The Rise of Skywalker Can "Star Wars" Redeem the Skywalker Legacy?

[Herolee10]

So needless to say, not everyone was thrilled with what became of Luke Skywalker at the conclusion of "The Last Jedi".

While I'm sure there folks out there who could come up with several reasons on why they thought that it was the best creative decision to take or vice versa, one big problem remains: The Skywalker Legacy.

Although Princess Leia survived the last film's ordeal, with the untimely passing of Carrie Fisher it's doubtful that her character will return for final conclusion of this trilogy.

And many seem convinced that Kylo Ren will not go down the same path as Anakin and find redemption at the end of the trilogy. So if that's the case, where does this leave the Skywalker legacy?

Anakin Skywalker left a huge scar on the Star Wars galaxy during his tenure as Darth Vader. Although Luke was able to both redeem his father and aided in the defeat of the Emperor, his life ultimately ended in ruins as his actions (indirectly) factored into Kylo Ren's descent to the Dark Side. Not to mention, Luke was never able to restore the Jedi Order back to its former glory.

And if Rey kills Kylo, or he dies from some other factor (redeemed or not), then the last impact that the Skywalker family will have had and left in the Star Wars galaxy is a tragic one filled with pain and suffering.

Honestly guys, I don't know about anyone else, but it's just depressing to think that the main lineage of the Star Wars Franchise will potentially conclude on this note.

Is there really no other way for the franchise to save it?

 

[Mjölnir]

I don't think it's redeemable.

The new trilogy is not only shining a poor light on the Skywalkers (well, Leia was written fairly well, although she hasn't been that much of a presence), it's not really about the Skywalkers since there's none of them among the protagonists like in previous trilogies. It feels more like a trilogy to dump the Skywalker legacy to continue on without it.

Personally I don't think there should be any more numbered Saga films without the Skywalkers. You can name the other stuff in other ways. And even in the unlikely event that Ben redeems himself you need more films to actually make the Skywalker legacy a good thing in the galaxy again, and I think they should focus on other stories from now on.

 

[Grootster]

I'd almost be willing to bet that Luke's force ghost will appear in Episode IX and act like optimistic OT Luke rather than brooding TLJ Luke.

I'm expecting a lot of damage control in Episode IX. When Abrams made TFA he ignored most of the prequels and "took Star Wars back to it's roots". (Heck, even Rian Johnson did that with Yoda in TLJ). I think Abrams is going to do the same thing with Episode IX. Not necessarily because he dislikes the direction that TLJ took, but because he's aware of the controversy TLJ caused and he doesn't have the guts to make another controversial film. I don't really like Abrams as a storyteller, but I'll admit he's a crowd pleaser and he seems to respect the fanbase.

I have a feeling IX will only loosely follow where TLJ left off. At an extreme I could see Abrams even trying to bring back Snoke or something.

 

[Frodo]

After episode 9 , I think we'll pretty much be done with Skywalker family, save Vader potentially turning up in one shot spin off films.

I wouldn't be surprised if Ben is ultimately "redeemed" in some form or fashion, though it may end up not being satisfactory to everyone.

I also agree that Episode 9 will likely be more of a sequel to TFA than TLJ.

Even though all three films are made by the same filmmaker and writers ,the best comparison I would use is Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises. The first and the third film connect and are tied together in a much stronger way than the TDK and TDKR are to each other.

I don't think TLJ be retconned, but I wouldn't be surprised if Episode 9 goes back to some ideas which TLJ didn't resolve as opposed to picking up which Johnson left off and trying to further his ideas.

Johnson's film was , for good or ill, taking an overall stand on were he thought the SW franchise should go in the future , while I think JJ will focus more on ending the trilogy in a way that can bridge the divide between the OT,PT, and NT.

I don't think he'll take a stand on were he think's SW should go. So yeah, I don't think he'll take major risks. It'll probably still end up being polarizing as far as fans go , but I tend to think it'll be a crowd pleaser.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

It need not be redeemed. We see the legacy is Rey, Poe and Finn. In the Resistance. What Luke, Leia and even Han helped instill in these people. Blood is not the end all be all of legacy.

 

[writer0327]

I think SW needed to move on from the Skywalkers and they did so in a very interesting and dramatic way that will be discussed for decades to come.

Whether people agree with how it was executed, it was a needed move to grow the franchise. I for one hope they leave everything as is. Luke's legacy was in the OT.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Luke's legacy is very much in TLJ and most likely IX.

 

[LTuser]

I'd say no, it can't be redeemed.. We had the redemption arc in 4-6.. 7-9 seems to be showing that redemtion didn't last..

 

[Herolee10]

Although a part of me agrees that the franchise did need to end the Skywalker saga by the conclusion of this new trilogy, I for one thought that TLJ went about it in the worst way possible.

Luke's inability to correct his mistakes or restore the Jedi Order, along with Kylo Ren's inability to ever return to the light side will forever overshadow the Skywalker name, leaving the family heritage forever in ruins.

The family/legacy that this entire franchise was built on was pretty much destroyed with TLJ.

And I do not believe that Rey, Poe, and Finn are even close towards being worthy successors.

 

[Frodo]

I think SW needed to move on from the Skywalkers and they did so in a very interesting and dramatic way that will be discussed for decades to come.

Whether people agree with how it was executed, it was a needed move to grow the franchise. I for one hope they leave everything as is.

I think they'll leave everything as is , though I do think JJ will tell his own story that isn't dependent on the events of TLJ.

My guess is that it won't be a film which rehashes the controversial events of TLJ by retconning or emphasizing and affirming them.

 

[Frodo]

Although a part of me agrees that the franchise did need to end the Skywalker saga by the conclusion of this new trilogy, I for one thought that TLJ went about it in the worst way possible.

Luke's inability to correct his mistakes or restore the Jedi Order, along with Kylo Ren's inability to ever return to the light side will forever overshadow the Skywalker name, leaving the family heritage forever in ruins.

The family/legacy that this entire franchise was built on was pretty much destroyed with TLJ.

And I do not believe that Rey, Poe, and Finn are even close towards being worthy successors.

I agree that they needed to move away from the Skywalkers as well.

That said ,I think they need to stop these saga films anyway and truly move on instead trying to have their cake and eat it too with episode 10-12.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Although a part of me agrees that the franchise did need to end the Skywalker saga by the conclusion of this new trilogy, I for one thought that TLJ went about it in the worst way possible.

Luke's inability to correct his mistakes or restore the Jedi Order, along with Kylo Ren's inability to ever return to the light side will forever overshadow the Skywalker name, leaving the family heritage forever in ruins.

The family/legacy that this entire franchise was built on was pretty much destroyed with TLJ.

And I do not believe that Rey, Poe, and Finn are even close towards being worthy successors.

Nope. And I find Rey, Poe and Finn to be more then worthy of the legacy. Especially Rey.

The argument here is basically ignoring TLJ. Where two of the three Skywalkers saved the Resistance, and ensured their legacy will continue in the likes of Rey, Finn and Poe.

Kylo the individual is not the legacy of the Skywalkers. A name and family he abandons himself. He "let's the past die". TFA and TLJ are about choices, and both emphasize that family is not tied to blood. Legacy is not tied to blood. Even as everyone keeps on trying to tie it to blood.

 

[writer0327]

Luke's inability to correct his mistakes or restore the Jedi Order, along with Kylo Ren's inability to ever return to the light side will forever overshadow the Skywalker name, leaving the family heritage forever in ruins.

The family/legacy that this entire franchise was built on was pretty much destroyed with TLJ.

Wholeheartedly disagree. The legacy of the Skywalkers seems to be a repeating cycle of "Rise-Fall-Redeem". We've seen it twice. Anakin rose, fell, and was redeemed. Luke rose, fell and was redeemed. We're done.

 

[Herolee10]

Wholeheartedly disagree. The legacy of the Skywalkers seems to be a repeating cycle of "Rise-Fall-Redeem". We've seen it twice. Anakin rose, fell, and was redeemed. Luke rose, fell and was redeemed. We're done.

I know that Luke saved the resistance but I don't think that he was exactly redeemed from his biggest mistakes.

At least with Anakin's redemption, he took out both himself and the Emperor.

Luke fixing his mistakes would have been actually restarting the Jedi order again and playing a vital role in the victory over the first order.

Also, reason why I don't at least see Rey and Finn as worthy successors to the legacy is that one is written as a plot device where she never really has to learn anything in order to achieve anything while the other has no actual depth as a character and comes off as more comedic relief than a well written character.

The fact that Rey is at the level that she is at right now despite only a few days of being slightly trained is a spit and insult to every Jedi that came before her.

 

[Mjölnir]

I know that Luke saved the resistance but I don't think that he was exactly redeemed from his biggest mistakes.

At least with Anakin's redemption, he took out both himself and the Emperor.

Luke fixing his mistakes would have been actually restarting the Jedi order again and playing a vital role in the victory over the first order.

Also, reason why I don't at least see Rey and Finn as worthy successors to the legacy is that one is written as a plot device where she never really has to learn anything in order to achieve anything while the other has no actual depth as a character and comes off as more comedic relief than a well written character.

The fact that Rey is at the level that she is at right now despite only a few days of being slightly trained is a spit and insult to every Jedi that came before her.

Yes, Luke's "redemption" is pitiful. He just prolongs what looks like inevitable defeat (of course it won't be due to plot reasons, but that's besides the point).

When what Jedi Master Luke does isn't even worthy to be spoken of in the same sentence as the final heroic act of Anakin, the horrible mass-murdering dark lord, then you know that the Skywalker legacy was just flushed way to make room for the new stuff.

For Rey and Finn to be worthy of anything Rey would have to become something else than a really bland copy of Luke, and Finn would have to be allowed to be more important.

 

[wampa1]

The Skywalker legacy was redeemed at the end of TLJ. That was kinda the whole point of the finale.

 

[Frodo]

Nope. And I find Rey, Poe and Finn to be more then worthy of the legacy. Especially Rey.

The argument here is basically ignoring TLJ. Where two of the three Skywalkers saved the Resistance, and ensured their legacy will continue in the likes of Rey, Finn and Poe.

Kylo the individual is not the legacy of the Skywalkers. A name and family he abandons himself. He "let's the past die". TFA and TLJ are about choices, and both emphasize that family is not tied to blood. Legacy is not tied to blood. Even as everyone keeps on trying to tie it to blood.

Well to be fair, I got the impression that thread itself is really talking about the Skywalker[I] family[/I] as opposed to how they influence outsiders like Rey , Finn and Poe.

If we're talking about the legacy of the resistance , and not of the Skywalker Family, I agree with you.

Now, I don't think the Skywalker family name as a whole, or Luke, needs to be redeemed , but Ben certainly does need to be redeemed and that is separate from whatever the legacy of the resistance is.

Since he is effectively, the last Skywalker, assuming Leia isn't recast, the question is, can the last Skywalker's reputation, be redeemed?

 

[Mjölnir]

The Skywalker legacy was redeemed at the end of TLJ. That was kinda the whole point of the finale.

Redemption should have to include something that measures up to his failures. How he gave up on Ben without even trying to help him, how he chose not to even try to confront the new dark lord that threatens the galaxy with his empire, and how he left his family and friends to deal with the threat.

Nothing Luke did stops the threat from just continuing. Nothing he did even hampered the First Order's ability to threaten the galaxy. All he did was save a handful of people that now still have to deal with what Luke chose to run from.

Anakin was redeemed because when he had his final heroic act he actually ended the Sith.

Then again Force ghosts can apparently attack things in the real world so Luke with his masters and father could of course just sweep in and stop the First Order without them being able to do anything about it. My guess is that they won't do anything relevant with that power though.

 

[LTuser]

And technically, AS ben is (was) a solo, not a skywalker, the skywalker legacy doesn't need to be redeemed..

 

[Herolee10]

Well to be fair, I got the impression that thread itself is really talking about the Skywalker[I] family[/I] as opposed to how they influence outsiders like Rey , Finn and Poe.

If we're talking about the legacy of the resistance , and not of the Skywalker Family, I agree with you.

Now, I don't think the Skywalker family name as a whole, or Luke, needs to be redeemed , but Ben certainly does need to be redeemed and that is separate from whatever the legacy of the resistance is.

Since he is effectively, the last Skywalker, assuming Leia isn't recast, the question is, can the last Skywalker's reputation, be redeemed?

Pretty much. And even though his last name is Solo, Kylo Ren is still a skywalker and will most likely be the last remaining one before the end of Episode 9.

If he isn't redeemed, then the Skywalker family name will be left in ruins afterwards.

Personally, I would have preferred for Luke not only to survive the events of TLJ but to become a legitimate father figure to Rey where by the end of Episode 9, he could even pass down his family name to her before he dies as well, thus her being the embodiment and new hope for the Jedi Order that he once was.

 

[Frodo]

And technically, AS ben is (was) a solo, not a skywalker, the skywalker legacy doesn't need to be redeemed..

He's both a Solo and Skywalker . Solo is his last name but he's part of both families.

 

[Spider-Fan]

It was already redeemed for me.

 

[Grootster]

Pretty much. And even though his last name is Solo, Kylo Ren is still a skywalker and will most likely be the last remaining one before the end of Episode 9.

If he isn't redeemed, then the Skywalker family name will be left in ruins afterwards.

Personally, I would have preferred for Luke not only to survive the events of TLJ but to become a legitimate father figure to Rey where by the end of Episode 9, he could even pass down his family name to her before he dies as well, thus her being the embodiment and new hope for the Jedi Order that he once was.

It would be an interesting idea for Luke to become a father figure to Rey as a Force ghost in Episode 9.

 

[LTuser]

Ben had a tie to luke though, which is why he 'bonded' to luke. Same with Yoda.

What tie to Ray does luke have?

 

[Adhesive Boy]

Ben had a tie to luke though, which is why he 'bonded' to luke. Same with Yoda.

What tie to Ray does luke have?

Rey is the new awesome protagonist that everyone must love. Han liked her so much he suddenly wanted a third member of the Falcon crew, Leia even passed on mourning with Chewbacca to get a hug from this new awesome character, etc.

She's the new Poochie.