Admiral Ackbar deserved better

That would have been ok I guess but the real question is where is Lando? The resistance could have used a competent admiral...

 

Agreed. His off- screen death was imo objectively bad writing. You can't just throw away a character like that...

 

I didn't mind Ackbar's death. He was never a pivotal fleshed out character in the movies. Too much time on it would have lengthened an already long movie and it would leave most casual fans cold - I suspect he isn't that important to most moviegoers. Also, his death cranked up the tension and made an impact on hardcore fans. People reference Holdo, I am not a huge fan of the character at the moment, but that is a separate issue.

 

Maybe Ackbar will be in a spin off movie or something.

 

I'm thankful they mentioned Ackbar with sadness that he died. And it lowered the survivors morale.

If you want a thankless and demeaning death, look no further than the Warriors Three in Thor Ragnarok. Not only did no one acknowledge it. It didn't affect the main character in any way. And it was treated as a set up joke to the evil henchman.

I'm grateful how TLJ acknowledged Ackbar given the circumstances

 

I honestly couldn’t care less. But I know others do and that they (the makers) would’ve been aware of his cult following. I think the OP comes up with some great ideas - but that is easy in hindsight and when you’re moving around pieces created by professional storytellers.

I think there are generally too many characters in big films these days and Holdo is perhaps an example of that. Though I said the same thing about Poe in TFA and loved him in TLJ!

I’d perhaps have had Akbar on one of the other ships (maybe instead of the captain that Skypes Leia before his ship is blasted). That’d have made that scene even more emotive for many fans.

 

That wouldn't have worked since Ackbar is the Admiral of the Resistance head ship, and he's second in charge of the Resistance overall under Leia.

Remember, while Leia is the lead General overall, she's not a fleet commander like an Admiral.

 

Not every suporting character must have a sacrificial and heroic death.
In my first viewing I felt the same as you, why Ackar was killed in this way? After more viewings I realised that the great Ackar was one of the heroes of the Battle of Endor. This time we had Holdo, and she was.brillant with her sacrifice.

 

Patton deserved better than dying in a car wreck.

And to quote one of the finest films ever put to screen:

 

I refer you back to my opening line above

 

I didn't know general ackbar needed character development. He doesn't have an aweful lot to say or do in the previous movies. He's not a character which has any development in the first place. His death in TLJ actually has a function: they say all the leadership has died. What better way to illustrate this then killing off a character we associate with rebel leadership.

Also take into account that save a few diehard star wars fans and pop culture fetishist, no member in the audience really knows who Ackbar is or really cares about him for that matter. Holdo was there for Poe. Those scenes would have been ridiculous for an audience if they had been performed by a funny fishman instead of the wonderful and emotive performance by Laura Dern. Furthermore, Holdo needs to be new character that Poe meets, otherwise the entire interaction between them wouldn't make any sense (Poe doesn't trust the new commander). Poe would trust Ackbar. But that's the whole point, Poe needs to learn to trust his superiors and learn what it takes to be a true leader.

So from a diehard fan perspective I understand your wish or preference, but from a storytelling perspective inserting Ackbar into the narrative wouldn't have made any sense.

 

Right. If Ackbar survives, the situation isn't AS dire right away.
But the uncomfortable feeling of a NEW character stepping in this role is mirroring the uncomfortable and uncertain feelings the characters have now without "their" leaders.

 

We all think that when the lady tells us that the command structure is clear about who's supposed to take command that it will be Poe. What better way to highlight Poe's discontent and shock (our view on this particular part of the story) than by introducing a new character, a complete unknown, to decide on the fate of heroes. Just like Poe, we don't trust her. She makes a good impression with her speech and she has done something of significance during the Battle of Chyron Belt. But then immediately she disappoints. She witholds information from Poe (i.e. from us the audience) and does not reveal her plan. She's rude to Poe and does not involve him in the decision-making (we the audience trust Poe to make the right decision). She scolds Poe (us) for believing that Poe, Finn and Rose's plan might work (it doesn't) and that it would risk the survival of the resistance. She strikes down the uprising (an uprising we all feel is legitimate) by raising her weapon against our heroes. She does not take immediate action, apart from shielding the transports, when she is piloting the Raddus on her own. The purpose of her whole character is that we, following Poe, unjustifiably distrust her and interpret her action of running from the first order as an act of cowardice and betrayel whereas as is later revealed her action of running actually saves the resistance. Holdo has a didactic function for Poe and as such for the audience.

The idea that we are completely wrong about Holdo is then confirmed by her final action. This is even presented in dialogue. Billie Lourd's says to Poe "she's running", Poe replies with "no she is not". She then jumps her ship into the pursuing fleet. An unsympathetic character, who is only unsympathetic because of our prejudice, has suddenly transformed into the hero of Chyron Belt

This is some proper writing and you would never in the world have have managed to do the same with Ackbar. He is familiar and we trust him too much.

--- Double Post Merged, Jan 7, 2018, Original Post Date: Jan 7, 2018 ---

You are not supposed to emphatize with Holdo. You're only meant to empathize with Holdo when you figure out that your own prejudices as an audience member about her were wrong, especially when she jumps her ship into the Supremacy.

As for empathy. The larger part of the audience will empathize with Poe and Finn, and to a certain extent Leia. They're our view on the world in this particular part of the story. You empathize with them, that's the whole purpose of it all.

--- Double Post Merged, Jan 7, 2018 ---

That's a bit rough on the 'story group' (in fact Rian Johnson wrote the story). This movie is very well written and you can't blame it for not featuring your favourite side character enough.

 

Why did they include Admiral Ackbar in this story in the first place?

 

To the more avid fan who takes a particular interest in all aspects of Star Wars, including secondary characters, Ackbar did deserve more than a passing mention. He is one of the more noteworthy secondary characters, who has a prominence in recent novels too that makes him more than just a cursory nod in a movie. To the casual SW fan, Ackbar might not be recognisable by name but he is an iconic figure. To anyone who grew up watching Star Wars, he's a memorable character who really sticks in the mind.

I did feel that Ackbar was slightly under-represented in TLJ. RIP Ackbar.

 

They explain it plenty when Poe reacts to Holdo being named in charge.
He's bewildered, in these moments he's our POV character.
Every one of the "good" guys is clearly unsure. That's why they mutiny.

 

Do you also feel that Nien Numb was underrepresented?