“These aren’t the movies I’ve been looking for”

May the force be with y- It’s a trap! I have the high ground now Anakin, *pew* *pew* “I shot first” said Jar Jar Binks. That’s essentially the impression that the Star Wars movies have left in my brain.

When I was younger, I interpreted the movies into a few minutes of force-action and memorable moments and then a lot of minutes of boring politics and brooding. Some cool things to see, yet not worth it for me to invest the time to sit through the boring moments. I understand that may not be a fair critique but listen, I am a fan of the concept of Star Wars. I’m just not a fan of cash grabs and pandering. The scope, the technology, the characters, it is an amazing franchise. However, with that being said, I think it’s criminal that they continue to misuse the mainline IP.

     Stop appealing to the original story

With Luke Skywalker being the ‘Last Jedi’ it seems obvious to me that they should stop trying to make stories that build off the first 6 movies and go on to something that takes place in a different era. No more Obi-Wan, Sidious, Vader, Solo, Skywalker, or General Akbar’s sister’s cousin. They had their moments, and they’ll eventually return in some facet somewhere down the line but not now. The new timeline would preferably be after Luke/Rey whatever the cannon is, has rebuilt the New Jedi Order, and the universe is set up on a clean slate for creativity and exploration. Luke was the last of the old Jedi and since he didn’t follow the traditional Jedi upbringing, it would make sense that the new Jedi Order would operate differently, and have a different vibe about them. The same goes for the new heroes and villains. Shy away from including clichés like secret parents and the whole good guy goes bad, and then turns good again. It’s been done. Writers need the freedom to flesh out new villains and heroes. They don’t need some suit coming in and saying halfway through writing, “let’s make him a Palpatine or Skywalker, durrrr”

Make interesting Villains

Now that’s easier said than done. The Sith/bad guys are what truly make the movies interesting to the masses. The biblical character David was only memorable because he faced off against the unstoppable Goliath. Palpatine and Vader, two of the most iconic villains in storytelling are a major factor in why Luke Skywalker became an icon.  They drove the plot. They forced the good guys to get stronger and form interesting relationships. So, who were the villains in the recent franchise installments? Well, Palpatine and Vader funnily enough. Characters whose arcs have ended and serve no major purpose. The better the (new) villains, the easier it is for people to support the heroes, and the better the heroes, the more positive impact it will have on pop culture.

Expand on known concepts:

As I mentioned earlier; features a new Jedi council that teaches expanded-upon methods of thinking. Do they believe in having more political power in the galaxy than they once did? Have their training methods changed? Have the Sith evolved into a less calculated, more chaotic power structure? I don’t have the answer but the two ideologies should advance as time goes on, opening doors for unique character dramas. Feature more mythical phenomena like holocrons and force ghosts. Learn from the Darth Vader comic book series about tone and storytelling. Learn from past successful video games about action and immersion. Learn from the novels how little details about a character reveal to the audience the most about their character. Follow the elements of Star Wars that people pay to see which haven’t been replicated on screen yet. I consider myself a casual, yet these are the most interesting aspects of Star Wars for me.

Change the Tone

 I think the people who run Star Wars overestimate the casual audience’s love for the PG-charm and cutesy vibe that it loves to try and replicate. Some of the humor is refreshing, and I think everyone appreciates that it’s a series that can be equally silly just as it is serious but people need to be invested in the story first and foremost before something silly can have an impact. Once you’ve seen a cute space baby a few times or a whacky droid, you’ve basically seen it all. They can hold off on new content for another 10 years so that people will forget about the formula, or they’ll actually have to produce something with substance to keep audiences engaged. The galaxy is constantly under threat and people are enslaved by the planet’s load. Injustice is so abhorrent on that kind of scale that It makes way more sense for the movies to have an ominous feel with sprinkles of light-hearted moments to lighten up the mood. This is the way.

Meta Scale Verdict

Current Star Wars is like an attractive girlfriend who’s in desperate need of validation. Some people will accept her, and some people want a stronger connection.

I highly encourage anyone to read the Darth Vader Comic Book series. I’m not even a comic booker enjoyer nor a huge Star Wars Fan and I genuinely loved the experience. The artwork is amazing. The story arcs are great. Vader’s dialogue is so good that I can hear his voice in my head as I read. The best elements of Star Wars, are all at your fingertips. If you have a friend or family member who loves Star Wars, this is the perfect gift. One of the only times you’ll ever hear me say that something’s a guarantee.