Warning: Contains spoilers for "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."
Whether you love it, hate it, or just feel mild about it, "The Last Jedi" has made waves across the galaxy. Moviegoers are just as split as Luke's old lightsaber; some deem it to be an insult to the lore, while others praise it for breathing some much needed fresh air into the familiar Star Wars story. Many fans, myself included, went into the movie theater with theories and predictions that would soon be shattered. Surprisingly, that is exactly what I loved about the film. In brief, it did not give me everything I wanted, but it did give me an awful lot that I didn't know I wanted. And since the movie has been out for just over a month, that means I can speak freely about the plot without having to be courteous about spoilers. That's right, it's really on you at this point... Go see the movie.
The fact that the movie is well made is not up for discussion. This is perhaps the prettiest Star Wars film, from shot composition to the sharp, contrasting colors. The critiques lie within in the accused misuse of major villains and the overuse of characters only just introduced in this film. Snoke's death was only one major shakeup in a story doing everything it could to defy expectations. It's evident that Kylo Ren was always meant to be the main antagonist of the new trilogy; Snoke was a stepping stone, a red herring in the story. Not only did I appreciate these twists, I wanted the story to take it one step further. What if Rey had decided to join Kylo Ren?
That's right, break out your Reylo fan fiction (the sacred texts) because I am fully aboard this ship. Not only would this have been the boldest and most intriguing decision in the story, but it could possibly be smarter than the decision Rey made. Hear me out. I'm not saying that Rey should have turned to the dark side, I am saying that she should have accepted Kylo's offer, and doing so would not make her evil nor a Sith.
To assume that joining Kylo means she is suddenly evil proves Kylo's point. In his offer to her, he said that this fight doesn't have to be about "light side" versus "dark side" if they don't want it to be. You don't have to be 100% good or evil, you can be mixed. You know, like a normal human being. This is in line with the entire point of the story. Yoda tells Luke that failure is the greatest teacher of all. Poe's character arc is based on learning from past mistakes to become an effective leader. DJ shows Finn the effects of war, and how some people play toward both the "good guys" and the "bad guys." The point is, the characters in this film are all human. They have faults, failings, and they feel shame. Nobody is perfect. So why do the Jedi try to be?
The Jedi are stubborn. That's why history keeps repeating itself every twenty years like clockwork. The Sith obliterate the Jedi, the Sith betray each other, the Jedi rise up again. Perhaps this is the "balance" of the force, the fact that Jedi and Sith are two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other.
Consider: every Sith was once a Jedi. Perhaps the force itself is corruptive in nature, or perhaps the way that the Jedi have always done things is not the best way. Luke saw the flaws within the Jedi. Perfection is impossible, yet the galaxy sees him as this faultless legend when in reality he is deeply ashamed of the mistakes he's made. This mirrors the way some fans were disappointed with Luke's character this time around.
Apparently, he's not allowed to be depressed or have regrets, or isolate himself after allowing the Jedi to fall to evil. We've certainly never seen any Jedi (Obi-wan and Yoda) do that before.
That's why it's time for the Jedi to end, and that's the offer Kylo made. Forget the past. Let the Jedi and Sith die. They could create their own world, as best they can. Additionally, it's obvious that Rey is a good influence on him. If she stuck with him, she could sway him even more toward doing good. Maybe she should've taken one for the team. Over time, she could work to turn him more from evil. It's obvious that he was willing.
But Rey refused to see it as anything but black and white, and she let that perfect Jedi ideology influence her decision making. Rey had believed in Ben Solo not two minutes prior, but now she suddenly assumes he's beyond rescue. She refused so quickly without thinking through it. What if Rey and Ben Solo ruled together? In their brief time of civility, they were good for each other. Perhaps the galaxy wouldn't have been too bad off. Would it be perfect? No. Though I think they could do their best.
It's only natural that we have good versus evil. Rey sides with the good guys and continues the fight against the dark side. Of course, this is the story we expect to be told. However, in a franchise that hinges on redemption and a story that focused on the gray area between good and bad, I don't think that this "what if" was too far off the mark. Maybe my wish will still be fulfilled, so don't lose hope for my boy Ben Solo just yet.
Or maybe you all better start writing your "Roe" fan fiction. We'll just have to wait until Episode IX. And if Rey does reform the Jedi, I sincerely hope that she explores that morally "gray" area that some of us want to see.
