I have expounded many thoughts about Rose, Rey, and Finn. But I haven't said a whole lot about Poe. A lot of folks feel that Poe got the short end of the stick, but I loved the depth they gave Poe and of course Oscar Isaac sold it 100%.
Why do I bring up Poe here? Because Hamilton. More than anything else, I feel like Poe/Leia is inspired by Hamilton. And this makes it feel like Poe is being primed to be a great leader. Consider these lyrics:
I was younger than you are now when I was given my first command I led my men straight into a massacre. I witnessed their deaths first hand. I made every mistake and felt the shame rise in me and even now I lie awake knowing history has its eyes on me.
This movingly gives depth to General Washington, explaining what motivates him and why. It matches the theme of The Last Jedi that failure is a great teacher. I wonder if Hamilton in fact inspired that theme.
There are a great many failures in The Last Jedi, the biggest of which is Rey's failure to sway Kylo Ren...but that was still just an individual's failure. Poe is the leader who bears the burden of ultimate responsibility for his troops.
The headstrong Poe is General Leia's right hand man just as the headstrong Alexander Hamilton was General Washington's right hand man. We see echoes in the similar emotional relationships. And also...we see the mentoring relationship we had expected to see between Rey and Luke. The General is teaching and guiding Poe to become a good leader and her successor.
In retrospect, it's obvious that the intent was for the next movie to be about Leia handing off the Resistance to Poe. J.J. Abrams will obviously have to figure something else out now, but fortunately enough of the storyline is shown in episode 8. We see Leia complete Poe's training.
I think it's clear that there would have been no way to edit the movie to kill off Leia without gutting Poe's character arc. And any such change would also have denied us Leia's gesture handing Poe the lead.
If I had to hazard a guess, I'll guess that Abrams will ultimately decide on something that reflects a prequel scene where Padme is apparently assassinated at the start of the movie. Except in this case General Leia is, indeed, assassinated. I think viewers will accept that this is the filmmakers doing what they have to.
William Nichols "I think it was the best Star Wars movie since Empire, and that is literally the highest praise I can assign to any movie since Empire."
If I follow this logic through, you just rated every prequel film over every non-Star Wars film released in the last thirty seven years.
But whatever, The Last Jedi was great. I wouldn't rate it over Rogue One but better than all the prequels, Return and Force Awakens? Yeah probably.
Isaac Kuo Gods, yes. They set up Leia wonderfully to hand over the reigns. Everything from the "Heroes, but no leaders" was a GUT PUNCH. I could see her mentoring him -- much as I do in life, and as I am the beneficiary of in life. Delightful to see that relationship.
Did Ham change things so we can show failure and mentoring as a teacher in media? Maybe. It's for sure a far cry from the manipulative and shitty relationship Luke has with Ben, or even with Yoda.
This is a reasonable articke; like most internet articles, I feel like it could go deeper. It's not a subject I feel particuarly qualified to speak to, but to attempt: Last Jedi also reflects on the toxic behaviors of the jedi in the prequils that allowed the Empire to rise to power in the first place.
And, without absolving Yoda of that guilt, does show that his ghost has gotten past it: that laughter!
OMG.
ReplyDeleteI laughed. I cried. I tried to explain why certain moments were so meaningful to my 9-year old nephew. He says I love Star Wars too much.
I thought it was fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI think it was the best Star Wars movie since Empire, and that is literally the highest praise I can assign to any movie since Empire.
ReplyDeleteA chase movie. The whole thing was a chase movie interspersed with a training montage, and occasional Imperials.
ReplyDeleteWhere have I seen that before. Gee I wonder.
Such pandering. And how they did it is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteI have expounded many thoughts about Rose, Rey, and Finn. But I haven't said a whole lot about Poe. A lot of folks feel that Poe got the short end of the stick, but I loved the depth they gave Poe and of course Oscar Isaac sold it 100%.
ReplyDeleteWhy do I bring up Poe here? Because Hamilton. More than anything else, I feel like Poe/Leia is inspired by Hamilton. And this makes it feel like Poe is being primed to be a great leader. Consider these lyrics:
I was younger than you are now
when I was given my first command
I led my men straight into a massacre.
I witnessed their deaths first hand.
I made every mistake
and felt the shame rise in me
and even now I lie awake
knowing history has its eyes on me.
This movingly gives depth to General Washington, explaining what motivates him and why. It matches the theme of The Last Jedi that failure is a great teacher. I wonder if Hamilton in fact inspired that theme.
There are a great many failures in The Last Jedi, the biggest of which is Rey's failure to sway Kylo Ren...but that was still just an individual's failure. Poe is the leader who bears the burden of ultimate responsibility for his troops.
The headstrong Poe is General Leia's right hand man just as the headstrong Alexander Hamilton was General Washington's right hand man. We see echoes in the similar emotional relationships. And also...we see the mentoring relationship we had expected to see between Rey and Luke. The General is teaching and guiding Poe to become a good leader and her successor.
In retrospect, it's obvious that the intent was for the next movie to be about Leia handing off the Resistance to Poe. J.J. Abrams will obviously have to figure something else out now, but fortunately enough of the storyline is shown in episode 8. We see Leia complete Poe's training.
I think it's clear that there would have been no way to edit the movie to kill off Leia without gutting Poe's character arc. And any such change would also have denied us Leia's gesture handing Poe the lead.
If I had to hazard a guess, I'll guess that Abrams will ultimately decide on something that reflects a prequel scene where Padme is apparently assassinated at the start of the movie. Except in this case General Leia is, indeed, assassinated. I think viewers will accept that this is the filmmakers doing what they have to.
William Nichols "I think it was the best Star Wars movie since Empire, and that is literally the highest praise I can assign to any movie since Empire."
ReplyDeleteIf I follow this logic through, you just rated every prequel film over every non-Star Wars film released in the last thirty seven years.
But whatever, The Last Jedi was great. I wouldn't rate it over Rogue One but better than all the prequels, Return and Force Awakens? Yeah probably.
This is a great read about the film and expands well on some of +Issac Kuo's above comments about Poe:
ReplyDeletedenofgeek.com - Toxic Masculinity Is the True Villain of Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Isaac Kuo Gods, yes. They set up Leia wonderfully to hand over the reigns. Everything from the "Heroes, but no leaders" was a GUT PUNCH. I could see her mentoring him -- much as I do in life, and as I am the beneficiary of in life. Delightful to see that relationship.
ReplyDeleteDid Ham change things so we can show failure and mentoring as a teacher in media? Maybe. It's for sure a far cry from the manipulative and shitty relationship Luke has with Ben, or even with Yoda.
Brian AshfordThat is not what I meant! Nooooooo.
ReplyDeleteBrian Ashford Imma gonna read that!
ReplyDeleteThis is a reasonable articke; like most internet articles, I feel like it could go deeper. It's not a subject I feel particuarly qualified to speak to, but to attempt: Last Jedi also reflects on the toxic behaviors of the jedi in the prequils that allowed the Empire to rise to power in the first place.
ReplyDeleteAnd, without absolving Yoda of that guilt, does show that his ghost has gotten past it: that laughter!
This is my favorite SW movie.
ReplyDeleteRegarding leaders, in the end, Leia says, "What're you looking at me for?" and hands off leadership in that moment (if not literally, filmically).
ReplyDeleteMy guess is Leia will be off-camera throughout the movie and not killed.
Maybe so, Rob. Alternatively, she may die of a broken heart.
ReplyDeleteI expect Luke will be in the next one, force ghost style.
He says he’ll be with Ren forever in the movie. I’m thinking he may be like a Baltar’s head ghost in BSG, always around to torment him with good. :)
ReplyDelete