The fallacy of war

Meeting the expectations of fans is an impossible feat. Some you'll please, others will be disappointed with the results and others will just accept it for what it is. No other franchise goes through these turmoils more than Star Wars, and these days the series has dealt with more toxic fans than the Jedi had to deal with the Sith. Continuing after the events of controversial The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker continues Rey's (Daisy Ridley) ascension of being a Jedi while finally coming to terms about her heritage. Meanwhile, The First Order continues to wear down what remains of the Resistance after an old enemy resurfaces to bring the war to an end. The Rise of Skywalker showcased a sense of hubris in its' capacity that it could deliver on those expectations while at the same time close out the official plot with satisfactory results. For better or worse, the film encapsulates everything we love about the franchise from its' massive space battles, the intricate plot twists and intertwining drama between characters. Given the anticipation that was building since The Force Awakens, I was expecting a meatier finale but instead the film placed more emphasis on the closure of it all and bringing everything full circle. Not that I'm complaining but given that this is the climax, I had hoped for a more riveting conclusion. To reiterate what I mentioned about meeting expectations, The Rise of Skywalker falls into the latter of accepting the results which is neither good or bad. Luckily, it's Star Wars and there's plenty more stories to explore in the galaxy far, far away.