Disney’s D23 will soon need to be a month-long event to cover all its franchises. After the Avengers news and Disney classics updates, Star Wars had its time in the spotlight. Last week was all about The Mandalorian, which looked very Star Wars-ish and left me confused why they went this direction instead of the proposed Boba Fett origin story. Not sorry, because Bob Fett was a d!ck, but confused. There was also the very important discussion between Diego Luna and Alan Tudyk of whether Cassian Andor would, in fact, get to touch Jabba the Hutt. But this week will be devoted to the next installment of the Star Wars parent anthology, The Rise of Skywalker. The teaser was released back in April. I was not as enthusiastic about it as Mike Redmond at Pajiba, but then I didn’t like either of the last two films. I am also not as knowledgeable about theories that make the teaser much more interesting (hint: everything’s a clone.)
Yesterday they released the “Special Look” that was aired at D23. JJ Abrams spared nothing on this one – he’s got nostalgia, heartstrings, epic battles, threatening space ships, ominous voice overs, a glimpse of Oscar Isaac in tight pants and a bunch of light sabers held by every cast member who ever wielded one. But it’s the final image that stopped us all in our tracks: Dark Rey.
Once again, I will refer to Mike’s write up at Pajiba because he has even more theories about what this means (again – clones). My first reaction was – no thanks. I’m tired of the main character dancing on the razor’s edge between good and evil. We get it, power corrupts. But then I thought about it and I might be into this. I’m intrigued by the notion that this is the legit story arc, that Rey falls prey to the dark side. No visions in caves, no dreams, no robot projections, but she actually gets seduced. Star Wars is pretty light on female villains, Phasma being the most notable. So moving a woman into the space vacated by Darth Vader is interesting to me. It would also mean they would have to do a deep dive on Kylo Ren to make him at all interesting if Rey’s going to take his story. This is all a big IF, though, because I haven’t seen anything in this latest trilogy that indicates it’s clever enough to pull it off. But I’ll give the film a chance to prove me wrong. Mostly I want to see how they close out Leia’s story (please God, let them redeem that floating out into space nonsense from the last one).
But I will give them credit for this: of course a woman would be clever enough to make her light saber twice as lethal, but also portable! ‘A collapsible, double-sided blade of death to wipe out the Rebellion for the busy lady-lackey on the run’
Photo credit: WENN Photos, YouTube and Getty Images
Yeah, go ahead and take my money now because I’m so there! I grew up on the original trilogy, am indifferent to the prequels, and am quite fond of the these final installments (Rogue One and Solo included). It looks like it’s going to be EPIC (as it should be) and I’m totally here for it. Can’t wait!
Ha! That’s exactly what I said below about the prequels.
Same. I love installment, I love the characters and still think TLJ is the best Star Wars movie ever made. I’m also looking forward to The Mandalorian.
I just really like Star Wars. 🙂
It’s going to take a LOT to really disappoint me at this point.
When Episode I came out, I was 9. I refuse to rewatch it as an adult, because I remember really enjoying the movies as a kid – and all the annoying crap about them didn’t bother most kids so much as it bothered adults. But I remember we even got my grandfather to go see them as they came out – it was a big deal for us.
I LOVED Rogue One. I sobbed. Solo was an enjoyable popcorn flick, nothing groundbreaking but I found the lead likable and he did a solid job. I’m looking forward to the Mandalorian as well.
I’m also ashamed to say that if Kylo Ren was trying to seduce me over to the dark side I’d be one “okay, but no killing my friends” pact away from joining him. I’m a sucker for those emo boys and Adam Driver really really does a perfect sad emo boy shtick.
I really like Rey. I like that it seems like they’re trying to show that emotions CAN be useful, even negative ones as long as you’re able to control it. Instead of all the Jedi repression, it seems like they’re aiming for “harness your anger for the good of others” and given the world we’re living in currently, anger NEEDS to be harnessed to make change. There’s a difference between a productive anger and a blind rage.
Erinn, I am with you about liking Rey and how to harness anger in the right way.
Me three! Loved Adam as Kylo Ren. I was super hyped to take my kids to Disney’s Hollywood studios because they have a character experience with him. Then I remembered it’s not really Adam Driver.
Same!!
Same here, except I never saw the prequels, and still haven’t seen Solo. I’ve really enjoyed all the other new ones though, Rogue One included, and I’m looking forward to this one too.
I’ve really liked Rey as the lead character, and I’m happy for all the young girls growing up with these movies, as I did with the originals, because they have several kick ass women characters in them.
Swooned over scenes from the original trilogy and then felt nothing when I saw the ones from the prequels. I still can’t believe how awful those were.
That was my EXACT reaction too.
Can’t the sith only have one apprentice at a time? So if Rey is the new dark understudy, is Kylo Ren dead or returned to his uncle to be the champion in the end? Probably the later, its JJ.
No, the whole “always two there are” isn’t Sith law, but rather common practice. There used to be an entire order of Sith users, much like the Jedi. Check the wiki for Knights of the Old Republic, I believe that really dug into the lore.
As a casual SW fan, I’m not up on the fanboy outrage to TLJ, but I read Dark Rey might be a response to that? That this may be giving into the toxic masculinity that didn’t like TLJ?
Can someone explain?
It’s just a vision.
I hated TLJ. Do I have toxic masculinity or was the movie just garbage?
I couldn’t even watch it in one sitting and am a huge fan. It was just SO bad.
I hope [expletive] not!!!! I loved The Last Jedi. I don’t know what’s wrong with people.
It will be a vision of some sort. Although if their really ballsy she’ll be a clone…so it’s a vision. Sigh…this new trilogy just didn’t work for me. At least I can enjoy Oscar Isaac in tight pants.
I did love Rogue One though. And Alan Tudyk explaining to Diego Luna that Jabba feels like mochi makes this probably my most anticipated Star Wars. They’re adorable. 😂
High hopes for the Mandalorian too.
Agree with the vision guess— that’s what I think, too.
The Mandalorian looks intriguing and I’m all for some more Obi-Wan adventures with Ewan McGregor. But I really want more Ahsoka! She’s a total badass with her double lightsabers!
I can’t wait for more Ahsoka too!
Ahsoka live action is a possibility. Probably not in the Obi wan series because that’s horribly messy from a story point of view. But in the Rogue One prequel series? Could absolutely work.
Yeah the theory about the clone doesn’t make sense to me. How can someone be a clone and be the opposite sex? That’s not a clone.
I don’t think she’s a Kylo or Emperor clone or whatever. I just think there might be more than one Rey. The whole cloning thing has been a see part of the lore.
They clearly have no idea what is going to happen in this movie. They are probably still editing and deciding what is going to happen in it. So they are going for cheap appeals to nostalgia. Yikes, a clip based trailer? I bet Dark Rey is a fake out too. Or I hope she is. Because if she becomes the baddie who is going to save the day? A redeemed Kylo Ren? He’s probably the most appealing sequel character in many ways but I don’t see how you fully come back from killing Han. Meanwhile Rey’s only crime so far is being a “Mary Sue” (neckbeard for female leads that don’t rely on men and are “too perfect”). Rey’s shown exactly zero signs of being tempted by the dark side. Even if she is a Palpatine clone she needs to stay good or I will riot tbh. Genes aren’t destiny.
And I had zero problems with the Mary Poppins Leia sequence. She is Luke’s twin why would she not have force sensitive abilities that might emerge in a near death experience. Kylo Ren is as powerful as he is because of her genes. I do, however, think including Leia following Carrie Fisher’s passing is tasteless.
There is this endless attempt to please everyone with these sequels after the prequel debacle but there’s absolutely no vision or coherent plan at all other than cheaply teasing the familiar over and over again. After all that, I’m not certain that the mainline sequels are pleasing anyone. (By contrast, Rogue 1 was really good because the film actually had a vision and was allowed to be original.) My expectations are so low, though, that I am hoping I will kind of enjoy the movie.
Her daughter wanted her included. This was supposed to be HER movie. The first one was Han’s, the second was Luke’s and the third was supposed to be Leia’s. They spoke a lot with Carrie’s daughter and they worked out what to do based on those conversations. They used footage they’d already shot and they worked “around” her. No CGI Leia. Indeed, her daughter requested to have at least one shot or scene with her mum (she was a minor supporting character in the last film) so that she could have that last on-screen moment with her. It was done tastefully and respectfully.
I totally agree. I think this series is a mess. I love the new characters and think Rey is one of my favourite characters ever, but Star Wars isn’t special anymore, it’s just a cash cow for Disney. I’ll be lining up like a sucker this December, but all I can say is…meh?
Wait, but how could Rey be Anakin’s clone? Wouldn’t clones be the same sex?
I was thinking the exact same thing.
Rey won’t actually turn to the dark side. I suspect it’s like when Luke saw himself in Darth Vader’s mask in Empire — some sort of nightmare or vision. Though I guess it could be interesting if Kylo and Rey switched sides in the final act.
I loved some of the concepts they presented in The Last Jedi that hinted at Rey having darkness in her and Kylo having light — the idea of perfect balance not being completely wiping out the darkness, but accepting the “balance” in everyone. I think the final installment will end with something like that — not Jedi and Sith, but people who just use the force and don’t need to abide by strict rules in order to use their power.
Kylo and Ren switching sides was the first thing that came to my mind, plus her dark side lightsaber is way cooler than his.
Its either a vision or Rey goes dark side to bring it all down – kinda like what Jacen Solo did in in the Legends universe. Am currently re-reading the Fate of the Jedi books again and I miss that whole Universe, they took Ben Solo’s name from there as the Ben in that universe was Ben Skywalker Luke’s son 🙁
Thèses episodes were just all over the place. It had potential, but the storytelling was very poor. So much unnecessary scenes that didn’t advance the plot line and useless characters.
Why did they introduce Laura Dern just to kill her off? It should have been Leia or Admiral Akbar who made the sacrifice. Benecio del toro was terrible, that could have been Lando in prison.
Poe and Finn also needed better more developed storyline.
They picked the wrong director, JJ Abrams is a hack and I suspect this last movie will be a let down full of cliche’s.
It would have been a great send off to Admiral Akbar. They did him dirty.
The last movie was just all-around atrocious.
Please dark Rey is probably a vision to make Kylo Ren turn to the light and be Ben Solo again. But I love how in The Last Jedi it was teased that Rey could be seduced to the dark side how Ben was.
They already botched the dark Rey (which would have been cool) in their own description. They wrote it as “Rey has a VISION of herself as dark Rey” or something like that. It’s a misdirect.
They went back and changed it after fans noticed that it’s just another vision-quest.
Oh no, not dark Rei. It would be so not fun and predictable, also I wanna see her kick ass (mainly Kylo Ren’s) and be a heroine.
It makes me happy that some people like the new trilogy, because it just means that we will get more Star Wars movies, which is awesome. But I am so unimpressed with them. They just don’t do anything new or anything special. Star Wars is just a cash cow for Disney, and they treat it as such. I think Rey is probably one of the best characters ever, but the story is just flat out bad and there is no cohesion. Speculation of another Death Star? The Emperor returns? Yawn…