Star Wars made its comeback in 2015 with its new sequel trilogy. Its first installment, The Force Awakens, was generally well-received by critics and audiences, who praised its new planet settings, heroes, and villains. Fast-forward to 2017, The Last Jedi picks up immediately after the events of its predecessor. Unlike The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi received some harsh criticism across the board for its treatment of Luke Skywalker, its seemingly invincible protagonist, Rey, and its overall execution, but criticism is subjective. Here is why The Last Jedi is the sequel trilogy’s most original entry.
Rey - Defining’s One’s Destiny
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
The Last Jedi revisits many relevant themes in Star Wars. In Star Wars: A New Hope, Luke leaves his home planet, Tatooine, to embark on a mission to save Princess Leia, hoping to find his identity in the process. The Star Wars sequel trilogy introduces Rey, a force-sensitive scavenger who longs to forge her path in the universe. Rey eventually embarks on her own journey to find Luke Skywalker to stop the First Order’s tyrannical reign. Once finding Luke on Ahch-To, he reveals he purposely fled and has no interest in training further Jedi. Rey and Luke reflect opposite sides in defining one’s destiny; Rey is determined to form her identity in a perilous universe, regardless of her origins; Luke embraces exile after decades of being considered “The Chosen One” by returning balance to the force.
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The Force - Hidden Potential
The Last Jedi takes a unique direction with “The Force.” In the original Star Wars trilogy, the force is exclusive to the Jedi and the Sith, specifically the Skywalker family. Rey is a highly force-sensitive individual; with minimal training, Rey manages to hold her own against Kylo Ren, an equally force-sensitive warrior and former Jedi padawan. During their second duel, Kylo reveals to Rey that her parents were merely scavengers that abandoned her. Unlike Kylo Ren, a Skywalker descendent–Rey isn’t linked to a force-sensitive lineage (at least in this film)–she is simply force-sensitive. The message is further reiterated in the film’s closing scene, where a small boy moves a broom through his own force-sensitivity. The Last Jedi transcends the classist ideology that only a select few can possess the force–it is a metaphor for the hidden potential in strong-willed individuals.
Kylo Ren - An Irredeemable Villain
Return of the Jedi allows for one of the most feared villains in all cinema, Darth Vader, to redeem himself by overthrowing the Emperor to save his son, Luke Skywalker. The Force Awakens takes an opposite direction, having Kylo Ren murder his father, Han Solo, when presented with his opportunity at redemption. Nevertheless, Rey maintains a strong connection with Kylo Ren and refuses to believe the dark side has completely consumed him. Rey believes she finally breaks through to Kylo Ren when he kills Supreme Leader Snoke and helps her defeat the Praetorian Guards; Kylo instead claims he’s done being relegated to servitude, and extends the offer for Rey to rule the universe alongside him. Kylo Ren refusing redemption reinforces the idea that some villains are beyond saving.
Luke Skywalker: Existentialist-Turned-Nihilist
The original Star Wars trilogy presents Luke Skywalker as an existentialist; he longs for a greater meaning to his place in the universe. While Luke discovers his role in said universe as “The Chosen One,” it comes at a price when he realizes his biggest adversary, Darth Vader, is his father. Though Luke prevails in bringing his father back to the light side of the force, Luke himself is tempted by the dark side throughout his existentialist journey.
Luke attempts to kill his nephew, Ben Solo, as a preventive measure when suspecting he’s being influenced by Supreme Leader Snoke. Feeling betrayed, Ben turns on Luke, destroys the new Jedi Order, and joins the First Order as Snoke’s disciple, assuming the identity, Kylo Ren. Ashamed by his moment of mental obscurity and the domino effect it unleashes, Luke retreats to Ahch-To indefinitely. Luke’s time in isolation turns him from an existentialist seeking deeper life meaning to a nihilist that accepts that the universe’s fate is beyond his control.
Leia Organa: A Broken Woman in the Call of Duty
Leia Organa is the most resilient character in Star Wars. Presented with quantifiable obstacles from a young age, Leia persists forward in the call of duty. She endures significant loses throughout the franchise including her adoptive father, her former lover, Han Solo, her brother, Luke, and her own life in a final attempt to redeem her son. Leia isn’t just a broken woman; she is a martyr to every extent of the word.
Original
What makes The Last Jedi standout most is its originality. The Force Awakens pays homage to the original Star Wars by reinventing many of its scenes; The Rise of Skywalker compensates for audiences’ dissatisfaction with The Last Jedi. Despite its subjective flaws, The Last Jedi has an original plot, realistic takes on classic characters, introduces new characters with potential for growth, and holds themes representative of Star Wars; it is an underrated gem.
