𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳 𝘞𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘚𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘦 𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘴

Before reading...

- All of the things listed below are my own reading applying my cinematographic knowledge.

- It includes the sequences that I consider build the whole Throne Room scene.

- TW: violence, torture, death are mentioned.

Before starting, we should introduce the COLORS. The design of the set is made to make the red tones stand out and to make it brighter, as it is combined with colder and dark undertones. It is common knowledge that red is a color related to extremes.

The color red is associated with concepts such as anger, danger, violence, passionate love and power. In addition, we all know that red has always been tied to the dark side in the Star Wars universe.

The construction of the set is something worth mentioning. The floors are made on purpose to accentuate the red tones, while the red surrounds the whole room and Snoke. This clearly represents his power, and the danger he is for both Rey and Ben.

𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗢𝗡𝗘

First thing we see is Rey’s handcuffs falling, which narratively helps build Rey’s anger progressively without holding back.

As the camera tilts up, we can see in the background Ben is kneeling down, submissively facing the ground. The composition of the scene plays with the elements of the shot and the information they provide. Our attention is on Rey, but Ben’s presence is just as important.

As Rey is being pulled closer to Snoke, we are granted a shot from her POV as she approaches the throne. When she meets Snoke in front of her, the lighting of the throne reflects on her face and now the scene is much colder. It could be a chilling representation of fear.

Generally Snoke and the camera have more distance, but the distance between Rey, in whose perspective we are, and Snoke is small in comparison with other shots. This is building up the feeling the of discomfort for both Rey and the audience.

However, the perspective is broken when we get Ben’s reaction to Snoke’s statement: “I bridged your minds.” He lifts his head and the camera focuses on his reaction while we still hear Snoke’s words.

This moment during the first watch may be misleading for the audience, on purpose. However, Ben rising his head not only breaks his submissive state, it also starts to draw a final line between Snoke and him. It fuels the goal he walked into the room with: killing Snoke.

The next important moment is Snoke invading Rey’s personal space. As he does, so does the camera and our medium shot transforms into an intrusive, tense close up. The red reappears into the shots, hinting at Rey’s growing anger and the violence she will be subjected to.

In the long shot of the throne room while Snoke is surrounded with the powerful red tones, Rey is left on the cold and grey side of the room, under Snoke’s control. A shot of Ben staring at the image before looking away follows.

Ben looks away. Despite this moment being the final line between him and Snoke, he is aware that Snoke may be able to read his thoughts, as pointed out by Rian in the commentary. Therefore any arising anger and hatred he might feel, is in truth directed towards Snoke.

We see Rey in an unusual medium close up that seems to be inverted, due to her being the subject of Snoke’s torture. The red undertones and the cold illumination on her back are complementary to represent the pain, along with a slight shake and zoom, which intensifies it.

𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗧𝗪𝗢

The next sequence begins with a close up of Snoke’s intrusive gaze as he finishes looking through Rey’s mind. This is followed by another close up of Ben, whose gaze has darkened as he stares as Snoke once he has released Rey.

At this point Ben is completely sure of his goal. As Rian indicated, he knows what he wants to do but he isn’t sure of how to do it.

One detail in Rey’s following close ups is Ben’s tilted head as the lightsaber flies by him. This detail enriches his character and the mise-en-scène, as that simple movement shows us the background of his character. It completes the information of the shot.

The clever composition of these shots gives us information about the two characters, a we can contrast someone who is used to this aggressions next to someone who is caught by surprise.

Then, Rey is taken to look at the Resistance fleet, and for that the perspective is changed. The 180-degree rule is also broken for this moment. We’re solely focused on Rey, and her growing anger, which eventually leads her to impulsively call the lightsaber.

For a moment we are just caught in that space, with Rey and her need to defend the Resistance. The shots become wider, because the space of the action has expanded as the Praetorian Guards get prepared to attack. They are part of the narrative and the action now.

Rey is mostly channeling her all her bravery and her energy, but through the spirit of protecting others. Her defiance is what Snoke claims to be “the spirit of a true Jedi”. Surrounded by red, she represents that vibrancy and that intense rebellious energy.

However, Snoke brings back Ben’s perspective when he uses the Force to throw Rey to the ground. His lightsaber brings us to him. Now we are back, and he knows this is the moment in which he has to fulfill his goal.

Standing before him at the beginning we have the three most important elements of the scene: Rey, Snoke and the Praetorian Guards. As he stares at Rey and Snoke speaks to him, “he knows what he has to do”.

He takes his lightsaber, of which we get a close up of as it is engulfed by red. As he does, he takes the power and control over the situation. The lightsaber gives him the power to carry out his goal. Then he stands up, and the camera closes up on Rey.

Meanwhile, we also have a close up of Snoke. However, this is a way to distort his vision on the moment. His belief in his own control over the situation is blind, which is reflected when he closes his eyes. That is his downfall.

Now, the choice behind letting us see how Ben carries it out is very important. The point of Snoke’s death is not to surprise us, but rather to develop Ben’s character. While we see him turning the lightsaber, we empathise with him, wanting to see him succeed.

Then, when Snoke says: “And kills his true enemy.” We have a close up of Rey before the camera moves backwards and we see Ben’s hand closing.

This is followed by Snoke’s surprised expression, as blue lighting reflects on his face and we hear a lightsaber igniting. Through the use of lighting and sound, we assume what happened to Snoke.

It isn’t until Rey falls to the ground and is able to look at it that we actually get to see the image of Snoke’s death. We are allowed to be surprised through her perspective, using a backwards dolly shot.

The next shot works as a transition: we see Ben bringing the lightsaber towards the camera, Rey picking it up and her standing up in front of Ben. In just one shot, we have seen three different actions that tie with the following ones.

At the same time it gives us information that in another movie would receive its own shot, as we see the Praetorian Guards getting ready. But the focus of this scene is not on the action itself, but rather on what it means for the characters and their relationship.

The shots of Rey and Ben staring at each other brings the attention of the audience to them. It represents the level of connection they reached; they understand what they’re about to do. They don’t need words.

The viewer is left to assume the situation that is surrounding them in that moment, because their connection is what matters in the narrative in that moment. The Praetorian Guards are included in the next shot, which is in terms of composition, the most powerful and iconic.

This is balance. The thoughtful filmmaking behind this shot shows in its composition. The most important it’s kept in the center, but the colors and the set accompany the characters. There is vertical symmetry and balance, but also horizontally, thanks to the shining floors.

The shot is seconds long, much longer that what we are used in action. What makes it unique, composition apart, is the fact that we can clearly see these two characters fighting, back to back and trusting each other. It’s the potential of their connection.

Whether the choreography is good or not, the choreography was never planned to be the strength of this shot: it was a question of the characters development of their relationship, as youtuber Jill Bearup explains in one of her videos.

𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘

One of the most remarkable characteristics of this sequence is the use of long takes, shot with a steadicam. The sequence starts with Ben fighting against some Praetorian Guards. Consequently, the camera finds Rey fighting two others.

This is the part of pure action, which is still special because the actors are the ones performing it. There is very small chance to use a stunt double for Rey and Kylo. Therefore we actually have shots that are choreographed in one take, such as the one at the beginning.

Fire also plays an important part in the sequence. Rey causes one after defeating one of the guards, which eventually has both of them surrounded by flames and chaos. This the change of the scene will affect the characters, and the story.

Another important moment in this part is when Kylo is looking around him, surrounded by the guards. It’s a moment that fits his character and his fighting style, and it gives him time to think about a counterattack. Very in character, in my opinion.

In addition, while he is observing, he sees Rey getting hurt, which leads to a dramatic zoom on her and the guard that harmed her. It serves as a way to see Rey’s state without leaving Kylo’s POV, who immediately has to go back to fighting.

Whether Ben meant to help her or not, is up to interpretation. In my perspective, this scene serves the purpose of also showing he is watching over her. It has a double purpose, for the character and for the visual narrative.

The end of the fight presents them in similar situations. However, Rey is in possession of a lightsaber while Ben isn’t. When she manages to defeat her guard, she glances at Ben and throws him the lightsaber in an act of complete trust.

It finishes with the throne room in chaos, and now all that red atmosphere has been burned. Now the lighting is warm, and there are small fires all around the room.

𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗥

This is the most intimate and vulnerable sequence. It starts in Rey’s perspective, as she eagerly wants to help the Resistance. However, she sees Kylo walking towards the throne, and we as an audience see it too.

Then, the perspective changes again and as the camera distances from Rey in the following shot, it continues with a medium close up of Kylo. The camera stays focused on him as he speaks; we need to listen to his proposition.

When he tells her “I want you to join me”, the camera switches its focus and now we see her reaction. Which is when we obtain her first reaction and response: “Don’t do this, Ben”

Surrounded by the chaos they just created, Kylo walks closer to her and now we have close-ups of both characters in front of each other. The warm lighting represents the intensity of the moment between them.

This sequence is the second most vulnerable scene in the movie for both characters. While one has to face the reality of her family, the other one reunites the courage to propose the other to join him. Both are vulnerable and accepting what they feel. Especially at the end.

The acting in this scene is very powerful, and cinematographically, in this case, Rian trusts the actors and the scene is built around their performances. The strength of this sequence is not the composition or the cinematography, but rather the emotion and the chemistry.

The tension that builds up from Daisy and Adam’s performance and the editing of the movie, leaves the audience expectantly waiting to see Rey’s response. When she extends her hand, the viewer still feels the tension.

That tension just becomes stronger when Rey’s hand reaches for the lightsaber instead. This moment shows they are equals in the Force, as the lightsaber stays in the middle while they keep pulling against each other.

Rey and Ben are portrayed as equals, as Rian Johnson indicated in his commentary of the film, this scene represents that. Especially, when the lightsaber cracks in half, in a way they push each other away further than they were before.

This scene is the rarest lightsaber fight in Star Wars, because instead of it being a duel or a battle between the light and the dark, it represents the moment when the dark meets the light, and they have each other’s backs.

It’s unique because of what it represents. It’s unique because of the aesthetic sensitivity of the crew. It’s unique because of the actors. It’s unique because of the storytelling and the narrative.

It is special, because it stands out, like Star Wars did when nobody knew what a lightsaber was. Like Star Wars did when people didn’t know Darth Vader was Luke’s father. Star Wars has always been unique; let it be unique.

Thank you @rianjohnson for delivering such a wonderful and unique scene, along the movie you put your heart into to create.

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