Does anyone care about the characters that are left for Episode IX?

I'm really interested in Kylo and to see how he commands the First Order. I want to see if he still strives to be like Vader or is just so mentally unhinged that he doesn't care about that anymore.
To a lesser extent, I am interested in Rey. I want to see whether or not she carries on the Jedi, and if she does -- what type of ideology the new Jedi will have under her.

 

George Lucas said A then B then C regarding the same topics countless of times in the past. The man is a walking contradiction to put it nicely.

Star Wars was never planned to be a saga. It was an accidental hit that was saved in the editing room. Originally it was supposed to be an anti- Vietnam war theme inspired revisit of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers serials mixed with a large dose of Kurosawa. A tale about a small group of rebel fighters overthorwing an evil dictatorship. Nothing more, nothing less.
In 1977 Vader was just a random henchman, a warrior from an old era. He wasn't Luke's father, nor was Leia Luke's sister. If Vader died, the film could've easely been a closed story, but Lucas left it open in case it succeeds.
The movie was successful, so it continued. Lucas took a brilliant narrative turn and made the story about a family tale. Narratively there wasn't any need for the prequel trilogy either. Ben Kenobi told everything necessary in ANH.
When Lucas returned to Star Wars in the 90s, he took a narrative turn again and tried to make the saga about Vader. He artificially inserted many elements into the lore in order to make the PT seem more important, such as the Prophecy of the Chosen one (which in many aspects directly contradicts with the OT, which is very obviously Luke's tale).

What I'm trying to say with this is that you can expand a story and do 180 degree turns in the narrative IF (emphasized) done well.
Lucas did very well with expanding the OT from a single story to a trilogy and (even though by a lesser extent) he did a good job with expanding it to a large and living world with the PT.
The three trilogy can very easely be the Downfall of the Republic, the Rise of the Republic and the Rebirth of the Republic or Anakin's fall, redemption and legacy.
I agree though that the original story can't be dragged forever and already shows signs of leaking steam, but there was a lot of potential in the post-RotJ story. Despite the lack of reliable sources there are some evidence pointing to Lucas wanting to do ep VII-IX before the PT (with Luke leading and the Emperor as the main villain).

 

Do I care? Yes! Very excited to see what's next for them in Episode 9.

 

Kylo is the best character left in the Trilogy by a long distance. Rey could have been more compelling, but honestly she's so bland. Finn had potential but was really wasted in TLJ. Rose is completely pointless, and was literally added in because they didn't want to have Finn and Poe go off on another mission together. Hux also was vaguely menacing in TFA, but reduced to a slapstick comedy sidekick in TLJ, but perhaps JJ will use him better.

I think Han probably died at the right time, it was a good moment in that movie, despite being very easy to see coming. Luke should have been kept alive until partway through episode IX, for so many reasons I'm not gonna list. Snoke should not have been killed in TLJ. He was menacing, powerful, mysterious and a genuine threat. Woeful decision to get rid of him.

 

Is Rey light or dark? That's what I'm wondering. They never say this explicitely. Both? In-between? How is this affected by her search for - and identification of father and mother figures as parents? Will Rey kill the past or does she feel it is an essential part of her? Did Kylo speak the truth about Rey's parents? How will Rey interpret Luke's teachings and what consequences will this have for the resolution of the struggle between light and dark? How does she embody Luke's legacy?

But more importantly, the most ontological question concerning Rey, is still "Who are you"? Why was the force awakened in Rey? Why her? Was Kylo true when he said:

Kylo: Do you want to know the truth about your parents? Or have you always known? And you’ve just hidden it away. You know the truth. Say it. Say it.

Rey: They were nobody.

Kylo: They were filthy junk traders who sold you off for drinking money. They’re dead, in a pauper’s grave in the Jakku desert. You have no place in this story. You come from nothing. You’re nothing. But not to me.

It's ironic how many of the people who say they're not interested in Rey, say so because she is 'bland' and has 'no real place in the story'.

Now that's deep. Some food for thought.

 

Kylo is utter trash. If you have to destroy every character to make someone interesting surely alarm bells should be ringing. That is not Adam's problem it's a problem for the writers.

 

You can have weekdays and every other weekend. In exchange, I want the entire month of December 2019. ;-)

Agreed and YES!!!

I've seen so much of the same. It's weird because I wonder how much Disney/LFL/RJ/JJ are aware that as much as they are pushing for Rey/Poe/Finn/Rose to be who everyone is rooting for, Kylo Ren seems to be emerging as the most captivating character. If they kill Kylo in Episode IX, or just generally fail to make him more than a villain/foil who must die, then I think they are going to be in for another very, very rude awakening. =\

ugh, OK, you and Dawn can split weekdays.

 

They will use Luke Skywalker's Force Ghost for maximum exposure, and perhaps even bring in Obi-Wan's to the mix.

 

We've moved beyond that.

We now #PineForNine.

 

...Chris Pine in Episode IX!?!?! I'm game!




But to answer the original post, yes, I care. Finn is one of my - if not my - favorite characters in Star Wars now.

 

I have wondered whether this core cast would be able to carry a movie without any of the original three in prominence. I think they can. Despite so much hate, I really like the new cast; good actors and fun personalities off-screen. I care enough about the characters and the actors to be engaged in their stories.

The simple fact is, there was never going to be another Luke, Leia, and Han. It wasn't possible. You can't replicate 40 years of success and nostalgia like that.

 

Yea, but they can try. To do it they thought they needed to trash the older character’s legacy first.

 

Seeing as how the best part of TFA was from the intro, up until the Falcon is caught by Han's barge.

I'd say the new cast can carry a movie.

 

Agreed! They attempted to make these new characters lovable by making all their problems the fault of the legends from OT!

 

Leia is around to help Rey - which is awesome, and sucks at the same time because Carrie isn't with us.

Poe as a fully matured leader of the Resistance is awesome and we'll get a film to explore that.

More Kylo and Hux is something I can't resist.

More Artoo and Chewie on the Falcon, or possibly Rey and Artoo together is also awesome!

 

Answer is, no. I liked them after 7. Not as much or even close after 8. In fact, I resent them. Rey is the most unbelievable overPowered Disney princess. She’s the New Luke, yet she can do anything she wants the first try with little effort.

 

I'm with them two up ^^^ there.

--- Double Post Merged, Jan 2, 2018, Original Post Date: Jan 2, 2018 ---

And with the Stormtrooper/Captain/Mod/Lady