Following the Last Jedi, I have compiled a list of nine elements that I would like to see in the final part of the Skywalker saga, the so far untitled Episode Nine. So sit back, relax, and read my SPOILER FILLED guesswork ahead of this much hyped climax.
A FITTING END TO LEIA’S STORY
As I’m sure you’re aware, Carrie Fisher tragically passed away just over a year ago in 2016. This tragedy has left Disney with a Dilemma; after Fisher’s character survived the Last Jedi, the Studio need to find a way of writing Leia out of the Franchise narrative, in a way that feels natural and respectful. Kathleen Kennedy (Lucasfilm President) has repeatedly stated that the final chapter in the new trilogy won’t use a CGI Leia, but Fisher’s family has given permission for Episode Nine to use footage of Fisher from the lead up to her passing.
In my opinion, this wouldn’t feel right; as a character so treasured by Star Wars fans, Leia shouldn’t be limited to a cameo in any instalment of the franchise, especially following her larger role in the Last Jedi. She should either be in the film, or not in it at all in order to respect the calibre of both actor and character. If I was to write Leia in Episode Nine, I would include her death in the Title Crawl and explore the way it has affected the Rebellion, and specifically characters like Poe and Kylo Ren, within the movie. The alternative would be for her to be off fighting for the Rebel cause in another corner of the Galaxy, but to me, this wouldn’t feel like a natural progression following the previous film. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
THE RETURN OF LUKE SKYWALKER
Let’s be honest, following Carrie Fisher’s death, Episode Nine needs one member of the original cast to see out this final chapter of the Skywalker saga, and who better than Luke himself? Whilst Mark Hamill’s character became one with the force in Episode Eight, you can’t rule out a reappearance as a force ghost, especially considering that otherwise, all we’re left with is the B-Team of Threepio, R2 and Chewie to represent the treasured originals.
In the Last Jedi, Yoda demonstrated the power of a force ghost in smiting the Sacred Jedi Texts (page turners, they were not). Maybe in this final film, we will see Luke use his power in the force in some way or another. Could he help Rey fight Kylo…as a force ghost? The recurring prophecy in the franchise is a chosen one bringing balance to the force, and this has always been thought of as being a Skywalker. After Fisher’s death, only Kylo and Luke remain, and the former is practically irredeemable – he killed his own father, Han Solo! So perhaps Luke could be the one to bring balance to the force from his ghostly state? It’s out there, but still possible, and I’d love to get some proper Hamill action in at least one of these newer movies…please?
MORE OF SNOKE
Another shocking death in The Last Jedi was that of Snoke. I thought Andy Serkis was doing a fantastic job with the character, but ultimately he was just another red-herring to propel Kylo Ren to centre stage. It would be a shame not to incorporate Snoke into this final instalment, particularly when looking at how Ben Solo is very conflicted and not sinister enough to portray the grand overarching antagonist as well as Vader-style character in Episode Nine.
In addition, it has already been established that Snoke is both cunning and more powerful in the force than any other character we’ve seen. Could he have somehow cheated death? Might Snoke have such a mastery of the force that he can become one with the force despite being a Sith? And who is this character? Perhaps he’s just dead and Kylo will become the primary Villain, but who knows whether he’ll reappear or not? I was actually hoping for some sort of battle between him and Luke, but I don’t think that will ever come to fruition. What I’m saying is that I’d like to see his character explored further, despite his untimely demise in Episode Eight.
REY ACTUALLY HAVING CHARACTER CONFLICT
Rey’s appeal was mystery. We wanted to know who her parents were and why she was so strong in the force, among other things. However, following the revelation in the Last Jedi that her parents are…nobodies, her character has lost some of that intrigue which has really kept her afloat. Ridley puts everything into her performance, but for many Star Wars fans, Rey is just too perfect to be in any way compelling, and her character is just a very generically strong, independent female protagonist.
So in Episode Nine, it would make sense for her to experience some kind of obstacle, from an emotional or development perspective. Maybe she struggles to control her growing powers in the force, or is emotionally compromised by losing all the mentor figures in her life. But the key point is that Rey just isn’t very interesting currently. J. J. Abrams has a task on his hands, because there is nothing stopping her at the moment.
MORE CAST CHEMISTRY
What were the things that made the old trilogy’s cast work? It wasn’t by tackling emotional and political themes in their dialogue, it was their snappy interactions and strong dynamics. The whole idea was that they’d been flung together, and are all completely different but work for common goals. I didn’t see that in Episodes Seven and Eight, just characters that are compelling but could have conversations written in binary on the back of cereal boxes – it’s all too robotic and by the numbers.
All it takes is a sudden event to initiate the dynamics that worked so well in the early films, and like in the original movie, this could be because of Leia. Perhaps her death galvanises the cast, forces them to work together, much like how her capture in a New Hope instigated Luke, Obi-Wan and Han’s involvement in the adventure and subsequent bickering and playing off each other. I’m not saying that the characters are uninteresting; the arcs are much improved over previous franchise instalments, for example. But at this point, I feel like Rey, Finn and Poe work too well for me to be invested in their relationships.
A LINEAR PLOT
Here is one of my major criticisms with the Last Jedi; the story meanders between the relevant and irrelevant to much, which makes the run time feel bloated and the pacing inconsistent. Canto Bight should never have been in this film, which makes me hope that Disney don’t get their clammy fingers on the story for Episode Nine and warp it to fit their own political commentaries once more.
In addition to this, I hope that the character arcs feel logical this time around. Finn, Poe and for most of the film Rey should be kept together so that we’re not drawn between all these different plotlines and overwhelmed by the sheer mass of themes and eye-candy and new stuff hurtling at us throughout the film, as was the case in the Last Jedi.
KYLO REN STRUGGLING TO LEAD THE FIRST ORDER
Kylo Ren is probably the strongest of the new characters. He has real emotional depth, and Adam Driver is perfectly suited for the way he’s written. Therefore, now that he’s the Supreme Leader of the First Order, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him struggling with the duty of command. This could pave the way for some intriguing dialogues with Commander Hux (Domnhall Gleeson), and perhaps reveal the character’s deeper flaws, much in the same vein as how killing his father didn’t give him closure, and because of this persuaded him not to kill his mother.
Maybe at the end of the film, Kylo and Rey could do what he proposed in the last film; end the Jedi and the Sith, and create a new order together. After all, there is enough evidence to suggest Ren’s conflicted nature between the dark and the light. Maybe Rey’s arc could be to realise that the two sides of the force can coexist, and in doing so, join Kylo? Who knows, we’ll have to see.
LIGHTSABER DUELS
Lightsaber combat was strangely absent from the Last Jedi. In fairness, we were treated to some action sequences to rival the very best in the franchise, and Star Wars does have quite a history of mediocre swordfights (Obi-Wan v Vader being a particularly tame battle), but there really is no greater staple in Star Wars than Saber combat, and judging by the lack of that in Episode Eight, all evidence points at Nine delivering the goods.
For instance, it is said to be the last chapter in the Skywalker saga. Disney undoubtedly wants something epic to cap off a monumental story which means so much to so many people. And let it not be said that there is nothing more unfathomably awesome than Lightsaber duels. Not just that, but there wasn’t really any in the Last Jedi, which means the Studio might be baiting us for something especially memorable come Episode Nine.
AN EMOTIONAL ENDING
In the two preceding Star Wars trilogies, we’ve seen one uplifting ending and another that was just sullen setup for the next films. So what if Disney went for something different again this time, something that’s resounding but at the same time carries weight? From watching these films, there ae a lot more emotional stakes than in previous entries in the franchise, so it would make sense for their to be an ending which had real power rather than a completely happy ending.
Could Rey or Kylo die? Will there be loss and reflection on it? We’ll have to wait and see, but this is a culmination of one of the greatest stories ever told, so it will definitely have to carry at least some emotional meat to justify the unbelievably high expectations fans have of this last film. No pressure J. J., but if you mess this up, you’ll forever be known as Jar Jar Abrams.
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