Today, April 12th, marked a few things – the 38th anniversary of the first Space Shuttle Flight, the 58th anniversary of the first manned space flight, Vostok 1, and the release of the teaser trailer for Star Wars Episode IX – The Rise Of Skywalker. No, a film trailer isn’t as important as those events, but the date is an interesting coincidence.
This film is the conclusion of the “new” trilogy of Star Wars films started following the acquisition of the property by Disney, and comes after rather mixed feelings for the previous film in the series “The Last Jedi.”
While I don’t hate The Last Jedi, it wasn’t that great of a film, and seemed to try to reset many elements of the story which had already been put in motion by the first entry in the new trilogy “The Force Awakens.” The things it did right, it didn’t do well enough and the things it did wrong really really brought it down.
Here, however, we have something that looks promising, much as the teaser for The Force Awakens did what, 4 years ago now? Of course now we have an established story flow, and the trailer needs to feed on that, and that it does.
We start with Rey standing in the desert, Jedi garb and lightsaber ready with the voice of Luke preparing her for a conflict that’s coming right to her, quite literally, in the form of a TIE vehicle (looking like an enhanced TIE Interceptor design?) Many people online are debating over this, but given the story so far I’d dare say it’s Kylo Ren in a fighter he just took off in.
We move on to the typical “set of clips to set the mood” scene of such trailers, with clips of Kylo Ren, Finn, Poe and even… Lando Calrissian! In the pilots seat of the Millennium Falcon again? Hell yeah!
I’m noticing a lack of Rose, a character introduced in The Last Jedi, but we do see Leia — apparently placed in the film by the use of footage left over from the filming of The Force Awakens. That of course will delight many fans, and hopefully will be done well.
We end, after more flashy battles and quick clips to the group we’ve come to know standing on a cliff looking out over the sea with a very familiar shape in the distance — what looks to be the remains of one of the Death Stars.
At this same time Luke’s voice over continues saying “No one’s ever really gone” with the laughter of Emperor Palpatine following the Death Star scene.
Whatever they have planned, they are presenting it well. That’s all I can really say. It’s a two minute teaser, but just the thought that it may finally tie everything together (I mean, it would have to) has me excited. I’m hoping this will be worth it.