Spoilers ahead for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. I had a lot of dread leading up to The Rise of Skywalker, not just because I enjoyed The Last Jedi so much, but because we know who director J.J. Abrams is at this point as a storyteller. I hoped I was wrong and that Abrams would surprise us, but as The Rise of Skywalker shows, he’s still the same guy who has never grown beyond his shortcomings. If anything, those weaknesses seem to have calcified and hardened, making them even more prevalent in his storytelling. Before I continue, …