“We’ve passed on all we know.
A thousand generations live in you now.
But this is your fight.”
As Luke Skywalker said those words, the first trailer for Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker began. While fans around the world watched in wonder, one point became clear: This film heralds the end of the Skywalker saga.
For those whose childhoods were shaped by dreaming of the galaxies surrounding us – who wielded sticks that moved rhythmically while humming the sound of a light saber; who dreamed of being Leia, Luke, Han; who dreamed of piloting the Millennium Falcon or an X-wing Starfighter; who dreamed of working with fellow rebels to save others – the thought of the heroes who taught us what bravery looked like no longer existing in our orbits seems surreal.
It appears that my generation will once more learn important lessons from Star Wars as we grow (for growing always, we are): Acceptance; what it means to be and have been; what it means to say goodbye to those we love; what it means to consider the legacy we leave behind.
If you wish to be brave, you must first know fear
With “Leia’s Theme” softly playing in the beginning of the trailer, Rey is preparing for some sort of battle. Suddenly her enemy appears on the horizon; Rey draws her lightsaber and begins running.
Who could blame her for not wanting to face what she fears most? Who among us might not also turn and run when confronted with a terror that makes your blood run cold?
Except, it turns out, Rey wasn’t running from her fate: She was running to it.
As the music crescendos, Rey also rises – willing herself through sheer force into the air, culminating in a breath-taking visual that reminds us of the potential strength that lies within each of us.
When resisting dark forces, most are propelled forward by belief in what is right; determined to protect people they’ve never met, and defend ideals they’ll never compromise. The greater good – not self – is what matters most, with humanity being the Force that flows through each of us.
The parallels between reality and Star Wars cannot be underscored: It’s often a lone person or a small group of rebels who rally others to overcome odds that seem insurmountable. It takes just a few brave voices to speak up, a few brave souls to step forward, and suddenly you might have a full rebellion on your hands.
Rey reminds us that you don’t need to look a certain way, or hold any certain authority to make a difference. It is our actions and contributions, large or small, that will make the difference.
Though we’ve no clue if the scene with Rey catapulting through the air to face her enemy takes place in the beginning or the end, we can still ascertain what is truly important: Should Rey live or should Rey die, what she did in that moment will exist long beyond her last breath. It will spark bravery in others for generations to come.
Perhaps this is what Luke meant as he spoke the only other words in the trailer: We’ll always be with you. No one’s ever really gone.
Rebellions are built on hope, and the future is, too
As we begin to consider the end, we grapple with questions that have no answers. We begin thinking of things that previously seemed incomprehensible.
We come to realize that no matter how unfair a fate might seem, discovering acceptance, fighting your hardest, then greeting what is next with open arms is perhaps the most liberty one could ever know.
Writing this post has been difficult, not only because writing about what promises to be the end of the Skywalker saga feels as though I’m writing a eulogy for my childhood self, but also because the parallel thoughts of legacy, and what we leave behind after we’re gone, has been weighing heavily upon me of late. The timing of the goodbye to the heroes of my youth correlates closely with coming to accept my own mortality.
We live in a world where change comes at us unrelentingly.
- It is human nature to be afraid of change.
- It is human nature to be afraid of the unknown.
- It is human nature to act out of fear; to do or say things that we’d never have previously considered.
- It is human nature to miss those who we must say goodbye to.
But I truly believe that the humanity within each of us is our Force. There’s a reason that Star Wars Week resonates – we get to share something that so many of us love. And if we each took a moment to consider this common thread, we could build a better world for each of us, and leave behind a legacy that will inspire others to do the same.
If you ever find yourself searching for inspiration in moments of fear, doubt, or worry, I hope you’ll come back to this post. Following are some Star Wars quotes to remind you that we are all always rising:
“Named must your fear be before banish it you can.”
– Yoda
“If we can make it to the ground, we’ll take the next chance. And the next. On and on until we win … or the chances are spent.”
– Jyn Erso
“I’m one with the Force, and the Force is with me.”
– Chirrut Imwe
“No matter how different we appear, we’re all the same in our struggle against the powers of evil and darkness.”
– Princess Leia Organa
“Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.”
– Yoda
“The belonging you seek is not behind you … it is ahead.”
– Maz Kanata
“What chance do we have? The question is “what choice.” Run, hide, plead for mercy, scatter your forces. You give way to an enemy this evil with this much power and you condemn the galaxy to an eternity of submission. The time to fight is now!”
– Jyn Erso
“Four hundred of us on three ships. We’re the very last of the Resistance. But we’re not alone. In every corner of the galaxy, the downtrodden and oppressed know our symbol and they put their hope in it. We are the spark that will light the fire that will restore the Republic. That spark, this Resistance, must survive. That is our mission. Now to your stations, and may the Force be with us.”
– Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo
“Never tell me the odds.”
– Han Solo
