One more reason to look forward to the end of the appalling Year of Our Lord 2017 is the release of The Last Jedi. 40 years after the release of A New Hope, Episode VIII of the franchise marks the return of Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in a starring role, following his much-anticipated appearance in 2015’s The Force Awakens. With director Rian Johnson at the helm, The Last Jedi is set to illustrate Skywalker's emergence from exile while advancing the stories of the last film’s cast of new characters -desert scavenger Rey, Stormtrooper deserter Finn, Rebel pilot Poe Dameron and Sith villain Kylo Ren- in addition to providing followers of the series with closure for Carrie Fisher’s Leia, due to the actress’s passing in December 2016.

While specific plot details remain undisclosed, the film is also slated to introduce new characters portrayed by renowned actors Laura Dern and Benicio Del Toro. However, judging by the recently unveiled trailer (and much to the chagrin of clueless Trump supporters and alt-right miscreants) The Last Jedi will most likely double down on its depiction of action-packed rebellion against oppressive, dictatorial fascists, something Western civilization used to unanimously get behind. Let’s hope the message is not lost on younger audiences, and that Chewbacca goes unapologetically berserk while unleashing vengeance on behalf of Han Solo. As fulfilling as it will be to witness Luke’s robot hand wielding a light saber again, we could all use that catharsis.  

The Last Jedi opens worldwide on December 15th, 2017.