With production on Episode IX underway, rumors abound that this will be the end of the Skywalker Saga.
The cast has officially been announced and production is now underway for the untitled ninth episode of the Star Wars saga. If rumors currently circulating are true, we may be in store for the final installment of the Skywalker Saga. Can Star Wars survive the end of the Skywalker Clan?
When it comes to the films, it’s a valid question. When you think about it, Star Wars films not involving a Skywalker have not fared well. And the death of the last character named Skywalker has caused a serious divide in the fan base. If his is indeed the last installment of the saga films, what does this tell us about Episode XI and Star Wars films going forward?
Will Kylo Ren meet his end? A theory of how Episode IX must end.
If the rumor is indeed true, Kylo Ren will most likely die before the credits roll on Episode IX. He is the last living member of the Skywalker family that we know of. In his arc thus far, Kylo has succeeded where Vader failed, supplanting his master. And he hasn’t done so with less mastery of his powers. If the Skywalker Saga is truly going to end, Kylo needs to meet his end as well. As has been demonstrated in the previous two films, Kylo Ren is a slave to his own rage. His inability to channel his emotions properly should lead to his demise.
If Episode IX does bring about the demise of Kylo Ren, then Mark Hamill’s return even as force ghost Luke makes sense. Kylo Ren will not find redemption in Episode IX. With the guidance of Luke, Rey will finally receive that Jedi training everyone’s been so hung up on. Rey will deliver to Kylo Ren the peace he’s never been able to find in the Force. If executed correctly by J.J. Abrams, he could possibly make up for sins of TFA and TLJ.
The End of an Era
If Episode IX is indeed the end of he Skywalker Saga, it’s the end of the first era of Star Wars films. And the end has indeed been bittersweet. When news of a sequel trilogy was first announced with Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill all on board, this certainly was not what most fans had envisioned. Although many have enjoyed trilogy as it has played out, it’s still extremely depressing to watch childhood heroes making their exits.
LAS VEGAS – MAY 29: Actress Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia Organa character and actor Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker character from “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope” are shown on screen while musicians perform during “Star Wars: In Concert” at the Orleans Arena May 29, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Star Wars will live on beyond the Skywalker clan. Star Wars stories have found life on television in the Shadow of Darth Vader, and the films will continue to do so. With Rian Johnson writing and directing his own trilogy, and Game of Throne showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff getting their own series of films within the Star Wars universe, there’s plenty more Star Wars coming. Still without the Skywalker family tragedy playing out, it won’t be the same.
Star Wars Episode IX is scheduled to hit theaters in December 2019.