Prequel facts for kids
Prequel is a word used in storytelling, like in movies, TV shows, and books. It means the opposite of a sequel.
Imagine a story that is told in parts. Usually, these parts are told in the order they happen, from beginning to end. For example, a series of books about World War II might start with events from the 1930s and finish in 1946.
Sometimes, a story is told differently. A prequel is a story that was made *after* an original story, but it tells about events that happened *before* the original story. It fills in the background or shows how things started.
What is a Prequel?
A prequel is a story that comes before another story in a series. Even though it's released later, it shows earlier events. It helps explain how characters or situations in the original story came to be.
Prequels in Movies and TV
Prequels are very common in movies and television today. They let creators explore the past of popular characters or worlds.
- Star Wars: A famous example is the Star Wars movie series. The first movie released was Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in 1977. Later, three prequels were made:
These three movies tell the story of how the main character, Anakin Skywalker, became Darth Vader, which happened before the 1977 film.
Prequels in Literature
The idea of a prequel is not new. Even in Ancient Greece, there were stories that acted as prequels.
- The Cypria: An ancient Greek story called Cypria is a prequel to Homer's famous poem, Iliad. The Cypria tells about the events that led up to the Trojan War, which is the main subject of the Iliad.
Backstory vs. Prequel
A related idea is a backstory. A backstory is the history or background of a character or a story. While a prequel is a full story that is released separately, a backstory is usually just information or events that are mentioned within the main story itself.
