The final installment of the Skywalker saga is here, and it marks the end of not only the sequel trilogy, but Star Wars as we know it. Hot off the heels of a first viewing, the full ToB crew sat down to decompress and analyze in a spoiler-free initial reaction episode.

Endings are tough, and this is no exception; while the performances are consistently fantastic, with so many characters and plot lines left unresolved the film was faced with a Herculean task in wrapping up one of the most beloved series of all time. Moving at a break-neck speed the film seems to jump from concept to concept with reckless abandon and, while always visually stunning, this tempo tends to prevent any impactful emotional resonance (again, having only seen it once). In this conversation, we try to avoid specifics and speak to the movie as a self-contained story, while also commenting on the saga at large. With the various rumours, press-releases, leaks, etc. coming from the set, the conversation naturally veers towards the Director’s seat and the impact of what feels like diametrically opposed visions for the project leading to a sort of dissonance between episodes IIX and IX specifically.

That being said its always fun to talk Star Wars and this episode is no different. The series is something we’re all passionate about and although the Skywalker saga has reached it’s conclusion, the door is wide open for new and innovative exploration within the galaxy far, far away.