CW: Star Wars - The Ninth Jedi discussion (no spoilers beyond what's in the trailer)
I just finished the 8 episodes and would like to hear what others think. Overall it's worth watching especially if you like Visions.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r70AWJ-zJS4
The trailer suggests two possible innovations in the #StarWars canon: (1) lightsabers that change color based on the user's state of mind, and (2) "gray" force-wielders who aren't in the Jedi Order vs. Sith binary. Two of the main characters' eyes are gray too.
Both changes are, or would be, very welcome in my opinion. Because I assume we want new stories to be possible in the Star Wars universe. At the same time, the trailer shows what's clearly just ANOTHER Death Star and another plucky/diverse band of rebels trying to stop it.
After having watched the season, I'll say the characters talk in some detail about Light vs. Dark being obsolete. And more than one gets a gray lightsaber for at least a few moments. Criticism of the Jedi isn't spoken only by cynical or evil characters; it carries some credibility.
I'm not sure if the new paradigm is fully thought out, however. (To be fair, George Lucas himself didn't fully think through The Force concept, either.) For all the talk of ambiguity or synthesis, the characters ACT almost exactly like Jedi or Sith always do - in terms of their goals, use of violence, attitude toward emotion, Machivellianism, etc.
So, I'm not sure if The Ninth Jedi is really the post-Skywalker reset that we need. ("You were supposed to be the chosen one!") On the other hand, the series and animation are enjoyable. Some of the supporting characters get no depth at all; but at least one gets a really surprising arc for episodes 6-8, a real highlight.