10 Reasons Why Star Wars: The Last Jedi Is Better Than The Force Awakens

8. There Are Genuine Stakes

Star Wars The Last Jedi AT AT
Lucasfilm

With the exception of Han Solo's pitch-perfect death, there was never a worry that anyone in The Force Awakens was in any genuine danger. The main heroes and villains were far from expendable, but the worst part was that although the entire plot revolved around Starkiller base's planet-destroying super-weapon, the impact of its power was never effectively communicated.

By bringing down the scale of the First Order's threat to focus purely on the characters we see on screen though, The Last Jedi is able to convey a permeating sense that the entire fate of the resistance is to play for.

Unafraid to kill off major characters, the likes of Snoke, Phasma and Luke dying all reinforced the idea that nobody was safe, while the constant loss of rebel fighters like Holdo, Paige and even Ackbar conveyed the First Order's strength.

Consequently the film enjoyed a sense of tension The Force Awakens couldn't come close to capturing, with fans breathing a sigh of relief when their favourite characters made it out an action scene unscathed.

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.