Chad L.E McGhie

*Spoiler Free* So, that's it. The story of the Skywalker Saga draws to an end. Would the Sequel Trilogy ever live up to the magic of George Lucas' imagination? Certainly not. I had these expectations going into The Force Awakens, and each film in this trilogy proves why he never should have sold it, and never should have listened to cry baby fans (if it was my story, I sure would not, and WILL not when I release my own). That being said, The Rise of Skywalker is a fast-paced, recklessly moving film that demands a fan's attention to detail to appreciate it all. Is it perfect? Anybody expecting 'perfect' has their expectations too high. But, I had the opportunity to watch all 8 currently released movies before going into The Rise of Skywalker, and I can appreciate J.J Abrams and company's efforts. The Prequel Trilogy deserves more credit for its ability to not only provide a dark and moving origin story for Anakin, but for its ability to link to the Original Trilogy. It is stunning to hear Luke and Obi Wan talk about the Clone Wars many years before those films were even made: it is THIS detailed writing that the Sequel Trilogy lacks, due to the changing of hands between films. But, where The Rise of Skywalker succeeds is where the Prequel Trilogy succeeds as well: connectivity. Relevance to the rest of the story. As a writer, closing off the saga that another person created, with so many hands involved, would be a tremendous task. Perhaps that is the attractive part of The Rise of Skywalker: it knows its not perfect. It has a very human and emotional element to it, filled with nostalgia and questions being answered. I felt the space battles were underwhelming, but the lightsaber battles and the battle between the Jedi and Sith has never been more exhilarating. For all that The Rise of Skywalker has to juggle, it accomplishes its task with all the spirit of the previous 8 films rolled into one. Ridley and Driver steal the show in the final installment, as they have the entire Sequel Trilogy, but the flashback segments and tribute to Leia were incredible as well. I know the reviews have been negative, but I do believe people need to 'let go' and just enjoy the art for what it is. Flaws can be found in the entire saga of movies, and The Rise of Skywalker is certainly flawed. But, it is also a human, emotional, and thrilling roller coaster that will leave you wondering if we will ever see the Skywalkers again.