Star Wars was once a humble trilogy of beloved films that covered only a tiny corner of its theoretically massive universe. Fans imagined the immense possibilities that could have existed on either side of its main events. Today, it seems like only the stories on the sidelines get any positive attention.
It would be an understatement to describe the most recentStar Wars trilogy as controversial. There isn’t a single moment of those three films that didn’t earn hate from some portion of the fanbase. Though Star Wars fans deserve a portion of the pushback they get for being unpleasable, a few entries have broken through with greater acclaim.
RELATED:The Mandalorian Is Better Without Jedi
The two best-received pieces of Star Wars content in the past several decades are unquestionablyThe MandalorianandAndor.The Disney Plus serieshave a couple of things in common. They both take place between trilogies, either immediately before or after the original trilogy. They both introduce loads of new characters as their primary cast. They also both feature little to none of the old Jedi Order vs. Sith stuff that makes up so much of the earlier franchise. It’s a background element that occasionally rears its head inThe Mandalorian, andit hasn’t been mentioned at all inAndor. The central story of both works is free from the larger good and evil narrative. They bothoperate in the gray areasof the franchise in ways that other films and shows were too scared to. This seems to fit Disney’s approach to the franchise more than the more traditional entries of the new trilogy.
The more mystical aspects of the Star Wars galaxy have always beenfairly central to the films. The franchise has always stayed in the soft science fantasy area of the genre. Technology was never particularly important, while spirituality verging on magic was key. It’s not the incredible engineering of the X-Wing that allows Luke to destroy the Death Star in the original film, it’s his newfound belief in the Force. The prequels were even more focused on the seductive draw of the Dark Side as they focused on Anakin’s fall from grace. When the sequel trilogy emerged, it didn’t take long to get backinto the swing of ancient propheciesand fated superpowers. Some have gone so far as to describe Star Wars as a modern fairy tale, on the level of Arthurian myth. But that tone falls flat in the modern day.
The problem with the modern Star Wars franchise’s approach to the stuff of legend is that it doesn’t fit the tone of the new stories. Early Star Wars was simple and morally uncomplicated, and it evoked the classic structure of the stories that inspired it.As early as the prequels, the franchise has begun shoving in unnecessary extraneous detail and unfocused moral complexity. Without the courage to fully delve into the gray areas, nor the simplicity of their forebears, everything from the prequels to the modern day has struggled to recapture well-executed Jedi. The best aspects of the franchise abandon those flighty concepts in favor of simple morally gray westerns and powerful impassioned tales of desperate rebels.The MandalorianandAndorare excellent shows that would still be great without the Star Wars iconography, but they’re also the best things in the franchise because they fit Disney’s approach.
The logical exception to this issue would be the other popular Disney Plus series.Obi-Wan Kenobiwas certainly about one prominent Jedi, featured a battle against evil Sith, and was generally well-received. Though the main character of the series was a Jedi and the villain was the most iconic Sith of the franchise, it didn’t feel much like the franchise’s old take on mysticism. Instead,Obi-Wanborrows the grim toneof the other modern Disney Plus series while playing with existing popular characters. Despite the presence of lightsabers, or even a Jedi or two,Obi-Wanmanages to feel grounded and sincere. It’s an example to the rest of the franchise that demonstrates how downplaying the spiritual in favor of the human serves the current narrative.
Fairy tales and stories about magic aren’t dead in the modern day. Tons of creative people find the heart in a whimsical tale of fantastical events and bring it to a modern audience. If the right team comes along,the Star Wars franchise couldfind a way to reincorporate the more magical aspects of the franchise. Tone is everything when it comes to a franchise of this size. One work needs to feel meaningfully different from the next. Eventually, the grounded and gritty sci-fi take on the franchise will outlive its popularity, and Star Wars will have to find somewhere else to turn. The old iconography has gotten stale, which means it’s just a matter of time for this excellent new era to pass. Fans will have to wait and see what’s next for the galaxy far, far away.
MORE:6 Things That Set Andor Apart From Other Disney Star Wars Shows
