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Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Redux Ideas thread — Page 82

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Hal 9000 said:

Hey that’s not bad, if that’s the line!

Yessir, complete with a suitably condescending C-3PO and a snarling Wookiee. 😃

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Apologies if this has been brought up before…but has anyone experimented with taking the “Chewie fakeout death” issue completely in the opposite direction, and just have the First Order transport get away clean? (i.e., no Force tug-of-war or lightning at all) They know from the start Chewie’s just been captured, but they can’t do anything about it until Rey senses him over Kijimi.

I suppose that might risk the possibility of having the whole thing feel like an even shallower detour from the heroes’ main mission, but I would argue that a plot thread without the pretense of angst is still preferable to a plot thread of phony angst that’s undone in the next scene. Besides, Rey’s arc would still have more than enough weight if the film went with the revelation that Rey accidentally killed her parents.

Co-author of STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - THE TEAM DALE REWRITE

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Something I can’t get out of my head is Closer Look’s video about Rey’s character arc in the movie.

Basically, his idea was that Rey should’ve failed to save to Chewie, and protect her friends, but then when she taps into the dark side she has enough power to protect them, and this is what the chances of her falling to the dark side more likely.

In his mind, he felt that Rey thinking she killed Chewie by using the dark side would make her afraid of using the dark side at all. Why would she turn if that is the message she is getting from it? She should’ve seen how the dark side is the quick and easy path, like Yoda described. That using the dark side gives her what she wants, at a cost…

I think that is why I was playing around with the idea of Rey having a vision that she would fail and her friends would die in the final battle. Let her believe she won’t be powerful enough to save her friends unless she taps into the dark side, sort of how Anakin thought only the dark side would allow him to be strong enough to save Padmé.

I really want justice for Rey’s character arc. Maybe it already is fine as-is, but I feel like it is missing something, like a Jungian solution to the conflict between the Ego and Shadow, and the synthesis of the anima and animus. She needs to personify the answer to the flaws of the old Jedi, and I don’t know if at this point she really does that.

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RogueLeader said:

I really want justice for Rey’s character arc. Maybe it already is fine as-is, but I feel like it is missing something, like a Jungian solution to the conflict between the Ego and Shadow, and the synthesis of the anima and animus. She needs to personify the answer to the flaws of the old Jedi, and I don’t know if at this point she really does that.

I agree. In TCW and TLJ it’s made pretty clear that their issue was arrogance, the whole becoming soldiers thing, and their teachings of detachment and non-interference.

What about Rey either is, or could be made to reflect an answer to those issues?

My Edits:
Revenge of the Sith: Refocused Available

The Clone Wars Refocused: The Chosen One (Mortis Episode)

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I think Rey not being alone at the end helps, either with family (like the Falcon stuff snooker’s been working on), with Ben Solo, or with both.

Maybe the Jedi voices she hears in the end could tell her things beyond “rise Rey”. Like actual advice.

The stuff with the yellow lightning might help imply her assimilating with her inner shadow. Hmm.

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A few do, like Anakin telling her to balance the force like he did.

I would like there to be a way to highlight that Rey’s desire to help others and get involved is explicitly a good thing and the anti-thesis to Jedi detachment, and not her repeating the other Jedi mistake of rushing into a war.

My Edits:
Revenge of the Sith: Refocused Available

The Clone Wars Refocused: The Chosen One (Mortis Episode)

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True. JJ and Terrio speak on the idea on balance being something that must constantly be maintained, rather than being a permanent state, but it doesn’t really address what balance means. What does balance mean to me? Or to kids who are watching this?

I’ve said this before, I think it would be interesting if she heard Jedi say things like, “Love is essential to a Jedi’s life.” or “Fear/Anger is a natural part of life.”

Basically, telling Rey not to deny her emotions. That love, fear, or anger are not inherently bad, if you have a healthy relationship with your emotions.

I’m not really sure what her destroying Palpatine could be a metaphor for, though. Haha.

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What if Yoda says “fear is a natural part of life.” Easily accomplished, ties into Luke’s pep talk with Rey, and shows some growth for the character.

Of course as you mention the real issue is Rey’s defeat of Palpatine and there’s really nothing to be done with that.

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Well my mind does think of Hal (and others’) had about Rey’s lightning being yellow to help differentiate her use of it from Palpatine. And how the lightning she’s deflecting back at Palpatine could turn yellow, showing that she can embrace her anger without letting it control her. Basically, accepting her shadow-self without being afraid of it. And then that can help tie her yellow lightsaber to her newfound self-awareness.

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RogueLeader said:

Well my mind does think of Hal (and others’) had about Rey’s lightning being yellow to help differentiate her use of it from Palpatine. And how the lightning she’s deflecting back at Palpatine could turn yellow, showing that she can embrace her anger without letting it control her. Basically, accepting her shadow-self without being afraid of it. And then that can help tie her yellow lightsaber to her newfound self-awareness.

But that kind of just doubles down on “Rey actively kills Palpatine” doesn’t it? I like the idea of Rey accepting her emotions but I don’t really like the idea of Rey being a good guy who is cool enough to use dark side powers too.

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 (Edited)

Well, people already feel like Rey basically killed Palpatine, not that Palpatine killed himself while Rey is defending herself. Rey is clearly pushing the lightning back in his face.

And maybe “integrating the shadow” can be interpreted as “your dark side doesn’t define you”. You have to learn how to control it, not let it control you.

EDIT: just spitballing btw

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If we make her lightning Gold, but don’t change the lightning that kills Sheev, and play around with Rey’s reaction shots, then it could make it much clearer that she’s defending herself rather than attacking him.

My Edits:
Revenge of the Sith: Refocused Available

The Clone Wars Refocused: The Chosen One (Mortis Episode)

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RogueLeader said:

Well, people already feel like Rey basically killed Palpatine, not that Palpatine killed himself while Rey is defending herself. Rey is clearly pushing the lightning back in his face.

And maybe “integrating the shadow” can be interpreted as “your dark side doesn’t define you”. You have to learn how to control it, not let it control you.

EDIT: just spitballing btw

I get it but in this scenario she’s basically beating the bad guy by using the dark side.

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 (Edited)

You know, I actually think using her lightning would actually be a good resolution to the story.

I mean, throughout the movie she is absolutely afraid of her inner dark side. So much so that she tries to exile herself to Ahch-To. She isn’t afraid of Palpatine, she’s afraid of herself and what she is capable of. I actually could see it being satisfying to realize she doesn’t have to afraid of herself if she acknowledges the dark side within her.

If you think about it, that has always been the flaw of the Jedi. They’ve taught their students that their emotions are dangerous, and their dark side is something to be feared. Ben Solo thinks that because the dark side is in his nature, that he is a monster and can’t go back to his mother.

The Sith, on the other hand, totally let their negative emotions control them. They’re consumed with hate, greed, and selfishness. They’ve let their Shadow-self take over.

But a balanced person has to find a healthy relationship with their emotions, between their self and their shadow-self. Someone who bottles up their emotions, like the Jedi did, are much more likely to let their shadow-self consume them, like Anakin or Ben, because they didn’t cultivate a healthy relationship with their repressed shadow. So this has given the Jedi the mistaken idea that the dark side will corrupt instantaneously.

Someone described integrating your shadow as “having weapons and the ability to use them, but being determined to keep them sheathed”. Being totally harmless isn’t a balanced way to live. Instead, it is having the ability to defend yourself when necessary, and choosing not to harm others even when you have the power to do so.

I’m actually beginning to think not having Rey actively destroy Palpatine is actually the wrong path. Rey, Luke, and other Jedi killed plenty of people in self defense. Why is it suddenly bad for Rey to kill literally the embodiment of evil?

And I think that would make Rey’s yellow lightsaber work well. Rey has the power to protect others, but she has control of it (represented by it being contained by the hilt).

To me, finding an answer to this question of “balance” has to be the inevitable climax to this trilogy, which I think is necessary to justify its existence within the saga. I think this approach would help set it apart from the rest of the films, and actually carry some thematic weight.

And just as the conscious mind can put the questions, “Why is there this frightful conflict between good and evil?,” so the unconscious can reply, “Look closer! Each needs the other. The best, just because it is the best, holds the seed of evil, and there is nothing so bad but good can come of it. (Jung 133).”

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jarbear said:

Tammer5 said:

So I am going to write this down one more time… It got over looked probably because I rarely offer any suggestions, but I thought this idea of mine was pretty solid regarding moving the chess scene.

The idea of moving the chess scene is awesome and its wonderfully executed! I do have an idea… I think it would be great if there is a way to add a clip with R2 and 3PO watching the game. They are the only constant in the saga so they should be there in the end with their friends. Below is a scene from AOTC where 3PO tells R2, “for a mechanic you do a excessive amount of thinking.” There is enough dialog from 3PO to make him say, “For a Wookie you do a excessive amount of thinking.” Then you can do a cut to R2 doing a silly chirping noise like the link below. In that way they’re all together and all four of them are giving Chewie a hard time. Just like a bunch of siblings.

My thoughts are you see Chewie thinking then it cuts to 3PO and he says his line, then cut to R2 making a silly chirp noise basically agreeing with 3PO, then we cut to Poe and Fin, then the final scene with Rey and BB-8 Thoughts?

C3PO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_Tl5FGBbB8&list=PLlrQRD4Rfv_CVrEGTWM3r9EZa3jYUXs0N&index=2

R2D:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBzQQkcZZOE&list=PLs_YojqvcFd-98ggemDm1ktsVGcjxdDBW&index=9

I like that idea a lot, for those two being the "longest running characters … they were pretty much left in the dust at the end (R2 got the short end of the stick the whole time pretty much) So having them would be fantastic with the reordering of the Chess scene.

Ok Jonh, when you are done with the Force Ghosts here is your next task. 😉

I will have to try, or do it!!! hahahha

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RogueLeader said:

You know, I actually think using her lightning would actually be a good resolution to the story.

I mean, throughout the movie she is absolutely afraid of her inner dark side. So much so that she tries to exile herself to Ahch-To. She isn’t afraid of Palpatine, she’s afraid of herself and what she is capable of. I actually could see it being satisfying to realize she doesn’t have to afraid of herself if she acknowledges the dark side within her.

If you think about it, that has always been the flaw of the Jedi. They’ve taught their students that their emotions are dangerous, and their dark side is something to be feared. Ben Solo thinks that because the dark side is in his nature, that he is a monster and can’t go back to his mother.

The Sith, on the other hand, totally let their negative emotions control them. They’re consumed with hate, greed, and selfishness. They’ve let their Shadow-self take over.

But a balanced person has to find a healthy relationship with their emotions, between their self and their shadow-self. Someone who bottles up their emotions, like the Jedi did, are much more likely to let their shadow-self consume them, like Anakin or Ben, because they didn’t cultivate a healthy relationship with their repressed shadow. So this has given the Jedi the mistaken idea that the dark side will corrupt instantaneously.

Someone described integrating your shadow as “having weapons and the ability to use them, but being determined to keep them sheathed”. Being totally harmless isn’t a balanced way to live. Instead, it is having the ability to defend yourself when necessary, and choosing not to harm others even when you have the power to do so.

I’m actually beginning to think not having Rey actively destroy Palpatine is actually the wrong path. Rey, Luke, and other Jedi killed plenty of people in self defense. Why is it suddenly bad for Rey to kill literally the embodiment of evil?

And I think that would make Rey’s yellow lightsaber work well. Rey has the power to protect others, but she has control of it (represented by it being contained by the hilt).

And just as the conscious mind can put the questions, “Why is there this frightful conflict between good and evil?,” so the unconscious can reply, “Look closer! Each needs the other. The best, just because it is the best, holds the seed of evil, and there is nothing so bad but good can come of it. (Jung 133).”

It’s an interesting idea to ponder but I feel like it’s too radical a change to the mythos for an edit to attempt. Knowledge and defense, never attack, etc. The problem is not that Rey kills the most evil guy, it’s that the final climatic moment of the saga is a Jedi killing someone. It felt much more fitting when Luke threw his saber in ROTJ and Vader sacrificed himself for him. Especially coming off TLJ where Luke saves the day without hurting a fly, and they spell out that the message is ‘save with love, not fight with hate.’

Anyway, if you’re serious about this idea it’d probably help if you have Leia repeat “never be afraid of who you are” right as Rey strikes the fatal blow.

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Is it really a big change to the mythos? It seemed like this was the direction the stuff with Luke in TLJ was going in. In ROTJ, Luke uses both the dark side to defeat Vader, but also the light to spare him. Vader becomes a Jedi in his final moments because he saves his son BY killing Palpatine.

I mean, in a perfect world the ending would’ve been quite different from what we got, but it would be hard to change the fact that Rey kills Palpatine here. And she doesn’t do it because she hates Palpatine, but because she loves her friends.

Maybe we can make it less obviously that Rey is blowing lightning back in his face, but if we do that then what lesson is Rey learning?

At least with this idea, it actually ties the climax of the film into the internal conflict Rey has been having this entire movie. Maybe you don’t have Leia’s line right as Palpatine blows up, but during the “voices of the Jedi” montage.

I dunno. I just feel like the final battle feels so hollow because it isn’t trying to say anything. This might actually give people something to think about. And all this would require would be to recolor some lightning and maybe change some of the Jedi lines.

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I get what you mean about wanting the moment to do something, anything for the character, I just don’t know if going in the wrong direction is better than no direction at all.

I do think if you’re gonna do it you have to go full hog though, the yellow lightning, and I think putting that Leia line in prime placement really drives the point home in a way it wouldn’t if it was one of many lines.

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But maybe it isn’t the wrong direction. If Rey’s journey is about her being afraid of herself and her powers, then I think the logical resolution to the story is for her to accept herself and her powers.

Maybe this isn’t the right direction to go in, but I think it is worth thinking about at least.

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I’ve watched a few of General Kenobi’s Vimeo clips just now, and I’m wondering where he got the “More than a clone… less than a man” line from. It sounds like a deleted line from the film’s promotional and advertising material.

“The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.”
-Sheev Palpatine, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005)

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RogueLeader said:

But maybe it isn’t the wrong direction. If Rey’s journey is about her being afraid of herself and her powers, then I think the logical resolution to the story is for her to accept herself and her powers.

Maybe this isn’t the right direction to go in, but I think it is worth thinking about at least.

All I know is it definitely seems wrong to me to have the climax of the whole saga being a Jedi using Force lighting to melt someone’s face off.

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idir_hh said:

Here’s the source https://youtu.be/orSF0EvYRD4 (18:19)

Ah. I guess that explains the dodgy audio quality.

“The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.”
-Sheev Palpatine, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005)

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How many of you believe the film could have benefitted from ending with Rey as “the last Jedi”? A user on the Fanedit Forums said it himself:

The Jedi should die. This doesn’t mean there can’t be Force users, but the criticism of the dogma was valid.

“The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.”
-Sheev Palpatine, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005)