It is of course that last point, where initiatives from the previous movie are not only ejected but done so with apparent, glib glee... that is particularly galling to fans of the movies that came before.



To me, after The Last Jedi, I apreciated that a clichéd setup pushing director Rian Johnson to immediately follow up by having old, wise Luke train Rey was instead replaced with a plot in which he refuses to train her. A focus on Jedi vs Sith, good guy versus bad guy simplicity was swapped out for a narrative questioning the rise of force itself, and how opposing forces seem to rise to meet a gathering of strength and threat, and how a true balance of power may involve the wisdom of laying down your arms and finding non-violent solutions that don't invite a matching answer of force. The directions he took the story were unique, explored themes like failure, and when to retreat, and the importance of hero legends even as they may hold little real truth to them.



I think The Last Jedi saw through the fact that Snoke was just a virtual carbon copy of Palpatine and did an excellent job of moving the primary conflict off of the old generation of characters and onto the new generation. It re-contextualized the conflict to Kylo feeling entitled to the Force due to his legacy and parentage, and Rey being nominated by the Force, as almost a representative of all the scavengers and powerless people outside that inherited structure.



The redemption of Kylo Ren was teased but then we got an additional twist: he is Sith now, after all, and he seeks his sense of safety through control, and he is merely following the rule of Two in killing his master and taking Rey as his apprentice. The redemption was indeed folly, and if it is to be earned it must be earned by more than the same quick betrayal/reversal of loyalty that is the trademark of the Sith.



One of the few truly surprising Star Wars moments that I've seen in years. On par with "I am your father."