Is it Still Fun to be an Online Star Wars Fan? The Road to The Rise of Skywalker (Part 2)

Read Part 1 First: Part 1

Part 2: Rise of Skywalker Predictions and Fan Reactions: (Minor Spoilers might play)

My predictions here go beyond theory. They are the result of a lot of research, but they also are derived on a few subjective assumptions. The first being that Lucas is much more involved in the core story and even the details than people realize. (I made my argument for this above). The second is that the conditions Lucas set forth to follow was to complete the monomyth of Joseph Campbell. Some of my predictions do involve scraps of the leaks that have made it to my brain, but more than that, that the ultimate goal of episode 9 is to tie the entire saga together. I conclude these predictions with how I think the fandom can best move forward positively.

1. These films are built around the identity of Rey. (Anakin = Chosen One = Rey)

Subconsciously, I think the fandom always knew this, even though we argued for a little bit over whether Kylo Ren was telling the truth about the “your parents are nobodies” thing. (Just like we argued over if Vader was truthful, and how we were meant to argue if Dooku was being truthful about a Sith Lord running the Republic. If the story wasn’t obvious because it was a prequel and we knew how things turned out.)  

We know deep down the question has not been answered once and for all, and identity is Rey’s main motivator. She wants “To find her place in all of this.”

Oddly, the fact we know this trilogy is ultimately about Rey discovering her identity does not curb the word “Mary Sue” being thrown at her from detractors. Even though her power and skill in the force (despite a lack of training) should be considered deliberate to the story, many refuse to see it as anything but a misplaced desire to have an ultra-powerful female lead Star Wars as the main character. Rey’s gender is part of the motif of balance – but that’s another essay.

The lightsaber vision from The Force Awakens and the Mirror Vision from The Last Jedi are connected and are meant to lead the audience to the true answer.  

Rey, in some way, is connected to Anakin. I maintain she is a resurrected Anakin due to the Star Wars monomyth not being complete with a true in-the-flesh resurrected hero. Regardless of an actual physical chosen one repeating throughout time being declared or only hinted like Darth Plaguis the Wise creating life, the connection will NOT be genetic, but mystical . . . through the force. Either a reborn soul or a connected chosen one infinite knowledge, does not matter. Rey is the force incarnate, and Anakin will NOT appear as a force ghost as a result.

How will the fandom react?

Mostly positive. It will be a realization that the sequel trilogy has indeed all been connected, but not only that, the entire saga. I maintain that the truth of her identity is still safely hidden, even from leaks by a similar “Obi Wan killed your father” bait and switch.

2. Ben Solo will be Redeemed and will LIVE.

Ben Solo became the generational representative of Lucas’s broad vision, where he wanted three generations of Skywalkers fighting the same evil. (1). Although his vision updated to include midichlorians and the mysterious Whills (taken from the original title of Star Wars – the Journal of the Whils.) the desire Lucas had for the final battle to take place on a spiritual plane of existence will remain intact.   

Many people do not want to see him redeemed, and many more who would be fine with his redemption do not want to see him live. This was the reason for multiple leaks on this subject. (Again, none of which I read; I just had the subject thrust in my face). One thing is clear to me – the results of the redemption changed. They could go either way at this point as far as I am concerned. Disney wanted to know how fans would react to a variety of scenarios. We will get what they decided would please the most people.

Unless they listen to Lucas and decide enough people will be happy with his vision. If they do, Ben Solo will live. As for his redemption, this is Star Wars so redemption is 100 percent. The movie is called “Rise of Skywalker.” – and like many Star Wars titles it has a few meanings.

How will the fandom react?

Divided. The movie will attempt to show how Han Solo’s sacrifice directly allowed for Ben Solo to be redeemed at all, but many will miss the mythology / fantasy of it because of their adult sense of justice. They will be unable to return to that 12-year-old point of view.

Young fans will love it unanimously.

3. Reylo

I think they pretty much gave away with trailers and movie promotion that Reylo won’t be a romantic thing, which is odd considering all the sexual tension of The Last Jedi (to include literal rape metaphors by Snoke).

The point of Reylo is probably something that was considered and abandoned, as it would be difficult to both have Rey connect the saga and not have it be weird that she was technically spiritually (but not genetically) related to Kylo Ren / Ben Solo.

Still, Reylo will serve as a reminder of the type of relationship Anakin and Padme had, but by the end will move on to a more equal and balanced, rather than codependent / abusive relationship. Just not in a romantic way – but in that fantasy way only Star Wars can achieve.

How will the fandom react?

Negatively. Because Rey’s identity will block the romantic side, shippers will be upset. However, feminists might read the wrong message as to the abusive nature of the relationship if they only glance over the film, and even non-shippers will notice a huge plot hole. At first, people will be upset, but in time it will become a running Star Wars joke just like how Luke kissed his sister.  

4. Force Ghosts and Dark Rey

Some of this is tainted with a few leaks which reach my brain unwillingly – so some spoilers beware – but I only have fragments to add to my own long held theories.

Much of the final confrontation will be on the spiritual plane of existence. To reach the “cave” or “underworld” (to quote the monomyth) Rey and Ben solo will have to journey through a spiritual realm of light into one of darkness. Ben will become lost in this darkness, with Rey trying to fish him out.

On the light side Rey will meet Leia, Luke, and even Han. Possibly Obi wan. She will converse with Luke and possibly Leia.

Counter to this, (based on limited leak knowledge) Ben Solo will be shown Dark Anakin / Vader, (a holdover from The Force Awakens) and possibly other Sith Lords like Darth Maul . . . but it will be unclear if he is seeing these people is real or just a vision. Palpatine will then emerge for real.

In order to reach Ben, Rey will have to embrace her dark nature and thus we get Dark Rey. On the verge of being redeemed, Ben will see Han who will also have descended into the darkness after his son. Luke and Leia force ghosts become instrumental in the final defeat of Palpatine.

How will the fandom react?

Mixed. I say mixed because I don’t think many people will outright hate whatever gets done with force ghosts, but rather it will be a reflection of how they liked some of the other main answers to their questions. I think a lot of people will be disappointed if they don’t see Anakin or if Anakin isn’t “real” – but that again will be a reflection of how they like who Rey is.

Many will just be glad to have Luke, Leia, and potentially Han in one more moment together. Han would be the big surprise . . .but I really think he’s going to be there because “spirit plane” etc.

5. Palpatine / Snoke was always the plan

I suspect most of what got leaked about Palpatine is totally true, except for anything he might have to do with Rey’s identity. Palpatine’s “contingency” plan has been well documented in all Star Wars cannon released by Disney since well before the Force Awakens, so this has been in the works from the start.

I suspect the Mandalorian show has more details on Palpatine’s return, and thus the reason we are getting filler episodes until the release of Rise of Skywalker.

(Moving beyond what I know of the leaks) Palpatine preserved himself horcrux style in a Sith Artifact, and is attempting to manipulate the midichlorians (or something) maybe bringing Rey and Ben together, to allow his full resurrection and immortality.  

Snoke was literal vessel for Palpatine’s spirit for a time.



How will the fandom react?

Mostly Positive. People are going to like it. They are conditioned for this type of return through Voldemort. Palpatine will be menacing and full of fan service, and even if Rey doesn’t connect the whole saga for people, he will.

It might be of some minor importance whether people think he was a last-minute change, or planned from the start, but I think in time the evidence will reach enough people that people won’t doubt him being planned out.

This will also redeem the Snoke death and lack of explanation for many Last Jedi detractors, but it won’t solve all their problems.

Conclusion

Can a fandom change, unite, become less toxic?

I like to think so. I think this exercise with Star Wars has taught us much in regards to how we relate to each other online. Some of us have learned to be more patient, and realize that just because opinions vary, they are not your enemy and are not bad people.

This is much harder to learn with some of the political discussions these days, as we tend to gravitate toward our camp.

But with Star Wars, there is still just one camp. We all love this story. We all have a tendency to compartmentalize the parts we like the best. Some people might cut themselves off from the rest of the fandom, but in general its no fun to do so.

I have to believe this will be an example of why patience, and waiting for a story to play out before you judge it as whole can be a good and positive exercise. I think some change will be immediate as realization hits.

For others, the creator himself I think is going to have to step in and tell the whole story his involvement in how these movies got made.

George Lucas comes Forward

No author can resist. It won’t happen for a few years (if it happens at all) because it will take a while for the internet to re-posture and redraw its battle lines. There will be some fights after Rise of Skywalker, but in general I don’t think they will last for years like The Last Jedi because the there will be nothing left to argue about. No more unresolved theories. No more

Overall the Rise of Skywalker will be mostly positively received, unless Reylo or Ben solo dying in the end was really important to you. Some people will love whatever happens with force ghosts, and some will find it too childish.

Once the dust has settled and the memes popular like the prequels, if Lucas is still alive he will tell the full story of his involvement, more on what he wished Disney would have done, and what ideas he was able to force them to follow (or which they respected).

Rey the Mary Sue

I don’t think this point of view will ever go away completely, but it will decline significantly.

The Triumph of Star Wars

This is our modern myth. It will last generations to come. More stories will be told, more movies and TV shows made but everything will basically be spin off from now on. Disney will learn to pace themselves and keep it special. (They’ve learned already)

In the end the fandom will be balanced, just like the force.

Is it Still Fun to be an Online Star Wars Fan? The Road to The Rise of Skywalker

*This will be a two-part series. The first details my thoughts on Lucas and the Fandom as the Sequel Trilogy was made. The second part I go on record with how I think Rise of Skywalker will change the online fandom world. 


Part 1: Lucas in the Shadows


“You know the prequels are bad movies, right?” 


My friend looks over at me as we get ready to play another round of Street Fighter Turbo. (Or something. I can’t quite recall because it doesn’t matter. My friend, who we shall call Morpheus to protect his identity, always kicks my butt at fighting games.) I have always been a prequel apologist. I have never not liked a Star Wars movie. Sure, there are cringe-worthy moments, and some Star Wars movies have more of them than others. But they are all DUMB. 


Isn’t that why we love them? 


No, there’s something more than Ewoks, and Wookies, and Gungans (Oh my) that makes these films endearing to millions. It’s because they successfully dig deep into a core mythology of humanity felt deep within every soul. This mythology brings with it certain expectations depending on our age. When George Lucas says the films are aimed at twelve-year olds, it’s not because the themes and motifs are immature. (Or because a ten-year-old gets to “accidentally” blow up a warship.) It’s because it is within this age group that this type of mythology matters the most. To the rest of us, we are supposed to let go of our hardened adult mannerisms and return to that age to re-learn the key lessons. Some of us are better at doing so than others.

I shrug. “They have their moments.”


“No,” My friend says, grinning. “Come on. Admit it. They’re pretty bad.”


I shrug, not really admitting anything, but I let him take my knowing smile for what he will.

This is a short conversation I recall before The Force Awakens came out. Everyone (including the Disney led Lucasfilm, unfortunately) was still kind of worried about a “repeat of the prequels” in those days. Half a decade later, and prequel memes dominate the internet—certainly more than any meme from the original trilogy. The prequels have suddenly become this revered and treasured event. We’ve forgotten how we as fans treated Jake Lloyd, Ahmed Best, and George Lucas himself. We psychologically scarred all three. Hayden Christianson decided to leave acting, and Lucas would eventually sell his franchise . . . 


And then history sort of repeated itself, but for much different reasons. This time, Lucasfilm could anticipate how the old generations of fans might react compared to the new if there were things they didn’t like about the new trilogy. And therein is the common misconception with how the sequel trilogy got made.


Hot Take: Lucas didn’t sell his franchise for money, or because he was tired of Star Wars and trusted it to a family friendly company. He sold it to finish his story while being shielded from the onslaught should the final three films not be well received. 


As an author, it baffles me sometimes that people think Lucas didn’t put exact story conditions into the contract of the sale. This is a man who went back and forth at least three times on how much of his story he could finish. Three times he said “No More Star Wars.” And three times he changed his mind and it returned anyway. What is more, it is easily forgotten his grand vision always included nine films (1). 


Now all of this is speculation based on what I would want, placing myself in Lucas’ shoes, but keep in mind most of the actual contract between Lucas and Disney has been kept a closely guarded secret. The move to finish his story free of repercussions had drawbacks. 

•         He would have to give over an extreme amount of creative control, as his core outline probably had to be very general.
•       He wouldn’t be able to take credit for things if they went well. At least not until all three were done. (More on this later) 
•       He was able to place long-time Lucasfilm veteran Kathleen Kennedy in charge, and had a say in choosing the directors. (We know this because the way JJ Abrams was approached and hired is very detailed.) However, history would show that the Disney owned Lucasfilm could still rearrange those directors as they saw fit.  

These drawbacks would eventually lead to Lucas feeling betrayed with The Force Awakens. (And it is very important to point out it was only with The Force Awakens). Disney’s CEO Bob Iger would later express regrets in his book, “The Ride of a Lifetime”: (2) over making Lucas feel this way. The betrayal was because the Disney led Lucasfilm decided to:

•       Cut important political moments (entire essays and videos can be done on this).
•     Structure the film in such a way as to make it nearly beat-for-beat like the original Star Wars movie (Titled: A New Hope)
•      Use nostalgic ships like the M. Falcon and X-wings rather than brand new ones.

And yet, the core story remained intact. How do I know this? Because it was easy to reference in two books. “The Art of Star Wars: Force Awakens” and “The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” (3) (4)

Unfortunately, the internet in general took the comments out of context, and for people who hang on every word from Lucas or pine for every scrap of information on Star Wars, when The Last Jedi failed to please them, these comments became ammunition. 

Suddenly, a story with a clear plan seemed like a story where everyone was just winging it. It didn’t help when Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World) was replaced by J.J. Abrams for the final instalment in the Sequel Trilogy. To fans in which The Last Jedi made feel jaded, this and many other factors were a sign of a lack of communication between Disney leadership and its directors. However, Lucas always remained in the shadows, consulting on everything. 

And then there were the spin off movies – “Rogue One and Solo” (Both subtitled “A Star Wars Story). These were generally a very messy filming affair. Why? Because Lucas didn’t leave any conditions for them. There was no outline, and it was the first time anything like them had ever been attempted. These two films require their own essay, but they added to the appearance of disorganization. 

Mark Hamill added fuel to the fire by publicly sharing his initial doubts and reactions to the story. Having met Mr. Hamill and person, I can tell you he wears all his emotions on his sleeve and he doesn’t mince words. But again, words were taken out of context. Nobody cared (especially those who felt rage at Episode 8) how he came to appreciate the direction his character took, only that he fundamentally disagreed at first. 

And so, a conflict that started brewing with The Force Awakens ignited into a full-blown online war after The Last Jedi divided the fanbase. It wasn’t a fan war that lasted a month or two after Episode 8. Oh no. It rages still. Anyone posting a video or article about Star Wars does so at extreme peril. Many I am sure, sought to gain fame or notoriety off of this war. One prime example is the leaks. The war is so hot, that leaked script information making its way onto the internet is thrown in the face of any unwary YouTube user who watches a lot of Star Wars content. Usually, the leaks are pointed at with the words “Disaster” in the title. 

All of this goes on with fans forgetting how Lucasfilm deliberately leaked critical information in the original trilogy. Darth Vader was to tell Luke “Obi Wan killed your father.” 

Only a select few knew the true line, “I am your father.” Not even Mark Hamill. Not until it was time to film the scene. The setting, situation, set up, result of the duel . . . all of that was leaked truthfully. And fans that loved spoilers ate it up. This was in a time when there was no internet. But now . . . the Disney owned Lucasfilm must be even more wary. Yet, I do not put it past them to be any less successful with their information warfare, because there is a man in the shadows who knows better. This ain’t his first rodeo folks, and he has placed his faith in people who are really good at managing the secrets. (Some of the same people who kept Baby Yoda a secret) 

It hasn’t been fun the last two years to be a Star Wars fan on the internet. But there is hope. The Rise of Skywalker, the Monomyth of Joseph Campbell . . . and George Lucas. 

References

1. “The Making of Return of the Jedi” (1983) Hosted by Carrie Fisher

2. Iger, Bob. “The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company”

3. Szostak, Phil “The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015)

4. Szostak, Phil “The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017)

Go to Part 2