How Disney Ruined Star Wars | The History of Disney’s Failed Star Wars Trilogy

Summary

In this video, Andru Kent, aka Sven Sully, shares his journey of becoming a Star Wars fan, starting with 'Revenge of the Sith' and expressing disappointment with Disney's handling of the franchise. He critiques 'The Force Awakens' for its unoriginality and 'The Last Jedi' for its controversial changes. However, his main critique is reserved for 'The Rise of Skywalker,' which he considers his least favorite due to its disjointed plot, underwhelming character arcs, and the forced inclusion of Emperor Palpatine. He argues that Disney's interference and lack of trust in their creators led to a movie that feels out of step with the rest of the saga, lacking the memorable moments and cohesive storytelling that made previous installments beloved.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The speaker's initial exposure to Star Wars was through the prequel 'Revenge of the Sith', which sparked a deep love for the franchise.
• 🎬 Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012 marked a significant shift in the direction of the Star Wars universe, leading to mixed reactions among fans.
• 🔄 The speaker criticizes Disney's decision to make everything outside of the main films and 'The Clone Wars' series non-canon, alienating some fans.
• 👦👧 The casting of 'The Force Awakens' introduced new characters alongside returning ones, but the film was seen as unoriginal and left many questions unanswered.
• 🤔 Despite initial reservations, the speaker has warmed up to 'The Force Awakens', appreciating its entertainment value and the introduction of new characters.
• 🌌 'The Last Jedi' received backlash for its handling of beloved characters and plot choices, but the speaker finds it more enjoyable than 'The Force Awakens' due to its unpredictability.
• 🚀 'The Rise of Skywalker' is the speaker's least favorite Star Wars film, feeling disjointed from the rest of the series and suffering from poor plot decisions.
• 👻 The return of Emperor Palpatine in 'The Rise of Skywalker' is seen as a major plot hole and an unnecessary attempt to appease fans, undermining previous films.
• 💔 The speaker expresses disappointment in the lack of development for new characters and the underwhelming send-off for Leia Organa.
• 🔮 Force healing is criticized for creating plot holes and feeling like a lazy addition to the Star Wars lore.
• 🎼 The absence of prequel characters and music in 'The Rise of Skywalker' is noted as a missed opportunity to tie together the entire saga.

Q & A

What year did the speaker first watch Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith?

The speaker first watched Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith in 2005.

Why did the speaker initially not watch Star Wars in theaters?

The speaker did not watch Star Wars in theaters initially because they were not fully exposed to the Star Wars franchise at that time.

What was the speaker's first exposure to Star Wars?

The speaker's first exposure to Star Wars was when they would skip to the end of Attack of the Clones with their neighbor.

What event marked the beginning of the speaker's deep interest in Star Wars?

The speaker's deep interest in Star Wars began when they got Revenge of the Sith on DVD and watched it with their older brother and his friend.

How does the speaker describe their feelings towards Star Wars after watching the original trilogy?

The speaker describes becoming as big of a Star Wars fan as almost anyone after watching the original trilogy.

What was the speaker's opinion of Star Wars: The Force Awakens when they first saw it in theaters?

The speaker was not pleased with The Force Awakens when they first saw it in theaters, as it felt unoriginal and had too many unanswered questions.

What significant change did Disney make to the Star Wars franchise after acquiring Lucasfilm?

After acquiring Lucasfilm, Disney made everything outside of the six main films and the Clone Wars TV series non-canon.

What is the speaker's stance on Star Wars: The Last Jedi compared to The Force Awakens?

The speaker holds an unpopular opinion of liking The Last Jedi more than The Force Awakens due to its look and unpredictability.

How does the speaker view the inclusion of Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker?

The speaker views the inclusion of Emperor Palpatine as a major plot hole and feels it invalidates the ending of Return of the Jedi.

What is the speaker's main critique of the pacing in the first hour of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker?

The speaker critiques the first hour of The Rise of Skywalker for its rapid movement between six different planets and a lack of downtime to develop the story.

Why does the speaker consider Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker as their least favorite Star Wars movie?

The speaker considers The Rise of Skywalker as their least favorite Star Wars movie due to its lack of memorable moments, poor handling of character arcs, and the forced inclusion of Emperor Palpatine.

Outlines

00:00

🎥 Star Wars Fandom and Disappointment with Disney's Trilogy

The speaker, Andru Kent, reflects on his initial exposure to Star Wars through 'Attack of the Clones' and how his love for the franchise blossomed after watching 'Revenge of the Sith'. He reminisces about becoming a dedicated fan and expresses his deep disappointment with Disney's handling of the Star Wars franchise post-acquisition. The summary of Disney's decisions to make everything outside the main films and 'The Clone Wars' non-canon, and the casting of new and old actors in 'The Force Awakens', is highlighted. The speaker also shares his initial dissatisfaction with 'The Force Awakens' due to its unoriginality and unresolved plot points, but acknowledges developing a soft spot for it over time, appreciating its entertainment value despite its flaws.

05:01

🚀 Critique of 'The Last Jedi' and Controversial Reception

This paragraph delves into the divisive response to 'The Last Jedi', directed by Rian Johnson. The speaker acknowledges the film's flaws, such as the character of Rose and the controversial portrayal of Luke Skywalker, but defends the film's unpredictability and visual appeal. He admits to liking 'The Last Jedi' more than 'The Force Awakes', despite recognizing its issues. The speaker also criticizes the lack of character development for new introductions and the misuse of force healing, which creates plot inconsistencies. The paragraph culminates in a critique of 'The Rise of Skywalker', expressing the speaker's dissatisfaction with its disjointed narrative from the rest of the Star Wars saga.

10:03

🌌 'The Rise of Skywalker': A Disjointed and Uninspired Conclusion

The speaker provides a detailed critique of 'The Rise of Skywalker', expressing his distaste for the film's handling of Emperor Palpatine's return, the rapid pacing, and the lack of character development for new introductions. He criticizes the film's first hour as a chaotic sequence of planet-hopping with no opportunity for narrative depth. The speaker also laments the underwhelming send-off for Leia and the forced redemption arc for Kylo Ren. He finds the film's ending to be lazy and lacking in creativity, with a reliance on plot devices that undermine previous films, such as the return of Palpatine and the revelation of Rey's lineage. The speaker concludes that 'The Rise of Skywalker' is his least favorite Star Wars film due to its lack of memorable moments and its departure from the established canon.

15:03

🎬 Disney's Creative Interference and the Future of Star Wars

In the final paragraph, the speaker addresses Disney's creative interference in the Star Wars franchise, suggesting that the company's desire to control the narrative has led to a lack of trust in the filmmakers. He contrasts this with 'The Mandalorian', which flourished under the full creative control of Jon Favreau. The speaker implores Disney to allow creators the freedom to do their jobs without undue influence. He invites viewers to share their thoughts on 'The Rise of Skywalker' and ends with a note of thanks for engaging with his content, encouraging subscription and safekeeping.

Keywords

💡Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

This is a film in the Star Wars franchise, released in 2005, which the narrator first watched on DVD and fell in love with, marking the beginning of their Star Wars fandom. It's significant as it's the prequel that initiated the narrator's journey with the series, and it's contrasted with later films in the franchise that the narrator found disappointing.

💡Disney's Star Wars

This term refers to the acquisition of Lucasfilm by Disney in 2012, which led to a new era of Star Wars films under Disney's creative control. The narrator expresses dissatisfaction with the direction Disney took with the franchise, particularly with the sequel trilogy, which they feel diverged from the original spirit of the series.

💡Canon

In the context of the Star Wars universe, 'canon' refers to the official storylines and events that are considered part of the main narrative. The narrator mentions Disney's decision to make everything outside the main films and the Clone Wars series non-canon, which was met with fan backlash and is a point of contention in the video.

💡The Force Awakens

This is the first film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy released by Disney. The narrator had mixed feelings about it, initially finding it unoriginal and filled with unanswered questions, but later developing a soft spot for it due to its entertainment value and new characters.

💡The Last Jedi

This is the second film in the Disney Star Wars trilogy, directed by Rian Johnson. The narrator acknowledges the film's flaws but appreciates its unpredictability and visual style, expressing a controversial preference for it over 'The Force Awakens'.

💡The Rise of Skywalker

The final film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, which the narrator considers their least favorite Star Wars movie. They criticize the film's plot, character development, and the inclusion of Emperor Palpatine, feeling that it fails to cohesively conclude the saga.

💡Emperor Palpatine

A central antagonist in the Star Wars series, known for his role in the original trilogy. The narrator is critical of Palpatine's return in 'The Rise of Skywalker', viewing it as a forced and unconvincing plot device that undermines the narrative's integrity.

💡Force Healing

A concept introduced in 'The Rise of Skywalker', where characters can heal injuries using the Force. The narrator finds this addition to be plot-hole inducing and a sign of lazy writing, detracting from the film's overall quality.

💡Leia's Inclusion

Refers to the posthumous inclusion of Carrie Fisher's character, Leia Organa, in 'The Rise of Skywalker'. The narrator feels her send-off was underwhelming, given the circumstances of Fisher's passing and the limitations it imposed on the character's development.

💡Predictability

The narrator criticizes 'The Rise of Skywalker' for being predictable, particularly in the character arc of Kylo Ren, which they feel is a rehash of Darth Vader's story from the original trilogy, diminishing its impact.

💡Prequel Trilogy

The Star Wars trilogy consisting of 'The Phantom Menace', 'Attack of the Clones', and 'Revenge of the Sith', which are set before the events of the original trilogy. The narrator expresses a desire for more representation from these films in 'The Rise of Skywalker', feeling that their exclusion weakens the film's connection to the broader Star Wars saga.

💡Kylo Ren's Arc

The character development of Kylo Ren, who starts as a primary antagonist but undergoes a redemption arc in 'The Rise of Skywalker'. The narrator finds this arc to be predictable and derivative, lacking the originality and depth they appreciated in his portrayal in 'The Last Jedi'.

💡The Mandalorian

A Star Wars television series produced by Disney, which the narrator praises as an example of successful creative freedom within the Star Wars universe. They contrast this with the issues they perceive in the sequel trilogy, suggesting that less interference from Disney would lead to better storytelling.

Highlights

The speaker's initial exposure to Star Wars was through a neighbor and watching the end of 'Attack of the Clones'.

Discovery and love for Star Wars began with watching 'Revenge of the Sith' on DVD.

The speaker's journey through the Star Wars saga, including the original trilogy and 'Phantom Menace'.

Disappointment with the new Star Wars trilogy released by Disney.

Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm and the subsequent changes to the Star Wars canon.

Casting announcements for 'Episode 7' featuring both new and original trilogy actors.

Mixed feelings about 'The Force Awakens', noting its unoriginality and unanswered questions.

A softened view of 'The Force Awakens' over time, appreciating its entertainment value.

Criticism of 'The Last Jedi', including issues with character portrayals and plot.

Controversial opinion: preference for 'The Last Jedi' over 'The Force Awakens' due to its unpredictability.

Dislike for 'The Rise of Skywalker', considering it the least favorite Star Wars movie.

The chaotic first hour of 'The Rise of Skywalker' with too many plot jumps and character chases.

Introduction of new characters in 'The Rise of Skywalker' without proper development.

Force healing as a plot device introduced in 'The Rise of Skywalker', seen as lazy and creating plot holes.

The underwhelming and weird send-off of Leia's character in 'The Rise of Skywalker'.

The return of Emperor Palpatine in 'The Rise of Skywalker' as a major plot hole and narrative issue.

The predictability of 'The Rise of Skywalker' and its lack of a memorable moment.

The lack of representation of prequel characters and music in 'The Rise of Skywalker'.

The recommendation for Disney to allow creators more freedom in future projects, citing 'The Mandalorian' as a successful example.

Transcripts

[Music]

it's 2005 Star Wars Episode three

Revenge of the Sith has just hit

theaters and I'm not in the theaters

watching it that's because I wasn't

fully exposed to Star Wars just yet the

only time I was exposed to Star Wars was

when my neighbor and I would constantly

skip to the end of Attack of the Clones

that's it

but everything soon changed when I got

Revenge of the Sith on DVD and proceeded

to watch it with my older brother and

his friend I instantly fell in love

eventually I watched the original

trilogy and checked out the Phantom

Menace for the first time the rest is

history I became as big of a Star Wars

fan as almost anyone the most shocking

part though my love for Star Wars began

with a Star Wars prequel movie Revenge

of the Sith and yes to this day I love

that film but now here we are more than

four years after the release of Disney's

first Star Wars film star wars the force

awakens and the end result of this new

Star Wars trilogy could not have been

any more disappointing I'm Andru Kent

aka Sven Sully and this is how Disney

ruined Star Wars way back on October

30th 2012 Disney bought Lucasfilm from

George Lucas and with its purchase

acquire the rights to all things Star

Wars since that moment everything

changed

Star Wars became full-on Disney with a

lot planned for the future by 2014

Disney made it clear that everything

outside of the six main films and the

Clone Wars TV series would now be

non-canon obviously fans hated this

decision but that wouldn't stop Disney

from moving along with their plans

around that time the cast was announced

for episode 7 with several unknown

actors like Daisy Ridley and John boyega

joining the team along with cast members

from the original trilogy returning and

then on December 18 2015

Star Wars The Force awakens was released

I wasn't too pleased the first time I

saw this film in theaters because it

felt unoriginal and had way too many

questions left unanswered

paired with cringy dialogue

over the last four years I have

developed a little soft spot for the

film and consider it solid it looks

fantastic has good humor gives us a

great new character in kylo Ren as well

as finally reuniting the characters we

loved so much from the original trilogy

but most importantly it's entertaining

and that's what I mainly look for with

Star Wars hence why the Phantom Menace

has remained as one of my least favorite

Star Wars movies to date because it's

boring but even though I have warmed up

to the force awakens my problems have

not changed

anyway two years later we got Ryan

Johnson's attempt at continuing the Star

Wars saga or Star Wars the last Jedi you

know the one that everyone seems to hate

the most yes this movie has issues yes

Rose was awful yes Luke wasn't the same

Luke that we know and love yes that Leia

seemed was just

these are understandable complaints but

I feel like most of what people hate

about the last Jedi revolves around

minor problems how much of a

significance is Leia seen really getting

straight to the point there are some

things I like and things I don't like an

unpopular opinion of mine is that I like

the last Jedi more than the force

awakens I like the look of the film more

and its unpredictability snoke's early

death was shocking and kylo goes full-on

madman and don't get me wrong while I

like both the force awakens and the last

Jedi these movies aren't nearly as good

as episodes 3 4 5 & 6 sure they're well

made both films are rather disappointing

though considering the standard that I'm

used to but I'm not here to talk about

the last Jedi I'm here to discuss the

film that came directly after it so

let's get right to Star Wars the rise of

Skywalker

where do I start with this thing I saw

the rise of Skywalker twice the second

time coming a month and a half after it

premiered and I was very generous

towards the rise of Skywalker in my

first review but after giving it much

thought and seeing it for a second time

it's absolutely my least favorite Star

Wars movie a film that feels so

completely unattached from the other 8

episodic films that it's about as

forgettable as it gets JJ Abrams vision

from the force awakens has been a race

which I guess we can somewhat blame on

the last Jedi but regardless that's not

a good excuse for why this movie turned

out the way it did a phrase that I hear

a lot coming from people's mouths so

often when talking about the rise of

Skywalker is will it's better than the

last Jedi I liked it because it made up

for the mess that the last Jedi created

again yes the last Jedi does have some

problems but one major plot hole that

every fan of the rise of Skywalker loves

to ignore is the inclusion of one

Emperor Palpatine I'll touch more on

that soon but let's begin with the first

hour of this movie it's a complete mess

when I saw the rise of Skywalker a

second time I counted a total of six

planets that we visit in the span of an

hour with our main characters and this

whole first hour is just a game of cat

and mouse kylo Ren chases rey de persona

kylo Ren chases radhikaji me kylo Ren

chases Rey onto the first order ship

kylo Ren chases right Akif beer and kylo

ren meets Rey on eggs a goal the film

moves around like a pinball and we never

get a moment to slow down and as much as

I disliked rows in the last Jedi it was

upsetting to see her as an irrelevant

background character in the rise of

Skywalker oh hey wait we're introduced

to a few new characters to replace Rose

psych now we don't have enough time to

develop them but why would you even

bother introducing a few new characters

in this movie and not utilize them Jana

was introduced an hour into the final

film of the trilogy but we don't care it

was like Disney panic last minute and

threw together a couple

rose replacements hoping fans would like

them more than Rose something else

introduced in the first hour of the rise

of Skywalker that bothers me is force

healing okay not only this is create a

ton of plot holes but it's such an I

roll ER and just feels lazy there's no

need for this to be in the movie and I

know it's in the mandalorian too but at

least Yoda's species are seemingly very

powerful beings with ray it's just plain

dumb and irritating I wouldn't say

Leia's inclusion was mishandled they did

the best they could but the way her

character went out was just

underwhelming and weird people

complained about Luke's death in the

last Jedi but he was projecting himself

across the galaxy

why just dies because she touches kylos

heart what I know Carrie Fisher

unfortunately passed away and they

couldn't do much with her in the rise of

Skywalker but come on you could have

made her send-off so much better also

that's what turns Kyle oh good again

what okay I'm going to save my breath

and stop talking about it but now I get

into my main problem with Star Wars the

rise of Skywalker the ending gosh do I

hate how this movie ends again it feels

lazy and last-minute there's no

creativity thought or desire to make a

competent ending it's just a ton of BS

for the sake of having Palpatine bag to

make up for those who hated the first to

Disney Star Wars movies and oh my god

people love Palpatine's inclusion

because well he's the most powerful

synth Lord ever and he's awesome but as

far as I'm concerned the man is still

dead he died in Return of the Jedi

having him as a clone in this movie

invalidates Return of the Jedi fans will

say he could have cheated death okay if

you want to use that argument I guess

Voldemort can still come back - right

imagine how Harry Potter fans would feel

if a new trilogy was announced with all

the returning characters with a cool

mysterious new villain and then by the

third film it was revealed that

Voldemort returned again this whole plot

line of Palpatine creating Snoke with

Rey being his granddaughter and if she

strikes him down she'll become the

leader

of the Sith which by the way I haven't

mentioned that ray is now a Palpatine

and when her and kylo refused to side

with him he sucks their souls and

Palpatine uses that to become Opie sends

a huge bolt of lightning through the sky

disrupting the ships flying above all of

this is madness the second time I

watched the rise of Skywalker

I laughed hysterically at the ending

it's so bad it's funny and feels like a

cartoon Palpatine doesn't come off as a

smart villain anymore now he feels like

a meme an unintentionally funny moronic

villain I can't even fathom why Disney

thought Palpatine and this form was a

good idea and a lot of fans loved it I

do think for one people who love this

movie probably hated the last Jedi or

both that and the force awakens and

secondly I feel like over time fans will

dislike the rise of Skywalker more and

more they'll see through its cracks

actually I guarantee if Palpatine wasn't

in this movie many fans wouldn't like

the rise of Skywalker if the removal of

one character who was barely in the

movie to begin with is enough for you to

go from liking the film to disliking the

film chances are it's probably not a

good movie but wait there's more here's

what I also hated about Star Wars the

rise of Skywalker is ending

predictability it's extremely

predictable kylo ren's arc was

predictably the same as Vader's and

therefore it's meaningless to me because

it's just a copied arc from a much

better trilogy I loved kylo in the last

Jedi because there seemed like real

potential for him to be the main bad guy

through and through who says you need a

bigger bad guy than kylo freakin Ren why

does he have the Terran good do people

forget that kylo isn't a Sith Lord he

doesn't need a master he can fully

operate by himself without question what

you could have done is have Rey kill him

maybe that frees his force ghost a ghost

that was manipulated by Palpatine spirit

the whole time I don't know something

like that but they didn't go in this

direction and with Palpatine's inclusion

in the final film we saw the same

character arc twice in Star Wars from

Vader to

the Knights of Ren I thought maybe

they'll finally get their moment they

were kept as a big mystery in the first

two movies and maybe just maybe he'll

get their time to shine

oh wait that's that's it they are in the

movie for like five minutes and kylo

kills them instantly Wow prequel

characters I hate how Disney ignored

some major opportunities to bring back

old characters in Ghost form I'm not

talking about Leia Luke or Han I'm

talking about characters from the

prequels like obi-wan Anakin and mace

Windu apparently they filmed a scene

with them included in the original cut

of the movie but Disney decided no and

opted to make them force voices instead

for me that's just not good enough this

was the final movie of a nine film saga

the most popular movie franchise of all

time Star Wars

they said Episode nine will tie all nine

movies together but I did not notice a

single mention of the prequels in the

rise of Skywalker besides old Jedi

voices I don't understand their decision

not to include the ghost of obi-wan

Anakin or any of the Jedi from the

prequels at the end of the movie

yes episodes 1 & 2 aren't good that's

fine a lot of people didn't like the

prequels but I have a hard time

believing people did not like episode 3

or at least most people I hate how fans

always associate episode 3 with episodes

1 & 2 bogging the film down it's not

perfect but nonetheless I think it's a

great movie and for that reason alone

they should have included forced ghosts

from the prequels because at least

episode 3 was good and come on who

wouldn't want to see you and McGregor or

samuel l.jackson again in Star Wars and

not only were there no characters from

the prequels but there wasn't any

prequel music either like duel the

faith's

a song that's better than anything from

the three Disney Star Wars movies along

with the two anthology Disney films I

actually like most of the prequel music

more than what we had in any of these

movies Bryan kylos kiss don't even get

me started

JJ didn't want it Disney did this was

terrible just terrible it's just there

to get more buts watching the rise of

skywalk

because people apparently love romance

yeah I didn't notice a single ounce of

romance brewing between ray and kylo and

episode 7 & 8 they were always on

opposite sides never fighting for the

same thing a completely dumb decision on

Disney's part oh and now wait there's

also a line said by Ray at the end of

the movie stating her last name is now

Skywalker I could say so much more but

I've stated all my main points Star Wars

the rise of Skywalker is my least

favorite Star Wars movie yeah I said it

I dislike it more than episodes 1 & 2

and why is that well it's simple there's

not a single memorable moment not one

- and poe run around for an hour which

feels like a waste of time kylo Ren was

Rowan and Palpatine should not have been

in this movie in episode 1 I really like

both the podrace and duel of the fates

in episode 2 I like Jango Fett the

planet Kamino and the Coliseum finale

what's there to like about the rise of

Skywalker the only thing I can think of

is the return of Harrison Ford's Han

Solo and Billy Dee Williams Lando

Calrissian after that nothing as far as

I'm concerned the rise of Skywalker is

not canon it feels so separate from any

other film in the nine movie saga that I

can't help but to think it's not canon

as for the prequels they feel more Canon

than this while they aren't perfect they

all feel like the real stories that came

before the original trilogy and part of

George Lucas's vision the creator of

Star Wars in case you forgot not Disney

we have the introduction to young Anakin

the beginning of the Clone Wars and

finally Anakin's turned to the dark side

in Episode nine

Palpatine randomly appears as the main

bad guy but was never mentioned in

Episode seven and eight

it's not pieced together well at all the

whole movie feels like a last-minute

panic attack trying to please fans as

best as possible especially the ones who

hated the last Jedi my recommendation to

Disney in the future is to let their

creators make movies without constantly

looking over their shoulders the point

is let the people who you hire do their

jobs don't do their jobs for them

if a large company puts their ideas

first before their directors in this

case both Colin Trevorrow

and

JJ Abrams's that causes a lack of trust

when this happens movies suck the

mandalorian is great because Disney let

Jon Favreau have full control and get to

work and what do you know season 1 was

awesome

hopefully they learned their lesson and

the next Star Wars trilogy is much

improved I can spend all day even all

week talking about why I don't like

Disney very much in general but I can

say that for a potential video in the

future thanks for hearing me out guys of

course if you feel the same or different

from what I had to say about the rise of

Skywalker comment your thoughts down

below and as always if you are new to my

channel click that subscribe button and

give this video a thumbs up if you

enjoyed it stay safe and have a

fantastic day guys

[Music]

you