Summary

• The Star Wars origin of the Sith Wayfinder has been revealed, the Sith artifact that played a crucial role in the Resistance victory at the Battle of Exegol.
• Wayfinders are linked by the purrgil, who are useful for their navigational skills, and a dark side infusion.
• Jedi, like Luke Skywalker, studied Wayfinders for powerful Force vergences, an idea that might return in future films.

One new detail has finally revealed the origins of the Sith Wayfinder originally seen in Palpatine and the Final Order.

While the Sith Wayfinders felt a bit like a MacGuffin in The Rise of Skywalker, they've become increasingly more interesting as more information has been revealed about these Sith artifacts. The Wayfinders may have been MacGuffin-esque in the first part of The Rise of Skywalker but quickly turned into a vital object that eventually led to the Resistance taking down the Final Order at the Battle of Exegol. Despite their importance, Star Wars is still releasing new information about the Sith navigation devices.

The Rise Of Skywalker's Sith Wayfinder Has Links To Purrgil

They Were Inspired by The Space Whales

In the Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy, it’s been revealed that the ancient Sith created the Sith Wayfinders seen in The Rise of Skywalker after dissecting purrgil. Purrgil are Star Wars’ version of space whales and have been seen in different Star Wars titles, most notably Star Wars Rebels and Ahsoka. Purrgil can travel in hyperspace, and as learned in Ahsoka, can even travel to different galaxies. The Star Wars Encyclopedia, explains that Wayfinders:

…are an exceptionally rare example of navigational technology that’s still not completely understood by modern scholars. Created by ancient Sith, without the use of modern navicomputers and hyperspace routes, the first wayfinders are inspired by the Sith’s dissection of purrgil whales. They combine the species’ natural faster-than-light capabilities with an infusion of the dark side of the Force.

It's already been established that hyperspace travel was originally inspired by ing purrgil, but knowing that the Sith dissected a purrgil only to use its abilities and infuse it with dark side energy completely rewrites what was previously thought about the Wayfinders. The Star Wars Encyclopedia goes on to explain that after a location has been mapped out, the Wayfinder keeps this destination's data and will allow any to safely get to their destination. This is likely how Rey was able to use the Wayfinder in The Rise of Skywalker with ease and lead the Resistance to Exegol.

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Jedi & Sith Wayfinders Are The Key To Finding Powerful Force Vergences

At Least Luke Skywalker Thought So

Audiences to this point have only seen the Sith Wayfinder, but Jedi have also studied the technology, with Luke Skywalker taking a particular interest in finding a Wayfinder and Exegol. Because Luke took such good notes, it allowed Rey to figure out how to find Palaptine’s Wayfinder in the remnants of the second Death Star. Force vergences were best described recently in The Acolyte and, with the Wayfinder’s supraluminite iodestones absorption technology, it could allow a to track any potential Force vergence by using the Wayfinder as a kind of com.

Star Wars releasing this origin of the Sith Wayfinder may indicate that these artifacts will come back and play a part in an Star Wars title. While it doesn’t seem like they will play a role in shows like Ahsoka, seeing them return in the New Jedi Order film would be interesting. With Daisy Ridley returning as Rey Skywalker, it means there would be no questioning how Rey came into possession of the Sith Wayfinder. It’s unfortunate audiences didn’t see Wayfinder’s full potential in The Rise of Skywalker, but hopefully, it’s not the last time they’re seen onscreen.