The final trailer for Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker was finally released yesterday, hinting at an exciting conclusion to the trilogy to end all trilogies. And for discerning Star Wars fans, the trailer also reveals a bevy story details, Easter eggs and more clues at what’s to come when the film arrives in theaters on December 20.
We do know that Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker sees writer and director J.J. Abrams back on board, but other than that much of the film’s details have been shrouded in mystery. Most recently at D23, it was revealed that actor Ian McDiarmid would reprise his role as Emperor Palpatine, with the character’s unforeseen resurrection further teased in the film’s first trailer. Darth Sidious — also previously thought to be dead after Kylo and Rey slaughtered his physical avatar Snoke in The Last Jedi — is expected to return as well, another hint that much of the saga’s lore is expected to come full circle in the final film.
All in all, many are on the edge of their seats as they wait to see what finally becomes of the ragtag Resistance and its head-on collision with the First Order, especially considering how The Last Jedi ended. For those looking for every hint and what’s to come in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, we’ve broken down the key scenes and Easter eggs revealed in the final trailer.
The duo first came to fruition in Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi in the original Star Wars trilogy. As seen in the Episode IX trailer, the Resistance is led by the Millennium Falcon once more, with the duo presumably leading the revolutionary charge. One Easter egg hidden in the armament of rebel ships is the Ghost ship which previously appeared in the epilogue animated series Star Wars Rebels and most recently in Rogue One. The scene also proves that the Resistance has regathered itself, finding allies new and old to take on the dark side for the last time.
C-3PO’s Last Hurrah
The trailer inevitably teases the death of robot-favorite C-3PO, who shares in the trailer that he’s “taking one last look” at his friends. If you look closely to the right of 3PO as he says this, you can spot what fans of Star Wars lore will recognize as a B1 battle droid, previously seen in the prequel films from the ‘90s and early 2000s. Fans can also catch a glimpse of everybody’s favorite companion R2-D2, who has played a pivotal role throughout the films of relaying history as well as messages from far, far away.
Imperial Star Destroyers Emerging From Ice
One of the trailer’s most revealing shots shows the star destroyer emerging from ice, presumably the same planet where Palpatine has resided. As referenced later in the trailer, these new destroyers feature Death Star technology that has been further integrated into their capabilities. As confirmed in the recent D23 trailer, the Emperor seemingly has a massive fleet of destroyers that have been waiting for the right time to cause destruction throughout the galaxy.
Emperor Palpatine’s Throne Room
ADVERTISEMENT
Two throne rooms are showcased within the trailer. The first being the Emperor’s throne as designed by original concept artist Ralph McQuarrie, originally made for the Return of the Jedi. The seat is inevitably pitted as Palpatine’s new throne, with Ian McDiarmid’s voice heard in the backdrop stating, “Long have I waited.” The new additions are the thorn-like structures that mark the rear, with the overall look reminiscent of the icy planet that is expected to be where Palpatine and his First Order forces have been waiting. More Easter eggs come into play during the depiction of the destroyed throne room from the second Death Star’s remains on Endor (pictured above), with both Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Rey (Daisy Ridley) standing in front of Palpatine’s old ruling chair. However, Kylo doesn’t appear to be holding a lightsaber here while Rey has her down at her side, hinting that perhaps we won’t see a battle between the two.
Rey and Kylo Destroy Darth Vader’s Mask
Yet more twists reveal themselves in this scene, which showcases the two enemies working together as they attack an obelisk-like structure that holds Darth Vader’s helmet. However, the structure’s destruction remains varied to how a lightsaber would intrude on normative materials — instead of a clean-cut, the structure shatters, looking as if imbued with the same power as Kylo’s remade helmet. The interior of the scene remains starkly similar to that of the Tipoca City Military Complex, where much of the dark side’s clone army was originally developed and created. Equally so, Rey can be seen wielding a dagger, which has led many fans wondering whether or not it’s the prophetic Dagger of Mortis (as showcased in Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated TV series) or a normative Sith dagger. Either way, expect this to come into play within the film’s plot.
Rey Comes Face-To-Face With the Emperor
The most speculated scene revealed in the trailer is likely the moment when Rey confronts the Emperor alone. While it’s still tentative as to whether or not this figure is indeed Palpatine, the hood gives away some clues as it resembles much of the same robe that he wore throughout the original trilogies. Many fans were speculative as to whether or not this figure would return in physical form or resurrected as some Sith spirit, but if you watch very closely, near the end of the clip the Emperor’s fingers are very slightly revealed near the bottom left of the frame. Once again, the atmosphere here resembles much of the ice shelf that the destroyers can be seen emerging from, potentially reconfirming that this cold planet is where Palpatine has been hiding his secret First Order forces.
Nice