What an interesting thread topic. This is a very hard question because of how bad the last trilogy went. If you think about it, everything is exactly where it was after ROTJ, except all the good characters are dead. This sequel trilogy accomplished absolutely nothing from a plot standpoint. I think they have to take stock on what was good about Star Wars, and see if they can actually add to the franchise. While I think Mandalorian is a bit overrated, it WAS good. I think it's safe to say that at best, Rey was a divisive character. There are those that feel she is a Mary Sue, and those that defend her, but I feel that if there is an episode X, it should be completely separate from this last trilogy, and have nothing to do with it. I'm not sure where they can go that hasn't already been done. I believe that the true creativity will be seen on television, and Filoni needs to be in charge. He seems to get it far better than Abrams and Kennedy. Whatever they do, I want more about the Force. So yes, that does mean Jedi. If they do Jedi and Sith stuff, make it different. Maybe they go forward in time and show us a new Jedi order in its prime, having learned from the mistakes of the past. Of course, you need a conflict and an enemy that doesn't become repetitive. The biggest mistake of the sequel trilogy was that it really told the exact same story and accomplished absolutely nothing other than hurting the original trilogy. Maybe they can explore Force Ghosts. How do you become one? How is it possible that Anakin can learn all he needed in a split second? What do Force Ghosts do when not appearing in the living world? If Force ghosts can do things after they die, why don't they affect the living world more? Why didn't say, Force Ghost Yoda fight Rey's battle? Maybe they can go back 500 years before A New Hope and give us more about Yoda? Or 500 years in the future and learn about Baby Yoda?
Just saw on YouTube that Mike Zeroh already has an Episode X video out there. "HUGE news revealed!" *groan* SuperShadow all over again...
The 2nd Death Star was bad. Starkiller Base (a Death Star that's a planet puttering around with a big boat motor) is laughable. And yet... Spoiler: Go see the movie or, why not, click for a cheap thrill - when I read it, it convinced me to go out despite knowing other spoilers that were a bit iffy Rey being the granddaughter of Palpatine is kinda cool and allows the backstory writes itself in the way viewers see fit. Especially as Ren (unknowingly, or winding her up) states her parents were nobodies - which can be equally true... this also subverts expectations over if or how taking the claim about her parents would have any major difference. )
I doubt there is going to be an Episode X any time soon. 15 years at least. Before then, there's going to be a new trilogy that has nothing to do with the main story.
Possibly, but I wouldn't underestimate the appeal the beginning of a new-Skywalker trilogy would have paired with the 50th Anniversary of the franchise.
If the Rey trilogy proved anything, it's that movies don't need a story, a plot or any characters worth the term in order to be successful. Why even bother? I say just make two hours of sci-fi action sequences without any of that unnecessary baggage.
Yeah, and was ridiculous there too. I don't really see how he can, Rey's taking the name was built of off the relationships she had with Luke and Leia. Finn never met Luke, and we never really got any indication that he was especially close to Leia, so he would have no reason to want to take the name. The only way I could maybe see him taking it is if it becomes a Dredd Pirate Roberts kind of thing, and the name is passed on from master to student. But if they do that then it won't be episode X. We're already going to get other movies that aren't part of the Skywalker Saga, so if we do go back to the Episode movies, it is going to because they want to follow up on Sequel Trilogy.
My point exactly. There will be other Star War movies. But if we are talking Episode X then it has to have some connection. The most likely connection is with some characters or events from Episodes 7,8,9.
The obvious (to me) thing that would be most organic to creating a new story in the SW universe would be focusing on Broom Boy, and seeing what came from there, the story having nothing to do with the Skywalker group.
Broom Boy, sure. But I don't wanna see Casino Planet again. And I hope there is no big mystery surrounding him and where he really came from.
They have really kicked the arse out of the Jedi/Sith storyline - why cannot we see force users who are aligned with different groups or no groups? Otherwise regardless of what the main characters are called you just rehash the Skywalker Saga and that also has run its course.
The only issue I have really with what you've said here is that Jannah was pointless. She was underutilized but she wasn't pointless. She was a character that connected Finn back to his First Order past, but also showed him that he wasn't alone when it came to people who broke free of First Order conditioning. Jannah, if they had had the time or inclination to build on her First Order past, could have been a good character to explore it much more in depth. Jannah also was there to help Finn out at pivotal moments, therefore, helping the Resistance. There's a lot more that can, and hopefully, will be done with the character. There's the talk out there that she was supposed to have been Lando's daughter, which if Disney does go with that, gives a direct and stronger tie to the original trilogy and it's characters than most of the sequel characters. She had an instant connection with him more than what The Last Jedi tried to force between Finn and Rose. I don't hate the Tico character, and would've been fine with seeing her included on the planet hopping in Episode 9 (or maybe giving her the spice runner backstory instead of Dameron), but to me, her arc as it were was pretty much done by the end of Episode 8.
As for Episode X.... Wow, that's going to give a lot of Disney execs heartburn. Personally I am fine with not returning to Rey, Finn, or Dameron. As much money as these sequel films have made-and I'm guessing Episode 9 will also hit the billion club-they were also divisive and have left a bad taste in people's mouths (similar to the prequels, which all were financially successful, though not on Disney's level, but left some fans in the doldrums and a general sense of malaise or Star Wars fatigue). If they pick back up with these sequel heroes, it feels like a retread of what we just saw (or that took place between Episodes 6 & 7), with Spoiler Rey restarting the Jedi Order, the rebuilding of another New Republic, more First Order or whatever their successors will be, fighting against them. Ending the "Skywalker Saga" was a self-inflicted wound that was a mistake. Spoiler But Rey being a "Skywalker" now means we could follow her progeny, so the Skywalker saga still can live on. I would rather see the novels, comics, and video games carry on these stories. I got more confidence in them than I do in the films to adequately take care of these characters. I've heard about the Knights of the Old Republic rumors and though that could be a thrilling trilogy of films (I liked the comics and thought Zayne Carrick, or a character like him, would make for a good movie protagonist), it sort of feels pointless to me. Like they would just be spinning their wheels. Spinning their wheels, filling in the blanks, and so forth is perfectly fine when dealing with the smaller or niche audiences that will subscribe to Disney Plus, read the comics and novels, play the video games, but for the theatrical films I would like to see more creativity and risk taking. Though for that, I would be fine with Disney waiting a decade or more to put out Episode X. Hopefully by that time they could've come up with some ideas and have something to say with the new films,or they could anticipate that nostalgia would make mass audiences eager for Star Wars again, like they were when Episode 7 came out. I would rather Disney focus on Avatar and making that better in the meantime. They also have The Orville, Alien, Predator, Robocop, so they are not hurting for sci-fi franchises. Not to forget Guardians of the Galaxy. And their own The Black Hole and Tron.
Pointless is probably harsh, so my apologies. She did exactly what you suggested. But I feel Finn had made peace with the First Order past in TLJ. I don't know that this particular aspect that was needed. However, in the midst of an overbloated story, I think that adding new characters was a mistake. We had a perfectly good existing character in Rose. She was shortchanged. Yes, some fans think she was a little much and I can respect that opinion. But this was an opportunity to fix her. Make her likable. Maybe even have her sacrifice herself for Finn and the others. Just like Rose didn't resonate with others in TLJ, Jannah didn't resonate with me here. I don't dislike her character. I just don't know that she was necessary. She felt a little tacked on.
The idea of Rose making a sacrifice in Episode 9 is not one I had considered before. That's a neat idea. To me that would've been a nice arc for her, though I could see that also inviting criticism that Episode 9 was swiping at Episode 8, among other things. There's almost no winning with Disney Star Wars. Someone's going to dislike whatever decision they make, and it wouldn't be so bad if they had the courage of their convictions, but conviction, IMO, was thrown out the window in Episode 7. Let me say I have no problems with Kelly Marie Tran, she did what she could with what was she was given in Episodes 8 and 9. I don't know though that Rose needed or could be 'fixed' in Episode 9. To me, she pretty much had a story arc that was done by Episode 8. Further, I think she became Johnson's audience surrogate character (whom some claimed Finn was supposed to be in Episode 7 if not the whole sequel trilogy, and if we go with that, the Rose character took opportunities away from Finn), and Johnson's mouthpiece character to push some of his views/themes. With Johnson no longer in the picture, and the lesson she 'taught' Finn learned by Episode 9, I think the character had served her role in the saga. Certainly there could be side stories, but to me, I think that could work for comics, novels. (I don't see Tico getting a solo Disney Plus series, like some have suggested, though I could see her being part of a series). I have no argument against Rose fans who feel she was shortchanged in Episode 9. I'm not really in that number, but I could see why fans would take issue with her lack of screen time. But I don't know what else could be done with the character, or where else she could go, once the decision was made to not pursue the romance with Finn. I do also understand the criticism that Jannah and Bliss, among other characters (for some reason Dominic Monaghan's character escapes criticism here, when his lines could've been given to Rose. There was really no need for this character at all. At least Jannah helped Finn and also could have a bigger tie to the franchise and Bliss helped Dameron and the Resistance with Threepio and getting aboard the First Order Star Destroyer). If certain characters don't resonate with you, me, or any of us, I can relate. I've felt that way for a good deal of the sequel trilogy. Even though I've generally liked the actors, I can't say I really like any of the characters like that. None are beloved. Just when Snoke got interesting they killed him off in Episode 8 Spoiler , and then made him a puppet all along in Episode 9 . Ren had a cool look, but was way too whiny and emo for me. The sequel heroes were underdeveloped, with Finn being way too racially stereotypical, and then the original heroes were all turned into failures (from a certain point of view), with the exceptions of Lando, Chewie, and I guess the droids (though I didn't like how R2 was almost always sidelined for BB-8). I don't understand what you mean in terms of Finn making peace with the First Order in Episode 8. The way I took it was that Finn had overcome his fear of the First Order in that film. He was all about running away in Episode 7, but in Episode 8, he got over that, with Rose's help, and was even willing to face them head on. What perhaps started as a love or over concern for Rey that compelled him at the start of Episode 8, eventually somewhat morphed into wanting to help the Resistance by the end of the film. I don't think it was cleanly done to show that transition though.
I don't either. I quite liked the character. But there are those who might feel differently. I do agree they could have done more with R2. I think in The Force Awakens it makes sense, but in The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, they should have utilized him a little more. I guess what I mean is that Finn accepted his past and decided his future was with the Resistance. I don't know we necessarily needed to go back to that storyline. Finn was a hero for the Resistance. Like you say, after spending much of The Force Awakens running from the First Order and The Last Jedi, coming to terms with his past, going back to the well of the First Order for him just seemed like a little bit of a backstep. I'm honestly not sure what he could have done differently in the new film without losing too much story. Perhaps more coming to terms with the idea that he's Force-sensitive. I don't know. At the same time, I feel as though bringing another former Stormtrooper into the equation, in theory is a cool idea, because as you suggest it shows Finn isn't alone. Both Jannah and Finn's character arcs, I feel, like many in The Rise of Skywalker, was glossed over. Also, I want to thank you for the polite conversation. We may not agree on everything but at least we can do so respectfully. I think its something that in this forum can be a little lacking from time to time. It is much appreciated.