There’s plenty of high-quality essays out about Star Wars this week. As Revenge of the Sith celebrates a birthday and the George Lucas Star Wars franchise is pushing 50, now is a good time to compare and contrast. Disney Star Wars vs the Lucas Star Wars. Here’s my two cents as a writer: They just don’t get it. Most writers don’t get it. Disney certainly doesn’t get it. And it’s maimed the franchise and left it for dead. (see what I did there?)
George Lucas’ Star Wars is a myth. It’s the hero’s journey. It’s a fairy tale. Now that doesn’t mean it’s story for 5-year-olds. It means the good guy’s win. The good guys don’t die. You think they will…but they miraculously survive. That makes for a good story and a good time at the movies.
Many writers have gotten lost with this one. Lawrence Kasdan has been trying to kill a main character since the Empire Strikes Back. Lucas had to explain the fairy tale nature of Star Wars to ol’ Larry. Kasdan claimed he understood, but killed Han Solo the first chance he got. (Note: Jedi masters might get “killed” but they always are still part of the story if you need em to show up as a ghost)
Okay: Star Wars is a classic myth, like King Arthur. It’s good guys vs bad guys. Good guys win. It is not about the spaceships and the stuff! Many people STILL don’t understand if you don’t have solid story and characters that you are invested in, no one gives a crap about the spaceships.
Star Wars isn’t about gay rights or animal rescue. It’s bigger than that! It’s a more universal story along the lines of Lord of the Rings. People who are trying to do the right thing and navigate through a world of people trying to stop them. It’s… the hero’s journey. Until Disney Star Wars understands that? Star Wars will continue to lay there like a lightsaber in Obi Wans treasure chest.
There are accounts that Harrison Ford had wanted Solo to die as a hero even before the film in question, so I don’t believe at this time that Kasdan is completely to blame. As far as the character goes, I can’t make myself blame Harrison Ford for Solo’s death. As the Solo actor for decades, he had the right to ask for kill-off or to not take the part. Here’s one article, but the readers can search for interviews with Ford.
https://movieweb.com/harrison-ford-han-solo-dies/
One thing Episode VII also did, was put an end to the ever-growing size of the ‘Death Star’ function/device. But not in a good sci-fi way. Starkiller was too much of a stretch to suspend disbelief, to imagine an entire planet hollowed out and used as a bottle to store a star’s matter, and then release it in a concentrated beam half a million miles to the target. Without any story/backstory of the new science behind it, it became merely Fantasy, e.g. bring out the dragons and witches.
That said, it’s just an opinion, as is this: Disney has released enough badly done titles to deserve every criticism they receive. The recent “The Acolyte” was mediocre even as a TV-movie. After having to sit through it (because good manners) I think it would have underperformed at the box office. As much time and effort went into it, they could have done a lot better. I would not consider buying this one on DVD when it comes out, which will likely be soon.
Disney’s has never been really good at science fiction. Their misunderstanding of heroic tales, in their wider sense, is completely broken/lost. The concept of “Heroes Fighting Evil, Winning, and Reaping the Rewards of Virtue” has been replaced with actors shoehorned into roles for which they are not optimal, Beloved Main Characters made unrecognizable, and plots sprinkled with Cringe Moments. Disney’s lost the ability to tell a truly wonderful and exciting epic story.
Awesome comment! Well done! I searched high and low for the audio of George Lucas explaining why Kasdan was wrong to want to kill characters in Star Wars. Kasdan wanted to kill Luke and make Leia the lead. He wanted to kill Han. He wanted to kill chewy at one point. Just to drive home the point that war has consequences or some such BS. HA! Lucas had to ‘correct’ Kasdans thinking. And I agree with you 100% on Disney. It’s such a bummer to watch them destroy the franchise. And Starkiller base was just stupid. Like spaceballs levels of stupid.