Rey Is the Safe Bet
In letting Rey be the one to survive and lead the future Jedi, JJ took the safe/happily ever after ending. I know Disney likes these endings for its cartoons, but even they aren’t all this squeaky clean. She makes one mistake, but that quickly reverses itself when she heals the wound she just inflicted on Kylo.
The galaxy will love her as the last Jedi. Moving forward, Rey’s journey would look as squeaky clean as Luke’s. The chance for something new moving forward was lost when Rey survived and Kylo died.
Better Ending: Performances Gone to Waste
The ending as is squandered two magnificent acting performances both on screen and for the future. Daisy Ridley‘s acting portrayed everything it needed to. Her fire, intensity and anger sucked us into Rey’s journey. Her determination made the ending face off with Sidious believable, but it was in death that she shined brightest.
Watching her lifeless body collapse and lay there was almost truly moving. Her dead eyes staring back at us was so powerful. I wanted to tear up. Problem though, remained with JJ being JJ. I knew they would not leave her dead, but had they her performance would have been masterful and moving. Of course JJ wasted it.
Also looking forward, Ridley’s Rey was a spirit stubborn and set in her ways. She existed so far apart from everyone that there really was not a way to make a future with her very emotionally engaging. Then of course we have Daisy saying she was done with Star Wars. No future there.
Driver Owned the Camera
Adam Driver owned the camera. He needed to own the future as well. Driver played the part of Kylo cold and driven in those final battle scenes with Rey. In those final moments, when our beloved Princess gave her life to do what she must, Driver sold that scene. Of course knowing our beloved Carrie Fisher also lay dead moved fans, but Driver truly sold the feeling of Kylo breaking and Ben resurfacing. Then enter Rey’s saber through his lower sternum. The pain and anguish, emotionally and physically, drew in audiences. So to did that final scene with his Father, Han. It cemented a believable and acceptable transformation from Kylo Ren to Ben Skywalker.
Now think of that final scene. Ben, broken and limping, struggles to Rey’s lifeless body. Again those cold, empty eyes stare back at Ben and us. How powerful a scene would that have been if it stood like that. The girl we followed for three movies dies, and the villain lives. That scene alone would have overwritten every bad thing before it to be one of the most powerful scenes in all of Star Wars.
Better Ending: Han Solo, Jedi Knight
Say Han Solo, Jedi Knight and see what images pop into your head. A strong and powerful Jedi, but a Jedi with a wit and sarcasm that rivaled Yoda’s humor. A Jedi so brash and reckless he charges into any impossible fight saying ” Don’t tell me the odds until after I’ve done it.” Then you get that sheepish grin.
Given the few second here and there at the end, that is precisely the attitude Adam Driver placed into Ben Skywalker. Ben takes the flying leap in the Star Destroyer/building (whatever it was) he does not question the enormity of the leap. He simply leaps, and then we here the “Owww….” said with such inflection it really says “Owww. I really shoulda thought about that before I did it.” ala Han.
When confronting his Knights of Ren as an enemy instead of their leader, weaponless and surrounded, Ben spreads his arms and shrugs his shoulders as if to say “Well, Lets go then.” Then during the fight, when he now has the family saber, he executes a couple spin moves then pauses, slightly bent over with the lightsaber running up his back. A blow glances of the blade and Driver exhales quickly as if to say “whew that was close.”
Moving Forward With a Leader
Going forward we either follow an uncharismatic, steadfast Jedi, or a Jedi with charm, wit and a sense of humor and sarcasm. A Jedi who will do the unthinkable and then figure out what he should have done later.
Granted reading a script and knowing your character dies at the end tends to keep ones mouth shut, but still, Adam Driver never swore off Star Wars the way the other actors did. He may have been willing to do more movies going forward. Daisy quit. Adam did not.
An Unsafe Future with Consequences
Perhaps the greatest reason to let Ben live and Rey die lays with future stories. Ben living would unsettle the future both with the Jedi and the government.
When Anakin comes back and then dies, he dies a hero. He does not answer for his crimes as a Sith Lord. He does not answer for the billions dead at his hands over 35 years of tyranny. Luke does not have to risk the future of the Jedi by protecting his father from those who would want him dead. Governments, people and Jedi simply move forward and forget about what happened.
Had Ben lived, this would all change. Would Ben be held responsible for all those he killed? Could he restart the Jedi after all he did wrong? The galaxy would be torn over what to do about this person. Is he a hero or a war criminal? The story possibilities here are endless and decidedly NOT safe.
Closing thoughts
In the end I really do think Rise of Skywalker could have made a better impression and been a more unifying movie had JJ Abrams not played it overly safe and let Ben live while Rey died. Eliminate that dreaded kiss and add the emotions of Rey dying, I think the ending would have been far more accepted. As of now, RoS remains a safely played piece of fan garbage.
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