my thoughts on the Star Wars sequel trilogy.... 🌟🎬😐

Hello everyone!

I hope you are surviving in this weird and crazy time, and that you haven't murdered any family members yet, or put anything super embarrassing in the background of your work Zoom calls.

Today is May the 4th, and most people would know that the wonderful world of Star Wars and its devoted fandom have claimed it for their annual day. 'May the Fourth be with you', and all 😉.

It's really fun and hilarious, and I want to jump on the band wagon. I've been super invested in the most recent trilogy and I have some thoughts now that the Skywalker Saga has come to an end. If you're a Star Wars nerd like me, or if you are looking to get into another franchise during isolation times, keep reading and see what I thought of the sequel trilogy....

In a galaxy far, far away....
Source: wallpapersafari.com

Few franchises come close to the intense adoration and fandom of Star Wars. In the spirit of reboots and ‘everything old is new again’, a new film trilogy was announced way back in 2015 and concluded 40 years of Skywalker obsession with Episode 9’s release in December 2019. Although all three films have grossed over $1 billion dollars worldwide, there has also been a groundswell of online discourse on the content and the question of the necessity of a ‘sequel’ narrative. Now that everyone’s had some time to process Episodes 7-9 as a whole, here are some general thoughts from me.

Long story short, the sequel trilogy had potential but ultimately missed the mark as a cohesive unit. As stand-alone films, they work; yet it felt like there were vital pieces of the puzzle missing both within and between each film’s events to live up to the depth potential of these new characters and relationships. This was most exposed in the somewhat wonky relationship between the development of The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019), and the confusing complication of adding an additional villain in the latter film. Alongside the beautiful visual spectacle of space battles and lightsaber duels, some narrative arcs were heartbreakingly messy in their trajectory.

The poignant, emotional and nostalgic moments between returning characters Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) were few and far between, but ultimately anchored the trilogy in love and family. Although a powerful homage to the fighting spirit of these characters that has captivated loyal audiences for years, seeing their stories come to an end is a bitter pill to swallow if you were expecting happy resolutions.

Episode 7: The Force Awakens (2015) poster
Source: IMDB

The Force Awakens (2015) was an action-packed and exciting introduction to Disney and J.J. Abrams’ vision for this new chapter. Han Solo’s arc, and in particular the moments between him and Leia were very powerful in amongst the emotional rollercoaster of establishing the parameters of the war between the First Order and the Resistance. Perhaps the most controversial film of the trilogy, The Last Jedi presented an emotionally complex and captivating story with compelling character revelations. Luke’s arc and his headspace since The Return of the Jedi (1983) were particularly intriguing and thought-provoking. In somewhat stark contrast, The Rise of Skywalker felt like a SparkNotes summary of what could have been a very captivating conclusion to the saga. Although there were moments of intensity, poignancy and nostalgia, the finished cut was overall confusing and ultimately forgettable.

Episode 8: The Last Jedi (2017) poster
Source: IMDB

Within this new trilogy, the struggle and grit of the new Force users’ stories were particularly compelling. The world will forever be grateful to Abrams for gifting us with Daisy Ridley as strong female lead Rey; a scrappy, young scavenger who is thrust into the galactic war because of her strong affinity with the Force and connection to tortured and brooding villain Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Underneath his obsession with Darth Vader, Ren is revealed to be Han and Leia’s only son Ben and struggles with the weight of this jackpot of Skywalker and Solo lineage. The tense relationship between these two has arguably the most depth of any arc in the trilogy, but Rey’s inability to confide in anyone about her conversations with Kylo/Ben was somewhat peculiar. They are essentially two sides of the same coin, and written in such a way that proves they have more in common than just light and dark tendencies in the Force. However, the explanation of the true depth of their connection left much to be desired in some of the later writing execution. Family dysfunction takes centre stage once again, and the notion of family in terms of the people you choose versus the blood legacies we inherit at birth are also important threads.

Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) poster
Source: IMDB

Perhaps the real hero of the sequel trilogy is the introduction of several new powerful female characters. Through the continued grace and strength of Leia (Fisher), alongside the determination of Rey’s heroine journey, the courage and spirit of Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran)’s arc in The Last Jedi, the boss-lady leadership shown by Vice-Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern), the brief albeit chilling presence of Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie), sneaky survivalist Zorii Bliss (Keri Russell) and the defiant confidence of defected Stormtrooper Jannah (Naomi Ackie), all these women are tokens of inspiration for young female fans. Those who perhaps haven’t seen themselves on screen in the Star Wars galaxy before now have some awesome representation that strengthens the accessibility of a typically male-oriented science-fiction/fantasy franchise.

This trilogy is by no means perfect, but it has added an interesting and thought-provoking chapter to this space opera that has influenced pop culture for decades. With the introduction of new stories alongside the returning charms of Chewbacca, C3PO and the Millennium Falcon, another slice of history has been made for old and new generations alike in a galaxy far, far away.

Thanks so much for reading, talk to y'all soon 😉

Love and may the force be with you all.

Emily xx 🎆