Let’s Play a Guessing Game: “The Rise of Skywalker” Edition

With a new Star Wars film releasing today, now’s the time to continue my ‘tradition’ of predicting what will happen in the movie¹. With The Force Awakens, I all but nailed it. The Last Jedi, not so much. But as I said on Twitter back in January: “The Last Jedi upended all my theorymongering. I have no idea what’s going to happen in Episode IX. And that’s absolutely exciting.” And that still hold true. Unlike the other two films, I don’t have any predictions for what I think will happen in The Rise of Skywalker. I have plenty of ideas about what may happen. So, this time, instead of predictions, here are a few moments from the films — and a few from the books — that should offer some insight into what I’m thinking.

Spoilers (maybe?) for The Rise of Skywalker below:

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PALPATINE
Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen.

— Return of the Jedi

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Her eyes found the black glass stare of the Emperor’s Messenger. The wraith had said nothing since its arrival, and it remained at its post near the doorway. Shakara wanted to approach it, to shake it, to demand answers — not just to her current predicament, but about why it was there at all. What the Emperor intended it to do.

We wiped out a planet for you, she thought. The least you can do is tell us why.
Tell us how to survive.
Tell us how to preserve your Empire.

— Alphabet Squadron
by Alexander Freed

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GREEF KARGA
But if it bothers you, just go back to the Core and report them to the New Republic.

THE MANDALORIAN
That's a joke.

— The Mandalorian, “Chapter 3: The Sin”

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LEIA
We fought till the end. But the galaxy has lost all its hope. The spark is out.

— The Last Jedi

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PALPATINE
Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design.

— Return of the Jedi

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PALPATINE
The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.

— Revenge of the Sith

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PALPATINE
To cheat death is a power only one has achieved, but if we work together, I know we can discover the secret.

— Revenge of the Sith

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YODA
Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not.

— Revenge of the Sith

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YODA
Luminous beings are we... not this crude matter.

— The Empire Strikes Back

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OBI-WAN
If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.

— A New Hope

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The droids have begun cremating the Jawa bodies. Qui-Gon is substantial enough now to smell the ash.

— A Certain Point of View, “Master & Apprentice”
by Claudia Gray

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Obi-Wan nods, enough reassured to focus fully on Qui-Gon. “You’re very nearly corporeal. I’ve never seen you appear like this.”

— A Certain Point of View, “Master & Apprentice”
by Claudia Gray

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LUKE
Master Yoda, you can't die.

YODA Strong am I with the Force... but not that strong.

— Return of the Jedi

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LUKE
No one's ever really gone.

— The Last Jedi

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Okay, so I actually have two ‘predictions.’ Neither one should be credited to some brilliant insight on my part — both are all-but-confirmed by the tie-in novel Resistance Reborn:

1. Wedge Antilles will appear, but won’t play a central role in the story.

2. Finn-Poe is a thing.

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1. Yes, I know there are spoilers from a major leak. No, I haven’t read them. In fact, I’ve only seen the final trailer once and none of the TV ads. So there.