While reports continue to indicate that Matt Smith has a role in the upcoming Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Lucasfilm remains reluctant to confirm his involvement. Even the actor himself has outright denied that he’s in the movie, though if this latest rumor shared by Making Star Wars is anything to go by, then perhaps Disney has a very good reason for keeping his character under wraps.
Before we continue, it’s worth noting that while this is still just a rumor for the time being, it will probably make for a pretty huge spoiler if it turns out to be correct. If you’re okay with that though, then by all means, read on.
According to MSW, Smith is playing a “dark side acolyte” who become willfully possessed by the spirit of Emperor Palpatine. During the film’s third act, it’s said that Rey and Kylo Ren team up to fight this latest incarnation of the classic villain, and eventually, Ben Solo manages to kill the host body.
The sprit then apparently jumps into Kylo’s body, leading the two of them to struggle for control. After beckoning for Rey to kill him, Kylo kills himself, defeating Palpatine in the process. The report also adds that Smith’s character and Kylo are both easier to possess than Rey due to their connection to the Dark Side.
Of course, this should all be taken with a pinch of salt, but at the very least, it sounds like an interesting way of wrapping up the Sequel Trilogy while bringing Ian McDiarmid’s character back into the story without repeating the events of Return of the Jedi. In any case, we’ll find out if the hearsay has it right when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on December 20th.