5 Questions We Have Before ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’

We are officially T-minus two days until Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Photo: Lucasfilm

Inspired by Josh Gad’s star-studded interrogation of Daisy Ridley last week, we too have some questions going into the final installment of the legendary saga.

How did Palpatine return?

The teaser that dropped in April threw the Star Wars fan base into pandemonium when it ended with the maniacal laugh of Emperor Palpatine. Outliving every prequel character in a Loki-like fashion, Palps is back to enslave the galaxy under his dark rule once more.

The Emperor’s return is an unexpected twist because of the fate he suffered at the end of Return of the Jedi. Unwilling to allow Palpatine to torture Luke with Force lightning, Darth Vader intervenes by tossing Palpatine down a shaft to his death⁠—or so we thought.

Exactly how Palpatine cheated death is unknown, but Episode III could give us a clue. In Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine admits to Anakin that his knowledge of the dark side of the Force includes the power to avert death.

How did Maz Kanata get Anakin’s lightsaber?

The answer to this question will not affect the film, but the detail is too significant to skim over. In The Force Awakens, Rey discovers the saber in a chest among Maz’s possessions. When Han asks Maz where she got it, she shakes off the question, saying it is ‘a good question for another time.’

Well, two movies later, we still have not gotten our bedtime backstory. It seems unlikely that such a legendary relic in the Star Wars universe would change owners and locations without any explanation. Especially with Disney, who spares no detail. I mean, did you see Elsa’s dresses in Frozen 2?

How was the Force-bond between Rey and Kylo Ren severed for a year?

The Last Jedi introduced us to Force-bonds for the first time in the Star Wars saga. While other Force-sensitive characters can only feel the emotions and presence of people, Rey and Kylo Ren can see each other, transport matter, and make physical contact from opposite sides of the galaxy.

Snoke initially took credit for bridging their minds, but the final Force-bond following the Supreme Leader’s death debunks his claim. The Force⁠—trying to intertwine the fates of Rey and Kylo⁠—has been ‘forcing’ interaction between the dual protagonists, but it appears to have taken a hiatus.

Any off-screen development is unlikely since Rey and Kylo’s dynamic is the heartbeat of the sequel trilogy. With a year-long gap between Episode 8 and 9, we have to assume no Force-bonds occurred during that time. Rey has probably been blocking out the calls while rocking out in the Millennium Falcon to “Telephone” by Lady Gaga.

How will General Leia fit into the story?

On December 27, 2016, we lost our favorite princess. Best known for her role as Leia Organa, the late Carrie Fisher inspired young girls across the galaxy.

While writers of The Rise of Skywalker had big plans for her character, Disney will not use computer-generated animation out of respect for Fisher. Instead, the studio will incorporate archived footage from The Force Awakens to include General Leia in the story.

Capping off Leia’s arc with limited resources would no doubt be a challenge for any director. Not only is she beloved by fans, but the character’s journey has spanned across six films. Giving Leia anything short of a purposeful and satisfying ending would be a disservice. In J.J. Abrams, we trust.

Will Reylo be endgame?

Ah, Reylo. If you are not familiar with the term, Reylo is the name representing a romantic connection between Rey and Kylo Ren.

Fans disagree if their relationship status should receive an upgrade or not, but Reylo is more than your average ship. Reylo is a compelling storyline that would allow the Star Wars saga to come full circle.

The tragic romance between Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala is the wound that doomed the galaxy. Tortured by visions of Padmé dying, Anakin went to every extreme to protect her, including killing younglings.

Reylo is a complete contrast to Anakin and Padmé’s relationship. While Anakin’s selfish love for Padmé led him to the dark side, Kylo’s selfless love for Rey leads him to the light.

Kylo switching sides to defeat Palpatine—the one who manipulated Anakin’s love in the first place—to restore balance is a genius storyline that would cap off not only the sequel trilogy but all nine films. And if Reylo does not happen, we want a written explanation as to why Rey’s official Spotify playlist includes songs called “We Found Love” and “Sound of Your Heart”.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters Friday, December 20th. Click here to check out our predictions for the film!

What questions would you like to see answered? Tweet us @capeandcastle and let us know!