Rumors of Anakin Skywalker or Darth Vader making an appearance in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy have been making the rounds online for longer than Disney has even been releasing these films, and so far, there’s been nothing to show for all the hearsay. Nonetheless, with Star Wars: Episode IX said to be the grand finale for the entire Skywalker Saga, this seems like as good an opportunity as any for the famously nostalgic J.J. Abrams to play this card, and in a new piece from CinemaBlend, the case is assessed on how likely it is that there might finally be some substance behind all the murmurings.
In the case’s favor, it’s worth noting that a return of both Vader and Anakin could have some thematic significance, not just because Episode IX is bringing the Skywalker Saga to a close, but also because the late villain’s dual identities could serve as a fitting reflection of his grandson Kylo Ren’s own crisis of conscience. This notion of being torn between the dark and light sides is even suggested in some old concept art for The Force Awakens, which shows Anakin return as a Force Ghost amalgamation of Vader and Skywalker.
Alternatively, just as Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin have all appeared to Luke in Force Ghost form, there’s always the possibility that Hayden Christensen’s character could do the same for Rey. At the same time, while your average filmgoer has little affection for Prequel-era Anakin, a Vader comeback could prove a lot more popular, and while this return may be trickier to write into the movie, CinemaBlend speculates that traces of the character’s Sith side may still linger in old artifacts or relics, including perhaps the broken helmet that Kylo cherished in The Force Awakens.
Of course, this is still just speculation for the time being, but while none of this is to say that your average forum rumor necessarily has any legitimacy to it, the general idea of an Anakin or Vader comeback isn’t exactly off the table, either. In any case, all will be revealed when Star Wars: Episode IX hits theaters on December 20th, 2019.
