Spoilers ahead for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Star Wars: The Last Jedi has predictably divided fans into two camps: those who love it and those who hate it. And some of those in the critic camp are taking to Twitter to complain that there are way too many plot holes in The Last Jedi, and that it's a serious problem with the movie. But looking into things, it turns out that there actually aren't really any big plot holes with the movie — just a bunch of frustrating questions fans are left with after seeing the film.
For fans who just want to be taken away to a galaxy far, far away, these questions are easy to forget when Rey and Kylo are fighting beautifully in Snoke's red room of pain. But, for others, the fact that the many Last Jedi mysteries have left them with more questions than luscious hairs on Kylo Ren's head makes enjoying this new trilogy difficult, to say the least.
Now, it's important to note that, as only the second movie in a planned trilogy, there is still plenty of time for some of the more critical Last Jedi questions to be answered. General Hux's value to the First Order, for example, could finally be revealed in Episode IX (seriously, what is the point of him?), as could the history of Snoke. Or, maybe all these mysteries will be left to be answered by novels, short stories, and animated series of the future. And, if answers are coming, then these are the Last Jedi questions that need to be addressed.
1Who Is Snoke?
Supreme Leader Snoke proves himself to be extremely powerful with the Force in The Last Jedi, but his origins are never explained. His ancient appearance seems to suggest that he was around for Darth Vader's rule, so what was his connection to the Dark Side then? And how did he recruit Kylo Ren? And, if he's so powerful and all-knowing, why doesn't he fight alongside Hux and Kylo? Also, what is he if he is not human?
Snoke may be dead, but the mystery of Snoke is still very much alive. Hopefully we'll get some answers in the next film.
2Who Are Rey's Parents, Really?
The Last Jedi seemed to put the question of Rey's parentage to rest, but did it really? How would Kylo know details about her parents from connecting with her for just a second? Can he be trusted to tell the truth? As long as fans don't get to see Rey's parents with their own eyes, it doesn't really make sense to take his word for it.
3What/Who Are The Knights Of Ren?
One of the handful of questions left over from The Force Awakens, the Knights of Ren were never even mentioned in The Last Jedi. In TFA, it looked like they had something to do with Ben Solo's transformation into Kylo Ren and his slaughter of Luke's other students, but when Luke and Kylo tell Rey the story of what happened in The Last Jedi, they never come up.
4What Happened To Luke's Other Jedi Students?
Luke tells Rey that Kylo killed some of his students and escaped with a handful of others. These students would have been Force sensitive and could, potentially, be great soldiers for the First Order, so what happened to them? Did they fight alongside Kylo and die? Are they members of the Elite Praetorian Guard that protects Snoke? Were they the Knights of Ren? (Also: does Kylo have any friends?)
5How Long Was Rey On Ahch-To?
The timeline of The Last Jedi is incredibly confusing and appears to be operating on two different levels. The first timeline is that of Poe, Finn, Rose, and Leia, who begin the film escaping the First Order and have a very specific 13-hour timeline to the end of the film when they land on Crait. Rey and Luke's timeline, however, is clearly much more than 13 hours, unless time somehow moves differently on Ahch-To. How long was Rey training with Luke? Was it just a few days, or maybe a few weeks? The timeline could be important going forward because it informs how Rey's connection with Kylo developed.
6How Did Rey Escape The First Order?
After Rey and Kylo fail to form an alliance, they break Luke's lightsaber in two with their opposing use of the Force, and both are knocked out by the blast. When Kylo awakes, Rey is gone, and he tells General Hux that she took Snoke's escape pod. How did he know that Snoke's escape pod was gone? And how did Rey meet up with Chewie and the Millennium Falcon?
7Are All The Canto Bight Kids Force Sensitive?
Just because The Last Jedi ended with one of the children on Canto Bight being Force sensitive doesn't mean the others aren't equally talented. Them all being Force sensitive could explain why they were forced to take care of the fathiers. (They would have a specially connection to animals.) Or are they all just kids, and one of them happens to be strong with the Force? This isn't really so much a plot hole as a question will have fans talking while we wait for Episode IX, but it is definitely worth mentioning.
8Where Was Maz Kanata?
Maz Kanata only appears briefly in The Last Jedi, but it's obvious she is a friend of the Resistance even if she's not ready to commit her life to the cause just yet. So why, when Leia sends out a distress call to the entire galaxy looking for help off Crait, does Maz not answer? This can be explained as a production issue, but still, it seems disrespectful to her character that she doesn't even appear to try to help the Resistance in their hour of need.
9How Did DJ Know About The Resistance Plan?
When DJ, Finn, and Rose are caught sneaking into the First Order, DJ tells the First Order about the Resistance plan to evacuate their ship using smaller transports to ensure his freedom. But how did he know the plan in the first place? It's possible that he knew enough thanks to Poe's radio transmissions with Finn, but Poe never told Finn the details of Holdo's plan. Are we really supposed to believe DJ is just that good?
10How Did Finn Know How Important Rose's Necklace Was To Her?
When DJ takes Rose's necklace as payment, Finn confronts him and demands he gives it back, telling him that he has "no idea" what the necklace means to her. One problem with that statement: Finn doesn't know what it means to her either. Rose never explains the significance of her necklace with Finn, and, though it's clearly very important to her, it seems unlikely that Finn would take such a passionate stand unless he knew exactly what it meant.
11Why Didn't Holdo Just Tell Poe What She Was Planning?
It's true that Holdo was under no obligation to reveal her plan to Poe once she took over, but it's also true that it would have been a lot more practical for everyone involved if she had. Yes, Poe had to learn not to be such a hothead, but would it really have kept him from learning his lesson if Holdo had just sat him down and explained that they were going to Crait to call for backup?
12What Was The Cave In Ahch-To?
The Ahch-To cave Rey explores hoping to get answers about her parents is, at first, made to symbolize the Dark Side calling to her. But once she enters, it seems like more of a place of self-discovery than anything else. She asked the mirror below to show her the parents she never knew, but they weren't revealed to her. If it really was a Dark place, then wouldn't the mirror have shown her what she wanted to see instead of forcing her to confront her loneliness? (Also: had Luke ever been there?)
13Who Left The Map To Luke From 'Force Awakens'?
The entire driving plot of The Force Awakens is about completing a map to Luke for the Resistance. At first it seemed like Luke had left the map in case his sister ever needed to find him, but in The Last Jedi, it's made clear that he never wanted anybody to visit him or know where he was, not even his twin. So who made the map to Luke and how did Poe and Kylo find out about it?
Fans might be frustrated by these Last Jedi mysteries, but at least it gives them plenty of things to theorize about before the release of Episode IX. And, in the meantime, fans should take comfort in knowing that Finn, Rey, Poe, and Rose, at least, are just as confused as we are.
