My week is grueling, painstakingly full of mandatory-participation events that are decidedly not Star Wars. Finally, when Friday afternoon arrives, I settle in and hug the reindeer pillow that perpetually lives on my couch (even though Christmas was four months ago).
The music begins, the distinct progression of notes as the big yellow letters begin the next episode. “Star Wars: Rebels,” a four-season-long, animated kids’ show that entirely changed my life when I first watched it at thirteen.
Kathleen Kennedy, the former president of Lucasfilm, changed my life too in the fall of that same year, 2017, when “The Last Jedi” hit the theaters. After years of being a Star Wars superfan, I finally had to take a step back and reevaluate. It wasn’t until my senior year of college, rewatching the entire cinematic universe with my roommate, that I finally reclaimed the title, deciding to ignore some more recent releases, such as the infamous show “The Acolyte,” where the writers’ lack of lore knowledge becomes disturbing.
As of Jan. 15, Kathleen Kennedy has stepped down as president of Lucasfilm, and Dave Filoni has finally taken up the mantle. As Kennedy’s era draws to a close, a reckoning is due.
Kennedy took over Lucasfilm after it was sold to Disney after years of working side-by-side with George Lucas as co-chair. Having worked on many of Stephen Spielberg’s blockbuster films, including “E.T.,” “Schindler’s List,” and “Back to the Future,” Kennedy was a well-known producer.
Kennedy’s Star Wars was defined by sloppy storytelling, a lack of attention to the rich lore, and a blatant disregard for characters and worldbuilding I’ve grown up loving. Even for casual fans of the movies, the sequel films were inconsistent and underwhelming, ruining classic characters like Luke Skywalker as the trilogy’s two directors, J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson, struggled over concepts and plotlines.
Most fans saw the red flags with the release of “Episode VIII: The Last Jedi.”
“The Last Jedi” was, in most ways, a beautiful movie. Incredible cinematography, some of the best CGI to date (certainly better than recent Marvel movies), and a classic John Williams score. It’s got all the right ingredients … except for the script. The actors did their best with what they were given.
And what they were given was, well, a comedy. Unintentionally.
Awkward, forced dialogue punctuated boring storylines, lackluster fight sequences and characters that were, frankly, just kind of annoying.
Even so, not all of Kennedy’s presidency was a failure.
Another of Kennedy’s works, “Rogue One,” found its footing, laying the foundation for the well-loved show “Andor.”
So what’s the difference?
After taking up the mantle of president, Kennedy “wiped the slate clean,” declaring many beloved books and games non-canon. She began building her new empire upon an unclear, inconsistent vision, and we got the infamous sequel trilogy: “The Force Awakens,” “The Last Jedi” and finally, “Rise of Skywalker.”
But “Rogue One” built on existing story and characters: the Death Star, Saw Gerrera, and the Rebellion. Pairing a massive budget, impeccable special effects and just the right amount of lore, “Rogue One” was a masterpiece.
The creators found a thread and pulled.
This is the beauty of Star Wars: you can pull on any thread. But creating a new one is a whole other ballgame.
“Andor” built upon the success of “Rogue One,” crafting a brilliant story with a character fans already loved and pulling that thread even further.
It is this intense dedication to exploring a galaxy, interconnected and full of butterfly effects, that makes Star Wars so unique. Lightsabers are cool and all, but let’s be honest, the interconnected web of ever-expanding stories is what draws in the superfans and really gets them excited. You don’t have to watch all seven seasons of “Clone Wars” to understand “Rebels” or “Bad Batch,” but you’ll certainly find those hidden gems if you watch closely.
The fans aren’t asking for a story so dense, so lore-heavy that it would have Tolkien saying, “Calm down,” but I am asking for a bit of effort from the president of Lucasfilm. Shows like “Andor” and the first two seasons of “The Mandalorian” were a good start, with complex storytelling and compelling characters, but they couldn’t quite make up for the atrocities that are “The Last Jedi,” “The Rise of Skywalker” and “The Acolyte.”
One last stain on Kennedy’s record remains untouched: “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” I don’t plan to watch it — I’m a little scared to.
The heart of the problem is this: Kathleen Kennedy doesn’t love Star Wars, and the fans can tell.
Kennedy’s exit is the moment we’ve all been waiting for, but the question remains: will Dave Filoni, George Lucas’ protégé, bring back the Star Wars we grew up on?
The release of “Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord” looms on the horizon — with its “Clone Wars” style animation and a bit of an upgrade in lightsaber graphics — and I’m cautiously optimistic. I’m starting to get excited in a way I haven’t since the release of the final season of “Clone Wars” (a Filoni masterpiece). Maybe Dave Filoni can be the new hope we need.
With Disney attempting to regain its footing with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars alike, I have to wonder how long the newfound dedication will last. Can Filoni find his footing and somehow convince both Disney and fans alike to continue pouring their time and energy into the franchise? I suppose only time will tell.
