A description for the first scene of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker recently made its way online. As shared by Making Star Wars, the site classifies it as a rumor at present so it might not be entirely accurate, but if it is, it promises not only a fan-pleasing opening to Episode IX but also confirmation of a long-held theory.
The story goes that the movie will begin with two Jedi with lightsabers sparring while dressed in combat clothes. Only when they finish and remove their helmets do we see that these are a younger Luke and Leia. It’s apparently clear from their forest surroundings that the scene is set on Endor shortly after the events of Return of the Jedi.
To corroborate this rumor, there was talk of Rise having a flashback scene featuring a young Luke, Leia and also Han Solo earlier this year, with Billie Lourd said to be filling in for her late mother Carrie Fisher with the help of CGI. So, given that there’s a decent chance this description is on the money, what does it tell us? Well, the big thing is that it could confirm Luke trained Leia in the ways of the Force after the Original Trilogy.
As Leia is also the progeny of Anakin Skywalker, fans have long attested that she must have similar innate Force ability to Luke. Of course, Legends material has explored this many times, with her becoming a talented Jedi knight under the New Jedi Order in that version of events. But the first hint in the canon universe that Leia had some Force ability came in The Last Jedi, when the unconscious Princess pulled herself back to safety through the vacuum of space.
Fingers crossed, then, that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will actually deliver on what fans have been waiting to see for over 30 years now. We’ll find out for sure though when the film hits on December 20th.
