Here’s the thing — I like the new Star Wars movies. A lot. If I had to put all of the Star Wars movies in order I’d start with the original IV-VI trilogy, then the newest films and then the I-III prequels. I almost cried at the end of The Last Jedi and I think that Rogue One is a great movie, Star Wars or not. That being said, after watching some of the original Star Wars movies again on TV I started wondering — do the new Star Wars movies including The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi spoil the story/message of the original ones?
“Tell your sister you were right.”
The original films, known as A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, essentially follows Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) as he goes from farm-kid to Jedi Knight while at the same time alternately battling the evil Darth Vader and trying to save his and Vader’s soul from the dark side. Battles are fought and sacrifices are made, but in the end Luke and the rebellion against the evil Empire win the day by destroying a new Death Star, killing the Emperor and turning Vader back to good which restores order to the galaxy. In the expanded editions of the movie, the ones that were re-released in 1997 with additional footage, there are scenes of celebration from around the galaxy of people cheering the demise of the Empire and the return of the Republic at the end of that trilogy.
Even if the original films didn’t originally have this galactic-wide celebration, none-the-less at the end of Return of the Jedi there is the sense that for the most part, if the Empire hasn’t been totally destroyed, that after such an immense defeat with the deaths of their leaders they’re close to annihilation. And, most importantly, Luke Skywalker is now the first Jedi in decades which means he can begin training a new generation of Jedi Knights.
Except in the next movie chronologically The Force Awakens (2015) we learn that all of what’s come before — this great victory and order being returned to the galaxy — was for naught.
Here, it’s 30 years after Return of the Jedi and the Empire has been replaced by the First Order, who are the Empire in everything but name. They have a seemingly limitless supply of soldiers, ships and equipment and aren’t afraid to use them against anyone or any planet that gets out of line. And instead of the Emperor to terrorize the galaxy, there’s Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) and instead of Darth Vader there’s Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). The rebellion has been replaced with the “Resistance” who are still waging a galactic war decades on. Where’s Luke Skywalker and his cadre of new Jedi Knights? He’s no where to be found, having left and hidden himself on a far-off planet abandoning his teachings.
So, essentially nothing that took place in the original trilogy matters much in the new. Luke could’ve stayed at home and never joined the rebellion, Leah could’ve run away and hidden on some forgotten planet and Han could’ve stayed a smuggler in the original trilogy and not much would’ve changed in the new films other than some semantics like “Empire” instead of “First Order.”
Terror still reigns supreme with good stuck fighting on it’s fringes.
I get why Disney decided to go they way they did with the with the new movies. It’s more of what the audience wanted and has come to expect from Star Wars. I just don’t think it fits very well with what’s come before. Especially knowing all of the post-Return of the Jedi stories that came out in the novels/comics before The Force Awakens. Interesting stories can be told that doesn’t essentially retell the original trilogy all over again. There can be stories about shifting powers, different alliances and new characters. But with the new trilogy we’ve gotten more of the same.
Don’t get me wrong — it’s really good “more of the same,” it’s stuff I really dig and watch whenever it’s on. But have no doubt the new trilogy is simply “more of the same” of what’s come before and is lesser because of it.
