24 Hours in Quarantine to Catch Up with Star Wars
Social Distancing. Remote Learning. Work From Home.
Living amidst a global pandemic, we’ve undergone a difficult phase that none of us could have anticipated. On one hand, we have students overwhelmed by the uncertainty of the upcoming Fall semester with a visible lack of enthusiasm for online classes, and on the other, we have patients in isolation wards bored out of their minds and battling for their health. I also concur that the rise in layoffs and economic instability has been eating away at our peace of mind for a long while now.
In times like this, it is quite common to feel hopeless, but it is the perfect opportunity to look for A New Hope (pun intended). Now elevated to the rank of a cult classic, the original Star Wars trilogy was a fantastic hit with all audiences. But over time, the Star Wars franchise diversified so much it became difficult to maintain track of the plot and sub-plots, which is why this quarantine seems like a great occasion to untangle all the subtleties we missed. For the uninitiated, this would be the ideal time for an introduction to the sci-fi realm of Star Wars. Read till the end for some bonus content!
I have skipped the sequel series to avoid spoilers (and disappointment) for the people who have yet to watch it, but here is the compilation of the prequel and the original Skywalker saga following the chronological order of the settings of the movies:
PREQUEL TRILOGY
6 AM: Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
Marking the beginning of the prequel series, the story revolves around a Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi, as they hurtle through various planets trying to stop the return of the Sith to power, and in doing so stumble upon a mysterious slave boy with a knack for the Force, Anakin Skywalker — who’s destined for greatness, for the better or for the worse!
9 AM: Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
The now Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi along with his apprentice Anakin Skywalker embark on a journey to stop the evil Sith from starting a war between the Republic’s army led by the Jedis and Confederacy’s army led by Sith Lord Count Dooku. Anakin develops a relationship with Senator Amidala - which sets forth a chain of reactions that will be impossible to control!
12 PM: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Anakin and Obi-Wan employ their skills to protect the Jedi from the rampages of the Clone Wars, as Count Dooku’s nefarious plans take shape. However, Anakin starts to dream about the death of his beloved Padmé and seeks out help from Chancellor Palpatine, but a major threat looms over the Jedi Council as they find out he isn’t who he says he is — leading to the rise of the titular Darth Vader!
ORIGINAL TRILOGY
3PM: Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
Catching up with the original trilogy, Darth Vader and his stormtroopers capture Princess Leia Organa to find the whereabouts of the Rebellion. Meanwhile, in a far off place, an oblivious Luke intercepts a message from the princess meant for the Jedi master Obi-Wan. Along with a thief Han Solo, Luke plans to help the Rebel Alliance in memory of his father who was killed by Vader - but he is truly unprepared to face the truth!
6PM: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Following the exodus of the Rebel alliance members due to mounting hostilities from the Empire, Luke searches for the ancient Jedi master Yoda to teach him what Obi-Wan couldn’t. Vader interrupts his training by capturing Princess Leia and Han Solo, and challenges Luke to a duel, where we finally find some answers about his father, but is Luke ready to make the ultimate sacrifice?
9 PM: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)
Luke, confused about Vader’s statement, approaches Yoda to clear this dilemma, but only finds the stone-cold truth about his ancestry. More determined than ever to protect his friends and his newfound sister, he plans to duel with Vader, but both Sith lords have different plans for him — will Luke turn to the dark side or will he avenge the Jedi massacre?
BONUS CONTENT
Only for the die-hard fans and insomniacs of the highest order, I present to you two of my favorite Star Wars video games that are bound to enthrall you!
12AM: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (2008)
This game follows the escapades of Vader’s secret apprentice Galen code-named Starkiller as he tries to extinguish the remaining Jedi in the aftermath of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and lays the foundation for Episode IV: A New Hope. Dealing with the delicate balance of the Force, it explains how the Dark Side isn’t what we were led to believe initially, and introduces a dilemma of choosing the “right” side. A golden plotline!
3 AM: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019)
A proper action-adventure game through and through, Fallen Order follows the story of a young Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis, as he battles against memory-loss and Stormtroopers to stop the Sith from achieving their goals. The game sets a new benchmark for the franchise in terms of the gameplay overhaul along with lightsaber customization options. This is definitely a must-play in my opinion!
That’s all folks! I hope you found this all-day Star Wars marathon exciting, and finally caught up with the masterpieces. If you enjoyed it, please share this article on your social media so other people can enjoy as well. Thank you for reading this article, and stay safe! Leave a comment below if you have any other recommendations.
