In a similar vein to Rey’s unexpected family backstory, there are a ton of moments where The Last Jedi takes a weighty, symbolic object and says, “Hey, this doesn’t matter as much as you think.”
 
Luke’s lightsaber, obviously. Poe’s beloved X-Wing, which gets blown up. Rose’s necklace, sacrificed despite its emotional importance. In the chaotic rush to escape the First Order, our heroes lose almost everything. The story encourages detachment from things that cannot or should not be saved. Material symbols are depicted as important but transitory.
 
In fannish terms, it’s the opposite of buying a mint-condition action figure and keeping it in the packaging forever. But regardless of what some fans believe, Rian Johnson didn’t throw their toys in the trash, either. The franchise’s love of symbolism is still alive in the final scenes, with those kids telling Luke Skywalker stories on Canto Bight.

The Last Jedi doesn’t care about nostalgia - and that’s a good thing

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It wasn’t typical for NFL players to stand for the national anthem until 2009—before then, it was customary for players to stay in the locker room as the anthem played. A 2015 congressional report revealed that the Department of Defense had paid $5.4 million to NFL teams between 2011 and 2014 to stage on-field patriotic ceremonies; the National Guard shelled out $6.7 million for similar displays between 2013 and 2015.

Josh Levin, Colin Kaepernick’s Protest Is Working

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