The fate of the galaxy hangs in balance. Anakin Skywalker, once a hero of the Republic, clashes with his master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, on the fiery planet Mustafar. It is on this hostile world that one of cinema’s most iconic villains will be born. Soon, Skywalker will be more machine than man. For now, the Jedi have lost.
Two decades after its original release, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” has returned to theaters for a week, which began on Fri., April 25.
Though “Revenge of the Sith” and the other “Star Wars” prequels continue to be criticized for awkward acting and dialogue, the late 1990s to early 2000s trilogy has been embraced by fans in recent years, especially by those who grew up watching the movies.
On April 16, 2025, The Sandspur sent a survey to students to assess interest in “Star Wars” and the re-release of “Episode III.” A total of 38 students responded, which may reflect limited interest in the re-release.
As one respondent asked in the optional comments, “Is this a piece of cinematic history worth celebrating?”
Of the limited student sample, half identified as huge fans of “Star Wars,” while roughly 42 percent considered themselves casual fans. Almost eight percent said they had seen some of the movies but wouldn’t consider themselves to be big fans.
More than 47 percent of respondents chose the prequel trilogy and “The Clone Wars” as their favorite era of the “Star Wars” franchise. Over 42 percent favored the original trilogy, while just under eight percent selected the sequel trilogy.
Nearly half of respondents reported feeling very excited for the re-release of “Revenge of the Sith.” Over a quarter said they were somewhat excited. Around 18 percent expressed uncertainty, noting that they may be unable to attend a screening. Just under eight percent said they were not really excited.
One respondent shared, “I’ve only ever seen prequels at home, so I am so excited to experience it in the theater.” Another wrote, “Since I have already seen it [“Revenge of the Sith”] more than ten times, it is not that exciting.”
When asked to choose their favorite line of dialogue from the film (from a selection of five lines with the option to write in an alternative), more than 40 percent chose Padmé Amidala’s line, “This is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause.” One respondent added, “The prequels are very relevant to our current political situation. Lucas saw the way things were going.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi’s “I have the high ground!” and Anakin Skywalker’s “I have brought peace, freedom, justice, and security to my new empire!” were each favored by almost a quarter of respondents.
Emperor Palpatine’s “I am the Senate” received just two votes in the survey. Individual respondents wrote-in Kenobi’s “Hello there” and Palpatine’s “Power!” as their favorite lines.
Despite the limited sample size, the poll suggests that the re-release of “Revenge of the Sith” has drawn interest from a small portion of the Rollins community.
One student commented, “This is the first movie I remember seeing in the theaters and is still my favorite movie of all time.” Another mentioned that “Revenge of the Sith” was their late sister’s favorite movie, adding, “I can’t wait to see it to honor her.”
Whether to revisit a childhood classic, celebrate their favorite film series, pay tribute to a loved one, or check out the film for the first time, students and moviegoers can experience “Revenge of the Sith” in theaters from Fri., April 25 to Wed., April 30.
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