Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker - Five Questions and Predictions

With Avengers Endgame out (and having seen it), the next movie I am REALLY hyped to see is Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.  The teaser trailer and title were announced/released two weeks ago, and I've had some time to dwell on them.  Below are five questions people might have about the film, and I put forth multiple choice possibilities and choose my answer with reasoning.  It'll be interesting to go back here 8 months from now (Yikes!) and see how close I was.

I have now seen the Rise of Skywalker.  For my full thoughts on it, you'll have to see my more recent post here.  *SPOILER ALERT* I will of course be discussing spoilers so this is your warning.

1. So, apparently Palpatine returns, based on his cackle at the end of the teaser trailer.  How is he able to return?
A. He returns as a spirit, much like a Force Ghost (The dark side version of it possibly).  Not able to physically appear but in spirit.
B. A clone was made of him
C. He survived falling down the ventilation shaft.
D. He inhabits the body of someone or something else (Like Voldemort)

Answer: I'm gonna go with A, but neither C nor D would surprise me.  My prediction is that there is a Dark Side way of becoming one with the Force.  Obviously, we'd hear him and he'd be able to influence Kylo Ren and say things like, "Do what your grandfather failed to do."  I only included B because I believe that happened in the Expanded Universe novels, although I doubt they'd take that idea straight from them. Option D would be cool to see, however.  Could we see him inhabit Snoke's body?

The closest actual answer would be C.  He had some assistance, clearly, but never fully died.  

2. What will the relationship of Kylo Ren and Rey be like at the end of Episode IX?
A. Non-existent, as one will be dead.
B. Still enemies
C. Allies, or at least will have a truce
D. Romantic

Answer: I want it to be D, but Rey's parentage is still in question.  Kylo told Rey her parents were nobodies, but he could have been lying (or possibly misled by Snoke).  She still could be his sister or cousin.  I'll go with C as my prediction, but I want it to be D.  They won't kill Rey off, and I don't think JJ Abrams will want to kill Kylo off either, so I don't think it will be A.  And I highly doubt they'll still be enemies; it would just feel like we need another film to resolve their conflict.

Officially it is A 😢, but for a brief moment is was C and D.  I should have known Ben/Kylo would die because this film was billed for it "concluding the Skywalker saga", and if he had survived, the Skywalkers would live on.

3. Speaking of Rey's parentage, what is it?
A. Kylo was telling the truth.  Her parents were nobodies.
B. Luke is her father.  He abandoned her mother, and her mother (And stepfather?) left her on Jakku.
C. Han and Leia are her parents.  She was conceived in secret and hidden on Jakku.
D. She is a manifestation of the Force, much like Anakin.

Answer: I just find it difficult to be B or C.  Wouldn't they know about it and want to tell her?  Also, I've noticed a bit of a conflict between JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson, who directed Episode VIII.  They had different ideas for the films, so I think it might not be A.  I'm leaning more and more to D.  It would be kind of a copy cat origin story, but if they do it differently and uniquely it could work.  So I'll go with D, with A as my second choice.  They have to address this in Ep. IX, at least to some extent.

Wow, none of the above.  Technically A is right, but they were trying to be nobodies in order to protect their daughter from her grandfather.  I had a feeling JJ would decide Rian Johnson's choice wasn't good enough, I just had no idea she would be related to him.


4. What does the title, "The Rise of Skywalker" mean?
A. Skywalker is or becomes a title for Jedi.  Much like "Darth" is for the Sith, Skywalker becomes a title for Jedi as the Jedi rise and Rey (and possibly Kylo/Ben) start a new Jedi order.  So Rey would be "Skywalker Rey".
B. Rey is a Skywalker, and she learns her true identity.
C. Luke's influence as a Force Ghost is critical to the Resistance and he aids in their victory.
D. Luke and Palpatine have a Force Ghost battle and Luke comes out on top.
E. Kylo sheds his name "Kylo Ren" and becomes "Ben Skywalker" (Not Solo).

Answer: It's a pretty vague title.  I got answer "A" from someone's theory on Reddit, which I really liked obviously.  Although you wouldn't see a title called "The Rise of Darth".  But I can see Skywalker referring to a group of people and not just one person.  B is obviously a candidate.  C and D kind of go together and both could be possible.  I know D sounds ludicrous but I could see it happening.  E could mean the title is about Kylo Ren, since he has Skywalker blood.  If he returns to the light he could identify himself "as a Skywalker".  The title of Episode VII referred to Rey (indirectly).  The title of Episode VIII referred to Luke.  I think the title of Episode IX will refer to someone else as well, which leaves only Kylo Ren.  It could be about his redemption and return to the light side, so I'll go with E.  However, most people are figuring this must refer to Luke, so my next best guess would be "C".

The actual answer is kind of a cross between A and B.  Rey assumed the Skywalker name, almost as if it were a title.  My friend even said it was like Luke or Leia adopted her from beyond the grave. 

5. The fates of the following people:
A. Kylo Ren:
                a. Dead
                b. Alive, but still Dark
                c. Alive and turned to Light

Answer: C.  It's gotta be, right?  I touched on this in question in number 3, and I said I don't think they'll kill Kylo off.  At least I hope they don't.  If it was B they would need another film or something to resolve this, wouldn't they?  It would be like leaving Darth Vader alive and still dark side oriented after "Return of the Jedi".

I should have known, like I said above.  He sacrificed himself for Rey and hopefully Rey would respect his memory and tell everyone he was a hero.

B. Captain Phasma:
                a. She died in Episode VIII
                b. She comes back in IX but dies
                c. She comes back in IX and lives
               
Answer: B.  JJ and Rian have an internal conflict going on from what I've gathered.  JJ will want to undo what Rian did and bring back Captain Phasma, only to have her die for real.

Falling that far into a pit of fire on a ship going down is hard to survive, especially for a non-Sith/Jedi.  I think bringing her back would've been a slap in the face to Rian Johnson.

C. General Hux:
                a. Dead
                b. Dead
                c. Dead

Answer: All of the above.  Is there any chance this guy survives?  He clearly has no good in his heart.  The only question is how he will die.

Well, yes, but who saw him helping out the good guys?  Not me!  Kylo clearly got on his bad side, so Hux took action.  Too bad for him General Pryde saw right through him.

                C. a. How  will Hux die?
                                1. Rey kills him
                                2. Finn or Poe kills him
                                3. Kylo turns on him and kills him

Answer: Number 1 wouldn't be satisfying enough.  I'd like to see 2, have a battle between non-Force users.  But I think it will be 3.

I didn't even consider him being a spy and one of the first order generals killing him.  Gotta consider every possibility.

D. Leia:
                a. Alive and present
                b. Alive but gone away/missing
                c. Dead

Answer: I almost forgot about Leia.  Hard to say how much of an impact she'll have, with Carrie Fisher passing before they could film any of Episode IX.  I will say C, and they'll make it as tear-inducing as possible.

I was right.  I was impressed with how much footage they had of Carrie and how they were able to use it.  It was tear-inducing, although I didn't cry myself.  But I felt like it after seeing Chewbacca's reacting to Leia's passing.

Well, there you  have it.  I answered the five (plus) biggest questions about Episode IX.  It's still almost 8 months away and I cannot wait for it to get here! 

Meh, not terrible predictions, but some really caught me off guard.  Click the link above to see my full thoughts on Rise of Skywalker. 🙂

My Insane Theory for the New Star Wars Trilogy

With Star Wars Episode VII still a year and a half away, it's never too early to theorize or speculate about characters, their motives, or possible twists.  I do believe there will be a twist, perhaps revealed at the end of Episode VII much like how the twist of the original trilogy was revealed in the middle movie of the trilogy.  Ready for it?  Here it is:

Kylo Ren is not evil.  He is a spy sent by Luke to infiltrate the dark side and take down Snoke.

I'll give you a minute to put your mind back together after it's been blown. 

Basically, Kylo was in training with Luke when Luke learns of this dark lord that has been in the shadows (Supreme Leader Snoke), and comes up with the idea to use Kylo/Ben as a weapon and spy to try to learn something about Snoke, take out Snoke, or both. 

If you've ever read Harry Potter, this would directly parallel the events of the popular book series.  In this case, Luke would be Dumbledore using Kylo (Snape) to take down a dark leader: Snoke (Voldemort).  Funny thing is Kylo with his long hair and long face looks like Snape.  In the Harry Potter series, Snape reported to Dumbledore about Voldemort.  Is Kylo somehow in secret communication with Luke?  Also in this analogy, Rey would be Harry Potter and Finn would be a combination of Ron/Hermione.  Or maybe Poe is Hermione, haha. 

I know there's a lot against this theory--such as why does it seem like Kylo Ren in TFA is so desperate to find his uncle?  It could be an act.  But to back up my theory, Luke went in hiding--not out of shame--but because contact with anyone would risk him revealing his plan.  Perhaps Luke found out something about Snoke so bad that he gave up his relationships with Han and Leia so that he could secretly get Kylo Ren to spy for him.  Perhaps Luke learned how to expertly flirt between dark and light so well without going too far either way that he felt confident in letting his nephew pretend to be dark.  Luke being disgraced about his nephew turning dark is a cover for his solitude--it's so he can meditate, and also communicate with his nephew secretly.

You're probably thinking: Why did Kylo Ren kill Han, then?  Well perhaps Han is a bit like Dumbledore in that he might have been dead soon, anyway.  Maybe there was someone so hot on Han's trail that they were about to catch up and kill him.  I doubt Luke would want Han dead, but if Luke knew Han didn't have long in the galaxy anyway, and it would convince Snoke of Kylo's evilness, Luke would probably say it would be worth it for the greater good.  Perhaps Han knew he was going to die.  He did say to Rey that he was looking into taking on a second mate, but perhaps that was code for someone to take over the Millennium Falcon... period.

One other thing to back up my theory: Kylo did not appear to be trying to kill Rey.  On Starkiller Base at the end of TFA when Kylo fights Finn and Rey, he did not seem to be trying to kill Rey.  If anything, he was trying to get her to come with him so he could perhaps fill her in on the secret.  I believe if Kylo wanted to kill her he could've, seeing how inexperienced she was.  The fact that (while injured) Kylo had trouble with two untrained young adults leads me to believe he wasn't trying to kill them, because he isn't evil. 

I know my theory is a bit of a long shot, but I'd love to see it come true.  I do believe in some way by the end of the trilogy Kylo Ren will have come back to the light (if he even left it).  I mean, what's more badass than being bad, but not actually being evil?  You get all the coolness of the dark side but none of the hate.  Severus Snape is revered in the Harry Potter series--I think Disney wants the same for Kylo Ren. 

Bonus: Take a look at Kylo Ren's lightsaber.  Looks like a cross, doesn't it?  Like the cross Jesus died on?  Perhaps that is a subtle hint that Kylo will sacrifice himself for the greater good.  I can definitely see that happening, most likely in Episode IX.

My Thoughts on the Cast of Star Wars Episode VII and the Roles I think They'll Play

The filming for Star Wars Episode VII is underway, with pretty much all of the principal cast having been announced.  The cast includes Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Domhnall Gleeson, Andy Serkis, Max Von Sydow, Oscar Isaac, and recently announced Lupita Nyong'o and Gwendolyn Christie.  I really like this cast.  I don't think it's perfect, but I'll hold my judgment for after having seen the film.  So for now, since no plot or character names have been revealed, I will predict the role each actor will have to see how close I get. 

Adam Driver: Main Bad Guy/Sith (Jacen Solo/Darth Caedus?)
Adam Driver has been rumored to be cast as the main villain, so I'll go with that.  Obviously, it would be near impossible for his character to compare to the legendary Darth Vader, but if he comes close, his acting and JJ/Kasdan's writing will be well-commended.  If I wrote the script, however, I would have Adam eventually be revealed to be the son of Han and Leia.  In the expanded universe novels, one of Han and Leia's sons (they had two sons and a daughter) turns to the dark side.  I would love to see Adam reveal to someone (his sister...?) that he is their brother.  If he is a bad guy, he will more than likely be a Sith and fight a few lightsaber battles. 

Daisy Ridley: Lead female, daughter of Han and Leia (Jaina Solo?)
Daisy Ridley is one of the unknowns to be cast, and seeing as the bears a resemblance to Carrie Fisher as well as the fact that in the cast release photo, seen below, she is in between Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford, I believe she will be playing their daughter.  Also, I'd like to point out each Star Wars trilogy has had a trio be the main stars, which included two guys and a girl (Han, Luke and Leia for the original trilogy, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme for the prequel trilogy).  I think she'll definitely be the girl in the trio for this trilogy, more than likely continuing down the female line of Skywalkers. 

John Boyega: Member of trio, descendant of Mace/Lando?
John Boyega, another unknown (at least to me) cast, has a role that is hard to predict.  He is rumored to be one of the stars, so I'm guessing a good guy and one of the trio.  To add to his character, I think he'll be either a descendant of Mace Windu (Great-nephew?) or Lando Calrissian (Son/Nephew/Grandson).  He's got to have some connection to the rest of the characters, so being a relative of Lando's would be the most logical choice.  The fact that Billy Dee Williams has yet to be cast might mean the character of Lando is dead for this trilogy, meaning Boyega might be seeking vengeance or redemption.  But, if he's a Jedi, the most logical thing would be to have him be a descendant of Mace Windu.  I just can't pinpoint it. 

Domhnall Gleeson: Luke's son (Ben Skywalker?)
I love Dohnall Gleeson.  He was awesome in Harry Potter and he was brilliant in About Time.  He will make a fantastic addition to the cast.  His role is slightly hard to predict, but I'm going to go on a limb here.  I predict he will be Luke Skywalker's son, therefore completing the trio with Ridley and Boyega.  I could be completely wrong and his role could be just as a supporting character, like Bail Organa was in the prequel trilogy.  But the resemblance with his actor-father Mark Hamill is there, albeit slightly, and what's a Star Wars movie without a Skywalker as part of the main cast? 

Andy Serkis: Alien Creature (Bothan?)
Andy is arguably the best motion capture actor today, playing Gollum, King Kong, and Caesar from Planet of the Apes.  So it would be safe to assume he'd have another motion caption role.  Since this is a Star Wars film, he'll probably be an alien creature.  If I had to pick a species from the Star Wars universe, I'd say he'll play a Bothan, because they were mentioned in the original trilogy, but never shown.  Andy Serkis isn't tall enough to play a Wookiee, so that's not really a possibility.  He won't be the lead star of the film, but his role certainly will be interesting and will more than likely use the best in technology available.

Max Von Sydow: Evil Leader (that is killed off)
Many legendary actors have appeared in Star Wars, from Peter Cushing to Alec Guinness to Christopher Lee.  Most of them have played bad guys.  My best guess is that Max too will play a bad guy.  I think his role will be similar to Peter Cushing's in A New Hope.  He'll only be in one film and be killed off, but he will have an evil presence.  Someone is bound to arise 30 years after the fall of the Empire to try to bring it back, and maybe that could be Max's character that leads it.  I am pretty confident that they will kill off Max's character in Episode VII, because of Max's age and not wanting to commit to him for a full trilogy. 

Oscar Isaac: Evil apprentice
It is very hard to pinpoint what Oscar Isaac's role will be.  I loved him in Inside Llewyn Davis, but I don't think he'll have that large of a role for the new trilogy.  I think he'll be like a Darth Maul/General Grievous type villain, not really being the main villain but certainly one the heroes will have trouble with.  I would guess that he will also be a Sith and not just an Imperial Officer or anything.  I'll just say he'll be Adam Driver's apprentice that is probably killed off before Adam, but hopefully not in Episode VII.

Lupita Nyong'o: Asajj Ventress

One of the more recent additions to the cast was Lupita Nyong'o, the Oscar-winning actress from 12 Years a Slave.  There have been rumors that she could play Asajj Ventress, one of the main villains from the Star Wars The Clone Wars TV series.  I'll go with the rumors yet again, feeling that I might be wrong this time.  Asajj Ventress would be quite a few years older (approximately 60 years have passed since the Clone Wars).  But they curiously did not kill off Ventress in that series, because perhaps they were saving her for something else.  I could be wrong and Lupita could end up playing a descendant of Mace Windu or Lando Calrissian, or an entirely new character, but whatever role she has will be a very interesting one.

Gwendolyn Christie: Mon Mothma-type leader
I haven't seen Game of Thrones (yet) or anything else Gwendolyn Christie has been in, so it's hard to say what she's capable of as an actress.  She's more than likely playing a supporting character, and I will predict she'll play a role very similar to Caroline Blakiston/Mon Mothma in Return of the Jedi.  She could even play her daughter or granddaughter.

Well, those are my thoughts on the cast and predictions for the roles they'll have.  Things will start to become clearer as things get leaked or announcements are made about the plot or characters.  I'm going to go back to this post after having seen Episode VII and see how bad or good I was at predicting the characters for each of the actors.  I can't wait!