Star Wars: Episode 9 - 10 Things The Fans Demand
A wishlist from a galaxy far, far away.
Much like the galaxy at the peak of the Empire's power, the Star Wars fanbase is divided. The Last Jedi may have impressed most critics but not everyone was convinced by its attempts to subvert expectations at every turn.
Director Rian Johnson was determined to tell his own story, unbound by past events, and he flat-out refused to address some of the burning questions posed by The Force Awakens, and the ones he did answer took the saga is* wholly unexpected directions.
This leaves the sequel trilogy in an uncertain position ahead of the release of next year's Episode IX. As fresh and bold as The Last Jedi was, you can bet that Disney was alarmed by its Rotten Tomatoes audience score of just 46%.
No doubt the Mouse House will be desperate to hit that sweet spot between critical acclaim and a happy fanbase the next time around, not least because next year's instalment is the culmination of four decades' worth of storytelling.
The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams is the man who has been tasked with delivering that, and although there isn't much Star Wars fans unanimously agree on these days, most would be thrilled if Episode IX included the following.
10. Lando Calrissian Makes It Out Alive
Billy Dee Williams should be seriously offended that he wasn't offered the chance to reprise his role as Lando Calrissian in the sequel trilogy sooner. Fellow series legends Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and the late Carrie Fisher have played key parts in the latest Star Wars films, so the former smuggler's absence weighed heavy.
Thankfully, Episode IX is righting this wrong as a cast list released by Lucasfilm has confirmed Han Solo's old buddy will indeed appear in the film. This, however, could be a double-edged lightsaber for Lando fans as there's a chance he'll be killed off.
The sequel trilogy has made a habit out of killing series legends, from Han in The Force Awakens to Luke Skywalker in The Last Jedi, and Williams' name among Episode IX's credits has potentially put him in the First Order's crosshairs.
It's difficult to imagine a majority of Star Wars fanatics getting behind the idea that Lando is about to die. They've already witnessed two characters who defined their childhoods perishing on screen, and given the Leia situation, would no doubt appreciate seeing at least one of the old guard making it out alive.