Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Rian Johnson, December 15, 2017) Movie • Page 276

Wasn't there some now-non-canon book or whatever, prior to Episode III coming out, where they explained that Anakin had used the Force to partially shield himself from getting burned by lava before becoming Darth Vader? I thought I read that somewhere. Which would mean that there is so precedent, even though it isn't canon anymore, for the Force being used to shield someone from a lethal environment.

 

@Dodger I've been thinking more about our Force discussion and the way Rey seems to be using it. My line of thinking is this: We've seen Jedi embrace the Dark side before and that ends up no good (i.e: Anakin). I see Rey more as being on the edge of that and perhaps even letting the dark side filter through her light and expelling it. She isn't afraid of the dark side because she has a pure heart and is able to reject the temptations therein. I still don't believe she's using the dark side at all, but I think there may be something to the idea that she is right on the edge of it but because of her inherent goodness and light, she doesn't fall prey to it. She has attachments to people like Finn that are keeping her on the side of the light. I guess the closest thing I'd be able to compare it to is Mace Windu's (non-canon?) use of Vapaad.

 

I really like the idea of Leia using the force as a defense and not consciously. We've seen her having force feelings as such, but as her personality has been more militant leader, I can see her force sensitive coming out in a time of fight/flight. I think the fact that she was already out floating in space when it happened, being so delayed is what bothers me the most. Maybe once the bridge is blasted, time could have slowed, and we could have seen her initial reaction of moving forward as she is being pulled into space, and that action of fear/fight causes her to pull herself back in before everything is sucked out.

But, in the end, whatever, I don't make movies, and have no knowledge on what are typically the "right" narrative decisions.

 

I also thought it was strange to have her blasting that door open like she's been a super strong force user for years.

 

I think her closing her eyes prior to the shot is it kinda kicking in.

 

Apparently there's something in the Visual Dictionary about her having done some type of training, though I'm not clear on the specifics. I think I'll be receiving the book for Christmas so I haven't bought it for myself.

Are you talking about when she stunned Poe? I am not sure that she necessarily blasted the door open with the Force. I thought the same thing at first, but I believe they used some type of charge to blow it up. I could be wrong though.

 

Yeah that's what I was talking about. It could have been something else, but for her to be standing there in the doorway when the smoke clears made me think she just force exploded it which isn't too much of a stretch since she can force herself back alive and fly through space now lol.

 

Ummm... they showed some sort of tool working through the door before it blew. She just went through first as Poe would not attack her and his hesitation gave her time to stun them.

 

I think there were like cutting marks in the door, like some laser cutting thingy.

 

How come when Leia pulls herself back onto the ship the crew can just open the door and pull her in? I didn't see an airlock in that scene, shouldn't they all have been ripped right back out into space like Leia just was?

 

What if instead of her getting sucked out she closed her eyes and everybody gets sucked out but her and she just stands there in that same position with her hair blowing all over the place with some epic John Williams and then she uses the force as gravity and just walks to a blast door.

That would be pretty cool/epic and still show her power with the force

 

Yeah, I know they were cutting through the doors and it was taking a bit to come in. I took it as Lea got up and just forced that door open to get in since she wasn't shown when they started to break in, but like I said it could have been whatever door cutters they were using.

 

Shhhhhhhh

 

That'd be cool and all, but it accomplishes the same thing, so what's the difference really?

 

I had this thought and wish it was this way. Only thing I can think of is they wanted the audience believe she was “dead”.

I love the idea of her using the force, just wish they would’ve done a better job with it.

 

No heisman Leia. I feel like the look was most of the problem not the powers

 

The thing that bothers me more than how hokey Leia looks in her floating scene is that right after the bridge is destroyed and everyone is sucked out into space it immediately cuts back to the First Order guys or something for like 30 seconds, and totally skips over what should have been an incredibly somber moment. There's no time to mourn anybody.

 

Question re Leia

Now that its confirmed she survives, is there any indication know how she will be used in IX? My understanding is that Fisher filmed all her scenes before passing but that obviously won't be the case for IX...

 

I do believe that was the entire point of the scene.

 

I think they liked the idea of her being almost dead. Or the audience assuming her death. I honestly don't mind it. I guess it looks kinda silly, but whatever. I can live with it because I like the narrative purpose of it.

 

That's kind of where I am at. I'm not a fan how it was done, but I'm glad it was done.

 

I'm assuming there will be a time jump before episode IX and she dies in-between.

 

In that shot when she first starts moving her spacial relationship to the ship isn't established, so it's like she just puts her arm out and starts flying superman style. The moment is played totally dramatically, the music swelling, but there was laughter in both of my showings. Like you said, it just was not executed well. Took me out of the movie far less in my second viewing though.

 

Yea Id agree to most of that especially with the concept that she’s just on the edge. I’d say people like anakin/Dooku/kylo/ventress were more consumed by the dark and less embraced. With the caveat i haven’t gone much into maces story I’d say that Mace and the use of vapaad is more embracing the dark. A big natural aspect is the slippery slope of the dark side. Once you embrace it can easily can consume you. The trick is being able to not let it consume you.

In the end i think we agree conceptually but we differ in the definition of the dark side which is more just my interpretation and less whatever’s in canon. I can’t define what “using the dark side” means in any tangible way and dont define it as evil. IT just depends on how far you go into the darkside.

I’d say Rey dips into that "dark-side"/intensity/Fire/whatever you want to call it when she's shown fighting. When shes owning fools on Jakku. When shes firing the gun on Takadana. When shes fighting Kylo. Whens shes fighting the guards. I just think she’s balanced enough to use it at will and not be consumed. In the novelization when she has Kylo at her will, thats when she heard a voice (possibly Snoke) telling her to kill him and shes just able to not give in to that.

 

yeah, my assumption is that IX will take place at least 3-4 years after the events of TLJ and she will have died in between, and the film will open with, or shortly after the opening, her funeral or memorial. I think that's the best way to do it.