The invention of Force-healing for The Rise of Skywalker has to be one of the most controversial elements of the Skywalker Saga closer. Fans have criticized the new power as conflicting with the entirety of Star Wars history, as if this super-helpful power exists, why has no Jedi ever used it in the movies before now? That’s a good point, but it just so happens that maybe we’ve seen an example of it way back where the saga began, in A New Hope.
Think back to the scene where Luke Skywalker is attacked by Tusken Raiders and is knocked unconscious. Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi comes to his rescue by placing his hands on the boy’s temples and quietly concentrating for a few moments. It’s always been clear that Obi-Wan was healing Luke in some form in this sequence, but ScreenRant has suggested that perhaps what he’s doing here is merely a less extreme form of Rey’s Force-healing in TROS.
SR goes on to say that obviously Obi-Wan was not always aware of Force-healing, as there were numerous points in the prequels when that would have come in mighty handy. Instead, this theory argues that Kenobi learned the ability during his period living as a hermit on Tatooine. It’s possible he had some ancient Jedi texts with him, which he studied to learn this power, though these would have to be different ones from those Luke later had on Ahch-To.
Alternatively, another – arguably cleaner – explanation could be that Qui-Gon Jinn taught it to him, as we know Obi-Wan contacted his former Master’s Force ghost. Remember, the art of becoming a Force ghost was once a lost ability itself before it was rediscovered and passed down from Qui-Gon to Kenobi and so on. So, it would make sense if Qui-Gon was also aware of Force-healing and handed that down to his former Padawan, too.
All things considered, this is a neat theory and a clever way of tying Rise of Skywalker‘s innovations back into Star Wars history. But do you buy this New Hope retcon? Have your say in the comments section below.