It was the "Chewie, we're home" heard 'round the world. When the first teaser for The Force Awakens dropped, the collective hype of a global fanbase reached a fever pitch. We were finally getting a Star Wars sequel trilogy. But what happened next? Depending on who you ask, those three films—The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker—are either a vibrant rebirth of a stagnant franchise or a disjointed mess that broke the fundamental rules of the Galaxy Far, Far Away. Honestly, it’s a bit of both.
The reality is that Disney’s foray into the Skywalker saga was never going to be simple. You’re dealing with forty years of expectations. You’re dealing with a generation that grew up on the Original Trilogy and another that found their footing with the Prequels. Bridging that gap was always a Herculean task.
The JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson Tug-of-War
Looking back, the biggest hurdle for the Star Wars sequel trilogy wasn't the acting or the special effects. It was the lack of a roadmap.
Kathleen Kennedy and the team at Lucasfilm opted for a "relay race" approach to filmmaking. JJ Abrams set the stage with The Force Awakens, introducing "Mystery Boxes" like Rey’s parentage and Snoke’s identity. Then, Rian Johnson took those boxes and, well, some would say he threw them off a cliff—much like Luke did with his lightsaber.
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The Last Jedi is arguably the most controversial film in the entire franchise. Johnson wanted to "kill the past." He made Rey a "nobody" from a lineage of junk traders. He turned Luke Skywalker, the galaxy's beacon of hope, into a disillusioned hermit who had considered killing his nephew in his sleep. For many, this was a brilliant subversion of tropes. For others? It felt like a betrayal of the character George Lucas built.
Then came the pivot. After Colin Trevorrow was removed from Episode IX, Abrams returned. The Rise of Skywalker felt like a frantic attempt to course-correct. Suddenly, "Palpatine returned" via a Fortnite event (yes, really), and Rey was a Palpatine. The whiplash was real. You could feel the two directors' visions grinding against each other in real-time.
The Characters We Loved (and the Ones We Didn't Get Enough Of)
Say what you will about the plot, but the casting was lightning in a bottle. Daisy Ridley brought a raw, wide-eyed sincerity to Rey. Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren is arguably the most complex antagonist in the series. He wasn’t just a Vader clone; he was a petulant, grieving, conflicted man-child trying to live up to a legacy he didn't fully understand.
But then there’s Finn and Poe.
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John Boyega’s Finn started as a stormtrooper who defected—a premise with infinite potential. By the third movie, he was mostly relegated to shouting "Rey!" from the sidelines. Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron was supposed to die in the first ten minutes of The Force Awakens, but his charisma saved the character. Unfortunately, the writers never quite knew what to do with him after that. Was he a hotshot pilot? A reckless leader? A reformed spice runner? The inconsistency hurt.
Real-World Friction and Backlash
We can't talk about the Star Wars sequel trilogy without mentioning the toxic discourse. Kelly Marie Tran, who played Rose Tico, was hounded off social media by "fans" who hated her character’s role in The Last Jedi. It was a dark chapter for the community. It showed that while the movies were trying to modernize and diversify the galaxy, a vocal segment of the audience was violently resistant to change.
The Technical Brilliance Nobody Denies
Even the harshest critics usually admit the sequels look and sound incredible. Dan Mindel and Steve Yedlin’s cinematography is breathtaking. The "Holdo Maneuver" in Episode VIII—where a cruiser jumps to lightspeed through a First Order fleet—is one of the most visually stunning moments in cinematic history. The sound of that silence in the theater was heavy.
And then there’s John Williams.
At nearly 90 years old, Williams returned to score these films. Rey’s Theme is a masterpiece of musical storytelling, starting with a lonely, tinkling melody that grows into something soaring and heroic. The March of the Resistance gave us a new anthem to hum. Whatever flaws the scripts had, the craftsmanship on display was top-tier.
The Core Themes: Bloodline vs. Choice
At the heart of the Star Wars sequel trilogy is a debate about destiny.
- The Prequels were about the fall of a hero due to fear and manipulation.
- The Originals were about the redemption of a father through the love of a son.
- The Sequels were trying to ask: Does your blood define you?
Rey spends two movies searching for her place. When she finds out she’s a Palpatine, it’s the ultimate nightmare. She’s the heir to the devil. Her choice to take the name "Skywalker" at the end of the trilogy was meant to be the final word on the matter—identity is chosen, not inherited.
But did it land? For many, it felt unearned. The "Rey Skywalker" moment remains a meme-tier point of contention. If the trilogy had stuck to the "Rey is a nobody" theme from The Last Jedi, that message might have felt more profound. By making her a Palpatine just to have her reject it, the story felt like it was playing both sides of the fence.
What Disney Learned for the Future
The fallout of the sequels changed how Disney handles the brand. We haven't seen a Star Wars movie in theaters since 2019. Instead, the focus shifted to Disney+ with The Mandalorian, Andor, and Ahsoka.
They learned that you can't just wing a trilogy.
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Andor, specifically, showed that fans crave cohesive, adult storytelling with a clear vision. It moved away from the "Skywalker" obsession and explored the grit of the rebellion. This was a direct reaction to the "legacy fatigue" that set in during the sequels.
The Star Wars sequel trilogy is a fascinating case study in corporate filmmaking vs. artistic vision. It gave us moments of pure magic—Han Solo’s death, the throne room fight, the return of Lando Calrissian—but it lacked the connective tissue to make it a singular epic.
Actionable Takeaways for Modern Fans
If you're looking to revisit the sequels or dive deeper into the lore, don't just stick to the films. The "transmedia" approach Disney uses means some of the best story beats are hidden in other formats.
- Read "Shadow of the Sith" by Adam Christopher: This novel does the heavy lifting that The Rise of Skywalker missed. It explains Luke and Lando’s hunt for Ochi of Bestoon and provides much-needed context for Rey’s parents.
- Watch the "The Director and the Jedi" Documentary: Included with The Last Jedi Blu-ray, this is a raw look at the tension between Rian Johnson and Mark Hamill. It’s an essential watch for understanding why the movie turned out the way it did.
- Check out the "Rise of Kylo Ren" Marvel Comic: This four-issue miniseries actually shows Ben Solo’s fall and his relationship with the Knights of Ren. It makes his character arc in the movies significantly more impactful.
- Re-watch with an open mind: Try viewing them not as a continuation of Luke’s story, but as the story of Rey and Kylo. When you center the "Dyad in the Force," the narrative beats often click into place much better than when you're looking for a traditional hero's journey.
The sequels aren't going anywhere. They are a permanent part of the canon. Whether you love them or hate them, they've shaped what Star Wars is today—a sprawling, messy, beautiful galaxy that is still trying to find its way back to the light.