That said, I just don't get all the hate for the porgs that has been endemic on the interwebz since the new trailer for The Last Jedi dropped on Monday. Okay, I get it. Folks are worried about excessively cutesy critters again. But really what are they basing this hatred on?
We've known for months that porgs would be in the new film. There have been pictures of them, usually in the background of other shots taking place on Ahch-To. In the trailer we see exactly one porg for maybe a second in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon and all it does is scream. On this basis there are fanboys* who are already declaring the film a failure. Guys, wait and see. Please.
First of all, Lucas has nothing to do with the films any more and excessive cuteness is one of his particular obsessions. Secondly we really don't know what part, if any, porgs play in the actual plot. If this one particular one is just there as a sort of pet/mascot that's fine. If the whole plot revolves around it saving the heroes ("What's that girl? Chewbacca has fallen down the well?") then that is a point of complaint. If they somehow manage to single-handedly defeat a First Order army, that is a large problem.
My point, guys, is give it a chance. Nothing else we have seen or heard so far gives the impression that porgs are a major plot element. Both extant trailers look too dark for that to be the case. I'm willing to bet porgs are nothing more than a minor adjunct to the story and a great chance to sell more merchandise to those fans who don't mind cute. Heck, right now I wouldn't mind having a plush porg.
* Used as an inclusive non-sexist term of derision. I am sure there are women who don't like porgs either.
