“Darkness rises… and light to meet it.”
For a character who only lasted two movies, Supreme Leader Snoke delivered a lot of prescient lines about the Force, and the eternal struggle between the dark side and the light. It’s that same battle – one involving good and evil – that has arguably defined Star Wars since its humble debut back in ’77. And now, with the ninth and final chapter fast approaching, Disney and Lucasfilm are bracing for all-out war in The Rise of Skywalker, as the remnants of the Resistance cobble together a counter-attack against the First Order and a supervillain long thought to be dead.
We are, of course, referring to Sheev Palpatine – otherwise known as Darth Sidious or simply the Emperor – who looms over this brand new TV spot for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Embedded above, you’ll see a familiar war cry from Poe Dameron, before the footage cuts to Dark Rey, blood-red lightsaber in hand.
Unless you’ve been avoiding any and all promotional material for Episode IX (in which case, why are you reading this article?), it’s nigh on certain that you’ve already caught a glimpse of the battle-ready Rey. Masked in darkness and wielding what appears to be a double-bladed lightsaber (Darth Maul eat your heart out), word is this particular shot has been plucked from one of Rey’s Force dreams, and is the product of Emperor Palpatine’s manipulation.
Not unlike Snoke’s role in The Last Jedi, it’s looking increasingly likely that Palpatine will attempt to control and manipulate the Reylo, though whether Ben Solo will get a shot at redemption remains to be seen.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker swoops into theaters on December 20th. Its mission? To close the book on George Lucas’ 42-year saga.