Star Wars Calling Out Rey's Unearned Powers?

For all topics regarding speculative fiction of every stripe. Otherwise known as the Geek Cave.
User avatar
clearspira
Overlord
Posts: 5688
Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2017 12:51 pm

Re: Star Wars Calling Out Rey's Unearned Powers?

Post by clearspira »

Beelzquill wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 1:11 am I hope they retcon, but I don't think Disney is even remotely willing to because they know they will be decried for "giving in to the manbabies" regardless of whether or not it's better than the sequel trilogy or not.
I get the impression that ''manbabies'' was just code for ''those irritating fans getting in the way of our greatness as we seek out a new and woker audience''.

Privately at least, they have realised that this new audience simply is not there. Marvel comics, Dr Who and Star Trek wanted the same thing and are at different levels of realising this. These are male franchises. Not saying that women cannot enjoy them because plenty do and I am not saying that it is wrong to expand; but any attempt to demonise men in the process is going to achieve nothing. And as much as people dislike me for pointing this out, they always stop at trying to tell me a franchise that has actually managed to reach a new height with this attitude. Things either get worse or just stay the same.
User avatar
phantom000
Captain
Posts: 753
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 2:32 pm

Re: Star Wars Calling Out Rey's Unearned Powers?

Post by phantom000 »

clearspira wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 2:03 pm
Beelzquill wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 1:11 am I hope they retcon, but I don't think Disney is even remotely willing to because they know they will be decried for "giving in to the manbabies" regardless of whether or not it's better than the sequel trilogy or not.
I get the impression that ''manbabies'' was just code for ''those irritating fans getting in the way of our greatness as we seek out a new and woker audience''.

Privately at least, they have realised that this new audience simply is not there. Marvel comics, Dr Who and Star Trek wanted the same thing and are at different levels of realising this. These are male franchises. Not saying that women cannot enjoy them because plenty do and I am not saying that it is wrong to expand; but any attempt to demonise men in the process is going to achieve nothing. And as much as people dislike me for pointing this out, they always stop at trying to tell me a franchise that has actually managed to reach a new height with this attitude. Things either get worse or just stay the same.
Personally I was always curious what exactly was the difference between a 'male franchise' and a 'female franchise.' I get that girls should have good role models but why can't a girl have someone like Batman or The Doctor, or even Obi-wan for a role model? And what's wrong with a boy say that Twilight Sparkle is his favorite hero?

But getting back to the point...

I've never seen Episode 8 or 9 because there was nothing in TFA that made me interested in the sequel trilogy, it felt more like a parody than a sequel. One thing that turned me off was the fact that Rey, with less training than Luke, was able to use the force on a much more advanced level. Before he trained with Yoda the best Luke could do is using the force to move an object, and even that he struggled with. Remember, he didn't use the force to destroy the Deathstar, he used a torpedo which he aimed with the force. And keep in mind that Luke was supposed to be unique. It was implied that throughout the long history of the Jedi Order there was only 2 with that kind of power, Luke and his father Anakin.

So then we have Rey, with nothing more than the knowledge that she is a jedi, is able to manipulate people directly against there will, something Luke could only do after training with Yoda. It feels more like something you would see in Spaceballs or Family Guy. And it screws over Luke because again, He's supposed to be unique!
User avatar
Makeshift Python
Captain
Posts: 1599
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2018 2:37 pm

Re: Star Wars Calling Out Rey's Unearned Powers?

Post by Makeshift Python »

Male fragility is strong in this thread.
User avatar
CharlesPhipps
Captain
Posts: 4965
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:06 pm

Re: Star Wars Calling Out Rey's Unearned Powers?

Post by CharlesPhipps »

I think Rey got as much training as Luke did on Dagobah.
User avatar
clearspira
Overlord
Posts: 5688
Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2017 12:51 pm

Re: Star Wars Calling Out Rey's Unearned Powers?

Post by clearspira »

Makeshift Python wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 4:03 pm Male fragility is strong in this thread.
I do like these buzzwords that are designed to dog whistle likeminded people but mean nothing to everyone else.
User avatar
BridgeConsoleMasher
Overlord
Posts: 11638
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2018 6:18 am

Re: Star Wars Calling Out Rey's Unearned Powers?

Post by BridgeConsoleMasher »

CharlesPhipps wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 4:51 pm I think Rey got as much training as Luke did on Dagobah.
It's not a direct comparison of exhibited skills.

That being said, Luke is an ace pilot who blew up the Death Star on a single run while Rey was a scavenger/barterer who was able to mindtrick the guards. That's about it.
..What mirror universe?
User avatar
clearspira
Overlord
Posts: 5688
Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2017 12:51 pm

Re: Star Wars Calling Out Rey's Unearned Powers?

Post by clearspira »

CharlesPhipps wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 4:51 pm I think Rey got as much training as Luke did on Dagobah.
I would argue that Luke taught Rey nothing tbh. Luke got a training montage where he was taught how to lift an X-Wing; Rey got... sitting down practice where he tickled her hand with a leaf? I think she arrived just as powerful as when she left.

But either way, the point is that Luke NEEDED that training. All he had in his arsenal was basic telekinesis and clairvoyance. And even after the training, it should be obvious to all that Vader was toying with him until he nonchalantly sliced off his hand. Rey however in a weekwent from not knowing that the Force exists to beating Kylo in two duals, defeating Snoke's personal guard, learning the Jedi mind trick without trying, and lazily lifting a cliff with a bored expression on her face so that the Resistance could escape.

The difference should be obvious just by watching the films.
User avatar
clearspira
Overlord
Posts: 5688
Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2017 12:51 pm

Re: Star Wars Calling Out Rey's Unearned Powers?

Post by clearspira »

BridgeConsoleMasher wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 5:29 pm
CharlesPhipps wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 4:51 pm I think Rey got as much training as Luke did on Dagobah.
It's not a direct comparison of exhibited skills.

That being said, Luke is an ace pilot who blew up the Death Star on a single run while Rey was a scavenger/barterer who was able to mindtrick the guards. That's about it.
Actually if we go by her skills as displayed in TFA, she's also an ace pilot who can fly the Falcon just as well as Han, can fix the Falcon just as well as Han, is a crack shot with a blaster, is an expert fighter with a staff and had enough Force ability to be drawn to Anakin's lightsaber.

Come on, her foundations for Mary Sueness was being laid long before TLJ. And considering that Luke was about to join the Empire to fly Tie fighters before his aunt and uncle were killed, I would maintain that is actually a reasonable backstory as to why he can fly so well. Its not unfair to suggest that he has been to some kind of flight school before this. What's her story? How did she get so good?
User avatar
BridgeConsoleMasher
Overlord
Posts: 11638
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2018 6:18 am

Re: Star Wars Calling Out Rey's Unearned Powers?

Post by BridgeConsoleMasher »

clearspira wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 5:37 pm
BridgeConsoleMasher wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 5:29 pm
CharlesPhipps wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 4:51 pm I think Rey got as much training as Luke did on Dagobah.
It's not a direct comparison of exhibited skills.

That being said, Luke is an ace pilot who blew up the Death Star on a single run while Rey was a scavenger/barterer who was able to mindtrick the guards. That's about it.
Actually if we go by her skills as displayed in TFA, she's also an ace pilot who can fly the Falcon just as well as Han, can fix the Falcon just as well as Han, is a crack shot with a blaster, is an expert fighter with a staff and had enough Force ability to be drawn to Anakin's lightsaber.

Come on, her foundations for Mary Sueness was being laid long before TLJ. And considering that Luke was about to join the Empire to fly Tie fighters before his aunt and uncle were killed, I would maintain that is actually a reasonable backstory as to why he can fly so well. Its not unfair to suggest that he has been to some kind of flight school before this. What's her story? How did she get so good?
She flew successfully through wreckage. That's quite a deal less than blowing up the Death Star. The story establishes that she can fight, as she scraps around as a trader. That's before any Jedi inclinations. But really I'm not sure what being able to use a staff crudely is supposed to be evidence of.
..What mirror universe?
Al-1701
Officer
Posts: 332
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2020 2:51 pm

Re: Star Wars Calling Out Rey's Unearned Powers?

Post by Al-1701 »

clearspira wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 5:37 pm
BridgeConsoleMasher wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 5:29 pm
CharlesPhipps wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 4:51 pm I think Rey got as much training as Luke did on Dagobah.
It's not a direct comparison of exhibited skills.

That being said, Luke is an ace pilot who blew up the Death Star on a single run while Rey was a scavenger/barterer who was able to mindtrick the guards. That's about it.
Actually if we go by her skills as displayed in TFA, she's also an ace pilot who can fly the Falcon just as well as Han, can fix the Falcon just as well as Han, is a crack shot with a blaster, is an expert fighter with a staff and had enough Force ability to be drawn to Anakin's lightsaber.
Which would have been something for the movie to actually explore.

Being a junker, she might have learned how to put things together just as well as take things apart. It would have been nice to see her fixing something in her dwelling that's furnished with things she's built from scrap.

Being good with a blaster might come from her having to hunt for protein. Show her snipe some desert animal and take it back to cook.

She's an expert fighter with a staff. Show her fighting off some thugs, particularly to protect someone they're menacing.

Flying the Falcon and being drawn to Anakin's Lghtsaber can be explained to being Force sensitive. Particularly with the former, she wasn't thinking at the moment, so she was being guided by the Force. As she said, she had no idea how she did it.

The long and short of it is they needed to write a better movie. And Rey having boobs did nothing to with its quality for good or ill. They needed to establish her character, not make us fill in the gaps.
Post Reply