There’s a Star Wars Problem…

Ironic. I didn’t go to the midnight premieres for either of the last two films in what is now referred to as the nine-film “Skywalker Saga.” Star Wars fatigue hadn’t hit me. Not at all. I‘ve been a long time fan and was beyond excited for both “The Force Awakens” and yes, even “The Last Jedi.” However, ill-timing with ticket buying and other outlying factors meant that I had to see both TFA and TLJ on their opening days rather than the night before (blasphemous, I know). So it was an interesting twist that by the time I got to “The Rise of Skywalker,” I was pretty burnt out on “Star Wars” and was going in with fairly neutral expectations, yet somehow I ended up seeing it with a friend at around midnight the night it premiered. So by the time I was already where many fans of the franchise had been for quite a while, I was actually going to the midnight premiere of the final chapter of Disney’s new sequel trilogy.

Yet whereas I went into a film like, say, “Avengers: Endgame” with great anticipation and emotional investment in what was going to happen to characters I had spent over a decade with, admittedly I was pretty much going into RoS intending to just finish what I had started five years previous. And what did I think when it was over? Well, I simply turned to my friend as we exited the theater and responded with a resounding “Oh well,” juxtaposed with a unenthusiastic shrug.

Speaking for myself, the film was frustrating for a number of reasons but I’m not here to talk about that film on its own, but rather what it brought to light. RoS exposed many issues fans have been pointing out about Star Wars for years. Notably that the Star Wars universe, for being one considered to be vast in its seemingly ever-expanding characters and worlds, is actually pretty small (at least creatively). What’s more is many people who grew up with the prequels are now actually saying the problems with these films have brought about a new appreciation for those three films George Lucas directed from 1999–2005. Overall, the growing consensus amongst fans is that the blame needs to be pointed at at Kathleen Kennedy, the current president of LucasFilm. Others have pointed it at TLJ writer/director Rian Johnson for, as they put it, “derailing the franchise with yo mama jokes and terrible B-plots with a feminist agenda.” Some have pointed to TFA/RoS director/co-writer JJ Abrams for his “inherent lack of originality.”

While it does seem clear at least on the surface that these creative forces likely share a good chunk of the blame, it is a little surprising to me. For all of JJ’s problems, he is a veteran writer, producer, director, and showrunner. What’s more is Kathleen Kennedy has made a CAREER producing solid, successful films, notably the “Indiana Jones” franchise and “Jurassic Park.” In short, these people should know what they’re doing. So who’s to blame? Bob Iger? It’s possible. However, I think we need to look to another direction: the fans.

Before people have a heart attack, I’m in no way ripping on people who enjoy these films or the fanbase as whole. I enjoy these films. However, there’s a clear and, dare I say it, almost political divide between the fans, how they react to these films, and how the creative higher-ups have tried tailoring these new films to fit what the fans want. Which brings me to my first point: “The Force Awakens.”

TFA is a clear-cut committee film. It’s a safe action-adventure movie purely made to cater towards fans who hated the prequels. The marketing clearly emphasized the use of practical effects and real sets. The point they were trying to make, but not outright saying, was that this was going to be as far removed from the prequels as they could get. For all the people who claim to love the prequels now, the prequel-hate game was INTENSE on the internet for many years leading up to TFA. Documentaries like “The People Vs. George Lucas” and the 90-minute Red Letter Media prequel reviews are clear examples of this. When TFA came out, the reaction was overall very positive from most people, including myself. Yes, I acknowledged it was pretty much a remake of the original “Star Wars” from 1977, but I was willing to forgive this because the new characters were likable and the film was a welcome return to the fun, humorous, and organic world I loved in the original trilogy.

A year or so later and many fans were beginning to notice more and more issues with TFA, notably the fact that it was so derivative of “A New Hope.” Around this time, we also got the first in Disney’s spin-off series in the form of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” A film many fans believed to be something “daring” and “groundbreaking” after the safe soft-reboot that was TFA. Yes, a film that relies almost inherently on “Remember this???” and “These are things I know!” references such as the inclusion of the “You’ll be dead” guy, a CG’d Grand Moff Tarken/Princess Leia, AT-AT Walkers, and Vader going ballistic with a red lightsaber was considered a groundbreaking step in a different direction for “Star Wars.” Sure, it was groundbreaking in that it didn’t rely on following a member of the Skywalker clan but it certainly didn’t help that the two leads were cardboard cut-outs and the film had pacing issues up until the forty five minute mark. Having said all of that, it probably is the best of these new films. It at least has a clear cut three act structure, the action is effective, and the supporting characters (notably Donnie Yen’s Cheirut) are actually excellent additions to the Star Wars canon. And hey, I can’t act like I didn’t go crazy when I saw Vader go Jason Voorhees on those Rebels at the end. But again, there’s clear catering going on with this film. The same catering people were now criticizing TFA for.

Skipping over “The Last Jedi” for a minute, I want to ducktail off of “Rogue One” to discuss “Solo.” I’m not a fan of “Solo” as a film. The Lord/Miller debacle aside, Han Solo is a character like X-Men’s Wolverine, in that telling the audience his story ruins the mystique of the character. For all of TFA’s problems, killing off Han Solo was actually the greatest creative choice they made in that it deepened his character. As an origin story, “Solo” doesn’t do much to deepen Han’s character. My issues with at as a film notwithstanding, in a way it actually is probably the most daring of these films, in that it breaks away from the ongoing, repetitive drama of the Rebels Vs. The Empire, relegating “things we know” into the background or in passing dialogue. The things that hindered both the sequel trilogy and “Rogue One” were virtually gone. The film instead explored a neglected aspect of “Star Wars,” which is the seedy criminal underbelly. A small, contained story rather than a big battle-driven epic. Of course, if they wanted to take it a step further, they could’ve made it a film about Woody Harrelson’s gang of thieves and leave out Han, Chewie, and Lando all together, but in Disney’s mind that doesn’t make any money (more on that later).

Then we come to “The Last Jedi.” This film is frustrating in that it is, in my controversial opinion, the most unique and original of these new films, but that’s also where many problems come in. The film is still a clear demonstration of lack of planning, having forgone many things that were established in TFA. I’m not against all of it. I actually think Rey being a nobody is a great idea. The film is also guilty of, again, catering to many of the detractors who furiously typed “Kylo Ren was beaten by a girl who never used the force” or by taking things in a completely new direction after many fans complained about how derivative TFA was. Of course, this also made many fans upset. I will say that I do think certain ideas and concepts Johnson explored regarding the force are less problematic than the idea of midichlorians. What’s more is it’s important to remember that concepts introduced in both “Empire” and “Return of the Jedi” which were deemed controversial at the time are now considered canon. But of course, fans were outraged by many of the ideas, concepts, and characters (or in some cases lack thereof)in the film.

It was becoming clear also that many people who weren’t connecting with these new films were gaining a newfound appreciation for the prequels. I can’t blame them. Many, including myself, grew up with them. I enjoyed them as a kid but even then I always felt like there was something missing. Still, they only made me love the original trilogy even more AND we got two excellent animated series of “The Clone Wars” out of it. Still, though I can watch them now and poke fun at them thanks to all of the internet memes, it’s hard for me to seperate the fact that these are canon and introduce a lot of problematic ideas themselves, right down to the fact that the Jedi are a bunch of religious zealots who abduct children into their creepy cult and forcing them into a life of emotional-suppression and celibacy. Growing up with the OT, I always imagined the Jedi more like samurai than monks. I also was led to believe that the Force was an energy field that surrounded all living things. But hey, fan expectations.

Never the less, after the release of TLJ, it was clear SW fatigue was setting in. “Solo” became the first film in the series to not turn a profit. Now obviously its reasons for not doing well could be anything from people just not being interested in a Han Solo origin story or it could’ve been the bad press resulting from the Lord/Miller firing, but I do think SW fatigue was a major factor. When Kathleen Kennedy was first placed in charge of LucasFilm, she made it clear that she wanted to make sure that these films endured forever. She said that she was going to honor the characters created. Many fans felt cheated by this, being that it seemed that with the deaths of characters like Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, that that was seemingly the last thing on her mind. With the real life death of Carrie Fisher, it was clear we would never see our beloved trio together again. What’s more baffling to me, however, and I’m paraphrasing here, is Kennedy wanted to push a cinematic universe, rushing out a film a year, because she was worried “people would forget about ‘Star Wars.’” I’m sorry but…What? You thought people would FORGET about “Star Wars?”

For all my issues with the prequels (none of which they are exempt from because of these new films’ poor quality), it was clear Lucas not only had at least some semblance of a plan (even if he was designing sets/costumes before writing the damn script) but a clear release strategy. Whereas we saw each new film in this new leg of films come out two years apart with a spin-off released in the middle with little breathing room, the prequels at least gave us one year where the movie comes out, a year and half after to let the hype die down and then another a year and a half for anticipation to slowly build again. We were able to take it in and build up our hunger for the next installment. After I eat a whole pizza, I’m not going to then ask for seconds. I’m full. I’m good.

With all of that in mind. The lack of planning. The creative bankruptcy. The catering to the fans. The lack of leadership/vision. All of these were brought to the forefront in “The Rise of Skywalker.” A lot of fans have argued that there was no place for the story to go after TLJ. That’s not exactly true. TLJ left many things open: the idea of Kylo Ren starting a new order, more force-sensitive people out there (i.e. broom boy), Finn and Poe accepting new roles of responsibility and leadership in this fight, and Rey, while being a nobody, we still don’t truly know who her parents were or what happened to them. However, fans had a, shall we say, less than favorable reaction to TLJ and Abrams, taking over for a fired Colin Trevorrow, realized that not only does he have to tie up what he started with TFA, but also tie up 40 years of story AND please all the people who hated TLJ. For all of TFA’s flaws, it seemed like Abrams at least cared somewhat or at least recognized the importance of this series. When asked about his approach to this one, he had two words (and I’m not kidding here): “Fuck it.”

Catering to fans is nothing new. Lucas did it when he reduced the role of Jar-Jar Binks in Episodes II and III. However, I specifically have a problem with the fact that these people are catering to fans who are toxic. Fans who bullied Rose Tico actress Kelly Marie Tran off social media. Fans who claim “Rey’s a Mary Sue so therefore I hate Daisy Ridley as a person.” Fans who turned red when they saw Kathleen Kennedy wearing a “Force is Female” T-shirt. Fans who nearly drove Jar-Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best to suicide. I can’t act like I wasn’t part of the problem. I was. When I was in high school/college you’d find me on Youtube or Facebook saying childish things that weren’t too far removed from dumb shit like “George Lucas ruined my childhood.” However, I’d like to think I’ve at least somewhat matured since. I also think there are people who point out some legitimate problems with Star Wars becoming “political.” Notably it’s the fact that for being someone who’s pushed for diversity, Kathleen Kennedy and co. have done little to really make it mean anything or make a viable push towards any semblance of real progression.

From the get-go with these new films, we saw there was going to be a major push for diversity, which is GOOD. The fact that the three leads are a woman, a Guatemalan man, and a black man was a step in the right direction. Problem is they cast an incredible actor like John Boyega and what do they do with Finn? Nothing. He has little to no arc other than “This is the right thing to do.” Poe has little character other than “hot shot pilot with snarky attitude.” Rey as a character doesn’t experience a lot of real emotional change and by the time we reach the final film, she’s beyond powerful. The most she’s given as far as an arc is she doesn’t know where she belongs, which is an interesting idea but isn’t fully explored.

This further proves that Disney is INFAMOUS for being what’s known as “Passive Progressive,” in that they’ll do the bare minimum of being progressive in order to show how “Woke” they are. This has been proven further with their recent string of remakes (see Lindsay Ellis’ “Woke Disney” video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU1ffHa47YY) but RoS certainly didn’t help by placing a same-sex kiss in the far and faded background during the victory celebration. In fact I’d argue they had an opportunity to make Finn and Poe a same-sex couple but instead opted for a bromance because it’s “Safe.” Backtracking a bit, those people who bullied Kelly Marie Tran off of social media are directly responsible for her reduced role in RoS.

The divisive reaction to TLJ also gave way to what may possibly be the laziest creative choice Abrams, Kennedy, and friends have made with these new films: bringing back the Emperor. Upon hearing Ian McDiarmid’s signature laugh in the trailer, I knew this was doomed. Yes, I knew I would still see it. Yes, I knew it would probably be bad. Yes, I tried to be optimistic (or at least neutral). I think this is really where the franchise choked itself on its own major conflict. In TLJ, Kylo Ren says “It’s time to let old things die. Skywalker. Snoke. The Jedi. The Sith. Let it all die.” Fair enough. We should let go of the past. Take things in a new direction. However, for as many fans that want that, there are a majority who prefer to hold onto what was.

In a strange, abstract way, this concept is perfectly allegorical in Darth Vader. Not the Vader of the prequels or even in the original trilogy, but the sequels. Throughout the films, the character of Darth Vader is still viewed as an evil entity. Kylo Ren worships the burnt up helmet of his grandfather. Luke points out that “a Jedi master was responsible for the training of Darth Vader,” ignoring Rey’s rebuttal that it was also “a Jedi who redeemed him.” Bringing back the Emperor not only negates Vader’s sacrifice, but in trying to honor the original trilogy, they forgot what those films were about. Yes, they were about a young man being thrust into a world of adventure and proving that he can overcome these obstacles, but it was also the story of a good man who turned evil and how he redeemed himself. In their effort to “Let the past die” and then rectify that notion, they forgot what the heart of the story was.

What’s also fascinating about all of the issues with RoS is it can all be directly contrasted with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even if you’re not a fan of the homogenization of comic book films, it’s clear Kevin Feige went in with a plan for all these characters and their stories. We as an audience were able to follow these characters and stay invested, thus making us invested in the overall pay-off. It’s worth noting that RoS almost blatantly steals both the “On your left” moment in the form of Lando’s entrance in the final battle but also Tony Stark’s “I am Iron Man” moment in the final battle in the form of Rey’s “And I am all the Jedi” statement in her final confrontation with Palpatine. Neither of these moments were earned. They felt, dare I say it, forced. The filmmakers knew it and the audience felt it.

So is there a future for “Star Wars” now? Actually, yes. On television. “The Mandalorian” series on Disney+ explores different aspects of the “Star Wars” universe, is spearheaded by people who acknowledge the positives George Lucas brought to the franchise he created, understand what the fans want, and each episode is directed by a VARIETY of different people ranging from Deborah Chow to Dave Filoni to Taika Waititi to Bryce Dallas Howard. What’s more is that while the new films have been hindered by fan expectations by including well known characters and age old concepts, “Mando” doesn’t come with a lot of that baggage. Yes, Baby Yoda is an undeniable meme that capitalizes on pre-existing knowledge, but you could make the same argument for the character of The Mandalorian himself and the recognizability that his armor and title bare.

What’s more is the series explores a side of “Star Wars” that “Solo” leaned towards but goes even further into it: normal people who sit in this grey area that are getting by on their wits and the skin of their teeth. I do have some trepidation for the next season. Specifically the inclusion of well known characters like Ahsoka Tano and a resurrected Boba Fett. However, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I trust in the combined visions of Favreau, Filoni, Chow, and Waititi. It’s clear they all know what this franchise needs and can each bring a unique voice without alienating the audience. Filoni’s work on “Clone Wars” and ESPECIALLY the final season demonstrates that he knows what fans want and the story needs without catering to them too much.

I realize this was a lot of information so if you’re skipping to this final paragraph, I can’t say I blame you. I’ll leave you with this: the failure of these new Star Wars films is a combination of lack of planning and creative vision, yes, but it’s also the result of catering to the most toxic members of the Star Wars fandom. To be fair though, I can’t imagine these films would’ve been much better if Lucas had made them himself. Keep in mind, one of the major reasons he sold his company was because he was tired of people telling him what he should be doing rather than respecting his creative choices. Honestly, I can’t blame him. However, this is also a film franchise that should’ve ended in 1983. Exploring it in literature, comic books, and television was always a viable option. While unfortunately Disney is using the former two mediums as a crutch for their own lack of planning in these new films, I do think the latter avenue of television is one that can be explored for many years. In short, this is the way.