Within the first Megastar Wars film, launched the entire long ago in 1977, Luke Skywalker is cleansing his newly received droid R2-D2. He by accident triggers a secret message despatched from Princess Leia aboard the send Tantive IV, revealing a message that kickstarts the film’s 2nd act and — in some ways — the Megastar Wars franchise as an endeavor:
“Lend a hand me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You might be my simplest hope.”
It is a vintage line. Possibly the defining line in a sequence filled with them. However in 2022, on Might the Fourth of all days, it is a line that hits in a different way.
In Might 2022, weeks forward of Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s premiere on Disney Plus, it might be me handing over that line. Me: A bruised and battered Megastar Wars fan, staring at aghast as Disney launched clunker after clunker into the canon.
As I press play at the new trailer for the collection, it might be me in hologram shape: “Lend a hand me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You might be my simplest hope.”
And from a peculiar, meta point of view it might be Disney itself. Following a blended big-budget trilogy and in large part unsuccessful derivative films, chased by means of mediocre displays like The Guide of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi seems like an enormous gamble for Disney. A do-or-die second for a sequence languishing within the doldrums. A final hope.
Web page-turners, they weren’t
Make no mistake: Megastar Wars, for the decade no less than, has sorta sucked. All over that length Megastar Wars has taken me on a wild adventure that started with anger, then acceptance, however that in the end led to entire indifference.
I merely do not care about Megastar Wars any further, and I do not believe I am on my own. I am not invested in its universe, its characters or its luck. Megastar Wars — that mythical story that takes position a very long time in the past in a galaxy a long way, a long way away — has misplaced its mystique.
The Closing Jedi dominated when it used to be launched, and it is just were given higher with age.
Disney
It stings tougher as a result of Disney to start with were given it proper. After a well-made (albeit protected) homage film in The Power Awakens, Megastar Wars broke the mildew with The Closing Jedi; a film that challenged no longer simplest assumptions about Jedi lore and different hokey-pokey bullshit, however notions of nostalgia and fandom itself. In brief, it completely dominated.
In possibly the most productive Megastar Wars scene ever placed on movie, Yoda stands in entrance of a blazing fireplace he himself began. “The sacred texts,” screams Luke, in agony.
“Web page-turners, they weren’t,” replies Yoda.
This used to be a film that informed us to “let the previous die, kill it if you need to.” It used to be the whole lot the Megastar Wars collection wanted, and it used to be wonderful.
After all everybody were given mad. Disney panicked. Upward thrust of Skywalker, a cobbled-together spreadsheet of a film, used to be the end result. It regarded, felt and performed like a film written by means of a poisonous Reddit thread long past sentient, and it undid each and every daring determination made in The Closing Jedi. It used to be the primary nail within the coffin of my very own Megastar Wars fandom, however it would not be the ultimate.
Within the wake of Upward thrust of Skywalker we’ve got observed Megastar Wars do little however pander to an target market determined to indulge in nostalgia. To be transparent: All of us wish to take our percentage of the blame for this. We have now devolved right into a cursed collective that judges the standard of displays like The Mandalorian and The Guide of Boba Fett in line with the standard of its cameos. Did a grotesquely CGI’d Luke Skywalker flip up? Excellent. No Ahsoka Tano or Child Yoda on this episode? Unhealthy.
It is completely warped.
Area Pictures From NASA and Past Make Megastar Wars Really feel Very Actual
That is a reputation I have not heard in a very long time
Given the lackluster high quality of Disney’s contemporary Megastar Wars output, it is unreasonable to be expecting Obi-Wan Kenobi to sign a sea exchange, however I retain a small, smoldering ember of hope. For a couple of causes.
We have now a unique technology of enthusiasts nostalgic for a unique form of Megastar Wars.
Merrick Morton
Explanation why 1: The stakes really feel top. Obi-Wan Kenobi is a central personality within the Megastar Wars universe, and he is performed by means of considered one of Hollywood’s greatest stars. Of the entire displays launched on Disney Plus, you sense it will be important they get this one proper. The ones stakes may lead to Disney enjoying it protected, however I hope it ends up in a higher-quality manufacturing around the board.
Explanation why 2: We now have a technology of Megastar Wars enthusiasts hankering for a other form of nostalgia. The latest Megastar Wars trilogy spent six forged hours enjoying with or in opposition to the unique trilogy. In 2022 now we have a bunch of thirtysomethings who grew up along the prequel trilogy.
I am an enemy of nostalgia-bait in virtually the entire media I devour, however I think it might be a laugh to go back to the prequel aesthetic with a brand new set of jointly growing older eyeballs. Prequel-land seems like a unique Megastar Wars universe that is much less inflexible and lived in. There may be doable for one thing distinctive there.
In that regard, Obi-Wan may additionally act as a bridge of varieties. No longer a Rogue One-style bridge — a lifeless film straining to plug gaps that by no means wanted plugging — however one thing extra expansive and imaginative. Inside the tight confines of the Megastar Wars universe, there is house within the Obi-Wan timeline for one thing other: new characters, new enemies, new planets. There may be additionally house to create connective tissue between the trilogies that feels much less convoluted. Contemporary films and displays have made Megastar Wars really feel rickety and small, held at the side of superglue and sticky tape. Possibly I am in charge of projecting my very own hopes and goals right here, however possibly Obi-Wan Kenobi could make Megastar Wars really feel huge and unknowable once more. I dunno. Possibly.
I’m going to be maximum dissatisfied if it continues to color by means of numbers. Obi-Wan Kenobi may but develop into some other bleh Megastar Wars display, stumbling from one fan provider cameo to the following like a decaying zombie looking for brains. That is virtually no doubt the likeliest end result right here, however we will be able to dare to dream.
Lend a hand us, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You might be our simplest hope.
