Review: Emperor Palpatine (The Rise of Skywalker)

@Th3D0m1n8r said:
" @tne328 said:
" @ecleme11 said:
"The Emperor survived?
"

At least the Emperor and Boba Fett are rare exceptions to permadeath in SW. Marvel characters get over being dead like you and I get over a bad cold."

Maul as well, but you're right, it's much more of a problem in Marvel."

"Somehow-"

"And, they fly now?"

@Th3D0m1n8r said:
" @tne328 said:
" @ecleme11 said:
"The Emperor survived?
"

At least the Emperor and Boba Fett are rare exceptions to permadeath in SW. Marvel characters get over being dead like you and I get over a bad cold."

Maul as well, but you're right, it's much more of a problem in Marvel."

14 and counting according to the following article: https://screenrant.com/star-wars-resurrected-characters-explained/

Chewbacca was actually killed in the novel Vector Prime (1999) but Disney just decided to forgo that he had died.

Books like these are just fancy packages for the minifigure. I don't often care as much about the book in any way after liberation of the minifigure.

Hope to get it for cheap one day because I would LOVE to make a mage from it.

@shaase said:
" @Th3D0m1n8r said:
" @tne328 said:
" @ecleme11 said:
"The Emperor survived?
"

At least the Emperor and Boba Fett are rare exceptions to permadeath in SW. Marvel characters get over being dead like you and I get over a bad cold."

Maul as well, but you're right, it's much more of a problem in Marvel."

14 and counting according to the following article: https://screenrant.com/star-wars-resurrected-characters-explained/

Chewbacca was actually killed in the novel Vector Prime (1999) but Disney just decided to forgo that he had died."
To quote RedLetterMedia: "No one's ever really gone…" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNTLC_uiGFA]

Interestingly, I made a correct prediction when this book was announced [https://brickset.com/article/114876/exclusive-palpatine-minifigure-in-2025-lego-star-wars-character-encyclopedia!]:
@essel said:
"I wonder if he's got an alternate face depicting his expression when he zaps himself for the third time in the saga (and yet continues doing it, as if he couldn't help it…)"

@essel:
I remember reading that prediction; well done!

So weird LEGO would make a minifig imagining what it would be like if the Sequel Duology had a third installment, where Palpatine returned? Looks neat enough though I guess

> firm incentive

> literally the worst SW film ever

nah I'm good

@Murdoch17 said:
"Disney should have hired you to fix their SW mess, instead of rehiring J.J. I honestly would've watched your movie."

I appreciate the praise! Personally, I’m of the mind that while TFA is a creative misstep, it provided an interesting thematic foundation for TLJ to examine identity, the past repeating itself, failure, and building a better future. IMO, TLJ makes TFA a better movie and the two make for a compelling duology.

And while TRoS fails to stick the landing — putting that lightly — everything I’ve outlined above is just based on what I feel TLJ writer/director Rian Johnson was setting up: Rey rejecting Ren’s offer to do evil in favor of her own path, Ren’s failure to move past his own baggage, and Hux glaring daggers at Ren at the end of the movie.

And, of course, there’s even a deleted TLJ scene hinting at Finn’s fellow stormtroopers turning on Phasma for selling out Starkiller Base, which definitely shows the inklings of a stormtrooper rebellion that Trevorrow seized on in his treatment and that Abrams/Terrio merely gestured toward with Jannah’s subplot.

The ingredients were there. Had Abrams/Terrio stuck the landing, I’m not saying everyone would hail the Sequel Trilogy as a masterpiece — I find it hard to believe there was ever a timeline or story that wouldn’t have been somewhat controversial to some segment of the fandom — but it would’ve softened the blow.

Ah well. By the end of the decade, the nostalgic re-evaluations of the trilogy will be underway. Me personally, the D+ era of SW has been more underwhelming than anything put out during the theatrical era — with the obvious exception of Andor, my beloved.

I think this article was only posted so that those of us who hate ROS and/or TLJ can have somewhere to vent without disturbing the rest of the readership :)

Off topic I though TLJ was a bad Star Wars movie but something that might have worked in another setting, but ROS was just an absolutely awful movie full stop, no redeeming features whatsoever.

On topic though, the minifigure looks great, but I'm not sure it's worth buying the book for? Do people regularly buy multiple DK books just for the minifigs?

@Brick_Master said:
"On topic though, the minifigure looks great, but I'm not sure it's worth buying the book for? Do people regularly buy multiple DK books just for the minifigs?"

I don't buy them *just* for the minifigs, but the minifigs are definitely an incentive.

@Prof_Physika said:
"I think the weirdly pervasive idea that TLJ is to blame for TRoS more controversial creative decisions (bringing Palpatine back, making him Rey’s grand-pappy, etc.) is, frankly, bizarre.

TLJ clearly sets up a future where in-fighting is prevalent in the FO — one where Supreme Leader Kylo Ren’s horribly embarrassing defeat on Crait has splintered any and all support he might have in the rest of the organization. It’s easy for me to imagine him being couped by the likes of Hux and a coalition of Imperial/Snoke loyalists, ousting him to be on his own (or perhaps alone with his loyal Knights of Ren, who we discover aren’t just generic baddies who don’t talk and go out like chumps, but are actually morally grey and somewhat interesting).

It’s then easy to see how Kylo’s storyline might intersect with Rey, who’s now off forging her own path: maybe that butts heads with some in the Resistance (like Poe, who’s more of a traditionalist; their spat in the beginning of the film is one of TRoS’s rare highlights) and it comes to a head when Kylo Ren allies with Rey to put an end to the weakened First Order once and for all. Put Finn in the middle, have him lead an honest to god stormtrooper rebellion, empowered by the idea that Ren (and maybe some stormtrooper defectors who come with him) would ally with the Resistance to stop the FO.

Then Ben Solo doesn’t have to die or whatever, he can simply escape justice and roam the Galaxy as a ronin doing random acts of justice to atone for his past. Where does Rey fit in all that? It’d be fun to explore.

I’m not a pro screenwriter or anything, but I’d like to think this is more original and thematically consistent than Abrams’ & Terrio’s “solution” to where TLJ left them. I think people who throw up their hands and say, “What can you do?” simply aren’t engaging with the film on its own terms."

Well yes TLJ is to blame too because it took the setup from TFA and went completely off track with it. That part is ok though, especially considering TFA didn't have a great setup to begin with, but you do have to build something else by the end of the movie or all you're just left with is ashes.
There's no way Abrams imagined Snoke would die like he did when he created that character. So of course he backtracked and tried to course-correct when they gave control of the franchise back to him (and maybe that's why they should have given it to someone else). Now that movie was rushed too and he did a terrible job, he's most definitely to blame for the mess as well. But he did have to basically cram 2 episodes into 1 because he wasn't left with much to work with. Like for instance what Resistance are we talking about here? It's about 20 people on 1 small ship. That's it. That faction is gone. TLJ made it clear no one else was interested in joining the fight against the First Order. Where do you go from there? A time jump and then you have to explain that wasn't actually true? Fine but that still contradicts the previous movie and that's eventually what they had to do. Half the galaxy suddenly joining the war can't all be explained by Lando's natural charisma.

What you're suggesting is much closer to the Duel of the Fates screenplay and like I said before, I think they should have gone with that project instead. At least it allowed some characters like Finn to go through an actual character arc. But still, Kylo and Hux would have been weak villains, especially since you know they have to be defeated once more by the end of the movie.
Now, would an episode about infighting within each faction be compelling to most fans? I don't really know, after all TPM was heavily criticised because it featured too much political drama according to some. I mean look at Andor, that show isn't your typical Star Wars story. I do like it but that series clearly has a more limited target audience than most other projects.

I am very glad they made this figure, just because it’s finally finishing a collection of characters from a controversial Star Wars story.

Imagine if they made a Rebels s3 Ezra all these years later.

It’s a very rare commitment to completely fans collections that I haven’t seen from the designers in years.

@Elrond said:

"Well yes TLJ is to blame too because it took the setup from TFA and went completely off track with it."

I don’t really think so, I think TLJ simply prioritizes the actually important parts of TFA and pushes the trilogy off in a new direction for IX rather than seemingly in the direction of rehashing what’s come before, like TFA.

"There's no way Abrams imagined Snoke would die like he did when he created that character."

Probs not, but then JJ isn’t the most imaginative.

"TLJ made it clear no one else was interested in joining the fight against the First Order. Where do you go from there?"

I thought TLJ made it clear that no one wanted to fight the FO if there was no hope; however, with Luke Skywalker inspiring said hope at the end of the film, the Galaxy is made hopeful again. As evidenced by the children reenacting the battle in the film’s epilogue. It’s puzzling to me how this event is seemingly completely glossed over in IX.

"But still, Kylo and Hux would have been weak villains, especially since you know they have to be defeated once more by the end of the movie."

I don’t really see Kylo as a full-on villain for my hypothetical IX, but yes, I think Hux may be beefed up with an Imperial council or even a second-in-command a la Richard E. Grant’s General Pryde who backstabs HIM and even further fractures the First Order. Make it a little obvious how fascism devolves into infighting, etc.

At the end of the day, like I said, I’m not a professional or anything. But I do think there were options that JJ and co. could’ve explored, especially ideas that more explicitly built off of TLJ and didn’t soft retcon it.

@Prof_Physika said:
"I don’t really think so, I think TLJ simply prioritizes the actually important parts of TFA and pushes the trilogy off in a new direction for IX rather than seemingly in the direction of rehashing what’s come before, like TFA."

I agree TFA was a bad start to the trilogy anyway. It was too safe and unoriginal. TLJ however went too far imo. As the central movie of a trilogy, it really needed to strongly set up everything for the final episode. Instead it burned so many bridges but didn't really create strong foundations for its sequel. Snoke is gone and you don't even know anything about him. Phasma is gone, unless you want to bring her back as a running joke. Hux is forever associated with that baffling prank call scene in everyone's mind, and he's no Tarkin or Thrawn anyway. Kylo clearly chose his path when he chased all the remaining good guys to that salt planet with the firm intention of killing them all, but he's also clearly been portrayed as weaker than the MC so the final stakes are pretty low. Rey is a nobody, not a bad decision per se but that also becomes a dead end. Finn doesn't do much and even gets denied any meaningful sacrifice. Luke gave up on everything he once cared about, finally sees the light again then dies... though I guess he can come back as a Force ghost but how far can you go with that. As for the Resistance, it's pretty much all gone.
I mean, you really have to either retcon some of that or introduce some big last minute stakes in the final movie.

"Probs not, but then JJ isn’t the most imaginative."

Oh definitely. But the point is that was a pretty big setup from TFA and it leads to nothing but a cheap "Ha! Bet you didn't see that one coming, huh?" moment. Who is he? How did he get into power? We don't know and there's no point in learning about it in the last movie since he's already gone. I suppose it could have worked if Kylo had been portrayed as a strong villain from the start who could take his place but that wasn't the case. So again, another dead end.

"I thought TLJ made it clear that no one wanted to fight the FO if there was no hope; however, with Luke Skywalker inspiring said hope at the end of the film, the Galaxy is made hopeful again. As evidenced by the children reenacting the battle in the film’s epilogue. It’s puzzling to me how this event is seemingly completely glossed over in IX."

That's true but they're just a bunch of kids playing with toys, we have no idea if simple rumours will be enough to inspire everyone across the galaxy to pick up arms and join what's left of the resistance. I get what they wanted to do with that but it's so naive and idealistic in how it was portrayed. Still I agree that it was indeed something that resembles a setup.

"I don’t really see Kylo as a full-on villain for my hypothetical IX, but yes, I think Hux may be beefed up with an Imperial council or even a second-in-command a la Richard E. Grant’s General Pryde who backstabs HIM and even further fractures the First Order. Make it a little obvious how fascism devolves into infighting, etc. "

TROS didn't portray him as a full-on villain either but that too was a bit of a retcon imo. TLJ clearly established that he had gone full Ep. III Anakin and was blinded by rage. He was absolutely ready to kill his own mom and his uncle (keeping in mind he had already killed his dad too). It's tough to let a character come back from that.

"At the end of the day, like I said, I’m not a professional or anything. But I do think there were options that JJ and co. could’ve explored, especially ideas that more explicitly built off of TLJ and didn’t soft retcon it."

I'm not criticising your ideas at all, I think they are good really. All I'm saying is it's really tough to make a good final movie with high stakes with what you're left with at the end of TLJ.
And frankly, when you see that professional writers come up with lines like "Somehow Palpatine returned"... there's nothing wrong with being an amateur. :p

@shaase said:
" @Th3D0m1n8r said:
" @tne328 said:
" @ecleme11 said:
"The Emperor survived?
"

At least the Emperor and Boba Fett are rare exceptions to permadeath in SW. Marvel characters get over being dead like you and I get over a bad cold."

Maul as well, but you're right, it's much more of a problem in Marvel."

14 and counting according to the following article: https://screenrant.com/star-wars-resurrected-characters-explained/

Chewbacca was actually killed in the novel Vector Prime (1999) but Disney just decided to forgo that he had died."

I can’t say I’m displeased with that particular change. The only reason Chewie got killed off was because Lucas hadn’t specifically forbidden it as he apparently had with the other OT heroes.

@Prof_Physika said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
"Disney should have hired you to fix their SW mess, instead of rehiring J.J. I honestly would've watched your movie."

Ah well. By the end of the decade, the nostalgic re-evaluations of the trilogy will be underway."

Sorry but that's wishful thinking

@SearchlightRG said:
" @shaase said:
" @Th3D0m1n8r said:
" @tne328 said:
" @ecleme11 said:
"The Emperor survived?
"

At least the Emperor and Boba Fett are rare exceptions to permadeath in SW. Marvel characters get over being dead like you and I get over a bad cold."

Maul as well, but you're right, it's much more of a problem in Marvel."

14 and counting according to the following article: https://screenrant.com/star-wars-resurrected-characters-explained/

Chewbacca was actually killed in the novel Vector Prime (1999) but Disney just decided to forgo that he had died."

I can’t say I’m displeased with that particular change. The only reason Chewie got killed off was because Lucas hadn’t specifically forbidden it as he apparently had with the other OT heroes."

Hey, at least he went out in a way worthy of him. Dude got a planet dropped on him. Which is much better than, say, a bridge, like what happened to Kirk. (Although that did allow Shatner to joke, "Bridge on the Captain!"

@StyleCounselor said:
" @WemWem said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @WemWem said:
"RISE OF SKYWALKER should have been named ASK AND YE SHALL RE-SHEEV"

Or "Same Sith, Different Day.""

And the film should have been a light screwball comedy with just the Emperor doing wacky stuff.

Him on the poster shrugging his shoulders like "Whaddaya want from me?" and Rey is crossing her arms next to him like "Get a load of this guy."

Really needed to tap into the comedy potential of The Emperor coming back to life."

I'm talking SPACE BALLS, watch out!

Emporer Sheeve Screw: Scour and comb the universe for that scavenger.

Knights of Ren: Man, we ain't found shit!"

Interestingly, in TLJ, the flashback of Rey being abandoned by her parents the ship shown flying away is Princess Vespa's Mercedes

@WemWem said:
"RISE OF SKYWALKER should have been named ASK AND YE SHALL RE-SHEEV"

Bravo.

@Elrond said:
" Phasma is gone, unless you want to bring her back as a running joke. "

Not a bad idea IMO, and one I kinda wish they’d leaned into. Make Phasma a survivor above all else, and really lean into the humor of her coming back yet again. And this time, when she faces Finn, him and his stormtroopers turn her troops against her. Why not? Have a little fun with it.

"Hux is forever associated with that baffling prank call scene in everyone's mind, and he's no Tarkin or Thrawn anyway."

It’s fine to me that Hux gets clowned on. You’re right, he isn’t a Tarkin or Thrawn. He’s far more zealous and “rabid,” as Snoke calls him. His power comes from two things: he’s a nepo baby and he’s got a rivalry with Kylo. I think IX could lean into both of these, have him drum up support from old Imperial and Snoke loyalists, oust Kylo from power — he’s clearly too unstable anyway, plus Vader killed the Emperor. Make it clear to Kylo that even that baddies don’t want him. He’s a mongrel. This would be part of his hypothetical arc in IX.

"Kylo clearly chose his path when he chased all the remaining good guys to that salt planet with the firm intention of killing them all, but he's also clearly been portrayed as weaker than the MC so the final stakes are pretty low."

I don’t think either film establishes Kylo as “weaker” than Rey — in fact, I think they make a strong argument for them being basically equal. That’s sorta their whole point, to act as foils for one another. A dark prince that forsakes his past vs. a noble junker obsessed with hers.

And I don’t think his path is chosen just yet, although TLJ leaves the door open for many directions. I think it’s his connection with Rey that’s interesting. I think that compels him to work with her to right some wrongs, but probably isn’t enough for him to forgive himself or fully buy into the light. And I think that ambiguity sets up an interesting dilemma for Kylo going into my hypothetical IX.

"Rey is a nobody, not a bad decision per se but that also becomes a dead end."

On the contrary, I think it finally frees her of extraneous burden and allows her to become her own character, rather than someone defined by who she (and we) think is more important than her.

"Finn doesn't do much and even gets denied any meaningful sacrifice."

But he’s no committed to the cause! And he lives to fight another day! Stormtrooper rebellion! C’mon, Abrams, it’s right there! End the saga on reconciliation, on reclaiming something rather than blowing crap up.

"Luke gave up on everything he once cared about, finally sees the light again then dies... though I guess he can come back as a Force ghost but how far can you go with that."

Luke’s the spark that reignites rebellion. Thematically, his character is most important going into IX, had JJ paid attention at the end of TLJ. Luke finally becomes the thing we (and Rey) have always built him up to be in our heads: a myth that inspires a Galaxy.

"As for the Resistance, it's pretty much all gone. "

“No one’s ever really gone,” and “We have all we need,” coupled with that inspiring epilogue told me all I need to know, which is that the Resistance will be back and stronger than ever in IX. Well, JJ eventually got there, i guess. After Lando smooth talked some people.

"it leads to nothing but a cheap "Ha! Bet you didn't see that one coming, huh?" moment. Who is he? How did he get into power?"

The more important thing to me is what Snoke’s assassination means for Kylo’s character, as this mirror of Vader. He “finishes what his grandfather started” in a real meaningful way when he kills his master — and doesn’t turn to the light. And Kylo quickly learns that — sans philosophy or any ideological thrust other than nihilism — he isn’t cut out for the job as Galactic Emperor. This makes him vulnerable. He’s finally king of this trash heap and he looks down and realizes… what the hell is it all for? I’m still alone. I have no one and the one person who cared about me shut the door in my face. Where do I go from here?

That, coupled with a

@Elrond

Haha, Brickset cut off some of my last reply, but I’ll leave it there at the risk of flooding your inbox and the comments.

My overall thesis is simply this: IX was primarily handicapped by three things, none of which were the film that preceded it: 1) a strict deadline mandated by the execs at Disney; 2) the untimely death of Carrie Fisher; and 3) hiring Abrams/Terrio to do the film. I’m not even saying that hiring those two in lieu of Colin Trevorrow (who, god knows, has his own wealth of issues as a creative and whose Duel of the Fates script has… its own share of big glaring issues) is the issue — but they weren’t the team to follow-up Johnson’s bold swing for the fences.

Now, TLJ is a film that happens to work for me, basically totally. I’ve got a few issues with it — some continuity errors, a misplaced joke here or there, a rather ungainly four-act structure, and the big one which is does Kylo Ren even know his mom is alive at the end of the movie? — but it works and it’s clearly interesting ENOUGH that it’s worthy of discussion many years later. SW fans are still talking about and debating about this film all these years later and what’s striking about it is it really does have this loyal cadre of fans and haters, which is more than you can say for the rather tepid post-2017 reception to TFA and utter antipathy afforded toward TRoS.

So, I think there’s something there. I think it’s the chewy middle that someone with the interest and aptitude could’ve really landed with IX. But they didn’t, so what can you do? Kvetch endlessly on the internet I guess.

Good discussion and thanks for keeping it civil! You have the last word!

Nothing could have saved TROS. Too many people were frustrated with TLJ. (IMHO).

I though TROS was fine, maybe a 5.5 out of 10.0.

My dislike for the narrative choices and execution in TLJ knows no bounds. And that dislike has unfortunately skewed my feelings on Looper or my drive to watch the heralded Knives Out series.

@Darth_Dee said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @WemWem said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @WemWem said:
"RISE OF SKYWALKER should have been named ASK AND YE SHALL RE-SHEEV"

Or "Same Sith, Different Day.""

And the film should have been a light screwball comedy with just the Emperor doing wacky stuff.

Him on the poster shrugging his shoulders like "Whaddaya want from me?" and Rey is crossing her arms next to him like "Get a load of this guy."

Really needed to tap into the comedy potential of The Emperor coming back to life."

I'm talking SPACE BALLS, watch out!

Emporer Sheeve Screw: Scour and comb the universe for that scavenger.

Knights of Ren: Man, we ain't found shit!"

Interestingly, in TLJ, the flashback of Rey being abandoned by her parents the ship shown flying away is Princess Vespa's Mercedes"

The 2001 SEL limited edition with moonroof and all-leather interior that was paid for in cash at cousin Prince Murray's dealership in the valley?

Hey, I don't have to put up with this. I'm rich.

Try to save the car.

@Elrond said:
" @Th3D0m1n8r said:
" @tne328 said:
" @ecleme11 said:
"The Emperor survived?
"

At least the Emperor and Boba Fett are rare exceptions to permadeath in SW. Marvel characters get over being dead like you and I get over a bad cold."

Maul as well, but you're right, it's much more of a problem in Marvel."

Well to be fair, let's not forget that 2 different characters got stabbed in the chest by a lightsaber in that awful Obi-Wan series and somehow survived. One of them even got stabbed twice, first time as a child too and by the same guy (!), and she walked it off both times.
And it happened AGAIN in the Ahsoka show. I guess Qui-Gon is the only character in the SW universe who can't survive getting his chest pierced by a lightsaber at this point. Poor guy."

Nothing ever stays dead...

"The Rise of Skywalker is my least favourite Star Wars film"

Me too!

@Murdoch17 said:
" @Prof_Physika said:
"I think the weirdly pervasive idea that TLJ is to blame for TRoS more controversial creative decisions (bringing Palpatine back, making him Rey’s grand-pappy, etc.) is, frankly, bizarre.

TLJ clearly sets up a future where in-fighting is prevalent in the FO — one where Supreme Leader Kylo Ren’s horribly embarrassing defeat on Crait has splintered any and all support he might have in the rest of the organization. It’s easy for me to imagine him being couped by the likes of Hux and a coalition of Imperial/Snoke loyalists, ousting him to be on his own (or perhaps alone with his loyal Knights of Ren, who we discover aren’t just generic baddies who don’t talk and go out like chumps, but are actually morally grey and somewhat interesting).

It’s then easy to see how Kylo’s storyline might intersect with Rey, who’s now off forging her own path: maybe that butts heads with some in the Resistance (like Poe, who’s more of a traditionalist; their spat in the beginning of the film is one of TRoS’s rare highlights) and it comes to a head when Kylo Ren allies with Rey to put an end to the weakened First Order once and for all. Put Finn in the middle, have him lead an honest to god stormtrooper rebellion, empowered by the idea that Ren (and maybe some stormtrooper defectors who come with him) would ally with the Resistance to stop the FO.

Then Ben Solo doesn’t have to die or whatever, he can simply escape justice and roam the Galaxy as a ronin doing random acts of justice to atone for his past. Where does Rey fit in all that? It’d be fun to explore.

I’m not a pro screenwriter or anything, but I’d like to think this is more original and thematically consistent than Abrams’ & Terrio’s “solution” to where TLJ left them. I think people who throw up their hands and say, “What can you do?” simply aren’t engaging with the film on its own terms."

Disney should have hired you to fix their SW mess, instead of rehiring J.J. I honestly would've watched your movie.

IMO regarding Disney SW: Rogue One gave us all such hope for the future, then they dashed it all away... luckily Mando and Thrawn are here to hunt down the hope once more - let us pray they don't fail us! (Honestly, a direct Heir to the Empire adaptation would have made a much better trilogy than what we got for 7, 8, and 9!)"

You are completely right. There is the small problem that "Heir to the Empire" is set about 5 years of in-universe time after Return of the Jedi, but Disney made their sequel trilogy more than 30 years after Return of the Jedi was released, so the actors' ages wouldn't match.

They could have made an adaptation in which it took Thrawn a couple of decades to get the Empire back in ship-shape.

@Elrond said:
" @alLEGOry_HJB2810 said:
"Last Jedi is worse than Rise of Skywalker. Just sayin'.
RoS did the best it could with the trashpile that LJ gave it to work with."

I'd say TROS was a worst movie overall (idiotic plot and dialogues, horrible pacing) but it was partly due to how TLJ sent the franchise into a dead end. That whole trilogy is a mess anyway, TFA already was nothing but a ripoff of the original but with everything BIGGER.

Still the design of that Sith planet with a dumb name is probably the only thing I enjoyed about TROS and I probably would have bought a set with Sheev and his throne. I agree with what @Lee_Fogel said before, this or a polybag was probably their best option to release this version of the character since no toy company apparently wants to touch TROS again. "

I'm not a big fan of TROS either but it still blows my mind that we never got a Lego version of Palps (one of the main characters of the entire movie) until SIX years after the fact. The Sequels sets weren't even that bad but they must have sold terribly.

Good lord, so much wholly unnecessary “TLJ this and TROS that” chatter in these comments. Does anyone truly care about this conversation anymore? There are no new arguments to be made, people. Just accept that everyone has their own opinions on these films and move on.

And on the subject: I actually love these lightning pieces so much more! They actually feel more movie accurate to me; those old ones have a weird shape and the double color also looks awkward. I’d love it if these were used occasionally, as well.