Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Theory Says A Battle Between The Dark Side Is Coming

How will Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker provide the perfect ending for not just the Sequel Trilogy but the so-called Skywalker saga to date? That’s the big question we’re wondering about over these long months in the run-up to Episode IX‘s release this Christmas. One intriguing fan theory though suggests how the movie’s grand final battle may go, all by analyzing the themes of previous installments.

As shared by Condawg4746 on Reddit, this theory looks at the final battles of previous trilogy-enders Return of the Jedi and Revenge of the Sith. In Episode III, as the user puts it, the fight between Anakin and Obi-Wan sees two Jedi lightsabers clash, thereby symbolizing the “Jedi’s destruction from within.” Then in Episode IV, Luke and Palpatine’s tussle is about a clash of a Jedi lightsaber and a Sith one, representing “the return of the Jedi.”

By this logic, what’s coming in Rise is a clash between two Sith lightsabers, this time symbolizing “the Dark Side’s destruction from within.” The Redditer suggests that Kylo will turn back to the light by the end of the movie, mirroring his grandfather’s redemption in Return.

And, again like his grandpa Vader, he’ll fight the Emperor in the movie, according to this theory. As the user describes, this will be “a clash of red sabers to close the third installment of the Sequel Trilogy, contrasting the clash of blue sabers to close out the third installment of the Prequel Trilogy.”

Whether Darth Sidious will be properly resurrected or not has been the subject of much discussion since Ian McDiarmid was revealed to be reprising his villainous role in Rise‘s first trailer. Rumors say Matt Smith might be playing some sort of host body for Palpatine’s spirit, but this is far from confirmed. The general consensus seems to say that the Emperor will be revealed as the true mind behind the First Order, though, with Snoke merely being his puppet.

Whatever ends up happening, all our questions will be answered when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker arrives in theaters on December 20th.