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Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi
Movie

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

2017 • Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Woke Score
8
out of 10

Plot

Jedi Master-in-hiding Luke Skywalker unwillingly attempts to guide young hopeful Rey in the ways of the force, while Leia, former princess turned general, attempts to lead what is left of the Resistance away from the ruthless tyrannical grip of the First Order.

Overall Series Review

The film attempts a radical deconstruction of the established cinematic universe, focusing on a narrative where past heroes and institutions are exposed as failures that must be abandoned for a new, diverse generation. The story positions female and non-white characters in positions of moral and strategic authority, while the major male figures from the original and new cast are shown as reckless, incompetent, or cynical failures. The traditional concepts of heroism, spiritual lineage, and established military structure are all actively subverted. One major hero is reduced to a broken hermit who rejects his own legendary past and the spiritual tradition it represents. Key male characters are corrected and overshadowed by their female superiors. The narrative’s moral center explicitly frames the wealthy as complicit in war profiteering and lectures characters on saving what they love rather than fighting what they hate, a theme driven by one of the new diverse characters.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics8/10

A key non-white male character is consistently depicted as a bumbling figure whose main plot function is to be corrected or saved by a non-white female character. The one significant competent, high-ranking military authority introduced is a white woman, who immediately assumes a position of leadership over a reckless white male pilot, creating a clear hierarchy of competence based on intersectional characteristics.

Oikophobia9/10

The legacy institution of the Jedi Order is explicitly framed by the former hero of the franchise as a corrupt and arrogant religion that deserves to die. The historical figure of the hero, Luke Skywalker, is presented as a cynical failure who chose to abandon civilization due to his own personal mistakes, directly deconstructing the mythic, foundational heritage of the entire saga. The ancient, sacred Jedi texts are dismissed as insignificant.

Feminism9/10

The main female protagonist possesses incredible, instant power without any formal training, embodying the 'Mary Sue' trope. The Resistance military command is dominated by women, including a Vice Admiral who chastises and demotes a competent male pilot for his reckless, masculine aggression. This male character and another new male hero are routinely shown to be incompetent or impulsive, needing correction and salvation from female characters.

LGBTQ+1/10

The core plot contains no discernible themes relating to alternative sexualities, the deconstruction of the nuclear family unit, or gender identity ideology. The focus remains on the action, military command structure, and spiritual questions of the Force.

Anti-Theism8/10

The core spiritual institution of the narrative, the Jedi Order, is actively denounced by its last surviving Master as a corrupt and arrogant failure. The legendary past of the spiritual tradition is dismissed, and its ancient wisdom (the sacred texts) is treated as worthless. The film pivots away from traditional spiritual mentorship to a decentralized idea that power can come from a 'nobody' rather than an established religious lineage.