Entertainment
The First Order Would've Saved Luke Skywalker's Star Wars Legacy
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
By far, the most shocking moment of the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy was the sudden death of the Original Trilogy hero Luke Skywalker in The Last Jedi. That film portrays this as a noble sacrifice; Luke gives up his life (like Obi-Wan Kenobi before him) in order to help Rey, Leia, and the rest of the Resistance escape the First Order. However, the films make it clear that the First Order was going to self-destruct sooner rather than later, arguably making Luke Skywalker’s sacrifice completely meaningless.
The First Order Was Doomed
For the most part, the Star Wars sequels didn’t break the mold of the Original Trilogy that much. The Resistance, of course, was meant to be analogous to the Rebels, right down to Leia being their leader. The First Order is meant to be analogous to the Empire, but they are so much worse than their forebears that, without the Resistance, Luke Skywalker would still be alive.
The reason for this is that the First Order is insular and self-destructive, unlike the Empire. In A New Hope, we see Darth Vader Force choke a colleague, but he stops doing so at Grand Moff Tarkin’s command. The message was clear: this is an organization with colorful characters, but the excesses of characters like Vader are kept in check by the same galaxy-spanning bureaucracy that the Rebels had so much trouble defeating.
Now, the First Order’s Vader was Kylo Ren, just as the Resistance’s Luke Skywalker was Rey. But we see Ren as a mostly unchecked ball of rage. He’s the kind of guy who starts destroying company property whenever he has a hissy fit. If The Force Awakens taught us anything about Kylo Ren, it’s that he is just one bad day away from accidentally destroying the ship he is on by swinging his lightsaber around like an angry child.
Luke Skywalker
But what does this Kylo Ren character trait have to do with the incompetence of the First Order and the potential survival of Luke Skywalker? Ren, simply put, is not an outlier in this organization. Instead, he’s just the only short-tempered fascist with the powers of a space wizard. And he’s part of an organization that was destined to implode on its own without the Resistance firing a single shot, but the good guys’ interference got countless people killed, including the galaxy’s last Jedi Master.
That inevitable self-destruction is partially because the First Order is a military organization that follows Sith rules. Basically, they reward those who kill their masters. Kylo Ren, for example, kills Snoke and instantly assumes the title of Supreme Leader. Left to their own devices, First Order members would just keep killing their leaders until the best were dead or fled, leaving a neutered empire that could never threaten either the Resistance or Luke Skywalker.
Additionally, the First Order was destined to implode because they preferred destruction over conquest, as evidenced by that wild Force Awakens moment when these bad guys destroy an entire star system, including the New Republic’s capital. The Empire was wise enough to use the Death Star as a tool to compel obedience, but Kylo Ren and company just want to burn planets down in an orgy of destruction. In short, the First Order was never going to achieve the reach of the Empire, and Luke Skywalker would have lived if these villains were simply allowed to self-destruct.
Don’t get us wrong: the First Order is probably one of the coolest things about the deeply flawed Star Wars Sequel Trilogy. However, these villains are so cartoonishly evil that it’s impossible to take them seriously, and it’s clear that they would have fizzled out on their own, especially with Palpatine doing such a crappy job ruling from the shadows. And had the First Order been allowed to die out on its own, just think: Rebel hero Luke Skywalker would still be alive.
Of course, it would be the bitter and grumpy Luke. Given that, we’re not that broken up that he’s dead.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
