A character trait is later recontextualized into something bad/tragic, it's always been there, we just never paid attention

[u/RedNUGGETLORD]

Deku's self sacrifice - My Hero Academia

Initially portrayed as purely heroic, it's later shown to be extremely detrimental when he refuses any aid from his friends, abandoning them to "protect them"(of course, leaving them also puts them in danger since he can no longer be there to save them if something goes wrong

The same quality that makes him a great hero, also leads him to nearly lose everything and get EVERYONE killed(since if this tired, weakened Deku did encounter AFO/Shigaraki, he would almost certainly die and have his powers taken)

Seiya Ryuuguuin's cautiousness - Overly Cautious Hero

The whole series is about how the main character is prepared for any circumstance to an insane degree(being the highest level half-way through, perfectly predicting that an ally would betray them through ridiculous jumps in logic, etc)

It turns out that the reason for this was that in a past life(unknown to him) he was extremely easy-going and unprepared for everything, always winning due to luck and skill, however, one day he ends up losing due to not finding out about a bosses weakness, this leads to the demon king murdering his friend, eating his Goddess, and then devouring his girlfriend and the child inside of her right in front of him. The Demon King then takes over the world and basically turns it into Berserk on steroids

Erens entire character - Attack on Titan

He hates the titans not because of what they've done(though that's a part of it), but because they've stolen his freedom, so when he learns that in reality, the Marleyans are the true enemies, the ones who have taken his and everyone elses freedom away, he does exactly what he said he was going to do, just to a different enemy

Erens philosophy is that anyone that tries to take his freedom deserves to have theirs taken away, Zeke becomes a slave because he tried to take away the Eldians ability to breed, the Marleyans lose the freedom of living because they tried to take his, it's always been a core character trait, but when he becomes to antagonist of the story in the last parts, this character trait of his is front and center

[u/ryry1237]

The prequels may have had directing issues, but they never had greater vision over the story issues.

[u/Emmettmcglynn → u/ryry1237]

I think it's why they're so much fun to talk about. When we step away from clunky dialogue or pod racing, we get to a really compelling dual tragedy of a man and a republic being manipulated into destroying what they think they're protecting.

[u/StableSlight9168 → u/Emmettmcglynn]

Prequels were a first draft of an amazing story, they desperately needed refinement and pushback , like the o.g trilogy has, but at the core, the movies had a soul.

The sequels are the opposite, a much better made series of movies but there is no core or cohesive story throughout. They just don't have a soul.

This is why the prequels still have a fandom, get TV shows made about the stories and a very vibrant community the sequels don't have.

[u/KaiBahamut → u/StableSlight9168]

It’s also worth noting that the prequels got a lot of supplemental material- cartoons, video games books- while the sequels have nothing. I’m sure the fact they were kinda good has helped, but I think the fact they exist at all help the prequels.

[u/draketroll → u/KaiBahamut]

The problem imo is that the sequels are all flash and no substance. There's nothing really to build off of because there's nothing implied, all the lore is just dumped onto your lap pre-assembled.

[u/KaiBahamut → u/draketroll]

Or completely unexplained, like everything with Palpatine.

[u/some_random_nonsense → u/KaiBahamut]

Nah it was explained in the Travis Scott fortnight concert dummy.

[u/bretshitmanshart → u/KaiBahamut]

They explained Palaptine. They just didn't explain it to Poe which is why he says he doesn't know how he came back

[u/G00D_4_U → u/KaiBahamut]

The prequels have all of that supplemental material because the prequels allow it and the fan base desires to add onto it.

The sequels have been trying to make supplemental material and nobody is biting, nearly all of the sequels supplemental material is presented through prequel material because that's what most people are interested in.