Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has been released in theaters bringing a close not only the Skwalker saga, but also Disney's trilogy which tackled the twenty-five years following Return of the Jedi.
Fans have long been speculating, analyzing, dissecting trailers and teasers, and theorizing every possible twist and reveal. While, yes, this is what fans do, Star Wars: The Force Awakens built its story around questions and left a few details to be explored in the future. The curiosity only intensified when Star Wars: The Last Jedi ignored many of these questions and posed a few of its own. In order to wrap up this trilogy and the saga as a whole, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker made a point to answer a number of questions; but surprisingly, there were several questions left unanswered.
Answered: Is Reylo Actually a Thing?
Definitely. In Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rey and Kylo discover they have a force connection enabling them to communicate and even interact while apart. They also had a chemistry that hinted at an attraction leading many fans to hop on the "Reylo" bandwagon. Well, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker definitely confirmed Kylo and Rey are a thing.
After mortally wounding Kylo, Rey force heals him and confesses she wanted to take Ben's hand, not Kylo's. Once he's redeemed and Ben Solo again, he rushes to her in facing the Emperor. Then, after discovering Rey died destroying the Emperor, Ben now force heals her. After returning to life and realizing he's now Ben, they both kiss before he drops dead and disappears a la Yoda from Return of the Jedi.
Unanswered: Who are the Knights of Ren?
The Knights of Ren were talked about quite a bit in Star Wars: The Force of Awakens; and audiences even saw a glimpse of them in Rey's Force vision. Plus, Kylo is even called Kylo Ren. Most expected to learn about the group in Star Wars: The Last Jedi; but in that film, they are seemingly forgotten.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker showed more of the Knights of Ren and gave them plenty to do. However, the film still failed to tell audiences who they were or their motivations.
Answered: Was Leia Ever a Jedi?
After Return of the Jedi, fans speculated for years whether Luke went on to train Leia since she too was a Skywalker. The question was pushed to the front of fans' minds again after Leia used the Force to move through space in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker answered this question right at the start by showing Leia training Rey. Rey even goes on to call her master. Later on, Luke gives Rey Leia's lightsaber; and at the end of the film, Force ghosts of both Luke and Leia watch over Rey.
Unanswered: Who or What was Snoke?
Star Wars: The Force Awakens introduced Supreme Leader Snoke who was training Kylo Ren and seemingly picking up where the Emperor left off. Audiences were never told how he rose to power, whether or not he was Sith, or how he turned Ben Solo into Kylo Ren. Many assumed Star Wars: The Last Jedi would reveal more about this new generation's baddie; but instead, Kylo Ren easily sliced him in half with a lightsaber which sparked more questions than answers.
In Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker, audiences do see glass tubes containing parts of Snoke on Exogol. Did Palpatine clone Snoke? Was Palpatine controlling him the whole time? Why is his head now a tube? It's a subject that's never explained.
Answered: What Does The Rise of Skywalker Title Mean?
When Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was announced as the title for Episode IX back in April at Star Wars Celebration in Chicago, there were questions. Who is the Skywalker? Was it Kylo or Rey? Was Skywalker now something beyond just a name?
The film is anything but vague in regards to why the title is what it is. For instance, the final line in the film is Rey calling herself Rey Skywalker. Despite being a Palpatine by birth, Rey chose the light over the dark. It could also be argued that the redeemed Ben Solo ing his life force into Rey contributes to her new identity. She was also trained by both Luke and Leia; and after seeing their force ghosts watching over her in the final scene, it seems right for her to say she's now part of their family.
Unanswered: What was Finn Going to Say to Rey?
Right before it looks like the group will die in quicksand, Finn tells Rey there's something he's never told her. At the time, he isn't able to get it out; but when asked about it later, he changes the subject or talks around it. Poe tries to get it out of him, and audiences see Finn wanting to be near Rey and wrestling with his emotions. However, the film never has him say what was teased throughout the story.
Answered: Is This the End of C-3PO?
In the trailers and teasers for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, audiences saw C-3PO with red eyes and uncharacteristically wielding a bowcaster. He also delivered a line about taking one last look at his friends. It it the end of C-3PO as we know him?
Fortunately, it's not the end of the beloved protocol droid. His memory is wiped during the film in order to override his programming and obtain valuable information; for a time, he doesn't know anyone or anything. However, R2-D2 saves the day since he backed up C-3PO's memory.
Unanswered: How Did Maz Kanata Get Luke's Lightsaber
In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rey finds Luke's lightsaber in Maz Kanata's castle. Before this scene, the last time audiences saw that lightsaber was in The Empire Strikes Back when Luke's hand was lopped off and fell down the shaft in Cloud City. When asked how she got it, Maz claims that's a good question for another time; but after all these years, that time still has never come.
Answered: Who Are Rey's Parents?
After Star Wars: The Force Awakens, everyone wanted to know was who were Rey's parents? In the film, Rey keeps tally marks of how many days since she's been left alone, and we even get a quick flashback of her crying for a ship to come back. She's strong with the Force, but she doesn't know why. This question was at the heart of the film's story; but in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rian Johnson treats the question as unimportant. He has Kylo Ren tell Rey her parents were filthy junk traders who sold her for drinking money; and while that satisfied some fans, others either disagreed with the treatment or questioned whether Kylo was telling the truth.
The answer? Rey is a Palpatine's granddaughter. Her parents were killed in an attempt to protect her from the Dark Side and keep her identity a secret. In a way, her lack of identity was a gift.
Unanswered: How is the Emperor Still Alive?
Ever since the first trailer for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, fans have contemplated just how the Emperor is still alive. The last time audiences saw him in Return of the Jedi, he was thrown down the shaft of the second Death Star which later exploded.
Sadly, the audience doesn't get a full answer to this question. Emperor Palpatine only repeats a line from the Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith regarding how the dark side's methods for preventing someone from dying. Palpatine is also ed by a crane and some machinery which poses some questions of its own. Lastly, Palpatine wants Rey, his granddaughter, to kill him so his spirit and those of the Sith can possess her.
So there are a lot of questions here, but all we know is he's alive through the use of the Dark side. How he obtained all those Star Destroyers, his role in the First Order, how he escaped the Death Star shaft, and the like were never addressed or acknowledged and definitely unanswered.
