The prequels and sequels were bad in completely different ways. The prequels are poorly written and directed, but the core ideas are good and recontextualize the original movies in a way that both makes thematic sense and arguably improves them. In comparison, the sequels are beautifully shot, creatively bankrupt fanfiction that undermines everything that came before.

The Original Trilogy stands on its own without any other context. It’s the story of one man’s rise from humble beginnings to becoming the hero who takes down a corrupt Empire and acts as a beacon of hope for the galaxy.

The Prequels change that, with the six movies now becoming the story of the rise, fall, and redemption of Anakin Skywalker. They also show how Luke lacks the flaws of the old Jedi Order while avoiding the traps that ensnared and corrupted his father, giving hope that he and his friends can build a better and more resilient system from the ashes of the old.

With the Sequels added, what story does the overall series tell? That Skywalkers have good intentions but inevitably fuck things up, only to redeem themselves through suicide? That it doesn’t matter if Good triumphs over Evil because the heroes will end up lower than where they started, the status quo maintained, and the same villains will pop back up again for the next generation to deal with anyway? They’re a narrative mess that adds negative value to the existing saga.

If you’re someone that loves the prequels because you watched them as a kid, how do think it’ll be in a decade when kids that watched Rise of Skywalker start posting to web forums?

A decade? You mean in 3 years? Those kids have started posting on the internet already, and they still don’t give a shit.

The sequels are literally just a copy paste of the original trilogy with a different skin. The prequels may not tell a great story, but at least it’s original.