Complicated feelings…

Warning: Significant spoilers for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker premiered last week. I caught a late show on opening night and then saw it again with the family a couple of days later. After the first viewing, I was conflicted. I enjoyed the movie, but honestly, I left a little disappointed. There was just so much to process and I wasn’t sure I was satisfied with all the twists and turns. Chris Trainor at the Free Times posted a great review that pretty much summarized my initial feelings.

When I saw it a few days later, I enjoyed it much more. I knew what to expect and just sat back and enjoyed the ride. A couple of random thoughts...

Palpatine and Exegol. I have lots of questions about how Palpatine came back from the dead and where all those Sith disciples on Exegol came from.
Rey. I don’t necessarily love that Rey is a Palpatine, but I understand why they made that choice. Even so, I never felt Rey was going to really turn to the dark side, so all of the attempted fake outs felt a little flat to me.
Droids. They used C-3PO and D-0 well as comic relief. I especially loved when C-3PO declared Babu Frick “one of my oldest friends.”
“That’s not a navy, sir. It’s just... people.” I thought the final battle was entertaining. So many ships. (Maybe too many ships, to be honest.) The shock of General Pryde when the Resistance reinforcements show up, and the concept that the only way to defeat tyranny is for ordinary people to stand up to evil.
Leia. I think this movie would have been much stronger if Carrie Fisher were alive to deliver her lines instead of using repurposed footage from The Force Awakens. I think they did a good job piecing it together, but it would have been stronger. That said, I’d rather have this movie than one with a CGI Leia.
Media blitz. I didn't seek out spoilers, but I couldn’t avoid the crush of promotional clips, trailers and commercials. I think it was a mistake to show so much. If I hadn’t already seen the clip of the Millennium Falcon coming to the rescue with thousands of ships, the moment in the end when Poe is giving up would have had more impact. Instead, I was waiting for the scene from the trailers when the reinforcements show up.
Where next? Will Rey start rebuilding the Jedi order? Will there be a new, New Republic or will the universe finally give up on the concept of a single galactic government? Have we finally seen the last of the Sith? I know this is the end of the Skywalker Saga, but they left more than a few direction for future movies and streaming shows.

In the end, I’m satisfied. I don’t plan to see it again in the theater, but will watch it again as soon as it comes out on Disney+. And we’re not done with Star Wars, we’re just ready to move on to other stories in the Star Wars universe.

Bob Wertz writes about design, technology and pop culture at Sketchbook B. Bob is a Columbia, South Carolina-based designer, researcher, college instructor, husband and dad. He’s particularly obsessed with typography, the creative process and the tools we use to create.