5 Things Star Wars: Episode IX Must Do

Despite how you feel about Star Wars: The Last Jedi, many fans agree that there is still so much this trilogy has set up and hasn’t finished. With only Episode IX remaining, it looks like we could finally receive the answers we’ve been waiting for. Here are five things that Star Wars: Episode IX must do:

1. The Knights of Ren

The concept of The Knights of Ren were first set up during The Force Awakens. Although not directly seen, they may have been offhandedly mentioned by Luke when he explains that when Ben Solo turned, he killed some of Luke’s students and took the rest with him. For The Knights of Ren to pay off in this trilogy, we will have to either physically see them onscreen or be given a clearer explanation as to why they no longer exist.

2. Maz and Anakin’s Lightsabers

The biggest question about Maz Kanata in The Force Awakens is how she ended up with Anakin’s lightsaber, the very one that Luke was holding when he lost his hand on Bespin. As Maz said in The Force Awakens, “a good question – for another time”. This has caused much speculation as to how she got possesion of that lightsaber, so “another time” ought to be in Episode IX.

Episode IX
(source)

3. Snoke’s Past

To many people, the death of Snoke with no real explanation as to who he was is one of the best things The Last Jedi did, but for others it was frustrating. No matter what side of the fence you sit on, the question still remains: where was Snoke during the Prequel trilogy and the Original trilogy? While some extended canon material has suggested the Emperor himself senses a dark force out in the Outer Rim, it would still be good for the films themselves to  set aside some time for an insight into Snoke’s past.

4. The Passing of Leia

Based on the track record of The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, it can be assumed that Lucasfilm decided to remove the main original trilogy characters one by one. Which brings us to the question of how they will remove Leia in Episode IX following the unexpected passing of Carrie Fisher. The film has two options: recast the role and have Episode IX play out as planned, or have the character pass during the time jump between The Last Jedi and Episode IX. No matter which they decide to go with, everyone at Lucasfilm has a tough task ahead of them.

Episode IX
The unexpected death of Carrie Fisher raises questions for the upcoming film (source).

5. Force Ghost Luke

With the tragic passing of Carrie Fisher, the films in are left with none of the original trilogy’s main three characters. While the option to recast Leia is still on the table, it’s hard to deny that doing that will take away something special that Carrie Fisher brought to the role. With that, the need for force ghost Luke is strong as he is the only connection remaining to the Original trilogy. Although many assumed that he would be returning as a force ghost in Episode IX, it can now be hoped that his role has changed dramatically following the tragic passing of Fisher.