New Star Wars Trilogy Should End the Skywalker Saga for Good

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As a gamer who has spent countless hours navigating galaxies far, far away, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia when I think about the Skywalker Saga. From 1983 to 2024, this saga has been an integral part of my life, shaping my dreams and fueling my imagination.

1983, the Star Wars Skywalker Saga trilogy by Lucasfilm is completed.

In the year 2024, we’ve seen a total of nine movies centered around the Skywalker saga. There might be more in the future, as it was announced by Deadline that Simon Kinberg has been assigned to write a new Star Wars trilogy which he will also produce along with Kathleen Kennedy.

It’s uncertain if these three upcoming movies will feature the Skywalkers directly. According to Mike Fleming Jr. from Deadline, Rian Johnson’s trilogy is expected to be Episodes 10-12 of the Skywalker Saga, but there are conflicting reports that this won’t continue the current storyline and instead will initiate a new era.

According to Borys Kit’s report from The Hollywood Reporter, his sources claim that Simon Kinberg’s planned trilogy won’t align with the Skywalker Saga. Instead, it will introduce fresh characters and pave a new way ahead.

As we await formal details about these upcoming movies, let’s consider the possibility that it might be fitting to finally conclude the Skywalker Saga permanently. Despite the expansiveness of the Star Wars universe, some fans may tire of the series focusing solely on one family. This could be the perfect moment to bring their story to a close.

The Skywalker Saga needs to end on a better note

I refuse to have any kind of conversation about the quality of 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Whether you love it or hate it, toxic internet fandom made it nearly impossible to have any kind of healthy, productive conversation about that movie, what it does right, and what it does wrong. I’ve had enough toxic internet fandom the past couple of days. We’re not going to get into it.

Despite individual opinions about The Last Jedi, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker left many fans unsatisfied in 2019. Although it made significant revenue at the box office and has its supporters, the film’s rating of 51% on Rotten Tomatoes indicates that many viewers found issues with excessive fan service or the contrived Emperor Palpatine storyline.

You may not love the fact that they made Daisy Ridley’s character a Skywalker — personally, I was more interested in Rey when her origins were tied to nobody in particular — but they did that. It’s canon. And I’m a firm believer that retconning canon just because you didn’t like it only creates more confusion and unhealthy fan bases. So, if Rey is a Skywalker, if she doesn’t come from this family line that is so important to the galaxy, why not end the saga on a higher note rather than in such a mediocre way?

Many Star Wars projects set outside the Skywalker Saga have struggled

It’s been challenging for Lucasfilm to launch Star Wars projects not focused on the Skywalker saga. While shows like Andor are popular, they are wrapping up after the next season. The Mandalorian had a promising start, but the last two seasons sparked controversy and instead of another season, they’re continuing the storyline in a movie.

There are other TV series and films as well, yet it appears that several of them have not developed further: It seems uncertain if we’ll ever witness a continuation of The Acolyte, for instance. Solo: A Star Wars Story concluded by establishing numerous new plots to pursue, but these have mainly gone unaddressed. As for Skeleton Crew, it remains unclear whether it will make any meaningful impact (I’m skeptical).

It seems that only recently released films are what we currently have; where can we find Patty Jenkins’ “Rogue One” movie, Rian Johnson’s trilogy, or Guillermo del Toro’s Jabba the Hutt project? There is talk of a standalone film featuring Rey, but its release is uncertain. Perhaps by continuing Rey’s story within the Skywalker Saga, we might ensure that these movies will be produced, as Lucasfilm was swift in bringing us Episodes 7-9.

An end to the Skywalkers could mean a new beginning elsewhere

You might recall Luke Skywalker’s appearance at the end of The Mandalorian Season 2, or how Obi-Wan Kenobi was closely linked to Darth Vader. Despite not being part of the official Skywalker Saga, Lucasfilm plans to involve the Skywalkers in upcoming projects somehow, which is a given.

In other words, if Kinberg’s movies are to wrap up the Skywalker Saga, it could also pave the way for the introduction of fresh characters whose storylines can continue after the trilogy ends. They have three films to establish these new elements, so there’s no need to rush or force-feed them to fans. This is a chance to create substantial universe development that sets Kinberg’s trilogy apart; I’d prefer to spend more time with the Skywalkers if it means they don’t discard Kinberg’s trilogy should the first film not meet their expectations, compared to seeing Lucasfilm abandon it instead.

There are many factors to ponder, and we may not know the main theme of the upcoming trilogy for quite some time, if it even gets produced. But simply because these movies might focus on the Skywalkers once more doesn’t mean they can’t offer something fresh. A fitting conclusion coupled with new avenues for exploration could be exactly what this series requires.

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2024-11-08 00:40