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The biggest deal of this film was supposed to be killing Han, but I doubt anyone who has seen this walked away saying much of anything about it. I've been astonished by the reaction to this. Star Wars is arguably the most beloved/popular franchise of them all. Han Solo has either been the #1 or 1a most beloved/popular character who gets killed by his son and there's barely been a peep about it. I think this is more than it being handled clumsily. I think it says something about the franchise and us — everything's disposable.

The other thing you see about Driver's character is he's somewhat inept, but yet he has the the fortitude to kill his own dad? I get it that's not what these films are supposed to be. They're supposed to be fast moving, action, action, action, payoff and resolution, but I suspect a lot of this film's flaws were masked by the interesting fresh faces of Daisy Ridley & John Boyega.

I'm assuming the reason nobody wanted to talk about Han dying is the fear of 'spoiling' it for people- which I get, but at some point it starts killing discussion of a movie. That said, I thought it worked quite well for a beat which a.) was essentially a repetition Obi Wan dying in the first movie and b.) felt like it might have been the only way to convince Ford (who famously wanted his character to die in RotJ) to come back to the franchise- you question both Driver's motivation and his fortitude in committing a heinous act, but I think his wobbly conscience is precisely why the moment works. He is a child (a much better realization of the idea of a troubled, angry teen than Christiansen) who is following a dark path because he doesn't really know what he's doing, but also out of some as yet unspecified rage at his father. He's put into a moment of crisis, and I think the beat is really interesting- clearly, Han could have killed him, and it is meant to feel as though that is what Driver is requesting, as he is asking his father to help him do what must be done. When he kills Han, there's an ambiguity, but it does seem as though Han may (again, reprising Obi Wan's self sacrifice) allowed himself to die to ease the unbearable torment his son was feeling; he could not win him back, and he could not kill him, so he helps his son to resolve himself. In doing so, he seems to gain Driver's respect, which is a beat that I suspect will be followed upon in the forthcoming movies.

I do think the degree to which the movie followed the blueprint of Star Wars got in its way- the whole Starkiller Base thing seemed halfassed and incompletely thought out, both in terms of power level and devastation caused- but that was a beat that I thought drew upon the originals in a way that enriched it, rather than making it feel like a retread.