Spoilers Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Grading & Discussion
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Except for, clearly, Mustafar.
In addition to cleaning up after Poe's newly-revealed backstory in the movie, there was a smaller example where the VD tightened up Finn's line about how "Endor was where the last war ended" by mentioning that most historians dispute the popular meme of the Empire falling with Palpatine's (*sigh* apparent) death and consider the end of the Galactic Civil War to be the Battle of Jakku, given that's when the Empire actually surrendered.
^ I know I posted this in the Rebels thread too, but just in case passers by aren't clued in on the context of this latest instalment of Filloni's recurring "Ahsoka is Gandalf" thing (plus this is a spoiler thread and so probably a better place to discuss openly): -
Previously on "Ahsoka Is Somehow Gandalf Apparently"...
As if we needed more evidence that there's some deliberate Tolkien allusions being made with regards to Ahsoka; while browsing the SWR season 2 soundtrack I came across this track from 'Twilight of the Apprentice': Where the Sun Sails and the Moon Walks. The track itself appears to be an alternate composition of the music that plays over the episode's coda, but the title is what really grabbed my attention.
My first thought was that it was just a sideways nod at the Skywalker name (and that may still be partly true) but there was something about it that felt familiar. A quick search later and sure enough, it's a Gandalf quote from 'The Hobbit': -
The significance of this being a farewell shouldn't be lost on anyone given the context of the episode.
Also, I know eagles and owls aren't exactly the same thing, but it's yet another piece of avian imagery associated with Ahsoka. From Morai, to The Daughter's griffon form, and the wing pattern markings on Ahsoka's Jedi shuttle in the 'Family Reunion and Farewell' Epilogue.You know I swear I don't go looking for this stuff, but for some reason, whenever I see something that seems to draw a line between Ahsoka and Gandalf it just jumps out at me.
Sound familiar, or at least eerily evocative to anyone else, or is it just me?
(For those not so familiar with Tolkien literature, it's this bit in the movies.)
ETA...and right after posting this, it occurred to me that the first part of that passage could be interpreted as being very evocative of how the fight with Vader ended; with him falling down through the floor and the temple ("mountain") discharging it's weapon.
This may be the point where I'm reading too much into this, but the imagery seems to fit.
And now: a Christmas message from Dave Filloni.
For those not up on their Tolkien lore, that is a verse from 'Upon The Hearth The Fire Is Red' (the third verse of which was quite memorably featured in the RotK movie.) However, this specific verse is from much later in the book and is sung quietly by Frodo as he makes his way with Sam to the Grey Havens, and as such it feels steeped in concepts of death and moving beyond.
Interestingly, "West of the moon, East of the Sun" seems to be an allusion to a Norwegian fairy tale about a girl who must journey to the titular impossible land (an "unknown region", one might say...) to rescue a Prince (who is also a bear...)
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Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker
8.75/10.
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker
The Ninth Star Wars film in the 'Skywalker Saga'. Is it good? Is it a satisfying conclusion? Is it a mess? Yes. It is rather messy, with plotlines given barely room to breathe. Mostly the first half, not only associated with the Leia scenes, but that repurposing contributed to the plotting and pacing issues. The effect is, the film is less enjoyable than it would otherwise have been. Still enjoyable not not as satisfying as one would like it to have been. From the first scene with Kylo Ren discovering Palpatine at Exogol, the plot is understandable, but jumps all over the place.
Like what Poe does with the Falcon after escaping from the ice base. An interesting scene, showing the Falcon's resilience at doing things it wasn't designed for. Like this film trying to finish this trilogy with two very different earlier entries. A spy in the First Order, who would have thought. But more on that below. Jumping into hyperspace without calculations, but TIEs somehow following? Of course, the Falcon's on fire when it returns to the Resistance base. Does this film flame out from this start?
No. It's an effective use of Finn, Poe and Chewbacca. Rey does chew them out for abusing the Falcon in that manner. Hyper-skimming. Leia training Rey. While Leia used the Force to save herself in the previous film, there was no indication that she had trained as a Jedi. More about Leia, below. But Rey. She is training, but something is off. She wants to push herself, but she's afraid, because of the connection with Kylo in the previous film. However information that First Order Spy had given them, leads to the next act...
A Fetch Quest. To find a Wayfinder/Holocron, so they can find the way to Exogol. Of course a lot happens. However, it is a well written and enjoyable fetch quest, so there's that. The drama of C-3PO not being able to translate the dagger, was done rather well. The same for when Chewbecca is captured by the First Order. And also for the confrontation between Rey and Kylo that ensues. (But where was Chewie's ship?) They then have to go find a 'Droid Smith' to retrieve the translation from Threepio's forbidden memory store.
This part of the film is rather well done. The scenes on Kijimi were done rather well also, not as messy as the earlier stages. Zorrii Bliss is an interesting character. The next fight between Rey and Kylo was well done too. (Rey as Palpatine's granddaughter? It works, and helps to set up the conclusion.) Rescuing Chewie and the Falcon were done well also. (Hux as the spy, that works also.) The dagger text they are able to retrieve from the wiped C-3PO leads them to Endor. (More defected Stormtroopers. A cool development.)
Rey steals a boat, skiff, to go the ruins of the Second Death Star. She finds the Wayfinder/Holocron, but Kylo is there also. This confrontation was also done really well. Interesting redemption. Han Solo, being remembered by Kylo, now Ben again was a very good scene. However, Rey runs off in Kylo's ship... And at the same time, Leia dies. (How? Like her mother? A dangerous Force techique?) She goes to Ach-to... However the First Order is moving, and it is revealed that the new fleet all have planet destroying weapons.
Like what? Luke appearing and getting Rey to come to her senses was also done rather well. But Leia had a lightsaber? Cool, I guess. But it works, especially when she goes to Exogol. It all comes down to confronting the First Order and Palpatine at Exogol. The overall battle was overambitious, but it worked. Rey and Ben fighting Palpatine was a good portion of that Battle. Besides. “I am all the Sith.” “And I am all the Jedi.” Obviously Palpatine is defeated. However, Rey ending up on Tatooine, and taking the Skywalker name?
Certainly an interesting ending, with the yellow saber, and the twin suns... Overall it was a good movie, even if it wasn't as satisfying as I thought it would be. Nor was it as good as the the previous installment.
Like what Poe does with the Falcon after escaping from the ice base. An interesting scene, showing the Falcon's resilience at doing things it wasn't designed for. Like this film trying to finish this trilogy with two very different earlier entries. A spy in the First Order, who would have thought. But more on that below. Jumping into hyperspace without calculations, but TIEs somehow following? Of course, the Falcon's on fire when it returns to the Resistance base. Does this film flame out from this start?
No. It's an effective use of Finn, Poe and Chewbacca. Rey does chew them out for abusing the Falcon in that manner. Hyper-skimming. Leia training Rey. While Leia used the Force to save herself in the previous film, there was no indication that she had trained as a Jedi. More about Leia, below. But Rey. She is training, but something is off. She wants to push herself, but she's afraid, because of the connection with Kylo in the previous film. However information that First Order Spy had given them, leads to the next act...
A Fetch Quest. To find a Wayfinder/Holocron, so they can find the way to Exogol. Of course a lot happens. However, it is a well written and enjoyable fetch quest, so there's that. The drama of C-3PO not being able to translate the dagger, was done rather well. The same for when Chewbecca is captured by the First Order. And also for the confrontation between Rey and Kylo that ensues. (But where was Chewie's ship?) They then have to go find a 'Droid Smith' to retrieve the translation from Threepio's forbidden memory store.
This part of the film is rather well done. The scenes on Kijimi were done rather well also, not as messy as the earlier stages. Zorrii Bliss is an interesting character. The next fight between Rey and Kylo was well done too. (Rey as Palpatine's granddaughter? It works, and helps to set up the conclusion.) Rescuing Chewie and the Falcon were done well also. (Hux as the spy, that works also.) The dagger text they are able to retrieve from the wiped C-3PO leads them to Endor. (More defected Stormtroopers. A cool development.)
Rey steals a boat, skiff, to go the ruins of the Second Death Star. She finds the Wayfinder/Holocron, but Kylo is there also. This confrontation was also done really well. Interesting redemption. Han Solo, being remembered by Kylo, now Ben again was a very good scene. However, Rey runs off in Kylo's ship... And at the same time, Leia dies. (How? Like her mother? A dangerous Force techique?) She goes to Ach-to... However the First Order is moving, and it is revealed that the new fleet all have planet destroying weapons.
Like what? Luke appearing and getting Rey to come to her senses was also done rather well. But Leia had a lightsaber? Cool, I guess. But it works, especially when she goes to Exogol. It all comes down to confronting the First Order and Palpatine at Exogol. The overall battle was overambitious, but it worked. Rey and Ben fighting Palpatine was a good portion of that Battle. Besides. “I am all the Sith.” “And I am all the Jedi.” Obviously Palpatine is defeated. However, Rey ending up on Tatooine, and taking the Skywalker name?
Certainly an interesting ending, with the yellow saber, and the twin suns... Overall it was a good movie, even if it wasn't as satisfying as I thought it would be. Nor was it as good as the the previous installment.
Mean Gene Palpatine, the dancing machine.I'm hoping for Gene Palpatine. I love a good rhyme.
Is that short for Pubert?Their EU should be at least interesting from all the unanswered questions from this. I especially would like to know more about Bert Palpatine. His son.
JJ Abrams machine guns so much stuff at us in ROTSKY - it will take a few viewings and multiple comic books/other books to sort it all out. That’s his style, I guess.
I'm hoping for Gene Palpatine. I love a good rhyme.
Brett Somers: "I said 'Sith Lord'!"
'And now the story of sith dynasty that lost everything, and the one Darth who had no choice but to keep it all together.'
Narrator: He wouldn't.
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Man, so many pages to work through! I'm going to post without having read them all. I managed to really avoid all spoilers and footage from this one. I think I saw the initial teaser/trailer and I did catch that "they fly now" bit (not the best confidence builder there).
I liked it, I thought it did a pretty reasonable job being the bookend to the saga as a whole. I can see where people who really liked Last Jedi could be particularly disappointed. The cameos and callbacks pulled the right strings with me and I smiled to see those brought back especailly the surprises.
The Force and Palpatine and his plot were very over the top but I rolled along with it all well. I think I was in a good mood so might be more forgiving than usual. I was confused when they landed on the ship and were able to breathe and everything which is a moment that did pull me out longer than I would've liked but for the most part I was there for the ride.
Having watched Girls before his role as Kylo Ren I always see Adam Driver more as his character from that but I thought he was good here and his final smile was one of my favorite performance moments from the movie.
I'm not sure how my ultimate take on it will be after multiple viewings but I did enjoy it. I did have really low expectations going in so maybe that helped me to swallow the pill.
I liked it, I thought it did a pretty reasonable job being the bookend to the saga as a whole. I can see where people who really liked Last Jedi could be particularly disappointed. The cameos and callbacks pulled the right strings with me and I smiled to see those brought back especailly the surprises.
The Force and Palpatine and his plot were very over the top but I rolled along with it all well. I think I was in a good mood so might be more forgiving than usual. I was confused when they landed on the ship and were able to breathe and everything which is a moment that did pull me out longer than I would've liked but for the most part I was there for the ride.
Having watched Girls before his role as Kylo Ren I always see Adam Driver more as his character from that but I thought he was good here and his final smile was one of my favorite performance moments from the movie.
I'm not sure how my ultimate take on it will be after multiple viewings but I did enjoy it. I did have really low expectations going in so maybe that helped me to swallow the pill.
If you mean the star destroyer toward the end of the movie think it was in atmosphere on the sith planet, but maybe I’m wrong.
They were inside an atmospheric envelope. It wasn't in the vacuum of space.
I figured that was the case but didn't feel it was clear. If there was some dialog maybe I missed it but visually I found it didn't look right. It took me out of the moment because I was like "wait, wut?" for a minute.
Many things in the film weren't clear upon first viewing. Sadly.
