The End of the Skywalker Saga. This seems to be the message that Lucasfilm wants to convey about the upcoming untitled Star Wars Episode IX.
Back in July J.J Abrams said that this film would be “the final installment of the Skywalker saga.” And just the other day in an interview with Today, Oscar Isaac, who plays hotshot pilot Poe Dameron, confirmed, “It is the end of the entire Skywalker saga.” Isaac would add, “Nine stories. This is the culmination of the entire thing. What J.J. has done, and the entire Lucasfilm team, is incredibly fulfilling. It’s also special for us because you get to learn a lot more things about these characters.”
This revelation tells us more about the upcoming film than some may think. What exactly does the end of the Skywalker Saga mean for the franchise moving forward?
The original trilogy characters are almost all accounted for in the current series. Luke and Han have already died. Leia is still alive in the movie, but unfortunately, Carrie Fisher passed away in late 2016. This means that outside of Force Ghost appearances by Mark Hamill as Luke, the old heroes’ stories are over (I’m still holding out hope for Lando). The only person with known Skywalker blood left in the series is Ben Solo, Kylo Ren played by Adam Driver. He’s idolized Darth Vader, his grandfather, in the first two movies, which may foreshadow his end if this is the final Skywalker story.
The other character that fans have had Skywalker theories about is Rey. Even after Snoke’s reveal that Rey’s parents were nobodies, fans are still holding out hope for more. And it’s not like there isn’t a reason to hope. Obi-Wan Kenobi told Luke that Darth Vader had killed his father. In reality, he was his father!
However, knowing this is the last Skywalker film means that Rey will most likely stay a nobody, or she will be connected to a different Star Wars character like Obi-Wan or even Emperor Palpatine.
I’m not sure how I feel about this being the last Skywalker story. I have loved Star Wars since the first time I saw the movies on the U.S.A network as a six-year-old. After re-watching it a million times I read all the books and comics. I loved the X-Wing books and [easyazon_link identifier=”1593078307″ locale=”US” tag=”boundingintocomics-20″]Tales of The Jedi.[/easyazon_link] In the end, though, the stories always came back to the big three, Luke, Leia, and Han.
With the idea of this being the end for Luke, Leia, and Han it could alleviate pressure off new writers. They won’t be tied down to the Skywalker legacy and it may actually be what Star Wars needs right now.
To fans of the current trilogy, there is something to be hopeful of. Lucasfilm spent too much money and time on Rey, Poe, and Finn just to kill them all off at the end of this trilogy. I get the feeling that the trio will be the focus of the next Star Wars Trilogy as well, maybe with a new more unique enemy to fight? I think fans will get a lot more answers after April 11th when Star Wars Celebration starts in Chicago. I’m hoping we get a title, and a trailer. But at this point, who knows. Disney is playing this close to the vest after the beating that Solo took in the box office.
Knowing this will be the last Skywalker story are you more or less excited to see it? Let me know in the comments below.