I have now seen the final film in the Skywalker saga of Star Wars films. Honestly, I'm pretty bummed it's over and there won't be another. We won't ever see Luke, Han, Leia, or Lando again; at least not played by their respective actors and not in a Star Wars episodic film. However, the final film tied up the saga, but the question is, did it do it well? In my opinion, it did. It answered a bunch of questions, had drama, and kept me entertained throughout. Also, from here on out there will be spoilers, so you have been warned.
I have to admit I read some reviews of The Rise of Skywalker before seeing it, and most of what I saw was pretty negative. One person even called it the "worst Star Wars film". No way is TROS the worst Star Wars film, but it is not without its faults. I want to get these out of the way first. This is not a perfect film, or even excellent. I think this film is going to divide fans for a long time. It currently has a 6.9 rating on IMDB and a 58% score on Rotten Tomatoes. I think it was better than what those scores indicate. But I certainly don't think it was close to perfect.
First off, I had trouble accepting such a light and goodhearted character we've grown to know and love could be descended from someone so despicably evil in Palpatine. It's nothing against what JJ did, but if this was the direction they were going to take, I would've liked a hint of it in "The Last Jedi". Another thing I didn't particularly like was how Rey and Kylo could transport matter. We saw a hint of it in "The Last Jedi" when rainwater from Ahch-To got transported to Kylo's hand far away. Then, in this film, we had a necklace and a lightsaber be transported from Rey to Kylo. I just can't wrap my head around it, and it seems like something that should be in Star Trek, not Star Wars. Also, I've had trouble accepting that Force Ghosts can influence matter as well. We saw Yoda cause a lightning strike in TLJ, and in TROS we saw Luke block a lightsaber from being thrown into a fire, and we saw him levitate his old X-Wing out of the water. They're called "ghosts" for a reason. Heck, if they're going to go that route, they might as well have a Force Ghost army in some Star Wars spin-off TV series or film. They can't be killed, after all. Finally, I just did not like the opening space fight scene in the Millennium Falcon. WAY too many jumpcuts and it was paced WAY too quickly. Too fast-paced of a scene way too early in the film. Every film in the original trilogy started out slow, or at least not that intense so soon. Those were my main four gripes.
Here's what I thought they did well: The handling of Princess Leia. If I had not known, I would've thought they filmed Leia's/Carrie's scenes especially for this film. JJ and Chris did a great job of incorporating what they had of Carrie into this film. And her passing was done very well and tastefully. I hate that she never really got to see her son, but I think had Carrie not passed away, JJ had it mind to have her meet Kylo/Ben, or at least project herself to him so that she could try to turn him back to the light. I think they used Harrison Ford/Han Solo in her place. His scene with Ben mirrored their scene on the bridge in "The Force Awakens", even down to some of the quotes. This time, instead of Kylo going from confused to dark side, he went from confused to light side.
I also liked Kylo/Ben turning back to the light. You could tell he was conflicted and when Rey saved his life after stabbing him, he knew he had to be on her side from that point on. Him going after her on Exegol with as much haste and determination as he had shows he cared about her. And his sacrifice to her, very touching. I was hoping he would be able to survive, because how often do you see a redeemed bad guy character that doesn't die? However, the Skywalker saga had to end and it still technically could continue with Ben still alive. And to be honest, I was a Rey/Ben shipper so their kiss was definitely something I wanted to see.
Now to go over technical aspects. To be expected, visual effects and sound were top-notch. Costumes and makeup were very well done, although I think I noticed Kylo/Ben's scar on his face disappearing, but that could be just it fading over time. I'd be surprised if TROS didn't get an Oscar nomination for something, with their likeliest nomination probably being visual effects. Acting was decent; my favorite was Daisy Ridley as Rey. The writing was less than stellar, but they stayed true to the characters at least. Perhaps the best was John Williams' score, his last time scoring a Star Wars film. I always felt the music perfectly suited the scene at the time.
Hard to say if I enjoyed this more than "The Force Awakens". I know I enjoyed it more than "The Last Jedi". I definitely want to see it again in theaters. I wonder if people's second viewings of TROS will make them like it more or less. Based on how the IMDB rating for this film is going up (It was at 6.8, it's now at 7.0), it seems like people like it more on multiple viewings. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge Star Wars fan, and if I say this is a satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga, then it probably is.
Showing posts with label Skywalker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Skywalker. Show all posts
Friday, December 20, 2019
Saturday, April 27, 2019
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker - Five Questions and Predictions
With Avengers Endgame out (and having seen it), the next movie I am REALLY
hyped to see is Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. The teaser trailer and title were
announced/released two weeks ago, and I've had some time to dwell on them. Below are five questions people might have
about the film, and I put forth multiple choice possibilities and choose my
answer with reasoning. It'll be
interesting to go back here 8 months from now (Yikes!) and see how close I was.
I have now seen the Rise of Skywalker. For my full thoughts on it, you'll have to see my more recent post here. *SPOILER ALERT* I will of course be discussing spoilers so this is your warning.
1. So, apparently Palpatine returns, based on his cackle at the end of the teaser trailer. How is he able to return?
A. He returns as a spirit, much like a Force Ghost (The dark side version of it possibly). Not able to physically appear but in spirit.
B. A clone was made of him
C. He survived falling down the ventilation shaft.
D. He inhabits the body of someone or something else (Like Voldemort)
Answer: I'm gonna go with A, but neither C nor D would surprise me. My prediction is that there is a Dark Side way of becoming one with the Force. Obviously, we'd hear him and he'd be able to influence Kylo Ren and say things like, "Do what your grandfather failed to do." I only included B because I believe that happened in the Expanded Universe novels, although I doubt they'd take that idea straight from them. Option D would be cool to see, however. Could we see him inhabit Snoke's body?
The closest actual answer would be C. He had some assistance, clearly, but never fully died.
2. What will the relationship of Kylo Ren and Rey be like at the end of Episode IX?
A. Non-existent, as one will be dead.
B. Still enemies
C. Allies, or at least will have a truce
D. Romantic
Answer: I want it to be D, but Rey's parentage is still in question. Kylo told Rey her parents were nobodies, but he could have been lying (or possibly misled by Snoke). She still could be his sister or cousin. I'll go with C as my prediction, but I want it to be D. They won't kill Rey off, and I don't think JJ Abrams will want to kill Kylo off either, so I don't think it will be A. And I highly doubt they'll still be enemies; it would just feel like we need another film to resolve their conflict.
Officially it is A 😢, but for a brief moment is was C and D. I should have known Ben/Kylo would die because this film was billed for it "concluding the Skywalker saga", and if he had survived, the Skywalkers would live on.
3. Speaking of Rey's parentage, what is it?
A. Kylo was telling the truth. Her parents were nobodies.
B. Luke is her father. He abandoned her mother, and her mother (And stepfather?) left her on Jakku.
C. Han and Leia are her parents. She was conceived in secret and hidden on Jakku.
D. She is a manifestation of the Force, much like Anakin.
Answer: I just find it difficult to be B or C. Wouldn't they know about it and want to tell her? Also, I've noticed a bit of a conflict between JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson, who directed Episode VIII. They had different ideas for the films, so I think it might not be A. I'm leaning more and more to D. It would be kind of a copy cat origin story, but if they do it differently and uniquely it could work. So I'll go with D, with A as my second choice. They have to address this in Ep. IX, at least to some extent.
Wow, none of the above. Technically A is right, but they were trying to be nobodies in order to protect their daughter from her grandfather. I had a feeling JJ would decide Rian Johnson's choice wasn't good enough, I just had no idea she would be related to him.
4. What does the title, "The Rise of Skywalker" mean?
A. Skywalker is or becomes a title for Jedi. Much like "Darth" is for the Sith, Skywalker becomes a title for Jedi as the Jedi rise and Rey (and possibly Kylo/Ben) start a new Jedi order. So Rey would be "Skywalker Rey".
B. Rey is a Skywalker, and she learns her true identity.
C. Luke's influence as a Force Ghost is critical to the Resistance and he aids in their victory.
D. Luke and Palpatine have a Force Ghost battle and Luke comes out on top.
E. Kylo sheds his name "Kylo Ren" and becomes "Ben Skywalker" (Not Solo).
Answer: It's a pretty vague title. I got answer "A" from someone's theory on Reddit, which I really liked obviously. Although you wouldn't see a title called "The Rise of Darth". But I can see Skywalker referring to a group of people and not just one person. B is obviously a candidate. C and D kind of go together and both could be possible. I know D sounds ludicrous but I could see it happening. E could mean the title is about Kylo Ren, since he has Skywalker blood. If he returns to the light he could identify himself "as a Skywalker". The title of Episode VII referred to Rey (indirectly). The title of Episode VIII referred to Luke. I think the title of Episode IX will refer to someone else as well, which leaves only Kylo Ren. It could be about his redemption and return to the light side, so I'll go with E. However, most people are figuring this must refer to Luke, so my next best guess would be "C".
The actual answer is kind of a cross between A and B. Rey assumed the Skywalker name, almost as if it were a title. My friend even said it was like Luke or Leia adopted her from beyond the grave.
5. The fates of the following people:
A. Kylo Ren:
a. Dead
b. Alive, but still Dark
c. Alive and turned to Light
Answer: C. It's gotta be, right? I touched on this in question in number 3, and I said I don't think they'll kill Kylo off. At least I hope they don't. If it was B they would need another film or something to resolve this, wouldn't they? It would be like leaving Darth Vader alive and still dark side oriented after "Return of the Jedi".
I should have known, like I said above. He sacrificed himself for Rey and hopefully Rey would respect his memory and tell everyone he was a hero.
B. Captain Phasma:
a. She died in Episode VIII
b. She comes back in IX but dies
c. She comes back in IX and lives
Answer: B. JJ and Rian have an internal conflict going on from what I've gathered. JJ will want to undo what Rian did and bring back Captain Phasma, only to have her die for real.
Falling that far into a pit of fire on a ship going down is hard to survive, especially for a non-Sith/Jedi. I think bringing her back would've been a slap in the face to Rian Johnson.
C. General Hux:
a. Dead
b. Dead
c. Dead
Answer: All of the above. Is there any chance this guy survives? He clearly has no good in his heart. The only question is how he will die.
Well, yes, but who saw him helping out the good guys? Not me! Kylo clearly got on his bad side, so Hux took action. Too bad for him General Pryde saw right through him.
C. a. How will Hux die?
1. Rey kills him
2. Finn or Poe kills him
3. Kylo turns on him and kills him
Answer: Number 1 wouldn't be satisfying enough. I'd like to see 2, have a battle between non-Force users. But I think it will be 3.
I didn't even consider him being a spy and one of the first order generals killing him. Gotta consider every possibility.
D. Leia:
a. Alive and present
b. Alive but gone away/missing
c. Dead
Answer: I almost forgot about Leia. Hard to say how much of an impact she'll have, with Carrie Fisher passing before they could film any of Episode IX. I will say C, and they'll make it as tear-inducing as possible.
I was right. I was impressed with how much footage they had of Carrie and how they were able to use it. It was tear-inducing, although I didn't cry myself. But I felt like it after seeing Chewbacca's reacting to Leia's passing.
Well, there you have it. I answered the five (plus) biggest questions about Episode IX. It's still almost 8 months away and I cannot wait for it to get here!
Meh, not terrible predictions, but some really caught me off guard. Click the link above to see my full thoughts on Rise of Skywalker. 🙂
I have now seen the Rise of Skywalker. For my full thoughts on it, you'll have to see my more recent post here. *SPOILER ALERT* I will of course be discussing spoilers so this is your warning.
1. So, apparently Palpatine returns, based on his cackle at the end of the teaser trailer. How is he able to return?
A. He returns as a spirit, much like a Force Ghost (The dark side version of it possibly). Not able to physically appear but in spirit.
B. A clone was made of him
C. He survived falling down the ventilation shaft.
D. He inhabits the body of someone or something else (Like Voldemort)
Answer: I'm gonna go with A, but neither C nor D would surprise me. My prediction is that there is a Dark Side way of becoming one with the Force. Obviously, we'd hear him and he'd be able to influence Kylo Ren and say things like, "Do what your grandfather failed to do." I only included B because I believe that happened in the Expanded Universe novels, although I doubt they'd take that idea straight from them. Option D would be cool to see, however. Could we see him inhabit Snoke's body?
The closest actual answer would be C. He had some assistance, clearly, but never fully died.
2. What will the relationship of Kylo Ren and Rey be like at the end of Episode IX?
A. Non-existent, as one will be dead.
B. Still enemies
C. Allies, or at least will have a truce
D. Romantic
Answer: I want it to be D, but Rey's parentage is still in question. Kylo told Rey her parents were nobodies, but he could have been lying (or possibly misled by Snoke). She still could be his sister or cousin. I'll go with C as my prediction, but I want it to be D. They won't kill Rey off, and I don't think JJ Abrams will want to kill Kylo off either, so I don't think it will be A. And I highly doubt they'll still be enemies; it would just feel like we need another film to resolve their conflict.
Officially it is A 😢, but for a brief moment is was C and D. I should have known Ben/Kylo would die because this film was billed for it "concluding the Skywalker saga", and if he had survived, the Skywalkers would live on.
3. Speaking of Rey's parentage, what is it?
A. Kylo was telling the truth. Her parents were nobodies.
B. Luke is her father. He abandoned her mother, and her mother (And stepfather?) left her on Jakku.
C. Han and Leia are her parents. She was conceived in secret and hidden on Jakku.
D. She is a manifestation of the Force, much like Anakin.
Answer: I just find it difficult to be B or C. Wouldn't they know about it and want to tell her? Also, I've noticed a bit of a conflict between JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson, who directed Episode VIII. They had different ideas for the films, so I think it might not be A. I'm leaning more and more to D. It would be kind of a copy cat origin story, but if they do it differently and uniquely it could work. So I'll go with D, with A as my second choice. They have to address this in Ep. IX, at least to some extent.
Wow, none of the above. Technically A is right, but they were trying to be nobodies in order to protect their daughter from her grandfather. I had a feeling JJ would decide Rian Johnson's choice wasn't good enough, I just had no idea she would be related to him.
4. What does the title, "The Rise of Skywalker" mean?
A. Skywalker is or becomes a title for Jedi. Much like "Darth" is for the Sith, Skywalker becomes a title for Jedi as the Jedi rise and Rey (and possibly Kylo/Ben) start a new Jedi order. So Rey would be "Skywalker Rey".
B. Rey is a Skywalker, and she learns her true identity.
C. Luke's influence as a Force Ghost is critical to the Resistance and he aids in their victory.
D. Luke and Palpatine have a Force Ghost battle and Luke comes out on top.
E. Kylo sheds his name "Kylo Ren" and becomes "Ben Skywalker" (Not Solo).
Answer: It's a pretty vague title. I got answer "A" from someone's theory on Reddit, which I really liked obviously. Although you wouldn't see a title called "The Rise of Darth". But I can see Skywalker referring to a group of people and not just one person. B is obviously a candidate. C and D kind of go together and both could be possible. I know D sounds ludicrous but I could see it happening. E could mean the title is about Kylo Ren, since he has Skywalker blood. If he returns to the light he could identify himself "as a Skywalker". The title of Episode VII referred to Rey (indirectly). The title of Episode VIII referred to Luke. I think the title of Episode IX will refer to someone else as well, which leaves only Kylo Ren. It could be about his redemption and return to the light side, so I'll go with E. However, most people are figuring this must refer to Luke, so my next best guess would be "C".
The actual answer is kind of a cross between A and B. Rey assumed the Skywalker name, almost as if it were a title. My friend even said it was like Luke or Leia adopted her from beyond the grave.
5. The fates of the following people:
A. Kylo Ren:
a. Dead
b. Alive, but still Dark
c. Alive and turned to Light
Answer: C. It's gotta be, right? I touched on this in question in number 3, and I said I don't think they'll kill Kylo off. At least I hope they don't. If it was B they would need another film or something to resolve this, wouldn't they? It would be like leaving Darth Vader alive and still dark side oriented after "Return of the Jedi".
I should have known, like I said above. He sacrificed himself for Rey and hopefully Rey would respect his memory and tell everyone he was a hero.
B. Captain Phasma:
a. She died in Episode VIII
b. She comes back in IX but dies
c. She comes back in IX and lives
Answer: B. JJ and Rian have an internal conflict going on from what I've gathered. JJ will want to undo what Rian did and bring back Captain Phasma, only to have her die for real.
Falling that far into a pit of fire on a ship going down is hard to survive, especially for a non-Sith/Jedi. I think bringing her back would've been a slap in the face to Rian Johnson.
C. General Hux:
a. Dead
b. Dead
c. Dead
Answer: All of the above. Is there any chance this guy survives? He clearly has no good in his heart. The only question is how he will die.
Well, yes, but who saw him helping out the good guys? Not me! Kylo clearly got on his bad side, so Hux took action. Too bad for him General Pryde saw right through him.
C. a. How will Hux die?
1. Rey kills him
2. Finn or Poe kills him
3. Kylo turns on him and kills him
Answer: Number 1 wouldn't be satisfying enough. I'd like to see 2, have a battle between non-Force users. But I think it will be 3.
I didn't even consider him being a spy and one of the first order generals killing him. Gotta consider every possibility.
D. Leia:
a. Alive and present
b. Alive but gone away/missing
c. Dead
Answer: I almost forgot about Leia. Hard to say how much of an impact she'll have, with Carrie Fisher passing before they could film any of Episode IX. I will say C, and they'll make it as tear-inducing as possible.
I was right. I was impressed with how much footage they had of Carrie and how they were able to use it. It was tear-inducing, although I didn't cry myself. But I felt like it after seeing Chewbacca's reacting to Leia's passing.
Well, there you have it. I answered the five (plus) biggest questions about Episode IX. It's still almost 8 months away and I cannot wait for it to get here!
Meh, not terrible predictions, but some really caught me off guard. Click the link above to see my full thoughts on Rise of Skywalker. 🙂
Saturday, June 4, 2016
My Insane Theory for the New Star Wars Trilogy
With Star Wars Episode VII still a year and a half away, it's never too early
to theorize or speculate about characters, their motives, or possible twists. I do believe there will be a twist, perhaps
revealed at the end of Episode VII much like how the twist of the original
trilogy was revealed in the middle movie of the trilogy. Ready for it?
Here it is:
Kylo Ren is not evil. He is a spy sent by Luke to infiltrate the dark side and take down Snoke.
I'll give you a minute to put your mind back together after it's been blown.
Basically, Kylo was in training with Luke when Luke learns of this dark lord that has been in the shadows (Supreme Leader Snoke), and comes up with the idea to use Kylo/Ben as a weapon and spy to try to learn something about Snoke, take out Snoke, or both.
If you've ever read Harry Potter, this would directly parallel the events of the popular book series. In this case, Luke would be Dumbledore using Kylo (Snape) to take down a dark leader: Snoke (Voldemort). Funny thing is Kylo with his long hair and long face looks like Snape. In the Harry Potter series, Snape reported to Dumbledore about Voldemort. Is Kylo somehow in secret communication with Luke? Also in this analogy, Rey would be Harry Potter and Finn would be a combination of Ron/Hermione. Or maybe Poe is Hermione, haha.
I know there's a lot against this theory--such as why does it seem like Kylo Ren in TFA is so desperate to find his uncle? It could be an act. But to back up my theory, Luke went in hiding--not out of shame--but because contact with anyone would risk him revealing his plan. Perhaps Luke found out something about Snoke so bad that he gave up his relationships with Han and Leia so that he could secretly get Kylo Ren to spy for him. Perhaps Luke learned how to expertly flirt between dark and light so well without going too far either way that he felt confident in letting his nephew pretend to be dark. Luke being disgraced about his nephew turning dark is a cover for his solitude--it's so he can meditate, and also communicate with his nephew secretly.
You're probably thinking: Why did Kylo Ren kill Han, then? Well perhaps Han is a bit like Dumbledore in that he might have been dead soon, anyway. Maybe there was someone so hot on Han's trail that they were about to catch up and kill him. I doubt Luke would want Han dead, but if Luke knew Han didn't have long in the galaxy anyway, and it would convince Snoke of Kylo's evilness, Luke would probably say it would be worth it for the greater good. Perhaps Han knew he was going to die. He did say to Rey that he was looking into taking on a second mate, but perhaps that was code for someone to take over the Millennium Falcon... period.
One other thing to back up my theory: Kylo did not appear to be trying to kill Rey. On Starkiller Base at the end of TFA when Kylo fights Finn and Rey, he did not seem to be trying to kill Rey. If anything, he was trying to get her to come with him so he could perhaps fill her in on the secret. I believe if Kylo wanted to kill her he could've, seeing how inexperienced she was. The fact that (while injured) Kylo had trouble with two untrained young adults leads me to believe he wasn't trying to kill them, because he isn't evil.
I know my theory is a bit of a long shot, but I'd love to see it come true. I do believe in some way by the end of the trilogy Kylo Ren will have come back to the light (if he even left it). I mean, what's more badass than being bad, but not actually being evil? You get all the coolness of the dark side but none of the hate. Severus Snape is revered in the Harry Potter series--I think Disney wants the same for Kylo Ren.
Bonus: Take a look at Kylo Ren's lightsaber. Looks like a cross, doesn't it? Like the cross Jesus died on? Perhaps that is a subtle hint that Kylo will sacrifice himself for the greater good. I can definitely see that happening, most likely in Episode IX.
Kylo Ren is not evil. He is a spy sent by Luke to infiltrate the dark side and take down Snoke.
I'll give you a minute to put your mind back together after it's been blown.
Basically, Kylo was in training with Luke when Luke learns of this dark lord that has been in the shadows (Supreme Leader Snoke), and comes up with the idea to use Kylo/Ben as a weapon and spy to try to learn something about Snoke, take out Snoke, or both.
If you've ever read Harry Potter, this would directly parallel the events of the popular book series. In this case, Luke would be Dumbledore using Kylo (Snape) to take down a dark leader: Snoke (Voldemort). Funny thing is Kylo with his long hair and long face looks like Snape. In the Harry Potter series, Snape reported to Dumbledore about Voldemort. Is Kylo somehow in secret communication with Luke? Also in this analogy, Rey would be Harry Potter and Finn would be a combination of Ron/Hermione. Or maybe Poe is Hermione, haha.
I know there's a lot against this theory--such as why does it seem like Kylo Ren in TFA is so desperate to find his uncle? It could be an act. But to back up my theory, Luke went in hiding--not out of shame--but because contact with anyone would risk him revealing his plan. Perhaps Luke found out something about Snoke so bad that he gave up his relationships with Han and Leia so that he could secretly get Kylo Ren to spy for him. Perhaps Luke learned how to expertly flirt between dark and light so well without going too far either way that he felt confident in letting his nephew pretend to be dark. Luke being disgraced about his nephew turning dark is a cover for his solitude--it's so he can meditate, and also communicate with his nephew secretly.
You're probably thinking: Why did Kylo Ren kill Han, then? Well perhaps Han is a bit like Dumbledore in that he might have been dead soon, anyway. Maybe there was someone so hot on Han's trail that they were about to catch up and kill him. I doubt Luke would want Han dead, but if Luke knew Han didn't have long in the galaxy anyway, and it would convince Snoke of Kylo's evilness, Luke would probably say it would be worth it for the greater good. Perhaps Han knew he was going to die. He did say to Rey that he was looking into taking on a second mate, but perhaps that was code for someone to take over the Millennium Falcon... period.
One other thing to back up my theory: Kylo did not appear to be trying to kill Rey. On Starkiller Base at the end of TFA when Kylo fights Finn and Rey, he did not seem to be trying to kill Rey. If anything, he was trying to get her to come with him so he could perhaps fill her in on the secret. I believe if Kylo wanted to kill her he could've, seeing how inexperienced she was. The fact that (while injured) Kylo had trouble with two untrained young adults leads me to believe he wasn't trying to kill them, because he isn't evil.
I know my theory is a bit of a long shot, but I'd love to see it come true. I do believe in some way by the end of the trilogy Kylo Ren will have come back to the light (if he even left it). I mean, what's more badass than being bad, but not actually being evil? You get all the coolness of the dark side but none of the hate. Severus Snape is revered in the Harry Potter series--I think Disney wants the same for Kylo Ren.
Bonus: Take a look at Kylo Ren's lightsaber. Looks like a cross, doesn't it? Like the cross Jesus died on? Perhaps that is a subtle hint that Kylo will sacrifice himself for the greater good. I can definitely see that happening, most likely in Episode IX.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
My Thoughts on the Cast of Star Wars Episode VII and the Roles I think They'll Play
Adam Driver: Main Bad Guy/Sith (Jacen Solo/Darth Caedus?)
Adam Driver has been rumored to be cast as the main villain, so I'll go with that. Obviously, it would be near impossible for his character to compare to the legendary Darth Vader, but if he comes close, his acting and JJ/Kasdan's writing will be well-commended. If I wrote the script, however, I would have Adam eventually be revealed to be the son of Han and Leia. In the expanded universe novels, one of Han and Leia's sons (they had two sons and a daughter) turns to the dark side. I would love to see Adam reveal to someone (his sister...?) that he is their brother. If he is a bad guy, he will more than likely be a Sith and fight a few lightsaber battles.
Daisy Ridley: Lead female, daughter of Han and Leia (Jaina Solo?)
Daisy Ridley is one of the unknowns to be cast, and seeing as the bears a resemblance to Carrie Fisher as well as the fact that in the cast release photo, seen below, she is in between Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford, I believe she will be playing their daughter. Also, I'd like to point out each Star Wars trilogy has had a trio be the main stars, which included two guys and a girl (Han, Luke and Leia for the original trilogy, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme for the prequel trilogy). I think she'll definitely be the girl in the trio for this trilogy, more than likely continuing down the female line of Skywalkers.
John Boyega: Member of trio, descendant of Mace/Lando?
John Boyega, another unknown (at least to me) cast, has a role that is hard to predict. He is rumored to be one of the stars, so I'm guessing a good guy and one of the trio. To add to his character, I think he'll be either a descendant of Mace Windu (Great-nephew?) or Lando Calrissian (Son/Nephew/Grandson). He's got to have some connection to the rest of the characters, so being a relative of Lando's would be the most logical choice. The fact that Billy Dee Williams has yet to be cast might mean the character of Lando is dead for this trilogy, meaning Boyega might be seeking vengeance or redemption. But, if he's a Jedi, the most logical thing would be to have him be a descendant of Mace Windu. I just can't pinpoint it.
Domhnall Gleeson: Luke's son (Ben Skywalker?)
I love Dohnall Gleeson. He was awesome in Harry Potter and he was brilliant in About Time. He will make a fantastic addition to the cast. His role is slightly hard to predict, but I'm going to go on a limb here. I predict he will be Luke Skywalker's son, therefore completing the trio with Ridley and Boyega. I could be completely wrong and his role could be just as a supporting character, like Bail Organa was in the prequel trilogy. But the resemblance with his actor-father Mark Hamill is there, albeit slightly, and what's a Star Wars movie without a Skywalker as part of the main cast?
Andy Serkis: Alien Creature (Bothan?)
Andy is arguably the best motion capture actor today, playing Gollum, King Kong, and Caesar from Planet of the Apes. So it would be safe to assume he'd have another motion caption role. Since this is a Star Wars film, he'll probably be an alien creature. If I had to pick a species from the Star Wars universe, I'd say he'll play a Bothan, because they were mentioned in the original trilogy, but never shown. Andy Serkis isn't tall enough to play a Wookiee, so that's not really a possibility. He won't be the lead star of the film, but his role certainly will be interesting and will more than likely use the best in technology available.
Max Von Sydow: Evil Leader (that is killed off)
Many legendary actors have appeared in Star Wars, from Peter Cushing to Alec Guinness to Christopher Lee. Most of them have played bad guys. My best guess is that Max too will play a bad guy. I think his role will be similar to Peter Cushing's in A New Hope. He'll only be in one film and be killed off, but he will have an evil presence. Someone is bound to arise 30 years after the fall of the Empire to try to bring it back, and maybe that could be Max's character that leads it. I am pretty confident that they will kill off Max's character in Episode VII, because of Max's age and not wanting to commit to him for a full trilogy.
Oscar Isaac: Evil apprentice
It is very hard to pinpoint what Oscar Isaac's role will be. I loved him in Inside Llewyn Davis, but I don't think he'll have that large of a role for the new trilogy. I think he'll be like a Darth Maul/General Grievous type villain, not really being the main villain but certainly one the heroes will have trouble with. I would guess that he will also be a Sith and not just an Imperial Officer or anything. I'll just say he'll be Adam Driver's apprentice that is probably killed off before Adam, but hopefully not in Episode VII.
Lupita Nyong'o: Asajj Ventress
One of the more recent additions to the cast was Lupita Nyong'o, the
Oscar-winning actress from 12 Years a Slave.
There have been rumors that she could play Asajj Ventress, one of the
main villains from the Star Wars The Clone Wars TV series. I'll go with the rumors yet again, feeling
that I might be wrong this time. Asajj
Ventress would be quite a few years older (approximately 60 years have passed
since the Clone Wars). But they
curiously did not kill off Ventress in that series, because perhaps they were
saving her for something else. I could
be wrong and Lupita could end up playing a descendant of Mace Windu or Lando
Calrissian, or an entirely new character, but whatever role she has will be a very interesting one.
Gwendolyn Christie: Mon Mothma-type leader
I haven't seen Game of Thrones (yet) or anything else Gwendolyn Christie has been in, so it's hard to say what she's capable of as an actress. She's more than likely playing a supporting character, and I will predict she'll play a role very similar to Caroline Blakiston/Mon Mothma in Return of the Jedi. She could even play her daughter or granddaughter.
Well, those are my thoughts on the cast and predictions for the roles they'll have. Things will start to become clearer as things get leaked or announcements are made about the plot or characters. I'm going to go back to this post after having seen Episode VII and see how bad or good I was at predicting the characters for each of the actors. I can't wait!
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