I don't think I need to revisit just how divisive the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy was to the point that I once wrote that this franchise should steer clear of more trilogies. While shows like The Mandalorian have been a great palette cleanser for fans, I'm sure there are still many traumatized by the discussions that went on throughout The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, and would sooner just forget it all happened, like the franchise seemingly had in recent years. This upcoming Rey movie has proved that's not the case, and I'm already more excited about it than I was about the Sequel Trilogy.
That may not sound like a big statement at first, especially given the Sequel Trilogy's polarizing reception nowadays. With that said, we were all very excited about the story being told at the beginning, despite how we all felt afterward. Now that I know at least one of those characters' stories will continue, I am more excited than ever to see it happen for a few reasons.
Rey's Original Story Was Severely Kneecapped By The Rest Of The Sequel Trilogy
Daisy Ridley was a solid lead as Rey, but I think it's more than fair to say the Sequel Trilogy did her character a massive disservice. The mystery of Rey's true lineage didn't hold a candle to the multitude of stories the latest trilogy set up, and was simply put in the backseat. Remember, we had a stormtrooper who defected, the original characters trying to stop a second Empire, and the son of Han and Leia as the big bad!
In hindsight, it's obvious why people couldn't help but be underwhelmed that we spent so much time away from those plot threads for Rey to "find herself." It also didn't help that the reveal of Rey's origins didn't come until the final act, and we as an audience didn't even have a ton of time to react to the idea that Rey is a Palpatine before the movie, and the Skywalker Saga, were over.
Rey may have turned her back on her origins and adopted the "Skywalker" surname, but there's an opportunity with this new adventure to revisit what was without question the most interesting part of her character. Even if she defeated the evil Emperor, one can't help but wonder if Rey is still haunted by the knowledge that she's a descendant of one of the galaxy's most nefarious Force users of all time. Can she truly trust herself to lead the next generation of Jedi?
This question alone has me infinitely more interested in what's to come for Rey vs. what I've seen already. Without a follow-up tale, so much of what happened to all of the Sequel Trilogy characters felt pointless. Now that we know the adventure will continue, I feel reinvigorated by the possibilities of storytelling and excited for Daisy Ridley's return to Rey.
We Missed The Original Story Of Rebuilding The Jedi
When I was rattling off the various storylines in Star Wars' Sequel Trilogy, I forgot to mention that this series glossed over what might've been one of the most interesting events after the Original Trilogy. Unfortunately, we had to settle for the footnote version of Luke's initial failure to rebuild the Jedi Order, which ultimately forced him into seclusion.
While it was a failed attempt that ultimately turned his nephew to the dark side, why would Star Wars think we needed an abridged version of that tale? While shows like The Mandalorian have certainly challenged the idea, Jedi are the lifeblood and most interesting part of the franchise. What could be more interesting than the re-establishment of the Jedi Order? The answer, in my humble opinion, is nothing.
Now, not only do we have a chance to see the Jedi Order properly rebuilt, but we can also see someone we know who wasn't necessarily versed in the old ways of the Jedi to do it. Is Rey going to have the same viewpoints of Jedi from the past on personal attachments? The bond she forged with Ben has me questioning that heavily. Also, is it possible she'll recognize that some of the Jedi's old ways is what inevitably led to the Order's downfall?
There's a lot of potential with this storyline and plenty of opportunities to build up new characters for audiences to get invested in. It also will give us a chance to see more of what Rey is capable of as a Jedi and further flesh out how her life has progressed since the conclusion of the Sequel Trilogy.
Star Wars Has Likely Learned From The Mistakes Of The Sequel Trilogy
There are a lot of factors behind why Star Wars' sequel trilogy didn't live up to audience expectations (Marcia Lucas from the Original Trilogy once called it "terrible"). One thing that I will personally say is that Rey, Daisy Ridley's performance and the story of Rey had little to do with all of that. Sure, the execution and pacing of the story could've been better, but on the whole, Rey is a solid addition to the lore.
I'm also hoping that thanks to the overall divisiveness of this trilogy, Star Wars is going to work toward not repeating the same mistakes those films did. It's no secret that plans shifted while the Sequel Trilogy was being created, and the end result was three films that went in wildly different directions.
So far, it seems like there's a solid plan in place for this Rey movie. It will pick up 15 years after the Sequel Trilogy ended, with Rey combatting threats in the midst of rebuilding the new Jedi Order. That sounds much clearer than the various directions introduced in the Sequel Trilogy, though I guess we won't know for sure until we actually see the movie unfold.
I'm More Invested In Rey Than Other Characters
While I would certainly love to see Finn, Poe, Rose and Babu Frik make an appearance in Rey's next adventure, she's the one I'm most invested in. The Sequel Trilogy tried to juggle the storylines of its multiple characters unsuccessfully, and I fear pulling the gang all back together for this movie will just do that all over again.
Give those characters their own movie unless, of course, they're intertwined with what's happening with Rey when this movie picks up. We do know that Finn is Force-sensitive, after all, so maybe he could be a Jedi alongside her. At the end of the day though, if this is a movie about Rey, I don't need a subplot checking in on the other ensemble characters from the Sequel Trilogy and giving them something to do.
Ultimately, we have plenty of time to speculate and quite a wait ahead for this much-anticipated movie. Fortunately, anyone with a Disney+ subscription will be well entertained and can stream the Star Wars movies in order many times over while they wait.
