December 2017 saw the arrival of the latest Star Wars film, The Last Jedi. It has everything you would expect from a Star Wars movie: the Force, strange aliens, epic battles – the list goes on. However, an important question emerges from all the explosive entertainment: what is happening to masculinity?

As I came home from seeing The Last Jedi I couldn’t help feeling disappointed by the male characters in the movie. Sure, they had some high points. But did they have true masculine qualities? I didn’t think so.

Perhaps the greatest letdown was Luke Skywalker. For years he has been the hero who resurrected the Jedi Order, restoring hope to the galaxy. This hope carried on into The Force Awakens, where everyone was attempting to find the mysterious legend.

But when Rey finally finds Luke in The Last Jedi, he dismisses her pleas to teach her and to rejoin the interstellar conflict. Scarred by his past failures, Luke has become stubborn and disagreeable. However, Rey – who desperately needed Luke’s guidance before – trains herself in the end. Even when Luke has a change of heart, it is chiefly caused by Rey’s hope.

While Luke is obstinate, Poe Dameron is merely blind to the worth of the lives of others. Assigned to lead a desperate attack against the First Order, Poe continues the mission despite the fact his fellow pilots are quickly perishing. He goes so far as to ignore a direct order to cease the mission. For his reckless behavior, Poe is demoted by arguably the strongest (you guessed it) female character in the movie: General Leia.

One last example of feminism, though less glaring than the previous two, occurred with Finn and Rose. The two arrive at a casino city in an attempt to find aid for the Resistance. The beauty there enamors Finn so greatly that he does not see the corruption that also exists there. Rose notices this, though, and quickly points this out to her oblivious friend.

This dominant presence of feminism throughout The Last Jedi draws attention to the lack of trust in masculinity. Sadly, the majority of men today lack the virtues so necessary to masculinity. Chastity, temperance, self-giving love – these and many of the other foundations of masculinity are rejected and ignored. What remains when these qualities are removed can hardly be called masculinity. Lacking true men, society and popular culture turn to women to fill the void that has been left behind. The Last Jedi is merely one of the many examples of how the world calls for change.

All that remains is for men to turn back to their Christian values. The distrust in society will not relent until men return to the example given to them by Christ.

Guys, it’s your choice. You can take up your lightsaber and fight.

Or you can toss it over your shoulder.