SPOILERS: 3 Ways STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI Echoes The Previous Entries In The Skywalker Saga

Star Wars: The Last Jedi certainly takes the saga in a bold new direction, but in keeping with the traditions of the series, many of the film's biggest events feel very familiar. SPOILERS past the jump...

By jph152 - Dec 18, 2017 10:12 AM EST

Filed Under: Star Wars

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is getting a lot of praise and criticism for the way it diverges from other films in the saga, but there are many similarities to the previous entries in the series as well. Much like The Force Awakens, many of the story elements mirror previous events in the series. While The Force Awakens was predominantly inspired by A New Hope, The Last Jedi seems to take inspiration from all three films in the original trilogy. As George Lucas famously said, the films are like poetry, so here are three of the biggest rhyming moments in The Last Jedi.

***MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD***

The Chase

The movie opens on a similar note to The Empire Strikes Back, with our heroes on the backfoot and the enemy becoming more powerful than ever. Much like how the Empire discovered the Rebel base on Hoth, the First Order discovers the Resistance base on D'Qar, leading to an evacuation the sets the tone for the rest of the movie. The scenes on Leia's flagship are intense because of the urgency of the situation. For the entire film, the First Order has the upper hand, chasing the Resistance across the galaxy and eventually to the old Rebel base on Crait, but more on that later.

The First Order's pursuit makes the whole movie feel urgent, similar to the tone of Empire. There is a clear pattern of the dark side feeling unbeatable in the second chapter of the trilogy. However, we don't know for sure whether or not the light is going to rebound in the next episode. The Resistance being on the back foot for the whole movie is pretty par for the course in Star Wars lore, and the way the chase ends also echoes the final shots of Empire. Despite the devastating events that had just unfolded, the film ends on a hopeful note.

Just like how Luke and Leia gaze out at the stars before the credits roll in Episode V, the final shot of The Last Jedi shows one of the young orphans that Finn and Rose met on Canto Bight look up at the sky with a hopeful look in his eye. But that's not it, as the boy also has the Resistance ring Rose gave him, and we get to see him use the Force to pick up a broom. This is an interesting parallel because while there are thematic similarities, this time it isn't a Skywalker standing there as a symbol of hope (at least as far as we know). This signals that the Skywalker story may be coming to an end in Episode IX, paving the way for new stories to be told in this galaxy.

The Throne Room

While many people were expecting similarities between The Last Jedi and The Empire Strikes Back, perhaps the most striking reference to previous Star Wars lore echoes Return of the Jedi. The scene in the Emperor’s throne room is one of the most iconic scenes in the original trilogy, and Johnson creates a scene that is set up in near identical fashion.

Kylo Ren brings Rey to Snoke where the Supreme Leader taunts Rey about how this was all his plan, and tells her that her friends are doomed. After Rey attempts to strike him down with her lightsaber, Snoke tortures Rey with the Force and tries to have her executed. However, Kylo saves her life and kills his master. The same situation more or less plays out with the Emperor, Darth Vader and Luke in the original trilogy. However, what happens next is very different.

While Vader sacrifices himself for his son, Kylo Ren is able to kill Snoke without losing his own life. Also, while the two are fighting side by side against Snoke’s guards, we have enough time to think about whether the two are going to team up once the lightsabers are put away. And while it looks like they might join forces, Rey refuses to become Kylo’s ally, and the two destroy Anakin’s lightsaber while fighting over it.

First off, the decision to kill Snoke a movie early was pretty bold, as it sets things up for the Episode IX to go in a completely different direction. It seemed like Kylo Ren had his best chance at redemption in that moment, and since he didn’t take it, we’re left wondering if the last living Skywalker will stay on the dark side of the Force.

Luke’s Noble End

Arguably the most controversial moment in this very controversial movie is the death of Luke Skywalker. Luke’s death was unique in a few ways, mainly because of how he used the Force to project himself to Crait. However, the way he becomes one with the Force is an interesting nod to the way both Yoda and Obi-Wan die.

George Lucas’ original plan for episodes VII through IX involved Luke becoming an Obi-Wan type figure, an older, wiser Jedi. While the Luke we see in The Last Jedi is certainly wise and powerful, he is also a broken, disinterested old man. This decision enraged a lot of fans, as seeing a childhood hero become someone who runs away from his problems is pretty shocking. However, the parallels to Obi-Wan are numerous.

Both Obi-Wan and Luke go into hiding after the Jedi order is destroyed by their apprentice, and both feel a great deal of responsibility for failing their students. Luke, however, takes a lot more convincing to once again enter the battle between light and dark, probably because he failed his apprentice in a much more obvious way. Once Luke eventually decides to go to project himself to Crait and save the Resistance, he comes to the same realization that Obi-Wan does before Vader strikes him down.

Luke says that he will not be the last of the Jedi and recognizes the hope the Resistance still has as long as Rey is still around. In his final moments, things come full circle for Luke Skywalker, as he realizes Rey now has the responsibilities he had during the Galactic Civil War. As he takes one last look at a twin sunset, he moves into the next phase of his being. In this way, Luke's death combines Obi-Wan's sacrifice and Yoda's peaceful fade into the Force.

There are lots of other similarities to the original trilogy in The Last Jedi. Which one did you love/hate the most? Comment below!

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112 Comments

1 2 3

Jezi - 12/18/2017, 10:45 AM

I really hope that by the time the movie comes out on blu-ray I can truly appreciate how cool scenes like Rey and Kylo vs the Praetorian guards seemed. When Kylo caught the lightsaber and turned it on for a split-second through one of their heads, son kid yelled "That was sick!"

I didn't think much of Guardians 2 or Baby Driver when I left them but have since grown to love them, hopefully this is the same.

Jezi - 12/18/2017, 10:51 AM

@RacoonRocket99 - Umm.. mind trick?

Forthas - 12/18/2017, 10:59 AM

The Crait battle echoes the battle on Hoth!

Scarilian - 12/18/2017, 11:02 AM

It's pretty much a copy of The Empire Strikes Back, the main story points are the same.

1 2 3

SPOILERS: 3 Ways STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI Echoes The Previous Entries In The Skywalker Saga

Star Wars: The Last Jedi certainly takes the saga in a bold new direction, but in keeping with the traditions of the series, many of the film's biggest events feel very familiar. SPOILERS past the jump...

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