Flashbacks are a common storytelling device, and their use in movies dates back to dawn of cinema.
In live-action Star Wars, though, flashbacks are a novel innovation, one that never graced the screen until 2015’s Episode VII: The Force Awakens ushered in the modern, Disney-led era of the franchise.
Back when George Lucas had control over Star Wars, the films relied more heavily on dialogue and wistful exchanges to explain past moments in the characters’ lives and the universe’s timeline.
In modern Star Wars, however, the Disney+ series and theatrical movies simply show the past without hesitation, endorsing the typical, age-old cinematic trick.
While these visual flashbacks are often well-done, they somehow feel less imaginative or special than the word-of-mouth reflections from the original and prequel trilogies.
Paradoxically, by breaking the first rule of storytelling, and “telling rather than showing,” George Lucas’ Star Wars managed to weave a more compelling,
Read full article