ST The OT character's Treatment/Deaths: Does it bother you?

Their deaths, I would have been okay with. Their lives as presented - not so much.

 

Good thread, btw....

Yes, it bothers me because....

a) Killing off all the main characters is depressing. Star Wars theme is about hope (ANH), then revelation (ESB), then redemption (ROTJ)....It was never about depression or death.

b) the three original characters never shared the same scene together. The big three never got to have that happy reunion. Its pretty sad that American Reunion did it better than a freaking Star Wars sequel movie.

c) No Lando. Pretty sure if Lego Batman managed to sign Mr. Billy Dee Williams, the billion dollar franchise could have got him.

 

Yes. At the very least I wanted to see the big three together again. Some of the favorite parts of the ST has been the reunion of the old characters. Luke and Leia, Han and Leia, the R2 and Luke scene on the Falcon, Luke winking at 3PO, Yoda, etc was all great. I wasn't the biggest fan of the prequels and the OT characters were the main reason I was looking forward to this trilogy. It sucks to see that final shot of them all smiling and Lando clapping at the end of Return of the Jedi ruined.

I understand LFL wanted to move on with new heroes and it was a challenge to do that with the new characters sharing the screen with these "Legends". I think the new cast is great and really talented but with the exception of Kylo I haven't really connected to them at all. I'm grateful these movies were made as it was great to see them again but I feel they have trashed everything that was accomplished in the OT.

 

This is the crux of the matter, really.

Everyone acts as if killing Luke was this SUPER BOLD MOVE WOW RIAN YOU'RE SO BRAVE, when it's really not. Not by itself. The circumstances that surround it is what makes the decision problematic. He was miserable and isolated in that island for the last years of his life, away from his sister and his friend, feeling guilty about his nephew and who knows how much joy and accomplishment he had since ROTJ. We didn't even get to see him properly fight with a lightsaber. And then he dies? And his fans are supposed to be satisfied? It's OK if you see these movies as just movies, but many people have grown up with a great appreciation for the character of Luke and they're entitled to hope for a happy life for him like they would for a friend or a family member.

As for Leia and Han, at least we know they had 20+ years of happiness before things went south with Ben, so it's not as bad. But I'll forever wonder why they didn't have more than one kid. The fact that their sole offspring is an unlikable psychopatic mass murderer certainly adds to the idea that the powers that be are doing the most to destroy the OT3's life.

 

I was 100% happy with Han Solo's death, but mostly because I knew it was what Harrison Ford really wanted! Luke's treatment and death on the other hand was extremely upsetting. He was VERY out of character, and Mark Hamil even called him "Jake Skywalker" so I'm pretty sure that tells you everything you need to know. Han Solo in TFA was incredible, Luke Skywalker in TLJ was heartbreaking. They're not even comparable in my opinion, their treatments were like day and night.

 

Thanks for the compliment.

A) yeah I feel like a reason the ST doesn’t match up to OT in some reasons are new themes that disregard those

B) bothers me and annoys me the most. Even if Carrie here it probably wasn’t gonna happen in 9 anyways. Such a missed chance to at least have a flashback, but it would have been depressing anyways so maybe better if none. But Han and Luke in the present?

C) he goes to Star Wars celebration and does voice work as Lando in rebels. No excuse unless they are saving him for 9 to kill off.

 

I think if somehow Luke can/would survive to get his happiness and do the right way of training Jedi, I think that his arc could be fixed.

I don’t mind him being depressed, getting over it and dying. I hate how it happened in ten minutes. Third one could and should have been at the end of 9 somehow. That’s just me. Also I don’t like the non proper lightsaber fight either. At least have it go for two minutes. Even if he wasn’t there he could still have one. He held dice and gave them to Leia.

 

I'm not upset about their deaths per say. If Han had to go out (since Ford practically demanded it) that was a decent send off. Ditto Luke. I really didn't want to see him go out to a snot-nose punk like Ren. Going out on his own was a decent send off.

The problems with the two deaths were the set ups. Han dies without ever seeing Luke again in the ST.

Luke dies without ever getting off his can and leaving that &*$^*^% island.

I think Luke could've died as shown in Ep 9 after having exerted himself doing some herculean feat that would be remembered in the annals of the Jedi archive forever. (not doing the Force projected old shuck & jive in front of Kylo like he did here. ) It would be a fitting closing scene.

For Han, they should've used the scenario Hamill described. "Luke senses Leia's distress- rushes to save Han- but they're too late!" Would've brought all 3 together. Personally, I'd have preferred a TFA with all 3 prominently featured, before having them take a backseat to the next generation. But, what's the point of griping. it's basically all over now. I waited 34 years for this.

 

I am abit disappointed they were killed off but I think am more shocked they were killed off this soon at all since they are the OT characters. They are these iconic characters many people grew up with since 1977 and to these people they were the heroes that took the empire down and finished the story.

In contrast it seems more like they are treating the OT as now just the middle part of the story that still doesn't end well for the characters.

I can see why some are disappointed by Luke skywalker as he was the hero for so long and TLJ felt more like shifting him into the Obi Wan position with needing him to pass the torch to another after he failed to create his own Jedi order.

They really are trying to get these new characters to be this generations Star Wars and to be fair most of the characters you have followed in this whole franchise haven't had such happy endings

 

I don't think it is "creative" at all. Quite honestly, I think Disney sees the OT characters as a nuisance and they are doing everything they can to minimize their roles and/or kill them off.

 

Yep. It’s nothing predictable and sad now. That’s why someone like Lando, Chewie, Nien will pass.

I can just see the comments when episode 9 trailer airs and they show Lando, the comments will be like, “oh great another character that’s gonna die.”

 

They probably don't see them as a nuisance, it's probably more that they know they need to continue Star Wars with a new generation of characters and so need to give them the torch and moment to make that torch their own.

As someone pointed out if you look at the prequels to the OT then you get Obi Wan alive for half a film and then dies and yet he was very much a main character in the PT.

 

As with others saying the death of OT folks is not bad, how it happens may be... Luke as a quitter?? that bothers me. Vader did all sorts of bad to Luke and all the folks he cared about directly. Vader revealed to be his pop, and he doesn't give up hope he can be saved. Luke has his new order wiped by his nephew and gives up to be a hermit and die alone??? Perhaps an off topic rant...

 

Harrison Ford didn’t see a need for Han in V and was on board dying in VI, but GL changed his mind and wanted the Big 3 for VII to pass the torch.

JJ wanted a bigger role for Big 3 in VII. However, he felt Arndt’s having Han and Leia reuniting in the end wasn’t meaningful and agreed Han should be killed off. It was Arndt who changed Han’s son into the Jedi Killer.

Originally the PT was about Kenobi, who passed the torch in IV to Luke. The OT was about Luke, who passes the torch to the Other in VII. The ST was never about the Big 3. While Luke passing the torch in VII doesn’t entail his dying, I wasn’t surprised that it might happen especially with Qui-Gon dying in I.

But, you can’t have both Han and Luke dying—or even all 3. And it was Arndt who moved Luke to the end because he kept on dominating his scenes. And so Luke dying at the end would be too quick, no buildup.

I like the way and progression of the deaths of the Jedi Masters.

Qui-Gon died in battle by being overcome fighting a Dark Lord.

Kenobi died in battle against a new Dark Lord, allowing himself to be struck down.

Luke also died fighting a battle without even fighting. All 3 pass into the netherworld.

Now Leia needn’t die. It’d be nice to see one Skywalker live. But given the circumstances, I assume we will hear of her passing.

Here in Japan our heroes are dying what are called beautiful deaths. They sacrificed themselves.

 

Nope.

Loved Luke's arc; it was so much richer, deeper and more interesting that anything I imagined for the character.
Loved Han in TFA more than I did in any of the OT films.

I would've had a problem with Leia's treatment if it ended in TFA. Thankfully RJ totally course corrected that for TLJ, which I think is the best Leia film since 1980, and Carrie's best performance in the entire series.

 

I don't mind about Luke, because of what he said to Ben.
Just because someone dies in star wars, doesn't mean they are completely gotten rid of. Wise people know this, while ignorant people think that by killing them, it will solve whatever issue they have with them or themself.
I was only confused with the actual way he died, but i would guess it was like Luke had control of that, so he could stay alive until the moment he was ready to die