Star Wars: 9 Burning Questions About Lando's Return In Episode IX
7. Will He Be More Than Just Nostalgia Fodder?
J.J. Abrams did a wonderful job of kickstarting a brand new trilogy of Star Wars films for a new generation. He set up storylines for interesting and well-developed new characters, set the stage for new stories, and relied heavily on nostalgia to get everyone back into the world of Star Wars.
While that was all fine and good at the time, Episode IX has to be more than that. Having Lando back is great and gives Billy Dee Wiliams the chance to reprise his most coveted role, but in order for it to matter, he has to be a key component of the new story rather than just showing up and being fan service.
The time for victory laps, ala Han in Force Awakens, is over. Episode IX is the closing of a trilogy and, on a larger level, the entire saga. Lando needs to be a integral part of the ending of the story of Rey, Finn, Poe, and Kylo Ren, rather than simply a callback to the original trilogy.