‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ Fan Edit Gives the Saga the Epic Ending It Deserves
In theory, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker aimed to deliver a satisfying conclusion to the nine-part saga. However, that plan didn’t exactly pan out exactly as planned. In fact, some Star Wars fans found the movie to be a low point for the saga. But one devoted fan has made an edit to one of The Rise of Skywalker’s biggest moments that ties everything together.
‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ disappointed a lot of fans
Long before it ever hit theaters, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker had the odds stacked against it. Its predecessor, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, had already greatly divided the fans. And some were up in arms as soon as Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012, signaling a new era for the saga.
But few were prepared for how The Rise of Skywalker would turn out. For starters, the movie needed to contend with the tragic 2016 passing of Carrie Fisher. And with Abrams returning after directing Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the director sought to complete his own vision of the sequel trilogy.
Then there was the surprise return of Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). Despite no setup in the previous two entries, the character was resurrected for the sequel trilogy’s final installment. And further complicating matters, fans were mixed at best on his connection to Daisy Ridley’s Rey.
A new fan edit adds new dimension to Rey’s showdown with Palpatine
Palpatine, of course, played a key role in both the original and prequel trilogies. And they both end with the Sith Lord turning to his favorite move: an intense, never-ending blast of Force lightning. Much like Yoda in Revenge of the Sith and Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi, Rey faces Palpatine’s electric wrath in The Rise of Skywalker.
And that’s where YouTuber “jon h” switches things up. As Rey and Palpatine’s final battle kicks in, she is joined by the Force ghosts of several past Jedi. These include not only Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker but also Alec Guinness’ Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker, and Yoda.
This moment adds context for the moment, giving viewers the thrill of seeing these heroes one last time. Since Rey’s first scene sees her attempting to connect with past heroes, seeing them united brings that story to a more thrilling conclusion.
Will the sequel trilogy ever receive the special edition treatment?
In the theatrical cut of The Rise of Skywalker, Rey only hears the voices of past Jedi. As Star Wars fans know, the ability to appear as a Force ghost is a relatively new skill. But the character appearances in this fan edit adhere to the canon.
Anakin, Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Luke had all previously appeared as Force ghosts. Meanwhile, other past Jedi — most notably, Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) — had not developed this Force ability. Nevertheless, having some Jedi appear as specters to aid Rey in this final battle adds a lot to the moment.
In fact, it’s a change Lucasfilm should consider making in the future. At this point, the company is unlikely to entertain the notion of a special edition for the sequel trilogy. But this fan edit makes a solid argument for at least making a few tweaks to the most recent Star Wars film.
