For the three Star Wars prequels though, Lucas's financial success and team of yes men at Skywalker Ranch liberated him to indulge his opinions and whims. Instead of good stories, Lucas provided movie goers with bigger and more frenetic stories that overwhelmed the human element. His toy maker licensing partners were pleased though at the wide array of characters, machines, and scenes that could be modeled and sold to kids eager to hold in hand what they had seen so fleetingly on the screen.
Lucas did quite well financially from the prequels. Like studio bosses of old, he can say that even if the prequels were not great art, they made him lots of money.
If one wishes to give the most credit for Star Wars I would give it to John Williams. Lucas really lucked out when Spielberg suggested him after he had done so well with Jaws. Probably no movie has been transformed into what it was meant to be by the score than the first Star Wars. There was a news clip years ago which showed a bit of the film without music and with. It was like night and day.