Star Wars: The case for and against the sequel trilogy

Interesting New Characters

The sequel trilogy introduced us to a host of interesting new Star Wars characters. We first meet Kylo Ren who ends up being the son of Han and Leia. What makes him unique is that while he clearly has fallen to the Darkside, he still has light in him and continues to battle the urge to return to it. He’s a torn and tragic character who is very complex and fascinating to watch. The only way he can be redeemed is through the love of Rey which he somehow earns throughout the trilogy.

We also meet Rey. She’s a scrappy scavenger from the wastelands of Jakku. She has had to survive on her own all of her life and is very strong in the Force. Rey is a brave fighter, who instinctively does what is right and isn’t afraid to fight for her friends or what she believes in.

Finn is a former stormtrooper who leaves the First Order. Throughout the films we watch him go from being someone who hasn’t ever functioned normally in society to becoming a general in the Resistance and a loyal friend and noble warrior.

There’s also fun side characters like the wise and sassy Maz Kanata, the tough no-nonsense owner of Nema Outpost, Unkar Plutt, the badass chrome-covered only female stormtrooper in the First Order, Captain Phasma, and of course the loveable little droid hacker himself Babu Frik. These characters were all welcome additions to the Star Wars universe and were a joy to watch on the big screen.

Recaptured the Fun of the Original Trilogy

The best part about the sequel trilogy was that it was able to capture the sense of fun that the original trilogy had. The first three films all moved at a fast pace and the characters acted like someone you would meet on the street or see at the local bar. The prequels were bogged down with politics and formal settings, and that took a lot of the fun of Star Wars out of those films.

The sequels were able to recapture the sense of adventure. From the opening scene of The Force Awakens we are thrust right into the action. The movies all move at a breakneck speed getting from one plot point to the next in a hurry, which was very similar to George Lucas’ first three films.  We are introduced to Poe and Finn right off the bat and those two had amazing chemistry on screen. Rey is also very likable and personable and also has great chemistry not just with Finn but also with Han. These characters all seemed like they genuinely cared for each other which was something that was lacking in the prequels. Some can argue the plot is too familiar or there is a lack of original ideas, but it can’t be denied that Episodes VII-IX are all a lot of fun to watch.