I’m just going to leave these two, staring at each other, behind this line, here….

Happy birthday to this legend and all around badass.

Same ship?

Does anyone else think the title of Episode IX might be referring to Anakin?

Hear me out:

I don’t think it’s only talking about Anakin. I think it could end up being a lot of different things when it’s all said and done. I think that could fit with JJ’s style.

Like most of you, I think Skywalker is going to become a title, the name of the next generation of force users.

I was thinking about the movies in terms of symmetry though. I could see the last movie tying to the first in some way to “close the circle” or show them as bookends to the plot.

Since we’ve seen most of Anakin’s origin story already there’s really only one mystery left to explore, the circumstances of his conception. That would take the last movie quite literally back to the VERY beginning.

The comic series revealed that it was Palpatine and not the force that created Anakin and it’s an interesting coincidence that Palpatine is going to play some roll in the final movie.

For an idea of how, here’s a fun fact from Aftermath: Empire’s End

Palpatine created sentient droids and infused his knowledge and memory into them which is so.creepy.

I’m wondering if Rey finds one of them in the wreckage of the Death Star?

I’d imagine it could have a pretty serious impact on how he views himself and his family too for Ben to learn that they had always been pawns in Palpatine’s greater plan. Maybe even to the point that Ben turns from the dark side? He’s felt pulled in different directions his whole life and learning of this level of manipulation might actually be freeing for him.

It would also be an interesting juxtaposition to the importance placed on Rey’s heritage throughout the sequel trilogy.

Just some thoughts…

The Stars Are Going Out?

Does it seem like the stars are dimmer and fewer in quantity on The Rise of Skywalker title page as compared to the other movies?

I see some but they seem way less pronounced and I don’t know if my screen is too dim or if that’s really the case.

If it is, there’s an interesting dream Leia has when pregnant with Ben that seems relevant

She thinks Ben wants to be free of her but what if he too senses whatever is invading her dream and wants to get away?

I think that idea is further confirmed here:

These scenes come from Aftermath: Empire’s End which primarily dealt with something created by Emperor Palpatine called the Contingency.

He had a plan in place, should his Empire fail, to allow the ideals of the Empire to persevere. This plan was launched from and greatly involved the planet Jakku, which any fan of the new trilogy would be familiar with.

In terms of the 9 movies coming full circle, it seems like an awfully big coincidence.

The Rise of Skywalker

I did a post similar to this a long time ago but I think it’s worth a revisit now that we have a title and the trailer has confirmed a few rumors.

I’ve always though the way Kylo was referenced in the movies in regards to his mask was interesting:

The Force Awakens

The Last Jedi:

There’s a progression from creature to child.

There’s an ascendency (a.k.a. rise ) in that progression from an animal or something inhuman (creature) to a person though a young, immature, or undeveloped person (child).

We see that Kylo’s helmet is repaired th Episode IX though we have no true confirmation that he wears it.

I’m inclined to believe he does because there’s this precedence set in the first two movies that shows his character development through his relationship to the mask and how people perceive him in it.

If the pattern holds, I think Ep. IX will show Ben becoming something beyond human. Going from creature to child to something like just man or Jedi to me isn’t a big enough pattern of growth when you consider creature to child.

He would have to become something mythical.

I think that Skywalker is going to become a title, not just a family and that Ben will be the ultimate example having both the bloodline and whatever quality will define the title.

Something like a legacy or a legend.

PLEASE tell me I’m not the only one who’s still tearing up every time you watch or hear or even think about the Ep. IX trailer…..

YALL!!!!

Rey’ family:

All three were on Jakku and it looks like all three GO BACK!!!

Can we all take a moment to appreciate the music in the trailer?

I tear up every time Leia’s theme starts playing, it’s always been my favorite.

This version includes a rising 5 note scale scale tagged at the end. The scale coincides with the footage we see of Rey, Finn, and Poe together.

The scale pauses on the fourth tone and we hear Palpatine’s laugh.

Here is where it gets really interesting to me: After the laugh, the fifth note plays over Kylo’s theme, which is slightly modified. It’s the addition of the 5th tone that allows his theme to be resolved to a major chord.

So we have what might be an addition, continuation, or modification to Leia’s theme that has a visual association to Rey, Finn, and Poe played over (Ben’s?) theme and it takes the elements of all of it to provide the triumphant final chord.

I am LIVING for that.

I’ve been out of music theory and composition for a loooong time though so I’d love to hear thoughts!