Tag: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Babu Frik is ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ breakout star, but he’s no Baby Yoda

There’s no comparison.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD FOR BOTH THE RISE OF SKYWALKER AND THE MANDALORIAN!

Friends, Romans, countrymen, Porgs, Wookiees … we all know the big star of The Rise of Skywalker isn’t Rey or Kylo or even Force Ghost Luke.

It’s Babu Frik.

He’s a teeny little Anzellan with oversized hands who’s a “droidsmith” working on Kijimi (thanks, Wookieepedia) who steals the scenes he’s in and has a key role in the final movie of the Skywalker Saga (and again, SPOILER ALERT): he’s asked to reprogram C-3PO in order to get the droid to translate the ancient inscription written on a dagger that will lead Rey and Co. to a Sith Wayfinder (C-3PO was programmed not to interpret Sith text).

Babu Frik is tiny and old and he occasionally speaks broken English, but then he does stuff that is undoubtedly going to turn into a meme:

He’s great, he brings some levity to the film and he follows in the Star Wars canon of cute things.

But he is no Baby Yoda. C’mon.

The wonderful thing about Baby Yoda is the mystery surrounding “The Child.” He might be a Yoda offspring, he might be a clone and he’s got enough power over the Force to choke a full-grown adult. The fact that he doesn’t really speak is just another reason to love him.

And, darn it, he’s a baby for crying out loud.

So for anyone comparing the two, don’t. Can we say Babu cracks the Top 5 of cutest Star Wars things? Absolutely. Beyond that? No.

While you contemplate this silly argument, here are some Twitter takes:

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10 questions ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ needs to answer

Some things we want to find out in Episode IX.

It’s Star Wars Week here at For The Win as we prepare for The Rise of Skywalker, and thus far we’ve mostly looked into the past: A ranking of the movies thus far, a list of the best characters and the hope that the past doesn’t repeat itself in the new movie.

Now, it’s time to look into the future (assuming you haven’t already by finding out spoilers ahead of the premiere).

Given that this movie ties up the entire Skywalker Saga, the hope is that it gives us some answers to some important questions … and maybe some less vital ones. Here are a few on our minds (and note there will only be SPOILERS of the previous Star Wars movies):

1. What’s the connection between Rey and Kylo?

This is really at the heart of the entire third trilogy. We know they’re connected telepathically, but that the connection seems to go beyond that. Could their combined Force(s) bring balance back to the Force, as was foretold? Are they going to find an entirely new side, not dark or light, but gray?

2. What exactly is a “Skywalker”?

I put that in quotes because so many people are reading into the title as going beyond the bloodline that connects Anakin, Luke, Leia and Kylo. It could mean Luke is actually rising after his passing in The Last Jedi (that would be super religious). It could be the big reveal that Rey is related and is a Skywalker herself (doubtful, that seems too obvious). I think most fans have a theory that a “Skywalker” is an entirely new designation that goes beyond Jedi and Sith. And that’s actually pretty cool.

3. Are Rey’s parents really “nobody”?

I’m not sure if I believe Kylo, not just because he has every reason to manipulate Rey and have her join him. It’s mostly because Star Wars has a seemingly endless thing about parents and orphans and family ties. There has to be something there.

4. How will General Leia’s storyline end?

Due to the passing of Carrie Fisher, we know that J.J. Abrams used previous footage to have her appear in Episode IX. What kind of send-off will she get? I only have one guarantee: it’s going to be emotional.

5. What was the deal with Snoke?

He’s gone now, sliced in half by a floating lightsaber that Kylo used. But … what’s his story? How did he rise to power as Supreme Leader? What’s more vital is whether it’s important to know more about him or if he’s just a figurehead who moved the story along. Die-hard fans might not like it if the latter is the answer.

6. While we’re at it, what’s the deal with Emperor Palpatine!?

This is where the fanboy in me wants to find out that somehow Baby Yoda is involved (and if you haven’t watched The Mandalorian, you should). Let me explain: what if some Stormtrooper found the body of Palpatine before the second Death Star was blown up and the tatters of the fallen Empire figured out there was some clone/offspring and they used its powers/blood/etc to reanimated the Emperor’s body?

Thanks for reading that. But it’s also possible that Palpatine shows up as a Force ghost or he just used the Force to avoid completely dying — remember, Leia did the same thing in The Last Jedi when she was sucked out into space.

7. Will The Mandalorian tie in at all?

It would be perfect timing if it did. Star Wars synergy!

8. What will Finn, Poe and Rose do to save the galaxy?

I’d say that if TRoS is Return of the Jedi, then it seems like this group will be the raiders of Endor, fighting the ground battle.

9. What’s Lando been up to?

I’m sure he was just spending the last few decades enjoying life in Cloud City, beating total alien rubes in Sabacc by cheating like he did as a young man in Solo. Or it’s more likely that he’s been a part of the Resistance all along and he’s coming to their rescue to help them out in their time of need.

10. They fly now?

We actually already have the answer: they fly now.

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Star Wars fans react to negative reviews of ‘The Rise of Skywalker’

The funniest reactions to the reviews of “The Rise of Skywalker.”

The final chapter in the nine-film Star Wars saga releases on Thursday, but The Rise of Skywalker may not be the triumphant finale fans were hoping for. The review embargo for the movie lifted on Wednesday, and critics are hammering J.J. Abrams’ film. The Rotten Tomatoes score for The Rise of Skywalker is hovering around 56% as of Wednesday morning, and it’s possible that Episode IX drops below The Phantom Menace’s low mark of 53%.

Some fans aren’t taking the news very well, and many are dunking on J.J. Abrams on Twitter.

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‘The Rise of Skywalker’ is the last chance for Disney to take a real risk with Star Wars

Surprise us, Disney. Try something different.

It’s time for Disney to make Star Wars fans uncomfortable.

In episode seven, “The Force Awakens,” Han Solo meets with a group of rebels, and he practically broke the fourth wall when he said: “So it’s another Death Star.” Everyone was thinking it. The other Star Wars characters in the scene basically said: “BUT IT’S BIGGER!” Solo then follows up, “OK, how do we blow it up? There’s always a way to blow it up.” And they hatch a plan — not unlike the one in episodes five and six. The rebels, clear underdogs, pull off the upset, and destroy the (very large) Starkiller Base — not unlike what happens in episodes five and six.

There were an handful of nods at the original trilogy in episode eight, “The Last Jedi,” including Luke Skywalker’s duel with Kylo Ren — which harkened back to Obi Wan Kenobi’s duel with Darth Vader. The master sacrifices himself in a duel against his fallen padawan to help save important members of the rebellion on their getaway. Maybe Luke isn’t actually dueling with Ren (he’s some sort of force ghost) — but he still dies as a product of the duel, just like Obi Wan.

This nine-episode saga has used the same family — the Skywalkers — with a lot of the same tropes from episodes four through eight. Perhaps episodes one and two are abominations. But they were starkly different (and, again, perhaps different to the point where they were incongruous). They were fresh, and the final film in that trilogy was deeply tragic, even if the lead-up was probably poorly acted and poorly written. (Jar Jar? Really?) “Revenge of the Sith” ate at its viewers in a way no other Stars Film has. It hurt to watch the transformation as Anakin descends into Darth Vader. The point is that the second trilogy — episodes four through six — was a beautiful and fresh creation of imagination and interstellar amazingness. The first trilogy was totally different, even though George Lucas struggled to bring it all together with an unfortunate focus on intergalactic political affairs. Turns out, bureaucracy is boring.

Photo courtesy of Disney.

This third trilogy hasn’t found itself. It’s lost in fan services and nostalgia. Death Stars? Recycled. The bad guy? Well, he’s Vader’s grandson, who worships Vader and even wears a mask like him. (To be fair, I think Ren is a very interesting character.) Rey is a lot like Luke (and Anakin) in that she was a deserted desert-dweller, who is gifted in the ways of the Force. Kylo Ren says she has no family, but it’s hard to believe him. “The Rise of Skywalker” could easily provide the reveal: Rey is a Skywalker. And she will Rise. That would be a shame, not because she’s not who we’re all obviously rooting for, but because it’s the most predictable plot twist. (Ren: “Rey, I am your brother.” Rey: “NOOO!!!!!!”)

When Luke burns the Jedi Temple and its contents — with some help from a mischievous Yoda — he ends the Jedi order in “The Last Jedi.” He is the last Jedi, not Rey. She’s taking a step forward away from the order, which is problematically dogmatic in its use and faux-ownership of the Force. Ren is taking a step away from the Sith, a very different (dis)order that claims to have too many answers about the Force. Together, they’re going to foray into freeform use of the Force. And J.J. Abrams, the director, better have a fresh presentation of these explorations. Perhaps there’s more to the Force than the light and the dark, the good and the bad. Perhaps there’s nuance.

There will certainly be more callbacks to the original three films. Emperor Palpatine, for example, seems to have a role to play. Perhaps they can find a way to honor those characters and plot points while stepping in a unique direction. Damn the Death Stars. Forget about the Skywalkers. (I’m sorry. I take it back.) Finish the Jedi and the Sith and find something new. Take a risk.

Do something different in “Rise of the Skywalker.”

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What critics are saying about Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

The early reviews are in, and critics are hammering “The Rise of Skywalker.”

The epic nine-film Star Wars saga concludes with The Rise of Skywalker, but did director J.J. Abrams’ Episode IX live up to the hype? The review embargo was lifted on Wednesday morning – and the early Rotten Tomatoes score isn’t pretty.

As of 9:00 a.m. ET on December 18th, The Rise of Skywalker had a Rotten Tomatoes score of 58% based on 108 critic reviews. For reference, the last two episodes in the series, The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, have RT scores of 93% and 91%, respectively. The Phantom Menace holds the all-time low score in the Star Wars series at 53%.

Note: We’re keeping this article as spoiler-free as possible, but if you want to go into the theater knowing absolutely nothing about The Rise of Skywalker, you should probably close this tab and refrain from reading reviews.

What critics are saying:

A common theme from the early reviews seems to be that The Rise of Skywalker tries too hard to please everyone, and may rely too much on nostalgia. The Atlantic labeled Episode IX “The Most Incoherent Star Wars Movie Ever Made,” and reviewer David Sims compares the plot to a manic “video-gamey fetch quest.”

Many reviews also slam The Rise of Skywalker for a lack of imagination. Collider’s Matt Goldberg writes that “the larger problem with the movie is that Abrams is terrified of originality or doing anything bold that might be interpreted as unpopular.”

Esquire’s Matt Miller writes that while The Rise of Skywalker is ultimately “fun and satisfying,” he was left wondering what the point of a third trilogy was.

“In the end, did these three movies justify the return of the Skywalker Saga? Why did we need this story to have yet another ending? What was the point of not letting the past just be? That’s something I can’t answer right away.”

Other reviewers, though, loved The Rise of Skywalker. The Guardian gave the film five stars (out of five). Games Rader’s Jamie Graham writes that the film “rises to the impossible occasion.”

You can read more reviews here.