Rey Will Turn To The Dark Side

Ever since a particular image of Jedi-In-Training Rey (Daisy Ridley) – showing her apparently brandishing a red, double-sided lightsabre while rocking a Sith-style hood – was featured in the Rise Of Skywalker trailer at Disney’s annual D23 Conference, some fans are convinced that Rey will turn to the Dark Side.

This would mark a shift from Rey’s refusal to join Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and rule together, but given that she also learned that she was abandoned by her nobody parents, and no longer feels like she has a destiny, she is in an emotionally vulnerable place and potentially more susceptible to a fall from grace.

This character arc would mirror Anakin Skywalker’s in the prequels, and you know Star Wars loves a parallel. This would also open up room for Kylo Ren to revert to Ben Solo and come over to the good side in the name of balance. But is this image of Rey embracing her dark side an actual plot, or merely an act of subterfuge by Rey, or the filmmakers? Or could it be that…

Adam Driver is Kylo Ren in STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

Clone Me Once, shame on you

Since Kylo Ren told Rey that her parents were nobodies, Rey’s identity is now up in the air, which of course could lead to a traditional arc of an orphan becoming a world-saving hero. Or could Star Wars be playing with its own universe to explore the fact that Rey’s parents could indeed be nobodies – because she has no parents and is a clone.

Fans who have embraced this theory have pointed out that clones are an integral part of the Star Wars universe, and having a clone become a hero rather than a Stormtrooper could be an intriguing way of subverting well-established rules of the universe, and marking another way of exploring the idea of humanity, good, evil and the influence of power.

This theory relies on the idea that Palpatine made Rey from DNA found in Luke Skywalker’s hand, which would mark a pretty epic call back to Empire Strikes Back, as well as explaining the connection Rey and Luke have shared. This also fits with Chuck Wendig’s references to Palpatine having a secret lab on Jakku in Star Wars: The Aftermath Trilogy, which is considered canon. Another version of this Skywalker connection, however, could be that…

We Are (Not) One

Rey could be part of the Skywalker family in a less lab-rat, more value-driven, hero-title way. Since the title The Rise of Skywalker was released, fans have been debating who the title refers to, with some speculating that Rey will be revealed to be a blood relation or descendant of a Skywalker.

However, many fans have latched onto the idea that ‘Skywalker’ doesn’t refer to a single character, but a new order of Force-users who grapple with both light and dark; the Gray Jedi. As the Gray Jedi are marked by their ability to feel and possess dark abilities while never succumbing to the lure of the Dark Side, this could explain Rey’s apparent dalliance with darkness in that photo of her in a Sith hood. But who else could join her as a new Gray Jedi?

Rey (Daisy Ridley) in STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

Use the Force… Ghosts

Several signs are pointing to Rise Of Skywalker using Force Ghosts, a move signposted by the reappearance of Yoda in The Last Jedi. Last we saw Luke in The Last Jedi, he projected a manifestation of himself during the Resistance’s epic battle with the First Order on Crait, before becoming one with the Force.

Previously in the Star Wars franchise, this has resulted in characters gaining the ability to reappear as Force ghosts. Mark Hamill has essentially confirmed this, saying, “The fact that I’m involved in any capacity is only because of that peculiar aspect of the Star Wars mythology where if you’re a Jedi you get to come back [and] make a curtain call as a Force ghost.”

Another theory involved Palpatine returning as a Force ghost also, as well as speculation that we could see more Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. The latter gained traction when Hayden Christensen made an appearance at this year's Star Wars Celebration – though evidence for all these theories remains more ambiguous. Nonetheless, we’re open to hearing all your detail-analysing evidence!

A New Millennium

Look, we all know that Rise Of Skywalker is going to be an emotional film, wrapping up this part of the saga. And what could be a more heartbreaking final moment that embodies The Last Jedi’s message of letting the past die, while also marking the possibility for a new generation filled with their own iconic imagery… than destroying Star Wars’ most iconic ship, the Millennium Falcon? Nope, okay, can’t cope with thinking about this one without tearing up, so let’s all rapidly move on…

Anthony Daniels is C-3PO in STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

What are your favourite theories about Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker? What’s in store for Lando? And C-3P0? Could Hux have a greater role than we ever could have imagined? Is there a link between Snoke and Palpatine that we didn’t know about? Let us know on #StarWarsFanTheories, and run to the cinema on December 19 to find out if you were right!