life force to save Vader's. If you listen carefully, there's a heartbeat sound when both Padme and Vader are on operating tables. It stops, then restarts when Vader takes his 1st breath in the mask. You can also almost make out Anakin's last words before the mask is attached as "Padme, help me!"

aaaah my favorite movie! The tragedy of it all it's SO good. i REALLY recommend reading the novelization, written by Matthew Stover, not only is it very well written, it adds different points of views from other characters (for example, we see the fight against Dooku from his point of view) and adds details that were in the og script but were cut. Very good read and i think you'd enjoy it a lot.

I’ve studied Buddhism for 15+ years. I’ve always thought that Yoda was giving him really bad advice. Let me explain what Yoda is saying to Anakin is something you would say to someone who has already lost a loved one not someone who is afraid of losing a loved one. It would’ve been much better for Yoda to explain to Anakin that trying to hold onto Padme was exactly what was going to cause him to lose her. He should’ve been telling him that dwelling in the future at the expensive moment is never a good thing

Vader says "She was alive I felt it" which to me says that he definitely remembered choking Padme but presumably only did it enough to knock her out and keep her from interfering. I think that also compounds on the idea that Sidious killed Padme to keep Vader alive; when the helmet is lowered you can hear his heart beat stop until the breathing kicks in, there's a very distinct few seconds where his heart is stopped, the following shot is Padme's death, the implication being that she wasn't losing the will to live, but actively having her life force sapped away by Sidious to keep Vader from dying. Which then compounds on Plagueis' ability to "keep the one's he cared about from dying" because Plagueis taught everything he knew to Sidious and while it never says as much; given it's a Sith ability it makes sense that to keep someone from dying you'd have to take that life from something else that was was alive.

The reason it wasn't the dark side when Obi-Wan sliced Maul was because Maul was still a very real and present threat in that moment. Obi-Wan was still acting in defense. Dooku was unarmed and no longer a threat in that moment in Ep III. I'm surprised neither of you picked up on that distinction.

I have always loved the way Palpatine LOOKS when he's talking about Darh Plageus. When he says "He could prevent other people from dying but not himself." That look tell you everything. It's plain to see that Sidius murdered his Master in his sleep and watched him die, waiting to see if he could stop it. The delivery and the look on his face is one of personal experience describing the event.

Another key point about being a Master...you get to read text/scrolls in the Jedi Library that are not permitted to other Jedi lower than Master. So with Anakin having prophetic dreams about Padme dying in child birth...and wanting to save her and figure out a way through the force to prevent her death (much like his promise to his mother). So Palepatine makes him a member of the council (all members are masters) but the council says no to the rank of master which means no access to the Jedi books/scrolls/text that Anakin believes can save his wife and child.

Anakin: "...padme... help me..." Padme: "There is good in him..." Luke: "I sense the good in you!" Anakin: "You were right about me."

Many thanks to Meg and Caleb! 🌋 I recommend watching SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY (2018) next, as a palate cleanser... then the series OBI-WAN KENOBI (2022). They each take place about a decade after REVENGE OF THE SITH. Keep watching, keep loving! ෴ And sorry to contradict Caleb, but Mr. McGregor's heritage is Scottish.

You mentioned some confusion as to why Anakin turned on Mace in that specific scene in that moment. Right before that Anakin said Palpatine has to live and go to trial because it’s the Jedi way and Mace yells “he’s too dangerous to be kept alive!” That’s the exact thing Palpatine said about Dooku. Anakin had already been feeling the Jedi counsel were being hypocrites and going against their own code when it serves them, but admonishing Anakin when he did the same thing. In that moment, to Anakin there was no difference between the Jedi and the Sith. The only thing separating them is that the Jedi forbid his love with Padme and Palpatine was offering a way to save her. In a moment of weakness Anakin makes a snap decision and gives into the dark side and once he starts he can’t stop. Years later Palpatine tries something similar with Luke, but Luke holds onto the Light. Despite everything, Luke remains hopeful (he’s literally A New Hope, our only Hope). It’s that act that brings Anakin back to the Light before his death.

There's a channel that has edited scenes from A New Hope with Revenge. It shows the older Obi- Wan telling Luke that he's Obi- Wan.Telling Luke about his father. It's fantastically done. Alec Guinness probably knew something about the back story. His reactions while he remembers. ...just great acting!

I have a feeling she's gonna love Andor... like any sane person.

Clone Wars is definitely a great watch it adds so much to existing relationships and some new ones especially with the Clones I'd recommend watching it in chronological order!

We hear Qui-Gon's first message back through the Force along with Yoda in the meditation room in Episode 2. As Anakin wiped out the sandpeople of that village, Qui-Gon tried to yell out to him, "Anakin! Anakin! NO!" Also, in Episode 3, Anakin's last words before the mask seals up on his suit was, "Help me, Padme." It can be heard in this video too. I don't think the prophecy was specific on when or how. Anakin did bring balance at the end of 6 though. It was just Vader, Sidious, and Luke as a balanced Force user who controls his emotions without ignoring them or leaning into them. He tossed Sidious and got his life support zapped. All that was left was one balanced Force user. No Jedi Order, no Sith. Qui-Gon's my favorite. He's calm, he's wise, he's a teacher (even after death), and he wasn't afraid to learn and act, even against the Council's wishes as Yoda mentions to Obi-wan. He's all about what feels right, not what someone told him was right.

I was seven when my uncle and I went to watch this. He liked Obi-Wan and I liked Anakin. We cheered as things looked like they were looking up. After Mace Windu’s death, I remember the entire theater went silent. Couldn’t tell if anyone was breathing Then Order 66 was initiated Some people started crying, I was one of them, as the Jedi were cut down, confused as to why this was happening to the heroes. Aren’t they supposed to win? Why were the Sith winning? Then things got worse as Anakin went further in the Dark Side, all the way to choking Padme. The tears did stop at the duel however. It was the best battle I’ve ever seen Then we reached the lava flow, and quite a few people were sobbing as Anakin burned. By the time the movie ended, everyone was quiet as we all walked out Even now, after all these years, it’s hard for me to see the end without feeling depressed

slicing maul is not illegal. but be head an unarmed (haha) man is very bad. from this story, leia did not know her real mom. a change between the decades/ movies.

Aw yeah the PS2 EP3 game was goated! We need a re-release of that

I am so GLAD that you pointed out how Palpatine was no different as a US President as he was based on Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal.

I'm living for the edits haha. Love your reaction guys.