What A Sequel Trilogy & What A SW Trilogy Should Have

 I talked a lot of trash towards the Disney Trilogy. Poor writing, no story direction, etc. But it happened. Did it get negative attention because it failed to live up to expectations? Yes.  Now I'll admit that however these 3 movies turned out I probably would be disappointed because it didn't live up to expectations. But if the story was good, and more importantly there was a point to the story, I could forgive it. People my age for the most part didn't like the prequels, but it told a story. It wasn't just about Anakin's fall to the dark side but how a galaxy was corrupted into war by a tyrant who installed an Empire. So what should the sequels have been about? Well, that isn't what this post is all about. Well actually just a tiny bit.  This is about the things that Star Wars Trilogies (on film) must have. Then I'll go into what my proposed sequel trilogy will have been like.

WHAT A STAR WARS TRILOGY MUST HAVE:

1. A story. Plain and simple. Lucas knew what he was doing by the time his final draft for A New Hope was written, but he allowed other things to develop over time. That of course being Luke and Leia as siblings who are the offspring of Darth Vader who would be revealed to be Anakin Skywalker. Same with the prequels. Lucas here already knew his story and didn't have to make changes as filming and pre-production began.

2. Use time between films to your advantage. This helped with the first point. Time can be both a friend and an enemy. Wait too long it's rushed. Being nitpicky too long on a story point and then you have to rush it. Lucas waited 3 years between films. It allowed stories and technology advances to be brought into the production.

3. Love story. Leia and Han. Anakin and Padme. Someone fell in love. What was really missing from the sequels was this emotional connection. Fans shipped Rey and Kylo in the Disney Trilogy before we knew who Rey really was, and even while it was possible she could have been Luke's daughter. Or she could have hooked up with Finn, or Poe. Rose and Finn could have coupled, or Finn and Jannah. Or if you want something really different Finn and Poe. But having a love story keeps an emotional presence in the story. Whatever happens you want to know if this couple will get out of whatever they are in and be together. It makes you care more about the characters.

4. The villain's objective must be clear. In the prequels it was all about Palpy becoming Chancellor, starting a war, killing Jedi and making sure Anakin Skywalker became his apprentice. In the OT it was Vader hunting the Rebels and trying to bring Luke to the dark side, with the final confrontation introducing the Emperor and Luke choosing the light. The sequels can be best summed up by "somehow Palpatine survived". Snoke had potential but that was wasted. Kylo Ren being a dark sider didn't make sense (although the comic miniseries explained his fall quite well).

5. The Hero's Journey. In the prequels Anakin begins his journey but we already knew it would lead to ruin. In the OT Luke starts out a farm boy and soon follows his father's footsteps but makes better choices. When Episode 7 was announced and the trailers shown we thought Finn would be the hero. Nope, it was Rey. But Rey had everything come easy. She had no struggles we saw onscreen. Only a painful childhood memory (Shadow of the Sith explains this part of her life). Daisy Ridley & John Boyega are great actors who deserved more than what they got. And I don't mind a woman being the hero in a SW Trilogy, but make sure the writing and the story have a point!

6. Redemption arc. This isn't always for the main villain. Anakin is who the Lucas era films redeemed. But what about Han & Lando? They start off as selfish but join something much larger. Lando chooses to rescue Han but gives the people he protects a chance to leave. Han is a smuggler and like Lando joins a cause to fight for: freedom. Han isn't the same at the end of ROTJ as he is when 1st seen in ANH.

Got that out of the way. So what about what will be in my version of the sequels?!  That is if I take the time to fully plan out the events. But here is the timeline:  Episode 7 takes place 5 years after ROTJ, Episode 8 takes place 3 years after Episode 7 and Balance of the Force (Episode 9) takes place 4 years after Episode 8.

1. Restoration of both the Republic & the Jedi Order. Legends had this downpat. Luke rebuilt the Jedi Order while Leia played a role in both, training as a Jedi and serving on the New Republic Ruling Council and later being Chief of State, which was equivalent to being Chancellor. For my version, this will happen.

2. New characters don't diminish Legacy characters. An Episode 7 screenwriter said it perfectly "Once Luke Skywalker is mentioned nobody cares about the other new characters." That is true. These new characters will compliment rather than take away from Legacy characters. Oh, and neither Luke, Leia, Lando Han or Chewie will be killed off.

3. Love story.  Well a love triangle. Luke will fall in love with one of his students, but she will also have feelings for a student and her rejection of him helps steer this character to the dark side. It will be the central story over the last 2 episodes.

4. Villains. I actually like the idea of Sith Cultists as villains, as well as Imperials who just want revenge on the Alliance. In the 1st story a military genius (not Thrawn) takes command of the battered Imperial Fleet and is aided by a couple Sith Cultists. The main villain of the trilogy is one of Luke's students who falls to the dark side near the end of Episode 8.

5. The next generation of Skywalker's. Han and Leia expect their 1st child who will be born at the end of Episode 7 and will be named Anakin Solo. At the end of Episode 9 Luke will become a father to twins: Ben & Beru Skywalker.

6. Mysteries of the Force revealed. In Season 6 of the Clone Wars they did a 3 episode arc where Yoda is guided by the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn and learns the path to immortality. Luke will travel a similar path as Yoda, where the full secrets of the Force will be revealed.


So that's how I would have planned out sequel trilogy events. I start soon after ROTJ because I feel it's important for both the Republic and the Jedi to be rebuilt at the same time. It puts the Legacy characters still in the spotlight but allows room for other characters to develop, much like Legends did. If this is something you'd like to see me expand on, please let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading!