- Is Episode 9 the end of the Skywalker saga?
Big, huge news of galactic proportions dropped yesterday
and unless you've been busy scavenging the runes
of Jakku with no cell reception,
you will have heard by now that Rian Johnson,
the director of Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi,
is being handed a blank slate by Lucasfilm,
and that blank slate is three films long,
as RJ will be creating a brand new Star Wars trilogy.
The new films will explore new corners of the galaxy
with new characters, new cute animals,
and new loquacious droids, we can only hope,
and I hope they're as cute as BB-8.
In the official Lucasfilm statement,
Rian Johnson, who will be embarking
on this galactic storytelling adventure
with long-time collaborator Ram Bergman
said that they had the time of their lives collaborating
with Lucasfilm and Disney on The Last Jedi
and that they can't wait to continue
with the new series of films.
And Lucasfilm head honcho Kathleen Kennedy
shared just as much love for Johnson
in her official statement, saying,
"Watching him craft The Last Jedi from start to finish
"was one of the great joys of my career.
"Rian will do amazing things with the blank canvas
"of this new trilogy."
(singing) Can you feel the love?
Are we allowed to sing that?
Can I sing that?
Okay, well it's all Disney, so that should be fine, right?
Now since this announcement has been made
mere weeks before the release of The Last Jedi,
we can't help but notice that there has been no word
of what will happen after Episode 9,
which closes out the current sequel trilogy.
And though we know that we will have some anthology films
in the near future like Solo in 2018
and the untitled film set for 2020,
we're wondering what will happen
with the Skywalker family storyline if the next big trilogy
in the works has nothing to do with them?
Well, one very real possibility is that we're coming
to the end of the Skywalker dynasty, or at least the end
of entire film trilogies being focused on them.
In a recent interview with ComingSoon.net,
John Boyega said that Episode 9
will be the war to end all wars
and that it feels like it's coming back full circle.
Add to that the JJ Abrams and Chris Terrio's comments
on Episode 9 as reported by a fan on Reddit
who met the two and asked about their current plans
for the final sequel film.
Nine is also the film which unites all three trilogies
and brings everything together.
So it sounds like JJ's gearing up to make Episode 9
kind of wrap up all three Star Wars trilogies
with a nice little bow.
We also have heard from Kathleen Kennedy
that Rey and Finn's stories will continue after Episode 9
and their little buddies Poe Dameron and BB-8
were also name dropped as being part
of the narrative future of Star Wars.
But these characters are all so intricately tied up
in the Skywalker family's drama
that it would be strange to move onto their own new stories
without in some way honoring their time
with Luke, Leia, Han, Kylo, and crew in future films.
Speaking of Ben Solo, Kennedy did not mention Kylo Ren
in that statement, which may clue us in to his fate
after The Last Jedi, since Kylo,
the Ren boy formerly known as Ben Solo,
is the last known Skywalker.
- Exactly, exactly.
- We're still waiting for December 15th
to confirm Rey's parentage.
It seems very possible that Episode 9 will wrap things up
with the Solo Skywalkers and give us some type of closure
on the generations long family battle.
But whether or not this is the narrative end
for the Skywalkers, Kathleen Kennedy's high esteem
for Rian Johnson shows us that she sees him
as a key part of the future of the Star Wars franchise.
So, we're definitely moving forward into the era
where Luke, Leia, Anakin, Han,
and their family triumphs and tribulations
are no longer the main focal point
on which the galaxy far, far away hangs upon.
But what do you guys think?
Is it really possible that Lucasfilm
can just 86 the Skywalkers?
Will Kylo Ren die in The Last Jedi,
and what kind of cute space animals
do you think the new trilogy could have?
Let's discuss.