Why the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Failed

Send us Fan MailWhy did the Star Wars sequel trilogy fail to deliver a consistent story? In this episode of CC & NJ Guy, Tom, Keny, and Lou break down The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker to determine what went wrong with Star Wars Episodes VII, VIII, and IX—and whether the trilogy deserves all the criticism it receives.The sequel trilogy introduced memorable characters, spectacular visuals, strong performances, and several fascinating ideas. Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, Kylo Ren, BB-8, and Supreme Leader Snoke all appeared to have enormous potential. However, the direction of the story changed dramatically from one movie to the next, leaving major mysteries unresolved, important characters underdeveloped, and fans divided over the future of Star Wars.The conversation begins with The Force Awakens and the excitement surrounding the return of Han Solo, Leia Organa, and Luke Skywalker. The movie successfully introduced a new generation of characters, but it also closely followed the structure of A New Hope. Starkiller Base resembled another version of the Death Star, the First Order rose to power without much explanation, and the New Republic disappeared before audiences understood what was at stake.The guys discuss the strengths of Kylo Ren’s introduction, including the unforgettable moment when he freezes a blaster bolt in midair. They also examine his complicated relationship with Han Solo, his struggle between the light and dark sides of the Force, and how his journey compares with Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader.The discussion then turns to The Last Jedi and its controversial treatment of Luke Skywalker. After years of waiting to see Luke return as a powerful Jedi Master, audiences instead found him isolated, disillusioned, and unwilling to help the Resistance. Was Luke throwing away his lightsaber a bold storytelling decision, or did it undermine the ending of The Force Awakens?Tom, Keny, and Lou debate Luke’s failure with Ben Solo, his decision to abandon the Jedi Order, and his final confrontation with Kylo Ren. They also discuss Luke’s Force projection, Leia surviving in space, the visually impressive throne room battle, the sudden death of Supreme Leader Snoke, and the decision to reveal that Rey’s parents were seemingly unimportant.One of the trilogy’s biggest missed opportunities may have been Finn. His story begins with an incredible premise: a stormtrooper breaks free from the First Order, rejects his conditioning, helps the Resistance, and fights Kylo Ren with a lightsaber. The movies repeatedly suggest that Finn may be Force-sensitive, but his potential as a future Jedi is never fully explored.The Rise of Skywalker brings the trilogy’s conflicting creative direction to its breaking point. The Force Awakens establishes mysteries, The Last Jedi removes or changes many of them, and The Rise of Skywalker attempts to rebuild the story during the final chapter.That leads to the return of Emperor Palpatine, Rey’s connection to the Palpatine bloodline, the hidden Sith fleet on Exegol, and the infamous explanation: “Somehow, Palpatine returned.”Could Palpatine’s return have worked if it had been established earlier? Did the cloning storyline make sense? Where did the Final Order get the people, money, ships, and resources required to construct an enormous secret fleet? And did giving every Star Destroyer planet-destroying technology make the final threat more exciting—or simply more ridiculous?Despite these problems, the sequel trilogy still contains moments worth celebrating. Rey and Kylo Ren’s Force dyad introduces new possibilities for the Force. Their ability to communicate and transfer physical objects across space creates some of the trilogy’s most inventive scenes. The Death Star wreckage duel is visually impressive, Ben Solo’s redemption reveals the person he might have been before becoming Kylo Ren, and Han Solo’s return as an emotional memory gives Ben’s story a powerful sense of closure.The guys also discuss Carrie Fisher’s final appearance as Leia Organa, John Williams’ music, the trilogy’s impressive visual effects, and whether future Star Wars movies and series could eventually improve the sequel era.The Clone Wars, Rebels, The Bad Batch, Ahsoka, and other projects helped provide additional context for the prequel era. Could future stories about the First Order, Palpatine’s cloning experiments, Exegol, Luke’s Jedi academy, Finn’s Force sensitivity, and Rey rebuilding the Jedi Order do the same thing for the sequel trilogy?In this episode:• Why The Force Awakens created genuine excitement• The return of Han Solo, Leia Organa, and Luke Skywalker• Rey’s origin, Force abilities, and Palpatine connection• Finn’s unfinished journey from stormtrooper to potential Jedi• Kylo Ren’s conflict between the light and dark sides• Kylo Ren compared with Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader• Han Solo’s death and Ben Solo’s redemption• Luke Skywalker’s exile and controversial transformation• The Last Jedi lightsaber toss• Luke’s Force projection and final confrontation• Supreme Leader Snoke and the Knights of Ren• J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson’s conflicting creative choices• Emperor Palpatine’s unexplained return• Palpatine’s cloning plan and the Sith fleet on Exegol• Rey and Kylo Ren’s Force dyad• Carrie Fisher’s final storyline as Leia Organa• Whether future Star Wars stories can repair the sequel era• What Rey rebuilding the Jedi Order could look likeUltimately, the sequel trilogy may not have failed because it lacked talent, interesting characters, or ambitious ideas. Its greatest problem may have been the absence of one clear creative vision connecting all three movies.Were The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker genuinely bad movies—or were they entertaining Star Wars adventures trapped inside a trilogy that nobody properly planned?After listening, tell CC & NJ Guy the one decision you would change: Luke’s story, Finn becoming a Jedi, Rey’s identity, Snoke’s death, or Palpatine’s return.Follow CC & NJ Guy for more conversational deep dives into Star Wars, movies, pop culture, paranormal mysteries, conspiracy theories, and the far-out questions that keep us talking long after the credits roll.SPOILER WARNING: This episode contains major spoilers for The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker, and related Star Wars movies and television series.Hosted by: Cottman, Crawford & The Jersey GuyContact us: [email protected] & socials: https://linktr.ee/ccandnjguy