Star Wars is a long-running space opera franchise created by George Lucas, with a total of 11 films and several TV series to go along with it. The franchise revolves around the Skywalker family and a specific type of Force-sensitive warrior referred to as the Jedi. Over the course of its four-decade run, Star Wars has gained a great deal of popularity, with people of all ages showing their appreciation for the franchise. With one of the most loyal fan-bases in the world, when Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, many wondered what the future would hold for the franchise.

Disney started off strong by bringing in Rogue One in its early years, which many fans consider to be the best Star Wars film ever made. That said, many Star Wars fanatics have openly said that Disney brought the franchise to an all-time low with the sequels for a number of reasons. From the poor writing to the lack of overall direction within the storyline, the sequels are arguably the worst content in the franchise, with special attention on The Last Jedi, which is when everything went downhill. Many have argued that director Rian Johnson was responsible for the poor performance of The Last Jedi, while others see it as the studio’s lack of direction. So, the question is: did Disney ruin The Last Jedi?

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Deviated From Classic Star Wars Formula

     Lucasfilm / Disney

What makes The Last Jedi unique is its deviation from the traditional cinematic formula used throughout each Star Wars film. The biggest event in the film that many fans had an issue with was Finn’s attempt to sacrifice himself for the good of the Resistance before Rose selfishly sabotages his sacrifice, ruining Finn’s potential to redeem his wrongdoings and his cowardice shown at the beginning of the film when he attempts to flee. What could have been a great moment in the film became a moment that ultimately ruined it. While it’s arguable that this choice was made by Johnson, the reality is that Disney was in charge of many of the changes in creative direction taken in The Last Jedi. It’s clear through Rogue One that Disney is not afraid to show people sacrificing themselves for a greater cause. However, despite making fans happy to see their beloved characters live, Disney’s choice to save both Finn and Rose created a disaster for the storyline of The Last Jedi.

Lack of Leadership

     Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

While J.J. Abrams was approached to direct the entire sequel trilogy, it wasn’t until after the release of The Force Awakens that Disney offered Abrams to take it on fully. This resulted in Abrams turning down directing The Last Jedi, leaving it in the hands of Johnson. It’s arguable that the disorganized storytelling of the film was caused by the film literally being thrown at Johnson, who had no part in the making of its predecessor. While Disney may have had the intention of taking the sequel trilogy in a different creative direction, Johnson got caught in the shuffle of Disney wanting a different director and, more significantly, not having a clear plan for the sequel trilogy. This lack of leadership and direction created a great deal of confusion, which shows on screen as The Last Jedi is just as muddled, with no one to take hold of the reins.

Return of J.J. Abrams Ruined Johnson’s Plan

While there were many faults with the story throughout The Last Jedi, the greatest tragedy to come from the film is the fact that it just doesn’t fit within the sequel trilogy, narratively speaking. While The Force Awakens gave us a good idea of where the story was heading, The Last Jedi was a major departure, changing Luke’s character entirely and killing off Supreme Leader Snoke without batting an eye. When Disney made the decision to bring Abrams back as director for The Rise of Skywalker, all of Johnson’s direction and effort in The Last Jedi was seemingly for nothing. The most confusing aspect to the storyline was the topic of Rey’s parentage. While The Force Awakens spawned many fan theories about who her parents might be, The Last Jedi made her an unremarkable nobody. However, that was drastically changed in The Rise of Skywalker when it is revealed that Rey is a blood relative of Sheev Palpatine, former Emperor. This lack of continuity doesn’t lead to shock and awe, it ultimately leads to confusion.