The more I think about this whole situation the more I think they were in an impossible situation. There's no reason for the movies to exist unless the story evolves and changes, and there was no way to do that without annoying a lot of people with a huge emotional investment (wisely or not) in the story. It could've been done better or worse, but I don't think it was ever going to be "clean." It was always either going to feel too bold and inventive (IE: too different to "feel" like Star Wars), or too predictable to be worthwhile, to a significant number of people.
Short version: just make some new stuff. Or, if you're gonna try some new stuff within this world (which I'm totally for), don't try to link it to the preceding films so much, and people might be more receptive to the new direction.
Short version: just make some new stuff. Or, if you're gonna try some new stuff within this world (which I'm totally for), don't try to link it to the preceding films so much, and people might be more receptive to the new direction.
Honestly, I think I would have enjoyed the direction whether they held tightly to the past or moved forward abandoning it. I get that feel from Kylo's constant "forget the past" nudging. I'm totally fine with that. I'd be fibbing if I said nostalgia doesn't sway me to one side here, but I enjoy the new. I get excited by what the imagination can create! I see the efforts to let go the past and move into the future in TLJ. I can respect that. I just feel the other bits that I criticize are much louder drowning out the potential of Kylo's push for change. That's a shame, to me, because I think that could have been very interesting and a way to transition to the next generation of moviegoers' investment here. Sadly for me, I can't not see what all else I have faults with in the flick. I wonder too, how many potential new viewers were turned off from digging deeper for the same faults? That's not for argument, just curiosity. Obviously people loved this movie. That's good.
Eh. Enough rambly-rambles. I'm getting farther off topic lol. What Sedai wrote above, dead horse whippings and such.
*EDIT*
I forgot to mention that I totally agree with you that it was an impossible situation. That path would have been a very narrow one and would have had to be damn near perfectly constructed with character and story arcs. I mean years just for the writing and troubleshooting it all against the past movies. Like a religious level of devotion to the source.
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"My Dionne Warwick understanding of your dream indicates that you are ambivalent on how you want life to eventually screw you." - Joel
"Ever try to forcibly pin down a house cat? It's not easy." - Captain Steel
"I just can't get pass sticking a finger up a dog's butt." - John Dumbear
"My Dionne Warwick understanding of your dream indicates that you are ambivalent on how you want life to eventually screw you." - Joel
"Ever try to forcibly pin down a house cat? It's not easy." - Captain Steel
"I just can't get pass sticking a finger up a dog's butt." - John Dumbear