I have been watching review videos of The Last Jedi online. Now that it has been more than a week since I have seen the film I have had time to digest it.
Just before the movie released I was talking about how I really wasn’t hyped for this movie. I ended up taking my 14-year-old nephew to see it the Monday after opening weekend so it can honestly say I didn’t see it opening night like I did The Force Awakens. After seeing it though I am slightly more excited to see what direction Episode 9 goes in. I am fairly certain the Skywalker saga is coming to a close with this trilogy. I just haven’t figured out what that means for me going forward.
I am one of those Star Wars fans that got into a little bit of everything over the years. I never considered myself a Luke Skywalker or Han Solo fan, I always said I was a Star Wars fan. To that end I enjoyed the prequels, the special editions, several of the books, some of the comics, plenty of the video games and just about everything inbetween. For me, Star Wars is a vast universe that doesn’t have to be centered on the Skywalker family.
When I was a teenager I was so obsessed with the Star Wars expanded universe I read nearly every book I could get my hands on. I understand how some EU fans are not liking the direction the new films are taking, especially with them essentially wiping out all that history. I guess I was somewhat able to get over it because of two factors. The first, despite their efforts to bring things from the EU into the films, the prequels often times contradicted the EU stuff anyways. I learned to accept that the films were official canon and the books were, basically, licensed or authorized fanfiction. I was fine with that. I also was fine once I realized many of the books I enjoyed the most didn’t even feature any of the main film characters. I especially loved the X-Wing series of books. I also liked some of the Old Republic stuff, a lot of the Prequel-era stuff and some, but not much, of the New Jedi Order stuff. So for me I was already accepting that the “official” canon was already a mess to begin with. It makes sense for me to wipe it all out and focus on new characters. In some ways I wish Kyle Ren wasn’t a Skywalker by blood but so far it’s working out.
One thing I never cared for was how it always repeats. The old Republic rose to replace some sith empire only to crumble into a sith empire to be over thrown and replaced by a new Republic that in turn became a new sith empire and the cycle repeats, over and over. I am sure I am over simplifying things but seriously the expanded universe history of Star Wars is more complex than real world history in some ways.
The question remains, where do they go next? If Kylo Ren is going to become the new Emperor, or Supreme Leader or whatever they call him, then does that mean Rey has to become the new Luke and kill him at the end of the next film? I must say at this point I would happy if Rey turns evil and joins Kylo Ren, that would have been a much more interesting arc. I hate to sound morbid but with recent circumstances I hope Leia dies off screen inbetween films unceremoniously.
I still don’t like BB-8 so I would be happy with him being destroyed but I understand it would make more sense of Artoo and Threepio do be donated to a museum by this point than to continue appearing to be in any kind of functional order. I mean we saw burned out rusted old droids barely able to function in A New Hope, why is it Artoo and Threepio are able to stay in such great shape considering how old they supposedly are in universe and how poorly equipped the resistance is supposed to be. I mean if you think about it Artoo, at this point, is basically the same as WW2 technology being used in Iraq today. Threepio was hand built, supposedly, by s child slave using junk parts. There is no logical reason for either of those Droids to still function, let alone be in active military service. I can’t stand BB-8 but I dislike Artoo and Threepio not falling apart in a junk heap even more. If nobody addresses that in the next film I will just assume nobody else seems to care.
A part of me hopes Vader’s force ghost makes an appearance. I don’t know how Force ghosting works, if Vader is in Star Wars hell for being bad or if Luke was right the Force doesn’t care about light or dark it’s all just an energy field and doesn’t matter? Either way I would love to see either Hayden show up as Anakin (shut up) or Ewan McGregor appear as Obi Wan, either way would be fine by me. I would prefer Vader to appear to Kyle Ren and give him some business about how wrong Luke was and that he only killed the emperor to save Leia. I don’t know whatever they’ve written them selves into a weird place I hope they can just find a way to use the Force in new ways in the next movie.
No matter what they do the ONE thing I DO NOT WANT TO SEE is another giant spaceship. It’s getting eye rolling bad with how each ship is larger than the last. Okay the super GIANT Star Destroyer in The Force Awakens and the Starkiller Base were meant to show hey these bad guys mean business. But they are getting crazy with how each movie introduces and even larger ship than before. I mean seriously at the height of it’s power the Empire couldn’t make ships that big, how is the First Order able to do so? Oh whatever I guess who cares technology progresses maybe? I just don’t want to see larger ships, show me new designs I haven’t seen before, show me new capabilities I haven’t seen before, and yes show me new maneuvers I haven’t seen before but stop making the ships bigger to make them more interesting. In so many ways this new trilogy isn’t flying in the face of the prequels, like some would suggest, they are actually belittling the beloved Original Trilogy more.
I think we are past due for a Lando cameo. At this point they need to address what happened to him. He was a large player in the books and OT films he was in so leaving him out entirely is really strange. I kind of HOPE they aren’t going to suggest he is Finn’s dad but I get the sneaky suspicion they might go that route.
Whatever happens I am glad Disney is throwing their money behind these films because even if it takes me longer to get hyped, I am certain I will still enjoy each one. A few years ago George Lucas did a comic book of his original draft of A New Hope. I am kind of hoping he will find some way to get Disney and Marvel to allow him the opportunity to do the same thing with his draft 7-9 scripts/ideas just to get an idea of what exactly he would have done.
Also while we are at it. Sure, the EU is officially no longer canon, that doesn’t mean they can’t do either an all CGI adaptations of the books, or a mixed CGI/Live Action with new actors down the road. If we are going to keep getting prequel territory cartoons and spin off films why not adapt some of the fan favorite films into feature length, even direct to digital releases for that upcoming Disney streaming service. You’re welcome Disney I just gave you the trillion dollar idea that make your platform stand out above all the rest. Reward me with stock certificates.
Stephanie Bri 