As Star Wars saga as fans all over the world have come to know it is nearing its end with Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, bringing together the original films, the prequels, and the sequels – but in order to achieve that, it has to address various plot holes and threads.
Following the acquisition of Lucasfilm, Disney started working on a new Star Wars trilogy that would serve as the definitive closure to the Skywalker saga. The sequel trilogy began in 2015 with J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Last Jedi being one of the most divisive films in the last years, nor have they escaped from plot holes and loose threads, some of which go back to the prequels and original films.
If Disney really wants Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker to be the end of the Skywalker saga, it has to resolve many plot threads. Some are much bigger and relevant to the plot and the saga in general than others, but in order to give proper closure to the saga, it would be best if they’re all addressed at some point.
Palpatine’s Grand Plan
The first trailer for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker proved that he’s still present, and he has been there all this time.
There are many theories on how he came back: some believe Palpatine is actually Darth Plagueis, his master. Instead of Palpatine killing Plagueis, it was the master who killed his apprentice so he could possess his body, and the reason why he’s after the Skywalkers is because he needs a new, powerful body to continue living.
Everything surrounding Palpatine’s survival, return, plan, and backstory is, perhaps, the biggest and most important plot thread Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has to address, as it’s also the one that ties together the whole Skywalker saga.
Who Was Supreme Leader Snoke
Snoke was the Supreme Leader of the First Order, a master of the dark side (though not a Sith as they became extinct after the deaths of Darth Sidious and Darth Vader), and Kylo Ren’s master. Snoke was introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens but had a more prominent role in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, where he used his Force powers to bridge the minds of Kylo and Rey, later ordering Kylo to complete his training by executing Rey. Snoke failed to foresee the betrayal of his apprentice and was killed by Kylo with Luke’s blue lightsaber.
Both films failed to provide some backstory to Snoke, and so a bunch of fan theories on who he really was have emerged since The Force Awakens came out. And as much as Rian Johnson says that who he was doesn’t matter (because, well, it wouldn’t matter to Rey), many fans are still wondering – and with good reason – what Snoke was all about. One of the latest teasers for The Rise of Skywalker confirmed that Snoke was one of the people used by Palpatine to manipulate Kylo, so there’s a lot more mystery to the former Supreme Leader than it was initially believed.
Who Are The Knights Of Ren
There’s a lot about the Knights of Ren that hasn’t been told yet, and The Rise of Skywalker is the last chance to do so. What is known about them is that they are a mysterious order of elite warriors that follow the dark side of the Force. Just like Snoke, they are not Sith Lords simply because the Sith ended with Sidious and Vader’s deaths, but the Knights of Ren are a new generation of Force warriors. they were left out from The Last Jedi.
However, the Knights of Ren are confirmed to appear in The Rise of Skywalker, so that answers the question of whether they are dead or not (unless they appear in flashbacks). Obviously, the role of the Knights of Ren in the film is unknown, but hopefully they will have a much bigger presence in the story this time, and viewers will get to know who they truly are, what their motivations and goals are, and if there are any connections between them and Palpatine.
Where Rey Comes From
One of the biggest mysteries of the Star Wars sequel trilogy was the identity of Rey’s parents. Many believed she was Luke’s daughter, or even a descendant of Obi-Wan Kenobi, but The Last Jedi revealed (through Kylo Ren) that her parents were junk traders who sold her for drinking money, and they were never going to come back. This was one of the many reasons why fans were not pleased with The Last Jedi, as they were expecting Rey to have a more relevant background, with her parents being characters connected to the Force or the Jedi.
Still, many hold on to the possibility of Kylo lying to Rey in order to turn her to the dark side, and that her parents aren’t just “nobodies”. Whether they have something to do with the Force or not, The Rise of Skywalker should address Rey’s backstory and share where she was born, who her family was, what they did (not just her parents but the rest of her family), and, if possible, if there are more relatives out there. Surely, Rey has been building her “chosen family” since The Force Awakens, but it’s only fair to give a proper explanation on where she comes from.
How Maz Kanata Got Luke’s Lightsaber
While how Maz Kanata got the lightsaber, as the last time it was seen was during the encounter between Luke and Darth Vader in Bespin, in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Like with most of the plot holes left by the Star Wars sequels, there are many theories on how Kanata got the lightsaber, with some believing it was Lando Calrissian who had it or that it was simply salvaged and sold to Kanata at some point.
Finn’s Origins
Finn’s mysterious origins have been buried underneath those of Rey, the return of Palpatine, the redemption of Kylo Ren, and many other plot threads waiting to be resolved. Truth is that nothing is known about Finn’s backstory, except that he was raised to be a loyal and obedient soldier for the First Order, and he later defected to the Resistance. What makes Finn’s origins so interesting is that the stormtroopers of the First Order are programmed from birth to serve, yet Finn kept a big part of his conscience, which led him to leave the First Order and the opposite side instead. Luckily, J.J. Abrams has confirmed that The Rise of Skywalker will explore Finn’s origins, so hopefully it will answer some of the biggest questions about his past.
Anakin/Darth Vader’s Redemption
The Skywalker saga is all about Anakin Skywalker: the prequels explored his days as a young slave in Tatooine until his rise as Sith Lord Darth Vader, and the original films covered his redemption. After (supposedly) killing the Emperor in Return of The Jedi, Darth Vader went back to the light and thus became one with the Force, which is why at the end of the film, Luke sees the spirit of Anakin (not Darth Vader) along with those of Yoda and Obi-Wan. Darth Vader is long gone, and it’s just Anakin Skywalker now – but the sequels have chosen to ignore that, instead focusing only on Darth Vader, the remains of his mask, and Kylo Ren looking to “finish what he started”.
Anakin Skywalker can have a place in The Rise of Skywalker as a Force Ghost, one that could be guiding Rey in her training now that Luke is gone, and could even be the one who brings Kylo Ren back to the light – more so after the latter learns that he wasn’t talking to his grandfather through the mask, but to Palpatine. There’s hope for one last appearance by Anakin Skywalker (once again played by Hayden Christensen) in the Skywalker saga, one that will fix his arc and also bring closure to others, especially his grandson’s.
Balance Of The Force & The Chosen One
what bringing “balance to the galaxy” is actually about, and even if the prophecy is real or not are just some of the questions regarding these topics that The Rise of Skywalker will have to explain.
The Saga’s Key Battles
It’s the Resistance against the First Order, just like the Jedi vs. the Sith in the first six films. And while the Sith might not technically still be alive and active (emphasis on “technically”, as Palpatine is still alive, somehow), it all comes down to the legendary battle between the light and dark side of the Force. After all, that’s what the conflict of the Star Wars saga has really been. The Rise of Skywalker has a lot to cover in of plot holes and loose threads, but it shouldn’t forget that there’s still a war out there, and it should end in this film. Whether Abrams will surprise viewers or stay true to the formula is yet to be seen.
Kylo Ren’s Redemption
Kylo Ren is on his way to redemption, even if some feel he can’t be redeemed anymore. The main problem Kylo has been dealing with are the opposing forces inside him: there’s Kylo Ren, the one who has turned to the dark side, but there’s still Ben Solo, Luke’s Padawan who can still use his Force abilities for good. Star Wars has a history with conversions in final films: Anakin turned to the dark side and became Darth Vader in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, and Darth Vader was redeemed in Return of the Jedi. Following the pattern, Kylo Ren should be on his way to a major transformation, or in other words, his redemption moment.
Of course, how this will happen and under which circumstances is a mystery, but his grandfather’s Force Ghost could come into play for this, or the secret might be in Kylo’s redemption is a predictable moment, it would give a twist to his promise of finishing what his grandfather started, and could very well help answer the aforementioned questions regarding the prophecy and “the chosen one” in ways that the audience probably wasn’t expecting.
