#It really should have been Rey Organa-Solo but the title won't sell

[dlrconlicense]

Thoughts on TROS

So just saw The Rise of Skywalker.

And I literally just said “Wow.” when I walked out of the theater, though I did not know it was a good wow or a bad wow.

It’s a very mixed bag for me with this one, I can see why the critics hated it, I can see why some fans did not like it, I can also see why people may like it. I loved TFA and I actually did not think TLJ was that bad of a movie at all. But given that, I do believe that the intended story had lost it’s way in the middle, culminating into TROS, which Abrams tried to salvage whatever intended end they meant it to be.

Spoilers ahead so turn away. 

Don’t get me wrong, while I did enjoy the movie, there definitely was some things they could have handled better. The movie was meant for closure, but instead left a gaping hole.

The greatest disservice I felt they did to Finn and Rose. Finn’s storyline in the beginning of the trilogy had massive potential, but instead he was more or less reduced to being the new Chewie of the trilogy, just a side piece with no more on his story and him finding himself more. Plus, they literally “Seinfeld” his ending. So wtf was he going to say to Rey? I was thinking it would probably be a FinnRey ship at the end of TFA, until TLJ literally blew that to pieces (which turned my Reylo, more on that later). The Stormtrooper who turned should have been a more interesting story, instead was thrown aside. Plus the intro of the other turned Troopers, that really does set up for Disney+ further down the road does it? Rose they just set aside as well, which is quite the opposite of “support” given the backlash against her character. She is a stronger character in this, but not entirely necessary. Shame.

A positive is that I did like the little delve into Poe’s past. It actually is in parallel with Mando’s storyline in The Mandalorian, except his former mates are not sleazeballs. Plus, I am quite interested in the history he had with Zorri. She was a fun character.

I’m kind of glad to see 3PO being of some use finally instead of being a whiney cunt of a droid. And his little stab at R2′s memory not being reliable, I was thinking, umm...he kept the Princess’ recording for that many years, and I bet he probably backed your useless tinhead up as well you dummy. Which he did. Poetic justice really for just a douchebag of a character. I never did understood why it was such a popular character. Even when I recently rewatched the original trilogy, I find myself thinking this is why R2 curses so much.   

Then we come to Rey and Ben. Did Sheev actually set this whole thing up so that he can use the Skywalker heir and his heir’s Dyad connection to revive hisself? Snoke was just a puppet?! All this time was just to buy time for building a fleet. And do NOT tell me he used The Yodaling in some form to keep hiimself alive. God damn that was convoluted plan! All the while that little scavenger girl was just a rook in her own family’s great game. It was like every step she took was calculated by her own blood, but is it though?

I think the whole theme Abrams wanted in this trilogy is choice, and how your background does not define your destiny because you have choice. Finn was a Stormtrooper, but he had a choice and turned (obviously writers did that and left him). Poe was a runner, but he made the choice to fight in the Resistance. He had a chance for safety offered to him and he did not take it either. If you think about it the OT and the PT had similar tones with Anakin/Vader and Luke (and now we found out Leia) had a hand in their own destinies through choice. Ben chose Dark before because he thought it was in his blood, believed it was his destiny and especially when his uncle reacted the way he did. Turned out it was not. Rey was to be damned to join the Dark side because of her background, but in the end made that choice. Even if Palpatine was the puppet master all this time. I just think the whole theme does tie into OT, but it really could have been more refined in the execution.

I really do hate it when people call Rey a “Mary Sue” character. Luke in the OT was the same way. In fact she had even more conflict in her than younger Luke did as a character, so there is a little more depth to her.

I definitely think that Ben/Kylo had the best scenes and the best story arc of the trilogy. While the movies focused on his relationship with Han more, I felt that he himself had a bigger connection with Leia through his actions. Each time he felt his Mom through the Force, he reeled back. Her death and his little “BARF( Binarily Augmented Retro-Framing-a-la-TonyStark)” moment with Han made him turn. It made me curious as to the relationship young Ben had with his mother. He definitely loved his mother, I really wished they could have explored that even more. Sadly due to circumstances that we know, it was not. Leia’s fear that the end of her Jedi days would mean the demise of her son. I think when Luke said that to Rey, I knew what Ben’s ending would be. I believe had she overcame that fear and remained a Jedi, she might have been the one to train him. That would have become another story.

    Gosh I really wish that they didn’t go for that ending though. Which they actually had to for full redemption, but it really did leave a gaping hole in my little Reylo heart. I wish they would really go full Disney cliche for once and let them be!!! Though....I know I will get crap for it, but the kiss was a little bit too much. But that smile though, that hug, and that little cradle of each other’s cheeks...if just leaving it at that, the moment would surpass “I know.” as the greatest love confession in the history of that galaxy IMO. Rey and Ben gave each other their lives, and themselves back to each other. Rey found out who she was and who she turns out to be, Kylo became Ben again. But it didn’t really feel like closure to me. But realistically though, even if he had survived, they would not be. Ben sure has hell would have to have to pay for his crimes though he does redeem himself. Sadly, reality does not allow for all the Reylo babies even if we wanted.

But that smile though....

can we just leave it at this?

Come to think of it, were they still Force-Skyping each other while Rey was being trained by Leia? It seems like it given how they felt for one another. Rey saying “Be with me. Be with me.” I don’t think I was the only one that thought she was calling out to Ben unconsciously, which is why she got distracted.

(and what Rey did at the very end, you bet The Mouse can use that to set up for later movies)