THE FORCE AWAKENS and THE LAST JEDI have shifted the focus from any of the characters from the first six films and leave only Kylo Ren as the remaining descendant of the Skywalker family line. Killing him off would permanently bring the saga of Anakin and Luke to a close and open the door for a new trilogy focused on the next phase of the galaxy and the evolution of the Jedi/Sith dynamic. While Rian Johnson will be creating his own STAR WARS saga, what will be next for the one we have all followed faithfully for four decades?
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Carrie Fisher was excellent in THE LAST JEDI and now Lucasfilm and JJ Abrams have the unenviable task of figuring out her fate in EPISODE IX. Leia was intended to be a major presence in the next movie but what will be the best method to properly send her off? An off camera death explained in the opening crawl feels unceremonious. Maybe they will start the next film with her funeral and anoint a new leader for the Resistance. This may be the hardest decision the filmmakers have to make and one with the biggest impact on what was already planned.
Just as Luke struggled to not succumb to the Dark Side in the original trilogy, there seems to be waning conflict within Kylo Ren to not turn back to the Light. Seeing his redemption may undermine him as a villain but it would also make for a redemption story worthy of Anakin Skywalker’s fall and rise through the first six films. This may be the most unlikely question but one that had a major place through THE LAST JEDI.
Kylo Ren was able to keep a laser blast in mid-shot during THE FORCE AWAKENS and managed to trick Snoke before killing him. Luke was able to project his power lightyears away to battle Ben Solo. But, Rey seems to be more powerful than either of them. Just how powerful remains to be seen, but with minimal training she was able to hold her own against Kylo as they fought over a lightsaber. What will she be capable of in the next movie?
Despite knowing that it had to happen, I was still struck by seeing Luke Skywalker disappear and become one with the Force. As we all know, Jedi have the power to return as spirits to mentor their proteges. So I would be very surprised if Luke didn’t return to help Rey or even Kylo Ren in the next film. With the gap left by Carrie Fisher, it would be nice to see a familiar face conclude the trilogy.
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During THE FORCE AWAKENS, one of the biggest mysteries was the identity of Rey’s parents. Theories ranged from Luke Skywalker or Han Solo to Emperor Palpatine or even Obi Wan Kenobi. In THE LAST JEDI, we are told that Rey’s parents were really nobody but poor junk traders who gave their daughter away for drinking money. While this could be true, it seems like a major misdirection. STAR WARS has always made a big deal out of lofty parentage but Rian Johnson could be trying to say that greatness can come from anywhere. Whatever the case, it falls on EPISODE IX to put to rest the claims of Rey’s origin once and for all.
Captain Phasma was the most disappointing character in THE FORCE AWAKENS due to sheer under-use. They marketed her appearance in THE LAST JEDI which also wasted Gwendoline Christie. It was cool seeing Finn and his former superior fight each other but having her drop into a fiery pit seemed a bit too easy of a death for Phasma. I firmly believe she will be back in EPISODE IX. If not, she is destined to become the Boba Fett of the sequel trilogy.
After THE FORCE AWAKENS, I thought it was a foregone conclusion that Rey and Finn would be an item. But, in THE LAST JEDI we get Finn and Rose as a natural coupling. There was some tension between Kylo Ren and Rey before she literally shut the door on him. I am most intrigued by the potential for Rey and Poe to be an item. It would certainly throw a wrench in the Rey-Finn-Rose triangle. I find it hard to believe that when the two met at the end of the film that Rian Johnson didn’t knowingly have Poe say “I know” to Rey. Han/Leia, anyone?
There were multiple points in THE LAST JEDI that pointed to Poe Dameron taking the mantle from Leia to lead the Resistance. Obviously, with the untimely death of Carrie Fisher, this may be fast-tracked for EPISODE IX, but is it the right move for the Solo-esque rebel pilot? Oscar Isaac had a lot more to do in THE LAST JEDI but his leadership skills were still not up to par. I would like to see him take a more central role in the fight against the First Order but he has a long way to go before he is ready for that responsibility.
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Every STAR WARS film has featured a time jump between episodes except for THE LAST JEDI. With the next film poised to conclude this trilogy, will there be a jump to allow Rey the time to train and the Resistance the opportunity to build up their ranks, leading to the final showdown everything has been building towards? Of course, that could all be saved for Episodes X through XII, but I would hope JJ Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy have something more conclusive on the horizon.