ST "Legacy Character" Deaths

told through the eyes of R2 yes, he's the only one that haven't had his memory wiped

 

Very well said, Trebor! I completely agree. Let's have the heroes live and work WITH the younger characters for once. In a galaxy that huge and with so many problems and villains, there is enough to go around for everyone to make a worthwhile contribution to the story; for everyone, young and old, to be meaningfully involved, without the filmmakers resorting to killing off the iconic characters in order to let the kids "shine".

We've already seen the mentor sacrifice himself for the student in this franchise. Let's do something different and surprising (in a good way, for once, instead of being surprising for shock value, as the missing Luke and the Jedi purge, part two seem to be.)

 

I'm concerned that one or more of the original characters may not survive the new trilogy. It wouldn't surprise me if the filmmakers think it is a good idea, both to re-focus on the new characters (passing of the baton a la Obi-Wan) and to signal a darker tone for the films where anything is possible.

One of the things I liked the most about the end of ROTJ, is that celebratory feeling with all the characters, even the dead ones (the Force Ghost combo). Seeing Wedge say hello to everybody, Lando telling Chewie about his exploits, Wicket becoming friends with R2-D2, and so on. It felt good that none of them was sacrificed.

After all, which deaths in Eps. I-VI caught us off guard? We could see coming most of them I think or at least accept them: from the sacrifice of Obi-Wan, to the Yoda's dignified sleep. Other deaths were cheered (I for one cheered for Boba Fett's demise). Also, we knew that the PT was going to be a bloodbath, because of the absence of so many of those characters in the OT (Qui-Gon, Dooku, Mace, Jango, Padme, and so on).

ROTJ meant that all the characters were safe. The new trilogy opens up the possibility again.

Then the question is, will some of the original characters be sacrificed in this new trilogy? Do we think it's a bad thing?

Since ROTJ, there have been countless proposals for their deaths, and not of natural causes (Note: I wouldn't mind that type of death at all):

Chewie or Han sacrificing him or themselves in a blaze of glory piloting the Falcon.

C-3PO being damaged beyond repair.

Luke passing on the baton.

I for one am very worried. I don't want any of them to be sacrificed. I'm one of those who is concerned that R2-D2's shot in the second trailer is him mourning over C-3PO.

I really hope no one is sacrificed in order to make room for the new generation. After all, old characters never die, they just fade away...

thoughts?

 

None of them will survive the new trilogy.

Just as none of the Prequel characters survived the Original Trilogy.

(Artoo & Threepio are probably exempt, of course. Although I wouldn't mind if Threepio bit it)

 

First of all, this is the Spoilers Allowed forum... so fair warning. It sounds like you may not have heard one of the big spoiler rumors out there regarding one of the main original characters.

 

Han dies.

 

I always thought it was between Luke, Chewie or Han.

 

Don't say I didn't warn you.

 

(1) How likely do we think the notion is?
(2) Is it a good idea?

(Discounting natural causes)

 

I want ALL the original characters to eventually die on screen, including C-3P0 and R2D2. They deserve it. It is the way of the Force.

But I prefer no deaths in TFA. Ideally, I'd love to see at least one scene with everyone, including Lando, celebrating together.

 

Yeah, I think early on some of us thought it logical that Han would get a death scene or Harrison had it in his contract.

I always thought it would be cool for him to run off and do something heroic in the beginning and then die. Others wisely suggested that would throw the whole tone of the movie off if it opened with Han's death.

OP, all I will say is: buckle up and enjoy the ride.

 

Han dies at the end of act 2.

It's all but outright confirmed at this point.

 

Taking it as true (and in you guys I trust)...doesn't it feel too obvious or forced? I'm not convinced by the notion that this is natural to the story. It's an easy tactic to kill off a character in the blaze of glory. All those close calls only to be killed in the end. Can't Star Wars characters die like Yoda? haha

 

If you've been following the spoilers, it makes sense. And his death will have an impact on the entire trilogy from the look of it.

 

Feels like every time a time a torch must be passed, the older generation gets killed off violently (Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, now Han?). It's hard being old in Star Wars then.

 

The mentor always dies. Otherwise the new generation would never get things done on their own. They'd always have the experienced old folk to fall back on, and that's not nearly as interesting as a character progressing via their own skills.

 

Considering Harrison originally wanted Han to die all the way back in '83 with ROTJ, this is not too surprising.

It doesn't feel forced…..

 

Luke vanishes into the Force on Tatooine with the Force theme playing on the Binary Sunrise at the end of Episode 9. Or just walks off into the desert and his fate is left unknown.
Or Luke survives until Episode 10 and dies at the start to mirror him being born in the last few moments of ROTS.

 

That would be cool. It's actually great they're going with the Skywalker family continuation but from Leia, not Luke.

 

Won't stop people from complaining that their child would be a Solo and not a Skywalker.

 

I personally like the image of Han retired, flipping burgers in the backyard, married to Leia, who is a Senator. That's the image Lucas put in my mind in an interview about the sequels before he sold to Disney. Of course it would be even better if they were both retired!

 

The mentor-dying plot point has been done repetitively in Star Wars. "Here we go again"

It also appears that many plot points are done at the request of the actor! (Alec Guinness with Obi-Wan, now Harrison Ford with Han). Star Wars is starting to feel like the Mafia: no one leaves alive and it's never a natural death!

I just wish they would be allowed to fade away or at least be able to enjoy the glory even from afar. We need to let our heroes die peacefully from time to time!

 

Yeah, but don't they know it's blood. If anything, it's great it's Hans and Leia's. Makes it more profound. If it was just Luke and some Twilek, that wouldn't be as good.

 

Han will die in TFA in an impactful way.

Luke will die and become a force ghost.

the droids will live.