Star Wars, we have a problem
Having just finished Obi-Wan on Disney+, I feel like we’re seeing the same problem again and again with Star Wars stories: what’s the point?
One of the reasons for the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that the films became more than the sum of their parts. Initially, it built up to the Avengers movie, then up to the confrontation with Thanos. Feige and co had an orienting idea.
Without that, Star Wars has no clear strategic direction. And so, it falls back into nostalgia.
Boba Fett, Han Solo, Rogue One — there’s no expansion, no outward-looking attitude. Star Wars has, at best, rolled up into a ball or, at worst, become an Ouroboros.
But, as ever, there is hope. The Last Jedi offered a radical anti-fundamentalist direction that was dramatically (Kylo + Rey) and thematically (the Jedi must end) probably better than it needed to be.
The reactionary Rise of Skywalker seems to have buried that opportunity, along with Rian Johnson’s promised trilogy. Instead, hope from another direction (Mandolorian) suggests Taika Waititi might get to pick up the pieces instead.
Regardless, I think it might be most possible the future lies elsewhere — in the past, in fact.
Anything post-Skywalker story is always going to be affected by the gravity of the original trilogy. Instead, the High Republic era, currently being explored in books and comics, offers the same galaxy far far away, but an even longer time ago.
By starting centuries *before* the original stories, the freedom is even greater to start fresh. Or even better, to do what The Mandalorian did so well: go back to the source. Go back to the westerns, samurai influences that informed the original Star Wars. Back to the Jedi before they were doomed by their dogma.
The mystique of Star Wars was always the most exciting thing to me. I read all the extended universe books growing up, and the principles of that world, the flash of lightsabers, the clash between light and dark always felt exciting.
Mysterious, visually striking, dark villains. Heroes realising power lies in contrast to their enemy. Out of their depth, battling against the odds.
But underneath it all, the people still have to actually relate. That seems to be the biggest thing missing.
Fortunately, it should be one of the easiest things to fix by hiring real writers and not forcing these projects out before they’re ready.
UNfortunately, that seems to be the classic and most common mistake for big corporations who want to regularly cash in on their brand for stakeholders.
I just hope it’s not too much longer before we found out if they can bring balance to the force.
