What Does “The Rise of Skywalker” Mean?

I am somewhat tardy in my analysis of the first teaser trailer for “Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker,” mainly due to the fact that I was at Disney World when the trailer dropped. 

The trailer starts off with the Lucasfilm Ltd logo, with Rey breathing heavily as she stands in the middle of a desert. Is she back on Jakku? Is it Tatooine? Is it another desert world?

We don’t know at this point, but the sequence where Rey’s lightsaber ignites with a “snap-hiss” — followed by her back flipping toward what looks to be a new take on a TIE Interceptor — is pretty epic. 

We hear Luke’s voice saying, “we’ve passed on all we know... a thousand generations live in you now.” 

“Star Wars” teasers these days tend to be pretty vague in nature. 

More than any moment in the trailer, what has people talking is the movie’s title — “The Rise of Skywalker.”

Internet theories tend to fall into four categories:

Theory #1: Rey is actually a member of the Skywalker family. 

Theory #2: Luke and/or Anakin Skywalker return in the movie. 

Theory #3: The title refers to a redemption arc in the movie for Kylo Ren. 

Theory #4: The Jedi are no more, so a new Force-wielding order called “Skywalkers” take shape under Rey’s leadership.

The fourth theory is the one that fans seem to like. It apparently stems from early drafts of the story for George Lucas’s first “Star Wars” movie where the term “Skywalker” referred to Force wielders (not a family name). 

In my mind, that is the most appealing theory at this juncture. 

In the bonus materials for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” director J.J. Abrams suggests the concept of finding out “Where is Luke Skywalker?” spurred him to work on the project. 

Then when Rey finds him on Ahch-To in Rian Johnson’s “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” Luke seems completely ambivalent about the Jedi Order. In a later sequence in the movie, Yoda seems ready to “burn the house down” as it regards the Jedi. 

Is it possible that Rey — taking up the mantel of Force wielders — refers to this new order as “Skywalkers”...?

Time will tell. 

The concept is intriguing. It would allow the “Skywalker Saga” to be tied up in a neat bow, and create a new mythology for future movies and TV series (on the upcoming Disney+ streaming service). 

But let’s get back to the trailer...

We get a cool shot of Kylo Ren clotheslining “someone” in a forest with a red glow.

We get a new droid to go along with BB-8. The droid is called D-O... 

To me, the three black lines on his head feel similar to the lines on Mickey Mouse’s gloves (that might be because I just spent a week at Walt Disney World):

Maybe "D-O" moniker stands for "Disney-Owned" droid... ;-)

Lando shows up in the in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon. I’d been waiting with baited breath to see Billy Dee Williams in the new trilogy.

By the way, Lando is wearing a gold shirt. He also wore a gold shirt in “Solo: A Star Wars Story”:

We see a shot of Leia holding one of the medals she presented to Han Solo and Luke Skywalker after the Battle of Yavin in Episode IV. 

Rey hugs Leia via what I assume to be wizardry by Industrial Light & Magic (I still think Rey could be her daughter or niece).

We see our heroes looking at the carcass of a Death Star — either from “A New Hope” or “Return of the Jedi.” 

You hear Luke saying “...no one’s ever really gone” (which sounds like the tagline of the Marvel Cinematic Universe) followed by the maniacal cackle of the Emperor. 

The title rolls, and the trailer ends. 

The trailer wasn’t particularly groundbreaking or awe-inspiring, but it looked intriguing enough. 

I should also note there were various “non-descript” shots of Poe and Finn on the desert planet. 

Regardless of what anyone is saying at this point, I think it’s possible J.J. Abrams will pull a “switcheroo” and reveal Rey is a Skywalker. I know it seems far too obvious, but so was the ending for Abrams’s sci-fi series “Lost.” 

You can’t discount the notion of them going with the cliché ending. I hope they don’t, but they could decide play it safe. 

(That said, I really hope they go with a more novel approach in Episode IX). 

I’m sure we’ll learn more as the Dec. 20 release date approaches. 

Stay tuned...

Previous post: “My Spoiler-Filled Review of ‘Avengers: Endgame’”

 

My Spoiler-Filled Review of “Avengers: Endgame”

Caution: Spoilers ahead.

It’s here. 

“Avengers: Endgame” is more than another Marvel movie. The hype for this release places it somewhere on the scale between a religious experience and a national holiday. 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has risen above being mere action movies with sequels. 

It has become the theatrical version of a TV series — with new episodes dropped each year, going all the way back to 2008. As such, they have created a depth not seen before at your local multiplex.  

I was thinking back to when I first saw “Iron Man” in 2008. I went with my mom and dad to see it. We were always people who stayed through the end credits. By doing so at that showing of “Iron Man,” we were treated to the first post-credit “easter egg” in the MCU — a surprise clip that would foreshadow things to come. 

Eleven years have transpired. So many things have changed in my life since the nascent days of the MCU. I can’t even imagine how “Avengers: Endgame” is viewed by teens and early twentysomethings who grew up with these movies. 

Marvel Studios honcho Kevin Feige manages to wrap the whole thing up in a 3-hour present to fandom. 

“Avengers: Endgame” is an incredibly enjoyable trip down memory lane. 

The concept of time is relative in franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In “Endgame,” the film’s creators take viewers on a “timey-wimey” journey through the last 11 years of Marvel movies.

If you’re seeing “Avengers: Endgame” you likely also saw 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War.” So you know the basics already. A genocidal purple giant named Thanos collected all six Infinity Stones (for the Infinity Gauntlet) which caused half of all life in the universe to disintegrate and turn to dust — including many favorite heroes in the MCU. 

None of us thought they were really gone. 

The remaining Avengers actually take out Thanos very early in the film (he is living alone in the wilderness on a distant planet). It’s Thor (Chris Hemsworth) who does the deed. Thanos destroyed the Infinity Stones after the events in “Avengers: Infinity War.” 

There is no easy solution for our heroes to make things right. As a result, five years transpire and earth is still in the midst of a general malaise. 

But remember, this is the Marvel Universe, where you have kick-ass scientists like Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) at your disposal. Before long, our crew has come up with a convoluted plan to go back in time — aided by Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), who has a rat to thank for his return from the quantum realm (where he was trapped at the end of “Ant-Man and the Wasp”). 

Everything kind of evolves into the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of “Back to the Future Part II.” Our heroes split up and go back in time to try and find the Infinity Stones, visit key moments in previous Marvel movies, and try to avoid their former selves in the process. 

It’s not high art — nor is it the most original concept in the world — but it is a lot fun. 

It is also incredibly sentimental — with less focus on action this time out. 

I have to admit it: I got misty eyed at several points during “Avengers: Endgame.” 

There’s little doubt Feige & Co. were milking the poignant moments so the payoff at the end would be worth the wait (a particular sequence where Tony Stark interacts with his father was particularly self-indulgent). 

But it works. It always works in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

“Avengers: Endgame” is a fitting culmination to everything we’ve seen the past 11 years (which is being referred to as the “Infinity Saga.”)

I’ll be interested to see where things go from here. The question is whether they’ll attempt to build another “multi-threaded-multi-movie” story as ambitious as the “Infinity Saga” again — or if they should try and attempt it a second time. 

Things will be different. Some old favorites might not be seen again (at least not in the form we’ve been accustomed to since 2008). But that’s alright as far as I am concerned. 

It’s very possible the MCU will be focused on smaller stories that last a few films instead of 20+ movies. Then again, maybe not. 

Regardless of the direction Marvel movies go, we’re not likely to experience something quite this special again. 

Marvel Studios (along with parent company Disney) has changed the way we watch movies. We’ve all been able to experience cinematic history. 

So enjoy it. Enjoy every minute of it. 

Previous post: "We Have to Finish Strong!" - Disney Trip: Part 7 

“We Have to Finish Strong!” - Disney Trip: Part 7

This is it...

Like a big budget Disney extravaganza at your local multiplex, this is the final act of our trip to Walt Disney World in Florida. 

After a couple days off (Saturday and Sunday), I was happy to get back to the park. 

We woke up early to head to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. No one in our group had been to this park before. 

Our first stop was DinoLand U.S.A.

My nephew Blaise is a big dinosaur fan and a big fan of the “Jurassic Park” movies. 

The first ride we went on was DINOSAUR. In the ride, you hop in cars that look like all-terrain vehicles, and head through a twisty-turny world full of (indoors) fun of animatronic dinosaurs. 

It is something akin in feel to “Jurassic Park.” I thought it was pretty fun. I went on it twice. The car jerks you around on a track and lurches up and down at certain points. 

My nephew didn’t like it so much. There were parts of the ride that were kind of reminiscent of the “Tower of Terror” ride we had gone on at Hollywood Studios, so that might have thrown him off. 

After the ride, we went to the nearby playground (“The Boneyard Dig Site”). This might have been the kids’ favorite part of the park. At the very least, I’m betting it was Anson’s favorite place — he had a great time on the slides. 

The playground is huge — a half-acre in size. Adjacent to the playground (across a suspension bridge) was the “Fossil Fun Site”... I walked with Blaise and Scotland to the dig site, which involved uncovering eggs in a pit of brown gravel. 

It looked kind of messy. Since we had a long day ahead of us, I didn’t want the kids to get a bunch of crud in their shoes and socks. So I shooed us back to the rest of the group. 

My niece and nephews probably could have killed a few hours at the playground, and Theresa and I contemplated going on the Primeval Whirl ride (which is basically a roller coaster where the car spins at certain intervals. But ultimately, we weren’t willing to stand in line an hour to ride it.

Our next stop was the Rainforest Cafe for our 10:45 a.m. “lunch” reservation. Many of you have likely visited a Rainforest Cafe before. This one was by the entrance to Animal Kingdom. You had to go in and out this special entrance because — as one persnickety staff member made abundantly clear — you were technically “leaving” the park when you ate there. 

I’ve eaten at Rainforest Cafes a couple times, so I was happy to have lunch there. 

While we waited, a scuba diver appeared in one of the gift shop fish tanks. We couldn’t tell if he was looking for something, or trying to clean something. You can see him in the background of this picture:

We thought a 10:45 a.m. “lunch” reservation was a little early, but it was ultimately a little after 11 a.m. by the time our party was called to be seated.

I had the BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger and fries (I ate a lot of hamburgers on this trip) for $18.99. It included “Smokin’ Mojo BBQ Sauce, Cheddar, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle, and Onion.” Bridget had a bowl of the Amazon Corn Chowder (roasted corn, red bell peppers, chunky potatoes, bacon, pico de gallo, and tortilla strips) for $8.25 and the Crustacean Crab Dip (served warm with crabmeat, peppers, onions, and tomatoes, for $13.99).

It was a good time for lunch, and our group was feeling refreshed. 

After lunch, we saw this skywriter spelling the word “LOVE” in the sky. So, I guess love was in the air at Animal Kingdom. 

We stopped to get our picture taken with Mickey and Minnie in safari gear at Adventurers Outpost. Our group enjoyed watching Anson interact with Mickey and Minnie during our park visits. 

In this picture (and basically every other picture taken there), Anson chose to hug Mickey instead of pose:

Mickey was hilarious about this. Anson wouldn’t let go, and Mickey was super patient. And this photo of Anson with Minnie is equally sweet.

After the brief photo shoot, we were headed to Pandora, because we had a FastPass+ for the Na’vi River Journey (based on the movie “Avatar”). 

Fun fact: Now that Disney owns 21st Century Fox, James Cameron’s “Avatar” series of films is controlled by the Mouse. I would expect more rides and attractions related to this movie in the future. 

The Na’vi River Journey ride involved sitting in a boat and floating through a cavernous world featuring the glowing inhabitants of Pandora. It was something akin to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride we went on at Magic Kingdom. 

(In the days since our return from Disney World, I have been told by multiple people that the “Avatar Flight of Passage” ride is very cool. We didn’t check it out, but will put it on the agenda for a future visit.)

We were starting to notice how crowded Animal Kingdom was on that particular day. 

Our next FastPass adventure was the Kilimanjaro Safaris. While we waited for our FastPass+ time, we stopped off to get some snacks at Zuri’s Sweet Shop.

I got one of these marshmallow hippos. (I’ve collected hippos since I was a kid. This one I ate.)

Blaise got a Rice Krispie Mickey Mouse. We actually still have part of his Rice Krispie treat in a plastic food storage container Bridget brought with her to the park. (A Pro Tip she read about online before our trip. It came in handy when the kids didn't finish a treat, so we didn’t have to throw it away.)

Scotland chose a bundle of suckers (which were surprisingly difficult to separate). Anson had one of suckers. 

The Kilimanjaro Safari ride was fun. Attendees sat in back of a canvas covered truck while the driver narrated along the way. 

We saw animals like giraffes on the safari.

And hippos.

The ride was a leisurely one, because the animals would frequently wander near the vehicle, or even into the road in front of us. That would mean we’d have to stop and wait for them to cross. It was neat.

After the safari, Bridget bought Blaise, Scotland, and me ice cream sandwiches. We ate them while Neil and Theresa grabbed coffee at a Starbucks in the park. 

Then Scotland got her face painted. 

It was around 4 p.m. at that point. We weren’t sure what to do next. Theresa had mentioned to me earlier in the trip that she hoped maybe we could sneak over to Epcot during our stay. 

So that’s where we headed next.

I saw a Tesla Model 3 charging in the lot. 

A short monorail ride took us to Epcot. We happened to be visiting during the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival (March 6 to June 3, 2019), so there were a lot of terrific flower beds strewn throughout the park. 

Epcot has a much different feel than the other three parks at Disney World. 

Theresa mentioned that the whole “vibe” of the park felt more like it was geared toward adults. I would tend to agree with that. 

Epcot is more spread out than the other parks — and is wrapped around a large lake (“The World Showcase Lagoon”) that centers the complex. The park is strewn with areas designed to look like various locales around the world. 

I should also note that at Epcot and Animal Kingdom they had these penguins made out of trash. I thought they were kind of cool. 

The ride that Neil and Theresa wanted us to experience was one called “Soarin.’” 

It is an indoor simulation where you are on seats that “hang” off the floor. Participants are in front of a large video screen, and you swoop and swirl around various wonders of the world. 

Neil asked me what I thought of the “smells” they pumped out during the ride. Honestly, I didn’t notice the smells, but I thought the ride was terrific. 

I went on the ride with Scotland. We got this selfie (which turned out incredibly blurry). 

After everyone got through taking flight on “Soarin’,” we headed to dinner at the Liberty Inn. It was one of the few places at Epcot in the Disney app that offered mobile ordering. It was a long walk from Soarin’ — at the far end of the park.

I had the All-American Burger and fries for $12.99. It was a flame-broiled 1/3 pound Angus burger with Vermont sharp cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, and pickle on a brioche bun.

The Barbecue Pork Sandwich ($10.49) Neil ordered had onion straws on it (I see that on the menu I’m looking at online now, but that wasn’t disclosed on the mobile ordering menu), so he gave it to me (they made him a new one). 

We sat and ate across from the Garden Rocks ampitheatre, which hosts the “Garden Rock Concert Series.” The band “Night Ranger” was performing, and we got to hear “Sister Christian” while we ate. 

The end of the concert signaled the park was about to close. The closing show at the park is called “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” and involves a globe that moves across the lake and fireworks (the show is set to end its 20-year run on Sept. 30). 

It was a nice show, but I can understand why they want to revamp it. 

Sadly, our long stay at Epcot meant we couldn’t return for the “Rivers of Light” closing ceremony at Animal Kingdom. Blaise wasn’t happy about that fact. Don’t worry, buddy. I’m confident you’ll see it someday! (Except it won’t be the same — they’re changing to “Rivers of Light: We Are One” on May 24, 2019.)

It was only 9:20 p.m., so we did have time to return for another visit to Magic Kingdom (which is open until midnight). Three parks in one day!

Bridget’s first order of business was to get another Odwalla Frozen Mint Julep Lemonade from Casey’s Corner. I told you, she had like six of these during our trip. (She did find a recipe online to try and make her own at some point.) 

We decided to go to get a “Tangled”-theme picture near Rapunzel’s Tower. We held a lantern depicting one of the gleaming glowing lanterns Rapunzel yearned to see in the movie. 

The kids had crashed a short time before and were sleeping (Blaise and Scotland in the stroller, Anson in the baby carrier Neil was wearing). 

As Neil and Theresa were getting ready to have their picture taken, Blaise suddenly woke up, jumped out of the stroller — while half-asleep — looked confused, and then posed for the picture.

He's obviously a high-functioning sleepwalker. 

We laughed about it for about 15 minutes. It was like, “Picture? I don’t want to miss a picture!” And then he immediately climbed back into the stroller and promptly passed out again.

When we were done with pictures, we contemplated another ride. It was almost 11:30 p.m.

We came very close to going on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (a family roller coaster), but the wait times were pretty long. 

I was super tired at that point, wished there was room for me in the stroller, and was ready to get to bed. 

But Bridget was like: “We have to finish strong!” (She literally said that. Multiple times actually.)

So the two of us headed over to the “Big Thunder Mountain Railroad” rollercoaster in Frontierland while Neil, Theresa, and the sleeping kids went to look in some of the shops on Main Street. We joined them in one of the shops as the clock struck midnight.

We closed down Disney’s Magic Kingdom on a high note. 

Friends have told me how much they’ve enjoyed this “Disney Trip” series. I wish we could visit Disney and write about it every month. (There are people who actually do that. And vloggers too. We’ve enjoyed watching some of their live streams on YouTube since we’ve returned to the “real world.”)

Here’s hoping that happens sooner than we think, because...

...when you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are. Anything your heart desires will come to you! 

Previous post: “McDonald’s and Chuck E. Cheese Had a Baby” — Disney Trip: Part 6