The Fandango pre-sales are strong in the wake of the stunning trailer for #TheLastJedi. In the trailer, Dark Side Emo boy, Kylo Ren, says to, “Let the past die.” However, the trailer suggests just the opposite. While the preview offers a cerebral glimpse into what may be the darkest Star Wars film yet, I only felt a sense of fear. Fear leads to anger, anger, leads to hate, hate leads to….REBOOTS!
Fans were blown away when Star Wars returned with The Force Awakens in Episode VII. Finally, those viewers who never picked up the Thrawn Trilogy and dozens of other books could find out what “really” happened to Luke, Leia and Han after Return of the Jedi.
After the initial hype cooled, however, many fans offered a common criticism of the Disney endeavor: that The Force Awakens was just a shameless remake of the 1977 plot for A New Hope. To be fair, there were many parallels between the two films. This worried many fans about the viability of the Sequel Trilogy.
Would each installment simply be a retread of the same stories?
After seeing the trailer for #TheLastJedi, I am worried now more than ever that the Sequel Trilogy is plagiarizing the Original’s plots to the point that they barely change the names, locations, and superficial circumstances between films while dressing it up with advanced (and gorgeous) visual effects.
Now I wonder: Will Episode VIII simple be Star Wars: The Last Jedi Strikes Back?!
The Empire Strikes Back is widely considered the greatest of all Star Wars films even still today. Like The Last Jedi, it was also the middle installment of a trilogy. Based on this new trailer alone, consider how #TheLastJedi may be desperately trying to replicate what made the 80’s masterpiece a classic:
A stunning battle erupts with the Rebels vs. the forces of the Dark Side with giant walker weapons that terrorize the landscape of the battlefield!
Meanwhile, a Dark Side apprentice becomes obsessed with finding the film’s protagonist! He must find the young Force user, who is strong, untrained, and has a mysterious connection to the helmeted tyrant.
This young protagonist with great power in the Force seeks out a wise mentor to teach them the ways of the Jedi.
The film’s mentor/trainer is an old Jedi, hiding away from the galaxy in exile. In fact, the trainer is the last known Jedi Master in the galaxy. He has been lying low for many years after the tragic slaughter of the entire Order under his watch.
The exiled Jedi Master chooses a primitive world far from the removed galaxy with no technology to train the last hope for the Jedi and the Light side of the force.
The Jedi Master realizes the protagonist possesses great, raw, power in the Force. Still, the Master is reluctant to offer training.
The protagonist brushes with the Dark Side while training on the primitive world.
The protagonist abandons the Master during training. The Master wearily warns the impatient student that things will not go the way they hope or expect if they leave before they are ready.
Elsewhere in the galaxy, TIE Fighters pursue the Millennium Falcon with deadly green lasers!
In a climactic showdown, the headstrong apprentice with raw power but little training encounters an experienced Dark Master. The fight is too much, and the hero is left screaming in pain!
The Dark Apprentice offers the young hero their leather-clad hand and a chance to join them in their proper place in the galaxy!
To be fair, the trailer may only be giving us a piece of the story, but some of these parallels are just too close to deny. I am still excited for the movie and Mark Hamill’s dialogue in the preview gave me chills. However, I fear the saga may be headed for a Dark place if it continues down this path of repetition.
Then consider that The Empire Strikes Back contains the most infamous cinematic plot twist of all time. Is there an “I am your father” moment in #TheLastJedi? If so, what will it be?!
Please sound off to me on twitter and tell me if you agree that #TheLastJedi looks like a recycled Empire Strikes Back! Check out my podcast on the GWW network #WhoWouldWin? every other Wednesday for superhero debate match-ups! https://thegww.com/category/podcasts/whowouldwin/