Summary
- Adam Driver's portrayal of Kylo Ren in the sequel trilogy is remarkable, injecting nuance and subtlety into the character, making him one of the best aspects of the sequels.
- Luke Skywalker's duel with Kylo Ren in The Last Jedi showcases his incredible power as a Jedi Master, with him effortlessly dodging strikes and peacefully communicating, making it the most impressive Force feat in a Star Wars film.
- The sequels introduce parallel ancient Sith and Jedi planets, Ahch-To and Exegol, respectively, expanding the world-building and adding layers of history to the conflict.
The Star Wars sequel trilogy is a rather contentious topic online, but there are lots of good things they contributed to the franchise that are overlooked. Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker sum up the three sequel films, and are each controversial in their own way. The Last Jedi was the film that upset the most people online, despite having its own fans, yet still contains absolutely incredible Star Wars moments. This rings true for the rest of the sequel trilogy as well, and is what this list will discuss.
The sequels follow the legacy of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa in a galaxy that has changed in many ways, but not as many as some expected. The younger characters take center stage in front of the old stars, though. Rey, a scavenger, Finn, an escaped stormtrooper, and Poe, a charming pilot, face off against dark sider Kylo Ren, or Ben Solo. These characters have been loved by many, but maligned by others in the years since the sequels. Here are 10 positives about the sequels that many fans tend to overlook.
Your browser does not support the video tag. 16 Adam Driver's Kylo Ren Is A Perfect Portrayal The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker Close Starting off strong, Kylo Ren is portrayed by Adam Driver, who does so beautifully. One of the most popular aspects of the sequels, Ben Solo is an entertaining and intriguing central villain. Whether serving Snoke, a reborn Palpatine, or himself, Ben left audiences intrigued as to why someone born from such great heroes could be such a threat. Driver injected so much nuance and subtlety into his performance, it would be a disservice to not mention. Many fans even cite Driver's portrayal and Kylo Ren's character to be the best things about the sequels as a whole. With Ben Solo's return to the light in The Rise of Skywalker, Driver is solidified in this position.
15 Luke Skywalker's "Duel" Against Kylo Ren Demonstrates Just How Powerful He Is The Last Jedi 14 
One of the most anticipated aspects of the sequel trilogy was seeing Luke Skywalker as a Jedi Master. While they largely didn't (to many fans' displeasure) show these aspects of his character, one sequence did. Luke's duel with Kylo Ren on the planet Crait displayed him as the legendary Jedi Master fans always knew he could be, all while still managing to surprise them. Luke didn't make contact with his nephew at all during the duel, masterfully dodging all of his strikes and just talking to the man, apologizing. All of this was done while facing down an entire First Order army, and not even being on the planet – peacefully Force-projecting himself across the galaxy instead. This is the most impressive Force feat ever done in a Star Wars film.
13 The New Republic's Downfall Is Sad, But Can Lead To New Ideas The Force Awakens 12 
Seeing what government the Rebel Alliance founded in the years past the original trilogy was also something fans were excited to see. When the New Republic is destroyed almost completely in The Force Awakens before it had been developed at all, many were disappointed. But in the years since, live-action & animated TV shows have greatly expanded the era, not to mention books and comics. The really exciting thing, though, is that the sequels give the New Republic a definite end at the hands of the First Order, which allows storytellers to work retroactively. It adds so many layers of dramatic irony and sad connections knowing the New Republic's fate. This has particularly been apparent in Ahsoka, with Senator Hamato Xiono being a prime offender.
11 The Force Dyad Is One Of Star Wars' Coolest Concepts The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker Close In The Last Jedi, Kylo and Rey have a mysterious connection that allows them to communicate across time and space. There's even a hint that physical objects can pass through their bond. The Rise of Skywalker then builds on all of that, saying they are a Dyad in the Force, an ancient and powerful connection. A Dyad is a bond that connects the two people involved as halves of a whole, allowing for the crazy powers seen in the sequels. Later books even hinted that the Sith Rule of Two was an attempt at recapturing the unseen power of the Dyad. Fans have specifically latched onto the Dyad concept and seem to enjoy it, especially when the connection borders on romantic, with the son of light and granddaughter of darkness involved.
10 The Parallel Ancient Sith And Jedi Planets They Introduced Are Awesome The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker 9 
While the sequel trilogy pushed the Star Wars films further into the timeline than ever before, their world-building pushed much farther back. A big theme of the sequels is the central conflict existing in a very ancient world, with lots of powerful history. That's reflected in the core hero and villain both visiting the ancestral homeworld of their sides. Rey seeks out Luke Skywalker on the lost Jedi homeworld of Ahch-To, and visits the first Jedi temple ever built. Kylo Ren seeks out the undead Palpatine on the Sith planet Exegol, deep within the Unknown Regions. Both ancestral homeworlds are seen onscreen and play a significant role in the plots of the sequels.
8 The Sequels Adapted Some Of George Lucas's Ideas– And Some From Legends The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker 7 
During the period of time before the release of the sequel trilogy, the Star Wars timeline was continued in many ways. George Lucas had his own ideas about where he'd take the story, and Star Wars authors had their own different timeline, now known as Legends. Looking back at the sequels, it's easily visible which of Lucas' ideas were used, and which are clearly taken from the Expanded Universe. The Last Jedi follows Lucas's story treatments the most out of the sequels, as Lucas intended for a young Force-sensitive girl to seek out an exiled, hermit Luke Skywalker. But Lucas also intended for a villain to be the Solo son turned to the dark – which is notably shared with Legends. In the books, Jacen Solo turned to the dark side and took part in a Second Galactic Civil war, very similar to Kylo Ren. Additionally, the return of Palpatine is completely taken from Legends as well.
6 Leia Organa As The Leader Of The Resistance Is Great The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker Close Princess Leia is one of the most famous characters in the history of Star Wars, so its only fitting she got a good role in the Sequels. Leia is arguably the most 'involved' in the plot out of the original trilogy trio as the General of the Resistance, hellbent on restoring the New Republic and taking down the First Order. She's the leader of all the good guys in the sequels, and would've done even more in The Rise of Skywalker, had Carrie Fisher not tragically passed away in 2016. But despite the legendary actress's passing, Leia is still an absolutely central figure in the sequels, and is a strong leader for the Resistance. She is unwavering, hopeful, and a beacon of light to all of those around her in the sequel trilogy, going from Princess to General.
5 They Factor In The Prequel Trilogy In A Genius Way The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker 4 
While there were 32 years between the releases of Return of the Jedi and its sequel The Force Awakens, something very important happened in that time. The Star Wars prequel trilogy movies came out, and were also maligned by many as they were released. The prequels established a specific history of the galaxy leading into the creation of the Empire and the fall of the Jedi. In The Last Jedi, Luke Skywalker actually mentions Darth Sidious by name when describing the events of the prequels. Luke's knowledge of these events and how the Jedi fell contributes very much to his depressive state in the beginning of that film, with his characterization dependent on him reflecting on the prequels.
3 The Sequels Feel Different From The Original And Prequel Trilogies The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker 
One thing that fans didn't like about the prequel trilogy is a reason fans now love the prequels. They feel distinct from the original trilogy. Thus, the two first Star Wars trilogies had their own aesthetics, and the sequels added onto that perfectly. Reflecting both the originals and prequels in many ways, the sequels have a somewhat dirty aesthetic, while also featuring shinier digital effects and CGI aliens. This also extends to filmmaking techniques like editing rhythm, cinematography, and writing beats, all of which are consistently unique across the three trilogies. It makes the sequels feel like a different part of Star Wars in an artistic way, much like how the prequels are different from the originals.
