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Hayden Christensen Reacts To Fans' New Star Wars Prequels Appreciation
Ahead of his return as Anakin in Disney+'s Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hayden Christensen reacts to the newfound appreciation for the Star Wars prequel trilogy.

Hayden Christensen Reacts To Fans' New Star Wars Prequels Appreciation

Obi-Wan Kenobi star Hayden Christensen reacts to the newfound appreciation for his portrayal of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader and the Star Wars prequels at large. Darth Vader swiftly became one of the most iconic villains of all-time thanks to George Lucas’ original Star Wars trilogy. 16 years after David Prowse and James Earl Jones’ Sith lord was redeemed and unmasked as the face of Sebastian Shaw in 1983’s Return of the Jedi, Lucas committed to exploring the fall of the Jedi Order/Republic in his prequel trilogy.

Following Jake Lloyd’s adolescent Anakin in The Phantom Menace in 1999, Christensen played the prospective Chosen One in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith in 2002 and 2005, respectively. The films chart Anakin’s evolution as a conflicted Force user, issues with the stubborn Jedi Order, romance with Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman), and friendship with Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor). Episode III sees Anakin fall to the dark side and becomes Vader in a misguided attempt to save Padmé’s life, which comes to a head in a climactic confrontation with his former mentor and Order 66. At the time of their release, the Star Wars prequels received mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. Now, 17 years after audiences watched Anakin and Obi-Wan on Mustafar, Christensen and McGregor are set to reprise their roles in the upcoming and highly anticipated Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi.

In a recent interview with The Cutaway with William Mullally on YouTube, Christensen was asked how he felt about the newfound appreciation for his portrayal of Anakin/Vader and, in turn, the Star Wars prequel trilogy. The actor described the enthusiasm surrounding his return to a galaxy far, far away as “heartwarming.” Christensen then posited that perhaps the prequels just needed a little time to grow on audiences. Read the full quote below:

“It’s just been really heartwarming; I can’t tell you what it means to me but… it’s a really neat thing. I guess the moral of the story is patience.”

A lot of prequel backlash came from viewers who grew up watching Star Wars in the 1980s and 90s, and had a hard time accepting Lucas’ revamped vision in the wake of a universally lauded precedent. There’s no denying the CGI-heavy prequels, with what was viewed as occasionally clunky dialogue, were very different to the original trilogy. However, for most millennials, the prequels were their introduction to Star Wars, and they loved it all the same. Now that generation has grown up and, after Disney/Lucasfilm’s Star Wars sequel trilogy, many view Episodes I-III as superior to VII-IX. Unfortunately, Star Wars sequel trilogy stars like Kelly Marie Tran and Daisy Ridley have also suffered unwarranted backlash as a result of the films’ mixed reviews.

The then 10-year-old Lloyd, Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best, and Christensen, endured plenty of abuse and harassment from Star Wars prequel critics. However, now with the release of Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s first trailer (set to John Williams’ beloved “Duel of the Fates” and “Battle of Heroes”), there seems to be a palpable feeling of remorse and a shift in consensus about the prequels. Seeing Christensen and McGregor back together again is no doubt a heartwarming experience for both the actors and fans, delivering significant levels of nostalgia. Despite the hate, Christensen has said he thoroughly enjoyed his time working on the Star Wars prequels and jumped at the opportunity to reprise his role in Obi-Wan Kenobi and the upcoming Ahsoka series, and many are just seem happy to have him back.