I grew up watching Star Wars. I have seen all nine films. If I was asked which are my top three Star Wars films, they would have to be Attack of the Clones (Hayden Christensen is such a badass Anakin), Empire Strikes Back and the recently shown Rise of the Skywalker simply because I admire Kylo Ren and what he stood for.
*Spoilers Ahead*
I was among the fortunate ones who managed to watch Rise of the Skywalker before the Manila Film Fest started. My cousins Franky, Dannica, CD, Z and I watched it with Tito Buboy at Ayala Malls Manila Bay.
Prior to seeing it, I already had theories and expectations about how I wanted the saga to end. The origins of Rey, why Kylo Ren felt he had to live up to the image of Darth Vader, how will the First Order accomplish its goal of world domination and will Finn finally be able to tell Rey how he feels about her?
It was no longer about the battle for justice. Rey does not have a clue who she is and don't we all ask ourselves at least once in a while who are we and how did we get to where we are now? What made me come this far? Who gave me courage and the ability to move on despite my troublesome past?
Rey's dilemma echoes mine back when I was in high school and college. I had no idea why I took up marketing and advertising. Was I following my mom's footsteps in hopes that I'll be as successful as she is in the corporate world or was I trying to prove I can be better? College opened opportunities I was fearful of grabbing. Unlike high school when you all really wanted was to graduate with your friends and not with a batch younger than yours.
How about Kylo Ren? How was he able to kill Han Solo without remorse or guilt for what he had done? Why does he resent Han and Princess Leia so much? Yet when he learns about Rey and how fond his mother Leia is of her, he went ballistic and takes out his rage on Rey.
As an adult who still lives under her parents' roof, it can get chaotic having to obey them when we want to speak up and be heard. We answer back and like a childish, immature brat we storm off the house and run away; believing that would solve the problem.
Kylo must have felt like an idiot. He must have thought he is worthless to anyone, even his parents. Throughout the saga, we see how it is in chaos where people who have animosity towards each other unite to fight a villain that has given them nothing but pain and sorrow: the Siths.
In the Star Wars universe, the Siths are the most evil bunch of the lot. They use the Force to perform vile deeds and they do not mind eliminating anyone who dares to mess up their plans. The Jedis are all about peace, order and equality. Thus that is why the audience are asked, are you a Sith or a Jedi?
For Christians, the Force is the power of the Holy Spirit that comes from God. It is His grace that overflows and is constantly with us as long as we continue to seek God and live in His image and righteousness. I have been a Kylo Ren and Rey as a teen and now that I'm in my 30s, I am working towards being the Kylo and Rey that worked together to overthrow Palpatine and the First Order.
Will I let my future kids know how much their mom loves the Star Wars saga? Definitely! Thank you, George Lucas, for the characters I have loved since I was in seventh grade. C3PO, R2D2, Chewbacca, Han Solo, Luke and Leia, Darth Vader, Obi wan Kenobi, Qui Gon Jinn, Jar Jar Binks, Padmé Amidala - - - I have loved them like they were my family!
Go see the saga now. Start with A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Then Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Do not miss any of the nine films. Each film has its importance and place to make the saga easy to understand and appreciate.
Now, excuse me as I grab some popcorn and start my own marathon.
