I consumed the the entire Sequel Trilogy over two days (I work! Gimmie a break, homie.) last week and it was the first time I REALLY sat down with #TheForceAwakens & #TheLastJedi and took everything in from those stories now that the Trilogy has concluded with #TheRiseOfSkywalker
For those who know me understand my feelings on the Sequel Trilogy have been...mixed...to say the least. I did often say that my final word on the ST wouldn't be complete until...well...the ST was complete.
Before I get into the nitty and gritty of the Sequel Trilogy I want to really acknowledge something that has become so apparent to me over the last few months. Maybe this will be obvious to everyone, but me lol (wouldn't be the first time)
Star Wars films are the cave on Dagobah and we (fans) are all Luke.
Going into these films...we all bring in many DIFFERENT experiences, loves, loses, hopes, dreams, fears, anger etc that inform us what a piece of (commercialized) art tells us. That’s unavoidable and also the JOY of experiencing Star Wars. It will all be interpreted differently.
The Sequel Trilogy has put me into a whirlwind of emotions, honestly. It’s something I wanted since I’ve seen ROTJ...so since I’ve been a conscious human being. It was always a big deal to me.
The Sequel Trilogy started movement and before I knew it...TFA was released...I loved it! So many mysteries! Who was Rey! After i lived with it for awhile...the warts showed up...Then...The Last Jedi came out...and immediately after it was over I said “what the F%#* was that.”
I saw TLJ over 5 times in the theater...I tried to get behind what RJ did...one minute I was starting to come around...then the next time I couldn’t. It was clear I wasn’t “in love” with the ST...That was rough.
I knew that if I was going to get behind the ST at all...Episode IX would need to justify TFA and TLJ for me...
You all probably know by now that I am in LOVE with #TheRiseOfSkywalker...but what about the ST? Did TROS salvage the ST? Does it justify it the same way ROTS did for me and the prequels?
I can now firmly say that...
...I am IN LOVE with the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy as a whole.
...I am IN LOVE with the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy as a whole.
Does that mean it’s all perfect? CHILD, PLEASE! Canto Bight still makes Dex’s Diner from AOTC seem like it’s Citizen Kane!!! (Couldn’t resist)
That’s the only TLJ dig btw...because TROS has made me fall in love with both Rey’s journey and Kylo Ren’s story of being torn apart. Watching the films close together and going into them with an open mind...it’s clear to me now. Here are the reasons...
First of all...I have to admit...Bob Iger’s book revealing that essentially GL made up his ST treatments to basically make Lucasfilm more attractive to sell made me accept what was being given me. GL didn’t have the complete conviction it seems to make these films. Not completely
Knowing that...I went into TROS very open...and I needed to give that same attention to TFA and TLJ.
I see MANY people complaining about #TheRiseOfSkywalker and I can’t / won’t be able to change their minds. All I can do is explain WHY TROS makes the ST a more cohesive story and they all enhance each other...I didn’t say it was a PERFECT story, either, but...I still love it.
First of all...let’s talk about Rey Skywalker...”she barely knew him...why’d she take his name” because she grew up hearing about the deeds that Luke did. He was her hero. Face LIGHTS up when she hears his name. The name MEANS something to HER.
One thing that melted me was in TFA when Rey is talking to Maz about the Lightsaber. The Force calls to Rey with the Skywalker Saber and now has been used by 3 generations of Skywalkers. The Force knew she was going to be the next Skywalker. BAM! 
For me...the Skywalker Saga is purely a mythological fairy tale if you look at its simplest form. Not ALL Star Wars...Just the Skywalker Saga.
Rey being blood related to Palpatine and having an inherent inner darkness is beautifully set up in TLJ now. This scene killlllllllls!
TLJ just OOZES development of the Dyad in the Force between Rey and Kylo Ren. To see someone on Ren’s power level must REALLY freak Luke out. It’s not common. We understand this better.
Another Rey Skywalker foreshadow in TLJ...she knows the legend of Luke Skywalker...the name that WILL inspire a galaxy (see broom boy)...she’ll be that legend now.
Snoke getting destroyed like a punk a$$ makes a ton of sense if he’s essentially only a puppet for Sheev, pulling the literal (Force) strings from all the way in the unknown regions. It’s why Sheev needed to get things moving in TROS. The puppets weren’t going to work anymore.
Rey being all baller in TFA makes LOADS more sense now. The Force Dyad that Rey and Kylo share can move OBJECTS between space. Why not being able to move KNOWLEDGE? How can Rey pull off mind tricks etc all of a sudden? The Dyad in the Force. Brilliant.
The dark side mirror thing IN TLJ DIDNT work for me...after TROS? Those marks tracking the days she’s been waiting for her family represent the tons of Reys in the mirror scene.
I know a LOT of people don’t like the return of the Emperor in the ST. For me...Star Wars was heavily inspired (story wise) from the pulps that would eventually make way to serialized storytelling like Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers and comic books...basically Outrageous storytelling.
#TheRiseOfSkywalker honestly reminds me of a different comic book writer picking up where the last writer left...they’ll use the previous stories and interpret what those ideas were and use them to their advantage. Retcon? Not really. Working with what’s given to them, I’d say.
Man...this was...really long...lol...oooops
The return of the Emperor...I know plenty of people wanted Rey vs Kylo Ren. That’s something that’d be fine, but I find the outrageous idea of a princess of evil rejecting her heritage and what that represents immensely better over Rey and Kylo Ren clashing lightsabers at the end
The message that I PERSONALLY get from the Sequel Trilogy is something very special that I’m not quite ready to reveal to everyone why it is, but...the message of “Be who you choose to be.” Is something so meaningful & beautiful to me. We don’t have to be heroes. Just ourselves.
In closing...I love the Sequel Trilogy. Looking at everything now with 2020 (ZING) hindsight...It couldn’t have ended any better for me. ❤️
