Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

[epilogue]

I think the two things that bother me the most about the movie --- well THREE things ---

Spoiler: show

1. Rey kissing Ben. Didn't need it and kinda undercut the moment for me. It didn't "ruin" anything but it was unnecessary and a bit too much.

2. I do want more info on Palpatine: how he survived and that Sith cult, specifically... I expect this to be filled out in subsequent canon.

3. After Janna and Finn talk about how many Storm Troopers have defected... I REALLY wanted to see some TIE-Fighters, piloted by First Order Storm Troopers who had defected join the fleet of ships taking on the Final Order. I think that would have been so amazing and feels like a big missed opportunity. But I can also see how pulling that off might have been difficult or confusing. Still... that would have been so cool.

Other than those three things, I loved this movie. We'll see how it ages for me and what is revealed on subsequent viewings.

[BurtReynolds]

Top 3 "fuck you Rian" moments:

Spoiler: show

1. Rose Tico getting Jar Jarred into oblivion.
2. Rebellion destroyed? nah, they're fine. Status quo.
3. Rey's parents being nobody important? lol no we ain't doing that. (and fuck you if you think this was planned all along)

[epilogue]

As others have said, it's not a perfect movie. But none of the SW films are. But this a powerful, meaningful, EARNED, emotionally satisfying ending.

I know over time more and more will reveal itself. I will find some things completely stupid. I'll find new things to like and new things to roll my eyes at. But I am so happy I had the first viewing experience that I had. It was a lovely send off. And I can say without irony or regret that the Sequel Trilogy of the Skywalker Saga is easily my favorite Star Wars.

Rey is a wonderful character that I connect to and relate to on so many levels. Kylo Ren/Ben Solo is the perfect villain of the modern era. Poe and Finn are such a joy to watch. The themes set up in TFA and TLJ are expanded on and wrapped up. Again, not perfectly, but in satisfying ways.

I imagine that I'll revisit these three films far more than any other Star Wars films going forward. I like it all. I love these final three.

I’m happy you liked it.

I'm glad you liked it too. I know we have different feelings on TLJ. But I respect your opinion so much. I'm glad we both love how it ended.

[epilogue]

Top 3 "fuck you Rian" moments:

Spoiler: show

1. Rose Tico getting Jar Jarred into oblivion.
2. Rebellion destroyed? nah, they're fine. Status quo.
3. Rey's parents being nobody important? lol no we ain't doing that. (and fuck you if you think this was planned all along)

Oh boy... at the risk of attempting any kind of actual conversation with you... can I ask, in all honesty, what difference does it make if it was planned all along or not? Who fucking cares?

[Monkey_Driven]

Couple other things that are bothering me about this the more I think about it...

Spoiler: show

-The Mcguffins. Wayfinders and daggers belong in Indiana Jones or National Treasure. It was exposition for exposition sake. The dagger aligning with Death Star outline seemed weird for a SW film.
-The 16 hour countdown to the fleet being raised was brought up and mentioned, but there didn't seem to be a looming threat. Characters were able to go from one world to another and make all kinds of choices within that window.

[E.H. Ruddock]

My main gripe is how the ending of RotJ was cheapened with the palps thing.

Also

Spoiler: show

Rey's parents still are kinda nobodies, right? Just that her grandfather was somebody.

[Monkey_Driven]

My main gripe is how the ending of RotJ was cheapened with the palps thing.

Also

Spoiler: show

Rey's parents still are kinda nobodies, right? Just that her grandfather was somebody.

[BurtReynolds]

Couple other things that are bothering me about this the more I think about it...

Spoiler: show

-The Mcguffins. Wayfinders and daggers belong in Indiana Jones or National Treasure. It was exposition for exposition sake. The dagger aligning with Death Star outline seemed weird for a SW film.
-The 16 hour countdown to the fleet being raised was brought up and mentioned, but there didn't seem to be a looming threat. Characters were able to go from one world to another and make all kinds of choices within that window.

[epilogue]

Couple other things that are bothering me about this the more I think about it...

Spoiler: show

-The Mcguffins. Wayfinders and daggers belong in Indiana Jones or National Treasure. It was exposition for exposition sake. The dagger aligning with Death Star outline seemed weird for a SW film.
-The 16 hour countdown to the fleet being raised was brought up and mentioned, but there didn't seem to be a looming threat. Characters were able to go from one world to another and make all kinds of choices within that window.

Spoiler: show

To your first point, I liked all of that stuff, actually. It added something new while also calling back to Lucas' childhood inspirations that I thought gave the thing real life. I'm bummed that they called them Wayfinders instead of Holocrons, though.

To your second point... yeah, I have a feeling this kind of stuff is gonna be the thing I have the biggest issue with over time, too. To be fair, SW has a history of timeline shit and plans that don't quite make sense (RotJ, I'm looking at you!). Hopefully it doesn't grow into something big enough to ruin the thing for me. But I admit it's weird.

[Anders]

My main gripe is how the ending of RotJ was cheapened with the palps thing.

Also

Spoiler: show

Rey's parents still are kinda nobodies, right? Just that her grandfather was somebody.

Spoiler: show

In this circumstance, being the son of the Emperor, you’re not a nobody imo

[Strat]

Top 3 "fuck you Rian" moments:

Spoiler: show

1. Rose Tico getting Jar Jarred into oblivion.
2. Rebellion destroyed? nah, they're fine. Status quo.
3. Rey's parents being nobody important? lol no we ain't doing that. (and fuck you if you think this was planned all along)

Spoiler: show

Oh my god did you even watch the movie. The entire rebellion wasn’t destroyed. and they sent a signal out at the end of last Jedi. Then they arrived when the resistance figured out how to defeat the million flying Death Stars and sent the signal out.

Also within the year time frame Poe and his squadrons were roaming the galaxy finding people to join them

Look - it’s not perfect but it’s in the Fucking movie.

[epilogue]

My main gripe is how the ending of RotJ was cheapened with the palps thing.

Also

Spoiler: show

Rey's parents still are kinda nobodies, right? Just that her grandfather was somebody.

Spoiler: show

I've seen a lot of people talk about how it cheapens RotJ. I don't fully understand this. If you have time/desire can you dig down on this idea for me? I mean what specifically is ruined and why?

To your second point: Yes. One of the things I love most about this movie is the way it managed to satisfy both camps. I still would prefer her to be unrelated because it opens up SO many questions -- more than it answers, frankly -- but it's a nice (pardon the pun) balance.

[epilogue]

Couple other things that are bothering me about this the more I think about it...

Spoiler: show

-The Mcguffins. Wayfinders and daggers belong in Indiana Jones or National Treasure. It was exposition for exposition sake. The dagger aligning with Death Star outline seemed weird for a SW film.
-The 16 hour countdown to the fleet being raised was brought up and mentioned, but there didn't seem to be a looming threat. Characters were able to go from one world to another and make all kinds of choices within that window.

More fantastic insight.

[E.H. Ruddock]

Imagine after 36 years, going back to one of the greatest trilogies of our time and saying "jk, that ending didn't really happen"

[BurtReynolds]

Leaked transcript of a meeting shortly after TLJ's release...

Kathleen Kennedy, eyes wide with panic and desperation: THAT FUCKING IDIOT KILLED OUR VILLAIN! THE TRILOGY IS OVER AND WE STILL HAVE ANOTHER MOVIE TO MAKE WHAT THE FUCK HOW AM I GONNA EXPLAIN THIS TO BOB?!

J J Abrams, smoking a cigar made of million dollar bills: Relax, its all handled. Mr Mystery Box has it all figured out. They say I can't wrap up my own stories. Well I'll show em.

KK: Oh thank god. How? We'll make Kylo the big baddie, right?

JJ: No no no! The Twitterverse really wants him to kiss Rey. We can't ignore the Reylo shippers. Redemption arc for him.

KK, grabbing his collar: WHO THEN? WHO!?

JJ: Easy! We bring back Palpatine! Snoke was just a copy of him anyway.

KK: Oh...ok...but how do we insert him now? There hasn't been any hint of him in the previous movies...

JJ: Two words: "Title Crawl"

KK: Abrams you're a goddamn genius.

[Anders]

Couple other things that are bothering me about this the more I think about it...

Spoiler: show

-The Mcguffins. Wayfinders and daggers belong in Indiana Jones or National Treasure. It was exposition for exposition sake. The dagger aligning with Death Star outline seemed weird for a SW film.
-The 16 hour countdown to the fleet being raised was brought up and mentioned, but there didn't seem to be a looming threat. Characters were able to go from one world to another and make all kinds of choices within that window.

Spoiler: show

To your first point, I liked all of that stuff, actually. It added something new while also calling back to Lucas' childhood inspirations that I thought gave the thing real life. I'm bummed that they called them Wayfinders instead of Holocrons, though.

To your second point... yeah, I have a feeling this kind of stuff is gonna be the thing I have the biggest issue with over time, too. To be fair, SW has a history of timeline shit and plans that don't quite make sense (RotJ, I'm looking at you!). Hopefully it doesn't grow into something big enough to ruin the thing for me. But I admit it's weird.

Spoiler: show

The 16 hour scene was one of the worst three in the movie. It reminded me of Canto Bight.

[Strat]

Imagine after 36 years, going back to one of the greatest trilogies of our time and saying "jk, that ending didn't really happen"

But it did happen ! The story just grew from there. Nothing is ever really over my friend

[Monkey_Driven]

Couple other things that are bothering me about this the more I think about it...

Spoiler: show

-The Mcguffins. Wayfinders and daggers belong in Indiana Jones or National Treasure. It was exposition for exposition sake. The dagger aligning with Death Star outline seemed weird for a SW film.
-The 16 hour countdown to the fleet being raised was brought up and mentioned, but there didn't seem to be a looming threat. Characters were able to go from one world to another and make all kinds of choices within that window.

Spoiler: show

To your first point, I liked all of that stuff, actually. It added something new while also calling back to Lucas' childhood inspirations that I thought gave the thing real life. I'm bummed that they called them Wayfinders instead of Holocrons, though.

To your second point... yeah, I have a feeling this kind of stuff is gonna be the thing I have the biggest issue with over time, too. To be fair, SW has a history of timeline shit and plans that don't quite make sense (RotJ, I'm looking at you!). Hopefully it doesn't grow into something big enough to ruin the thing for me. But I admit it's weird.

Spoiler: show

Maybe I would have tolerated the wayfinders more if there wasn't so many other things to cover in this movie. Might have helped with the dizzying pace.

[E.H. Ruddock]

Imagine after 36 years, going back to one of the greatest trilogies of our time and saying "jk, that ending didn't really happen"

But it did happen ! The story just grew from there. Nothing is ever really over my friend

Oh come on. That ending was meant to have Vader being redeemed by killing Palpatine. It's over.

[Anders]

Imagine after 36 years, going back to one of the greatest trilogies of our time and saying "jk, that ending didn't really happen"

But it did happen ! The story just grew from there. Nothing is ever really over my friend

Oh come on. That ending was meant to have Vader being redeemed by killing Palpatine. It's over.

He did kill him.