Chris' Blog: Force Awakens

Hello everyone!

It's been awhile, but now that I am done with my Student Teaching I should be able to get back on a regular schedule for Blog Posts.

Now this post is going to be about Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi.
I was going to wait till the start of the year to review it, but I'm just gonna do it now.

So here is my warning. SPOILERS are ahead. You've been warned.

SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS

Alight, to start off I just want to encourage you to go watch it if you haven't seen the movie yet. Don't listen to all the critics who are giving positive and negative reviews of the movie. Just go watch it and make your own opinions first.

Ok, so for starters I'm gonna say that this was not my favorite Star Wars movie, but it wasn't the worst either... I'M LOOKING AT YOU EPISODE 1 😁

Now, those of you who have been reading my blog posts probably know that I love the Prequel Trilogy as much as I love the Original Trilogy. I also think that Rogue One is probably my third favorite Star Wars movie, right after Episode 3 and 5.

Now that I've gotten through that, let me talk to you about the actual movie. Star Wars 8's opening scenes are epic. I think the opening evacuation and Space Battle between the Resistance and the First Order is awesome. Now, I really do think that it is a bit overkill for the writers to allow the First Order to have ships that basically have mini-death star guns. Now I will admit, that the first time I heard about the First Order Dreadnought I thought that it was going to be model after something similar to the Darksaber super weapon from legends. Course I was wrong. - Darksaber

The sacrifice at the beginning was pretty cool too, although I think it is odd that the Resistance decided to switch out old bomber ships, such as the Y-Wing and B-Wing for the MG-100 StarFortress SF-17, considering Y-Wings and B-Wings are faster and proven to be effective in evading other star fighters and destroying Capital Ships (they were used effectively in both the Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War). Although, it seems that the Movie Creators were taking notes on Michael Bay movies and decided to put in a nice big explosion in at the beginning. 😏

It's cool how they transitioned from the Space Battle to Luke and Rey where episode 7 ended. Now this is where things get dicey. I love the character of Luke. What Disney did to him I think it is in poor taste of his characterization. Especially for what Luke was originally supposed to be and what he did according to the Legends Canon. Of course, we have to put that thought process aside because Disney killed the Expanded Universe without thinking.

Luke wants nothing to do with the Jedi and bringing it back because he screwed up once. Sure his screw up involved a replay of episode 3 -- just not on as much as an emotional level (Purge). Luke is the Grand Master of the Jedi Order. I think his reaction was right in his self-exile, but I don't believe it should have taken him that long to have recovered. Of course he does say that he cut himself off from the Force, which was an interesting way to explain his current dilemma. I still think it is in poor taste of Luke, the Jedi, and really any hero character out there. A hero character may get knocked down multiple times on their Hero Journey, but they will always get back up to confront the evil, being stronger than before because they recovered from their trial with a new revelation. Which makes me wonder if Luke has bigger part in episode 9 as a Force Ghost, doing more than what Yoda and Obi-Wan did in the Original Trilogy and Qui-Gon in the Prequel Trilogy.

The next thing. Leia has force powers. Now looking back at the other movies you already know that she has the ability to use the force. Or at least that she is force sensitive. It becomes more apparent in episode 6 towards the end. It appears in episode 8 that she had to have had some kind of training, probably from her brother Luke. Now when I first watched this scene, I was baffled. I wasn't sure if this felt right. Kinda like having a bad feeling about this. But I believe that it was awesome to see the daughter of Anakin Skywalker use the Force. Carrie Fisher did an awesome job in this film. I think all of her scenes were perfect. She still portrayed the fearlessness and hopeful Princess from the Original Trilogy perfectly. Now I did think it was kinda odd that no where towards the end of episode 7 or beginning of episode 8 that nobody talked about or made mention of Han dying. Now the end where Luke does by handing Leia the dice from the Falcon was just perfect, however. Awesome job. We will miss Carrie Fisher and her awesome performances, as well as her wisdom and leadership, especially outside of Star Wars.

Snoke. Haha. Beautiful. Snoke's powers are truly sith-like. Even though Snoke claims to not be a Sith, he certainly acts like one. He definitely is a Dark Side User. His power was awesome, from throwing General Hux around like a rag doll to using that awesome force lightning. Now comes the kicker. Snoke "died." Kylo Ren/Ben Solo cut Snoke in half using Anakin's lightsaber. It was a pretty epic scene and the fight that followed with Kylo and Rey fighting Snoke's guards was just as sweet. Now. I do wonder if Snoke figured out how to live forever as a force ghost as well. He obviously is a call back to the True Sith of Star Wars Legends Canon. Sith Lords like Marka Ragnos were able to turn into force ghost when they died. It just makes me wonder if Snoke will continue to have a role in the next movie. Which also made me wonder if Luke will have a bigger role in the next movie, especially since Carrie Fisher passed away last year and episode 9 was supposed to be focused more on Leia's character, just like 7 was Han's movie and 8 was Luke's movie. Of course, Snoke could just be permanently dead and it was a call back to what Sidious tried to make Luke do in episode 6 in the Throne room. Regardless, it's hard to say. We'll just have to wait 😊

Now comes probably my favorite cinematic visual effect of the whole movie. In probably one of my new favorite Star Wars scenes, Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo sends the Raddus through hyperspace right through Snoke's ship, cutting it in half basically. It was awesome. It probably is one of my top Star Wars scenes now. It makes me wonder if other characters have ever thought to suicide jump their ship into enemy ships to save others. Regardless, it was awesome.

Then there is the weak spot in this movie. When Finn and Rose go to Canto Bight. Now I think that those scenes may have a bigger purpose in episode 9, specifically the slave boy who actually uses the Force at the very end of episode 8. Yes, he uses the force. Watch the movie again if you don't believe me. He uses the force on the broom that he is playing with at the end of the movie. I do wonder if Temiri Blagg will return in episode 9 as a potential force sensitive student to Rey. Maybe.
I also think that DJ's character is a very pointless. However, the more I think about it the more I believe that that was probably the point. DJ was a character in Star Wars that we hardly get to see fully. Han was kind of like this in episode 4 at the beginning, not really caring about the threats of the galaxy and only wanting money. Ultimately, I think the scenes on Canto Bight were just a plot device, to break away from watching a fleet getting slowly destroyed and the training montage with Luke and Rey. It was also a good use of characterizing Finn and Rose more.

Now of course we get to the Battle of Crait. Now the thing I hate about it was the same thing from the beginning of the movie. The First Order have this Superlaser Siege Gun that literally blows up an impenetrable door... guess it's not so impenetrable then. hmm.

I really don't like the First Order having this Superlasers just lying around willy nilly. It makes them perhaps a little too overpowered. I mean, I get that they are the bad guys, but they have a lot of super weapons. It's like a maniac writer said to themselves, "Oh look an impenetrable door. Be a shame if someone had multiple cannons to blow that impenetrable door up wouldn't." Anyway, the door is blown up and just when all hope is lost, Luke "saves" the day - as all true Jedi do. Luke gets the attention of new Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, who orders his newer model of the AT-AT Walkers called an AT-M6 Walker, to fire on Luke. Luke seems to be missed by all the lasers, and begins a duel with Kylo Ren. It was a pretty good part of the movie. Though I'm sure that many wish Luke used his green lightsaber instead of Anakin's blue lightsaber. Or that Luke would actually be there in the flesh to fight...

Oh yeah, Luke wasn't actually there. He used the Force to project himself across the galaxy. Luke was talking to Yoda - who is the only force ghost to make an appearance in the movie (miss you Obi-Wan/Ewan). Yoda uses force powers that we have never seen before by actually controlling the weather. He also seemingly destroys the books that were basically the how to be a jedi and how to start your own jedi order guides. Of course at the end of the movie we find out Rey actually stole them before she left Acht-To.

Anyway, Luke did his part. He beat Kylo... well didn't kill him, but definitely bested him. Unfortunately, the use of his powers in such a way ended up killing Luke, which really makes me hope that Luke will return as a force ghost in episode 9 to explain things to and guide Rey.

The end of the Battle of Crait is seeing the Resistance retreating to the Falcon with Leia still alive. Now I have no idea what Disney has planned for Leia, since the legend, Carrie Fisher, passed away. However, I hope it is more than just a -- "Oh yeah, she died... lost the will to live..." or something like that. (Cause that would never happen in Star Wars.)

And that's pretty much Star Wars 8 in a nutshell. Resistance is on the run, the future of the Jedi is unknown (if there is a future at all that is), and Kylo Ren is becoming basically a new Sith Lord even though he doesn't call himself a Sith.

This movie left me with a couple questions and hopes. Why in the world hasn't Anakin's ghost talked to Ben Solo at all? Bigger question (that's from a book and not the movies). Why didn't Han, Leia, and Luke tell Ben that his grandfather was Darth Vader in the first place (that's just setting yourself up to fail). Will we get to see Obi-Wan's, Yoda's, Anakin's, or Luke's Force Ghost in episode 9. After all, Obi-Wan does technically talk to Rey in episode 7 in Rey's force vision. Another thing, will Rey become a Jedi Master or something like a Jedi Master in episode 9? Will she start having her own trainees. That would be cool.

The biggest thing that I am speculating is her lightsaber. She doesn't have one... well she has part of Anakin's old lightsaber - Kylo and Rey destroyed it on Snoke's ship. I really hope and wonder if Rey will be using a double bladed saber staff, like Darth Maul's lightsaber was. That would be epic. The reason why I think she would have a saber staff is because in episode 7 she uses her staff as a scavenger for a lot of things and was able to maneuver it quite easily.

Anyway that's really all I got. I'd give the movie an overall 8 out of 10. It's Star Wars. And it's awesome. Sure there were some problems. Sure as a Star Wars nerd, I was upset with a couple things. However, it was a good story overall. It wasn't the best story ever told in Star Wars lore. But it was a good story none the less. I have a few problems with Rey -- I still think she is a Mary Sue. However, maybe episode 9 will be her redeeming factor. After all, Star Wars trilogies are meant to be watched as such. A trilogy. The Heroes Journey of Rey isn't over yet. It's incomplete. We'll have to wait for episode 9 to see the grand finale of Rey's journey.

I really hope you get to go and watch Star Wars episode 8 The Last Jedi. Don't just read this and other reviews of the movie, just to decide if you should watch the movie or not. Go and watch the movie, and form your own opinion about it. There may be things that are a little bizarre, things that feel like they don't belong. But it is still Star Wars, and now it is canon. I hope you get to take the time to watch it.

Have an epic day!

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For you people who are as much as a Star Wars nerd as I am, you'd probably know that Star Wars Celebration Orlando 2017 is going on this weekend. For those of you who don't know what's going on in the world of Star Wars, let me bring ya up to speed:

If you didn't know, Star Wars Rebels Season 3 ended on an epic note! It had a beautiful ending with Grand Admiral Thrawn delivering a devastating blow to the Rebel Alliance. If you haven't seen the Season Finale for Star Wars Rebels Season 3, go watch the two part episode now. It was epic!

Here is the mid-season trailer from earlier this year:

I believe that looking back, Season 1 of Rebels was about establishing the main Characters, and ending with a threat of what was to come. Season 2 was more focused on Ezra and Kanan's relationship, and Ezra's force powers being realized. I think it also showed the Dark threat of the Empire slowly getting stronger as the Rebellion starts to slowly come together. Especially with the use of the overarching threat of Darth Vader over the entire season, but not knowing when he would returned was a good added feature. The season finale of season 2 left the main characters, especially Ezra, questioning themselves and thinking that they had failed.

And here we were in season 3, with the introduction of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Thrawn sits back and watches for most of the season. It isn't until close to the end of season 3 that Thrawn makes his move. It also brings back the Mandalorian archs, which I am more than positive will come back in season 4.

Season 4 has been confirmed. Dave Filoni, the director of Star Wars Rebels, has also confirmed that Season 4 will be the last season of Star Wars Rebels. I can only guess that the series will end at the Battle of Scarif, where the new movie Rogue One ended. I hope that they bring in Director Krennic as a character as well, since the Death Star is nearing its completion. I also hope that Cassian and a few of the other characters from Rogue One get thrown in here too. Filoni stated that season 4 will still have those light moments seen in all the seasons, but he also said that as we get closer to the Rogue One/Episode 4 time period, we will see the show start to get ever darker as the empire tries to put an end to the rebellion.

Here is the newly released trailer for Season 4 of Star Wars Rebels:

Next I'm gonna talk about the new Star Wars Battlefront II game. It seems like it is gonna be a good one. It has been confirmed to have a Single Player Campaign - thankfully!!! It seems to have a few good mods to be coming to it - it won't be a complete demo game like the last Star Wars Battlefront game. It seems that it might be focused on the point of view of the Galactic Empire.

It was revealed that the story for the campaign will take place right at the end of Return of the Jedi and connect that story to the new star wars movies - the Force Awakens. It also seems that all eras of star wars - Prequel, Original, and New - will all be playable. Also it looks like that they are gonna bring back the character classes that were in the original Star Wars Battlefront games. They are gonna bring back Space Battles too. It seems like this game will redeem the demo game we got a couple years ago when the force awakens came out :)
World Wide release is November 17, 2017.

Here is the trailer for the new Star Wars Battlefront II game:

And here we go. The final thing I'm gonna bring ya up to speed with is the new Star Wars the Last Jedi movie coming out this December! I believe, if I heard correctly, Carrie Fisher, before she passed away, did shoot some scenes that will remain in this movie. It seems that the Last Jedi will go deeper into Rey's story, which is awesome because I thought that was the biggest flaw with the first movie.
Daisy Ridley said that one of the biggest things we will be happy about is "Luke's first words." :D
There are gonna be new characters put in, and the return of some old ones. It seems like this one is gonna be a really good movie.

By the way - if you've never heard Mark Hamill talk about star wars or anything for that matter, change that. Mark Hamill is hilarious to listen to :)