Star Wars fans react to Episode IX's official title, The Rise of Skywalker. After keeping viewers in the dark about the saga's final chapter for months, Lucasfilm finally teased what they had in store during Celebration Chicago. Pulling a page out of the Avengers: Endgame playbook, the studio saved the title reveal for the first trailer, immediately sending people into a frenzy. Coupled with the surprise return of one Emperor Palpatine, the Rise of Skywalker preview sparked endless discussions amongst fans.
The franchise's movie titles tend to be fairly self-explanatory (The Empire Strikes Back is basically a spoiler), but that doesn't stop people from speculating about their meanings right after they're announced. Obviously, all will be revealed come December, but for now, fans are left to their own devices trying to decode the title in an attempt to predict Episode IX's narrative trajectory. And with the major reveal taking place during Celebration, we were able to track down several attendees to get their thoughts.
In a new video, Screen Rant asked a plethora of Star Wars fans how they felt about the title. You can watch it for yourself in the space below:
Everyone seemed to be onboard with the title, remarking that it made fans think about all its possible implications. Quite a few people (including a couple Kylo Ren cosplayers) noted that Ben Solo is the last remaining Skywalker, wondering what the future has in store for the sequel trilogy villain. If there was a common critique of the title, it's that some people felt The Rise of Skywalker would have been better suited for the beginning of a trilogy, rather than the end. While this isn't the first time a blockbuster franchise has used the word "rise" in a concluding chapter (see: The Dark Knight Rises), that point is still understandable. Everything will probably make complete sense in eight months time, but from a certain point of view, it right now does sound like the start of a story, following a new member of the Skywalker clan rising into power.
One theory that may explain the puzzle is that the word Skywalker doesn't refer to the actual family audiences have been following for 40+ years, but the name of a new order Rey establishes, molded after Luke's teachings. It's also possible Rey becomes a "Skywalker," not via Last Jedi retcon, but by assuming it as a title. As the trailer notes, every generation has a legend, so perhaps the Skywalker moniker gets passed down to whoever is most deserving of it. It'll be interesting to see how The Rise of Skywalker plays out, and hopefully it ends the saga on a high note.
