There
was plenty of happiness and excitement this past week in the Star Wars
community. Many long time fans even confessed to cheering out loud and
crying at the return of Luke Skywalker on The Mandalorian. This is
something that may have been negatively referred to as fan service just a
few years ago, but long time fans will say this was way overdue. Though
some say the franchise is a mess, others say there is a way to fix it.
At
the recent investors meeting, Kathleen Kennedy rolled out several new
Star Wars series and movie titles that will premiere over the next few
years. Absent from this announcement were any plans for where the
franchise will go following the conclusion of the Disney Star Wars
trilogy. One thing Disney knows very well is that the fan base was not
pleased after The Rise Of Skywalker. It wasn't just the long time fans
who were unhappy. Fans who were on board with what Disney was doing were
left with a bad taste in their mouths as well.
There
is a way to get people back on board. Long time fans are still
skeptical. Despite seeing the character of Luke Skywalker in his prime
once again, there is a problem. Many long time fans realize that it's
still heading to the Disney Star Wars trilogy. If left to that fate,
nothing really changes. Therefore, they are calling for something to
change that negates the three movies. It's been suggested that the
writers can use The Veil Of The Force to erase the Disney trilogy.
There's just one problem with that scenario.
In
the process of erasing what began with The Force Awakens, Disney would
also be erasing the new characters that some of the fans liked. This
would not make them very happy. However, some of them weren't happy
anyways. There was a certain fan base that wanted to see Kylo Ren and
Rey get together in the end. When The Rise Of Skywalker ended with Rey
taking the Skywalker name and Kylo Ren dying, those fans were very
displeased. An effort by JJ Abrams to end the trilogy in a way that
could make the different factions of the fan base happy resulted in
disappointment all around.
Disney could
ultimately take a different path. They could simply move the Star Wars
timeline many years beyond the events of The Rise Of Skywalker. In doing
so, they could tell a whole new story and leave the rest in the past.
There would likely be some unhappy fans, moreso among the older fan
base. However, this would also give them an opportunity to tell a new
story with no particular old canon to present them with complications.
On the other hand, there is another way in which erasing the Disney
trilogy could still make everybody happy if done correctly.
For
starters, erasing the trilogy does not mean erasing the new characters.
You could still have Rey, Finn, Poe, Kylo Ren and others. You could
have a Rey and Kylo Ren romance, while still making Rey one of the
heroes who has an actual hero's journey this time. You can even tell the
Kylo Ren story in a way where he has an actual redemption in the end.
You can do many things with the newer characters that would be
entertaining and even get the older fan base on board with it.
Sadly,
some of what you could have done with the older characters is not
possible anymore. With Carrie Fisher no longer with us, General Leia
would not be a main character. As Disney keeps playing around with CGI,
however, she could still be represented. At the moment, it is still
possible to give the fan base the reunion of Luke, Han Solo and Leia. A
clean slate for the Disney era of Star Wars would mean handling these
characters in a more satisfying way. The new generation would still be
the heroes, but the older generation would be useful and handled with
respect.
There's a reason why you're not
hearing about the next Disney Star Wars trilogy or just the next movie
to follow The Rise Of Skywalker. Disney executives know they messed up
with Star Wars. They know that they have to work to earn the trust of
the fans. You can bet they are working on ideas, and there have likely
been story treatments written. They just aren't sure where to go with
the story, but you can bet they are thinking about it. What they may
decide is still subject to speculation. However, there is a way for them
to erase the latest trilogy and do it in a way that can make everybody
happy. It will be interesting to see what they do next.
