To be honest, when I was given the chance to moderate the “Why We Love the Prequels” panel at Star Wars: Celebration V, I wasn’t sure if I was going to get anyone to be on the panel, let alone show up to watch it.  Could I have been the only one who loved the prequels?

The answer was a resounding “NO”.  The panel I was able to get to do the job was fantastic, and we spread our message of prequel love to a standing room only crowd.

Aside from myself moderating, the panel consisted of the Supervising Director of the Clone Wars cartoon Dave Filoni, voice Actor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) James Arnold Taylor, director of FanBoys Kyle Newman, Star Wars artist Tom Hodges, one of the lighters on The Clone Wars from Lucas Animation Singapore Jesse Hildreth and the social media director for TheForce.Net Eric Geller.

For well over 70 minutes (eat that Red Letter Media) we discussed the finer points of story and detail that made the prequels great.

I think perhaps the highlight of the panel (aside from all of the great points and stories) was when Kyle Newman broke it down for everyone: (and I’m paraphrasing, since I was up there instead of taking notes) “I love the prequels because I love Star Wars.  I hate how people say, ‘I love Star Wars, but I don’t like the first two, and only like half of Return of the Jedi and Revenge of the Sith was okay.’  That’s only like 2 and a half movies out of six you like, that’s a failing grade.  If you like Star Wars, you like it.  Even Ben Quadrinaros, whom I love.”

Okay, I made up that last part about Ben Quadrinaros, but I like to think that Kyle would have said that.

Perhaps my favorite part of the panel, though, was meeting all of the panelists in person for the first time beforehand over the first two days of the con.  Invariably, every time any of us got together, we would all launch in to geeking out together over the prequels.  Even Dave Filoni, who can’t speak more than three sentences at a time in a place like this without getting mob.

I’m sure a more complete report will be written about it, but I wanted to offer the highlights and some of the pictures now, while the experience was still fresh in my head.