This gallant sacrifice is the inevitable end to Kylo Ren's arc. So, just like Luke Force projecting himself across the galaxy killed him in The Last Jedi, so too did actually bringing Rey back to life kill Ben Solo. But what's importantly cited in all cases is that this isn't just using the Force (or midichlorians) to heal - it's an actual transference of life energy. Related: Why Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's Reviews Are Surprisingly NegativeĪlthough Force healing has been a common power in Star Wars games by medium necessity, The Rise of Skywalker brings it to the fore of the narrative. Rey uses it to heal a snake on Pasana, setting up her saving Kylo Ren after stabbing him with her crossguard lightsaber ( The Mandalorian episode 7, released two days before the movie, also had Baby Yoda use Force healing, further planting the idea in audience's minds). They share a kiss before Ben collapses and fades away (at the same time as Leia due to their connection), becoming one with the Force. However, now free of Kylo Ren and able to address his true feelings, he repeats her Force healing trick from the Death Star and brings her back - but in doing so loses his own life energy. While he climbs out (another rising Skywalker, albeit far less symbolic), Rey faces Palpatine and the effort kills her. He faces Palpatine alongside Rey, but is incapacitated for much of the final battle, thrown down a pit paralleling how his grandfather Darth Vader seemingly killed the Emperor. The other factor in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's ending is Ben Solo, redeemed at the end of the second act by the dying words of mother Leia, memories of father Han and Force altruism of Rey. With that behind her, Rey is able to definitively kill Palpatine, seemingly once and for all. It's said explicitly by the Jedi voices, but Rey must rise up - not just standing to face her foe, but doing so with the power of all who came before. This is the real "rise of Skywalker" the title is referring to. While the Rey Palpatine reveal comes out of leftfield and doesn't have much set up in the previous films (even without The Last Jedi's proclamation that Rey's parents were no-one, it feels like a major retcon), there is some intentional mirroring to the Skywalker family conflicts here. And, while the power of the Jedi helps, it is Rey's personal power and resilience that allows her to take down her grandfather. He's an almighty power to overcome on every level, grand and intimate. Palpatine is both a representation for Rey's mysterious past and the death of her parents. The Resistance forces, aided by a last-minute militia of regular citizens, lead a daring attempt to bring down the fleet, while Rey and a Ben Solo redeemed by his dying Leia and memory of Han take on the Emperor.Īnd yet this isn't just an Avengers: Endgame " I am inevitable/I am Iron Man" power-balance switch (even if the dialogue - " I am all the Sith/I am all the Jedi" - does mirror). The ending of Star Wars 9 is, rather simply, built around stopping that coming to pass. He wants her to kill him in a Sith ritual, transferring the power of him and all the previous Sith into her body, creating a new, even-more-powerful Empress Palpatine who can rule the galaxy with the full power of the dark side and hundreds of Star Destroyers equipped with Death Star tech. The white-eyed zombie promises Ben Solo the Sith fleet he's been storing on the hidden planet of Exegol, but it's all just another step in his plan to get his real target: granddaughter Rey Palpatine. Regardless of the how, what matters is that Palpatine is back and has been puppetmaster for this entire trilogy. Before the movie even begins, he's made his presence known to the galaxy, and very early on reveals that he's been manipulating Kylo Ren via Snoke and Darth Vader visions all along.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |