After years of waiting and not actually knowing whether a new trilogy would ever come (until Disney bought the rights), Episode VII in the Star Wars saga has finally arrived in the form of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And, the critical consensus is that J.J. Abrams and his team have delivered a solid piece of popcorn sci-fi entertainment, even if the final product isn’t entirely free of (mostly fairly minor) flaws.
While The Force Awakens doesn’t quite match the original trilogy in terms of sheer, uncomplicated enjoyment, it is comfortably, casually the fourth-best entry in the franchise to date. After George Lucas’ disappointing return to the series back in 1999, fans can relax with the knowledge that The Force Awakens is everything the prequels could never manage to be and more.
On that note, join us as we take a look at ten reasons why Star Wars: The Force Awakens outdoes the prequels and then some. Of course, spoilers will follow, so if you’ve yet to see the movie, make sure to catch it first before reading on.