Elements we can expect from the Sequel Trilogy

In order to get some idea of what we can expect from the new trilogy, we can take a look at how the first two trilogies were put together, and use those as a guide to predict what we might find in the third.

First of all, there is going to be a war. The first trilogy was about the civil war with the Separatists which grew into the Clone Wars. The second trilogy was about the Rebellion. In both cases, the war was the overall arc for that trilogy, with the prequels spanning from the Trade Federation expanding their influence to the formation of the Empire, which brought the war to a close. The second trilogy began with the Rebellion scoring its first major victory to the destruction of the second Death Star. Whatever the state of the galaxy is at the beginning of the films, we can expect to see a major event that will herald the beginning of conflict, and that conflict will last until the close of the third film.

The second is the Skywalker Saga. The first trilogy was focused on Anakin, and while he persisted through the second trilogy (in the form of Vader) the second was focused on Luke. Claiming that the entire six episodes was the story of the fall and redemption of Anakin is overly naive, as the second trilogy was more about Luke's rise, much as the first was the story of Anakin's rise. In a similar fashion, I think we will see the third trilogy having Luke with the span, but the focus will be on the next Skywalker.

This brings us to what we can expect the overall plot of the next trilogy to be. In the first trilogy, we saw Anakin succumb to a tragic flaw. In the second trilogy, we see Luke resist that flaw, and redeem his father. To determine what comes next, we need to look at the mythological cycle laid out by Joseph Campbell.

Anakin's journey is one of failure. His mother, Shmi, is the virginal well from which our hero springs forth. But Anakin is failed by every father figure he has. First, Qui Gon fails to free his mother when he frees Anakin. Finally, Qui Gon commits the ultimate failure... he dies. Kenobi failed to prevent Qui Gon's death. He then failed to prevent Shmi's death. Ultimately, he failed to prepare Anakin to face these events. The failure of Anakin's father figures left him open to the corrupting influence of the anti-father, Palpatine.

Luke fulfills his father's legacy (I am a Jedi... like my father) and helps slay not only the negative aspects of his father, but helps the father find redemption through the slaying of the anti-father Palpatine. When he does this, he receives the blessings of the father (Tell your sister you were right... You were right...) When this happens, Luke is heralded as the Redeemer. The Son has fought the Father, and the Father has become the Son again.

The cycle repeats, with good defeating evil, and good becoming evil. Anakin, the hero, became the tyrant. We will, I believe, see Luke avoid this by making the sacrifice and crucifying himself. It is no coincidence that Luke found the path to becoming the Redeemer through Kenobi. Kenobi failed to save Anakin, and found his redemption when he sacrificed himself to save Luke. Through this, Luke found the way to save his father, and Kenobi's failure was negated.

This brings us to the prophecy of the Chosen One... the one who will "bring balance to the Force". What, exactly, does that mean?

The rift within the Force was created when the Sith Brotherhood of Darkness was established by rogue Jedi who believed that the true power of the Force lay in the dark side, and that the denial of that power was a waste. Where the Sith act for personal gain, the Jedi order acted to preserve the Republic. One path led to chaos, the other to stagnation. Both paths, ultimately, failed.

I have spoken before of the fact that the Jedi order was corrupt. Rejecting emotional attachment as a path to lust and greed, they lost their connection to the universe they sought to protect. Where they began as the guardians of the Republic, they became its caretakers. They became so involved with the why of things being done that they lost sight of what was being done, that the absolutes of law and order overcame justice and mercy. In the end, they became the guardians of the very cancer that would consume them, and ultimately the only path that was left for their survival (the assassination of Palpatine, rather than his arrest) violated the very ethics on which they were based.

In the PT, Qui Gon spoke of the Living Force, a philosophy which relied on instinct and focused on a sensitivity to living things. It focused on the here and now. This differs from the philosophy of a Unifying Force, which focused more on one's actions opening the path to future possibilities and leading to the fulfillment of destiny.

Somewhere between the Light and Dark side of the Force, between the Living and Unifying philosophies, is a middle pathway. The Dark side of the Force leads to chaos and destruction, the Light side to stagnation. The Living Force focuses on the here and now, the Unifying Force on the future. In the final confrontation with the Emperor, Luke opens himself up to the Dark Side and does not fall.

What we witness in those moments is not just the rebirth of the Republic, but the Return of the Jedi... the true Jedi order.

To heal the rift, to become the Chosen One, one must embrace this path. They must find the balance between the Living and the Unifying philosophies, and between the Light and Dark sides of the Force.

I believe we will see a war with the Sith, I believe we will see Luke sacrifice, and I believe a Skywalker will heal the rift between the Jedi and the Sith, and bring true Balance to the Force.

 

Until that happens, there will be conflict... The Jedi tried to exterminate the Sith, it didn't work... the Sith tried to exterminate the Jedi, it didn't work... both came equally close, neither succeeded

 

IT has been said that the solution Luke finds will not be one to everyone's liking... and seeking an end to the war with the Sith through unification rather than extermination certainly would not go over well...

That's the very point... at one time, they weren't different... they were the same. Focusing on the philosophical differences has led the galaxy to nothing but war. The war was not over political differences, those could have been settled in debate. The war was over Sith domination of the Jedi who rejected them and tried to extinguish them

And I am not saying that it will be a merger as in an alliance... but the rift needs to be sealed

 

Ultimately, the Nazis and the Jews did find an end to hostilities... it was the ending of the Second World War. The military operations came to an end and the political process took place. It did not end with the extinguishing of the Jewish nation, it ended with the formation of the Israeli statehood. And it did not end with the destruction of Germany, it ended with the agreement to end hostility and seek political paths to resolve issues.

Yes, exactly like that, good example Shawshank

It ended when they stopped fighting and peace was allowed its chance again

 

The Sith Brotherhood of Darkness sprang from within the Jedi order. It was a differing ideological take on the common philosophy. Had the Jedi, at that time, not sought to extinguish the Sith, but found a non-violent way to mutually co-exist with the differences between them, then thousands of years of war would have been avoided. Until a political solution, a non-violent solution that recognizes both sides and grants their right to peacefully co-exist, there will be war in the galaxy.

The Jedi philosophy of being wise and peaceful failed them then, and until they resolve that conflict and seal the rift, there will be no balance to the Force

 

From a production standpoint, I can see where the desire to continue conflict would be a powerful motivator... however, just because balance is brought to the Force does not mean conflict would end. Quite the opposite, I would think...

First of all, the Jedi would be a little less meek and mild, and just because they were not fighting the Sith anymore doesn't mean there wouldn't be anyone to fight. Even in the EU, you had the Yuuzhan Vong. Then there is always the potential to "reboot" the saga back the Old Republic days, or find an entirely new way to expand. The potential is limitless... it doesn't depend on the Sith, they are simply the current Ancient Fear

 

Absolutely agree with the separation of church and state... er... force and state...

 

More so than that... being separate from the Republic body politic, they may find that what is in their best interest lies on a different path... they might even stand against the Republic should they feel the need. It would create an interesting dynamic