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Luke Skywalker

Welcoming the Stranger: The Ewoks Got it Right

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If you’ve been on the Internet for more than 5 minutes in the past two days, you are no doubt aware of a certain PR crisis surrounding an alleged Presidential statement. Nightly news anchors, local bloggers, church leadership councils and literally millions of people are in a state of shock and uproar and have taken to the web in order to communicate their feelings on the matter. And while I am admittedly terrified to even step foot into such a polarizing climate, I am also committed to bearing witness to my Christian faith. Today that commitment has conquered fear. And it is through film that I hope to express my response.

Instead of watching a film and pulling out a certain element or moment, this time I needed to find a film that illustrated what I was already thinking, which can be summed up as “why are we ok with going into these countries to serve and help, but aren’t ok with bringing those same people to live among us?” In other words, “who is worthy of our welcome?” And as it does so many times, Star Wars can put it into perspective.

In Return of the Jedi, our beloved Rebels have infiltrated a small forest moon in order to destroy the shield generator that is protecting the unfinished Death Star. But before they can complete their mission, they get a little sidetracked by a tribe of Ewoks.

Personal feelings regarding Ewoks aside, they are the ones I want to focus on. At first they respond to the strange human creatures with fear – they are threatened and take the steps necessary to ensure their tribe’s safety. But then conversation happens. C-3PO (voiced by Anthony Daniels) tells the story of the Rebel Alliance and the Empire, of their journey to this place and their mission moving forward. Despite language and cultural (and species) barriers, the Rebels and the Ewoks connect. Even beyond that, the Ewoks accept these strangers into their tribe. They become family. The Rebels’ mission becomes the Ewoks’s mission. The Rebels’ needs become the Ewoks’ opportunity to give.

Yes, the Empire is a universal threat, meaning there can be immediate commonality between the persecuted. But accepting someone into the folds of a community goes beyond a common enemy – it illustrates a deeper desire for relationship. It’s an acceptance that has more meaning than the temporary joining of forces in battle.

When we welcome a stranger into our midst, embracing them as part of our family or community, we are actively participating within the Biblical narrative. The story of Christianity is permeated and formed with countless references of how the Israelites were required by God to welcome the foreigner and alien into their lives, and to treat them as “native-born,” granted the same rights and protections as anyone else. In the book of John, chapter 14, verses 2-4, Jesus says, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

Jesus came so that we may one day be brought to dwell with Him. We are undeserving and unworthy. We have done nothing to earn this privilege. Our beginnings are far below the majesty that is the Son of God. And yet we are welcomed into an eternal kingdom of glory! Jesus doesn’t care where we came from, but that we acknowledge His sovereign place as Lord of our lives. We are beloved not because we are Americans or African, white or black, rich or poor, but because we are created in God’s very image.

Yes, welcoming the stranger is scary. It’s risky. It requires vulnerability and grace and sacrifice. But there is so much more strength and power behind the gospel message when it is exemplified in our day-to-day interactions with the people that the rest of the world has deemed “unworthy.” It is wonderful to go into the lives of the suffering and help while and how we can. But it is life-changing when we welcome those same people into our communities to dwell with us.

The Last Jedi: Identifying the Enemy

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I know who Snoke is.

Ok, I admit that I originally had that as the title, but could foresee the flood of “clickbait” accusations with the overall discontent surrounding Snoke’s identity, so I moved it. But in all seriousness, I do know who he is. In a way.

I know there are hundreds of articles on Star Wars: The Last Jedi, so what could one more hurt? I enjoy discussing and reading countless theories and thoughts because there is always something new in the Star Wars universe that may have been overlooked the first time around. I mean, it’s a timeless story that spans generations and galaxies, and bridges the past with the experiences of the present and with a hope for the future. The conversations after the credits are part of what makes Star Wars Star Wars.

I want to be sensitive to everyone’s personal definitions of “spoiler,” so if you are still avoiding all of the press and discussion until you see it, here is where I say “it’s better to be safe than sorry,” and perhaps come back later. For everyone else, I want to talk about Snoke.

Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) has been an enigma since The Force Awakens gave us a holographic introduction of a seemingly larger-than-life villain with a mastery of the Dark Side of the Force. He not only controlled the First Order, but guided and influenced a young Ben Solo, a former Jedi-in-training under the tutelage of Luke Skywalker (Adam Driver and Mark Hamill respectively), and transformed him into Kylo Ren.

In The Last Jedi, Snoke is still in charge, and still pushing Kylo Ren to a deeper commitment to the Dark Side. Granted he isn’t as physically imposing up close and personal, but his power seems all but absolute, much like the villains that have come before him. In the prequels, Senator/Chancellor/Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) seduces Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) with a promise that he can prevent the death of Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman). In epsidoes IV-VI, Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones), uses the family connection between himself, Luke and Leia (Carrie Fisher) in multiple attempts to turn the young Jedi into following in his father’s footsteps.

Snoke uses those same external influencers and family connections but in a very pointed way, as he flips the relational dynamic between the “target” (in this case, Ben Solo) and the path of darkness. And this is what makes Snoke far more dangerous, and far more recognizable as a villain, than either Palpatine or Vader.

Instead of focusing on what the Dark Side can offer, Snoke uses the weaknesses he sees in Kylo, compares him to those he has admired (or hated), and twists a manipulating knife of self-loathing and doubt deeper into Kylo’s vulnerable soul. Snoke has taken hold of Kylo’s sense of self…who he is, his bloodline, his purpose, his talent…and poisoned it with talk of inadequacy and failure. It isn’t that the Resistance is too strong, or Rey too powerful for him to defeat, it’s that Kylo is too weak. His conflicting feelings keep him from doing what is necessary. Snoke feeds the doubt that is already inside of Kylo…that is inside of all of us…to maintain his control over him.

And this is why Snoke is such a dangerous enemy – not because of his skills with a lightsaber (apparently none), or because he has a connection to the villains before him (we actually get nothing of his backstory, which I think is what makes him even more dangerous) – but because of how he pulls the strings. His approach feels familiar because most of us have seen it or lived it in our own lives.

I mentioned that we get nothing on Snoke’s backstory. Maybe it will come later, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Snoke is more dangerous for the same reason Rey is more powerful – because they aren’t anyone “special.” Like the Force can choose anyone, so can the Dark Side. Snoke is a scarred, dangerous, hurtful person not because of who he may have been, but because of how he permits the Dark Side to work within him and in turn, helps him convince Kylo Ren that is an epic failure.

There are people in our lives that seem to have an unshakeable hold, and not because they are caring and supportive, but because they feed the small voice inside of us that whispers “you aren’t good enough, you aren’t smart enough, you aren’t pretty enough, you aren’t thin enough, you aren’t rich enough.” They poison our hearts with false declarations of our identities and leave no room for us to break free. Their power doesn’t come from a supernatural source or an inherently evil past (for most people anyway), it comes from the moment we accept their assessment of our weakness.

Snoke’s identity is clear: he is the abuser. He is the former boss, the ex-spouse, the controlling significant other, the overbearing parent, the toxic friend…Snoke is the manipulator in our lives that plants seeds of self-doubt and worthlessness, who cultivates a garden of thorns in our hearts, devoid of the warmth of the sun and relief of the rain. His sickening self-confidence that Kylo will strike down his “true enemy” solidifies his position as abuser. He is absolutely convinced that Kylo belongs to him. 

Our hardest battles aren’t fought with weapons and epic cinematic throw-downs (although the tag team of Rey and Kylo was majorly epic in my opinion), but in quiet determination, with a few key people pulling us through – both past and present.

I find it no accident that Kylo cuts the tie to his abuser with the Skywalker lightsaber when he strikes down Snoke. Kylo has been unsuccessful in the past at retrieving that lightsaber, yet in this scene he wields it effortlessly. You can’t convince me that Rey’s presence in Kylo’s life isn’t fueling his already conflicting soul, encouraging him to break free, making it possible for the lightsaber to respond to his command. And for me, having it seem such a simple act is what makes it so poignant and powerful.

Now Kylo did identify his true enemy and take him out, but the remnants of Snoke’s power still run deep. We see this play out for the remainder of the film. At first this really bugged me, as I was so ready for him to turn light. But it can’t be that way. It hardly ever is. When we take that first step away from a toxic presence, we are simultaneously at our strongest and weakest points. The journey is just beginning, which makes it vital to surround ourselves with people of light, like Rey and the fledgling remainder of rebels, as opposed to dwelling on our anger and sense of injustice and pouring our energy into violent revenge. Snoke’s role is far from removed because Kylo still reels and responds to his influence.

But there is hope! There is always hope, and in true Star Wars fashion, we are left with an image of resiliency, inspiration, and dare I say it…grace for the ones fighting a battle deeper than we may ever know.

 

4.08 Letting the Past Die in THE LAST JEDI

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With the return of Luke Skywalker to the Star Wars universe, you’d expect that fans would be buzzing… but STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI has proven to be one of the most divisive films of the series. This week, Steve is joined by podcast vets Chris Utley and Patrick Erskine to talk about the dangers of nostalgia, the power of nobodies and the damage of the past.

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

4.08 Star Wars The Last Jedi

A special thanks to Patrick and Chris for joining us!

For those of you in Canada who are interested, you can donate to ScreenFish by clicking the link below and simply selecting ‘ScreenFish’ from the ‘Apply Your Donation…’ area. 

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/connect-city/

The Last Jedi: Change and Timing

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It’s been a full week since I sat in a packed theater and took in the spectacle that is the eighth episode of Star Wars.  Since then, the reaction to Rian Johnson’s vision has produced levels of venom, vitriol, and vituperation that I didn’t know existed in filmgoers (a change.org petition currently exists to have it removed from the canon and has more than 13,000 signatures–seriously).  Then again, numerous people have praised it as a worthy addition to the SW canon.

After reviewing films for over a decade, I’ve learned not to jump to conclusions about a film immediately upon viewing it. It takes me a day or two to really think through and process the action, dialogue, and themes that a movie offers to the viewer.  In the case of The Last Jedi, there’s a massive amount of dissection people will inevitably perform in the next two years, so I’m not going to take my scalpel and add too much more to the growing body of speculation.  However, I think we need to take a closer look at the film’s components and see what they add up to.

It is important to note that The Last Jedi is not worthy of a Best Picture nomination at next year’s Academy Awards.  The dialogue is too wooden in places, some of the acting is a bit wonky, and the running time is about 15-20 minutes too long.  With that said, it’s still a great film and provides the next generation an opportunity to join into the phenomenon that is now going on for nearly 40 years.

The Last Jedi is nearly impossible to discuss without spoiling key plot points, so here is your friendly warning that spoilers will be part of this article going forward.  If you haven’t seen the film, go see it and then finish reading this article with a clear conscience.

The biggest issue for most fans has been dealing with change.  It’s been a while since Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) was introduced to the world, staring at a binary sunset.  You would think people want him to stay hermetically sealed, never to age or decay.  Sorry, but life happens—even for Jedi masters. They get older.  Situations leave an indelible impact on their conscience. Their personalities change.  Even they need reminders from time to time about what their purpose needs to be (thank you, Yoda).  Yes, Luke is a different person than he was in Return of the Jedi. But he’s become older, grizzled, and prone to some of the same faults that he exhibited in the cave on Dagobah.  He’d rather stay a hermit on Atch-To, protected from change, than deal with the world for another second.

Sound familiar?

Rey (Daisy Ridley) wants to bring Luke back into the real world to help out in a desperate time for the Rebellion. Yet he resists because he doesn’t want to endure change. In the end, he does help, but on his own terms while performing one of the all-time great gotcha scenes with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). It’s a fitting way to end his human legacy, but I have a feeling he’s going to be a thorn in Kylo’s side for a majority of the final film in the series.  It’s kind of like Christians who want to sit on the faith they profess, never revealing it to the people they come across on a daily basis. If there’s a light available, as Jesus stated, hiding it under a basket serves no benefit to anyone (see Matthew 5:14-16).  At least Luke made himself known in a manner that served to encourage and stiffen the spines of the remaining Resistance fighters.  They’ll need all the help they can get going forward!

A second issue people are having with the film involves Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern) and her seemingly indecisive nature.  After Admiral Ackbar is picked off (no biggie for me—he only had one major line in the series that has already been memed to death), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) appoints her as the replacement. Her focus is simply to stay the course regardless of the obstacles around her.  Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), impulsive fighter pilot, can’t handle Holdo’s leadership style and attempts to take matters into his own hands, placing the existence of the Rebellion in jeopardy.

Perhaps the most powerful scene in The Last Jedi occurs when the Resistance members flee to the base on Crait and are picked off, one ship at a time, by the First Order.  Holdo stays on the main ship by herself, seemingly unwilling to take on the enemy combatants.  Then, in what will forever known in my book as the Holdo Manuever, she spins the ship around and, with the last ounce of fuel, makes the jump to hyperspace through the First Order battleship.  It sucked the air out of the theater I was in, and for good reason.  It was unexpected, it was brazen, and it was effective enough to get the remaining Resistance members to safety.

God works in this way in our lives.  We have big, beautiful plans for our one opportunity on earth, and we don’t want them to get derailed by anything.  Sometimes we want to rush things and end up looking silly, potentially hurting others along the way (in addition to ourselves).  But God says very clearly to Isaiah, “’My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT).  What looked like sheer madness turned out in the end was a reminder to stay the course and let God handle the details.  Life seems to work a lot better that way.

Should Leia have been in her place?  Considering what we’ve learned about her in the preceding four films, the answer is an emphatic no. It simply isn’t within her character arc to sacrificially go out on that kind of limb for the Resistance. Introducing Admiral Holdo brings a figure to the party that isn’t fleshed out well enough to prevent her from using her ship as a chef’s knife.

I think that, over time, The Last Jedi will prove to be an indispensable part of the Star Wars canon of films.  It upsets the apple cart just enough to encourage people that change can be a good thing at times. It reminds us that life is not to be lived out of the world while somehow in the world.  It challenges us to consider that sometimes our impulsive nature isn’t the best option available.  In a convoluted way, it prods us to be better than we were when we entered the theater.

And isn’t that what all good films strive to accomplish?

seeing it coming [The Last Jedi SPOILERS]

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when old wineskins
make way for new,
who sees it coming?

if one waits on royalty
but receives rabble,
will one still receive?

and though death is
obviously an end,
isn’t it always also a beginning?

even so . . .

shred the Jedi texts and
burn the sacred tree,
for the force is
the force for everyone –
“The wind blows wherever it pleases.
You hear its sound, but you
cannot tell where it comes from
or where it is going.” –
true always,
clearer now

when the one book
in the one tongue
gets Gutenberged,
then can the word
truly be writ
on its true home:
the hearts of all,
not the papers of the few

even so . . .

if Rey be the seed of nobodies,
that need not mean
she cannot still be
the start of a new hope –
for the last shall be first,
the weak shall be strong,
the poor shall be rich

also forget not
the lamb yet lion,
the servant yet master,
the pauper yet king –
forget not that
things many
can yet be one

even so . . .

Skywalker is dead.
the call of the
force/wind/God
made in a way most final.
his shoot of a branch
seemingly snipped.
the Jedi –
once but a
dreamer of a boy
looking aloft to
binary stars –
finally, the last.

yes, but,
who supplants him?

who but he himself:
yet another boy dreamer,
looking aloft to a
new sky of his own

so can you see?

can you see it coming?

the new wineskins?
the royal rabble?
the end-yet-beginning?

can you see that
Luke is Rey is
the boy dreamer
is all the dreamers is
me
is
you?

and can you see that
this is the way of the
force/wind/God?

i hope,
yes

 

Scenes From A Thursday Night In A Galaxy Far Far Away

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SPOILERS FROM STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI ALL OVER THIS ARTICLE.  DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE!!!!


  • Dear Disney: You’ve got money up the wazoo! How hard can it be for y’all to give Lucasfilm a proper movie studio logo with bells and whistles and such?  Marvel’s all spiffed out.  Pixar and the animation wings are spiffy.  Lucasfilm’s got that same placeholder madness from the 90’s.  Update that thing!   PLEASE!!!
  • So…Luke’s journey with the Force started with a binary sunset and ended with a binary sunset?  Coincidence?  Doubt it. Poetic?  MOST DEFINITELY!
  • How many of y’all besides me reduced the Force to moving rocks and other inanimate objects?  That mind-melding between Rey and Kylo to get in each other’s head/physical space? Mind. BLOWN!
  • And till now, we thought that Leia’s Force gift was just sensing thoughts and feelings.  Teleporting herself in a semi conscious state?   Mind. Blown. Again! Although my heart sank when it appeared that was how she was gonna die.
  • YODA!!!!
  • I’m not so sure Finn earned that “kiss from a Rose.”  There’s gotta be some cutting room floor material from that casino planet scene to justify her falling in love with him.
  • My SF colleague Arnaldo Reyes summed it up for us all in his review.  LET THE PAST DIE…but hold on to HOPE!  And that’s why fanboys are up in arms.  We will go into Episode 9 with a dead Vader, dead Han Solo, potentially Force ghosted Luke (and Yoda) and, ever so sadly, dead Leia.  The past has died.  All we have ever know about Star Wars is gone.  And that’s a good thing.  It’s what the last scene – along with the revelation of Rey’s parentage – leads us into: A TRUE NEW HOPE – the promise of something new.  Newness can be horrifying. So many times we cling to familiarity at our own expense.  We hold onto old memories, old lives, old sins that God clearly states that we are to put away.  Paul in Romans gives us one of the hallmark statements of faith when he declares that his mission in his journey with Christ is to forget those things which are behind and press forward toward that which is in front of him.  Rian Johnson has done that for us, the audience.  The past must die in order for us to move forward.  Just like our position in Christ:  Old things passed away.  Behold, ALL THINGS ARE NEW.
  • One final point about Luke. Addressing the fanboys again who were searching for their hero who they loved back in 77-83:  Heroism has a cost.  We see our heroes in real life and admire their greatness.  But we have no idea what that heroism cost them emotionally, mentally and spiritually.  Luke was supposed to be the manifested Jedi prophecy bringing balance to the Force and restoring the Jedi order.  But he failed in the process.  That failure cost him his nephew and the students he was training and also unleashed the power of the Dark Side to a new level.  Now mind you: THIS is on top of being a presumed orphan for the early part of your life, watching your aunt and uncle who were your caretakers die, finding out your sworn enemy is YOUR DADDY, losing your hand while confronting said enemy, the utter mind-blowing discovery that the most beautiful princess you’ve ever seen (and stole a couple of kisses from) is your friggin sister AND taking eleventy gazillion bolts of Force lightning from the Emperor as your enemy/Daddy saves your life and loses his in the process.  Talk about your burdens being carried!  But no one sees that.  They just see the blowing up of the Death Star, using the gift of the Force and Vader’s redemption. Heroism to the masses…failure behind the scenes.  Much like our own lives.  But as Yoda said, FAILURE is just as crucial to the journey as the successes. The American wing of the Christian Church is infected by this anti-failure mindset.  It has seeped into the fabric of the entire country. We celebrate success. We denigrate failure.  I have seen failure get people who genuinely love God removed from churches because of it. I have seen friends lost because of it.  I have seen the outright dismissal of people’s walks with Christ because of it. But, in my life, I have seen FAILURE be the launchpad into the revelation of the grace and mercy of God.  I never would know God’s genuine love if I hadn’t failed.  And I have failed epically. Just like Luke. But out of the ashes of my failures have come my greatest victories.  Just like Luke.  Luke’s final act in this film was paid for through the cost of his failures.  He became greater and more powerful than at any point in the Star Wars saga!  Can’t wait to see the lessons his Force ghosted self will teach Rey – and hopefully that little boy in the final scene.
  • JJ: Pressure’s on you, bruh.  You alienated a legion of Trekkers through your remake of The Wrath of Khan in which you made Khan an English dude and flip flopped Spock’s death into Kirk’s death.  We cannot have those shenanigans for Episode 9! No digging into your crates to find another movie to remix. The gauntlet has been thrown. Rian Johnson has set the table. It’s on you to bring the feast that will end this trilogy. DON’T SCREW THIS UP!!!

Star Wars The Last Jedi: Why Episode VIII is the Best Star Wars Film to Date

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I know, I know….just the title itself sounds sacrilege or over hyped. But bear with me. For years, The Empire Strikes Back has been the staple. Most fans I’ve come in contact with would agree that Empire stands out head and shoulder above the rest. So trust me when I say that The Last Jedi is the best. I don’t say it lightly.

Ever since The Force Awakens, the fear has been that episode VIII would be a retelling of Empire. As good as The Force Awakens was, it was for all intense and purposes A New Hope all over again. It felt sort of fresh because the new characters truly did stand out, but it continued to feel like Episode IV and it brought many questions: Who is Rey? Where is she from? Who are her parents? Where’s Luke? Why is the Jedi Master in hiding when we need him to turn the tide? Droids wandering in the desert with an important message only to be found by a scavenger and said scavenger is thrust into this fight and helps the rebels (or in this case the resistance) strike a major blow to the dark enemy. Even in minor details, it was a direct parallel to Episode IV.

However, The Last Jedi seems to accomplish what Lucas tried to do with the prequels, what was completed with Rogue One, and what should have been done with The Force Awakens. It took risks and dared to change all we think we know, and frankly it is for the better.

FROM HERE ON OUT PARTS OF THE FILM MAY BE SPOILED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

 

Let’s dispell the fanboy complaints for a second. Where The Force Awakens was a direct parallel from beginning to the end of A New Hope, The Last Jedi is not a parallel to The Empire Strikes Back. A broad stroke approach would tell you: “New Jedi leaves to train with old master hiding away, and the Empire finds the rebel base and attacks.”

That is about as close as these two movies get.

While Luke was sent by Obi Wan to find Yoda and train so that he can fight Vader, Rey had no such mission. She didn’t seek out Luke to train; she seeks him out to bring him back. The resistance needed the legendary hero, only he wasn’t so legendary (more on that later). It was her mission. It wasn’t until the Force calls her to the library that Luke asks her what it was that she wanted. You see, in The Empire Strikes Back, Luke was seeking Yoda out so that he could learn how to stop Vader. Rey wasn’t looking to stop Kylo–she just wanted someone to help her understand what was going on with her. Think of it as a teen hitting puberty and trying to find out what is going on with the changes in their body, voice, hygiene, etc. Rey is going through a change, so even though she’s looking for Luke to save the resistance, she’s also wanting him to tell her what exactly has awakened in her. Both Luke and Rey, in their young selves, may have gone to see an old teacher, but they were for very different reasons. All movie franchises are built from the same foundation, but not all are parallel. They may interconnect in a way, but that doesn’t mean one is exactly like the other.

The other broad stroke myth is the idea of the Empire finding the rebel base and attacking it. I mean, we knew going into this film that the First Order knew where the resistance base was. This is something Empire slowly builds to. Instead, here we are thrown already into the action because it is where we left off. Yeah, the resistance destroyed the Starkiller Base, but they also knew they couldn’t stay. What takes place is what happens in most films of this type. Sometimes the enemy finds your hideout and you have to fight and flee. But this was different. The battle didn’t take place on the surface, but rather in space. And for some, the idea of a slow chase seems boring and lame, but boy did it bring about a real story and real character development. For those upset or those who wanted more action, go watch a Transformers movie that is nothing but explosions. It’s like biting into a burger with all the fixings and the meat is barely there. No, The Last Jedi took the aspect of battle and war and showed us that sometimes patience is key.

But enough about that. The question you have is (while you are screaming at me and calling out blasphemies) why I believe Episode VIII is the best to date.

Simply put, it’s because it let the past die.

The Last Jedi is the best film in the saga because it dared to show that heroes such as Luke, no matter how legendary, can fail. I’m sorry fanboys: that this isn’t the legendary hero you love. Luke is a failure and didn’t know how to deal with it. And that is totally logical and rational. Luke wasn’t in hiding because he was waiting for the next great Jedi to train. He was in hiding because he wanted to die alone and ashamed. He couldn’t confront his guilt or his failure. He allowed the ‘legendary’ title to lead him to his biggest failure. He (like fans) needed to let the past die. Luke had to find self redemption and, with that, we get another great moment in the Skywalker saga. When Luke arrives to the final battle–the last stand of resistance and what was left of it–we see what self sacrifice and leadership means. Fans are outraged that the legendary Luke didn’t go have an epic battle and go down in some great fashion.  This misses the entire point. What Luke showed was much more powerful than simply wielding a lightsaber in some great fashion. He projected himself from lightyears away and with all his self will and the power of the Force, found forgiveness from his sister. He then outwitted Kylo by showing him that even when he felt he was winning, he was really losing. Luke gave a performance that should make us all cheer and accept the truth and change. The past needed to die so that the future could live. Hope was dying and the end of the resistance was at hand. It was either Hope or the past, and rightfully so, the past sacrificed itself so that Hope can live. His death was beautiful and symbolic.

We all call out for the films to be new and take risks, yet when they do, some people get mad. You can’t have both. The Last Jedi is great because it finally felt like a changing of the guard. It was all about the new characters and their ‘purpose in all this.’ Rian Johnson took risks with this film, which spans a period of probably 48-72 hours in their time. It was kept grounded (so to speak) in that with so little happening on the outside, it was what was happening on the inside that mattered. Heroes learned to be leaders, nobodies learned to be heroes, and nothing was as it seemed. The film allowed itself to be lighthearted at times, serious and dark in others, yet blended it well with story and enough action scenes that made it come together in a well put together package. Everyone was finding their purpose in all of it, and when hope seemed lost, the past gave us one last moment to believe again before fading into the sunset(s).

I will agree with some of the naysayers. Captain Phasma is a huge letdown through two films. But she’s no different than fan favorite Boba Fett, who really didn’t do much. It’s his history and background that is more intriguing than anything he did in the films. A great character that didn’t do much–that was Phasma . . . and I’m okay with that because it wasn’t needed.

Vulptex > Porgs.  Enough said.

With all that, here’s the real reason why I loved the big risk taken . . . because everything we expected and hoped and wanted did not happen. The film dared to make the Force so much different than what we knew. It isn’t something that is inherited from a strong bloodline. It is around us, in us, between us. It binds all. And when great darkness arises, the Force brings forth a great light, but it is the Force that chooses the person, but also provides the person a choice to accept the light or the dark. We all wanted Rey to be from a great bloodline of Jedi, but she isn’t. She’s a nobody who was cast off. Her parents were scavengers, just like her, who sold her to pay off debts. Yet, the Force chose her. It’s just like when God chose David, a shepherd boy, to be Israel’s next great king. It wasn’t about his bloodline or how great his father or mother was; it was all about what was inside him. The Force chose Rey because when confronted with the darkness, no matter how big the pull was, she chose the light. It showed us that you don’t need to be a Skywalker to be great.

The connection the force made between Kylo and Rey was a big risk filled with twists as well. Was Kylo’s conflict real or just manipulated? But what I liked about it is that Rey, without knowing much about him, still felt empowered to try to redeem him. I don’t view this as she fell in love with him, but it was the Force and the light she chose to accept. She didn’t just accept that Kylo was bad.  To her, he had everything she ever wanted, and he gave it up. She needed to understand why. In the midst of it all, she became stronger within the Force (no thanks to Luke). I believe Kylo’s conflict was real, but he’s not strong enough to reject the pull of the Dark Side like Rey is. That is what makes her special. But to give the audience this dynamic between the dark and the light interacting and not just fighting, it changed the game on how the Force can work.

Then there is Snoke. Snoke, as powerful and menacing as he was, didn’t last. And I’m okay with that. To me, that was one of the most dramatic scenes ever in a Star Wars film. I was watching the scene, expecting Luke to drop in and save the day, but it was Kylo. You think that wow, she really did manage to reach him because he took Snoke out. He used Snoke’s manipulative move against him. And then seeing Rey and Kylo work together to fight the Praetorian Guards was nothing short of epic. But then we are given another great scene. Kylo has been driven in his dark ambition not to join Rey, but to try to reign. Let the past die; start a new chapter with him and her as the most powerful rulers of the galaxy. The tension, the splitting of the saber, her choice again to serve the light no matter her past, was a great moment. The film dared to take someone who we all found mysterious and large to be an after thought because in the end, he represented the past, and the past needed to die.

The Last Jedi is the greatest film in the Star Wars saga to date because it dared to be different. It dared to challenge us. It dared to change. We may have wanted Snoke to be greater than he was. We may have wanted Phasma to be more relevant. We may have wanted Luke to go out in a blaze of glory with an epic lightsaber battle between Kylo or Snoke. But all of that would have just given us everything we’ve seen before. Instead, The Last Jedi dared to tell us that the Force is more, the past needs to stay in the past, and that the future is bright. Because we have all that we need, right here.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Trailer Breakdown

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With the release of the new trailer last night, you either fall into three categories:

A) I’m not watching.

B) I can’t believe what I just saw.

C) I don’t care about Star Wars. (you are lame)

So for those in category B….this is for you.

Ok, I will admit, I’ve seen this trailer more than ten times. There are so many questions and so much to unpack. I’ve already had several conversations with many who have watched it. As my cousin told me, “I think Disney loved all the different theories and made the trailer to both enhance and debunk at the same time which just left you even more confused and anticipating even more” That is true. There are other things that some of us here at ScreenFish have discussed as well.

So let’s get to it, and in the end, I’ll give you my theory:

“When I found you, I saw RAW untamed power…and beyond that…something truly special”
–Snoke

I believe that this beginning will bring us the flashback of Kylo turning to Snoke and the Dark Side. We know from the first film that Snoke calls him back to finish his training. Kylo was already powerful enough to send Luke into hiding (more on that later), so the real question is what will it look like to finish his training? Snoke is ancient so there is something to him that we haven’t seen in films and just maybe he will share that with Kylo. This part finishes with, again, what I believe is the flashback of Kylo receiving his now famous lightsaber from Snoke.

The next set of scenes bring us to the island where Rey gives Luke his lightsaber. Luke doesn’t seem to be happy to have it. It is possible that Luke either doesn’t want her there or wasn’t ready for her yet. Anyway, I believe that most of these scenes are the process of Rey getting her crystal for her lightsaber, which appears to be more white than light blue (or just a very light blue).

Rey is discovering that her whole life she’s known something has been there, and now it’s awake (a nod to the first film). As we see this montage, we realize just how powerful she is.

“I’ve seen this raw strength only once before. I didn’t scare me enough then, it does now”
-Luke

I believe Luke is referring to Kylo and, at this point, we get a glimpse of why I believe Luke was in hiding. It was fear. Luke knows he isn’t powerful enough to take on both Kylo and Snoke. If Snoke is truly ancient, then the clues to defeating him are in the temple. It also explains why he wasn’t happy to see Rey because he’s not ready. He hasn’t found the answers and now he must train someone but, likely, that fear creeps back in. In Rey, he sees his failure of Kylo and thinks that things are happening all over again. Luke is terrified.

From there we get the typical montage of action scenes, some Porg, exciting confrontations, and a heart-wrenching left-to-the-imagination scene featuring Kylo and General Leia.

But it’s the ending that has the Star Wars community going crazy.

“Fullfill your Destiny!”
-Snoke

Is he talking to Kylo…or is he speaking to Rey? I believe based on the next scene it was definitely Rey, but what was he doing to her? Is that a simple death grip, or is the rumor of Snoke’s ability to feed off of force wielders to gain strength true and he feels the force within her was awakened to feed him? If you look carefully in the background of the photo below, you can see that Snoke has Rey. But what is he doing to her?

And then…finally…the moment of shock, anger, confusion, sadness, and what the?

“I need someone to show me my place in all this”
-Rey

Those words, followed by Kylo and then his hands extended, have sent a shock wave. What does it mean? Well, here’s what I think. I believe it’s safe to assume that this trailer leads us to believe that Luke abandons her after he sees how much raw power she possesses. Luke is so terrified and has convinced himself that she will turn also that he leaves her, forcing her to return before she is ready.

I believe that Kylo couldn’t go through with killing his mother and that Snoke eventually does. I believe that no one force wielder can bring balance to the force; rather, it has to be a combination of dark and light. Kylo isn’t fully dark; there is light in him. Rey and Kylo will bring about the true balance together. Kylo will realize that Snoke was leading him astray and the above scene is a combination of Rey joining him and Kylo leaving Snoke.

Snoke is ancient and I think a) Anakin turning and b) Order 66 shifted the balance so much that it awoke him. He stayed hidden, gaining strength while the Empire went from its beginning until its ultimate end. I believe in order to bring true balance back, Kylo needed to turn to give way to the Force awakening in Rey. Combined, Rey and Kylo bring about the embodiment of the Force and will defeat Snoke in Episode IX together. Where Luke factors in to this equation, however, is the biggest question. Does he come back after he feels that Leia is gone? Maybe he has a renewed hope when he sees Kylo and Rey together, not embracing the dark side or the light side, but embracing the balance knowing both are truly needed.

What say you? If you made it this far, you’ve watched the trailer, so what do you think?

 

Star Wars The Last Jedi Trailer Debut

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As many expected, today at Star Wars Celebration The Last Jedi panel, the teaser trailer for the next installment in this legendary series was released, along with a pretty epic poster that pays tribute to past, present, and the future. If you haven’t seen the trailer, you can watch it below (as spoilers from the trailer will follow).

Regarding the trailer, as Screenfish writer Chris Utley says, less is more. We get a little of the training that Luke is putting Rey through, but it tells all we need to know about where the film is going and asks that burning question, what does The Last Jedi truly mean? Action-wise, there’s a little bit of The Empire Strikes Back feel as we can see that the resistance is under attack. They clearly will need a new base and it will be interesting to see how much different from The Empire Strikes Back this will be.

The part that stands out the most is in the trailer’s dialogue, seemingly a narration between Rey and Luke as part of her training. It’s clear she is meditating with the guidance of Luke, and when asked what she sees, she says “light, darkness, a balance,” followed by Luke saying, “It’s so much bigger.” After a montage of action, the trailer ends with Luke telling Rey that he only knows one truth: “It’s time for the Jedi to end.”

Is it time for the Jedi to end? Of course, the theories between now and Christmas will abound, but when you piece together the dialogue, Luke’s search of the first Jedi temple, the idea that it’s time for the Jedi to end, and his comment “It’s so much bigger,” it seems like the next evolution of the Force is taking place. For Rey and Luke to win, they need to be more than just Jedi. We previously got a feel of this much larger balance in Season 3, Episode 15 of Star Wars Clone Wars when Anakin subdued the son and daughter of the overlord (a planet and beings more powerful in the force than any other and in charge of keeping balance).  Anakin was to be the chosen one, the one to keep light and dark in balance, but he rejected that calling. It seems like Luke and Rey are heading to new levels in the Force, and to do so the Jedi–much like the Sith–can be no more.

So now we are left with many new questions. Obviously, we won’t know the answers until December 15, but there will be lots of interesting conversations until that day.

What say you? Tell us what you thought of the trailer and what your theories are!

On Rey, Mystery and Spoiler-Driven Culture

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Poor Rey.

Whereas the entire world fell in love with her character in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the film seems to have left her adrift amidst the (far from subtle) questions about the identity of her parents. Still, by leaving her on the Irish Isle of La Luke, the film’s finale leaves us with what seemed to be much more important questions. Will Luke train her in the ways of the Force? Is she more powerful than the young and reckless Kylo Ren?

Then, with the release of the trailer of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story last week, all of a sudden the issue of her mysterious origins was back in the spotlight once again. Taking place during the events of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Rogue One tells the story of a group of expendable crooks and smugglers who are enlisted to steal the Death Star plans. (Think of it as the Star Wars equivalent to David Ayer’s upcoming film, Suicide Squad.) Led by Jyn Erso, a young woman with a troubled past, they band together to do the impossible.

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But meanwhile…

While Rogue One doesn’t appear to address Rey’s journey at all, an interesting fan theory has taken the Internet by storm. Despite the unconnected storyline to Force Awakens, the web is abuzz with the rumour that Erso is, in fact, Rey’s mother. Recently, actress Daisy Ridley spoke out against this theory, claiming that “just because she’s white and has brown hair, it doesn’t mean she’s [Rey’s] mom.”

To be honest, I find it amazing that this mystery has lasted as long as it has. With the reveal of [Spoiler Alert… from 30 years ago!] Darth Vader as Luke’s father catching audiences completely by surprise (and believed by many as one of the greatest ‘twists’ of all time), the Star Wars universe carved out its place in storytelling history. Still, that era of filmmaking existed apart from the spoiler-driven internet culture in which we currently live. In this day and age, even if you have a great plot twist, it’s likely that someone somewhere has not only thought of it already, they’ve blogged about it online and sent the legions of inter-webbers into a frenzy. Gone are the days when a film’s surprises were special until it’s release.

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We want to know everything… now.

Living in the information age, we seem to have lost the joy and the impact of experiencing the elements of a story together for the first time. We want to burst the balloon of mystery before it ever gets a chance to lift off.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing either. In all seriousness, we are constantly being teased with tidbits to generate excitement and promotion for upcoming films and shows. Remember when the pic of the partial Millennium Falcon and X-Wing went viral during the filming of Force Awakens? There’s no doubt that that pic was released in order to send a message to the fans that their expectations were going to be met with the new film. New characters? Sure… but you’ll fall in love with them. What matters most is that we’re also going to resurrect the things you miss and love the most.

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For the fans, it was intoxicating.

Still, while part of this is just plain fun to discuss, I also think that our spoiler-focused culture makes it far more difficult for a filmmaker to tell the story their way. Our desire to know the answer immediately—sometimes before the question is even asked—creates an environment that puts an emphasis on ourselves, rather than on the story itself.

We want to know everything because we feel like we own the story. It’s our story.

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But what if it isn’t?

What if the true power of story is admitting to ourselves that it’s bigger than we are? While we may like/dislike a film, there’s something to be said for admitting that we don’t need to know or understand every detail in advance. In doing so, we are most suited to become participants in a story, making it more powerful. As a Christian, I recognize that God is a better storyteller than I could ever be… and, if I trust that, I don’t need to know what’s coming.

So, Internet fans, by all means, feel free to have your fun. But remember that, whether or not Rey’s last name is Skywalker, Solo or even Snopes, it doesn’t matter in the end. Let’s let them tell us the story they want to, demanding it a certain way.

The story may even be more powerful that way.

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