So we’re so close to the release of the conclusion to the Star Wars Skywalker Saga being The Rise of Skywalker and with the state of Star Wars we’re in right now where we’ve had talent in the TV realm with The Mandalorian and the recent video game Jedi Fallen Order and a new movie on the horizon, the excitement is through the roof, right? Well, it honestly depends on who you ask. Now it is no mistake that every piece of Star Wars content will have its fair share of success on a financial standpoint. Not only does Lucasfilm care about making talented content for its fans, but let’s not forget Disney is a corporation that wants to earn a profit off of these franchises.
In the end it’s a business, so there’s always gonna be a piece of Star Wars content to get into and it wasn’t until Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012 that perhaps there was a new pair Twin Suns to stare out towards hoping for a brighter future for Star Wars after some not so great responses to previously released Star Wars content in the prequel trilogy and the original trilogy’s special editions, heck even The Clone Wars early on. And with the talk of how these new films were going to be approached in the couple years to follow the Disney/Lucasfilm announcement, this could’ve been a sign that the direction was heading in more of an original trilogy approach with talk of the original cast reprising their roles, practical effects, real sets and locations. This was against the grain of what fans complained about in regards to the prequels.
“Boo! Too Much CGI! Green Screen! Too Different! Bad Acting! Bad Writing! George Lucas Should Quit! He Ruined My Childhood!”
So Star Wars fans were vocal right?
And the more glimpses we saw of Episode VII, later titled The Force Awakens, and the first spin-off movie Rogue One, the looks of these movies had more of an original trilogy vibe, not only down to its aesthetics, but even in The Force Awakens, we even had a Galactic Civil War type conflict with the Resistance fully resembling the Rebellion and the First Order like the Empire. We saw X-Wings and TIE Fighters. A practical droid, not a CGI Gungan. So they would be new types of Star Wars movies to experience that not only looked exciting and fresh with its new cast, but also authentic to the original movies we know and love. In fact, when all these glimpses were coming to fruition at the 2015 Star Wars Celebration, there wasn’t even a single piece of prequel trilogy decor to be found throughout the convention center. It was all original trilogy based.
So by the time The Force Awakens releases, it’s a critical and financial success, but it wasn’t without its fan criticisms. While aesthetically it felt in line with the original trilogy, fans thought it felt too much like the original trilogy to the point where to some, it felt like watching a complete remake of Episode IV A New Hope. And while there’s no denying there are similarities, there were a lot of new elements in The Force Awakens to make it feel fresh and highly enjoyable in its new cast of characters with interesting characterizations as well as new worlds of the Star Wars universe we haven’t explored. I think people saying they “played it safe” isn’t very harmful considering they had to do familiar things in it to give a nod to OG fans (fun nods at that), but then there was a negative connotation with that phrase because it was “too familiar” to some fans and didn’t do anything NEW in that sense.
Then comes Rogue One released on December 16, 2016 where it won over some Star Wars fans bringing it back to the OG trilogy and having the most energetic third-act spectacle ever seen in Star Wars history. However, some fans found the characters in this movie to be lackluster and lazily written considering it was a standalone movie.
December 15, 2017 sees the release of what is probably now the most divisive movie in the history of cinema, Star Wars Episode VIII The Last Jedi. Where fans thought as if the familiar elements weren’t good in The Force Awakens, now have different elements that are unacceptable in The Last Jedi? And not to mention the fans upset with the “different” elements in The Last Jedi and the whole “subverting expectations” are bad deal are the same people defending the prequels? Really? Weren’t those the movies that fans complained about in the first place? Weren’t we originally stepping in the right direction to not be like those movies?
And don't get me started on Solo: A Star Wars Story, which was a genuinely fun space western, but let's not forget that Star Wars fans became box office experts due to its not so great run at the box-office.
And don't get me started on Solo: A Star Wars Story, which was a genuinely fun space western, but let's not forget that Star Wars fans became box office experts due to its not so great run at the box-office.
Where has the time gone?
I should just end it with Star Wars fans are enigmas. Thank you and goodnight.
But honestly, the responses to these movies are some of the most interesting responses I’ve ever seen for any piece of content out there. Let alone fiction. Let alone entertainment. Out of all the content that is being consumed in our human society. But why this franchise? Why a franchise set in space involving space wizards fighting with laser swords and guys shooting each other with lasers on spaceships? Why all this effort? Why start petitions? Why create leaks and post them online? Why start a movement to turn backs on a franchise?
I’ll tell you why. It’s the Internet.
Well the Internet didn’t do anything wrong. Also, ironic, right? A writer on an Internet blog telling you it’s the Internet’s fault that this franchise has remained in jeopardy because of this outlet. It’s not the outlet itself, it’s how it’s being used. How people are twisting and using their toxic emotions to talk about the franchise, picking on fans, and even attacking those who worked hard on these projects. And I’ll be honest to say it’s had a weird effect on me for a few years now.
I have had real in-person conversations about the current state of Star Wars and sadly 9 out of 10 times, I haven’t really heard a lot of love on the movie side. The Mandalorian aside, which seems to be bringing joy to fans, the excitement for these movies I felt just isn’t all there and I thought hadn’t been the same since The Last Jedi came out, but honestly I think it’s always been there after The Force Awakens released. That excitement for NEW Star Wars movies. New Star Wars movies by different filmmakers. New artistic talent that will be involved in the filmmaking end of it. I don’t think I’ve talked to many people, minus a few, who have said that they fully loved any of the new films, mainly because they don’t feel as close to the original trilogy, which is a high standard.
But let me ask this? If the Original Trilogy came out today would there honestly be this sacred universal love like back in the day with the Internet existing? The articles that could be written about its plot holes. Rumors about actors hating the way it was written and working on set. Leaks from “insider sources” about the eagerly awaited new sequels.
Point is, the Internet has honestly changed the face about how we expect to absorb into these new Star Wars movies. While back after A New Hope was released in 1977 and the excitement for The Empire Strikes Back began, all the behind the scenes info you could read about could be found in other sources like newspapers and magazines. But more importantly, all you knew back then probably wasn’t as intense as it is now to figure out the plot and character info about these new films. All people knew in a much simpler time was that a new Star Wars movie was coming out and that was it. And to be honest, I honestly wish it was the same today.
The fact of the matter is the lukewarm responses I’ve been hearing about the sequel trilogy thus far and the non-excitement for The Rise of Skywalker are because of what was set up on the Internet about the release of these new films. I can say personally that I ate up what I heard on Star Wars podcasts and speculated and theorized heavily before I walked into The Force Awakens and I regret doing that. While I really liked the film the first time I saw it, I was a little let down that it wasn’t as “different” as I thought it would be, but then when I saw it again I accepted it for what it was and came to really enjoy it. In fact, I love the film the more and more I watch it.
The lesson I learned from that movie and I still take into account for any movie I see is to not have expectations in mind. At the very least I expect it to be a Star Wars movie, but I just don’t want to expect going in to have a totally different movie in my head of what I think the film will be and should be and then walk away disappointed because it didn’t fulfill what I wanted to happen. So I think in all this that the Internet created expectations for these movies and the expectations are what ruined the universal excitement for these new films, especially The Rise of Skywalker.
Think about it, the excitement for the LAST film in the Star Wars SAGA that started roughly 40 years ago isn’t all there. Of course, it will be watched by mass audiences and earn a fabulous profit. A majority of fans just aren’t getting as excited for they don’t love this new trilogy as much and it seems as if the viewers who don’t are also the ones who grew up with the prequels. Now I’m in the generation who grew up with the prequel trilogy and they honestly got me into loving Star Wars the way I do. But the ones who grew up with the prequels and don’t like the sequels tend to defend the prequels more. Why?
Well I think a couple reasons are that the prequels were weird and different than the sequels to some, which made it special since it wasn’t as familiar as the original trilogy like the sequels are. There was more of that fantasy to explore and hard hitting action. Those kick ass lightsaber fights, right? And it was a part of their childhood that may or may not have exposed them to the franchise. They exposed me to the franchise as well, but as someone who’s been drawn more to the original trilogy even growing up with the prequels and seeing these new films, I’ve personally come to appreciate that not only aesthetically do these new films feel closer to the old films I love, but the layers involved in its characters as we experience these new worlds of Star Wars we haven’t yet explored I find to be incredibly exciting.
I’m just so happy that the style in which these new films are directed feel like they capture the essence of the original films while still feeling new with its characters and expansion of new worlds and fantasy elements. When I saw The Last Jedi the first couple times, it honestly felt like I went back in time watching the original films again for the first time just based on how it was directed and how like in Empire, that this was a film that expanded on its characters and developed them further in new places we had not yet explored. And because it succeeded in those areas it became one of my favorites in the franchise almost neck and neck with The Empire Strikes Back.
So I think the expectations set up online are what made viewers feel cynical and not as excited about these new Star Wars films because the amount of expectations going into The Last Jedi were through the roof after what was set up in The Force Awakens. But one of the reasons why I loved it so much was because none of those predictions came true and I could experience something that moved me and surprised me in the best possible way. And I greatly enjoyed it for being this bold and layered masterpiece it turned out to be.
But it’s crazy to think of the different types of Star Wars content that appeal to different people, like some could be more drawn to the original trilogy than anything else. Or some might love the prequels most of all. Some might appreciate how the sequels are telling this story. Some might just want the fun adventurous spin-offs rather than the sequel trilogy. It all depends what viewers want to watch Star Wars for and if some would rather experience new crazy fantasy lore expanded in the prequels, or instead just the fun action in Rogue One and Solo, or beautiful character pieces in the sequel trilogy. Or like me there are people who love it all and love how different each section of the story is and enjoy each section for what they are. It all depends on what people want to watch Star Wars for and that’s fine. I don’t mind people liking different aspects and certain series in Star Wars more than others, but I just want different opinions to be handled with respect.
Now in all this, am I still excited for what awaits in The Rise of Skywalker? Of course I am, but I know because of responses on the Internet and how people feel about this new trilogy, I just know that excitement going into a new Star Wars movie will never be the same. And I don’t want it to taint my love of this new trilogy, and the important thing for anyone is to not let it. Don’t let the idea of someone leaking information and speculating these ungodly expectations ruin your day. In the end go into these movies, TV shows, novels, comic books, and video games, and just have some damn fun.
George Lucas set out to make the first Star Wars to have people escape and become hopeful again. This was a way for people to go to the movies and be exhilarated and leave satisfied in spite of the crummy world we may live in. In the end it’s a beautifully crafted fairy tale set in a galaxy far, far away that regardless of what anyone may think has made an impact on our culture and will continue to do so for years to come.
So please go into any of these new Star Wars stories and just have some fun like seeing it all over again for the first time.
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