Mattris

My current theory: Mattris still hates Disney-era Star Wars and the people behind it, just like he talked about in the pre-TROS days. At some point he just decided it would be more fun to troll everyone by caricaturing the folks he'd probably describe as Lucasfilm apologists. You know, offer the most deliberately far-fetched ideas with an air of enlightened superiority, in order to lampoon those who defend the ST.

I don't know if I'm losing my mind, or undergoing some kind of spiritual awakening ("There has been an awakening, have you felt it?" - Supreme Leader Snoke), but Mattris is making more sense than ever before; I feel like I'm starting to see the light! ("The light... it's always been there. It will guide you." - Maz Kanata)
 
I must go now and pray to my Darth Vader action figure to remove all doubt and scepticism, and grant me to see the full glory of Star Wars so that I may share its beauty with others ("Someday I will be the most powerful Jedi ever." - Anakin Skywalker)

Palpatine offered Kylo "a new Empire". Scoring the shots of the Imperial Star Destroyers with the Imperial March makes sense.

Oh, I know you aren't. But I can offer you a bit of insight into the examples you noted.
 
In this story, the Force works through all things, including people like Anakin and Rose.
Finn's Confession & Talks of Podracing: "He was meant to help you."
March of the Resistance & March of the Trade Federation: Marches for groups certain they were doing the right thing. (They really weren't.)
 
These connections were intentional, though I do not share your specific theories.
 
 
Narratively, as well. What narrative elements do you think I perceive that weren't planned or are not present throughout the sequels or the Saga, in general?
 
 
It's not like others aren't being pompous, dismissive, and condescending toward me. Am I not allowed to respond in kind?
 
The facts and evidence support my position, theories, and overall assessment regarding the state of Star Wars. I was right before about some pretty major things. Logically, I'll continue to be proven right.
 
I think I'll stay and watch it all play out.

Just another example of the deliberate connectedness of the Star Wars themes, both musically and narratively.
 
 
I hope you're enjoying the few 'laughs'. Looking back, you'll eventually realize that I knew what you didn't: All things in this story are connected in some way... some things/characters more strongly than others.

Statements like that are vague and dismissive of these very real musical connections, connections that link directly to how the story unfolded. They're much more than 'similar'. All of them considered, they formulate strong evidence of deliberate design... evidence that there was a plan for the sequel trilogy.

First of all, elements (musical or narratively) "more obvious in the film" to you than others is not a relevant to the overall interpretation of the story and its score. Everything counts, whether you noticed it or not.
 
You're saying that John Williams 'covered his bases and happened to get lucky by the end'? He was told basically nothing by the Star Wars writers and decided to guess where the characters/story might go, film-to-film, incorporating specific inter-related musical elements into multiple themes and cues throughout the sequel trilogy... all of which can be tied to The Emperor's Theme in multiple ways. The trilogy concludes with Palpatine taking credit for a great many things. And you think it was all happenstance?  What an absurd theory to mask your underestimation and ignorance!
 
The simplest explanation is that there was always a plan, one told to John Williams so he could do his job properly.
 
 
Perhaps because that was the intent.
 
 
Regarding my interpretation of Star Wars - supported by factual/canonical evidence - I have no weakness.
 
 
Yes, other 'findings' include the contents of the musical scores and the literary sources from which George Lucas drew inspiration.

I see it as too many notes in a row to be merely 'poetic'. All things considered -namely, the other musical references and inter-relatedness among the themes for Palpatine, Kylo Ren, and Rey... given meaning by the progression of the story; knowing and appreciating the proven mastery and skill of John Williams - the deliberate nature of this musical connection couldn't be more obvious to me.
 
Another example: Snoke's music in TFA and TLJ was all but identical  to the music for the opera scene in ROTS, a scene in which Palpatine spoke of creating life and cheating death. Snoke was revealed to have been a creation of Palpatine. This, of course, after The Emperor's Theme  was played note-for-note as Snoke tortured Rey in TLJ. Thoughts?
 
 
It was a risk that paid off. Lucas wanted to be able to fund his growing business and produce his story more freely. He succeeded unconventionally.
 
 
Regarding George Lucas' plan for Star Wars, you seem to have taken into account only what was published about it and what the man said publicly... and have assumed a great many things based only on these findings. Careful not to confuse them with fact, his true intentions, or the insight into the story that can be garnered from its literal words.

"If money is all that you ask for, that's what you'll receive."  ― Princess Leia
"Persistence without insight will lead to the same outcome."  ― The Mandalorian Armorer 
 
@JTW, you do know by now that everything you've been saying in response to me is an assumption, right?  If Star Wars was made for money, then why did George Lucas take such a small fee for directing his film? He could have produced Star Wars films throughout the 16 years between ROTJ and TPM. The logical conclusion is that he was more concerned about the story  and the technology that would be innovated to present it in the way he wanted.
 
To back up your assessment of Star Wars, let's summarize:
 
- You've presented no real evidence.
- You've shared no intriguing insight.
- You've stated no facts.
- You've quoted nothing from the films, their screenplays, novelizations, or the rest of the official Star Wars canon.
- You think Star Wars was primarily made for money and still is.
- You've interpreted every installment of the story as a toddler would and think it's a lame, unoriginal story. (With magic powers, good intentions, and violence, the good guys beat the bad guys. The End.)
- You've dismissed two full trilogies as part of the core story, if not entirely.
- You haven't acknowledged any of my evidence as intriguing... or my theories that make better sense of the grander story, some theories of which were confirmed in TROS.
- You haven't admitted that my story progression logic is 100% sound, especially after the prequels confirmed that the Jedi and Republic were ignorant and powerless to prevent their downfall... even though we knew they fell in the opening act of the original film.
 
How can you think you're right or anywhere close to the truth?  I hope it's not because there are many people who think like you. Pride and ignorance are never a good thing, especially when combined. My final statement before I sign off with you:
 
As much as I think you've gotten wrong about Star Wars, you are among its primary intended audience.

This is not a case of two themes being "similar", Chen. I'd argue they're not even in the same vein. The Emperor's Theme is truly scary and brooding. Kylo's is more like an announcement.
 
Kylo's Theme also doesn't have that many notes to begin with. Of all the combinations of notes John Williams could have chosen for the relatively short 10-note theme, he decided to start it with five notes in a row  from THE EMPEROR'S THEME.  Anyone who acknowledges the skill of John Williams but assumes this connection wasn't intentional is in a state of denial, especially after Episode IX revealed that Palpatine had been seducing Ben Solo for his entire life.
 
 
You rationalize that there could have been other Yoda-like beings on Dagobah because Kenobi - the other secluded space wizard - also lived far from others?

Irony.

Again, George Lucas said Star Wars is "an old story told in a new way"... a combination of various sources of inspiration.
 
Being fully "original" is not the mark of good art or storytelling. There's nothing new under the sun. What really matters is how you use the tools and information at hand.

Again, George Lucas said Star Wars is "an old story told in a new way"... a combination of various sources of inspiration.
 
Being fully "original" is not the mark of good art or storytelling. There's nothing new under the sun. What really matters is how you use the tools and information at hand.

In 1999, George Lucas said that Star Wars is "an old story told in a new way."

First and foremost, Star Wars is a story to be interpreted. Doing so based in 'facts' alone is impossible. But it is a fact that George Lucas described his work - and its intent - in such a way that many of the Star Wars audience have disregarded. He said Star Wars is a "modern fairytale" with foundations in mythology, a story intended to convey universal truths and valuable life lessons... while most people view Star Wars as escapism, a fun/lame spectacle featuring action/adventure elements wherein family and friends eventually beat the bad guys. What a massive difference in these two approaches.
 
Unlike you, I've already presented facts and relevant literal canon excerpts that demonstrate my credibility. Saying we're "in the same boat" is very disingenuous of you.
 
 
One more fact.
 
Many had doubts as to Rey's affinity to use the Force so well and so easily. The fact is, her musical theme was derived from the Force Theme. What that means, if anything, is up to the audience.
 
 
Nope. Like many of my contributions here, this single fact was unknown to all here until I posted it.
 
Star Wars fans are ignorant of so much, yet think they are justified to complain and make grandiose claims and massive assumptions. Mark my words, they will soon be hit with a harsh reality.

And you want me to concede "they're just making things up on the go" but have no factual/substantive evidence to support that conclusion.

Obviously, I've concluded differently... especially as it pertains to the main story, themes, lore, and character archetypes... elements that have remained consistent from the very beginning (1976).
 
Just because because you - and many others - have concluded something to be (obviously!) true doesn't mean that it is so. The fact that 'your side' continually fails to produce facts or substantive evidence to support your assumptions means that you are almost certainly wrong.

I don’t know which one of you first started saying “contractions” instead of “contradictions,” but you’re all the worst!

It seems you haven't read the information from the links I provided. Here they are again:
 
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Canon
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wookieepedia:Canon_policy

Well there's no accounting for taste. 😉 After all, even a pile of shit can make for a pretty entertaining scene!

And don't forget that his (purported) interpretation of things is shockingly optimistic compared to most conspiracy theories.
 
Lucasfilm has spent the last 50 years methodically deceiving the public in order to … help us eventually derive more enjoyment and meaning from their films! It's actually kind of sweet!

Btw, out of the 9,581 posts on this thread, 1,073 belong to Matriss. That means about 11.2% of the posts here are from him. I think it's one of the bigger ratios for a long thread in the forum!

Yep. This thread provided great entertainment during the past few weeks, especially since it's kind of a dead period for movies, scores, etc. Please, don't stop!

I addressed this. Rey's lineage/origin was locked-in as the trilogy was being formulated on a basic level. Daisy Ridley didn't need to know the truth and wasn't told until 2018, making her performances in TFA and TLJ that much more authentic.
 
This interview is 'a bit', adding to the series that Gad and Ridley shot - along with many other famous actors - in the lead up to TLJ. (They're still available on YouTube.)