The Last Jedi What would you have done differently?

[CaptainWagner]

Snoke was a mistake from the start, just way too similar to Palpatine. I'm glad Rian Johnson did what he did.

See, this is the thing I don't get about so many of the complaints. So much of what people are upset about with TLJ is because of what JJ did with TFA. You're upset that Luke failed, Leia and Han's marriage failed, the New Republic failed? That's all on JJ. If Snoke hadn't been killed and had been the big villain certain people wanted, he would have literally been Palpatine 2.0. Rian did the best he could, it's not his fault JJ refused to let the story progress in the 30 years since ROTJ.

 

[DerekLake]

See, this is the thing I don't get about so many of the complaints. So much of what people are upset about with TLJ is because of what JJ did with TFA. You're upset that Luke failed, Leia and Han's marriage failed, the New Republic failed? That's all on JJ. If Snoke hadn't been killed and had been the big villain certain people wanted, he would have literally been Palpatine 2.0. Rian did the best he could, it's not his fault JJ refused to let the story progress in the 30 years since ROTJ.

I agree. The entire premise of this sequel trilogy is redoing the original trilogy, but chopped up and mixed around so that it seems like it’s something new. Say what you will about the quality of the prequel trilogy, it was largely an original story, with its own conflict and heroes and character developments. “It rhymes” is not an excuse for rehashed storytelling, and I think one thing that is obvious about this sequel trilogy is that it lacks the sort of creativity that fueled the OT and the PT. The other thing that is obvious is that Kathleen Kennedy and her creative team were clearly stuck between making a sequel trilogy concluding the Skywalker saga, and starting an entirely new saga, so they settled for a functional reimagining of the OT. That is, ultimately, the issue, because they can either try to copy the OT, like JJ, or deconstruct everything, like Rian. There is not much creative room here, because we’ve already seen a better version of this story.

In my opinion, a better conclusion to the Skywalker saga would have had as its premise a fledgling New Republic led by Leia, a small and independent Jedi Order led by Luke, and a resurgent Sith Order/Empire led by Ben Solo. Keep the betrayal of a promising apprentice, keep the conflict between Jedi and Sith, keep the female scavenger who gets caught up in the galactic struggle, but get rid of the fallen Order, rebellion story. We’ve seen that already.

Of course, if they truly wanted to start telling a new story, then they should have simply set this trilogy a century after ROTJ.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

That feels like a bit of a rehash of the PT.

 

[DerekLake]

That feels like a bit of a rehash of the PT.

It wouldn't have to be. Yes, of course, we've seen a Republic and a Jedi Order already, but the OT was moving toward that anyway, because restoring those was the goal. And, if a sequel trilogy were to conclude this particular saga, then in some sense yes, there would need to be Sith (whether they are called that or not), and it would need to feel like a conclusion to this story of Jedi vs Sith. But there are many ways to depict a republic, and other ways to depict the Jedi, that differ from what the OT or the PT did.

Of course, you could argue that a sequel trilogy wasn't really necessary, and I'd agree with you. But even if they just told a new story, I think it was a mistake to rehash the distinctive Rebels vs Empire, exiled Jedi Master story. At the very least, starting out with some sort of intact government and some sort of Jedi order allows you more creative room than another story in which the heroes try to salvage or restore the Republic and Jedi Order.

 

[DeadPresident]

I would have transitioned from old to new without completely ****ting on the original trilogy and I wouldn't have gone full GotG with the humor.

 

[MaceB]

I would have changed what happened to Luke. I understand that in the hero's journey, the hero has to lose the guide in order to grow to their full potential. I just think they could have gone a different way if they had wanted to.

 

[godisawesome]

It wouldn't have to be. Yes, of course, we've seen a Republic and a Jedi Order already, but the OT was moving toward that anyway, because restoring those was the goal. And, if a sequel trilogy were to conclude this particular saga, then in some sense yes, there would need to be Sith (whether they are called that or not), and it would need to feel like a conclusion to this story of Jedi vs Sith. But there are many ways to depict a republic, and other ways to depict the Jedi, that differ from what the OT or the PT did.

Of course, you could argue that a sequel trilogy wasn't really necessary, and I'd agree with you. But even if they just told a new story, I think it was a mistake to rehash the distinctive Rebels vs Empire, exiled Jedi Master story. At the very least, starting out with some sort of intact government and some sort of Jedi order allows you more creative room than another story in which the heroes try to salvage or restore the Republic and Jedi Order.

Personally, I was hoping for a different set up to the new Galactic conflict to again show an impact from the heroes. I had fun speculating that the natural fallout of both the destruction of the Hosnian System and Starkiller Base would lead to a fascinating mismatch: that the angered Republic systems, which had plenty of reason to reject the First Order even before being sneak attacked, would have more people and maybe more Starfighters, but the First Order would have more capital ships and a ready military. So we'd have to see a race between the First Order trying to intelligently maximize its initial advantages and bleed their opponent dry while the Resistance/Republic would have to get over the learning curve and attain resources to match the First Order.

Something like that could still happen in IX, I just think it's would have been better to see something like that here in TLJ, instead of rushing headlong back into the OT status quo. At least then, if you wanted the villains to win, they could do so by becoming more intimidating in the audience's eyes by being competent and clever.

 

[Clark-Kent]

I wouldn't have minded a revelation about Finn having the force explored further...and even perhaps Rey under a mind control from Snoke, where Finn stops her from killing "Ben" Solo.

 

[TheVileOne]

I probably wouldn't have had Luke die.

 

[Maxima]

Luke being more important. Both Resistance and the First Order made a big deal about searching for Luke, but all he was able to do in the end was to retain the First Order for a couple of minutes. And he didn't change anything in teaching Rey, she was a very powerful force-wielder before that.

 

[jmart]

Not much.

If I wanted to see Luke potentially kick some ass - film this series twenty years ago instead of the prequels. That's the only thing I would "change".

But no, as is, I think Luke got a pretty damn great and heroic "send-off" (he'll be back). That close-up on Mark/Luke's face when he says "And I won't be the last Jedi" is amazing.

Luke being more important. Both Resistance and the First Order made a big deal about searching for Luke, but all he was able to do in the end was to retain the First Order for a couple of minutes. And he didn't change anything in teaching Rey, she was a very powerful force-wielder before that.

And become a legend. A legend who will inspire others to join the Resistance.

 

[Mjölnir]

And become a legend. A legend who will inspire others to join the Resistance.

But how exactly did he become a legend for what happened on Crait?

No one in the New Order will talk about it so it's just something spread by a few people that fit on board the Falcon. If it's that easy to spread a story that's completely unverifiable (Luke certainly won't be doing any more deeds so it's a story that just pops up in the middle of him being gone for years and nothing more happens) and have it become a legend they could have done that at any point without Luke actually doing anything.

 

[Brother Jack]

But how exactly did he become a legend for what happened on Crait?

No one in the New Order will talk about it so it's just something spread by a few people that fit on board the Falcon. If it's that easy to spread a story that's completely unverifiable (Luke certainly won't be doing any more deeds so it's a story that just pops up in the middle of him being gone for years and nothing more happens) and have it become a legend they could have done that at any point without Luke actually doing anything.

I don't see why the First Order wouldn't talk about Luke. But even they didn't, we literally see the legend spread enough that the orphan kids at the end of the movie recount Luke's stand against them. There's definitely some fast and loose play with regards to timeline there, but the implication is that there have been legends proliferated about Luke for a long time prior to the film. It's why Rey doesn't even believe he's a real person initially in TFA.

 

[Mjölnir]

I don't see why the First Order wouldn't talk about Luke. But even they didn't, we literally see the legend spread enough that the orphan kids at the end of the movie recount Luke's stand against them. There's definitely some fast and loose play with regards to timeline there, but the implication is that there have been legends proliferated about Luke for a long time prior to the film. It's why Rey doesn't even believe he's a real person initially in TFA.

Glorifying the enemy that's strongly hated by your leaders isn't something you do unless you like the risk of execution. Not to mention that from what they saw Kylo and Luke faced off and only Kylo walked away. Kylo Ren should really be the legend that went down there and took care of the guy that the walkers bombardment couldn't. Far more should be talking about that than about the Luke part.

I know that the legend reached the slave kids, my point is that it makes little sense that it did. Just because something happens in a film doesn't mean that they managed to establish it with sound logic. That's a thing TLJ struggles with on a few issues.

 

[Golgo-13]

I would not have had TLJ start mere moments after TFA. The fact that there was no time gap (years, etc) between movies meant that there was no character growth from anyone.

 

[Lead Cenobite]

Not much.

If I wanted to see Luke potentially kick some ass - film this series twenty years ago instead of the prequels. That's the only thing I would "change".

But no, as is, I think Luke got a pretty damn great and heroic "send-off" (he'll be back). That close-up on Mark/Luke's face when he says "And I won't be the last Jedi" is amazing.



And become a legend. A legend who will inspire others to join the Resistance.

I do wish they would have made sequels sooner than they did, even if it meant delaying the prequel trilogy.

 

[spiderman2]

2 main things I would have shown Rey and luke tranning together more and I would have shown some sort of like back story on how Snooke got Kylo ren to join him.

 

[Lead Cenobite]

2 main things I would have shown Rey and luke tranning together more and I would have shown some sort of like back story on how Snooke got Kylo ren to join him.

One thing I could have gone for was a flashback of a lightsaber duel between Luke and Ben, rather than just one clash of lightsabers before Ben caused the building to collapse in on them.

 

[<(o_o)>]

I do wish they would have made sequels sooner than they did, even if it meant delaying the prequel trilogy.

Yes the sequels should have been made before George Lucas sold the Star Wars Rights to Disney, but sadly they weren't.

 

[InfinityWar]

Yes the sequels should have been made before George Lucas sold the Star Wars Rights to Disney, but sadly they weren't.

Would have been awesome to see Star Wars Sequel Trilogy in mid-90's. The technology was there to do some decent stuff (T2 , Abyss was early 90s and still looks great today).

I think one of the problems was that Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher was just too old to have any energy in their performance. Ford was in his normal Frankenstein acting mode and Carrie Fisher (RIP) could barely get her lines out. Mark Hamill was okay, he was in good shape and gave great performance. But you needed Leia & Han to be much younger to give great performances.

I agree, I wish Lucas did sequel trilogy FIRST, then the prequels later. Lucas sequel trilogy would not be perfect films, most likely....Like the prequels, but I would take Prequel level SW films anyday over the sequel films we got today.

 

[Bobber]

Yes the sequels should have been made before George Lucas sold the Star Wars Rights to Disney, but sadly they weren't.

Yeah, I would've loved to hear Luke Skywalker's monologue on the peak of Ach Too, about how he hates grass, because it's green and leaves stains on his clothes.

 

[Frodo]

I actually would have made the backstory , i.e. the fall of Ben Solo, Luke's exile, the Knights of Ren , Snoke, and the rise of the 3rd order, Luke's exile, episodes 7-9 . I'd be Ben's saga but that's what i'd do.

For me, that backstory is far more interesting than anything happening in the current time line which takes place post all that stuff.

 

[spiderman2]

Would have been awesome to see Star Wars Sequel Trilogy in mid-90's. The technology was there to do some decent stuff (T2 , Abyss was early 90s and still looks great today).

I think one of the problems was that Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher was just too old to have any energy in their performance. Ford was in his normal Frankenstein acting mode and Carrie Fisher (RIP) could barely get her lines out. Mark Hamill was okay, he was in good shape and gave great performance. But you needed Leia & Han to be much younger to give great performances.

I agree, I wish Lucas did sequel trilogy FIRST, then the prequels later. Lucas sequel trilogy would not be perfect films, most likely....Like the prequels, but I would take Prequel level SW films anyday over the sequel films we got today.

You are crazy the prequles are some of the worst trash I have ever seen and TFA and TLJ are great.

 

[Adhesive Boy]

I'd be interested in what Lucas had planned. While the prequels were bad in execution they were clearly more original than TFA and TLJ.

 

[Aximili86]

Again: half of the stuff conceptually in The Force Awakens was Lucas!

Stop ignoring that, seriously.