Star Wars: The Last Jedi - 7 Big Problems It's Created For Episode IX
4. The Resistance And First Order Have Been Decimated
One of the problems Episode IX faces is how to outdo its predecessors in terms of scope and scale. The trilogy capper will need to go bigger and better where space escapades and frontline battles are concerned, but the events of The Last Jedi have left it without the manpower to pull this off.
The Resistance is smashed, with around two dozen members left and their distress call to so-called allies in the Outer Rim went unheeded. Meanwhile, the heart of the First Order was ripped out when key figures Snoke and Captain Phasma fell in battle.
In short, both sides have a lot of recruiting and regrouping to do before they're in any shape to give Episode IX the kind of epic battles in needs to deliver. This means legwork for J.J. Abrams, who may be forced to use a time-jump to set this up.
Then there are the potential pitfalls of Episode IX introducing too many new characters. Both the good guys and the villains must boost their numbers, but an injection of new faces in the final chapter may only distract from the arcs in motion, plus the debutantes' will have limited screen time dedicated to their back stories.