Star Wars Is Getting Rid Of The Jedi?
The Star Wars universe has turned agains tthe Jedi in Daisy Ridley's upcoming movie.
It seems that Star Wars is planning to expand upon the sequel trilogy by following the story of Rey setting up a New Jedi Order. ScreenRant reports that the story will expand upon a theme that was hinted at in the prequels and The Clone Wars, that maybe the galaxy isn’t too keen on having a group of religious, superpowered protectors. According to Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, the galaxy in the upcoming film is beginning to wonder whether they even need Jedi at all.
The upcoming film, which will reportedly star Daisy Ridley alongside Mark Hamill and Hayden Christensen, is rumored to take place 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. In it, Rey will attempt to fulfill the promise she made to Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars sequel trilogy by rebuilding the Jedi Order. However, things don’t go according to plan… at least in part because a large part of the galaxy is sick of having Jedi around.
Star Wars’ new in-universe perception of the Jedi calls back to the events of the prequel trilogy. In the films, the Jedi aided Emperor Palpatine’s rise, turning the republic into a tyrannical dictatorship overseen by a Dark Lord of the Sith. For all that the Jedi profess to be a force of good, they took an active role in setting up the events of the original trilogy — a universe where evil reigns supreme.
It may not have been the Jedi’s intent to aid the Sith, but intent only goes so far when it comes to ushering in decades of oppressive leadership. Plus, Luke Skywalker’s previous attempt to bring the Jedi back resulted in Ben Solo becoming Kylo Ren and terrorizing the galaxy once again. Although Star Wars’ High Republic era may have been an age when Jedi were truly beacons of hope for the galaxy, by the time the upcoming sequel begins, it’s likely that very few people even remember an age when the Jedi were anything other than outlaws or colossal screw-ups.
It makes sense that a large population within the Star Wars universe would hold this view of the Jedi, regardless of whether it’s fair. This means that the Jedi will face opposition from people who probably mean well — seeing the order as a threat to a hard-won peace that was finally achieved by the end of The Rise of Skywalker. It’s fertile ground for storytelling.
Of course, Star Wars being Star Wars, it’s unlikely that a well-intentioned anti-Jedi caucus will be the only foe that Rey and her would-be Jedi Order will face. The franchise has a rich history of formidable foes, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see new threats emerge, pushing the Force’s boundaries and challenging the Jedi’s ideals. Whether it’s an ancient dark side cult, a rising power seeking to exploit the Force for their own gain, or a charismatic villain with a personal vendetta against the Jedi, there is bound to be somebody who takes up arms against Rey — we’ll have to wait to find out who it is.
