Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker concluded the saga that George Lucas started all the way back in 1977 just like the marketing campaign had promised. Though for a lot of fans, the ending left much to be desired in terms of narrative and character resolutions.
Many Last Jedi loyalists didn’t even care to admit that J.J. Abrams’ flick was anything other than fan service to mend Disney’s reputation after Rian Johnson’s divisive middle act. Others, meanwhile, criticized Episode IX for its convoluted and fast-paced script. But one element in particular that managed to rile up a lot of people was Rey’s ultimate fate. As the movie revealed in its closing moments, she adopted the family name of Skywalker, despite sharing no ties, blood or otherwise, with any of them.
Apparently, though, Daisy Ridley thinks her character received the perfect ending, saying the following about it in a recent interview with IGN to promote her upcoming film Chaos Walking, which hits theaters in January and co-stars Tom Holland.
“I think for me the beauty of Episode IX is it ends with such hope and such potential. I just feel like that was Rey’s perfect ending. The big battle was in Episodes VII, VIII, and IX. I think really she’s probably running around the forest somewhere having a great time. I feel totally, totally satisfied with how that story finished. I just don’t know what else she could do that I didn’t have to do. Also, there are so many amazing characters in Star Wars, that it’s sort of an amazing thing. I was watching the new episode of Mandalorian, and it’s just like the places it can go beyond even where it is now is so exciting.”
It’s a profound sentiment in and of itself, the fact that the Jakkuvian orphan was a Palpatine by name and a Skywalker by choice. Still, a lot of folks thought that it wasn’t earned, even if it made sense in the context of the plot.
Now that it’s been almost a year since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker made its way to theaters around the world, though, tell us, what are your current feelings on the definitive conclusion to the Skywalker Saga? Do you agree with what Ridley says here, or are you of a different belief? As always, sound off in the usual place below.
