STAR WARS MOVIES ARE NOT REMAKES!(OG Edit Pre-TLJ Release)
One of the biggest complaints from some fans with the 2015 release of Episode VII:The Force Awakens was that they felt like it was just like Episode IV: A New Hope. Some even asked if it was a “remake” despite being impossible with Han and Luke in the story playing older versions of themselves. I felt like Inigo Montoya with these people: “I do not think you know what that word means.” And along the same line, I do not think they understand what “The Star Wars Saga” is all about.
In hopes of helping Geeks not feel like they are seeing the same movie again as some “Star Warriors” (Star Wars Official Fan name- Topps-1977) felt with The Force Awakens, and hopefully open their eyes to the greater picture of what the Star Wars saga has become: “The Last Jedi” will be echoing what we saw in both Empire Strikes Back (ESB) and Return of the Jedi (ROTJ) and that is OK. It isn’t cheating, lazy, or a “remake”.
From here on out I will be speculating based on my familiarity with the Star Wars Universe from movies, television shows, comics, games, interviews and other cannon.
WARNING: Potential Spoilers
“The Skywalker Saga”, Episode’s I-IX, is a classic tale of “the Hero’s Journey”. The story of “father and son” echoing each other’s actions in their lives but with changes in decisions that result in different life outcomes, is a classic tale. If you watch the movies as a whole you can see the similarities in the different Skywalker experiences. Based on these similarities I’m writing this assuming that Rey is Luke’s daughter.
Anakin Skywalker took part in an epic space battle over Naboo. His natural use of the force helped him win one for the good guys. Compared to his son, who was also a young man with near no flight combat experience. Luke was in a space battle where his use of the Force helped him win for the Rebels. Rey took part in a lightsaber fight against a far more seasoned opponent. Just like dad and grand-dad, she relied on her force abilities to help fend off a stronger yet seriously wounded Kylo-Ren.
Episode I and IV ended with an “awards ceremony” and all three films ended with handing something over to another. The medals on Yavin, the glowing orb on Naboo, and Luke’s lightsaber at the end of The Force Awakens.
Anakin, Luke, & Rey are older then they usually would be to start “training”. Their strength in the force makes this a non-factor for all three. All three Skywalker’s look to the stars and cannot wait to escape their desert planet.
Family patronage will be a plot point and twist.
Just like Luke, Rey was left on a desert planet to protect her from an evil force user who would use her for their own gain.
Being abandoned on a desert planet has led both Skywalker’s to the Millennium Falcon and Han Solo.
Han Solo reacts to Rey when she mentions never seeing “so much Green” on Takodana. He’s eager to bring her onboard his crew and has faith in her skills. Rey is his niece and he must be elated to have found her alive!
Luke or Lor San Tekka, probably delivered Rey directly to Unkar Plutt. Rey was about 5-6 years old and should have bonded with her relatives prior to her being abandoned despite forgetting them as a young adult.
R2D2 holds the map to Luke and the only person Luke would WANT to find him would be his only daughter.
Luke trusted in the force and I would assume is still in communication with force ghosts. This is a potential story line that we’ve seen in other series like The Clone Wars cartoons, the end of Revenge of the Sith, and Return of the Jedi. I’m sure we may even see Yoda, Obi-Wan, and potentially Anakin or Darth Vader again as force ghosts.
When Kylo-Ren first hears of a “girl” who has interfered in their plans on Jakku he’s more upset then he should be. Perhaps he’s seen her in visions or is in communication with a force ghost who warned Kylo of her existence. Perhaps Vader?
Luke’s lightsaber, which was also Vaders, calls to Rey in Maz’s Castle And she hears Obiwans voice as well.
R2D2 is in sleep mode the entire time of TFA until Rey lands on the base. Sensing her DNA match to Luke, R2 turns back on and is able to send Rey home to dad.
When Rey and Leia see each other for the first time on a crowded base they automatically are drawn to each other.
When Kylo-Ren is reading Rey’s mind he sees an island of green that she’s already seen. Chewbacca watches Rey when they are approaching Ahch-To, Luke’s island, as if to see if she recognizes it.
The “old man” Lor San Tekka, Max Von Sydow, was on Jakku holding Luke’s map. He was potentially watching over Rey like Obi-Wan did in case she ever came seeking Luke out. According to cannon, Luke relied heavily on San Tekka to help rebuild the New generation of Jedi. San Tekka was a trusted individual and an expert in the force but not a Jedi.
Luke’s decisions have led him to a life of anguish, solitude, and pain. He feels directly responsible for the destruction of his trainees, potentially Rey’s mother.
Luke made the choice to spare Vaders life and not turn to the dark side. He’s also decided to continue training others in the force and potentially discovered or unlocked something he couldn’t control. Kylo made the decision to murder his father and complete his journey to the darkside. Anakin had to murder the Jedi and Padme, his only remaining family, to complete his turn to the dark side.
Kylo is struggling with the light, and just like Grandpa, Kylo’s journey doesn’t end in the dark. Kylo will come to the light side just like Vader did. I have so much faith in this that I named my cute puppy Kylo-Ren-Tin-TIn!
In the next movie we will see Luke train Rey like Yoda trained him. Luke has discovered that the light and dark side of the force is what has kept the force in chaos. Perhaps this is where Luke went wrong with Kylo’s training. Perhaps they were looking into ancient force magic that led to The Knights of Ren?
We will see the creation of The Grey Jedi. John Boyega had hinted to “spin off” movie. Perhaps Finn, Rose, with Benicio Del Toro’s chracter “DJ”. DJ=Dark Jedi?
Kylo will turn from the dark-side after Rey defeats Snoke, potentially saving him, the way Vader saved Luke. Kylo will team up with his cousin to help finish their training in the Force. They will finally restore the “balance” Anakin Skywalker was prophesied to bring. We saw the idea of two people being the living force in the Clone Wars Series. That probably won’t happen until the final episode. Kylo’s change could also come when he can’t/won’t destroy his mother’s ship. Defying Supreme Leader Snoke and making his heart grow three times the size? Point being, no matter how he does it, he’ll be Ben Solo again.
Just like in the classic tales, the evil that you thought is dead is never dead, Snoke is Emperor Palpatine’s clone. He was somehow damaged in the cloning process or perhaps he was just undercooked. It’s doubtful he would have survived the fall in ROTJ or the immediate and subsequent Death Star II Explosion. The Battlefront 2 single player mission focuses around “Project Resurrection”. The game takes place during the time just before The Force Awakens. After the battle of Endor, the Emperor had droids stored with his last commands executing missions on his behalf. For more on that read this article.
I feel that “The Skywalker saga” has taken on a much larger picture then Lucas had previously envisioned. Even with the prequels being relative throwaways. The involvement of Disney and other creatives like Johnson and Abrams have really pulled the saga together. I still believe that George never wrote a 9 part opus. I think after the success of “A New Hope” Lucas was able to capitalize. You can spot the contradictions in ANH compared to ESB and ROTJ as big as sarlaac pits, but that’s a story for a different article.
Enjoy “The Last Jedi” which opens nation wide on Dec 14th and remember that although there are a lot of similarities to the movies, it’s by design and a formula of classic story telling. Episode IX will be the movie that will stand out the most. It needs to wrap up the Skywalker story. Rian Johnson will be exploring three movies in the Star Wars universe. They will have nothing to do with the current timeline. What, who, when, and where have still yet to be confirmed. The potential possibilities are endless but it will for sure be in a galaxy far, far away.
“May the Force Be With Us All!”