I find it particularly ironic that these standalone movies seem to be doing a far better job with the world-building aspect (the most vital element to SW along with mythology/lore, in addition to the story itself, IMO) than the 'core saga' movies have so far. ???
I've said plenty about SW on these boards. Interestingly enough, there's been a lot of revisionism regarding the prequels going on since TLJ's release/backlash. I still think they could've easily been salvaged if Lucas had actually been able to get one or more outside sources in the industry to help him on the screenwriting and directing aspects of the movies (but he apparently couldn't because, Hollywood politics ::) ). Meanwhile, Di$ney appears hellbent on making the series completely their own thing, though they're doing it by flipping the bird to many older fans. Like it or not, SW is still very much Lucas' baby (which is almost certainly why these new movies have more of a fan fiction-y feel to them); they'd be wise to ask him back to actually ask for - and use - his guidance for story elements and finer points (though Episodes VII-IX are pretty much too far gone for that now). Without his input, SW feels like the Muppets without Jim Henson, or Looney Tunes without Mel Blanc: no matter how hard the successors try to replicate what came before it, it's always going to have that 'something's missing' aspect to it -- as if they alone possessed the secret ingredient that made it all come together.
