Mainstream 'Star Wars' Films Need to End

The entire world is sitting waiting in anticipation for the next chapter of the Star Wars Saga. A staple of Pop Culture Star Wars was brought back in 2015 for the new generation to be apart of the magic.

It all started with 2015s The Force Awakens followed by 2017s The Last Jedi and now The Rise of Skywalker. After the events that unfolded in The Last Jedi this movie comes with a mountain of skepticism from me. The characters they brought us were written into a box with very little left to explore. It was contrived and boring and that's very bad for a series that has been good to great for the majority of the film's release. Even if you take the prequels out the main saga itself has not been without its issues. The Force Awakens, while good, was very much like A New Hope in 77. It was almost a shot for shot remake with a female lead instead of Luke. Daisy Ridley has been likable so far but the only way they make this different is to have her go to the Dark Side. I'm not sure how this could be incorporated and still end the saga here but based on footage from D23 we are either getting that or a dream like sequence that shows the potential of that happening.

Where does that leave the rest? Poe is a cool character but is not essential to the series. Nothing was done to incorporate Carrie Fishers real life passing into the storyline making it nearly impossible to end Leia's storyline in anyway unless done off screen. That is disrespectful to Carries legacy. There are zero of the original stars that can have a major impact story wise. I'm not quite sure how this can be called The Rise of Skywalker when there is no Skywalkers left, unless we have been lied to about Rey and her lineage.

It may be time to say it. Mainstream Star Wars films have just overstayed their welcome. They are just not what they used to be. That's not to say the Star Wars universe is not ripe with other storyline potential but the Skywalker Saga has definitely pushed the limits of the stories it has to tell. It seemed like things were conveniently introduced in The Last Jedi to help propel the story forward to allow Luke some sort of meaningful way to stay. We learned that Ghost Yoda can use lighting. Where the hell did that come from? Why has that not been used before? Why wait until that moment to use the powers?

It doesn't seem like Rise of Skywalker would be possible without very conveniently placed new powers. It doesn't seem like there is any fundamental story left for Luke or Kylo. It all rests on where they take Rey and there is nothing they can do with her that hasn't been thought of before. There has been zero indication in the film's where this all happens in the timeline of the galaxy other than a long long time ago. It's been a very isolated story when you get down to the meat and potatoes of it. Luke was a very weak lead character throughout most of the original series and the big time reveal came from Darth Vader. Same goes for Rey. She has been rather easy to forget. She has zero ties to the names of yesterday within this galaxy. Perhaps that's the point? Anyone can yield both the power to save or destroy the galaxy. If that's the point it is rather weak for a series that has taken decades to reach this point. It would be the furthest thing from a thrilling conclusion to the Skywalker Saga and that's what this is being billed as.

I'm just not sold this movie will be good. I'm not even sold this movie is necessary or how this actually ends in a good fitting way. Return of the Jedi had all the fixings to be an ending. I guarantee one or more potential storylines will be left ambiguous in case of further exploration down the road. It's just been a more bumpy road. This series does not hold the same power and excitement it once did. It does not make you hold your breath like it used to. It does not have big bold moments like it used to. The biggest moment of The Last Jedi was the Leia does have use of the Force but that scene was one of the most ridiculous not only in the context of Star Wars but in cinematic history.

There is just zero credibility left. There is zero way for this film to correct the ship because as evidenced by the Last Jedi they were already wearing thin on how to drive the plot forward without relying on out of the blue capabilities. It just makes zero sense that now all of a sudden this can all happen just when it is conveniently necessary. Sorry fans, this just doesn't smell like the thrilling conclusion that it has been billed to be. It smells like the leftovers that look okay in the fridge until you open the bowl.