Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Directed by	J.J. Abrams
Produced by	Kathleen Kennedy J.J. Abrams Michelle Rejwan
Screenplay by	J.J. Abrams Chris Terrio
Based on	Characters by George Lucas
Studio	Lucasfilm Ltd.
Distributed by	Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Running time	142 minutes
Country
Language	English
Rating
Budget	$250-300 million
Box office	$774.8 million
Preceded by	Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Wiki	Wookieepedia

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (also known as Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker) is a 2019 American epic space opera film directed by J.J. Abrams. It is the third and final film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, and will serve as the sequel to the second film in the trilogy, Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017). Abrams previously directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), which was the first film in the sequel trilogy.

The Rise of Skywalker had its world premiere in Los Angeles on December 16, 2019, and was theatrically released in the United States on December 20, 2019, by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Plot

Kylo Ren obtains a Sith Wayfinder device and travels to the planet Exegol. He discovers a physically impaired Palpatine, who reveals that he created Snoke as a puppet to control the First Order and lure Kylo to the dark side. Palpatine unveils a secret armada of Star Destroyers and tells Kylo to find and kill Rey, who is continuing her Jedi training under General Leia Organa. Meanwhile, Finn, Poe Dameron, and Chewbacca retrieve information originating from a First Order spy confirming Palpatine’s return. Rey discovers notes in Luke’s Jedi texts on a Sith artifact that could lead them to Palpatine. Rey, Poe, Finn, Chewbacca, BB-8, and C-3PO leave for Pasaana to seek a contact Luke knew, while R2-D2 stays behind with Leia.

On Pasaana, they encounter Lando Calrissian, who leads them to the artifact's last known location in the desert. Kylo learns where Rey is through their Force bond and travels to Pasaana with the Knights of Ren. Rey and the others discover the remains of a Sith assassin, his ship, and a dagger inscribed with Sith text, which C-3PO's programming forbids him from interpreting. Sensing that Kylo is nearby, Rey goes to confront him. The First Order captures the Millennium Falcon, Chewbacca, and the dagger; Rey, attempting to save Chewbacca, accidentally destroys a First Order transport with Force lightning. The group escapes on the assassin's ship, presuming Chewbacca was killed in the explosion.

Poe suggests that they travel to Kijimi to have the Sith text extracted from C-3PO's memory. The text is revealed to be coordinates, while C-3PO’s memory is wiped as a result of the extraction. Rey senses that Chewbacca is alive, and the group mounts a rescue mission. While Kylo searches for Rey, the group infiltrate his Star Destroyer with the help of Zorii Bliss, an old friend of Poe's. Through the Force, Kylo tells Rey that she is Palpatine's granddaughter; Palpatine had ordered her death as a child, fearing her power. Rey recovers the dagger and has visions of the assassin using it to kill her parents. General Hux discovers the group and reveals himself to be the spy. He allows them to escape on the Falcon, but is executed for treason. The Star Destroyer destroys Kijimi using a superlaser cannon.

The group follow the coordinates to Kef Bir. A woman named Jannah leads them to the remains of the second Death Star, where Rey uses the dagger to locate another Wayfinder. Upon touching the device, Rey envisions herself as a Sith. Kylo, having tracked the group to Kef Bir, destroys the Wayfinder and duels Rey. A dying Leia calls to Kylo through the Force, and Rey impales him. Sensing Leia's death, Rey heals Kylo and takes his ship to Ahch-To in exile, shaken by her Sith lineage. Luke's Force spirit appears and encourages Rey to face Palpatine as he once faced Darth Vader, giving her Leia's lightsaber and his old X-wing. Rey leaves for Exegol, using the Wayfinder on Kylo's ship. On Kef Bir, Kylo converses with a vision of his father Han Solo and throws away his lightsaber, reclaiming his identity as Ben Solo.

At the Resistance base, the group returns and learns of Leia's death. Finn and Poe become joint generals of the Resistance, while R2-D2 restores much of C-3PO's memory from an old backup. Resistance fighters discover they can follow Rey's coordinates to find Exegol.

Rey confronts Palpatine, who demands that she kill him to transfer his spirit into her. The Resistance engages in battle with Palpatine's fleet. Ben overpowers the Knights of Ren and arrives to help Rey. Palpatine rejuvenates himself by absorbing the life essence of Rey and Ben and then attacks the Resistance fleet with Force lightning. A weakened Rey hears voices of past Jedi lending her their strength; Palpatine attacks her with lightning, but Rey deflects it using the two Skywalker lightsabers, killing him. Rey seemingly dies from the attack, but Ben sacrifices himself by using the Force to resurrect her; the two kiss before Ben fades away and becomes one with the Force. Lando arrives with significant reinforcements, allowing the Resistance to destroy the remainder of Palpatine's armada.

As the galaxy celebrates, Rey visits the moisture farm on Tatooine where Luke and the Lars family once lived. She buries the Skywalker lightsabers on the homestead, having built her own. A local asks her name; as the spirits of Luke and Leia look on, she replies "Rey Skywalker".

Cast

• Daisy Ridley as Rey
• John Boyega as Finn
• Adam Driver as Kylo Ren
• Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron
• Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata
• Domhnall Gleeson as Armitage Hux
• Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico
• Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca
• Billie Lourd as Lieutenant Connix
• Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa
• Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker
• Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian
• Anthony Daniels as C-3PO
• Naomi Ackie as Jannah
• Richard E. Grant
• Keri Russell
• Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine / Darth Sidious

Critical Reception

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker received mixed reviews from both critics and fans with a 52% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 476 reviews with an average score of 6.15/10 making it the worst reviewed Star Wars film in the Skywalker Saga on the site.

Videos

Trailers

Star Wars Episode IX – Teaser

Teaser Trailer