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Even though we think we understand what we’re seeing and hearing in many of the scenes in the trailer for The Rise of Skywalker, there’s a pretty good chance the final film might present something very different from the conclusions we’ve drawn. The footage may be edited a certain way, or digitally altered, or just presented in a context that hides the bigger picture. With that in mind, it’s time to talk about all of the possibilities contained in this footage — and some of the ways in which we could be deceived by it.
The trailer for The Rise of Skywalker begins with an unforgettable sequence in which Rey stands alone on a desert planet and waits as a First Order TIE fighter approaches. When it enters her path, she ignites her lightsaber, then runs until she’s between its wings, and leaps. The implication here is that she’s preparing to cut the ship in two with her blade aimed right for the cockpit, and the even deeper implication is that Kylo Ren is the pilot of the ship.
That may indeed be the case, but look closely at that ship and it becomes clear that it’s not one we’ve necessarily seen before. In The Last Jedi, Kylo flew a TIE Silencer with an all-black paint job, red-tinted windows and a very angular cockpit. This ship looks more like a traditional TIE Interceptor with a brighter paint job around the rounded, more typical-looking TIE cockpit design.
We also never get a look at who’s at the controls — we get a shot of some hands, but nothing that definitively reveals the pilot’s identity. Is this an epic rematch between Rey and Ren? Or just a marketing fakeout?
In Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren smashes his helmet to pieces in a fit of rage after Supreme Leader Snoke, like a true disciple of the pick-up artist, negs him for wearing it.
“Take that ridiculous thing off.”
The loss of the helmet is about Kylo’s anger, yes, but also seems to be part of his growing philosophy of “letting the past die.” Despite this, the Rise of Skywalker teaser trailer shows that same helmet being pieced back together by a pair of mysteriously furry hands.
When we see Kylo Ren in the teaser, though, he’s not wearing the helmet. He’s charging into battle with his head uncovered, burying opponents with his lightsaber. Now, it’s obviously possible that the helmet simply isn’t reforged yet when that scene takes place, but it’s also possible that Kylo isn’t even the one who decides the helmet needs to be put back together. Unless his hands got super hairy under those gloves.
Watch the video to see more ways they could be misleading us about The Rise Of Skywalker.
#StarWars #RiseOfSkywalker
The mystery TIE Fighter | 0:25
Rebuilding Kylo Ren | 1:23
What’s left of the Death Star(s) | 2:14
The form of The Emperor | 3:20
The redemption of Ben Solo? | 4:14
The reveal of Rey’s parents? | 5:02
A new meaning for ‘Skywalker’ | 5:57