Star Wars: The Last Jedi’s marketing campaign is getting into high gear as we get closer to December 15th. The movie has released few trailers and its most recent TV spot that had aired during the final World Series game.
What is so noticeable about The Last Jedi’s marketing campaign is how dread-inducing and emotional it feels.
‘The Force Awakens’ Relied More On Nostalgia
It has become clear that The Force Awakens had a lot of similar story beats and fans could not help but compare to A New Hope. Some include a planet like Tatooine (Jakku), a droid sent on a mission (BB-8) and a Cantina bar that houses beings from the galaxy (Maz Kanata’s Castle).
One big marketing moment was showcasing the Millennium Falcon with its pilots Han Solo and Chewbacca. The most popular scene was when Han and Chewie stepped into the Falcon and Han proclaiming, “Chewie, we’re home.”
This line had made many fans emotional as it had welcomed Star Wars back for a generation of fans. This line was the only part that had got fans choked up over the opening of a
highly anticipated Star Wars movie.
The Last Jedi Trailers Focus More On Emotional Beats Than Plot Beats
In all trailers and TV spots, Lucasfilm is relying on emotionally resonant moments without giving away a lot from the plot. It seems clear that many trailers are deceiving us for a reason. We are made to believe that Rey might be fighting Luke at some point while turning to the dark side and joining KyloRen. The trailers have done a great job of giving us a lot of questions since the first teaser had debuted during Star Wars Celebration.
This line has been presented without any context. We know that Luke has tried to jumpstart the Jedi Order and failed to do so. But is he alluding to something, a new way of wielding the Force?
The second trailer shows Luke in a dark place. While the first had given us Luke second-guessing Rey’s ambition, this trailer shows Luke training Rey, despite his own doubts. He exclaims:
“I’ve seen this raw strength before. It didn’t scare me enough then. It does now.”
This provides us with more doubts about where the plot is going.
The Most Recent TV Spot Has Luke Reminiscing About His Days On The Falcon
The latest TV spot that had aired during the World Series game had given us a surprising amount of new footage and Luke was the focal point. The spot opens up with Luke stepping foot on the Millennium Falcon, the first time since he had been rescued by Lando, Chewie and Princess Lea.
After 30 years, Luke is again setting foot on the Falcon and remembering the good times and bad. This is a scene that delivers an emotional gut punch.
‘The Last Jedi’ Will Continue The Emotional Journey Of These Characters
Lucasfilm and Disney have been careful about not giving away a lot plot points. They are misdirecting the fans by putting the trailers together in a way that it plays to our heartstrings.
It is clear that the characters have crucial decisions to make, and ones that may change their lives forever. We will have to wait and see if our questions are answered once The Last Jedi hits theaters on December 15th!
