BLOG: Why one should be hesitant about certain Star Wars fan theories
It is not a stretch to say the Star Wars franchise has spawned one of the most dedicated fan bases of all time. With its impact on cinema and pop culture, the franchise continues to spark not just galaxy-sized discussions but also fan theories.
Since the 2012 announcement of new Star Wars films, fans have speculated on plot elements, character origins and how the saga will end. While fan theories can be fun to consider, I am in the minority of fans who are very hesitant to believe these theories.
Some, like myself, became more hesitant to believe fan theories after “The Last Jedi,” which intentionally subverts the audience’s expectations. After “The Force Awakens,” I realized one must take fan theories with a grain of salt and for good reason, or reasons to be exact.
The theories I am specifically talking about are the ones inspired by the Star Wars Expanded Universe, now known as the Star Wars Legends. Fans theorize that elements from those stories will be adapted or play a role in the films, including flat out outrageous ones with little evidence. There is a good reason to be careful about making such theories.
For one thing, the team behind the new films have proven to be more interested in creating original characters and appealing to a broader movie-going audience beyond franchise fans. Therefore, being treated to deep plots that hearken back to the Expanded Universe is unlikely.
On top of that, the material in the expanded universe is not as well regarded by the directors and writers as they are by fans, despite there being some influence taken from them.
One prime example of questionable fan theories were fans’ great obsession with finding out who Snoke was. One of the most popular theories was that General Snoke was actually one of the most infamous characters in the Star Wars expanded lore, Darth Plagueis.
Many went into “The Last Jedi” convinced this would be revealed and was such a widely recognized theory that the film’s director and writer Rian Johnson addressed the theory. Ultimately though, this theory did not come to fruition, and fans hardly learned anything else about Snoke.
Now I’ll admit, I was quite curious, and still am, to know who Snoke is and would have loved it if he turned out to be Darth Plagueis. However, it makes sense Snoke turned out to be his own person given the writers’ mission of generating new stories and characters.
As much as many fans would like the new Star Wars films to take inspiration and direction from the Star Wars Legends, the current creative minds behind the films do not want to confuse general audiences and less hardcore Star Wars fans who may not be as caught up in such lore.
Aside from fan theories relating to the Star Wars Legends, other fan theories that I tend to be a skeptic about are the kind in which fans seem to look too deeply into plot elements that are not as important as we think.
I, for one, was perplexed and practically disturbed when people began speculating about who Rey’s parents were after the release of “The Force Awakens.” There was virtually no indication that Rey’s parents were meant to be important to the entire Star Wars saga, or characters that we had met before.
Some theorized she was the daughter of Luke, or of Han and Leia. Others thought she was a descendant of Obi-Wan and even a reincarnation of Emperor Palpatine. Despite people’s mixed feelings toward the answers given in “The Last Jedi,” I absolutely applaud Rian Johnson for revealing Rey’s parents were absolute nobodies.
Honestly, I felt bad for those who tried hard to speculate about whose Rey’s parents were, as it was Rey’s lack of a powerful familial legacy that made her story all the more powerful.
This is not the only theory that “The Last Jedi” debunked. Many were also convinced Rey would turn to the dark side and join Kylo Ren in his conquest of the galaxy. Entire fan art (and fanfiction) was made in support of this theory. Obviously, this too did not come to fruition.
This, of course, is not to say that one cannot come up with fan theories. With the newest Star Wars trailer indicating that Palpatine is back, fans – including myself – cannot help but theorize how this is possible.
Overall, fan theories are an inevitable part of any major series, and it is certainly not wrong to come up with them. But if one truly wants to see theories come to fruition, one needs to truly get a sense of the direction and intention of the new minds behind Star Wars.
Fans also should find the perfect balance between not looking too deep into certain plot elements, but still wondering if there is more than what meets the eye. It is a fine line and one that only a few fans have managed to do. Not to brag but I’m proud I was able to do this when it came to the revelation about Rey’s parents.
