It can be easy to get swept up in the excitement of a new Star Wars film and time and distance can make you rethink your feelings. When I first watched The Rise of Skywalker in the alternate universe in the year 2019, I thought it was fine. There were some scenes that I disliked, but there were some cool moments that made me like the movie more.
I can't remember what I remembered after two years, but the rushed, overpacked plot, the clumsy retconning of The Last Jedi, and the craven fanservice were all there. The inexplicable return of the Emperor, Rey's nonsensical decision to bury the lightsabers of the two Jedi, and the finally getting his medal are all scenes that serve no one but the nerds who were angry that the franchise was no longer exclusive designed for them.
I find the moment of the medal being the most detestable in the film. The medal that Chewbacca never received in A New Hope's final ceremony scene has been a topic of discussion among fans for over 40 years. If you read the novelization of The Rise of Skywalker, you will know that the medal Han received is being passed along by Leia. Since you didn't read the book, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Leia was finally presenting his own medal.
In the world of the movie, Leia refused to give the medal to Chewbacca until after she died. She didn't want to give the Wookiee the medal herself, so she told him to give it to her dead body. If you are a kid who grew up with the sequel trilogy, it doesn't make sense to have a useless scene like that. It is just craven fanservice.
What do you think about The Rise of Skywalker? Has your opinion changed? Does anyone enjoy it as much as they did on December 20, 2019? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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