Lucasfilm has unveiled the final trailer for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - and there are quite a few story details, Easter eggs, and more in it. The Star Wars Saga is coming to an end, a trilogy of trilogies that promises to bring light and dark into head-on collision.
Writer/director J.J. Abrams is back, and he's deploying his usual "Mystery Box" approach to marketing. Right now, the overarching narrative of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker remains enigmatic, and there's particularly intense speculation over just how the Emperor will return. Palpatine's unexpected resurrection was teased in the Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
In a normal marketing campaign, the final trailer serves to give audiences a sense of the story. But this is far from a normal marketing campaign, because the end of the Star Wars Saga is a cinematic event that viewers are already thrilled about. As a result, even this final Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker trailer avoids revealing the story beats. Here are the main takeaways.
33. Rey Continues To Train as a Jedi
The previous two Star Wars 9 trailers have shown Rey training alone somewhere on the jungle planet, and this latest trailer continues that theme. She's practicing at blocking drone attacks when she drops the helmet traditionally used to blind a Jedi, and begins to sprint away. The drone chases after her, continuing the session, but soon the trailer moves to show Rey practicing Force leaps. It's possible that the training session has been interrupted, given Rey seems to drop the helmet forcefully and suddenly. At this stage, though, it's difficult to say for certain.
32. Rey Climbs Over The Death Star Debris
The Star Wars 9 trailer uses Rey's Force-aided jump to segue artistically to another one, in which Rey performs another leap through some sort of wreckage. Other trailers have confirmed that the Resistance will be forced to travel to Endor and explore the wreckage of the Second Death Star, so it's reasonable to assume this shows Rey inside a hunk of Death Star debris.
31. What Has Finn Spotted?
The various Star Wars 9 trailers have either focused in on Rey, or tended to show the heroes of the Sequel Trilogy standing together. This latest trailer includes an interesting exception, though, as Finn stares out at something using macronoculars. The background lighting suggests it's the planet Pasaana, and it may be that Finn is looking at First Order troops who've discovered a Resistance base. The shot is accompanied by dialogue in which Finn claims that the Force brought the heroes of the Resistance together. It's testimony to how much he's developed as a character over the course of the Sequel Trilogy, in that he now considers himself part of the team, and has a deep-rooted belief in the Force.
30. Lando Is A Resistance Hero
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker features Greg Grunberg's character, "Snap" Wexley.
29. Dominic Monaghan's Star Wars Character Is Seen At Last - And He's With Rose
Lost star Dominic Monaghan is reuniting with J.J. Abrams in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and the new The Rise of Skywalker trailer offers a glimpse of his character. To date, precious little is known about the part Monaghan is playing, but the trailer makes it clear that he's a member of the Resistance. He's also a voice of hope, insisting that the Resistance may be diminished in number as a result of the First Order's attack, but it is not alone. It's interesting to compare Monaghan's sentiment with the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, when the Resistance called out for help, and nobody came. That experience clearly hasn't shaken the faith of Monaghan's character, and he's shown reassuring Kelly Marie Tran's Rose Tico. Rose has been quite a controversial figure, and hasn't featured heavily in the marketing for Star Wars 9.
28. Is Poe Destined To Become A Resistance Leader?
Dominic Monaghan's dialogue calls for a leader, and the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker trailer transitions to a shot that's focused upon Poe. Tie-in comics have suggested that Poe is stepping up as a Resistance leader, becoming more responsible and trustworthy, and that he'll potentially play a key role in the coming conflict. The trailer clearly shows Poe going on some sort of mission with Finn and Chewie.
27. A Corellian Corvette Arrives - Possibly The Tantive IV?
An old Corellian Corvette arrives at the Resistance base. This spaceship will be quite familiar to Star Wars viewers; the most famous Corellian Corvette was the Tantive IV, the Alderaanian consular vessel raided by Darth Vader at the beginning of the first Star Wars film. It's even possible that this is indeed the Tantive IV, and that Leia has continued to use it. If so, that makes sense why the trailer puts these details together; the Resistance needs leadership, and presumably Leia herself is on board.
26. Rey Confronts Kylo Ren on the Death Star
The Star Wars 9 trailers have focused on a duel between Rey and Kylo Ren as they stand on the wreckage of the Second Death Star. This time round, the shots focus on the personal connection between the two, with Rey insisting that nobody knows her - and Kylo Ren claiming that he does. Star Wars: The Last Jedi saw Supreme Leader Snoke establish a Force bond between the two, and Kylo Ren clearly believes it's still there.
25. TIE Fighters Over Kijimii
The Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker trailer shows a fleet of new TIE Fighters sweeping down upon an ice planet, presumably Kijimi. Kijimi is a snowy, rocky planet home to the Thieves' Quarter, where other scoundrels, thieves, bounty hunters, and neutral yet morally dubious folk reside. These appear to be First Order TIEs, so Kylo Ren may have called them down.
24. The Emperor's Throne
The Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker trailer moves on to a shot of a sinister throne, surrounded by jagged edges. This is based on sketches by Star Wars concept artist Ralph McQuarrie, which were made for the Emperor's throne room in Return of the Jedi. It's clearly intended to be Palpatine's new throne, and that sense is reinforced by a voice-over from Ian McDiarmid. "Long have I waited," he declares in the Emperor's voice. Notice the icy backdrop to the throne, suggesting that Kijimi is the world the Emperor has been waiting on - gathering his forces.
