Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – trailer breakdown

Looks like the Skywalker Saga is going to go out with a bang!

It has been just a little under a week since we got our first glimpse at the finale main franchise Star Wars movie! The Rise of Skywalker trailer was released at the Star Wars Celebration in Chicago last Friday (April 12) and gave fans everywhere a few unexpected surprises.

With that said, let’s get to breaking it down…

Rey is a fully fledged Jedi!

The opening of the trailer was very much in the vein of the first glimpses of the two latest films in the series – The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. We find someone out of breath as if they’ve been through some kind of ordeal. In this case, Rey is in the middle of a desert planet (Jakku? Tatooine?) and we soon find that there is an X-Wing coming straight for her. Her response? She pulls out Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber (now repaired!), gives a pretty cool action pose then BOOM she does flip and that’s all we see.

We can only imagine that Rey has been working hard on her Jedi skills in the time that has passed since the events of The Last Jedi, which is rumoured to be a year. She’s gone all prequel-acrobatics on us and she has managed to fix a lightsaber that was completely split in half. How has she managed all of this? Well, eagle eyed fans will know that Rey seemed to have taken the sacred Jedi texts that Luke owned on Ahch-To. They can be seen slightly in one of the last scenes in The Last Jedi. Looks look Rey has been studying?

As for who is hurtling towards Rey? We can only assume it is Kylo and he’s pissed! Either that or a surprise attack from someone else…

Kylo Ren – The Supreme Leader

Some of you may assume that the film’s title is hinting at a potential redemption for one Ben Solo. By the looks of this trailer, you may be disappointed. Ben Solo/Kylo Ren/Supreme Leader Benji is seen going on a brutal rampage as he inserts his hilt into a passerby and body slams him to the floor. Stormtroopers are also in the background shooting up the place! We can only guess that Kylo is on the hunt for the remainders of The Resistance. Either that, or everyone is after a new macguffin.

We also see Kylo’s mask being mended together piece by piece. We are seeing him at the height of his power here. So powerful he can command for every single piece to be blow torched together. He will be as dangerous as ever I imagine.

New movie – new planets

We aren’t too sure where we are headed here, or even who is in transit! But we get the feeling that this is a new planet. Why our characters are headed there? Not a clue. But, maybe this could be where a certain Cloud City administrator comes back into the fray?

The return of Finn and Poe

Our first glimpse of the ultimate bromance – Finn and Poe Dameron. This shot does tell us a fair bit believe it or not. Finn’s hair is significantly different in length and style, plus he’s now no longer wearing Poe’s second hand jacket.

Later parts of the trailer hint that Rey is also present, and this can only be in one of two sections of the film in my opinion – in the opening of the first act or leading into the third act.

Meet D-O!

What would a film in the Star Wars universe be nowadays if a new droid wasn’t introduced? The Rise of Skywalker trailer introduces D-O (playing with the fact that it has a beak? Like a dodo?).

I’m sure this little guy will get a hero moment like BB-8 or R2 at some point…

Lando is back!

That’s right! The double-crossing charmer is back with vengeance and he seems pretty happy to be back in his old ship with Chewbacca! Major fans will know that Lando was originally in line to be the code breaker in The Last Jedi, but that didn’t work out obviously and Benicio del Toro filled that gap.

How will Lando feel about the loss of both Han and Luke in his absence? Is there a good reason he’s not been around? Will he feel somewhat responsible for the death of his oldest friend? For the love of god, is he still rocking the capes? From the looks of the trailer, YES!

“Let’s go, and don’t forget the droids!”

Is it just me or does this kind of remind you of the escape for Jabba’s ship in Return of the Jedi? THIS is why I’ve thought about their time on this planet being around the first act.

As to why they’re being chased? Not a clue, but if the team is after something that The First Order is after to, it would explain a lot.

Recognise this?

Probably one of the most discreet throwbacks to the original trilogy. If this piece of metal rings any bells for you, it’s because it’s the medal that either Han or Luke were presented with at the end of A New Hope.

By the looks of the hands, we can assume this is Leia holding it which would make sense. Is it Carrie Fisher’s hands though? We can only hope – it is possible this was added in with a hand double sometime after her passing when the film actually went into production.

Leia is still very much present

Leia’s presense in the film is the biggest deal about this film. Three years after her death and Carrie Fisher is still finding a way to be a part of this franchise even from beyond the grave. It is not clear how Leia will be a part of the film but as Abrams is using unused footage from The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi it will be interesting to see how they have included it.

You may notice that Leia’s hair in the above image is the same hairstyle from The Force Awakens. Rey’s tearful hug with her also? It would seem Daisy Ridley is using her real emotions about the loss of Fisher for the scene – extremely fitting.

Time to revisit the past

Something that you probably didn’t notice first time around. But second or third time? You should be able to make out that this is a massive section The Death Star, or at least one of them. A piece of a Death Star that has somehow landed on a planet.

Why are the team headed here? Why would they even be instructed to go there? Or have they ended up there not not knowing what they’re staring at? God knows! But then…

“I know that laugh”

The bit everyone has been talking about. The laugh right before the film’s title is revealed. That is the laugh of Emperor Sheev Palpatine/Darth Sidious. His involvement has apparently been in the trilogy’s plan all along according to head honcho Kathleen Kennedy, so what do they have in store? Was Palpatine inside Snoke and got released after his death? Has his spirit been haunting the ruins of the Death Star? I guess we’ll find out just before Christmas. But hey…I bet you didn’t see that coming.

Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker hits UK cinemas December 19 and US cinemas December 20.