"The Rise of Skywalker" is the final episode in the latest Star Wars trilogy, and perhaps the Star Wars finale. But although the 40-odd year sci-fi marathon will likely continue, could franchise fatigue set in?
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The film is a lengthy two hours and 20 minutes, but once The Rise of Skywalker is over it will be curtains for a decades-long sci-fi saga. Star War fans will likely make the most of it.
The third part of the last Star Wars trilogy is packed with action, speed, wit, surprising twists — and answers.
After its world premiere in Los Angeles on Monday, the first reactions on social media were mostly enthusiastic.
J.J. Abrams is back as the director on the final episode. After his brilliant Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Abrams had left the director's chair to Rian Johnson, who had given an almost mystical and melancholic twist to The Last Jedi.
Released in 2017, Johnson's film left a lot of questions unanswered: Who are Rey and Kylo Ren? Whose child is Rey? Is she a Jedi or does she just believe that? And who is really behind the evil First Order?
Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) reprised their roles in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"Image: picture-alliance/Captital Pictures/CAP/KFS
Abrams took up the challenge of creating a coherent and satisfying conclusion to the storylines developed by Johnson, and he successfully pursues the portrayal of the characters that had obtained more depth through Johnson's direction.
The way Rey (Daisy Ridley, who is way more expressive than in the last part), Poe (Oscar Isaac) and Finn (John Boyega) interact shows that they have become good friends. The Wookie Chewbacca is still at their side.
Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), facing the dark side of the Force, is still Rey's adversary. Yet he is also spiritually connected to her by an invisible bond — which leads to several exciting twists and turns in the new film.
Full circle
Princess Leia — or to be precise: General Leia Organa — was initially supposed to play a central role in this film, along with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford), as was the case in the two previous films. However, actress Carrie Fisher died after shooting The Last Jedi in 2016.
Disney and Abrams wanted her to appear in the finale, but without recreating her image through CGI. They successfully recycled unused footage from the previous films and built it into the last episode instead. Even if Fisher can only be seen for a few minutes, she undoubtedly embodies the resistance to the sinister First Order, which is violently trying to take control of the galaxy.
Goodbye Princess Leia: A tribute to 'Star Wars' actress Carrie Fisher
To moviegoers around the world, she is forever known as Princess Leia. But Carrie Fisher also appeared in several other cult movies, such as "Blues Brothers" and "When Harry Met Sally." DW looks back at her roles.
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Iconic role: Princess Leia
This is how we knew her, and it's how we will always remember her - as Leia Organa, leader of the rebellion against the Empire. Fisher played the role for the first time when she was just 19. In six "Star Wars" segments (including "Rogue One") she filled the role of the courageous Princess with life.
In "Shampoo" (1975) Fisher appeared on the big screen for the first time. In this comedy, she seduces Beverly Hills hairdresser George Roundy (played by Warren Beatty). "Shampoo" received one Academy Award along with several more Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. Later, Fisher decried that Beatty had asked her to act in front of the camera without a bra.
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A breakthrough: Star Wars
A mere two years later, Fisher plays Princess Leia for the first time. In "Star Wars episode IV: A New Hope" she and droid R2-D2 (pictured) try to neutralize the devastating Death Star (a moon-shaped space station). That film received a whopping six Oscars - and Carrie Fisher would be part of a highly successful ensemble cast from now on.
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Famous siblings
Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill shared screentime in three "Star Wars" installments, playing twins Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker, respectively. Their last collaboration was "Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi," which was released in 2017. Hamill has expressed deep sadness over the loss of his colleague.
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A powerful trio: Han Solo, Leia, Luke Skywalker
Han Solo (played by Harrison Ford) is not a volunteer but is rather dragged into the mission of saving the galaxy. However, Luke, Leia and the smuggler-turned-rebel leader develop into a powerful alliance. This "Star Wars" episode also marked Harrison Ford's breakthrough in Hollywood.
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Carrie Fisher and Paul Simon
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Fisher had an on-and-off relationship with Paul Simon (of Simon & Garfunkel fame). They were even married for two years (1983-4). Simon's song "Hearts and Bones" is a tribute to his relationship with the actress.
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New terrain
In 1980, Fisher switched from the "Star Wars" set to that of "Blues Brothers." In this legendary comedy, Fisher played the ex-girlfriend of protagonist Jake (John Belushi). She fires at him with an assault rifle for walking out on her. Allegedly, there was a cocaine bar on the set, and Fisher's job was to keep Belushi away from the drugs.
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Return of the Jedi (1983)
In several "Star Wars" segments, the droid C-3PO - a human robot - acted as Princess Leia's companion - including her imprisonment as a slave to evil Jabba the Hutt. The talkative robot was brought to life by actor Anthony Daniels.
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War against the Galactic Empire
Another member of the "Star Wars" combat team led by Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia was Chewbacca. The furry Chewie, a member of the Wookiee species, is played by Peter Mayhew, an actor who is 2,21m (over seven feet) tall. When Fisher had suffered her heart attack, Mayhew posted a tweet headlined, "Thoughts and prayers for our friend and everyone's favorite princess right now."
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"When Harry Met Sally" (1989)
1989 saw Fisher appearing in another comedy: "When Harry Met Sally." She played Marie, the best friend of heroine Sally (Meg Ryan). In the movie, she has a brief relationship with Harry (Billy Crystal) before eventually marrying his friend Jess (Bruno Kirby).
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"Episode VII: The Force Awakens" (2015)
Han Solo and Princess Leia have a son, Kylo Ren, who has deserted to the other side and become a dark warrior of the Force. She continues to lead the rebellion, including the one against the New Order. Fisher and Harrison Ford were not just close as film characters. In her autobiography, "The Princess Diarist" (2016) she mentions details of the affair they had during the 1976 filming.
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Carrie Fisher as writer
In addition to her acting career, Fisher published a total of eight books, including five novels. Lately, she published her autobiography, "The Princess Diarist" - her third memoir after "Wishful Drinking" and "Shockaholic."
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The fight against drugs
Suffering from a bipolar disorder and drug addiction herself, Fisher kept adressing psychic illnesses and addictions. In 2016 she received a Harvard University "Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism" for her public engagement. On 27 December, she passed away after complications arising from a massive heart attack.
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Death of an Actress
Carrie Fisher passed away on the morning of 27 December, 2016, as a result of a severe heart attack suffered a few days before. She had collapsed on a long-distance flight from London prior to touchdown in Los Angeles and had received treatment at UCLA Medical Center. According to media reports she had just finished work on the British sitcom "Catastrophe."
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Despite his loving approach with the characters, Abrams gives some of them exaggerated traits. The director not only wanted to tie up all loose ends — and he doesn't forget a single one of them — he apparently also wanted to add new unexpected features that are sometimes overdone.
However, this should not spoil the fans' joy of once again plunging into the universe of their beloved saga. And not giving anything away, those who feared that the Star Wars finale would evoke the kind of disappointment felt by fans at the conclusion of the Game of Thrones series should rest easy.
It never ends
After 42 years, is it really the end of Star Wars? It's hard to believe. The story might have reached a conclusion for now, but for fans who grew up with the saga it will be hard to let go.
When Episode IX was announced, Disney did not discount another Star Wars film, only saying that there will be a significant break before another release, especially after the failure of the 2018 spin-off, Solo: A Star Wars Story. But another sequel added between the release of the main films in the trilogy,Rogue One (2016), was a highly successful addition to the core saga.
Other standalone films on Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi or Yoda are in development but have been put on hold for now. The new Disney+ streaming service also offers a new TV series, The Mandalorian, also set in the Star Wars universe. It's not all over yet.
