I’m sorry I thought I wasn’t going to go into overshare mode with Thrawn: Alliances, but then I keep reading bits and pieces that remind me of the ST. Then, I start sweating and being unable to resist the temptation.
This just seemed like a big one though that I had to share since I’m a firm believer in the reincarnation theory.
(Also there’s some stuff on Twitter about Snoke that’s really juicy, but I’m going to try to limit myself to just posting this.)
@benperor-ren Yes, I went looking for more spoilers on Twitter after reading some on Tumblr, and the first thing I came across was about Snoke. He might be worse than Palpatine?!?
There’s a bunch of other information related to him as well like a likely reason why he was obsessed with the Skywalkers and more proof that he was messing with Ben from a very young age. I’m so thankful to BootlegGirl for giving me so much information.
Holy shit.
And it seems like it’s being heavily implied that Snoke killed Thrawn so he could take over the FO?
Imagine: It’s the final scene of Episode IX. Ben Solo and Rey of Jakku are in love, but know they can’t remain together (at least, not yet). As they part, Rey presses Han’s dice into Ben’s hand and wishes him luck.
One of the most fascinating things I’ve observed about the fan reaction to The Last Jedi has been how many people were thrown off because what they saw as the big questions of The Force Awakens were either shrugged off or weren’t even acknowledged. This, naturally, means it is dangerous to go into Episode IX expecting answers to specific questions. Nonetheless, I think it is fun and potentially constructive to consider which questions J.J. Abrams will have been asking himself when coming up with a story to wrap up the sequel trilogy.
So, with no further adieu, check out the questions that I would like to see tackled in Episode IX below.
Diamonds
come in all colors and they are naturally formed at high temperatures and
pressure deep within the Earth: in short, diamonds are created under thick pressure
from raw and untamed power matter (rings a bell, huh?)
Black
diamonds are not exactly black (the color varies from being thick or clear):
they have numerous dark inclusions and microscopic deposits of sulfides in the
stone that impact dark color to it – natural black diamonds are not uniformly black,
they have a grayish appearance instead
Most jewelry
sellers describe black diamonds as “sexy”, “sparkly” and “dramatic”: they are
associated with passion, action and energy, increasing of inner strength and
promoting balance and clarity
so we’re all in agreement kylo is gonna maintain that position as head of the first order for like five minutes, tops, right
Did you see Hux’s look at the end of the film tho like.
I think it’s very telling that Kylo ends the movie, once again, separated from any FO officers/soldiers, kneeling alone in a room where his uncle and his mother just spoke moments before, holding his father’s dice and the last thing he sees is Rey leaving. The room dark with light pouring over him from the windows.
I think he understands now completely that he truly has nothing left. It’s an empty victory. He knows he fucked up. And while he chose to take the lead in his rage, let it get to his head, once he’s calmed down he can see clearly… Moreover… he has no goals left, aside from wanting to change the galaxy but really where do you begin with that? Skywalker’s gone, Snoke’s gone and now he lost Rey which was arguably what he wanted most. What’s the point of all this now? It’s like he told Snoke in the beginning… He gave up everything… for nothing. Now he could either fall deep into this role and lose himself completely. Or- this is where he starts getting better
I really don’t think it would suit him to hold the position for very long. Hux was ready to shoot him when he was unconscious.
Hux was afraid of Snoke but he respected him. Snoke’s gone now. Hux may be afraid of Kylo’s abilities, but he hates him. And I assume most of the FO would follow Kylo out of fear. I won’t be surprised one bit if we get some infighting within the FO. Or Hux setting up a coup.
Something to really show Kylo that perhaps this isn’t his place either.
It’d be really cool to see a faction of FO troops actually siding with Kylo, finding rey somehow… perhaps combining their forces to make some new alliance.. I dunno! So many things could happen this could go so many ways!
The rule of three is a principle of storytelling that originated in oral forms of story, such as mythology, fairy-tales and folk stories. The trope involves the repetition or retelling of a pattern three times, that usually made a story easier to remember and pass on. The trope has evolved due to modern forms of storytelling such as film and television, but the traditions are still ingrained in our stories. The rule of three can be shown simply through the tale of Goldilocks and the three bears.
As Goldilocks tries the first bowl of porridge, she realises it’s too hot. The second bowl she tastes is too cold, but the third is just right.
The principle allows writers to build and release tension, through establishing a norm, and then subverting that norm with a twist.
Star Wars
As Star Wars relies on imagery, archetypes, and storytelling conventions from myth and legend, the rule of three is heavily used throughout the saga. Most obvious is the structure; Three series of trilogies, all with three act structures and three main characters.
A sub-trope of the rule of three is “Third time’s the charm”, which refers to an attempt that’s repeated three times by a character, but is only successful on the third. This principle is used repeatedly during the saga.
This is clearly shown in The Last Jedi, where Paige Tico tries to kick down the remote for the bombs above her. Only after her two failed attempts does Paige draw inner strength and succeed in her mission. This struggle conveys her perseverance and strengthens her character more than if she’d succeeded on the first attempt.
Third time’s the charm also refers to the three meetings between the protagonist and the antagonist, over the course of the hero’s journey. The first two times the hero and their counterpart meet, the protagonist is defeated, or the protagonist allows the antagonist to live, out of mercy. These encounters build character and tension in the story. During their third encounter, the protagonist will either defeat, or redeem/save the protagonist.
Within the original trilogy, Luke and Darth Vader meet three times, and only during their third meeting does Luke succeed in redeeming him.
During the prequel trilogy, Emperor Palpatine tries to destroy the Jedi with three different apprentices, Darth Tyrannus, Darth Maul, and is only successful on his third attempt, with Darth Vader.
Reylo
But how does this relate to the redemption of Kylo Ren, and the relationship between Rey and Kylo? So far in the newest trilogy, Rey and Kylo have physically met on two occasions, and both times Kylo has made an offer to Rey.
1. The Force Awakens : During their fight on Starkiller base, Kylo offers to teach Rey in the ways of the force, and she refuses, defeats Kylo, and leaves him out of mercy.
“You need a teacher, I can show you the ways of the force”
2. The Last Jedi : After their fight with the Praetorian guards, Kylo offers Rey to join him and bring about a new order. Once again she refuses, and leaves him alive.
“Join me.”
3. According to the rule of three, Kylo will make another offer to Rey in Episode 9, but this time she will accept.
Were Rey to reject his third offer, the character growth and tension would see no result, and the audience would be left without catharsis.
In the original trilogy, the light side succeeds in ending the sith through redeeming Anakin and defeating Darth Sidious.
In the prequel trilogy, the dark side succeeds in ending the light side through destroying the Jedi.
In the newest trilogy, it only makes sense that Rey and Kylo bring a balance to the force, not through defeating one another, but by making peace and joining together. This would break the pattern set up in the first two trilogies and allow the stories tension to be resolved.
I’ve been mulling this over since I first saw The Last Jedi. I’m not gonna lie, but for a hot minute I was disappointed that Kylo/Ben decided to go the “rule the galaxy” route. But I recovered before I left the theater and am in agreement with several other meta writers that this actually bodes well for a redemption arc and happy ending.
But it does leave the question open, who’s the Big Bad in Episode IX if Ben gets redeemed?
Which leads me to ask if this is even the right question. Is this as much of a rabbit trail as Rey’s parents and Snoke’s origins?
Rian Johnson proved that the Disney era of Lucasfilm is unafraid to defy expectations. While maintaining the humor, adventure, and epic fights that are the sine qua non of Star Wars, it went against the grain in so many ways. With that trail blazed, will JJ be willing to do the same?
I think the question to ask is “does Space Opera require a big bad?” What genre is this anyway?
The archetypal fairy tale in play, Beauty and the Beast, does not have a Big Bad. There is no Wicked Witch or Evil Sorceror to defeat. Ultimately the spell is broken by love, and at that a declaration of love that allows the internal change of heart and seed of hope to blossom.
The romantic arc between our chief protagonist and antagonist is straight out of Pride and Prejudice. Again, no big bad. Lady Catherine might as well be comic relief and Wickham is a plot device. There are obstacles, but not mustache-twirling villains.
Star Wars is usually termed a space opera and modeled off the movie serials of the early 20th century that are in turn born of pulp fiction. These are typically melodramatic with clear cut heroes and villains. Early westerns are much the same. But just as the Spaghetti Western blurred the lines and gave a much more nuanced hero (and inspired Vampire Hunter D, a fave anime of mine), the Sequel Trilogy has left the land of melodrama.
I think though that even more than melodrama, fan expectations are being driven by video game narrative. Consider fan reactions to the duel between Kylo and Luke. Narratively and cinematically, it’s brilliant. Luke, by Force Projection, both secures an escape for the reborn Rebellion and offers catharsis to his nephew without burdening his soul with another murder. It’s as good as the way Dumbledore handled Malfoy in Half Blood Prince. But there is a set of fans who really think it would be better if Luke had arrived in his X-wing, ignited the green saber, and crossed blades for real before taking down all those bigass walkers with his lasersword.
That is a video game moment. It has no place in good storytelling. It’s the kind of awesome that makes Marvel movies fun but forgettable. (Don’t get me wrong. I loved Ant Man and Guardians of the Galaxy, but most comic book movies are the film equivalent of cotton candy, delicious and ephemeral.)
Video games require big bads. In video game land, Kylo is the enemy you defeat before the final boss fight with Snoke. With Snoke gone, there is now a vacuum. It will take Kylo decades to achieve that kind of ingrained evil. If he ever could.
But Star Wars is not a video game. A New Hope didn’t have a climactic boss fight. It had a climactic space battle. The sword fight happened at the end of Act 2. If we’re going to speculate on where this is heading, perhaps it might help to start with remembering Kylo Ren is his own worst enemy, and even if he turns, there’s a galaxy wide war machine still left to defeat. Surely that will have sufficient awesome to qualify as a satisfying conclusion.
I’ve been feeling this way too. This is why I think Hux will be Kylo’s antagonist.
As many have pointed out, Hux is not really “big bad” material. Sure, that’s true. But a war machine and a political machine is, and he could control the war machine and the political machine to turn against Ben.
My prediction has been that Hux will be the one who orchestrates a secret attack on Leia – however, Hux, clever as he is, will make Ben/Kylo think her death is somehow his fault. Hux already knows that Ben’s weaknesses lie in his sentimentality and emotionality – he knows after years of being around him and Snoke that Ben has a heart. He says things like, “don’t let your personal interests interfere with the mission,” and realizes Ben is more interested in talking to some girl than finding the fucking droid for the map. He aimed all canons at Luke just because he was mad. He definitely knows at the end of TLJ that Ben/Kylo is being torn to pieces by the war.
That is one of the very last scenes of the movie. The last moments of every movie are meant to give you a feel for the questions you should be asking in the next installment. They put Hux in at the end with this expression as Ben goes to break down in tears and look up solemnly at the woman he loves… why? Why would Rian do that?
I don’t think Hux has the ability to be a “big bad” because obviously if he went toe to toe with anyone in battle he’d get his ass murdered.
But he is a political man. He is a cutthroat. He is a strategical, sly man. He is ambitious and cunning. He is ruthless and underhanded, and has a personal vendetta against Kylo. And he almost certainly has come to realize that Snoke was not killed by Rey alone.
So I think the war machine and the political machine will be used against Kylo. Kylo is not nearly as charismatic as some people say he is?? Like, he’s witty, but he doesn’t charm the pants off of like… ANYone he interacts with. I doubt any of the political faction of the FO knows more about him than “tall, scary guy in a mask with a laser sword” and I would bet most of the soldiers, officers, and other personnel have been much the same. Add on top of that his awful fumble on Crait – what should have been a sure win for the FO, and you’ve got trouble boiling to the surface. Without political support, money would begin to dwindle, so Hux will be doing damage support. Surely, their benefactors would be upset by the two big failures to truly crush the Resistance? The first [Starkiller] might not be directly linked to Ben/Kylo, sure. But this one is entirely his fault. Hux, probably feeling as if the Starkiller blunder is his failure, will cling to THIS moment of Kylo’s failure as the way to undercut Ben – and I have a feeling he’ll try to exploit this, in addition to the emotional attachments Ben still has to Leia —- and eventually the discovered attachment to Rey.
Did Ben Solo save his mother’s life in the Bloodline novel?
In the novel Bloodline, Leia escaped dying in an explosion at a breakfast banquet in the New Republic Senatorial complex, after receiving an anonymous warning on a napkin.
While the identity of the writer was not revealed in the book, it is a curious coincidence that Ben Solo used a calligraphy set, and that virtually nobody wrote by hand or used ink at the time.
specially considering this
This is listed as a Pablo Hidalgo tweet in several articles, but I can’t find a screenshot of the actual tweet. He seems to have deleted it.
I watched the movie last night. When Ben and Rey are fighting for Anakin’s lightsaber it breaks in half. This NOT ONLY means that they are actually, in fact, breaking the past. At the very end of the movie you get to see the kyber crystal of the lightsaber. It is broken in half. Do you know who owns a lightsaber made with a broken kyber crystal? Yes, my friend. Darcy, sorry, Kylo (that’s why his lightsaber is all angry and sparkling like mad).
This is one of the most foreshadowing of things:
– Rey not only will have to make her own lightsaber (PLS LET IT BE LIKE HER STAFF!!!), but she will build it with the broken kyber crystal. It will be blue, but it will sound and be just like Kylo’s lightsaber
– Owning a broken kyber crystal in the lightsaber it means that something is unique and broken inside of you. Many times it’s been said that Kylo’s lightsaber it’s a metaphor for his soul. So yes, something snapped inside of Rey. Something new. Different. Unique. She won’t be like any other Jedi. She will be her OWN kind of Jedi.
SO YES, a NEW ERA of Jedi is coming, with Rey’s new lightsaber and her new acquired knowledge that everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is gray. There’s more than two sides, there’s a GRAY AREA where she will find herself.
Buckle up: Gray Jedi are coming. The Balance of the Force is coming.
LMAO I am 99% sure that they show the other half of Kylo’s broken kyber crystal. Luke has it. They show us THIS so we UNDERSTAND why Kylo’s lightsaber it is unique. And then at the end they show the blue kyber crystal broken in half.
And I didn’t thought about this, but @daxcat79 pointed out, as smart as always, that this could mean that every time they fight each other, they are breaking each other a little more.
This film is E V E R Y T H I N G. I am 100% REYLO WILL BE CANON
This is SO FUCKING SIGNIFICANT GUYS! You don’t even realize it! This conflict is tearing them apart, but more than that she and Kylo now have half a crystal. TWO FUCKING HALVES! She’s being torn apart just as much as Kylo is. This is fucking beautiful. This is everything right here. The lightsaber is your life, and right now until they come together they are living half a life!
watching these movies and I noticed that both Anakin/Padme and Han/Leia have a emotionally fraught misunderstanding scene where the lady says “hold me” and her love interest holds her tenderly
so now I’m wondering if we’re going to get Rey saying “hold me” to Ben in IX. Rey and Ben have already done the “don’t be afraid/I’m not afraid” parallel like his parents and grandparents. Let. Them. Hug.
Guys. Ben and Rey connect through the Force bond after his mother dies and he asks her to hold him I’M NOT CRYING
Reylo Source 