Of all the many questions left suspended in space by Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, there’s one that almost got swept under the rug: How did Endor avoid full-blown catastrophe at the end of Jedi? When the ruins of Death Star II cascaded down from above? We have two words for you: “hyperspace anomalies.”
No, really. Hidden within the pages of The Rise of Skywalker‘s Visual Dictionary is confirmation that Endor escaped the charred remains of Death Star II thanks to “hyperspace anomalies,” which effectively sent the parts of the wreckage elsewhere. Like Ker Bif, for instance, which became one of the destinations for Rey in Episode IX as her and the gang sought the whereabouts of the second Sith Wayfinder.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker effectively confirmed Endor’s survival thanks to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot of some Ewoks staring up at the sky, where fans have noticed what appears to be the scattered remains of a Holdo maneuver – that is, the kamikaze move made famous by Laura Dern’s Admiral in The Last Jedi.
In tying this nine-picture saga together, J.J. Abrams and co-writer Chris Terrio ensured that the wreckage of Death Star II was integral to the plot, as it housed the location of the second Sith Wayfinder – and, by effect, Rey’s ticket to Exogol, the planet where Emperor Palpatine has hatched a plan for the Final Order and total supremacy.
Other tidbits that have emerged from the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Visual Dictionary include Luke’s lightsaber, Hux’s betrayal, and concrete details about the Knights of Ren and their respective identities. Call them rogue warriors or merchandising cash-grabs, but it’s pretty clear the Knights of Ren will be remembered as something of a missed opportunity from this Sequel Trilogy.
