Warning: possible SPOILERS for Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi.
Traditionally, the middle act of a play is the bleakest, since it places the protagonists we've (hopefully) grown to love into the worst possible situations. The Skywalker saga is no different. Seeing as Star Wars runs in cycles of three, and the middle film tends to be the darkest (although not necessarily), The Last Jedi, much like Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, is the second act of the third trilogy, representing the dusk before Episode IX dawns.
From the first two trailers, The Last Jedi looks every bit as dark as Empire, perhaps even more somber at times, if action-packed. Luke is already shown back in black (or at least a deep brown), and actors John Boyega and Daisy Ridley teased it was a much more ominous film as well. Could director Rian Johnson have fashioned one of the grimmest although probably not Revenge of the Sith scores-of-dead-Padawans horrible Star Wars film yet?
"A Domain of Evil It Is"
Much like the gang in Star Wars: A New Hope, things looked pretty rough for Rey, Finn, and the Resistance during the climax of The Force Awakens. Kylo Ren had just killed his own father, Han Solo, and Starkiller Base was juicing up to zap D'qar from afar. Thankfully, Finn, Rey, and Chewbacca, with some help from Poe and his Black Squadron, defeated Kylo Ren and blew up the First Order's superweapon (where do they get those wonderful toys). To top that off, they popped in the last piece of the puzzle, locating intergalactic sage, Luke Skywalker.
Since the First Order knows where the Resistance's secret base is, though, Episode VIII will feature the obligatory escape from D'Qar sequence one which will test Kylo and Poe's piloting skills. In addition, it looks like the First Order forces will take out several of the Resistance's limited capital warships during their assault. Later on, both groups will face off on the salt-covered ruddy world of Crait, a battle which hearkens back to Empire as well. There, the plucky rebels will meet the neo-Empire's state-of-the-art AT-M6 œgorilla walkers with antiquated ski speeders. Suffice to say, the First Order can probably chalk up another tally in the w' column after this skirmish.
On top of that, the Resistance may have defeated the Order's solar system killer, but it appears they're also in for some internal strife. Rumor has it Laura Dern's character, Vice Admiral Holdo isn't keen on General Leia or her direction with the breakaway forces. Plus, Snoke, Kylo, and General Hux not to mention Captain Phasma are down one superweapon and looking to take it out on the Resistance. Of course, they may do so in many, more subtle ways too.
Kylo Ren's Dark Side Connection Strengthens
The second trailer gives fans several fantastic shots of the former Ben Solo, zipping his ship through the grandiose space battle. Far more disturbing, though, is a smaller moment when he takes aim at the very Mon Calamari cruiser his mother, General Leia Organa, commands. Killing his mother and thousands on board would signify a particularly dark moment in the saga, one akin to Vader's final, tooth-and-nail duel with Luke. Patricide is bad enough, but parricide definitely trumps it a death made all-the-more heartbreaking if a Force-sensitive Leia can sense her son's hatred and betrayal in the moments before her destruction.
Of course, since Leia was scheduled to have a larger role in Episode IX before Carrie Fisher's tragic passing, perhaps Kylo chokes up (pun sort of intended) on his would-be matricide. Even if she survives, there are many more disturbing elements to unpack in The Last Jedi.
Luke Goes Gray?
One of the first major hints at the darker path Episode VIII will tread came from the first teaser/trailer. In it, Luke philosophizes about balance and the Force. More importantly, for some reason, he believes it's œtime for the Jedi to end. The eighth film will likely detail (at least in part) the horrors that befell Luke's Jedi school at the hands of his nephew, something which shook his confidence enough to leave the galaxy Jedi-less for over half a decade. He's also reportedly standoffish towards Rey and reluctant to tutor her potent Force abilities, even frightened of her abilities, noting: œI've seen this raw strength only once before. It didn't scare me enough then. It does now.
Powerful or not, after his failure with his nephew resulted in the destruction of his Jedi academy, Luke's hesitancy is understandable (much like Yoda's own concerns about him). Also, his final comment, juxtaposed with his sister's face, claims that something œis not going to go the way you think. Whether he's speaking to Leia about the Resistance's chances, Rey about her desire to hone her skills, or members of the First Order is unclear.
Either way, expect a grayer world overall, as well as the unexpected from Luke come December.
Rey's Path Remains Murky
Speaking of Rey, she's clearly the key component in the third trilogy, much less the overall franchise. The second trailer either offers up some very well-edited misdirection or a disturbing glimpse at her training gone awry. It's difficult to determine who Snoke is speaking to in the trailer, possibly Ren, Rey, or both young Force users simultaneously. However, two clips point to a startling possibility: fed up with Luke's waffling, Rey may walk down a more dangerous path.
One sequence suggests that Rey takes Kylo Ren's hand for guidance. While she did watch Ren kill her own surrogate father figure, and hence is unlikely to trust or not try to kill him, it's possible Luke has abandoned her, fearing another Ren. On the other hand, maybe Snoke's mental manipulation is stronger than before (he did warp Ben to his will right under Luke's nose), or she recognizes the œmysterious connection between her and Kylo and wants to explore it further. Her actions could also be a ploy to gain access to Snoke or the First Order in a valiant, if sacrificial, bid to wipe them out.
The quicker, yet equally unsettling, moment arrives at the tail-end of the trailer, when Snoke literally bends Rey to his will, emphatically persuading her to join him. Thanks to the rapid-fire edits and likely misdirected voiceover, it's difficult to tell. Rey may have been captured while on Crait, or perhaps she barters herself for the lives of her friends (ask Lando how well those deals turn out) to repay Finn for coming after her in The Force Awakens.
Either way, if Rey is detained by the First Order or even tempted by the dark side, the middle chapter to the sequel trilogy could challenge the very tenets of the Resistance and the Jedi.
The true measure of a grim middle episode is the lengths to which it challenges each character. At Empire's conclusion, Leia and Chewie watched Han frozen in carbonite and whisked away to Jabba the Hutt. More so, Luke's watches entire worldview shatters, as he loses a hand to Darth Vader, as well as his perspective-padded view of history.
For The Last Jedi to end in a similar, dark fashion to Empire, it will have to utterly shake up the galaxy once more. Sure, the all-powerful Jedi savior probably won't turn to the dark side. But Luke's wishy-washy nature could push Rey into the arms of Snoke and the dark side, reinforcing his failings. Also, if Kylo Ren kills his mother, destroying his past and becoming who he's œmeant to be, his journey towards the dark side may become irreversible. In an absolute worst-case scenario, Rey and Ren could both fall under Snoke's spell, forcing Luke out of retirement.
For Episode VIII to outshine (or out-gloom) Empire, it must scatter the Resistance across the quadrant and give the First Order their first taste of true hubris. All the better to watch them fall, in theory, come next film. If the title truly indicates the death knell of the Jedi Order; and if Luke Skywalker fails to rise to the occasion and loses yet another pupil to the dark side, then Rian Johnson's film might just out-Empire Empire Strikes Back.
Even if it doesn't, The Last Jedi should prove the depths to which the First Order is will go to close their fist around the galaxy and set up the Resistance to win it back at all costs.
