Star Wars Speculation: 'Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker' Spoiler Thoughts

Now that nearly a week has passed, and I've seen Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker a total of five times, I felt it would be an appropriate occasion to discuss the film with no restrictions. If you haven't watched it yet, you can read my non-spoiler review and venture back here at a later date. Otherwise, I hope this clarifies my feelings about the film. 

**Spoiler Warning for all Star Wars films**

'Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker' Spoiler Thoughts

1) Rey Palpatine
To kick things off, the biggest surprise was the reveal that Rey's descended from the Emperor himself, Sheev Palpatine. I'll be honest and say that I rolled my eyes in the theater at this moment. One of my favorite things about The Last Jedi was Rian Johnson's decision that Rey's parents were nobodies. Anyone can be the hero of their story, regardless of their ancestry. Going into The Rise of Skywalker, I'd hoped that'd remain unchanged.

At first, I felt this twist was a betrayal of one of my favorite elements of The Last Jedi. However, I soon reconciled this as J.J. Abrams' intent unraveled. He and Chris Terrio were offering a complimentary message rather than detracting from Johnson's story. Your lineage doesn't determine your destiny. You have a choice and agency in deciding your future. In hindsight, I much prefer this to the other possibilities of Rey being a clone or biologically descended from a Skywalker or Kenobi. I don't view this as a stronger alternative to Johnson's proposal, but I think it holds weight as well.

It deepens her struggle between the light and dark side as she questions her own morality. This has been an underlying thread in the trilogy, but I love the notion that her noble and compassionate heart is stronger than blood. On the other hand, I still take issue with a few things. I loathe the line, "You have his power." I not fond of the idea that Rey's strength is attributed to someone else. She's strong on account of her own discipline. It's not because she's the Emperor's granddaughter. And that line seems made to dismiss the preposterous notion of her being a "Mary Sue."

2) Bendemption
By far, my favorite thing about The Rise of Skywalker is how Ben Solo's redemption was handled. I made an entire post about this topic and how I hoped it might play out. Above all, I love how his redemption relates to the poetry of the greater saga. First of all, it occurs on the remains of the second Death Star, which is also the site of Anakin’s redemption, where he made a choice to save Luke from the Emperor. There are deeper ties than that, though...

Anakin metaphorically died and was reborn as Vader in the lava of Mustafar. He faced a baptism by fire, which left him severely burned. With this fire came death, destruction, and pain. The evil Darth Vader was created. Towards the end of the duel between Rey and Kylo Ren on the oceanic moon of Kef Bir, she lands a fatal blow to Kylo Ren. However, rather than let him suffer, she heals him with the Force. In literature, water often represents life, rebirth, and purity. At this moment, Kylo Ren literally and figuratively died and is reborn as Ben Solo. It’s a baptism for Ben that cleanses him of his sins. This franchise is deeply rooted in spirituality and myth, so I love that Abrams and Terrio tapped into that.

One slight detail I've noticed in my successive viewings is that Ben's scar fades away as Rey heals him. Therefore, she heals all the physical wounds she ever caused him since she first gave him the scar in The Force Awakens. A beautiful gesture that underscores her kind heart in addition to further signifying his decision to be Ben Solo again. 

On top of that, there’s the beautiful parallel between The Force Awakens and The Rise Of Skywalker. When Ben Solo is left stranded on the planet, he's seen contemplating his next course of action. Ben's memory of Han Solo appears to console him. Ever since that fatal moment from The Force Awakens, Ben's been haunted by what he did to his father. It shook him to his core and left him more conflicted than ever. Han may not physically be there, but this time Ben can make things right. He can't undo anything, but he can choose to be better. To be a hero. Their conversation consists almost entirely of the same dialogue from their final encounter, but with a much different context. It provides a sense of closure between the two as Ben imagines how he desperately wishes that moment had happened.

I also love that the restoration of Ben Solo required both his parents reaching out to him. Only together, their final efforts bring their son back towards the light. It's tragic but poetic that Han and Leia each die in an attempt to redeem their fallen son. Han's death lingered with Ben, and, in tandem with the sensation that his mother is gone, Ben knows what he has to do. But he doesn't know if he has the strength to do it. Of course, Carrie Fisher's death made this hit home even more, but Harrison Ford and Adam Driver act the hell out of this scene, and it's stuck with me ever since. 

4) Ben Solo Comes To The Rescue
Perhaps, the biggest crowd-pleasing moment of the entire film is when Ben rushes in to help Rey. I'll touch on their bond momentarily, but it's such a triumphant moment when Rey passes his family's saber to him through the Force. In this sequence, he displays so much of his family's heroic bravado and even channels many of his father's iconic gif-able mannerisms. It's a phenomenal entrance and great payoff to his arc. Anyways, if there's one thing I'd tweak about the film, it would be for Ben Solo to live when all is said and done. I can accept his death and appreciate that it wasn't derivative of Vader's, but I still wish he'd survived. However, I really love that he was able to do what Anakin couldn't and save the one he loved from dying by transferring his life force to Rey. An upside regarding his tragic fate.

5) "Be With Me"

Another one of my favorite moments is when Rey hears the voices of the Jedi who came before. Heard in the scene are Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor and Alec Guinness), Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Mace Windu, Ahsoka Tano, Luminara Unduli, Aayla Secura, and Adi Galla. While I'd hoped to see several Force Ghosts, I prefer this approach because Rey doesn't really know any of them aside from Luke, so their appearance would mean nothing to her. I think this is a nice compromise that doesn't detract from Rey in the scene. 

6) A Dyad In The Force

Something else I really liked about The Rise of Skywalker was the expansion of Force-lore. I liked how J.J. developed the Force bond between Rey and Kylo Ren prominently seen in The Last Jedi, as physical objects transcend their connection (something first teased by Rian when Kylo Ren wipes his brow and water droplets appear). 

Concerning their complex dynamic, I find the continued contrast between them very interesting. Rey is dressed in white and struggles with inner darkness while Kylo Ren is dressed in black and struggles with an inner light. Previously, there was the angle that Rey came from nothing while Kylo Ren is descended from a dynasty of powerful Force-users. Now, Rey is related to the ultimate evil in the galaxy, while Ben Solo's parents are the embodiment of hope and goodness (even his grandfather brought balance to the Force). While I don't think The Rise of Skywalker thematically-rich as The Last Jedi, it's become abundantly clear to me that The Rise of Skywalker is all about the power of choice. As I alluded to earlier, your destiny isn't predetermined by blood. Only you can make the decision to be good or evil. 

7) Ending Where It All Began

The ending of the film sees Rey travel to the Lars homestead on Tatooine to bury Luke and Leia's lightsabers. She's asked who she is, to which she eventually responds, "Rey... Rey Skywalker" after looking to see the Force ghosts of Luke and Leia on the horizon. Then she and BB-8 gaze at the twin sunset. There's, of course, the reoccurring motif of "twins" with the binary sunset, the twin sabers, and twin Skywalkers, which I kinda dig. Then, I also like that Rey's chosen to take up the Skywalker name. I've seen a wide array of opinions on this, but it doesn't really bother me. 

After my initial viewing, I felt very conflicted about many decisions made in The Rise of Skywalker. It's been a process for me to sort them all out, but I think I've come to terms with them all and found a greater appreciation for this ending now that all is said and done. I'm not expecting to change anyone's mind, but I hope that my thoughts have inspired others to find a greater appreciation for the things that disappointed them or the aspects they also adore! 

There's plenty more to discuss, but I thought this analysis would be an excellent place to start. I'll continue to post about The Rise of Skywalker and the Skywalker Saga in the coming months as ideas come to mind.

-May the Force be with you, always!

'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' Review

Nominated For: Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, and Best Original Score.

Synopsis: The surviving Resistance faces the First Order once more as Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron's journey continues. With the power and knowledge of generations behind them, the final battle commences.

Runtime: 141 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sci-fi violence and action)

Who should see it? Star Wars fans eager to see the end of the Skywalker Saga.

At last, the time has come to talk about another new Star Wars movie... And not just any new Star Wars movie. Directed by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker concludes the nine-episode space opera, which first began forty-two years ago. Entering the auditorium, I was overcome with feelings of joy, sadness, and anxiety since I knew this story I cherished so much was finally coming to an end. Now, it's worth noting that this ending provides closure to the Saga while also leaving room for future installments. So we'll have to wait and see whether Disney and Lucasfilm maintain their stance on this genuinely being the end or not... Though, for the time being, this is it for the core saga. 

Those who know me are well-aware of what this franchise means to me, so naturally, it may seem that my opinion's slightly biased in the film's favor. However, I was very nervous about a good number of things. Before I continue, I'd like to preface my thoughts with a brief disclaimer, though... I'm incredibly gracious to have the opportunity to see The Rise of Skywalker early, so I'm going to offer my readers the same courtesy I'd expect from any other reviewer. I will tread carefully in writing my review to avoid even the slightest spoiler or plot detail currently unknown by the general public. At times, my critiques may seem vague, but I'll be more than happy to elaborate in a clearly marked spoiler review after opening weekend. It's taken time for me to process what I watched, and there was a lot of information to absorb. 

I want to start by addressing the elephant in the room. The Last Jedi is my favorite movie period. I have not been shy about this, but I am also aware of its divisive reception. One of my concerns regarding The Rise of Skywalker was that J.J. Abrams and his co-writer Chris Terrio might choose to "course-correct" and reverse specific creative choice made by Rian Johnson for the sake of mass appeal. I'm glad to report I didn't feel that was the case. However, when I returned to social media yesterday, I discovered a storm of controversy due to certain "retcons." I'll address this in more detail in my spoiler review sometime next week, but the magnitude of these "retcons" is being grossly overblown.

These "retcons" being answers to questions that fans have obsessed over since before the release of The Force Awakens. The answers actually altered my perception of the sequel trilogy as a whole, so I'm interested in rewatching it with them in mind. Still, I felt they made logical sense and didn't contradict anything previously established by Rian Johnson, George Lucas, or any of the other Star Wars filmmakers. For those concerned, I went into the film with a particular mindset of what I hoped wouldn't happen and was surprised that Abrams and Terrio convinced me otherwise on specific points. The execution sold me on the ideas I wouldn't have expected to like. So keep an open mind and go along for the ride before casting judgment. I'm still in the process of reconciling certain creative choices myself. 

Otherwise, J.J. Abrams absolutely delivers on the spectacle expected for a grand finale. The central lightsaber duel showcased heavily in the promotional material is unreal, and the final confrontation offers starship combat on a scale previously unseen in the franchise. I was also delighted to see Abrams and Terrio up the ante in terms of Force abilities. Needless to say, I was very giddy throughout and can't wait to experience my favorite crowd-pleasing moments with a packed theater of Star Wars fans due to the huge surprises in store! The technicality of everything ranging from cinematography to sound design to visual effects to John Williams' musical score was impeccable.

In a mega-blockbuster such as this, large casts are typical, and it'd honestly be excessive for me to discuss every actor's performance in excruciating detail. Therefore, I'm going to stick to the leads and significant supporting players, but know all characters, new and old, are great in it. If I were to single anyone out as a standout, it would be Daisy Ridley's Rey. This is the role that skyrocketed her to stardom, and this time around, Ridley offers her best performance yet. In her third and possibly final outing, Ridley feels more confident, which translates wonderfully to Rey's screen presence. Ridley also gets an opportunity to demonstrate more of her emotional range and excels on all accounts.

Opposite Ridley, Adam Driver continues to make Kylo Ren a very compelling character. Driver has quickly become my favorite actor working today, and he lends so much dimension to Kylo Ren with his multifaceted portrayal. This outing is no different, and Driver gives it his all! I was especially glad to see the unique dynamic between him and Rey further explored in greater detail because that's one of my favorite aspects of the sequel trilogy. Star Wars fans keen to see his devout followers, the Knights of Ren onscreen will be happy that they have some cool moments in the limelight. With that said, they're more-or-less an afterthought in the grand scheme of things so temper your expectations there. 

I'm sure many of you are rightfully wondering about Leia's inclusion, and I'll just say I was amazed at how J.J. Abrams was able to integrate archival footage of Carrie Fisher so naturally. Her presence lingers over the movie in a powerful way, and I'm glad to see Leia's send-off handled with such reverence. Among all the discourse which will surround this movie, I highly doubt anyone will be displeased with how she was treated. As for the other lingering inclusion, I was surprisingly pleased with the return of Ian McDiarmid's Emperor Palpatine. I can't say much else for fear of spoilers, but I was thrilled to hear his maniacal laughter once more, and his malevolent presence is stronger than ever! 

Returning to a galaxy far, far away, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Kelly Marie Tran comfortably reprise their roles in the fight against the First Order as Finn, Poe, and Rose. The marketing for The Rise of Skywalker prominently featured the companionship between the trio of Rey, Finn, and Poe, and they certainly had a great rapport between the three of them. Regarding the beloved legacy characters of Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2, Joonas Suotamo, Anthony Daniels, and Jimmy Vee are as endearing as ever, and each has memorable moments! Rolling back onscreen, BB-8 continues to delight while D-O is a fun new droid companion. Then, of course, it was truly wonderful to see Billy Dee Williams playing Lando Calrissian again. He may be 82, but he's still got his trademark swagger! Meanwhile, the new characters Zorii Bliss, Jannah, and Allegiant General Pryde, portrayed by Keri Russell, Naomie Ackie, and Richard E. Grant respectively, were terrific additions to the sprawling ensemble. If I didn't mention someone, it's likely because they had a smaller part or have a surprise appearance, but the remaining cast members fulfilled their roles to the fullest!

At times, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is too overwhelming for its own good. The opening thrusts the audience right into the thick of it, and there's a lot of information to digest very quickly. Perhaps, the pacing will improve for me on repeat viewings, but that remains to be seen. It's not my favorite Star Wars movie, but it never needed to be. In the end, J.J. Abrams stuck the landing and delivered a finale that's epic, entertaining, emotional, and incredibly satisfying. 

Film Assessment: A-

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Mission: Impossible III'

Sorry for the slight delay, but this week I'm continuing my reflection on the Mission: Impossible series with my thoughts on Mission: Impossible 3 as the release of Mission: Impossible - Fallout quickly approaches. I suspect my post recapping my best and worst films of the year so far will be ready by the end of the weekend, but it depends on whether I finish watching films I missed out on. For the rest of July, look forward to Throwback Thursday Reviews of The Equalizer and Mamma Mia!, Triple-R Reviews for Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, and reviews of new releases Sorry to Bother You, Skyscraper, The Equalizer 2, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, and Teen Titans Go! To The Movies.

'Mission: Impossible III' Review

Just as Mission: Impossible III finds IMF Agent Ethan Hunt retired from field work and preparing to settle down with his fiancée Julia, Hunt is forced back into the field when an operative whom he trained is kidnapped and he's brought into conflict with an infamous black market weapons dealer named Owen Davian. However, the odds are soon stacked against Hunt as his fiancée and livelihood are put in harms way. It's then up to Hunt to go rogue and retrieve the elusive, enigmatic "Rabbit's Foot" for Davian in exchange for Julia's life within a forty-eight hour window. 

For the third spy installment, Cruise and Paramount recruited J.J. Abrams to direct with hopes that he could reinvigorate interest in the franchise after a lackluster response from critics and audiences to Mission: Impossible II. Unbeknownst to most audience members, Mission: Impossible III was actually Abrams' feature film directorial debut, so Paramount was taking a huge risk by giving Abrams a shot at helming a blockbuster. Prior to M:I III, Abrams was most well-known for writing, directing, and producing in the realm of television (Felicity, Lost, and Alias were particularly prominent pop-culture hits of his). In the twelve years since 2006, Abrams has been responsible for successfully revitalizing interest in both Star Trek and Star Wars through Star Trek (2009) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and I'd like to think that its because of his work on M:I III that he got those gigs in the first place...

In M:I III, Abrams demonstrated that he could bring his own style and sensibilities into a pre-existing franchise without deviating from the series' identity. Abrams understood the basic cornerstones of what made a Mission: Impossible movie, but also acknowledged areas in which the formula was lacking. Therefore, he decided to up the ante by allowing M:I III to actually concern itself with Ethan Hunt's personal life. By extension, the stakes are raised, character motivations are strengthened, and the spectacle actually matters this time around. It's a more personal mission now, and what better way to improve the action than by further fleshing out the characters? Without a foundation in story and an audience investment in the characters, action sequences are a meaningless distraction.

Nine times out of ten, character-driven action sequences will be more likely to have you on the edge of your seat because you actually care about the characters, and the outcome by proxy. While the execution of it all is certainly important, the basis for it lies firmly rooted in the script. In addition to directing, Abrams also contributed to the screenplay alongside Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci (who both wound up later collaborating with Abrams on his Star Trek films). Together, the three crafted a story that was riveting, subversive, and tested Ethan Hunt like neither of the prior Mission: Impossible films had. Beyond raising the personal stakes, Ethan’s at his most vulnerable here. Due to the time crunch, the lack of support from the IMF, and the intense emotions fueling his actions, Hunt genuinely feels helpless for the first time in the series and is pushed to point of absolute desperation. 

Meanwhile, the technical precision across the board is absolutely spectacular. Everything from the cinematography to the editing to Michael Giachinno's score is coursing with energy from start-to-finish. Watching M:I III is equivalent to injecting yourself with an adrenaline boost which lasts a little longer than two hours. The only way to subdue that feeling is to make it to the end because you're not going to want to take your eyes off the screen once the film takes off.

For those who have been following my Mission: Impossible reviews, you may be wondering what some of the practical stunt centerpieces were for this film. Well, the gif above showcases one of Tom Cruise's tougher stunts. The missile itself was not real of course, but Cruise being propelled straight into that car by an explosion totally is, and the actor wound up cracking a couple ribs in the process. Additionally, Cruise fell off the Vatican wall suspended by a thin cable, performed a stunt in which he fell 30-40 feet in studio against a green screen, and laid underneath a careening truck while it skidded over him. I'm continually amazed at the lengths Cruise goes to for our amusement.

Aside from his extraordinary physical commitment to the role, Cruise turns in another outstanding performance. Bolstered by a stronger script this time around, Cruise delves deeper into Hunt's psyche and lets loose some unhinged emotional outbursts. Opposite Cruise, Michelle Monaghan makes for an ideal love interest. The sparks flying between the two are discernible, and she exudes enough charm for the viewer to understand why Hunt would risk it all. While I'm sure many are quick to call Julia a damsel in distress, the character actually proves herself to be quite capable.

Meanwhile, M:I III was one of the first installments to at least attempt to flesh out the team working alongside Hunt. Ving Rhames' Luther Stickell certainly is given more to work with compared to the previous entires, but newcomers Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Maggie Q still have restrained roles with a focus on their skillset rather than personalities. To their credit though, Meyers and Q made the most of everything the script provided them.

Also, I could hardly forget to mention Simon Pegg's Benji. Though the best of his character comes once he figures into the franchise more prominently, Pegg was a wonderful addition to the cast and welcome source of comedic relief nonetheless. Other noteworthy series recruitments include Keri Russell, Billy Crudup, and Laurence Fishburne who all do an excellent job leaving an impression in their allotted screen time as you'd expect. 

Last, but certainly not least, the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman is an absolutely unrelenting antagonist. Owen Davian is still one of the series' most memorable villains, and for good reason. Hoffman portrays the character as a calloused individual willing to go to great lengths to obtain what he desires. His screen presence alone is quite intimidating, but he's nearly unstoppable in regards to commanding your attention when coupled with some menacing monologues.

After all this time, Mission: Impossible III remains one of the finest films in the franchise as well as Abrams' filmography. In true spy fashion, it's another adventurous outing for Ethan Hunt that moves at a breakneck pace with several intense sequences of sensational spectacle and no signs of slowing down. Ultimately though, the tactic of grounding Mission: Impossible III in Hunt's humanity is what most elevates it above its predecessors. 

Film Assessment: A-

Star Wars Speculation: The Poetry of the Star Wars Saga

Welcome readers to another installment of Star Wars Speculation!! I took a break to bring you my first "In Defense Of" entry, In Defense Of: 'Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice' (The "Martha Scene), but today I'm back to dive deep into Star Wars again in the mere weeks leading up to the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. This week's topic I'll be tackling is "The Poetry of the Star Wars Saga" and I'll be using that as the basis of my argument that The Force Awakens isn't a rehash of A New Hope. Also, keep in mind that I'm writing this with the base assumption that you'll have at least seen A New Hope and The Force Awakens so there could be somethings you may consider spoilers if you haven't seen either for whatever reason... Although, I suspect you would not be here if that were the case. 

The Poetry of the Star Wars Saga

So I'm sure many of you are wondering what the heck poetry has to do with Star Wars, and the answer to that comes from the Saga's creator himself, George Lucas.

Back in 2002, Lucas told Entertainment Weekly "I create themes, and I repeat those themes, in different chords and different arrangements" regarding how the Prequel Trilogy mirrors the Original Trilogy. Within the Skywalker Saga, there are many moments that reverberate and are echoed across the Saga. Lucas explained it like this, "It's like poetry. Every stanza kind of rhymes with the last one." There are quite a few story beats that carry thematic significance within the Saga, and these are absolutely integral to the DNA of Star Wars. Naturally, these aforementioned segments resurface as a means of strengthening the overall narrative.

Evidence of Lucas' comments can be found all throughout the Star Wars saga, but I've embedded a link to a brief Vimeo video from Pablo Fernández Eyre that keys in on some of the prominent examples below:

Now that you've hopefully watched the video and have some idea of what I'm talking about, let's dig in.

Lucas' approach refers back to the ancient style of poetry commonly found in The Old Testament of the Bible that is often called parallelism.

Now you may have noticed in the video that the Prequel Trilogy and Original Trilogy relate to each other in this way with The Phantom Menace correlating with A New Hope, Attack Of The Clones with The Empire Strikes Back, and Revenge Of The Sith with Return Of The Jedi.

How does this apply to Star Wars now?

I suspect the ongoing sequel trilogy will fit into this pattern as well. The Force Awakens has already broken into the cycle by mirroring A New Hope, and subsequently The Phantom Menace, but it remains to be seen how much The Last Jedi will evoke The Empire Strikes Back or Attack of the Clones. Based on the trailers though, it seems that there will at least be a few similarities so I suspect it's very possible it will jump in while also differentiating itself.

The brilliance of this technique though is how it permits wiggle-room for the storytellers to deviate the pre-established path and simultaneously incorporate the integral elements of the franchise. I think people get hung up on the idea that just because a film homages something, it automatically means that it ripped the other one off. However, Star Wars is a franchise that has always stayed true to itself in the face of exploring such an expansive galaxy.

Why 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' isn't a remake of 'A New Hope'

I remember when The Force Awakens first came out, just about everyone loved it. It wasn't until a few weeks afterwards that someone on the Internet pointed out some similarities harkening back to A New Hope.

Of course, this spread like wildfire and people turned on the film saying things like "OMG, J.J. AbRaM5 rU1N3d St4R W4r5!" or "tH3 f0Rc3 4W4k3n5 5ux 4ND T0R3 Ap4Rt MY CH1LdH00D!!" Yes, the fandom whined. Like they always do. Now, I'm not here to refute that there are some similar story beats to A New Hope. That much is crystal clear, and I can see the reasons why the parallelism was implemented.

First of all, people need to take into account the state of the franchise at this point. Star Wars was not as commercially viable as it once was. The Prequels had soured the general moviegoer's appetite for anymore Star Wars. Sure, there were The Clone Wars and Rebels animated series, comics, novels, and video games, but there hadn't been a live action Star Wars film since Revenge of the Sith... There was a lot riding on the success of The Force Awakens, and fortunately it decimated the box office, but Disney was taking a gamble buying Lucasfilm. What if they were unable to create something that would appeal to both old and new fans? That's where the parallelism comes in.

J.J. Abrams was brought on to direct and also had a huge hand in the script alongside Star Wars scribe Lawrence Kasdan and Pixar writer Michael Arndt. The thing is... Abrams is a fan of Star Wars himself, in addition to being a fantastic filmmaker. As a part of the Star Wars fandom, he knew what they would respond well to and so naturally he knew what would click with audiences and what wouldn't. He shot on film, used practical effects/locations, the cast of the Original Trilogy was brought back, and incorporated as many references as possible.

Abrams and Lucasfilm understood that the structure of this new Star Wars had to resemble something audiences were already familiar with if it were to be accepted and jettison a new era of Star Wars, so naturally they pulled from Lucas' pattern itself and echoed some beats from the Original Trilogy. This mirroring technique has already been implemented in Star Wars, yet fans feel the need to complain for whatever reason. They act as though most other film franchises don't do this in order to keep the franchise DNA intact.

Just look at Jurassic World and Creed. The plot of both films are essentially the same base premise of the original film in the subsequent franchise (Jurassic Park and Rocky). Both films also feature pivotal moments homaging back to the original with the same sense of nostalgia utilized by The Force Awakens.

Both films were released in 2015, the same year as The Force Awakens, yet I hardly have ever seen anyone call out either for "copying the original." I've never seen anyone complain about the Prequel's use of parallelism and mirroring either... Although, that could be due to the multitude of problems present in the Prequels...

If someone still wants to complain that The Force Awakens is a remake of A New Hope after reading all of my informed arguments, I ask them to please elaborate on how The Force Awakens blatantly rips off A New Hope. 

Sure, you can tell me that something pivotal to the plot is put inside a droid, there's a desert planet, on that planet is our protagonist who longs for more, there's a super space weapon capable of destroying planets, the antagonist is masked and wears dark clothing, there's a cantina, and the heroes' mentor is killed by the antagonist on the Death Star/Starkiller Base, BUT those are the familiar elements of The Force Awakens I mentioned earlier. I've constantly found that in the internet's insistence to force these two films to fit the same framework, they have to describe the plots with incredibly vague terminology. The further you narrow in on the films, the more different they become. The Force Awakens tells the same story in broad strokes, but the specificity is drastically different.

Also, the whole complaint about The First Order building another Death Star seems sorta stupid to me. Realistically, if you were an evil organization and knew there was a weapon that had previously been built with the capability to destroy entire planets, wouldn't you have a desire to reconstruct it with major modifications to cause even more destruction? Just a thought... Sure, the last two were taken out, but that just shows there's room for improvement. With that being said, I'd still rather not see a fourth iteration of a planet-sized weapon in either The Last Jedi or Episode IX.

So yes, I can agree with the sentiment that Lucasfilm played it safe, but Lucasfilm needed something that could be conceived as commercially safe in order to take some secluded risks. Just take a look at the film's cast... The sequel trilogy's leads are diverse both ethnically and in terms of gender. Rey was the saga's first female protagonist who turned out to be the TRUE protagonist as the force user many had already dismissed the possibility of thanks to marketing showing Finn holding the saber. Finn was the first African American protagonist in Star Wars (sure you could make a case for Lando I guess... but he's more of a side supporting character in my eyes), who was positioned as a turncoat stormtrooper. Lastly, Poe Dameron was the first Latin protagonist.

**Spoiler Warning for Star Wars: The Force Awakens**

Kylo Ren's STILL rather controversial (but I'll dig more into that in my next post), and I don't think the fact he killed Han Solo did him any favors in that regard... Much less, make him a safe choice as an antagonist.

**End of Spoilers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens**

In conclusion, The Force Awakens had a difficult task ahead of it in introducing new characters, bringing back revered, classic characters, continuing the story left off in Return of the Jedi, and making Star Wars commercially viable again, but I think it did all of that beautifully and I still appreciate the film as one of my favorites in the franchise! I'd still even consider the first time I saw The Force Awakens to be one of the greatest experiences I've ever had in a movie theater because it's simply something I longed for most of my life and it delivered everything I possibly could have imagined. For all of those reasons and even more that I won't get into for the sake of length, I absolutely adore Star Wars The Force Awakens and it's use of parallelism to accomplish the daunting task of revitalizing Star Wars.

-As always, may the force be with you!!