Does anyone else feel they should have started the new trilogy..

I'm inclined to agree.

When all we had was TFA, it seemed like a reasonable way to start the ST, but now we have TLJ, it almost feels like a complete waste.

They set up Rey as a Luke-type character and Kylo as Vader. Then TFA started off focusing on Rey before TLJ completely shifted to Kylo. The problem is, Luke and Vader essentially had 3 films each to flesh them out. As it stands now, both Rey and Kylo are suffering from a lack of depth, credibility and a meaningful trajectory.

If the ST was always meant to be about Kylo then I think your suggestion makes a lot of sense.

 

Vader has all of 12 minutes of screen time in IV. Rey is the focus in VII, and she is still the hero in VIII. They flesh out Kylo more in VIII (you could expect them to do that I would think), but to say that they have a lack of depth, credibility and trajectory is just wrong.

Kylo has grown. He had the same choices to make that Anakin had and that Luke had. He CONSCIOUSLY makes the choice to turn to the dark. To forget the past and destroy it.

I'm not sure why this is so hard for some people to get.

 

No, I like how the ST opens just fine.

 

Disney could still do this. They could do a Luke/Ben trilogy set about 10 or so years before TFA, and flesh out the whole story.

 

I would have personally rather a new trilogy had started well after Luke, Han and Leia had passed on. Then we could have had a new story with new characters without needing to rely on the empire/rebel thing whist hearing whispers about the great characters.

Then after/during that trilogy we could have had some more serious movies exploring the final adventures of Luke, Han and Leia. I say more serious as these movies could have been aimed at the mid 40's fans who grew up with these characters and would have been ready for some well told more mature stories. Still with action and adventure of course.

 

This would've been great. Definitely better than what we got.

 

It would make the twist pretty surprising. Also adds a lot more scope to how big the universe is. The new movies are set in short time periods of a few days.

 

It certainly would have been a lot more good context - better background to start a trilogy. As it is it's hard to make head or tail of the backstory

 

I think that would've been a better star. Why? Because it would be different. TFA was just ANH. I disliked that, I would rather go through with a new story that might suck, then an old one again.

 

I thought this new trilogy is supposed to be Rey and Finn's story, not Ben's.

If you guys want a trilogy in which Ben Solo is the main character, ask Kathleen Kennedy. Don't me expect me to watch it.

 

Perhaps...could have been a good story. Still, I am fine with the way they did it to dialogue, gradual reveals in TFA. I wish we had learned more though in the sequel though.

 

I agree with this, although I would not have after TFA awakens, because I felt Kylo made his choice in that film to be evil. Since getting a conflicted Kylo since then, it makes the story more about him and his past is an obvious big part of his decision making process. They could still have had a conflicted Kylo, but made less obvious in TLJ and go back to it in IX. Now he seems indecisive and that probably wouldn't be a huge problem if there was another big villain, but with Kylo being the only real threat left, it makes the whole of the FO seem like less of a threat. Which is sad since the resistance can all fit on the Falcon. It contributes to the sense of small scale and lower stakes... lack of world building.

To me, one scene could have solved this. Kylo shooting the bridge. It would have served as an early movie point to show that Kylo is doubling down on choosing evil. Leia survives either way so it wouldn't have mattered beyond Snoke now trusting Kylo more which makes the throne room seen more palatable (after rewatching TLJ, I don't understand how Snoke didn't see it coming). The rest of what Kylo did all movie would have seemed more sinister. I think that's what works with Vader in the OT, we don't get to see the conflict in Vader as Luke does. To the general audience, it doesn't exist until Luke points out tidbits here and there. Even then, it's not conclusive until the end.

They could have played it different with Kylo, but doing it in TLJ with no big bad set up to take his place... it's looking more like IX will end with the good guys sitting Kylo down (Rey can handle that) and having an intervention, talking about their hurt feelings, all with ghost Luke and Han present, so they can get closure on the past. Apologies all around, lots of tears and a group hug. Without that big bad, I don't get the sense of feeling that the galaxy is in peril. Rey can reach Ben on some level and she can out power him, especially with FG Luke's help.

That's how I see it anyways. It's become less of a war and more of a family dispute and Rey is doctor Phil trying to make sense of it. Kylo's weakness may very well be a nice long hug.