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ANOTHER THREAD SORRY (i'm on one tonight):
i wanna expand on this idea of the COST, esp re: Rey, given what we've recently heard.
when it comes to good overcoming evil, there is always a cost. SW is full to the brim w the cost of this battle. there is always sacrifice. (1/17) https://twitter.com/Laura_K_A/status/1244699697878568964
i wanna expand on this idea of the COST, esp re: Rey, given what we've recently heard.
when it comes to good overcoming evil, there is always a cost. SW is full to the brim w the cost of this battle. there is always sacrifice. (1/17) https://twitter.com/Laura_K_A/status/1244699697878568964
in basic storytelling principles, the heroes have to face trials & overcome obstacles. they suffer, sacrifice & lose things on the way. what makes all this worth it is that the end result, the REWARD for our heroes & their community, is big & beautiful enough to justify it (2/17)
a lot of JJerrio's post-TROS justification for making Rey a Palpatine is rooted in a canonical storytelling principle - especially when it comes to screenwriting - which is this:
what is the absolute worst thing that could happen to this character right now? (3/17)
what is the absolute worst thing that could happen to this character right now? (3/17)
this is a useful tool when it comes to building the road of trials that will challenge your character in deep & meaningful ways so that they will grow & learn & become better people, and (especially in myths/fairytales) bring back something positive to their community. (4/17)
so yes, it absolutely makes sense to think about what trials to put Rey through.
however, JJerrio's solution to the question of 'what's the worst thing that could happen?' is deeply flawed in several ways.
firstly, it ignores where Rey is at in her overall journey. (5/17)
however, JJerrio's solution to the question of 'what's the worst thing that could happen?' is deeply flawed in several ways.
firstly, it ignores where Rey is at in her overall journey. (5/17)
Act 1 - TFA: Rey sets out on adventure & is faced w a personal obstacle.
Act 2 - TLJ: She faces up to the obstacle & is challenged w the worst possible outcome.
Act 3- TROS: Having overcome the internal obstacle, she uses what she's learnt to defeat the external Big Bad. (6/17)
Act 2 - TLJ: She faces up to the obstacle & is challenged w the worst possible outcome.
Act 3- TROS: Having overcome the internal obstacle, she uses what she's learnt to defeat the external Big Bad. (6/17)
Rey's central character Need AS ESTABLISHED BY JJ HIMSELF IN TFA is to find a sense of family. she holds onto hope that she has a loving family that are still out there somewhere & will someday return for her. this hope & belief is her biggest personal obstacle in TFA. (7/17)
in TLJ, Rey's journey is facing up to the realisation that she is alone, she is "nobody", she doesn't have a traditional/biological family to provide her w identity, meaning & belonging.
THIS is her 'absolute worst thing' & IT HAPPENS AT THE POINT IT IS SUPPOSED TO (8/17)
THIS is her 'absolute worst thing' & IT HAPPENS AT THE POINT IT IS SUPPOSED TO (8/17)
at the end of TLJ, using what she's learned from realising that her former idea of family/belonging is not a reality, she then claims her new found family as her own, both by going to Ben to try & bring him over to the light & also by rescuing the Resistance on Crait. (9/17)
TROS is the 3rd act. yes Rey still needs to be challenged but she's also at the point where she's supposed to have let go of the beliefs she held as a child bc SHE IS BECOMING A WOMAN. a woman who knows who she is, what she believes in, where she belongs & what she wants. (10/17)
TROS should've been about HOW will Rey use what she's learnt from her trials to achieve her goal which is to be with Ben & save the galaxy.
to OUT OF NOWHERE throw in that she's a Palpatine is absolute INSANITY & goes against story structure but not in an innovative way (11/17)
to OUT OF NOWHERE throw in that she's a Palpatine is absolute INSANITY & goes against story structure but not in an innovative way (11/17)
it completely disrespects where Rey is at in her heroine's journey, where the overall story is at & basically resets Rey to the beginning.
there comes a point in the structure where if all you're doing is thinking of the 'absolute worst thing' you can do to a character.. (12/17)
there comes a point in the structure where if all you're doing is thinking of the 'absolute worst thing' you can do to a character.. (12/17)
that completely shits over everything that has happened up to that point, everything they've learnt, the progress they've made, then that is NOT a "genius way to challenge a character", it is simply sadistic, meaningless torture.
it feels like JJerrio were PUNISHING Rey. (13/17)
it feels like JJerrio were PUNISHING Rey. (13/17)
what was left on Rey's character checklist was: find a way to be w Ben & save the galaxy. NOT EXACTLY EASY.
but JJerrio said NO, NOT ENOUGH. MORE SUFFERING. UNDO EVERYTHING. PUT THIS UPPETY WOMAN BACK IN HER LITTLE GIRL BOX IN CASE IT THREATENS THE PRECIOUS MALE EGO (14/17)
but JJerrio said NO, NOT ENOUGH. MORE SUFFERING. UNDO EVERYTHING. PUT THIS UPPETY WOMAN BACK IN HER LITTLE GIRL BOX IN CASE IT THREATENS THE PRECIOUS MALE EGO (14/17)
if they'd put her through hell but allowed her to save the galaxy AND be with Ben (PROPERLY, not just for like THIRTY SECONDS) - which fulfils both her internal & external Wants & Needs (literally the two most important things in screenwriting when creating characters)... (15/17)
then the suffering, sacrifice & loss accrued (not just by Rey in the ST, but by the whole galaxy over NINE FILMS) would have been WORTH IT.
bittersweet, YES. but full of hope & love & a light to shine on the path towards the future & towards healing a broken universe. (16/17)
bittersweet, YES. but full of hope & love & a light to shine on the path towards the future & towards healing a broken universe. (16/17)
the ending of TROS is not justified by the means. Rey gets NO REWARD. yes, the Big Bad is defeated & the community is saved, but our heroine returns with neither personal fulfilment nor a redefining message to benefit the collective.
and that is what i mean by the COST. (17/17)
and that is what i mean by the COST. (17/17)
