Plenty of questions are left to be answered in Episode IX, and Star Wars fans can only
hold out hope that it will deliver.
From Rey's true heritage to Lando Calrissian's return, these are just some of the biggest
questions fans have going into The Rise of Skywalker.
One of the biggest mysteries within this new trilogy has centered on Rey, an extremely
talented Jedi in training who, one might assume, comes from talented stock.
Much like Luke Skywalker, who ended up serving as her mentor in The Last Jedi, Rey clearly
comes from a storied family, and in The Force Awakens, it seemed like the next one or two
installments might clear up who her parents truly were and whether or not she was a Skywalker,
a Solo, or a member of another powerful legacy clan.
In The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren broke the news to Rey that she was nothing but the child
of, quote, "junk traders" but naturally, most fans don't believe that a Jedi with such natural
talent who seems poised to take up the lightsaber of someone like Luke Skywalker came from a
clan of nobodies.
Will The Rise of Skywalker reveal that she's actually a Skywalker?
All we can do is wait and find out.
Introduced in The Force Awakens, Maz Kanata has left audiences curious since her first
moment onscreen.
A wise being who is apparently over a thousand years old, Maz is as inscrutable as she is
sarcastic and endlessly endearing.
When we meet Maz, she's managing a bar on the planet of Takodana where she seems to
know every person and everything about them.
She also just happens to be in possession of a pretty damn important object: Luke Skywalker's
lightsaber, which she says "calls to" Rey.
"That lightsaber was Luke's and his father's before him and now, it calls to you."
Maz Kanata is capable of using the Force, so there are plenty of reasons why she might
have Luke's lightsaber one of the most important items in the entire Star Wars saga but it's
still unexplained when, if, or how exactly Maz met Luke.
Who is Maz, and where did she come from?
How did she know Luke?
How did she get his lightsaber, and how did she use the Force to ascertain that it should
go to Rey?
In an Episode IX teaser released in April of 2019, audiences clearly heard the distinctive
chuckle of Emperor Palpatine, one of the signature villains of the original trilogy and the prequels.
As the Sith master of the infamous Darth Vader, the Emperor is an imposing figure throughout
the series, bringing the Sith back from the brink of extinction while serving as the Emperor
of the entire Galactic Empire.
The Emperor is also known for exterminating various Jedi that he sees as potential threats.
He's also ALSO known for, well being dead.
Ahh, that's never not satisfying Anywho, even though Darth Vader ultimately redeems himself
by killing the Emperor in The Return of the Jedi, Palpatine's evil laugh is clearly featured
at the end of the first Rise of Skywalker teaser.
Surprisingly, director J.J. Abrams has already confirmed that the Emperor will appear in
the film still played by actor Ian McDiarmid.
"I, uhh…
I have to be honest with you.
I was in the area, so I thought the least I could do is to pop in for a laugh."
McDiarmid has said the character is definitely dead heading into The Rise of Skywalker, but
what role will he play in the final installment of the series and what form will he be taking
when he does return?
Fans of the original trilogy fell in love with Billy Dee Williams' portrayal of the
roguish if wishy-washy Lando Calrissian.
Audiences last got to see a younger Lando played by the devilishly charming Donald Glover
in Solo: A Star Wars Story, which told the origin story of his relationship with Han.
"Is this seat taken?"
"If nobody's in the seat, then it ain't taken, friend."
But in The Rise of Skywalker, the original Lando will return.
Williams is reprising his role in Episode IX, closing one of the longest gaps between
portrayals of the same character in cinematic history.
Even though it's exciting to hear that one of the original trilogy's most popular and
beloved characters will finally return, it also remains a mystery exactly why Lando is
back, especially considering that he was conspicuously absent from this trilogy's first two films.
What role will he play in the story?
How will he react to the news that Han died at the hands of his own son?
Finally, will he side with the Resistance, or turn sides when it becomes convenient for
him?
The sudden death of Carrie Fisher in 2016 was incredibly devastating to Star Wars fans.
"Carrie Fisher, whose role as Princess Leia in Star Wars vaulted her to pop culture immortality,
died today in Los Angeles."
After all, her portrayal of an older Leia Organa who'd become a Resistance general without
losing any of her grit was an unexpected turn between trilogies.
Considering that many believed Episode IX would feature Leia in an even bigger role
than the relatively significant ones she played in VII and VIII, it remains to be seen how
she will actually appear on screen.
J.J. Abrams and others have revealed that, thanks to unused footage from the first two
films, it's possible for Fisher to posthumously appear in The Rise of Skywalker without resorting
to a CGI version of her character though fans might prefer that her last appearance end
on an ambiguous note.
Still, considering that Han died in The Force Awakens and Luke died in The Last Jedi, there's
a decent chance that this final film will see Leia joining her departed friends and
loved ones.
It's clear that the storied Skywalker name is still of the utmost importance in the sequel
trilogy reinforced by the news that Episode IX's official title is The Rise of Skywalker.
Of course, this led to plenty of questions about what that means and how it reflects
on the plot of this final installment.
Kylo Ren may have told Rey that she came from, quote, "nobody," but director J.J. Abrams
seems determined to return to the mystery he set up in The Force Awakens, telling fans
that the identity of Rey's parents will still prove important in Episode IX.
It's possible that Rey, who possesses a stunning amount of power for such a young, untrained
Jedi, could still be the titular Skywalker.
Aside from her, Kylo Ren is technically half Skywalker on his mother's side, and could
turn back to the light and reclaim his heritage.
It's even possible that a new character could take up the Skywalker mantle and rise to fight
alongside our heroes.
With all that said, the biggest question still stands who is the Skywalker in the title,
and what purpose will they serve in Episode IX?
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