ST Should Episode IX be the final film in the Skywalker Saga?

It's already over.

 

Ugh that would be the worst thing ever. I don’t usually say anything specific would make me dislike a movie but that... that would do it.

 

I think after TLJ there is zero chance of an episodes 10-12 trilogy. They are ending the Skywalker Saga with Episode 9. They basically ended it with Episode 8, and 9 will be a bit like an epilogue.

There's a reason that Han and Leia weren't given a "good" child, and that Luke was childless in the ST. Disney wants to close the chapter on all things OT and PT-related and move on completely to new stories, their stories.

In 9, Ghost Luke will make a brief appearance or two, and hopefully Leia briefly (in spirit form) at the end, and Kylo's fate will be decided. It'll be shown that the baton is fully passed to Rey, a non-Skywalker, to lead the new Jedi Order and Poe, a non-Skywalker, to lead the new Republic. And that'll be it. Done.

Years down the line I think we could get a stand-alone film with Rey or Poe, but it won't be a numbered episode.

An animated film showing what happens immediately after ROTJ or some other point between ROTJ and TFA would be really cool, with Hamill voicing Luke. But I'm not holding my breath.

 

Revolving a lot of the plot/characters around one family was the "Space OPERA" part of Star Wars. It was where much of the drama of light vs. dark sprung from, internal conflict writ external. And it definitely made Star Wars unique. It was even a huge part of Rogue One, and one of the more successful elements of that film.

This aspect will sorely be missed in Rian's trilogy or any future stand-alone movies, unless Rian will be employing heavy family themes just with a different family, perhaps. But without the family drama, Star Wars could lean to heavily toward Sci-Fi, and too generic for my taste. We shall see...

 

I think this works perfectly with a new SW trilogy each generation. If the plan is keep making more and more movies, without even waiting 10 years between trilogies, maybe they believe relaying less on blood-relationships will give them more space to play.

 

There are still complex family issues at work in the ST. Anyone who doesn't see them isn't analyzing the film beyond its surface.

Ben Solo being raised to good parents but embracing the Dark Side.
Ben Solo killing his own father in a dramatic reversal of Anakin's unwillingness to kill his own son.
Ben Solo unwillingness to kill his mother.
Luke Skywalker's success at the end of ROTJ leading to him not fully processing the moments of darkness he experienced in the throne room that he had succesfully snapped out of and avoided and potentially even denying that they happened (like some fans). Then, having that same darkness that had come for all of the Skywalker men come for him again 30 years later, and again snapping out of it, but this time too late and leading to negative consequences. Then, struggling with the guilt of that because of how badly he never wanted to be anything even remotely like Vader (even for a second). Then, learning failure is the best teacher of all and accepting that he does have small aspects of the worst of his father in him but far more of the best parts of Anakin and Padme in him as well.
That nature and nurture (or lack there of) play a part in development but that ultimately it's the choices we make as young adults that decides the people we want to be (Rey).

And Space Opera / myth / fairy tales don't ONLY revolve around family drama though. This ST is exploring desire at its core as well. Greek Gods were often driven to good and bad by desire. Johnson and Lucas thankfully understood this so that Star Wars isn't only relegated to one corner of space opera / myth / fairy tale exclusively into the future.