No film in recent memory has been as divisive as Rian Johnson's 2017 Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. Just mentioning the film in certain social circles will cause fans to go into rage-filled debates and hurl hostile insults (not to mention all the racism and misogyny aimed at the movie as well).

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Unfortunately for these toxic fans, not only is The Last Jedi a great film – and a great Star Wars entry – it might even be the greatest Star Wars entry in the franchise. That includes the Original Trilogy, the Disney+ shows, the prequels, and the EU Legends canon (although the last two probably won't get too much pushback).

10 Luke Skywalker Is Cool AF

Luke faces the First Order The Last Jedi

One of the biggest complaints both overly-nostalgic and toxic fans have against the film is the fact their surrogate space-daddy, Luke Skywalker wasn't the uber-badass they imagined in their heads. Instead, the film decided to go in a more interesting direction with the character. And even if fans didn't like where the film took Luke, how could they not think that Luke defeating Kylo Ren in a pacifist manner was totally awesome?

What most fans (surprisingly) seem to forget is that Luke didn't defeat the Emperor in the original trilogy by fighting him off with cool lightsaber moves. Instead, he chose not to fight at all. His victory was his compassion towards Vader, and his refusal to let his anger consume him to the Dark Side. So, why would that ultimately change? It's frankly ingenious how Johnson was able to find a way to let Luke simultaneously cripple the First Order and defeat Kylo Ren by cleverly utilizing The Force rather than through violence. Basically, this is the most badass version of Luke in the entire series, even if "fans" don't want to admit it.

9 Rey's Origin Is Thematically And Narratively Perfect

rey last jedi mirror cave

Another big sticking point was The Last Jedi's revelation about the true identity of Rey's parents (before it was ruinously retconned by the atrocious follow-up, The Rise of Skywalker). At the time, most fans were certain that the film would reveal she was the daughter or granddaughter of an original trilogy character. That would then "explain" her connection to the Force and fill some made-up plot hole only the most toxic of fans actually cared about (like, did Anakin need to be related to a canon character to be believably powerful with the Force?)

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In The Last Jedi, Kylo reveals that Rey's parents were nobodies who didn't care about her and left her to rot on Jakku. This is (thematically) perfect, as it explicitly makes the point that anybody can be the hero of the story – even a random girl from nowhere. It also makes the most narrative sense as it's a twist that was genuinely surprising (which only a few fans guessed), and also – like the reveal that Darth Vader is Luke's father – puts the character at a truly low point – something that making her related to an OT character wouldn't have done (as TRoS disastrously proved).

8 Finn's Arc Is Nuanced And Insightful

Finn in Star Wars

Other fans claim that in The Last Jedi, Finn's character didn't progress from where he ended up in The Force Awakens, and some even claimed his character regressed. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Even though Finn fought against the First Order to protect his friend Rey by the end of TFA, that is still based on protecting relationships directly related to him. So, his journey in The Last Jedi is to become radicalized as a part of an ongoing cause outside of himself – fighting for all the downtrodden and oppressed of the galaxy – and not just for survival or personal friendship. It's why it's so poignant that after a defeated Phasma calls Finn scum, he happily replies "rebel scum."

7 It Takes Chances Other Installments Don't

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Unlike the tepid, The Force Awakens, which was a literal A New Hope remake – down to another desert planet, another small robot possessing a secret McGuffin, and even a freakin' Death Star at the end (only bigger this time!) – Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi was willing to take narrative chances and surprise audiences. From Rey's aforementioned origin to the death of Snoke and Luke Skywalker, TLJ was, if nothing else, attempting to do new things to what most fans and audiences expected.

6 Some Of The Best Visuals In The Franchise

The Holdo maneuver from Star Wars: The Last Jedi

It cannot be denied – even by the film's most ardent detractors – that the film is beautiful to look at. It was masterfully lensed by Rian Johnson's go-to cinematographer, Steve Yedlin. Beyond that, it has some of the most memorable images from across the series – from the stark silence in the aftermath of the Holdo Maneuver, to the slowed-down moment where Rey and Kylo finally decide to work together and combat Snoke's Praetorian Guards, to the epic moment when Luke Skywalker stands alone against the First Order army.

5 Canto Bight Is Important, Actually

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Another thing most fans complain about is the entire Canto Bight sequence. However, Canto Bight is great because it shows viewers a new part of the galaxy with a totally unique aesthetic from what audiences have seen before. It also smartly expands on the politics of the universe, revealing how war not only creates disproportionate wealth but that both the rebels and First Order enrich them.

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It's an interesting, and frankly necessary, critique of the realities of the Star Wars universe that will hopefully be reckoned with in future installments.

4 The Porgs Are So Cute – Come On!

Porg in Star Wars

It shouldn't take the minimum word count to explain why Porgs – the native alien bird-rodents of Ahch-To – are cute and adorable. This is because any screenshot should be all the proof readers need. However, beyond the obvious marketing potential of the Porgs, they're blessedly not overused like some other cute and/or comedic alien species in the series. For example, the Ewoks or Gungans. Instead, the Porgs only show up for quick comedic beats here-and-there (the sad Porg looking up at Chewbacca eating a cooked one being a highlight), and luckily don't overwhelm the plot in any way.

3 The Opening Battle Expertly Shows The Costs Of War

last jedi opening scene

While some fans claim Rogue One was the most "war movie" Star Wars ever got, The Last Jedi's opening scene arguably does a much better – and more concise – job at showing audiences the effects of the constant war in the stars. In fact, the opening bombing raid contained more heart-stopping suspense and emotion than anything in RO. Furthermore – unlike Rogue One – it also showcased the cost of war outside of death and battle, as evidenced when Leia mourned the pilots' deaths and Rose cried over her lost sister.

2 Adds To And Deepens The Force

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Luke's explanation of The Force to Rey might be one of the most beautiful and poetic representations of the concept in any medium. It essentially takes what Yoda told Luke in Empire Strikes Back, but expands on it in a wonderful and visual way.

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Furthermore, while the film ultimately states that the Jedi will continue through Rey, it also maintains that The Force does not belong to the Jedi, and that it can evolve and change (noted by Yoda saying of the old Jedi texts: "page-turners, they were not.")

1 Doesn't Let The Past Die, Simply Lets It Move Forward

Broom Boy alongside First Order walkers in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Toxic fans will constantly point to Kylo Ren stating: "Let the past die...kill it if you have to" as some sort of thesis for The Last Jedi. However, they need to realize the line is from the villain. Furthermore, the sentiment is completely contradicted during the climax of the film. Luke even says the Jedi won't – and indeed shouldn't – end! It's almost like the initially bitter Luke had to go through a transformative character arc or something. Furthermore, audiences literally see kids playing with makeshift Star Wars toys to give them hope at the end, which is a blatant clue that the film isn't saying the past should be destroyed; rather, it should be learned from.

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