i accidentally deleted my wip reply: tldr, War and Peace proves a big expensive setpiece-y movie series can be good, Lucas had a unique opportunity (having more money than god) to direct such a project. the fucking writing and story sucked. i don't like the 'darth vader lifestory' premise either, it just wasn't an unworkable idea

the clones being the bad guys was the 'original' premise of the Clone War in novelizations that's some deep lore you're on