Not for the first time, a Star Wars movie has conflicted fans of the franchise. Some are happy with The Rise of Skywalker, believing it brings a satisfying end to a story that has spanned 40 years, over 10 movies and countless video games and other media. Others, however, believe the blockbuster suffers from a convoluted plot, poor decision-making and the unenviable task of having to please everybody.
We like the new movie, but some things are a little odd. We now take a look at those bizarre choices and idiosyncrasies and deliver our verdict on a film that will no doubt be talked about for many years to come.
Omitting Palpatine’s Message
The dead speak! That’s how the opening crawl begins, immediately paving the way for Palpatine’s return. However, while it’s all very well and good talking about this mysterious message, it would have been also good to see it.
Instead, rather bizarrely, Disney chose to allow the message to be played on the popular video game Fortnite. Fans who don’t play the game have to go onto YouTube to view the footage, which no Star Wars fan should have to do.
Luke And Leia Know About Rey
It was a huge shock to learn that Rey is the granddaughter of Palpatine, particularly as the Sith Lord doesn’t seem like the type to ever settle down and start a family.
But perhaps an even bigger shock is that Luke and Leia knew about it and didn’t tell her. Surely, as two super nice individuals, they’d have chosen to put Rey out of her misery before talking about what a kind heart she has? Certainly, she’d have likely preferred to learn the truth from them, rather than from Kylo Ren.
Hux Being The Mole
General Hux is revealed to be the mole within the First Order who has been passing information to the Resistance. He claims this is because he doesn’t want Kylo Ren to win because he’d rather be head of the villainous organization instead.
But…that makes no sense. If Kylo loses, that means the First Order loses. And with no First Order, there’s no organization to lead. It also seems unfeasible that Hux could leak information without the truth getting out, particularly given how he seems to be under constant scrutiny from both Ren and Allegiant General Pryde.
Rose Tico Being Sidelined
Poor Kelly Marie Tran experienced a huge fan backlash for her portrayal as Rose Tico in The Last Jedi, with some fans labeling the character as even worse than Jar Jar Binks.
Yet it seems like Disney wasn’t willing to give Rose another big role as a result, with Tran’s character sidelined. That’s rather odd because it suggests that they’ve allowed fans to call the shots which, while they should always be considered when it comes to making big decisions, suggests a bit of fear right at the very top. It’s also unfair on the actress, too.
The Force Made The Stormtroopers Revolt?
Our next two points both concern Finn. Our first issue is when he and Jannah converse on Endor, opening up about their past lives as stormtroopers and both agreeing it was the Force that led them into abandoning the First Order.
This…yeah. It’s odd. Fair enough for Finn, because it’s heavily implied that he’s Force-sensitive. But Jannah too? She doesn’t seem to be able to use the force — although she’s still a phenomenal warrior on the battlefield. So the whole “the Force led us to this” thing doesn’t really make sense.
Finn’s Confession To Rey
Our second point regarding Finn is his big secret. He spends most of the movie keeping something from Rey, despite clearly wanting to talk to her. And J.J. Abrams recently shed some light on the situation, admitting that John Boyega’s character was going to admit that he’s actually Force-sensitive — just like the former Jakku scavenger.
So why didn’t we see it? Again, the movie comes and goes without Finn ever saying anything about this on the big screen. Fans can read between the lines, of course. But because this is the final blockbuster of the franchise, it made no sense holding anything back.
Leia’s Big Gesture
Don’t get us wrong, we feel Disney did the best they could do with Carrie Fisher, even giving the character of Leia Organa an emotional and impactful death. However, while it’s a beautiful scene, the logic behind it is a little off.
Leia speaking to Kylo through the Force is enough for him to contemplate coming back home — so why didn’t she do it sooner? She could have used this connection at any time and yes, while we’re aware that her death also plays a role in his decision to switch allegiances, her gesture is what actually stops him from fighting Rey. Leia should have done this years ago, you know, before Kylo oversees the deaths of millions of people around the galaxy.
Lando Enlists The Help Of Everybody Too Quickly
In The Last Jedi, the Resistance send out a call for any First Order enemies to help them in their fight against the villainous organization. Nobody shows up, however, and the movie ends with you thinking the heroes have no chance of defeating the bad guys given how drastically inferior their numbers are.
This is the case for most of The Rise of Skywalker, too, but right at the very end what seems to be every single ship in the whole galaxy decides to help them. Lando Calrissian is the one who manages to get everybody to come to the Resistance’s aid, but he appears to have done this in just a couple of hours. That’s just not possible. It would have made far more sense for Lando to have managed the feat in a significantly longer period of time.
Where Are The Force Ghosts?
At the start of the movie, Rey is unable to communicate with the Jedi of the past. At the very end, however, she manages it with the likes of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu and many more giving her words of encouragement in her final battle against Palpatine on Exogal.
But we only hear them, rather than see them. While this has happened in the past, there was literally no reason for this to be the case. It would have been great seeing Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor and Mace Windu popping up for one big final cameo, particularly given how powerful Force ghosts seem to be these days. Alas, we can’t help but feel it was a gigantic missed opportunity.
Palpatine And His Lightning
Prior the release of Revenge of the Sith in 2005, fans were intrigued to know how Palpatine came to look so hideous. And the movie answers the question, showing he obtains injuries via his own Force lightning, which is reflected back at him by Mace Windu. Had it not been for a late intervention from Anakin Skywalker, the Sith Lord would likely have lost his fight against the Jedi Master.
But Palpatine doesn’t learn from his past mistakes, trying to fry Rey despite the fact she’s strong enough to repel his lightning. He should have used a lightsaber or some other dark power instead. Even before he dies, he has time to stop firing from his fingers, meaning his death should have been handled better.
