The Star Wars universe is basically the battle between good and evil given the shape of a supermassive space-based soap opera. The only difference is there are laser guns and big ass ships in this one.
The Good and the Evil forces are, as always, locked in a perpetual war of attrition. Up until now, the Star Wars was always about the Sith being on the higher ground as the Jedi facing an uphill battle. The Sith were always the one to hog the spotlight in each and every iteration of Star Wars.
The original trilogy is one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time and they remain deeply entrenched in our hearts and minds. But after some time, Lucas Films decided to make prequels i.e Episode 1,2 & 3 with an ensemble cast but it was a huge disaster as the movies attracted the wrath of Star Wars fans. This was a deathly blow to the makers and for many years even fans ruled out the possibility of another trilogy.
But it was getting too much for the fans and everyone wanted to see an extremely well-directed Star Wars movie to quench this hunger which was getting unbearable. And then came Star Wars: The Force Awakens directed by J.J. Abrams which successfully reinvented the franchise.
The movie was a huge box-office success as it brought alive nostalgia of the originals and crafted the narrative along the similar lines in terms of pace and tone. In fact, some of the critics said the movie felt like a rehash of ‘The New Hope’ with latest visual effects as there was nothing that was unseen before.
The sequel titled ‘The Last Jedi’ was the first one to break the mold. It introduced new elements into the larger Star Wars universe i.e things which fans had never seen before. This was a major departure from the traditional template which angered a section of fans while others heaped massive praise upon the movie.
For the first time in history, the fans were deeply divided over Star Wars movie and the number of on-screen appearances of the Jedi outgunned the ones that featured the Sith.
That is taking into consideration the fact that the Dark Side is still the Dominant force in the Galaxy. Apart from Kylo and Snoke, the number of Dark Side users was next to nothing. The Jedi were as evenly outmatched but they at least had more screen space.
Had it been one group of Sith users to be featured in The Last Jedi, the equations would have changed drastically.
The Knights of Ren are the honorary followers of Kylo Ren and fearsome Dark Side users of the Force. After Kylo rebelled against his master Luke Skywalker, he killed most of the Padawans under his care and only took a handful of them along with him.
Together, the Knights of Ren served Supreme Leader Snoke and the First Order. They helped expand the Empire’s successors’ clutches to new frontiers. The Knights of Ren are implied to be powerful warriors of the Galaxy.
After the demise of the Sith Order, they are the next best thing as Champions of the Dark Side of the Force. The Only problem is – They were not in The Last Jedi.
Why is a group so popular and buzz making among the fan base excluded from being a part of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The Knights of Ren are like The First Order’s Force Sensitive Special forces. Why would Rian Johnson try to hide them from an on-screen appearance?
The Knights of Ren are only passively mentioned when they are claimed to be the group of absconders that slaughtered Luke’s Jedi Temple residents and fled with the rest.
Up until now, they have only been honored indirect mentions. The Knights of Ren were rumored to be a vital part of The Last Jedi. But when the movie came out, the fans felt cheated. It almost looked like their appearance was heavily ret-conned by Rian Johnson, with J.J Abrams original plans being scrapped.
Rian Johnson finally explained on Empire that why he decided that including the Knights of Ren would not have been the logical choice:
“We have a very full movie already there literally was just not room for another element…I guess I could’ve used them in place of the Praetorian guards but then it would feel like wasting them because all those guards had to die. And if Kylo had some kind of connection to them it would’ve added a complication that wouldn’t have helped the scene…truth is I just didn’t see a place for them in the movie.”
It all makes sense now. The Knights of Ren are Kylo’s most trusted bodyguards and brothers in arms. If Snoke died and they suddenly found themselves at odds with their very own leader, it would be strange and confusing.
The Knights of Ren are also loyal to Snoke. A situation like that would have made it impossible for them to choose sides. That is why Kylo and Rey face the Praetorian Guards instead in the throne room.
The Knights of Ren need to be featured in the third installment of The Last Jedi trilogy. After Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the ranks of the First Order are underhanded. Captain Phasma and Snoke are both dead. Hux makes a very unruly subordinate.
Kylo is now no more the errand boy. Kylo Ren is now the new Supreme Leader of the First Order. If the Knights of Ren do not come to his aid in Episode IX, then it will truly be a sorry waste of such an awesome team.
The film has already been released and is running successfully in theaters worldwide. Here’s the official synopsis released by Lucas Films:
“Luke Skywalker’s peaceful and solitary existence gets upended when he encounters Rey, a young woman who shows strong signs of the Force. Her desire to learn the ways of the Jedi forces Luke to make a decision that changes their lives forever. Meanwhile, Kylo Ren and General Hux lead the First Order in an all-out assault against Leia and the Resistance for supremacy of the galaxy”.
But the fun and excitement ain’t over yet as the final installment i.e Episode 9 is still left which will be directed by J.J. Abrams who is happy to be back. He has assured fans that the conclusive part will be unlike anything we have seen. Here’s what he said:
“Well, it’s certainly something that I’m aware of now working on Episode IX, coming back into this world after having done Episode VII. I feel like we need to approach this with the same excitement that we had when we were kids, loving what these movies were. And at the same time, we have to take them places that they haven’t gone, and that’s sort of our responsibility. It’s a strange thing, Michael’s worked on things like Planet of the Apes and Star Trek and Star Wars, and these are the things of dreams. Yet we can’t just revel in that; we have to go elsewhere.”
Hoping to see another EPIC Star Wars movie to be released on May 24, 2019. CHEERS!
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