The last installment of the original trilogy. It’s been such a treat revisiting these movies, and even if Return of the Jedi doesn’t quite maintain the upward trajectory of the first two films, it’s still thoroughly entertaining and the characters remain delightful to watch.
The end of Empire Strikes Back found one of our heroes in dire straits, and everyone has to pull together for a daring rescue. The rebels decide to attempt a major move against the Empire, hoping to destroy the second Death Star while it’s still under construction (yep, the Empire basically has one move.) Meanwhile, Luke seeks guidance as he reels from the revelations of the previous movie and prepares for a final face-off with Darth Vader.
As I said when I reviewed Revenge of the Sith, the Jedi’s philosophy really does lead to a lot of unnecessary toxicity. The ill-conceived counsel in this film isn’t as egregious as the stuff in that one, but it’s still kind of wild how tonedeaf the Jedi can be. But where their ideology contributed to Anakin’s undoing, it actually serves to enhance Luke’s own hero’s journey in opposition to it. For all that he learns at the knee of his masters, Luke’s ultimate hero moment is about going against the teachings and embracing the true power of Star Wars: personal connection. I don’t argue with quibbles over the resolution, but I appreciate that Luke becomes his own kind of hero rather than the “perfect Jedi” (shades of Steve Rogers, maybe?)
While Luke is off dealing with the angsty stuff – the burden of being the savior, I tell you – Han, Leia, and co. get plenty of fun action over on Endor. The Ewoks are amusing, there’s a heroic last stand that’s equal parts shooting, quips, and romance, and Lando leads the Cavalry in the Falcon. In short, it’s everything a Star Wars movie promises to be.
For parting thoughts on this trilogy, I’d say that, as much as I love the iconic designs and the wild martial arts/space western opera storytelling, it really comes down to the characters for me. Each member of the main trio is a definite “type” and yet so well-realized, and the whole larger family of characters ranges from tremendously cool to delightfully endearing. I can’t speak for all the generations of little kids who grew up obsessed with this series, but I personally think these characters are even more enduring than the lightsabers, the Stormtroopers, and creature effects. I realize that the characters and the relationships between them are what Star Wars has been about all along, and I suspect it’s why the newer projects that really helped kick my casual interest into full-blown fandom were Rogue One and The Mandalorian. More than the twists, more than the action, it’s the connections that stick with me.
So grateful to those newer projects for bringing me back to Star Wars, and rewatching the original trilogy has left me with all sorts of warm feelings. I fully expect regular return viewings in my future.
Warnings
Violence, scary moments for kids, suggestiveness, thematic elements, and disabled characters played by ablebodied actors.
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