Official Star Wars Episode VIII Spoiler Topic

[Steeldancer]

I really enjoyed this movie. There were some weak moments, but holy cow those moments that were so good- WERE SO DAMNATION GOOD. I loved how almost every character was handled, I loved the force powers that were shown, and holy cow the starship suicide was one of the coolest cinematic moments of the entire year. AND THEN YODA WAS AMAZING THANK YOU YODA I loved lukes character in this movie, I loved Kylo and Rey, and gosh I loved this movie. 

[Andy92]

I'm personally a little torn because although the good moments were really good, there were some other moments that didn't hold up for me. The plot of the Resistance in general felt a little lacking to me, and the side quest with Finn and Rose at the casino was the worst part of the film.

I really, really liked the direction they went with Rey, Kylo, and Luke. This sets up Rey vs. Kylo for a pretty epic finale in Episode 9. But I do feel like a lot of the moments from The Force Awakens were tossed aside. Who were Rey's parents? Doesn't really matter. Who is Snoke and how is he so powerful? Doesn't really matter.

So right now I have a love/hate feeling going with this one. It had some extremely good moments (R2 showing Leia's Obi-Wan recording, Yoda, Luke's final moments under the twin setting Suns), but I also wasn't the biggest fan of the general First Order vs. Resistance plot in this one. Watching a fleet float through space with low fuel for nearly the entire movie was...questionable. 

[Toaster Retribution]

I really liked it. I think Kylo Ren is awesome, as I did in TFA. He is the most complex Star Wars character, in my opinion. Rey was cool though, but I feel like she was forgotten sfter the fight against the Praetorian Guard (which was awesome, by the way).

As for the others, Poe is funny, and had a great arc that felt fresh and new. Hux was brilliant, cranked up to eleven, and very funny. I loved the "do you think you got him?" line. Perfect. 

Luke was also handled phenomenally. I have always found him pretty boring, but this movie made him into a compelling and tragic character. As for Snoke, I liked what we saw of him, and I admire that they had the guts to kill him (biggest shock of the movie) but I want to learn his backstory. 

The weakest part was Finn and Rose on Canto Bight. Felt out of place, especially the horse riding. Also, why did Benicio del Toro lisp? That was bad. They wasted Phasma as well. She deserves more.

Overall great movie!

[Briar King]

I remain hopeful slim though it is that Luke discovered something in those books that will let him take physical form. I’m just not ready for full Ghost Luke. Also it was great to finally see expansion on “I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine” Yoda burning that tree! Wow!

best sacrifice was easily Admiral Laura Dern. That was just epic to watch!

[Steeldancer]

I bet $50 on a Snoke novel in the next year. 

If I am wrong, i will be miffed. 

[Briar King]

You can be sure it’s coming if what we saw is what we got and not a pulled one over on you.

[Khyrindor]

I really liked this movie. I would watch it again. SO much to comment on.

First of all, I waited in line with a buddy for three hours in the cold (special showing), so that was fun. Fans were sharing food, and someone brought a gas fire pit. We were pretty close to the front.

Favorite thing about the movie is a tossup between the epic cinematic moments (namely Snoke's ship being split, I need that as a background or a poster stat) and all the twists. They really pulled the rug out from under us, and while a lot of people really didn't like that, Sanderson has made me appreciate the unexpected moments.

While I can understand the fans' frustration at Snoke's sudden death, I have this to say: The outcry is exactly what the producers would want IF he's coming back somehow with the Force. I definitely don't think he will go unexplained. It's also possible that the fans over-hyped him to be something more than he was, and were disappointed because of it. I don't really think that would be the producers' faults in that instance. Again, there will be more to this; either a Star Wars Story dealing with his backstory, or him making a return in the next movie, perhaps inhabiting a new body or as a Force Ghost.

I also actually REALLY liked that Rey's parents were nobodies. It's important narratively that people can become Force Sensitive without special parentage, and I was never interested in having everything being about bloodlines. It was also important to Rey's character to move on from chasing a false ideal from her past. Again, I attribute this fan outcry to people caring too much about something that they weren't meant to. This was a great reveal to me. If they go back on that and it turns out that he's Kylo's sister, I will be upset.

A lot of people didn't like the plot line with Finn and Rose. It was also my least favourite part, but I can't say I hated it. It made sense for both characters and I found it interesting. Many have said it was useless, but it was important to have the characters fail at something, and have to find a new way. I also think it will lead to tension later as Rose idolizes Finn, and I think that love is unrequited and Finn is still crushing on Rey (not that I want a love triangle). I also really liked the transition of Finn's character as coward to hero, and having him be redeemed was fitting. I do wish that Rose hadn't saved him. Not because I don't like Finn, but because it would have brought a satisfying end to his arc, and would make a LOT more sense logically for him to sacrifice to save the Resistance/Rebellion.

Now, enough of my arguments. 

Top moments:

1. Vice Admiral Holdo sacrificing herself and the ship and destroying Snoke's Supremacy. So epic. I do think it would have made a very fitting send off for Carrie Fisher, but missing her interaction with Luke would have been a heavy price.

2. Rey & Kylo fighting the Praetorians/the Knights of Ren.

3. Rey lifting the rocks to save the Rebellion.

4. How powerful Rey is! I think so far only Yoda surpassed her strength from what we've seen. Everyone kept fawning over how strong Anakin was with the force, but he did basically nothing with it. Even Sidious couldn't predict Vader's betrayal. Luke couldn't life the x-wing out of the water. Rey has been able to defeat Kylo with the force, lift hundreds of boulders, and defeat Snoke, all with basically 0 training. She also has no problem with killing in anger, and I can't see her shying away from the dark side if it suits her goals.

5. Kylo's redemtion. I didn't much like him in episode seven. Thought he was a weak character with some potential. Boy, did he show that potential in this movie. Betraying Snoke was an awesome scene for me, and I'm excited to see him in the next one.

Worst moments:

1. The whole Poe mutiny plot line was pointless. Why didn't they let him in on what was happening? Was cool to see him get shot down by Leia, but that was pointless.

2. Little plot holes: Ignoring space science; why didn't they just do that to Snoke's ship earlier if it were an option?; why couldn't the First Order see the shuttles leaving, they were in plain sight and only hidden technologically?

3. The lack of Chewie. Needed to see his pain after Han's death, not him screwing around with merchandise.

Some theories I have going forward:

1. Rey is the real "Chosen One", not Anakin or Luke. Think about it. Everyone thus far has WILDLY misinterpreted the whole "bringing balance to the force" thing. The Jedi thought it meant destroying the Sith, the Sith (and us for a while) thought it meant having two vs two in the light and dark sides. Even Snoke seems to think that there is a balance of power between Kylo and Rey. But where the plot seems to be going (and I like this very much) with the destruction of the last "conventional" Jedi (Luke), and last "conventional" Sith (Snoke* maybe), we now have two soon-to-be completely Force-neutral characters that have the potential to work together. I want to see them create a new generation of force-users that aren't strictly light or dark, much like the Grey Knights, not shying away from the dark side of the force, and not preoccupied by the same old struggle of "Light vs Dark". Basically, Rey should accept Kylo's offer, once they're ready to work together and put the past behind them. Also, she has those books now, which supposedly show more about the Force as it should be. All the talk of "balance" heavily foreshadowed this, in my mind.

2. Some more, probably, but I have to run.

I need to watch this movie again. Let me know what you think of the theory, if you get that far into my too-long post.

 

[Orlion Blight]

13 hours ago, Steeldancer said:

I bet $50 on a Snoke novel in the next year. 

If I am wrong, i will be miffed. 

 

13 hours ago, Briar King said:

You can be sure it’s coming if what we saw is what we got and not a pulled one over on you.

Unless his kind are important to the second trilogy *exasperated sigh*

[Ammanas]

So I liked it much more than the Force Awakens! I have always felt that everyone felt a lot of pressure to make The Force Awakens awesome, because of the mostly subpar prequels, that they borrowed heavily from episode four (including lets blow up the death star) which was a big mistake. I felt like The Last Jedi finally asserted some individuality and I walked away mostly happy from it. It will be interesting the path that Kylo Ren takes...I honestly have no idea what path he will take for the next one. It was kind of rediculous that Fen and that Asian girl (sorry I forgot her name) survived while on the enemy ship surrounded by 100's of hostile soldiers, but heh that's just Star Wars; take off your reality cap and just enjoy the ride. 

[Briar King]

Rose.

 

i fear for Ep 9 under JJ so much as I wasn’t really a happy camper with 7. I didn’t like the “safe” approach. I didn’t want a copy of 4. 

Really looking forward to Rian’s trilogy after that but wish he would have agreed to 9 over JJ. Gah

[Ammanas]

Yes, thanks @Briar King! JJ Abrams is like the Columbus of the Harry Potter movies (the director first two). He will play it safe and the result will be uninspiring...lets hope he will prove me wrong with the next one.

[Steeldancer]

36 minutes ago, Ammanas said:

Yes, thanks @Briar King! JJ Abrams is like the Columbus of the Harry Potter movies (the director first two). He will play it safe and the result will be uninspiring...lets hope he will prove me wrong with the next one.

I'm not sure he can copy 6 for number 9. 8 had so many elements of 6 already in it. Plus, Snoke is dead, and there isn't anyone in carbonite to save. I'm gonna give JJ a chance, he's made good movies before. And Force Awakens wasn't even bad, it just wasn't new. So, hopefully JJ will rock 9, whenever I'll be able to see it. 

[Ammanas]

6 hours ago, Steeldancer said:

I'm not sure he can copy 6 for number 9. 8 had so many elements of 6 already in it. Plus, Snoke is dead, and there isn't anyone in carbonite to save. I'm gonna give JJ a chance, he's made good movies before. And Force Awakens wasn't even bad, it just wasn't new. So, hopefully JJ will rock 9, whenever I'll be able to see it. 

Definitely willing to give it a chance, but if they use Ewoks to defeat the First Order and Kylo Ren gets thrown down a silo I will walk out the theater!

Edited December 17, 2017 by Ammanas

[Toaster Retribution]

My only wish for Ep 9 is that it ends with Hux as the sole ruler of the galaxy.

[Steeldancer]

2 minutes ago, Toaster Retribution said:

My only wish for Ep 9 is that it ends with Hux as the sole ruler of the galaxy.

With Porgs having turned out to be his evil minions all along. 

[Toaster Retribution]

Just now, Steeldancer said:

With Porgs having turned out to be his evil minions all along. 

You read my mind. 

[Ammanas]

1 hour ago, Toaster Retribution said:

My only wish for Ep 9 is that it ends with Hux as the sole ruler of the galaxy.

Hah that would be awesome! But they would never have the courage to end it that way.

Also instead of porgs what about the frog nuns from the Jedi Island being his minions instead?

[Hemalurgic Headshot]

1 hour ago, Toaster Retribution said:

My only wish for Ep 9 is that it ends with Hux as the sole ruler of the galaxy.

There has to be some sort of reconciliation between Rey and Ren, because I want neither to die. Hux is such a great character, and this would be the best way to end it, especially if Hux decides to actually overrule Ren and become a leader, not a follower.

[Briar King]

I don’t believe Ben for a second with 

Spoiler 

him leading Rey into her parents were no body. He’s evil. Evil people lie or distort truth. It is possible from a certain point of view that her parents were nobody vanillas but one of their parents could be someone powerful and known to us.

[Kaymyth]

18 hours ago, Briar King said:

I don’t believe Ben for a second with 

Spoiler 

him leading Rey into her parents were no body. He’s evil. Evil people lie or distort truth. It is possible from a certain point of view that her parents were nobody vanillas but one of their parents could be someone powerful and known to us.

You don't have to mark spoilers here; this thread has been purposed specifically for them.

Okay! So! Let's do this thing.

I don't actually have a problem with Rey being a "nobody" because of other context given in the film. Snoke specifically told Ben that he knew a Jedi would rise to balance him; such is the way of the Force. (Just as Snoke rose to balance Luke; the Force has absolutely had it with people's crem and these kids are going to settle down and behave, so help me, I will TURN THIS GALAXY AROUND AND TAKE US ALL STRAIGHT BACK HOME.)

But, to me, that's sufficient explanation for Rey's existence. "Well, we've got this Dark Side kid from the Skywalker line who is conflicted as all get-out. Um. Okay, let's throw some massive Force-sensitiveness onto this girl who is way more emotionally balanced than she has any right to be, given the crem she's been through. Yeah. That'll work. BALANCE."

Furthermore, Rey hasn't had all of the Jedi baggage about fearing the Dark Side instilled into her; I've long been convinced that the reasons behind the Dark Side being so seductive has been shaped by people's belief that it is. Then suddenly Rey comes along, a very strong connection to the Force but with none of the preconceptions that come with it, and she can slide into the Dark Side power beneath the island and right back without being corrupted.

Luke's shock is more than the obvious, "You didn't even try to resist!" It's that she touched Dark Side power, used it, and then came back without any apparent corruption to her soul. She's just looking at him like, "What? What'd I do? Why are you freaking out, man?" Because she gets it - the Dark Side is necessary. Death and decay feed life in an endless cycle - she gets it on a level that even the Jedi didn't really acknowledge for thousands of years. And it doesn't scare her. She lacks the fear necessary to drive her into corruption, and that's why she's going to come out of this trilogy as a fully balanced Force user - not Dark nor Light, but a balance of the two. And that's how she's going to end the cycle of war.

Oh, and a fun fact that I learned today - the Porgs are a direct result of the island they were shooting on being covered in endangered puffins. You couldn't avoid them, you couldn't shoo them away, and trying to digitally remove them was going to be a pain in the rear. It was much easier to CGI something over them. So every Porg you see flailing around in the background is actually a puffin puffining around on the set.

[Khyrindor]

5 hours ago, Kaymyth said:

You don't have to mark spoilers here; this thread has been purposed specifically for them.

Okay! So! Let's do this thing.

I don't actually have a problem with Rey being a "nobody" because of other context given in the film. Snoke specifically told Ben that he knew a Jedi would rise to balance him; such is the way of the Force. (Just as Snoke rose to balance Luke; the Force has absolutely had it with people's crem and these kids are going to settle down and behave, so help me, I will TURN THIS GALAXY AROUND AND TAKE US ALL STRAIGHT BACK HOME.)

But, to me, that's sufficient explanation for Rey's existence. "Well, we've got this Dark Side kid from the Skywalker line who is conflicted as all get-out. Um. Okay, let's throw some massive Force-sensitiveness onto this girl who is way more emotionally balanced than she has any right to be, given the crem she's been through. Yeah. That'll work. BALANCE."

Furthermore, Rey hasn't had all of the Jedi baggage about fearing the Dark Side instilled into her; I've long been convinced that the reasons behind the Dark Side being so seductive has been shaped by people's belief that it is. Then suddenly Rey comes along, a very strong connection to the Force but with none of the preconceptions that come with it, and she can slide into the Dark Side power beneath the island and right back without being corrupted.

Luke's shock is more than the obvious, "You didn't even try to resist!" It's that she touched Dark Side power, used it, and then came back without any apparent corruption to her soul. She's just looking at him like, "What? What'd I do? Why are you freaking out, man?" Because she gets it - the Dark Side is necessary. Death and decay feed life in an endless cycle - she gets it on a level that even the Jedi didn't really acknowledge for thousands of years. And it doesn't scare her. She lacks the fear necessary to drive her into corruption, and that's why she's going to come out of this trilogy as a fully balanced Force user - not Dark nor Light, but a balance of the two. And that's how she's going to end the cycle of war.

Oh, and a fun fact that I learned today - the Porgs are a direct result of the island they were shooting on being covered in endangered puffins. You couldn't avoid them, you couldn't shoo them away, and trying to digitally remove them was going to be a pain in the rear. It was much easier to CGI something over them. So every Porg you see flailing around in the background is actually a puffin puffining around on the set.

THANK YOU. You put this into words that I could not. Also, the puffin thing is amazing, I hate them a bit less now, because puffins are great.

 

[Kaymyth]

12 minutes ago, Khyrindor said:

THANK YOU. You put this into words that I could not. Also, the puffin thing is amazing, I hate them a bit less now, because puffins are great.

 

I'm glad you like my rambling. I've got Thoughts about her experience in the cave, too, that I should put together soonish.

Puffins are the best.

And honestly, the Porgs weren't as bad as the trailers led me to believe they'd be. They were successfully annoying the characters more than the audience, which I think is what made them work. And the little cluster of them staring mournfully at Chewbacca while he cooked and prepared to eat one of them was rusting comedy gold.

[Khyrindor]

1 minute ago, Kaymyth said:

I'm glad you like my rambling. I've got Thoughts about her experience in the cave, too, that I should put together soonish.

Puffins are the best.

And honestly, the Porgs weren't as bad as the trailers led me to believe they'd be. They were successfully annoying the characters more than the audience, which I think is what made them work. And the little cluster of them staring mournfully at Chewbacca while he cooked and prepared to eat one of them was rusting comedy gold.

I agree with that for the most part, but I do wish we had more chewy than just that.

Looking forward to your thoughts about that cave scene, I have to admit I (and most of my friends) found it confusing and/or pointless.

[Briar King]

I don’t know.. I began to want to smash every Porg I saw. That noise got annoying after the 3rd time I heard it.

[thejopen27]

The Last Jedi is amazing. That is all.