Faith was quickly lost in Kathleen Kennedy’s capabilities soon after the release of Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. While fans became somewhat skeptical after the movie, the projects that were released afterward in the franchise did not help this concern. Audiences have noticed a significant decline in the franchise’s quality, and nothing showcases it more than the character of Rey Skywalker.
Although played by the talented Daisy Ridley, the film perfectly showcases how to badly write a female character when you are trying to promote women’s empowerment. Since then, the character has shown up in several other projects. However, the viewers’ feelings towards her have not changed.
Knowing this, a recent decision taken by Kennedy has fans confused and infuriated.
A New Beginning—Or An Imitation of It
It was recently revealed by The Film and Television Industry Alliance that Star Wars would be releasing the latest addition to their saga; Star Wars: Episode X – A New Beginning. Although the name suggests the start of a new chapter for the franchise, it would seem that they continue to make the same mistakes that they have been making for the past few years.
Rey Skywalker’s character in the film will carry on the Skywalkers’ story. Reprising her role, Daisy Ridley’s character is set to build off the fallout of Rise of the Skywalker, helping in the rebuilding of the Jedi Order. While the premise does not sound all too bad, many cannot help but wonder why the franchise continues to focus on a character that is evidently unliked by the masses.
The failure of The Acoltye affected many things, causing damage to the reputations of Star Wars and especially Kathleen Kennedy. With this, one cannot help but wonder why the franchise is consistently choosing to make such bad decisions.
The Fans Are Appalled By Kathleen Kennedy’s Decisions
Upon hearing the news, many fans are stunned at the decisions being taken by Kathleen Kennedy. In a recent interview, she mentioned that she believes the reason for the downfall of the franchise is the male-dominated fandom, which does not enjoy female-led stories. This comment, on its own, has infuriated the fandom as a whole, and many did not fail to mention it.
The franchise, which is supposed to be her life’s work, is being knocked off its high pedestal, one rock at a time. Rather than protecting it from the damage, they accuse the president of LucasFilm of being the one throwing the rocks.
Man they are really doubling down on a character nobody likes. I'm still convinced that Kathleen Kennedy is purposely trying to destroy Star Wars.
— Jake Armitage (@Super_J_Bro) June 18, 2024
I think George and Steven made her get them one coffee too many she’s butchering their greatest creations with impunity
— Nana K. Collins Jr. (@TweetYou82) June 18, 2024
I like Rey, but the second film in her trilogy didn't connect well, and the third felt like an attempt to fix it. Overall, it made for a weak trilogy, but the character had potential. I still have little hope that they will do any of the characters justice lol
— justinDOT (@DOTQWERTY218) June 18, 2024
Nah. She's doing this movie solely out of pure ego. Rey is her self insert so Kathleen is out to "prove" how good her "stories" are by making it a movie with only Rey.
— Killer Critic (@KillerCriticMan) June 18, 2024
Oh yeah, it's intentional and I bet it's personal. Imagine being the coffee girl for the most influential directors of modern times and now you have access to their legacy.
A villain arch, and she still gets paid millions and promotes her sick agenda!
We're doomed.— J. Torres (@JTorres815) June 19, 2024
Some fans even went as far as to accuse Kennedy of trying to sabotage the franchise as a whole, driving into a ditch and acting like she knew where she was going. While this is certainly a bold claim, the number of obvious bad decisions taken on her part doesn’t help her case in any way.
It is safe to say that if the new Daisy Ridley film does not impress the fans, it will become yet another nail in the coffin of a once-beloved series.
