Anakin, pathetic life form?

I grew up with the prequels coming out.

The Phantom Menace came out when I was 12. I already loved Star Wars Saga. I think it was required to love it to be in my family. Especially any time with my extended family. My cousin wanted to change his name to Luke Skywalker for a bit.

I instantly fell in love with everything from Episode 1. I had a bunch of action figures. I wished and hoped and begged for a really fancy shimmery poster from Barnes & Noble, which I got for Christmas that year.

It was a movie that swept me away, it was just scary enough to get my adrenaline going. I had a crush on Obi-wan. I held my breath every time Darth Maul was on the screen. I may not have had a wide knowledge of fight scenes, but something in me knew the final fight was epic beyond measure.

I began to quote the movie, a lot. I even had a movie quote toy, with each action figure a little sound card could be plugged into a player to hear quotes from the Movie.

I wanted to live in the world of Star Wars, My cousin's name change desire made sense, but I wanted something like Qui-gon ish.

Years went by, the next two movies didn't capture my imagination as much. I listened more and more to the criticism of the fans, and critics, and well, general consensus that the prequels were terrible. I gave away most of my action figures (there might be a few hiding in my attic.) The poster came down and legit lost it's shimmer.  I started to spout my own dislike of the prequels, but it had been years since I had seen them. My view had changed so completely, but the change wasn't from rewatching the film.

Did all of this influence and change of heart really come from a place of growing up and being more informed, or was it outside forces that really didn't reflect my true love?  Even while explaining to other that the prequels were terrible, I felt a twinge of not being true to my 12 year self and her wall of Phantom Menace photos.

Welp prepping for Rise of Skywlker release means confronting some old demons or sith or gungans or ANAKIN, and it is more complicated than I thought it would be.

Phantom Menace was not as terrible as I had made it to be in my head, and not as wonderful 12-year-old-em would like to believe.

I giggled, a lot, watching this time around. I giggled with joy over that fight scene (better than I remember), I giggled over Darth Maul (Just as awesome as I thought). I laughed at the whole Midiclorians bit. When I was young I thought that was so freaking cool a concept. Now I do agree it would have been better to let it be as "the force." I think I like not having an explanation of  everything.

When I was young, I found Jar Jar a little annoying, but I didn't harbor any ill will. I also didn't  see some of the intrinsic problems with his characterization.  This viewing made some of his problems very clear. I don't endorse him as a great character, but I can look past him to some other cool stuff.

I still have trouble following the Pod Races, and find that whole section to be drawn out and slow. Really the whole movie is slow, but I still had such a giddy response to some moments I am glad I rewatched it. I am happy it exists.

I am glad to have back the quote I used all through high school. "The ability to speak does not make you intelligent."  More correct now then in 1999.