My main take away from The Last Jedi...

[lizbee]

I mean, okay, it was ... structurally problematic.

"Let's just send two characters off on a side quest which ultimately doesn't affect the plot at all" was certainly a choice which was made, and it's just through sheer luck and the talent, charisma and chemistry of John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran that the Finn and Rose plotline was so entertaining that I almost forgot how ridiculous it was.

But what I keep coming back to is this: how are the second generation Rebel men so terrible?!

Poe: receives an important lesson from Leia about the more subtle types of heroism that don't end with a whole lot of people dying unnecessarily. Turns right around and chucks a tanty mutiny because a lady, who has no need at all to explain herself to him, refuses to explain herself to him.

He comes across as entitled and kind of obnoxious and mansplainy, and it's only because Oscar Isaac is so pretty that I don't hate Poe outright. (In fact, I kind of ship Holdo/Poe, but only if it's a bit kinky and he's not allowed to speak in her presence ever.)

(BASICALLY, now I have a second-favourite space vice admiral, and it's niche, but I'll take every crumb that 2017 throws my way, and also if anyone were to write fic where Holdo and Cornwell get drunk, lament the pretty-but-useless men under their command and then make out, there's an audience for that right here.)

Meanwhile, Ben Solo -- in addition to his many, many other failures -- has decided that the way to win Rey over is to re-enact Darcy's first proposal. You know, the one where he insults Elizabeth's family but deigns to love her in spite of them.

Mate. You gotta read the whole book. And also stop killing people, although his actual body count was a lot lower this time around, so well ... done?

Anyway, IN SHORT, someone has badly let down the sons of the Rebellion. I assume it's Han Solo's fault somehow. Or Lando's. Or both. Thank heavens we have Finn, The Only Non-Garbage Man Of His Generation, to save us all.

(I am genuinely annoyed about the Poe thing, though. Like, you go in expecting Kylo Ren to be THE WORST, and that is the one area where he's not going to disappoint you. But Poe turns out to be awful in such a common, mediocre way, just like millions of men out there in the real world. Only prettier.)

Comments

[capalxii]

I liked that the side plot had no point because I thought that was the point. that their plan was hare brained and not that well thought out, that they were short sighted to trust a guy who a) early on stated he could be bought, and b) early on showed that the gun runners sold to both sides as reasoning for his own amorality. I guess I thought the point was that none of the three were able to see the big picture the way Leia and Holdo could?

it also served to show the side of the galaxy that would profit no matter what, because there will always be buyers for their goods. which made the lack of support at the end make more sense to me, at least; the true supporters probably couldn't afford or risk coming to help, and the moneyed supporters probably saw the First Order as the likely winners and wanted to keep their contracts.

I also liked that Poe came off like a jerk though, so idk. That seemed in line, not because he's cocky but because he's passionate yet not as experienced as Holdo.