The Star Wars prequels modified the Jedi endlessly, to the purpose Rey’s journey as a Jedi within the sequel trilogy was doomed from the start.
Rey’s Jedi story within the Star Wars sequels was doomed from the beginning as Star Wars: The Power Awakens didn’t take into accounts how a lot the Star Wars prequels had modified the franchise’s Jedi lore. The primary live-action Star Wars film in 10 years, Star Wars: The Power Awakens was a popular culture landmark and is at present the fifth highest-grossing film of all time after being not too long ago surpassed by Avatar: The Means of Water. Though it can’t be denied that The Power Awakens and the sequels as a complete reignited the Star Wars franchise, Episode VII unnecessarily separated the Star Wars prequel lore from the brand new movies, which affected Rey’s journey.
Every Star Wars trilogy is completely different, with a really distinct really feel to it, from the story to the aesthetic. Whereas George Lucas was clearly behind all three unique Star Wars movies regardless of solely directing the primary one, Lucas’ prequel trilogy was fairly completely different from what audiences had come to know as Star Wars between the unique movie and Return of the Jedi. Fashionable expertise meant Lucas felt he may lastly fulfil his imaginative and prescient, and he confirmed the Jedi at their prime in a method that hardly resemble how the unique trilogy had depicted Obi-Wan and Yoda. Though the prequel trilogy’s world constructing added so much to Star Wars, it additionally modified the Jedi endlessly.
The Star Wars Prequels Modified What It Means To Be A Jedi
Whereas the unique trilogy handled the Jedi as mysterious area wizards who barely engaged in any fights and whose classes have been typically restricted to phrases, George Lucas’ Star Wars prequels pulled again the curtain on the Jedi and offered them as true warriors. Although Mace Windu states that the Jedi are protectors of the peace and never warriors in Star Wars: Episode II – Assault of the Clones, the prequels have been way more action-driven in the case of the Jedi than the originals. As a comparability, Yoda by no means leaves Dagobah within the unique trilogy whereas the prequels had two main Yoda struggle scenes – Yoda vs. Doku and Yoda vs. Darth Sidious.
Clearly, the truth that moviemaking expertise had superior allowed George Lucas to depict the Jedi in a method that he by no means may through the originals. From Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon’s struggle towards Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace to Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith’s Battle of the Heroes, the prequel-era Jedi appeared virtually superheroes in comparison with the unique trilogy’s Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Luke Skywalker. That change within the Star Wars energy scale was adopted by a change within the Jedi lore as a complete, together with how Jedi are educated and what even means to be a Jedi.
For instance, Luke’s Jedi coaching within the unique trilogy was restricted to an undisclosed however absolutely not-that-long interval with Yoda in Dagobah. From carrying Yoda behind his again to lifting rocks and an X-Wing, Luke’s coaching montage in The Empire Strikes Again was sufficient to promote that Luke was now nearer to changing into a Jedi like Obi-Wan Kenobi. Whereas the films acknowledge that Luke’s coaching was not full and that he was “not a Jedi but”, Skywalker was highly effective sufficient in Return of the Jedi to defeat Darth Vader. Nonetheless, going by the prequels and Clone Wars’ method, Luke’s coaching was laughably easy.
Rey’s Story Is Nearer To Luke’s Than To Any Prequel Character
Beginning with Star Wars: The Power Awakens, Rey’s character was criticized for being too good of a Jedi with out correct coaching. Nonetheless, in comparison with Luke’s story within the unique trilogy, Rey’s feats within the sequel trilogy have been completely cheap inside what is predicted from the hero of the story. The issue, nevertheless, is that the Star Wars prequels’ in depth Jedi lore had now retconned the Jedi to a military-like pressure with strict rankings wherein the characters’ strengths come from years of coaching. For instance, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi each confirmed Ahsoka had far more correct coaching through the Clone Wars than Luke did through the unique trilogy.
The prequels and Clone Wars, which outlined Star Wars for a completely new era after 16 years with out Star Wars on the massive display screen, virtually made Luke Skywalker appear weak in comparison with the Jedi and the Sith audiences have been now being launched to. Nonetheless, provided that the general notion of the prequels upon launch was not as optimistic as it’s now, Star Wars: The Power Awakens tried to distance itself from the prequel trilogy in addition to from the Jedi of the Clone Wars. The Power Awakens was a sequel to Return of the Jedi not solely when it comes to the timeline but additionally of tone and aesthetic, virtually as if the prequels had by no means occurred.
From the angle of the Star Wars prequels and Clone Wars, Rey’s Jedi journey did lack extra correct coaching, particularly in Star Wars: The Power Awakens. Anakin Skywalker, for instance, had educated for 10 years earlier than his first on-screen lightsaber struggle whereas Rey defeated Kylo Ren proper after realizing she had powers. Nonetheless, from the angle of the unique Star Wars trilogy or different journey tales, Rey’s arc was similar to each hero’s journey. Characters like Luke and Rey have been able to spectacular feats as a result of they have been meant to be particular inside their tales and never due to any extremely technical coaching.
Why The Authentic Trilogy’s Method To The Jedi Is Higher Than The Prequels
As nice because the prequel trilogy’s world constructing was, to the purpose Star Wars grew to become a a lot bigger saga because of the movies and reveals like Star Wars: The Clone Wars, its altering method to the Jedi Order eliminated a part of what made the mysterious warriors so particular within the first three installments. What made Luke Skywalker such an iconic hero was that Luke might be anybody – an individual who needed to dream larger and that, ultimately, saved all the galaxy. Luke was not particular as a result of he had spent the primary 20 years of his life coaching to be a Jedi however relatively as a result of he embodied Obi-Wan and Yoda’s classes straight away.
That is what Star Wars: The Power Awakens and later Star Wars: The Final Jedi tried to realize with Rey, particularly after her moments with Luke. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker then tried to acknowledge a number of the criticism aimed toward its protagonist by revealing Rey was a Palpatine and that she and Kylo Ren have been a Power Dyad, thus establishing that Rey was that highly effective due to lineage. The Star Wars prequels made the Power one thing virtually measurable, not solely with the divisive Midi-chlorins but additionally with its Jedi coaching lore. Like Rey, Luke didn’t have to coach his entire life to be a worthy Jedi.
Star Wars’ Subsequent Jedi Ought to Steadiness The Authentic & Prequel Approaches
Extra Star Wars materials, be it from the Expanded Universe or the brand new Disney canon, tried to fill within the gaps in Luke’s Jedi journey by diving a bit extra into his coaching. Likewise, reveals like Star Wars Rebels tried to bridge the prequels method to Jedi and the extra legendary, mysterious unique trilogy method. That’s one thing Star Wars ought to replicate for its subsequent Jedi, the hero who will lead the following Star Wars film. A mix of the unique and prequel approaches is the easiest way to keep away from criticism just like these acquired by Rey’s Star Wars story.
By fully ignoring the Star Wars prequels, together with the Sith, Star Wars: The Power Awakens restricted its potentialities. Although the unique trilogy’s tackle the Jedi is arguably higher than the one from the prequels, Star Wars can’t merely ignore what’s the greatest contribution to its lore – the prequel trilogy. Not each Jedi ought to have to coach for a decade earlier than they will even have a lore-consistent victory in a Jedi vs. Sith battle, but the specifics of the Jedi coaching can add so much to a personality’s journey. For instance, Grogu spent a while with Luke receiving correct coaching and can proceed his journey in The Mandalorian season 3.