I saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens this evening. I was disappointed. I think that’s because for me, Star Wars is all about the Jedi, and the ethical struggles inside individuals. All the old films invite us to consider the extent to which the Jedi embody virtue. Luke saves the day by ignoring the advice of the old masters not to be hasty, but on the other hand their advice to trust in his link to the Force and turn off the targetting computer turns out to be vital. The Anakin Skywalker trilogy considered whether the Jedi Order was ossified and arrogant, admittedly not very well. The two Knights of the Old Republic video games did better by exploring the Sith and the possibility of “Grey Jedi”.

This first film of a new trilogy didn’t have anything like this, aside from the interesting suggestion that a need for belonging might be soothed by nurturing one’s connection to the Force. We just got set up for episode eight. The action didn’t matter because it wasn’t part of a story about how people should be.