What’s Left Of The Resistance?

            In “The Last Jedi” audiences saw the Resistance Fleet utterly destroyed. Most of the 400-odd freedom-fighters were wiped out in a matter of days. So who is left to fight for galactic freedom?

Confirmed Alive

-Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix-

Billie Lourd is a rising actress and the only child of the late Carrie Fisher. Lourd’s character Lieutenant Connix appears in both “The Force Awakens” and “The Last Jedi”. Connix had a bit of dialogue in TFA and by TLJ she is more talkative and has a lot more screen time. Connix is one of the few resistance members seen escaping the salt-planet of Crait at the end of Episode VIII and we can cross our fingers that she will play a role in Episode IX. She is, after all, her mother’s daughter.

-Nien Nunb-

Nien Nunb has got to be one ultra-bummed sullustan. After destroying the second Death Star over 30 years ago and ridding the galaxy of evil, evil has returned. But Nunb is still fighting the good fight, despite the death of all of his friends. Puppeteer Mike Quinn has portrayed Nunb since 1983 and will most likely return to costume the character in the future.

-C’ai Threnalli-

The existence of this character was due to a production error in “The Force Awakens”. Though the Abednedo pilot, Ello Asty, was killed during the Battle of Starkiller Base, he is also seen waving goodbye to Rey at the end of the film. Keeper-of-Canon, Pablo Hidalgo was able to retcon this fact by explaining that the Abednedo pilot waving goodbye to the Falcon must be a separate character named C’ai Thernalli. So that’s how C’ai ends up in “The Last Jedi”.

-All Those Other Peoples-

Other survivors include: Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose, Chewbacca, BB-8, R2-D2, C-3PO, and at least one Porg.

Could Be Alive

-General Leia Organa-

It is no secret that Princess Leia was supposed to play a large role in Episode IX. When Carrie Fisher passed away last winter, we lost a true Star Wars treasure. So where will they take the character from here? Kathleen Kennedy has already confirmed that Carrie Fisher will not be in Episode IX. They will not be using cutting-room floor footage or CGI to bring her back. So what does this mean for the legacy of Leia? Quite possibly she will be killed off-screen between Episode VIII and Episode IX. This would be quite a sad way for Leia to go out. The princess has been a central character to the Star Wars saga since 1977, and an off-screen death doesn’t really do the character justice.

-Snap Wexley-

There is a small bit of text in the Visual Dictionary for “The Last Jedi” that notes, “most of the surviving pilots who joined Poe in the fight against Starkiller have since scattered to other evacuation points or been assigned to other missions”. This probably is meant to address the absence of the actor Greg Grunberg and his character Temmin “Snap” Wexley in “The Last Jedi”. It is odd that Wexley was not in this film, considering he had such a large role in the destruction of Starkiller Base and that his character has become massively important in the expanded universe, specifically the “Aftermath” book series. Grunberg has stated that he refused to film a death scene for his character during production of “The Force Awakens”- which implies that he is enthusiastic about a return. Since his childhood friend JJ Abrams is directing episode IX, I would think that a return would be likely.

-Commander Larma D’Acy-

Larma D’Acy gets more than a few lines in “The Last Jedi”, which is her first appearance in the Star Wars saga. I watched very carefully during my third viewing of the film to figure out what happens to this character and the best that I can figure is that she escapes Crait with the rest of the Resistance. A return is certainly possible.

Confirmed Dead

-Admiral Ackbar-

Admiral Gial Ackbar is a fan favorite and many were disappointed that he had a small role and quick death in “The Last Jedi”. One reason that Rian Johnson may have chosen this path for Ackbar is that the original voice actor, Erik Bauersfeld, passed away shortly after “The Force Awakens” released. Many fans cite that it should have been Ackbar and not Laura Dern, to sacrifice himself near the end of TLJ. Others criticize Ackbar as a “lesser” character who is famous only from an internet meme. But those of us who have known Ackbar the longest will really miss this war hero. Admiral Ackbar: you have forever “trapped” our hearts.

-Vice Admiral Holdo-

Many viewers of The Last Jedi disliked the Purple-haired, Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo, portrayed by Laura Dern. Others found her to be a symbol for charming powerful women. Holdo will go down in history for teaching Poe Dameron an important lesson about questioning authority: “Never Question Authority”. Wait? Aren’t Rebels supposed to question authority? Isn’t that their entire reason for existing? Anyway if you want to learn more about Amilyn Holdo check out the books “Leia, Princess of Alderaan” or “Cobalt Squadron”.

-Luke Skywalker-

Luke Skyalker has become one with the Force, but don’t count out a return from our favorite Jedi. What would Star Wars be without the occasional visit from a Force Ghost? If we can’t have more Harrison Ford or Carrie Fisher in Episode IX, we better get more Mark Hamill!

What About The First Order?

With Supreme Leader Snoke dead at the end of The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren is seen to be struggling for power against General Armitage Hux. But what about Phasma? Is she really a goner? I’m going to say that Phasma is most-likely alive. After all, she escaped Starkiller Base. In “The Last Jedi” we saw her falling into flame, but this doesn’t mean she can’t also escape the ruins of Snoke's capital ship (The Supremacy). For more Phasma, make sure to read the novel “Phasma”, which explains how she got her armor. (Hint: It has nothing to do with Amidala’s chrome-colored Naboo Royal Starship from The Phantom Menace). Or does it?

Star Wars: Episode IX directed by J.J. Abrams has a December 20^th, 2019 release date.