If Rey’s new Jedi Order movie, Star Wars: New Jedi Order, wants to be Star Wars: Episode X, there are 10 things it must do. Star Wars is known for its deep lore, its multitude of dynamic alien planets, and, above all else, the Force and the Jedi and Sith Orders that formed around it. Because of its galactic scale, Star Wars offers a wealth of opportunities for creativity, and each new installment adds depth to its lore. However, despite the opportunities for creative freedom, some things need to be kept consistent for a movie or TV show to be a cohesive part of the Star Wars universe.

Star Wars as a franchise is unique in the science fiction world because, while science fiction technologies such as lightsabers are a part of the story, they are usually vehicles to convey the often-political themes. If anything, Star Wars is more of a space fantasy with science fiction elements. As such, if Rey’s new movie is to truly be a Star Wars: Episode X, there are certain things it must do to fit into the franchise.

What’s the best way to watch Star Wars? Here’s everything you need to know to watch in release or timeline order, and how to include the TV shows.

10Rey’s Story Must Continue To Be About Balancing The Force

Balance is an important meta-theme of Star Wars that shouldn’t be forgotten

A big part of the Star Wars meta-plot is the struggle to find a balance in the Force. Each Force-sensitive person is susceptible to extremes. With so much power at their fingertips, it is easy to give in to the dark side. On the other hand, it is easy to become so obsessed with doing “the right thing” that one becomes aloof, detached, and unable to see the nuances of life. This is the mistake that Luke Skywalker made when he considered killing his nephew. He was so concerned about smiting darkness wherever he saw it that he forgot for a moment that people are not just one thing.

This mistake cost Luke dearly and drove him to exile himself in despair. If Rey’s new movie is to truly be a Star Wars episode – especially one about a new Jedi Order – it must continue to explore this theme of balance. Rey should learn from her Jedi Master’s failures and strive to find true balance through the recognition of nuance.

9Rey Must Explore The Skywalker Legacy

The Skywalker legacy ties into the theme of balance

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At the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Rey chooses to reject her dark side legacy, resolving not to be like her cruel grandfather. As a symbol of that, she takes on the last name of her mentor, Luke Skywalker. By doing this, Rey is making a statement about who she wants to be and who helped make her the person she is. If her movie is to truly be Star Wars: Episode X, she must continue to explore the legacy she has chosen to adopt.

The Skywalker legacy isn’t important to Star Wars just because Luke and Anakin Skywalker are the main characters of their respective trilogies; the whole idea of the Chosen One ties into the greater theme of balance. The Skywalker legacy is one of battling inner (and outer) demons, trying to live up to great expectations, and finding peace and control in the Force. If Rey’s movie is to truly be Star Wars: Episode X, it must continue to explore this.

8Rey’s New Jedi Order Must Be Based On The Jedi’s Original Mission

Rey’s Jedi Order must return to the Jedi’s core values

During the Clone Wars, the Jedi strayed away from their original mission with disastrous consequences. The original Star Wars trilogy was about the attempted resurrection of the Jedi Order and a return to its original values of peacekeeping and helping people. Even the prequel trilogy focused in part on the issues with the Jedi abandoning their core values for ones that prioritized politics and war. If Rey’s new movie is to be Star Wars: Episode X, it must pick up where Luke eventually failed.

7Rey Must Learn From The Mistakes Of The Jedi

Rey’s new movie must push the Star Wars story forward

Star Wars has an episodic structure and a broad meta-narrative. The prequel trilogy focused on the downfall of the first Jedi Order, and the sequel trilogy is set after the downfall of a failed second Jedi Order. If Rey’s new movie is to stand out and push the Star Wars meta-narrative forward, it should show the formation of a third, successful Jedi Order. Star Wars is an episodic saga. As such, it should show a continuous story progression. If Rey’s Jedi Order fails, it would simply be a repetition of past movies. It would do nothing to push the overall story forward.

For Rey to be successful at building a new Jedi Order, she must learn from the flaws in the Jedi. One benefit that Rey has over Luke Skywalker is that she actually saw a Jedi Order fail. During the original trilogy, while Luke had two Jedi Masters from the original Order training him, the Order he learned about was romanticized. He didn’t see the flaws that led to its destruction. Rey, however, did.

Rey was trained by a Master who was disillusioned and felt he had no right to train anyone. She was able to see how an extreme focus on the light side and fighting evil could lead one to do horrible things. She was able to see how foregoing attachments and familial ties could be a bad thing, as Luke considered killing his own nephew for a moment to protect the galaxy. This gives Rey an advantage over Luke. She should learn from these mistakes and the lack of balance in the previous Jedi Orders, and allow healthy attachments and nuance to be a part of hers.

6Rey Must Fight Her Inner Demons

Finding balance & inner peace within oneself is an important theme in Star Wars

It isn’t just the Force that Jedi seek to find balance in. The idea of fighting one’s demons in search of inner peace and balance within oneself is at the heart of the Star Wars meta-plot. If Rey’s movie is truly to be Star Wars: Episode X, she and her students must all work together to confront their own darkness and find inner peace.

5Rey Must Help Her Students Overcome Their Struggles With Self-Doubt

It is impossible to find peace when constantly plagued by self-doubt

Self-doubt is an enemy of inner peace. In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke becomes despondent when he is unable to lift his ship out of the mire on Dagobah. He tells Yoda that it’s an impossible task, and goes off to sulk despite Yoda’s insistence that Luke is capable of the feat. Yoda raises the ship himself to prove to Luke that his lack of faith in both himself and the Force is preventing him from reaching his full potential. This is an important lesson for Luke, as it teaches him that self-doubt is a hurdle that must be overcome to be a successful Jedi.

The struggle with self-doubt isn’t isolated to Luke Skywalker. Overcoming self-doubt is almost a rite of passage for Jedi Padawans at this point. If Rey’s new Jedi Order movie is to be Star Wars: Episode X, Rey must help her students find confidence in the Force and their abilities.

4Rey Must Help Her Students Overcome Their Temptations To The Dark Side

Every Jedi is susceptible to the influence of the dark side of the Force

Because Jedi are in tune with the Force, they’re susceptible to the influence of both sides. The Force isn’t only the light side; the dark side is an important part of its composition. Jedi spend their lives striving to become more in touch with the Force. This leaves them vulnerable to tapping into the dark side – especially when they are faced with situations that evoke strong emotions. If Rey is to lead a new Jedi Order, she must train her students to resist their dark side temptations, just as Ahsoka helped Kalifa in Star Wars: The Clone Wars to overcome the urge to kill their Trandoshan captors out of hatred.

3Rey & Her Students Must Use Their Abilities To Help Others

Helpfulness is an important part of the Jedi mission

The original mission of the Jedi Order is to be a force for good in the universe. Before the Clone Wars, the Jedi’s main focus was on peacekeeping and aiding people in need. Some branches of the Order, such as the Jedi Service Corps, were created specifically to provide humanitarian aid. This is a theme throughout Star Wars. In the original trilogy, Luke helps the Rebel Alliance because the Empire is cruel and oppressive.If Rey’s new Jedi Order movie is to truly be Star Wars: Episode X, it must show Rey and her students using their unique abilities to aid those in need.

2Rey Must Struggle With Her Dark Side Heritage

Rey’s familial relationship with a powerful Sith Lord must not be ignored

If Rey’s new movie is to be Star Wars: Episode X, she must continue to grapple with – and come to terms with – her dark side heritage as a Palpatine. Rey being Palpatine’s granddaughter was a huge reveal, and it shouldn’t be forgotten going forward. While it doesn’t mean that Rey is necessarily going to fall to the dark side, it does mean that she has ties to it. Also, her familial ties to a well-known Sith Lord could be a cause for suspicion from others (which may be part of why she changed her last name).

This mirrors Luke Skywalker’s own struggles during the original trilogy. When he found out that Darth Vader was his father, he struggled to come to terms with that and overcome the fear that he was doomed to follow in his father’s footsteps. He was ultimately able to face and conquer his fears of repeating the dark side cycle, and Rey should do the same.

1Rey Must Help The New Republic (If It Exists)

Democracy is important to Star Wars

Democracy is associated with the light side of the Force. As a system that takes into account different perspectives, it is a metaphor for the balance that Jedi strive for. This is why Obi-Wan Kenobi states that his commitment is to democracy when fighting Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. It’s also part of why the original trilogy placed such an emphasis on overthrowing the Empire and replacing it with the New Republic, and why the sequel trilogy focused on overthrowing the First Order.