The author of the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker novelization says Rey's (Daisy Ridley) decision to take on the name of Skywalker is the ultimate victory over Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). In the final scene of The Rise of Skywalker, Rey visits Tatooine and buries Luke (Mark Hamill) and Leia's (Carrie Fisher) lightsabers. A passerby asks her who she is, and, after a moment of contemplation aided by the presence of Luke and Leia's Force ghosts, says she is Rey Skywalker. This brings Rey's Star Wars journey to an end, where she went from a nobody on Jakku to discovering she's actually the descendant of the nefarious Emperor Palpatine.
That particular scene was met with mixed reactions, much like the entirety of The Rise of Skywalker. Similar to previous Disney Star Wars films, The Rise of Skywalker proved polarizing among fans upon its release, and that hasn't changed in the months following. When it comes to the Rey Skywalker moment, some were thrilled to have Rey take on the name of her former mentors, while others thought it was unearned and unnecessary. Despite the mixed reactions, Disney has kept the scene as a prominent part of its marketing for The Rise of Skywalker's home release.
Rae Carson, the author of The Rise of Skywalker's novelization, has weighed in on the controversial final moment. In an interview with StarWars.com, Carson was asked about Rey taking the Skywalker name for her own and how it impacts her journey over the course of the trilogy. While Carson acknowledged the backlash the moment has received, her take on Rey Skywalker was ultimately a positive one as she explained it hands "the Skywalkers their ultimate victory." Her full answer is as follows:
When I was 18 years old, I took on the moniker of my stepfather to honor the bonds of love and trust between us. I imagine it was much the same for Rey, who wanted to honor her own chosen family.
I recognize that Rey’s decision proved controversial, and I look forward to discussing this with fans for years to come. But my current take is this: The entire Skywalker saga is about Palpatine turning or trying to turn Skywalkers to the dark side. He especially hopes that Rey will prove a worthy vessel for his own power and ambition and become the Skywalkers’ final downfall. But in spite of all his efforts over the course of three generations, he fails. Rey rejects everything about him and takes on the Skywalker mantle and legacy. In the end, it’s a Palpatine who turns to the light, thus handing the Skywalkers their ultimate victory.
Since its release, The Rise of Skywalker novelization has led to some intense conversations over certain story choices. Most notably, the novelization revealed that Rey's father, instead of simply being Palpatine's son, was actually a failed Palpatine clone. This new plot addition seemed to exemplify some people's issues with The Rise of Skywalker, which was that it provided unsatisfying or nonexistent explanations for certain plot points.
While some people are angry with The Rise of Skywalker, there are some who enjoyed the final installment in the Skywalker saga. Star Wars is always going to be a property that inspires passionate conversation thanks to its fanbase, and there will always be varying opinions. Fans will likely debate Rey Skywalker for years to come, and there are surely some who share Carson's opinion about what that moment means. No one's opinion is invalid, especially when it comes to Star Wars.
Source: StarWars.com