'The Last Jedi': Holding My Breath

I realize that when Star Wars: The Force Awakens bowed two years ago at around Christmas time, it was essentially a retelling of 1977's Star Wars, but with an updated storyline and a new cast. I know that, but I fell in love with this new series of Star Wars films and almost since the last frame of The Force Awakens, I've been eagerly anticipating the soft open of The Last Jedi, the next installment of this current trilogy, on December 14.

I will admit to some fear, though.

Daisy Ridley as Rey was far and away my favorite part of The Force Awakens. I've always enjoyed a heroine who is both sensitive and fierce — the exact reasons why I think Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman absolutely rocks in the part — and Ridley's Rey was exactly that. She was caught with feelings and abilities she didn't understand, and who could blame her? Who did Rey have to turn to for any sort of an explanation if and when her Force abilities first seemed to come to the fore? Presumably she had at least some inclination that she was different. As a result, audiences were gifted with a performance that was heartwarming and heart pounding from Ridley, and there's little doubt that we will get more of the same in The Last Jedi.

Which is why I'm scared.

I don't want Rey to even think about going to the Dark Side, even if it's for the noblest reason of trying to bring Kylo Ren (aka Ben Solo, Han Solo's and General Leia Organa's son) back from the Dark Side to become a good person again. To be honest, I love the fact that Kylo Ren seems conflicted to begin with — he becomes decidedly more appealing as a character and more interesting to read about. But if Rey, for whatever reason, decides it's on her to try and save or redeem Kylo Ren, she's about to learn a whole lot more than she bargained for about the power of the Dark Side, and that's a bit nerve-wracking.

I also am harboring some concerns about everyone's favorite Jedi, Luke Skywalker. While I get why he exiled himself to Ahch-To, the land which is home to the original Jedi Temple, I can only imagine just how cynical and disillusioned he might be with regards to how bad things are. Kylo Ren is his nephew and after his extremely well publicized trials with his father, Darth Vader, I could only imagine what Luke's state of mind must be like at this point. My jaw hit the floor when I heard him say in the trailer that it was time for the Jedi to end and I can only imagine how dark his own head space might be following all that has happened to him. That said, I don't want to consider a Luke Skywalker that's jaded and lacking the optimism he had in the original trilogy, even though I understand the character is older and would view things to a more pragmatic sense than he once did.

Will there be conflict between Luke and Rey? No doubt. There's conflict in many mentor-student relationships and Rey and Luke's relationship should be no exception. However, I am hoping very much that one of my new favorite characters doesn't suddenly find herself wooed by Kylo Ren and the still-mysterious ultra bad guy Snoke. Fortunately, I won't have to wait much longer for any sort of an answer; unfortunately, I believe that the answers I'm waiting for won't necessarily be the ones I want.

The Last Jedi bows December 15.