Star Wars has just fixed one of the biggest problems in the sequel trilogy, actually weaving it into the narrative. The Star Wars sequel trilogy was a success in terms of box office (even The Rise of Skywalker broke $1 billion worldwide). But even its staunchest defenders have to concede that the sequels are pretty controversial.

Not all controversies are equally valid, of course. Some criticisms tend to be made in bad faith; Kelly Marie Tran suffered racist harassment after The Last Jedi, and it’s hard not to see more than a trace of misogyny in some attacks on Daisy Ridley. Other criticisms are legitimate, though, because the sequel trilogy definitely did have some missteps.

But here’s the genius of Star Wars; this is a transmedia franchise, meaning there are always more novels, comics, audiobooks, and more in the works. The best Star Wars writers like to add little details that help fix some of the problems, and Cavan Scott’s recently-published audiobook The Jaws of Jakku – set between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker – is a perfect example.

The Sequel Trilogy’s Stars Never Got A Proper Chance To Work Together

There’s always been an element of “found family” drama in Star Wars; the phenomenal dynamic between Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher is one reason the franchise became a hit in the first place. The sequels set up something similar from the start, with Daisy Ridley’s Rey, John Boyega’s Finn, and Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron.

The three actors are fantastic, and the dynamic between them is electrifying, but there’s just one problem; we don’t see enough of it. The Force Awakens swiftly sees Poe sidelined for a while, and soon Rey and Finn are separated, with the mysterious Force-sensitive spirited off to Starkiller Base. What we see is great, but far from enough.

Matters only got worse in The Last Jedi, because that opens with Rey literally on the other side of the galaxy, deep in the Unknown Regions. Even Finn and Poe are soon separated, with Finn heading off to Canto Bight with Tran’s Rose Tico. The main characters never get the chance to really feel like a found family.

All this means The Rise of Skywalker, which soon sends the trio on a final quest, is too little and too late. There are clearly deep bonds between the three heroes, but they mostly developed off-screen, meaning it all lacks the emotional impact it should have had.

Rey’s New Star Wars Story Turns This Into The Point

Cavan Scott’s new audiobook, The Jaws of Jakku, feels like a smart response to this criticism. It takes the lack of interaction between the three stars, and actually weaves that into its narrative; in fact, it turns this into the key to Rey’s own story. It explores a previously-unseen period of Rey’s life, as she trains under Leia.

Scott is one of the best Star Wars writers in the business, and he perfectly captures Rey’s hesitancy and uncertainty. The key to his interpretation of Rey is a desperate need for belonging; this was what kept her on Jakku waiting for her parents for years, and it is what she initially failed to find in the Resistance.

Rey knows how much hope the Resistance has invested in her. She is Luke Skywalker’s last student, now training under General Leia Organa herself, the last of the Jedi and Kylo Ren’s clear rival. Rey feels unworthy of all this, and her lack of self-confidence undermines her relationships.

The need to belong fits perfectly with the temptations Rey struggled with in The Last Jedi. Kylo Ren undermined her by striking at her desperate longing for her parents, insisting they were just nobodies, and he offered her belonging when he stretched out his hand. Rey rejected him, but she was yet to find the belonging she sought with the heroes.

How This Changes Rey’s Rise Of Skywalker Story

Cavan Scott’s story subtly redefines Rey’s sequel trilogy arc. It means that The Rise of Skywalker picks up some time later, when she has finally found a fragile sense of belonging in the Resistance, even if she still isn’t entirely sure she deserves it. The voices of ancient Jedi are silent, making her question her value and worth.

The “found family” dynamic has finally begun to form, notable enough for Finn and Poe to travel with her as she seeks out the secrets of Exegol. But Rey’s discoveries over the course of the movie shake her, making her once again doubt that she deserves this nascent family. She starts to act alone, even running away at one point.

But Rey does belong. That’s the lesson she learns at the end of The Rise of Skywalker, as hyperspace opens over the skies of Exegol and the entire galaxy arrives to back her up – not just the Resistance. What’s more, she doesn’t even stand against Palpatine alone; she refused to join Kylo Ren, but he turns to the light and stands with her instead.

In truth, all these elements were already there. Cavan Scott’s genius, though, lies in his taking the implicit and making it explicit; and in doing so, he fixes a subtle problem in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. This common criticism becomes a core part of the plot itself, and the issue will no doubt lessen as further stories are released in this particular period.

Buy The Jaws of Jakku from Amazon

Cast

Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Frank Oz, Pedro Pascal

TV Show(s)

The Mandalorian, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Lando, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Resistance, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Star Wars: Visions

Movie(s)

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, Star Wars: New Jedi Order

Character(s)

Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Rey Skywalker, Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Grand Inquisitor, Reva (The Third Sister), The Fifth Brother, The Seventh Sister, The Eighth Brother, Yoda, Din Djarin, Grogu, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Leia Organa, Ben Solo/Kylo Ren