I couldn't even finish TFA. I mean, I didn't even know how I got through it the first time. The main protagonist is one dimensional and quite a bit of important context is only given in novels.
What needs to happen is the producers of Epsiode 8 need to go back to the drawing board and find out what made Star Wars great. What made Star Wars great was the mystery of the force, epic battles between the light and dark side that made people betray each other, and of course, originality. I'm hoping the Last Jedi will be better.
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Obviously there will be some slight differences. Luke will likely be far more conflicted, reluctant, and withdrawn than yoda, luke will probably confront the villains in some way unlike yoda, we might see snoke training kylo in the ways of the dark side (i reeeeeaally want to see this. We never have in the movies), and the resistance will likely be more confrontational than han/leia and co, and finn/poe will do all kinds of new stuff.
Im excited for TLJ because i like all of the characters that were established in TFA. As long as their decisions make sense and are consistent with their personalities, plot similarities with ESB wont bother me that much (cant fix what aint broke).
Its impossible for TLJ to please everyone. I can probably guarantee that ill like it more than you or anyone else who hated TFA, but thats because Lucasfilm's direction for these new movies coincides pretty closely with my interpretation of what star wars should be.
Let me start out by refferring to my previous statement: "I'm hoping the Last Jedi will be better." I already saw the similarities between Empire Strikes Back and The Last Jedi. Example being sandspeeders instead of snowspeeders, the main protagonist going to a planet with lots of water to get training from a powerful force weilder, the good guys getting it handed to them, and I would imagine even more similarities will be shown in the film itself.
I'd like to quote something you said:
May I ask how bringing in one dimensional characters, recycled or already used concepts, and relying on earlier films is what Star Wars should be?
Also, I know it's impossible for The Last Jedi or any movie to please everyone, but that shouldn't hold back the film producers going the extra mile. They should at least give their best efforts.
I find it quite interesting though that your entire reply or at least most of it was based off one sentence I said. I think discussing TFA would be more suitable.
I will never claim that TFA is without many faults, but i strongly agree with the focus on likable, emotive characters (i know thats subjective but they feel like real people rather than bland vessels who exist only to move the plot further) and their relationships. There were scenes in TFA like when poe and finn meet and fly the tie fighter, when rey and finn fly the millenium falcon, when rey exposes kylo's insecurities, and kylo and rey's duel that (for me) felt so real. I saw the movie many times when it came out and everytime scenes like those happened i was extremely invested. I never get that feeling when i watch the prequels or rogue one (ok, maybe the hallway scene).
For me, star wars is about those moments. Those scenes where characters really connect and i feel that connection. Im talking about the emperor's throne room in ROTJ, obi wan reminiscing on tatooine when he tells luke about his father, pretty much every scene in ESB (epecially ones with han and leia). The tv shows have some of these moments as well. Like when maul tempts obi wan to the dark side, when ahsoka leaves the jedi order, when ezra/kanan return to chopper base after ahsoka's apparent sacrifice, etc. Those scenes have genuine heart and passion. Its not about big fancy lightsaber duels, or explosions, or flashing lights. Its the intimacy of those scenes.
This is why recycling some plot themes (even though many of them are just basic hero cycle tropes that all hero's go through) isn't as big an issue for me as it is for many other people. As long as Lucasfilm keeps crafting those intimate, emotional moments that make the action scenes pay off, then im fine with some familiarity.
What does this mean?
I can understand where you're coming from. Personally I feel like Star Wars is a movie always bringing something new to the table, something that makes people think "why did I never think of that?", having epic battles between the light and the dark, and the force having a strong influence of the protagonists' decisions whether it would be to restore peace and order to the galaxy or to save the ones you care about.
The reason I say TFA doesn't give us the charm was because it brought none of these to the table. It brought little new concepts, the lightsaber duel may have been realistic but in reality, it was too incoherent to really enjoy, and of course the force played little to no role in the decisions people made (one of the many traps TPM fell into).
I feel as if no passion was put into TFA and was just a money grab. They didn't care what made Star Wars Star Wars, they cared about making as much money as possible by sacrificing passion for recycled concepts.
As you said, the TV series had those moments of passion. Which proves my point: using recycled concepts is unnecessary and unfair to the fans. If I want to feel the way ANH or ESB did, I'd watch those movies again rather than paying double digits to watch the downgraded version.
Also I agree we don't need flashing lights, but when we look at the reason it's like that, you'd be foolish to deny such evidence.
Could you please explain?
I think he doesn't realize yoda taught all the Jedi.
Its one of the best star wars scenes ever made. Its a perfect foil to anakin's fall and shows how strong obi wan is
This also ties into:
* Who the hec is Rey? is she a skywalker? She must be if she could best the bloodline of the force itself - aka Anakin's grandson, Kylo. If she is not a skywalker then how is Disney going to explain that away while maintaining star wars lore and fan expectations/want.
* Who the hec is snoke? Is he Darth Plagueis? will this answer the creation of Anakin/the chosen one once and for all? And how do they explain (if snoke is not plagueis) a decent backstory for snoke and how he avoided Palpatine's detection?
I also want to know about:
* Power is in the grey aspect of the force - Rey is training in grey and Kylo is trained in dark but has struggle with light within - what does this mean in the ongoing fight between light and dark?
* Now that Carrie Fisher is passed on - what will they do with Princess Leia??
How can they do all of this and make the remaining 2 ST movies stand out and be different? This thread has already mentioned how TLJ is going to be similar to TESB but how can they also make it different?
Whatever they decide to do, I hope it finally answers some existing and major plot holes along the way as well as adding nothing new that breaks star wars lore to the point where the saga could turn ridiculous. Fingers crossed.
Agreed
That doesn't stop them from having, you know?
a lot of this has been answered already
We dont know who exactly rey is but we know that she easily defeated kylo bc he was weakened from killing his father. he was expecting a power surge from the ds and it did the exact opposite. rey was already extremely talented and trained in melee fighting why she could handle a lightsaber so well. there were a lot of things that just fell right for rey at the time to make the fight favor her. in any different situation should would have lost.
Snoke is possible a being from way beyond the outer rim. He called to the emperor and to the knights of ren. and another group of ds followers. none of this is confirmed to be him. but very possible.
The gray aspect is about being balanced the book of the whills talks about this. “First comes the day
Then comes the night.
After the darkness
Shines through the light.
The difference, they say,
Is only made right
By the resolving of gray
Through refined Jedi sight.“―Journal of the Whills, 7:477
Princess Leia will not be in episode 9.
Ok -so know one really knows why Rey beat Kylo - she just did, you can read all the extra little fancy books you like, until things from the movies are actually explained in the movies ill buy it otherwise its just poor plot hole fixing like continuing the Darth Maul storyline when TCW was cancelled by releasing things in comic book form.
Snoke being a dark entity from the outer rim does not negate him from being plagueis and again I say this does negate the power and rule of palpatine, making the most evil dude to date look pretty dumb if there just so happens to be a bigger and badder evil dude around the corner, because he was just there.
Interesting about the verse from the Whills - this does make more sense in regard to Rey being Grey and Kylo being Grey, but both being somewhat opposite ends of the spectrum. It is clear that Rey will have the refined jedi sight part under luke's tutelage.