Director JJ Abrams is keeping Star Wars: Episode IX’s story shrouded in secrecy, but it’s already clear that the upcoming movie will share many similarities with its counterpart in the Original Trilogy: Return of the Jedi. Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi were criticized by fans for being too similar to their predecessors. Moreover, The Force Awakens was branded as a mere remake of A New Hope, due to the fact that it featured the death of a mentor figure, a canyon-based X-wing run, and a planet-sized super weapon. However, this is not a new phenomenon. Rather, it is one that George Lucas perpetuated when he oversaw the series. In a behind-the-scenes featurette for the Prequel trilogy, Lucas famously declared that, “It’s like poetry, sort of. They rhyme.”
This explains why many traits reoccur across the saga. For example, the loss of Anakin and Luke Skywalker’s right hands during their second films (Attack of the Clones and The Empire Strikes Back respectively) serves to underscore their familial ties, and how human mistakes are repeated throughout history.
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The Last Jedi’s decisive, deconstructive take on the series has opened plenty of opportunities for JJ Abrams to explore, but that hasn’t stopped him and fellow writer Chris Terrio from mining Star Wars’ illustrious past. Here are all the parallels we've noticed so far between the final chapter of the original trilogy, and the final chapter of Disney's trilogy.
- This Page: The Resistance On The Run and the Forest Planet
- Page 2: A Desert World and a New Lightsaber
- Page 3: Super Weapons and a Fallen Mentor
- Page 4: Kylo Ren's Redemption and the End of the Skywalker Saga
The Resistance Will Be On The Run Once Again
Over the course of Star Wars’ most popular instalment, The Empire Strikes Back, the titular antagonists scattered our heroes by routing their hideout on Hoth and capturing Han Solo. Luke Skywalker was also dealt a hefty blow when Darth Vader made that devastating declaration during their confrontation on Cloud City. As such, the first act of Return of the Jedi heavily focused upon the Rebellion as they regrouped.
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From the ending of The Last Jedi, we can surmise that Episode IX will find our new band of heroes at a similar disadvantage. After all, the Resistance suffered heavy casualties over the course of The Last Jedi. They were so few in number that all of their forces could fit aboard the Millennium Falcon. Certainly, in light of several set photos, it seems that Finn and Poe Dameron's troops are stretched pretty thin.
Admiral Holdo’s manoeuvre may have deprived the First Order of their reinforcements (and a fair few Star Destroyers). Yet in spite of this – and Kylo Ren’s humiliation at the hands of Luke Skywalker – it’s widely assumed that at the beginning of Episode IX, the First Order will be in a position of power, much like the Empire was some thirty years prior.
Episode IX Will Feature A Forest Planet Just Like Endor
Return of the Jedi saw Han, Luke and Leia fighting the Empire on the foliage-filled moon of Endor. If recent set photos are to be believed, Rey, Poe, Finn and Rose will be tackling the First Order in a similar setting in Episode IX.
Filming for the last instalment of the Sequel Trilogy has taken place in Black Park in the UK, which closely resembles the kind of dense jungle that the Rebels went through to storm the Imperial shield generator. Some reports claim that the Millennium Falcon has been glimpsed there.
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Of course, it’s too early to say what this location will double as in the vast Star Wars galaxy. The chances are that it’s a new planet entirely, yet such greenery could also hint at a visit to Naboo, or perhaps Takodana, the home of Maz Katana. It may even suggest that the saga is not done with the original forest moon just yet. If so, it’s doubtful that the Ewoks will rear their heads. There’s surely no room for even more cute critters in the sequel trilogy, especially when the Porgs are sure to be found still nesting in the Falcon’s numerous smuggling compartments. But Endor is not the only planet from the Original Trilogy that might make an appearance in Episode IX.
Page 2: A Desert World and a New Lightsaber
A Desert World Will Also Appear In Episode IX
Following multiple reports of filming occurring in Jordan, it seems that Episode IX’s locales will include a desert setting. If that wasn’t intriguing enough, some of these eyewitnesses claim that they saw Daisy Ridley (or an actress or stunt double resembling her) arriving. Additionally, they reportedly spied several sandy land speeders on site, with one of these closely resembling Rey’s from The Force Awakens.
Based on these claims, we can surmise that Rey could be returning to Jakku in Episode IX. This news is highly interesting on three counts. The first and foremost of these is it would be a fitting conclusion to the Sequel Trilogy if Rey sets foot on Jakku again. It’s a way of emphasising just how much she’s grown since her fateful encounter with Finn and BB8.
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Secondly, if Rey does visit her home world, then Episode IX will be once again be referencing Return of the Jedi. Seeing Rey retracing her steps would echo Luke’s journey to Tatooine in Return of the Jedi. It’s amusing to consider that Rey will likely be reluctant to head home as well. Like her master Luke, she has similarly referred to her planet in dismissive terms. We currently have little evidence to explain why Rey would go to Jakku, yet it should not be ruled out. The New Expanded Universe has long teased that there’s something more significant about the planet than we’d have first assumed.
But thirdly, a speeder and a sandy planet do not necessarily mean that it is Jakku that will appear in Episode IX. Star Wars has several barren, backwater worlds, such as Geonosis, Tatooine and Savareen. The Jordan set could theoretically serve as any of these planets, including that of Jedha. This is conjecture as well, but there’s plenty to suggest that this planet from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, could serve a huge purpose in Episode IX. As we know, this world is the spiritual home of the Jedi and, most significantly, a vast natural repository of kyber crystals.
Is A New Lightsaber Inbound?
Given that Episode IX will be the finishing instalment of the Sequel Trilogy, it seems highly likely that there will a dynamic duel between Rey and Kylo Ren. As such, it’s safe to assume that Episode IX will find our hero Rey constructing, or having already constructed, a new lightsaber to combat her foe.
There’s certainly precedent for this. By the end of The Empire Strikes Back, Luke seemed destined to face Darth Vader again, despite having dropped his lightsaber into the bowels of Cloud City. At this point in the Sequel Trilogy, it’s almost certain that Rey will encounter Kylo Ren in the future. In Rey’s case, her lightsaber was ripped in two during their last meeting. We can guess that she will simply repair or reconfigure the weapon. However, given the similarities in both Rey and Luke’s situations, there might be another outcome.
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Upon the release of Return of the Jedi, fans were startled to see that Luke was now wielding a green lightsaber. Prior to this, there was nothing to suggest that Jedi weapons could be anything other than red or blue. In reality, the colour had been changed by Return of the Jedi’s production crew, so that the blade stood out against the sky in the scenes on Tatooine. Yet it unintentionally served a narrative purpose. The new colour further differentiates Luke from his father and reflects the growing maturity and power within him. As the last living Jedi, and the possessor of the original sacred texts, Rey similarly stands apart from what came before. Therefore, we can expect her to attain a lightsaber which emphasises her dominant character traits.
Whether Rey acquires a form of saber-staff, or a dual bladed device like Darth Maul’s, we cannot say. Nevertheless, seeing our Jedi protagonist wielding such a distinctive weapon would only underscore just how indebted Episode IX will be to Return of the Jedi.
Page 3: Super Weapons and a Fallen Mentor
The Return of Super Weapons
It appears that Episode IX will not only depict lightsabers, but new super weapons as well. Prior to the start of filming, Lucasfilm announced that JJ Abrams will give Leia a proper send-off by incorporating unused footage of Carrie Fisher from both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. Thanks to MakingStarWars and The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, we know that a lot of these scenes revolve around a cut subplot involving something called “the Warhammer." Leia intended to use this creation in the Resistance’s battle with Starkiller base, and whilst it was reportedly not on the same power level as the First Order’s weapon, it could reportedly "crush through Star Destroyers as if they were tinker toys."
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It would be very fitting if this plot line does come to pass in Episode IX. Moreover, as we know, Return of the Jedi saw Emperor Palpatine overseeing the construction of the second, more powerful Death Star. Certainly, Star Wars threequels really do tend to enjoy unveiling the big guns. The last instalment of the prequel trilogy, Revenge of the Sith, showcased the first Death Star in its early stages during the movie’s closing moments.
Some fans may baulk at the inclusion of another space weapon in the main Star Wars saga, yet it’s appropriate given the series past. Plus, its undoubtedly a good way to raise the stakes in these closing chapters of the Skywalker story.
A Mentor Will Fall
Remember how in Return of the Jedi featured Luke bid farewell to Yoda, who slowly succumbed to his extreme old age? Well something similar is sure to occur in Episode IX.
The Sequel Trilogy was always set to be the passing of the torch, from our original heroes to a new generation. Each movie was planned to be handover from one of the golden trio. The Force Awakens was Han Solo’s farewell. The Last Jedi saw the passing of Luke Skywalker. And prior to Carrie Fisher’s untimely death, Episode IX was to be Leia’s, who would have had a far more important role than her two comrades did in the Sequel Trilogy.
We can now gather that Episode IX was set to capitalize on Leia’s growing closeness with Rey, which viewers last saw when they sat together in the closing moments of The Last Jedi. Moreover, it seems that she would have assumed the role of Rey’s mentor, and instructed the young warrior in the ways of the Force. Regrettably, with Fisher no longer with us, the true extent of that story can never be realised, but some sort of closure may still be gained.
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As stated earlier, unreleased footage will ensure that Leia returns in Episode IX in some capacity. The veteran freedom fighter may embark upon a mission from which she never returns. Alternatively, General Organa could simply step back to allow Poe’s leadership to flourish, if she isn’t forced to retire, or doesn’t succumbs to her injuries beforehand that is. Whatever method is chosen, it seems safe to assume that Episode IX will contain some sort of sad scene where Rey – and Star Wars fans around the world – say goodbye to Alderaan’s princess for the last time.
Page 4: Kylo Ren's Redemption and the End of the Skywalker Saga
The Defining Aspect Is Kylo Ren's Redemption
Kylo Ren is a unique figure in Star Wars lore. Rather than slowly succumbing to the dark side as his grandfather did before him, it takes an effort for Ren to be evil. In The Force Awakens he mentioned being “pulled to the light”, which highlights how Ren is tempted by altruistic tendencies instead. He might now reign as Supreme Leader of the First Order, but the fight for Ben Solo’s soul will remain the focal point of Episode IX, much like Darth Vader’s was in Return of the Jedi.
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Regardless of how traumatising their last battle was for him, Luke spent much of Return of the Jedi convinced that the infamous Sith Lord could be redeemed. By the beginning of Episode IX, Kylo will be similarly compromised following his murder of Han Solo, and his damaging confrontation with Luke. Moreover, that turmoil is sure to worsen, especially if his mother Leia passes on as well. Ren’s resolve wavered early on in The Last Jedi, so it will be interesting to see how he will process the latter personal losses.
Will Rey resume her pleas to Ren’s better nature as Luke did to Vader? Or is it a dilemma that Ben Solo will come to face all by himself? Following The Last Jedi’s lingering shot, in which Ren mournfully studied the projection of his father’s dice, anything seems possible. Only time will tell where the allegiance of the last Skywalker descendant truly lies.
The End of the Skywalker Saga
Over the coming years Lucasfilm will continue to explore the Star Wars galaxy with The Mandalorian TV show, along with Rian Johnson, David Benioff and Daniel Weiss’ all new trilogies. But like Return of the Jedi before it, Episode IX has already been touted as the final Skywalker-centric story.
This was revealed in Lucasfilm’s official press release for Episode IX, which outlined the movie’s cast and crew. As serious this may seem, it’s a sentiment that we’ve already heard before. Despite occasionally mentioning various ways that he had considered expanding Star Wars’ central story, George Lucas never committed to telling more tales involving Han, Luke and Leia onscreen. Even in the years leading up to the sale of Lucasfilm to Disney, George Lucas was – publicly at least – firmly denying that any more Star Wars instalments would chart the Skywalker family beyond Return of the Jedi’s time-frame. Indeed, the poetic, emotionally charged last quarter of Return of the Jedi ties up every narrative loose end, and it feels very final as a result.
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Of course, a prequel trilogy, two sequels and two anthology movies later, we all know how that turned out. As an intellectual property Star Wars is a licence for Disney to print money. Even so, they might actually mean it this time. With characters (and actors) of the original trilogy passing away, there’s little else that can be done with the first generation of Rebels. Plus, with Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story, Disney seems to have recognised that telling stories only about the Skywalkers will mean that audiences will become fatigued of the brand. There’s plenty of alternative stories to be told. So, in short, aside from the odd cameo of reference, we may yet again be witnessing the last days of the galaxy’s most influential, inter-warring dynasty.
Star Wars: Episode IX is set to be a historic movie, yet the final chapter for some of our favourite characters is not a cause for too much sadness. We’ve mentioned earlier just how much the galaxy is due to expand soon. Plus, with all these parallels between Episode IX and Return of the Jedi, it is sure to be a rich and entertaining experience. Some fans may not approve of such an over reliance on shared images and situations. Yet with more inter-series similarities being noticed day after day, it’s clear that the Star Wars series has been constructed with the same degree of passion and consideration that many fans still display towards the saga.
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