The Rise of Skywalker: hope for redemption?

When the teaser trailer for The Rise of Skywalker was released, I have to say that I was both excited and skeptical.

Could Episode XI bring us any hope? Could this film potentially undo all of the damage done by the mistakes of the previous two films, and somehow restore the glory to the Star Wars franchise?

Would Lucasfilm demonstrate to the fans that it’s still about the story, and not about the money? In all honesty, I don’t know.

I have heard a lot of good things during production, and I think that there may be elements of fan service there, but the one thing fans have cried out for the most, seems to be out of reach.

The fact that Rey most likely is not Luke Skywalker’s daughter will be a very tragic mistake for these films, and worse yet if she really does turn out to be a nobody.

To title the film The Rise of Skywalker and she not be a Skywalker is in my opinion, click bait of the worst kind. If she did turn out to be Luke’s daughter, then that single fact would make this journey worth the wait.

We already know that Ben Solo is by blood, a Skywalker, but the film has never really been about him; or has it?

Is there a deeper connection between Ben and Rey as some have suggested? Or is this too, simply the rumor mill at play?

Mark Hamill stated about a year ago that he had read George Lucas’ script for the sequels, and they were a much different story than what we have been given by Disney.

I took his tone to imply that he approved of them as well. Though we may never know what his story entailed, I have been given one solid piece of information about them, and that is Luke Skywalker dies in the final film.

It would have been a far more appropriate way to close out the story of the Skywalker family, and an appropriate way to honor the actors involved.

To kill off major characters in each film, is simply writing them out of the story for the sake of a convenient plot point. It bypasses the gravity of the character, and what they mean to the larger narrative at work.

I do believe that Episode XI will feature great action sequences, and that sense of adventure that we have come to see in these new Disney era films, but I cannot believe at this point that it alone will redeem the sequel trilogy.

I hope that I am wrong, and that Lucasfilm surprises us all, but I simply cannot allow myself to believe in that, based upon what we have already know.

If popular culture is anything, then trends speak volumes, and Google trends has a lot to say right now about Star Wars.

According to a recent article by the website JediBusiness, their research into current analytics show that interest in The Rise of Skywalker is at an all time low.

That is not good news for this franchise. Why you ask? First, it speaks volumes about Disney and Lucasfilms marketing campaign and strategy.

They made a mistake by waiting months to reveal the teaser, and we have yet to see a full trailer. In addition, The Rise of Skywalker will not be featured at San Diego Comic Con this year.

In my opinion, that is a serious mistake. SDCC is THE annual event if you are a fan of anything fantasy/ sci-fi. To exclude what is marketed as the biggest film of the year from that event, means something is wrong.

Furthermore, this is the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga, and the last Star Wars film scheduled for several years.

Nothing about this adds up. Perhaps Lucasfilm has an aggressive marketing strategy planned to coincide with Triple Force Friday, the premier event revealing tie-in toys for the film, but not everyone will be interested in that.

Many fans are new to the franchise, and are simply wanting to be entertained, and enjoy a great film.

It leaves many questions unanswered, and points to The Rise of Skywalker possibly not being the success that Disney might want it to be. I hope that I am wrong, but at this point nothing can be ruled out.

Final thoughts

It has been a lifelong journey for most of us, and I believe that George Lucas set out to tell a story, and he devoted his life to that purpose.

Along the way his company expanded into a four billion dollar plus operation, that has been involved with every form of entertainment and media.

His dream of completing his vision for Star Wars continued in 1995, as work began on what would become the Special Editions.

Behind the scenes, a new trilogy of Star Wars films had secretly begun development as well. The Prequels were not well liked or received by some, and the backlash from fans both angered and hurt Lucas.

He vowed to never make another Star Wars film again. In my opinion, I could empathize as to why he was hurt, and I also believe that this may have played a part in Lucas’ decision to sell Lucasfilm to Disney.

Now that the franchise has been sold, I see changes both good and bad. Had we gotten Lucas’ version of the sequel trilogy, I believe that they would have been critically successful, and gone down in history as some of the most emotional stories ever seen in a film.

Unfortunately, that isn’t where we are. Good or bad, failure or success, The Rise of Skywalker has completed principal photography, and is destined for theaters in December.

I hope that it delivers a powerful story that resonates with us all, and brings all of the films together in a meaningful way.

I hope that it isn’t just a fan service move by Disney, or viewed as only a marketing tool to rake in the revenue. Somewhere, I hope that deep in the hearts of everyone involved, that they care as much about this story as we do.

In the end, whatever this film may bring, Star Wars will live on, and the hope that it inspires in us all will continue to exist beyond these films.

Perhaps one day we can look back, and read a different account of these stories, that was never made. It would be a fitting way I think, to say goodbye to the Skywalker legacy, and Star Wars as we know it.